The first day stage greeting 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 26th at Shinjuku Piccadilly (Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo). Director Harutoshi Fukui, Director Naomichi Yamato, Scriptwriter Hideki Oka, and voice actress Eriko Nakamura, who plays Mikage Kiryu, appeared on stage and revealed their thoughts on the sixth chapter and behind-the-scenes stories of its production.
The ending of the fifth chapter, "The Heated Galactic War," which premiered on February 20th, also garnered attention when the Space Battleship Yamato crossed the spacetime nodal point and arrived not in the future, but in Tokyo in 2026. Fukui explained, "Actually, we don't deviate that much from the original work. We decided beforehand which music to use in which scenes. Everything we've built up until now is finally being revealed," and urged viewers, "You can now go on a pilgrimage to the sacred sites that Yamato has never been able to achieve before. I want you to actually see the places where the Cosmo Hound appears. They look like places made for the Cosmo Hound to appear."
The footage shown before the screening depicted the Yamato flying over Tokyo and the Ginga, which had been stranded on the moon, taking off. The appearance of a black Yamato has also become a topic of discussion. Yamato said, "We adjusted the sense of distance when Yamato was flying over Tokyo. The black Yamato was also a challenge. The Ginga's takeoff also went well," to which Fukui smiled and said, "The Ginga was wreaking havoc, wasn't it?"
Oka said, "I'm most nervous about Chapter Six. I've always thought it would be a tough one," admitting that he had been anxious leading up to its release. "There were times when I disagreed with Fukui, asking, 'Are we really going to include this?' I told him three times, 'Please stop. Don't mix these things, it's dangerous,' but it seems everyone has taken it well," he said, breathing a sigh of relief.
Oka says, "There are scenes in the script that sent chills down my spine. Chapters six and seven were entirely designed by this person (Fukui). I think he wanted to wrap things up properly, and it's all meticulously calculated. I cry every time I watch it." The human drama is also a major attraction.
Oka said, "There are some good stories included, but there are also people who mess up. Domon messes up spectacularly, and Professor Kosaka messes up too. The artwork is meticulous. There are also shots that make you think, 'That angle?!' Humans tend to justify themselves. I think the interesting thing is that this is clearly expressed. I hope you will continue to imagine what happens next." Yamato added, "Things move forward thanks to the efforts of many different people. There are many different ways of thinking, and everyone is living their lives to the fullest. I think we were able to express that well."
Fukui said, "This series is themed around the question, 'Does righteousness truly save people?' and that question is starting to become clear. I hope that parents and children, and couples, will watch it together."
Oka nodded and said, "Life has all sorts of moments. There are times when you feel exhilarated as if you're the main character, and then there are times when it's the complete opposite, and even if you think you're right, you're not understood. But that's not the end of it; life goes on. I felt that strongly when I saw the finished video. I think it's something you can watch with someone close to you."
"Yamato 3199" is a reinterpretation and re-imagining of "Be Forever Yamato" and "Space Battleship Yamato III." It consists of seven chapters, and the final chapter, Chapter Seven, "Rainbow-Colored Reincarnation," will be screened from October 30th.
