Space Battleship Yamato II
Sequel series retconning the movie to save the Yamato crew.
Space Battleship Yamato II (宇宙戦艦ヤマト2, Uchū Senkan Yamato Tsū), also known as Star Blazers: The Comet Empire or Star Blazers II, is a Japanese military science fiction anime from Academy Productions. It follows the original Space Battleship Yamato and adapts the film Arrivederci Yamato, created by Yoshinobu Nishizaki and Leiji Matsumoto. The series ran on Yomiuri TV from October 14, 1978, to April 4, 1979, and was later remade in 2017 as Space Battleship Yamato 2202.
After the movie sparked fan outcry, the franchise's popularity led to a second TV season that retconned the film, offering a different storyline where the Yamato and its main characters survive. Expanded to 26 episodes, this season adds new plot threads, including a romance between Teresa (Trelaina) and crew member Daisuke Shima (Mark Venture), and a rivalry between Kodai and Saito (Knox), leader of a space marine unit. Many fans consider this the best season due to its strategic fleet battles, imaginative ship designs from Studio Nue, and the character development of Gamilas leader Desler. Footage from Arrivederci Yamato was reused in the season, especially in the opening credits; the scene of the Yamato launching from water also appeared in two later movies.
Set in 2201, two years after Earth’s defeat of the Gamilas Empire and its restoration, the planet is militarizing with the new intergalactic ship Andromeda. When the Yamato crew investigates an SOS from the mysterious Teresa of planet Telezart, they encounter the Gatlantis Empire (White Comet Empire), an even greater threat than the Gamilas. Meanwhile, Desler seeks revenge for his earlier loss to the Yamato.
The cast includes Kei Tomiyama as Susumu Kodai (Derek Wildstar), Yōko Asagami as Yuki Mori (Nova), Kazuo Hayashi as Yasuo Nanbu (Dash), Noriko Ohara as Savellah (Invidia), and Isao Sasaki as Hajime Saito (Knox).
- field
- Anime television series
- nationality
- Japanese
- known_for
- Sequel to Space Battleship Yamato, adaptation of Arrivederci Yamato
- producer
- Academy Productions
- air_dates
- October 14, 1978 – April 4, 1979
- episodes
- 26
Lore & Background
The series was produced after the popularity of the Space Battleship Yamato franchise became clear, largely due to fan outcry over the movie Arrivederci Yamato. A second season was created that retconned the movie, presenting a different plot in which the Yamato and its primary characters were not killed off. The story was expanded to 26 episodes, featuring additional plot lines such as a love story between Teresa (Trelaina) and crew member Daisuke Shima (Mark Venture), and an antagonism between Kodai and Saito (Knox), leader of a group of space marines.
Reader's Guide
Space Battleship Yamato II is considered by many fans to be the best season of the franchise on account of its strategic space fleet battles, imaginative spaceship designs created by Studio Nue, and the character development of Gamilas leader Desler. Footage from Arrivederci Yamato was reused in the second season, particularly in the opening titles; the sequence of the Yamato launching from water was also reused in two subsequent movies. The series set the stage for later remakes, including the 2017 Space Battleship Yamato 2202.
Did You Know?
- The series is an adaptation of the movie Arrivederci Yamato, but retcons it so the Yamato and its crew survive.
- Footage from Arrivederci Yamato was reused in the opening titles of Space Battleship Yamato II.
- The series introduced a love story between Teresa (Trelaina) and crew member Daisuke Shima (Mark Venture).
- It aired on Yomiuri TV in Japan from October 14, 1978, to April 4, 1979.
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