On Saturday, Studio Khara made an exciting announcement about Hideaki Anno’s involvement in a special project for the 50th anniversary Space Battleship Yamato space opera anime franchise.
The project will feature a series of book publications, along with a special screening event on October 6th.
This event holds significance as it coincides with the 50th anniversary of the first episode of the anime, which originally aired in 1974.
There are also plans for an exhibition that will take place throughout Japan.
There are several exciting book publications in the works, including an artbook from the talented manga creator Michio Murakawa, a collection of design artwork from the renowned mechanical designer Junichirō Tamamori, a special edition Space Battleship Yamato 1974 Complete Works book to celebrate its 50th anniversary, and various manga publications.
Studio Khara has been chosen to publish the remaining two projects.
The creator of Neon Genesis Evangelion has often mentioned how the series sparked his passion for anime. Additionally, he meticulously designed the opening sequence for the Star Blazers 2199 series.
In a comment about the project, Anno mentioned that he has been a devoted follower of the franchise for nearly five decades, starting from his early years in middle school.
He mentioned that he believes the franchise has had a significant impact on shaping his current self.
He fondly recalled missing the initial episode when it originally aired, but made sure to catch every episode thereafter. He even prioritized watching the show over other commitments, like Great Mazinger, and hurried home after cram school to do so.
The Story of Space Battleship Yamato is described as:
The Space battleship yamato anime series takes viewers on a captivating journey as they witness the incredible adventures of the Yamato, a battleship from World War II that has been brought back to life as a spacecraft. Its mission? To protect Earth from menacing extraterrestrial forces.
The inaugural television series made its debut in October of 1974.
In 1977, the very first animated film made its debut and managed to rake in an impressive 2.1 billion yen (approximately US$23 million) at the box office.
In 1978, the anime franchise achieved an impressive television rating of 50%, which was an incredible feat.
Yamato yo Towa ni: Rebel 3199 (Be Forever Yamato: Rebel 3199) is the latest installment in the Space Battleship Yamato remakes.
This exciting project will be released as a series of seven films, with the first film “Kuro no Shinryaku” (Dark Invasion) premiering on July 19.
Star Blazers: Space Battleship Yamato 2199 is a modern adaptation of the beloved 1974 Space Battleship Yamato series, brought to life by the talented creators Leiji Matsumoto and Yoshinobu Nishizaki.
Space Battleship Yamato initially debuted in Japan as a collection of seven movies that were screened in theaters from 2012 to 2013.
It later made its way to Japanese television in April 2013.
The Uchū Senkan Yamato 2199: Hoshi-Meguru Hakobune anime film was released in Japan in 2014.
Sources: Studio Khara, PR Times Japan, Comic Natalie
