SPACE BATTLESHIP YAMATO Celebrates 40th Anniversary with Two 2199 Movies

Information Compiled by: Tim Eldred, Cosmo DNA Source: Shochiku Co., Ltd. Official Site: yamato2199.net The classic anime SPACE BATTLESHIP YAMATO (???????, Uchuu Senkan Yamato) celebrates its 40th anniversary with a variety of events, exhibitions and merchandising plus two theatrical features based on the recent SPACE BATTLESHIP YAMATO 2199 series. The 40th Anniversary Project kicked off April 21st with a ceremony attended by producer Shoji Nishizaki and voice actors Takayuki Sugo (Juuzo Okita) and Aya Uchida (Yuria Misaki). The trio unveiled a 1/100 scale model of the Yamato measuring 10.9 feet in length. The large Yamato was also one of the many displays for the Yamato 2199 Art Exhibition, held at the Seibu Gallery in Ikebukuro from April 22nd through May 7th.

Next up will be the Space Battleship Yamato 2199 World Summer Festival 2014, part of the at the Rihga Royal Hotel Osaka Summer Festival running August 14-16.

Two SPACE BATTLESHIP YAMATO 2199 theatrical feature films are currently in production. The first -- SPACE BATTLESHIP YAMATO 2199: VOYAGE OF RECOLLECTION (???????2199 ?????, Uchuu Senkan Yamato 2199 Tsuioku no Kokai) -- will be released nationwide in Japan by Shochiku on Saturday, October 11th. The film is a compilation of material from the seven chapters of the SPACE BATTLESHIP YAMATO 2199 series, offering a new perspective on the Yamato`s long journey to Iskandar. Pre-orders for the Japanese DVD and Blu-ray editions of VOYAGE OF RECOLLECTION began May 15th, a full five months before the film opens in cinemas. The packaging will follow the same format as previous 2199 videos with a slipcase by Naoyuki Katoh and sleeve art by Nobuteru Yuuki. The film has a running time of 150 minutes. The Blu-ray will include English subtitles. A limited edition VOYAGE OF RECOLLECTION Blu-ray, packaged with a storyboard book, will be sold in theaters screening the movie starting October 11th. The standard edition will be available from retailers on November 21st. December 6th sees the release of the second film, SPACE BATTLESHIP YAMATO 2199: ARK OF THE STARS (???????2199 ?????, Uchuu Senkan Yamato 2199 Hoshi Meguru Hakobune). ARK OF THE STARS will be a new story set within the time-frame of the SPACE BATTLESHIP YAMATO 2199 series, and features an enemy that should be very familiar to YAMATO fans. The teaser trailer offered the following description for ARK OF THE STARS...

A hidden story from the year 2199 is revealed now! In 2199, Yamato was departing from the Large Magellanic Cloud. Calm air flowed between the crew, who had received the “Cosmo Reverse System.” At the edge of the Large Magellanic Cloud, Yamato encountered a mysterious fleet that suddenly appeared. They called themselves “Gatlantis” and demanded that Yamato be handed over. Yamato was in a hurry to return to Earth and avoid combat. But an unknown entity appeared to block their path. Yamato warped out in the nick of time, but before their eyes appeared the figure of a planet floating in a strangely-colored (light grey) space... Coming December 6 (Saturday)! Advance ticket sales began May 16th, six months before ARK OF THE STARS` theatrical release. Special premiums enticed fans into making this advance purchase: a set of four cards (measuring about 4.75?w by 5.5?h) with artwork by the primary staff members for the film. The cards are pictured below from left to right... · Yutaka Izubuchi (General Director, Screenplay) · Nobuteru Yuuki (Character Designer) · Masanori Niishi (Chief Mechanical Director) · Junichiro Tamamori (Mechanical Designer) Fans could obtain one of these cards with each ?1500 (Approximately $14.80 US) ticket purchase from a Shochiku-affiliated movie theater, or get a set of all four for ?6000 (Approximately $59.20) when buying from the Yamato Crew website.