Brand New Day
The return of Yoshinobu Nishizaki and Space Battleship Yamato: Report 1
Fans have been waiting since 1983 for the return of their favorite anime space adventure. The countdown clock has been reset many times in those 25 years as one attempted relaunch after another was aborted before it could leave the atmosphere. (See a roundup of those attempts here.)
But now, in 2008, the obstacles have miraculously cleared. At almost the same moment our August 1st update went live, the word came from Japan and quickly spread around the globe. The first English-language confirmation was posted on Variety.com August 3...
Yamato time again: Battleship to relaunch 25 years later
By MARK SCHILLINGIconic sci-fi toon series Space Battleship Yamato is about to relaunch 25 years after the last installment was seen, according to producer Yoshinobu Nishizaki, who made the original Yamato TV show and four feature toons. Abroad the series is also known as Space Cruiser Yamato or Star Blazers.
For the new pic, Nishizaki, who has been in legal trouble in the intervening years, has set up a toon house, called Yamato Studio, in Tokyo's Nerima Ward -- the heart of the Japanese anime industry -- with a staff of 40. Among Nishizaki's collaborators are veteran character designer and animator Tomonori Kogawa, who will be the pic's general animation director, and Toshio Masuda -- the veteran helmer who was general director on four previous Yamato feature toons.
Set in 2220, the pic will depict the evacuation of 300 million people from Earth to avoid certain death from an expanding black hole. The Yamato, a space battleship, is leading the rescue fleet when it is attacked by an alien force.
Space Battleship Yamato began life in 1974 as a 26-episode TV series, helmed by animator Leiji Matsumoto. The series was a hit, leading to the production of the four Yamato features, which appeared in theaters from 1977 to 1983. Two more TV series were produced, as well as three smallscreen specials.
However, in September 1997, Nishizaki and his company, West Cape Corp., filed for bankruptcy. That December Nishizaki was arrested on drug charges and he later sailed to the Philippines while on bail. He was arrested on his return, and weapons were seized from his yacht. Nishizaki has spent much of the past decade in and out of jail and battling in courtrooms. In 2004 he reached a settlement with Tohokushinsha, Bandai and Bandai Visual over their Yamato copyright dispute, with the three companies recognizing his right to make another Yamato pic.
Nishizaki was released from prison in December 2007. The toon is scheduled for release in 2009.
In less than a week, this trailer appeared to silence the nay-sayers who insisted that such a thing could never come to pass.
If the premise of the new film sounds familiar, you aren't imagining things. It was originally written in 1993 for Yamato Rebirth, a movie that was meant to go into production on the heels of Yamato 2520 (both were profiled in the 1994 documentary The Quickening). When this failed to happen and Mr. Nishizaki met with the problems described in Variety's article, it was shelved indefinitely...and then became the basis for our popular webcomic, Star Blazers Rebirth.
Needless to say, it will be fascinating to compare the two when the opportunity arrives. For now, it's enough to know that Yamato's original producer is finally back in the saddle and the countdown clock is closer to zero than it has ever been.
Of course, since Mr. Nishizaki is becoming a public figure once again, we can expect to hear more from him. His first known interview of 2008 appeared in Japan's Weekly Playboy magazine, which hit newsstands on February 25, 2008. So in the spirit of all things Brand New, we bring you that interview in full below.
Legendary TV Series Space Battleship Yamato in a DVD Box!
Two great masters of anime come together to celebrate its release!
Interviewer: Space Battleship Yamato, the landmark series of the anime world, is being newly-released in a DVD box. We talked about this with Yamato's Producer, Yoshinobu Nishizaki, and famous director Hideaki Anno. Mr. Anno, you have your own Yamato to talk about?
Anno: I supervised the making of a Yamato model kit for the DVD box.
Nishizaki: I was in charge of the video color-correction and Mr. Anno consulted with me.
Interviewer: Great! A collaberation between two giants! What did you think of the kit?
Nishizaki: I'm satisfied with it, even though it isn't exactly like the prototype. The extended shape of the bow is very smart.
Anno: I think it's the best model that's been done. The very first one had a windup motor, so you had to cut it off and modify it. But no one will have to tinker with this kit. Well, somebody will... (laughs)
Interviewer: Mr. Nishizaki, how did Yamato production start?
Nishizaki: At first I hit on the idea of a flying battleship. There was a prototype of this in a magazine called Boy's Club at the time. The ideas coalesced into Space Battleship Yamato. It began 34 years ago, in 1974. Anno, when did you first see it?
Anno: I was an eighth-grader. I was already a fan of battleships, but when I saw the anime it was unprecedented. At the time, though, we didn't say 'anime,' it was 'TV manga.' I was fascinated just by the opening title. It was something adults would not be embarrassed to watch.
I did 'missionary work' for Yamato at my school. I drew my own poster and put it up on the campus to spread the word! (Laughs)
Nishizaki: The staff and I were very particular about making it as photographic as possible. If we could find anyone who could describe a real battleship I'd say 'I'll be there in 30 minutes," and jump in my car.
However, our ratings were bad. We had planned to do 39 episodes, but we were reduced to 26. Heidi of the Alps was on another channel, and that was everyone's popular pick.
Anno: A whole family would watch Heidi together. But as for Yamato, it was just me (laughs). But my father was soon tempted, too. After all, it was a program adults could enjoy.
The first episode was a big surprise, and I became an instant fan. When the 2nd episode came on, I put my cassette recorder next to the TV. I noisily begged my parents for one to help with English study. After listening three times I could repeat all the dialogue (laughs)!
Nishizaki: The sound effects were very good. Which did you like best?
Anno: The main guns firing. In fact, we used that sound in Nadia and the Secret of Blue Water. Those sounds should be preserved for posterity!
Interviewer: By the way, did you actually use that cassette recorder for English study?
Anno: (Laughs) No, only for recording Yamato! I also recorded the commercials. I can recall all the catchphrases even today.
Nishizaki: Was Yamato the model for Nadia?
Anno: Your favorite works are always your model, whether or not you admit it. But Yamato's influence was large, especially on the spaceships.
Not Just Anime: Yamato's Story Made a Deep Impression
Interviewer: Why did you make Yamato the basis for the story? Why not the Nagato?
Nishizaki: Yamato was a tragic figure for those of us who experienced World War II. In fact, I once went to the China Sea to find the spot where it sank.
Interviewer: You went searching for Yamato?
Nishizaki: We found the exact spot, but the waves were too high to get a good photograph.
Interviewer: Was it an expensive trip?
Nishizaki: Yes, because we searched with sonar. We detected the three biggest pieces of the hull.
Interviewer: Nishizaki's dynamic connection! By the way, there is a rumor that Dessler was modeled after you. Is that true?
Nishizaki: That was probably an accident! (Laughs) I sympathized with the role of Dessler. He was faithful to his desires. Some said that in that way he resembled me very much! (Laughs)
Anno: Dessler's a great character. A lot of anime villains would attack without reason, but with him there was always a good reason. He completely overturned the morality of anime works. His story did a lot to spread the Yamato worldview.
Nishizaki: Thank you. Even though 34 years have passed, Dessler is still everyone's idea of the ideal villain.
Looking Back, Yamato Started it All!
Interviewer: The TV series went into reruns, and the movie was a big breakthrough. Mr. Nishizaki, when did Yamato Fever spread across Japan?
Nishizaki: When the movie was released in 1977, and there was a huge line at the theatres. I had to see it, so I went to the one in Shibuya.
Anno: I was in one of those lines. It wasn't playing in my hometown, so I had to go to Shimonoseki to see it.
Nishizaki: If Yamato failed, I was thinking about quitting the anime business. So I'm really grateful the fans liked the movie and the TV reruns.
Anno: We fans should thank you. If not for Yamato, Japan might not have anime now. Neither anime fans nor Otakus would have been born. Yamato started it all.
Nishizaki: I'm glad the idea of a realistic anime was accepted.
Anno: When I first saw Yamato, I was at the age where we were expected to "graduate" from watching anime. Because I saw it, I continued watching after middle school. It was my whole life in high school. The first animation cel I painted was of Yamato. I shot it with an 8mm camera to make it look like it was flying forward. That was my first self-produced anime. Seeing Yamato got me into anime.
Nishizaki: Then, Anno, why don't you do a Yamato? I'm thinking I'd like to remake the 39-episode version.
Interviewer: Wow! Anno, the megaphone of Yamato, would finally get to make one?
Anno: I don't think I have it in me. I wouldn't be able to do justice to Yamato without having experienced the Pacific War in any way. But if you do remake it, by all means make the battle at Rainbow Star Cluster twice as long, and show it in great detail!
Interviewer: Mr. Anno, how did you decide to make the new model kit?
Anno: I really wanted it to look like it does in the opening title. That's my favorite version. After this I'd like to do the Andromeda and Okita's battleship in the same scale. This project started out as a garage kit, so we might go that way in the future. Would there be any trouble getting permission and consultation?
Nishizaki: Not at all. I'm glad you took the trouble to make this new kit. It's very well made.
Interviewer: Can I get your final comments on the new box set?
Anno: I think it would be great to see the entire TV series in one sitting. I'd like everyone to watch it, so they can reaffirm that this was the starting point of anime. It would be especially interesting for people who saw it the first time.
Nishizaki: Digital processing was used for the first time with this release, but it looks completely natural. I think Yamato is just as enjoyable as it ever was.
Interviewer: Thank you very much!
The End
Continue to New Movie report 2
Read an early 1977 interview with Nishizaki from OUT Magazine
Read OUT's followup interview with Nishizaki from mid-1977
Read a 1980 interview with Nishizaki from Monthly Animation Magazine
Read a 1983 essay about Final Yamato by Nishizaki
Read a 1983 retrospective about the entire saga by Nishizaki
Naturally, we'll keep an eagle eye out for more publicity and post it here in future updates. For anyone who hasn't yet heard about the DVD box and model kit described in this interview, you can learn all about both here. And click here to read a 1998 interview with Hideaki Anno, Leiji Matsumoto, and Hiroshi Miyagawa.