A press conference for the sixth chapter, "The Blue Labyrinth," of " Be Forever Yamato: Rebel 3199, " the latest installment in the remake series of the popular anime " Space Battleship Yamato ," was held on June 4th at Shinjuku Piccadilly (Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo). The voice actors, General Director Harutoshi Fukui, and Director Naomichi Yamato appeared at the event. The ending of the fifth chapter, "The Heated Galactic War," which premiered on February 20th, has been a hot topic, as the Space Battleship Yamato crossed a spacetime node and arrived not in the future, but in Tokyo in 2026. General Director Fukui and others spoke about the highlights of the sixth chapter.
At the end of Chapter Five, the Yamato appeared in the skies above Shinjuku. The visual for Chapter Six, which has already been released, also depicts the Tokyo Skytree. Director Fukui revealed, "The height of Tokyo Tower is the same as the length of the Yamato. The composition just didn't feel right. I asked if we could include the Skytree, and they agreed. I wanted to place it above this place (Shinjuku Piccadilly, the venue for the stage greeting), so I decided on Shinjuku. How to get to the Skytree? We proceeded along Yasukuni Street and then turned towards the sea around Uguisudani. It's an advanced technique for islands." He added, "There were a lot of things we had planned. I'm glad we were able to get there safely," expressing his delight at the completion of Chapter Six.
As director Yamato said, "There are dramatic parts, romance, a bit of horror, and action, and thanks to the efforts of the staff, we have arrived at something with depth. I am truly grateful," it seems to be packed with content.
On this day, Noriko Kuwashima, who plays Tasuku Hatanaka Mori, Tasuku Hatanaka, who plays Ryusuke Domon, Tomo Muranaka, who plays Miyako Kyozuka, and Eriko Nakamura, who plays Mikage Kiryu, appeared on stage. Kuwashima said of Hatanaka and Muranaka, "I can't believe I get to see these two standing side by side up close! They're such a hot pair, and so fresh and innocent," hinting that the sixth chapter will focus on the story of Domon and Miyako.
Muranaka said with deep emotion, "We've been steadily recording, and as it's gradually being released, we're finally getting close to the climax with Chapter Six. I'm filled with a sense of accomplishment for everything we've done so far, a sense of change within myself, and gratitude to everyone."
Hatanaka bowed his head and said, "There's so much packed into it, I'm surprised at the volume of content, wondering if it's all going to fit into six chapters! The recording was very intense. I'm happy, but also a little embarrassed. I lost my temper and caused trouble. I feel like Domon should apologize..."
In the trailer that has already been released, Domon is shown to be tempted by the same "historical alteration" that Desarium is trying to do, saying, "If Yamato heads to Planet Gamilas in this era, we can change the future."
Hatanaka said, "These are Domon's true feelings, and I wanted to capture 120% of them. I let him get completely furious. His sense of justice is misguided, but it's also very much like Domon, and I was able to ride that wave and get into character easily."
Kuwashima said that there are "so many highlights" in the sixth chapter. "By the time you get to the sixth chapter, the story deepens, and you grow to love all the characters... But I think it's Ginga. He was so cool!" Director Fukui added, "The women are strong. Yamato is a long series, but I think it also absorbs the spirit of the times and changes in some ways. I hope you will enjoy it until the very end."
"Yamato 3199" is a reinterpretation and re-imagining of "Be Forever Yamato" and "Space Battleship Yamato III." It consists of seven chapters, with the sixth chapter, "The Blue Labyrinth," opening in theaters on June 26th.
