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Space Battleship Yamato 2199

137th Gebirg said:
After only having had the opportunity to get through the first half last night, I feel somewhat mixed in my reaction to it so far. Here are my initial thoughts - Pro's first:
  • The technical quality of this show, with regard to ship and character design and animation, continues to be top-shelf. It is truly enjoyable to watch.
  • The White Comet "barbarians" really appear to be almost inspired by what one would view as human/Klingon hybrids. Got a very Klingon vibe off these guys - better than Klingon, in fact - what I would have expected Klingons to actually look and act like in their early days.
  • Love the references to the old WWII battleship Yamato. This is really the first time that its history has ever been really explored more deeply than passing mentions in the entire franchise.
Cons (so far):
  • Speaking of the White Comet guys, why does the top one want the Yamato's "killer of Gamilons" weapon so much (wave motion gun)? His Magna-Flame Gun seems to do just as much damage without breaking a sweat, has equal-or-greater range without the victims knowing where it came from AND can fire multiple shots in rapid succession with deadly accuracy, none of which the WMG can do. His motivations seem suspect to me. Other than being a 2-dimensionally stereotypical "Galactic Alien Bully", there's really no legitimate reason for him to pursue Yamato.
  • Did the Yamato just blow up that planet of energy-sucking space squids by warping away, with heroic music playing in the background? Is it possible that they just committed genocide on the inhabitants of that world? Serious mixed messages here on his one.
  • While an interesting concept, I find the "Hotel Yamato" segment in the middle part of the movie where all the characters seem to be aimlessly meandering about the hotel dragging on quite a bit. The pacing just doesn't seem to pop like the series did, which is odd, considering the limited amount of time they had to tell this story.
  • Not sure if this is a pro or con, but did the plucky, blond Gamilon kid all of a sudden turn into an angst-ridden teenager within the span of a half-hour? One minute they're ruminating over the truce with Yamato, and the next, the kid looks like he's aged at least 5-10 years! Just how long have they been stuck there? Does time operate differently in this place? Do Gamilons age that quickly in adolescence and then slow down? I vaguely recall something in the main 2199 series that Desslar is actually a lot older than he looks. Maybe it's something I haven't seen yet. If so, please disregard.
That's where I left off and plan to watch the rest tonight or this weekend. More later...
Click to expand...

Received my Discs yesterday - and have to say I agree with most of the above (and interesting to see I wasn't the only one thinking the Galantean protagonists gave off a 'Klingon' vibe - especially other the ship captain when he said: "There's no honor in this battle..."; hell, I was waiting for a subtitle to read "Today is a good day to die.";).)

Overall I enjoyed the film, but for me the whole 'Hotel Yamato' was way too long and drawn out - and IMO hurt the pacing of the film - YMMV.

I also enjoy that they keep adding some twists with the reference to an ancient race that built the World of Tranquility and the Warp Gate that was under Gamilas control in the series. I'm hoping it means they plan to do more with this SBY 2199 continuity - and we'll see a full remake of the Comet Empire and Bolar War storylines (and since the planet in the original Bolar Wars story was named 'Aquarius' - I can only think of the 'Aquarian Race' reference in this film as some foreshadowing (hopefully) on their part of things to come.)

Well see I guess - but I hope for an announcement of more soon.
 
Just finished it last night. Loved the final battle scene, but I found some of the World of Tranquility exposition to be a bit hard to follow. Probably because I missed a few things trying to take in the visuals and read the rapidly-changing subtitles at the same time. I dunno - I really think I like the main 2199 series better than this one. A noble effort, to be sure, with some really cool and interesting moments and technically amazing with regard to the animation (the last bit with the rocket anchor attack was mind-blowing), but I just didn't find the story to be as compelling in general.

Character-wise, I also didn't like the fact that Capt. Okita barely had any screentime, especially since he looked like he was feeling better, and Cdr. Sanada spent the whole time rubbing his chin and agreeing with Kodai through occasional nods and grunts. Definitely not the strong leading presence that he was in 2199 as Okita's XO. I get that he wanted Kodai to spread his leadership wings, but he came off as non-committal and passive instead. Maybe it's a cultural thing I'm not getting. And the bit at the very beginning almost matched the atmosphere and intent of the bit at the end after the credits, where the Space Marine barged in to yell at the top Commander guy. Were those two different characters the marine was yelling at? Because they both looked like Hijikata to me and, either way you cut it, the scenes seemed pretty redundant.:shrug:
 
For Kodai, they wanted to show off his ability to command. Something they didn't really do in the main series even though future series would have him commanding ship. So they needed a justification for him to do so later (since in the orignial he basically became the defacto XO when Okita got ill). Sanada knows he is not as good was combat as Kodai is and sees the qualities Kodai's brother had in commanding a combat mission. Because of that, he decided to see what Kodai did and if he saw something wrong or Kodai couldn't preform, he was on hand to take over. But because Kodai did perform beyond expectations, Sanada, hands over command for the combat missions, giving Kodai the much needed command experiance for projected later shows. Okita is also like this, so even though he is better, he's letting Kodai run the show while watching from his cabin. He does get to stare down the enemy once in the "Not against my ship you don't" method.

As for the beginning and ending. Those are framing the story. The day Yamato leave Earth and the day she comes home. Basically ties the movie into Episode 3 and Eposide 26. Also this was a piece of fan service. The large marine, Saito, it the same marine from Yamato 2 that boards Yamato. Hijikata of course was captain of Andromeda in Yamato 2. Yamato 2 being the series with the Comet Empire. Saito is yelling because he does. He wants to know why he is having to do things, and Hijikata is one that doesn't speak much, but when he does, you listen. They were late picking up the marines, or stopping the Gamilon carrier from attacking the lunar base because Kirishama was needed to cover Yamato. It was actually Yamato that took out that enemy carrier in episode 2. At the end, Saito wants to know why he is forced to turn his gun against other humans. Hijikata has put his faith in Okita to come back with Yamato, and he is proven correct momemts later when Yamato returns. But it really was fan service of a sort. Introducing characters early. If they get to a new series, both Saito and Hijikata will be major characters. Plus Saito will now have a more personal connection with Yamato due to his commanding officer's daughter being one of the crew.
 
My daughter got me the 2199 DVD set from Ebay for Father's Day. Definitely fun to watch through the show again.

Tickling my nostalgia bone to no end. :lol:
 
Got mine yesterday. Not bad, still it just feels like a long extended episode rather than a movie. Worthwhile, but not quite up to the series' level.
 
It more or less is an extended episode. Mind you that the new series first came out in theaters as well before showing on TV. So this is the style the director was use to.

It does setup elements that can be used at plot threads for future series. They don't have to stay strickly within the canon of the original show for telling the next chapter of Yamato's career. They can weave in elements with what they have and what has happened before. Other elements are beig put in place that could be pulled for other plots that resemble those in the other films and Bolar Wars series.
 
I have a question and Google has let me down: is there Asian versions of The Comet Empire and The Bolar Wars on DVD or am I stuck getting the versions with the American dub?
 
BillJ said:
I have a question and Google has let me down: is there Asian versions of The Comet Empire and The Bolar Wars on DVD or am I stuck getting the versions with the American dub?
Click to expand...

If you want the complete original SBY Comet Empire series (Japanese edition); there's CD Japan (and it is the second TV season as the running time listed is 731 minutes)

http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/product/BCBA-531

That said, it probably doesn't have English subtitles.

Haven't seen a source for SBY Season 3 which was the Bolar Wars storyline.
 
Given that the original Yamato came out in the VHS/laser disc era before DVD was invented it's sometimes hard to say. Luckily it's popular, so yes there are DVD Versions of them, though it should be noted that these do not contain English subtitles. They're just raw Japanese releases.

Space Battleship Yamato (TV 1):
Space Battleship Yamato Blu-ray Collection
Space Battleship Yamato Memorial DVD Collection

Space Battleship Yamato: The Comet Empire (TV 2):
Space Battleship Yamato Memorial DVD Collection 2

Space Battleship Yamato: The Bolar Wars (TV 3):
Space Battleship Yamato Memorial DVD Collection 3
 
Noname Given said:
BillJ said:
I have a question and Google has let me down: is there Asian versions of The Comet Empire and The Bolar Wars on DVD or am I stuck getting the versions with the American dub?
Click to expand...

If you want the complete original SBY Comet Empire series (Japanese edition); there's CD Japan (and it is the second TV season as the running time listed is 731 minutes)

http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/product/BCBA-531

That said, it probably doesn't have English subtitles.

Haven't seen a source for SBY Season 3 which was the Bolar Wars storyline.
Click to expand...

zakkrusz said:
Given that the original Yamato came out in the VHS/laser disc era before DVD was invented it's sometimes hard to say. Luckily it's popular, so yes there are DVD Versions of them, though it should be noted that these do not contain English subtitles. They're just raw Japanese releases.

Space Battleship Yamato (TV 1):
Space Battleship Yamato Blu-ray Collection
Space Battleship Yamato Memorial DVD Collection

Space Battleship Yamato: The Comet Empire (TV 2):
Space Battleship Yamato Memorial DVD Collection 2

Space Battleship Yamato: The Bolar Wars (TV 3):
Space Battleship Yamato Memorial DVD Collection 3
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info!

Space Battleship Yamato (TV 1):
Space Battleship Yamato Blu-ray Collection
Click to expand...

:drool:

This one would definitely be worth the price if it had subtitles.

I ended up buying The Comet Empire digital version from the PlayStation Store for $17.99.
 
There use to be an...unofficial...subtitled version of all the series made somewhere in Asia that could be gotten around 2002 on DVD. The english subtitles were iffy as I think they sometimes took it right from the Star Blazers scripts. It has English and Chinese subtitles.

(I recall the third Galaxy Empress 999 film with such subtitles. Very iffy. Pronouns are a serious issue in that one, as it the translation of proper nouns...from Engrish to English. I saw another film like that that had an Englsih song at the end...that was subtitled into English. Badly. The context remained the same, but the words were different for no reason other than someone probably had translated the Japanese dub track into Chinese, and then translated the Chinese subtitles into English).

The company title on the side just said "Manga"
 
137th Gebirg said:
  • Did the Yamato just blow up that planet of energy-sucking space squids by warping away, with heroic music playing in the background? Is it possible that they just committed genocide on the inhabitants of that world? Serious mixed messages here on his one.
Click to expand...

Yes... that scene reminded me "Galaxy's Child" (the TNG episode whit the energy sucking space alien)... Obviously the outcome was a little different...

In defend of Yamato's crew, they had very little time to find a solution to the problem...
 
It was that or lose power, crash, and blow up. That happens, Earth dies about five months later. Needs of the many.

The Comet Empire destroyers crashed and burned. Yamato escaped, blowing a hole into the side of a rogue planet that was full of holes. The lifeforms will still be there, aside from those that were on Yamato.
 
You know, now I realized that when in a Star Trek show they have to make a difficult decision with a lot of ethical implications, they have all the time in the world to discuss every choice and every outcome, while debating the morality of their actions...
 
This didn't even come up as an ethical issue. This was a last desperate attempt to survive. "Shake them off" - didn't work. "Shoot them off" - they witness the Cometine ship try that and get blasted by their own beam weapons in response. What else do we have? - Let's warp? - Well nothing to lose now. If it works, they live, otherwise they die. But if they do nothing, they still die. So, they take a risk.

The ethical implications that come out of Yamato 2199 tend to involve relations with alien races. Specifically the Gamilas, but also one if the robots are alive with souls comes up. Can the Humans and Gamilas come to terms? Can they be friends? Even after eight years of war?

And who started the war? That in an of itself is a major moment.

And what about that massive weapon of mass destruction on Yamato's bow? Oh that will be a question for later shows for sure.
 
I wrote a long review on GAF and tumblr of the movie that I won't repeat here, but all I will say is that I really liked how the movie was basically several Star Trek episodes put together. I mean, there are the big space battles, but there's also just the old fashioned science fiction moments in the middle that you don't really see any more.
 
With three episodes left of 2199, I have to say that I've really enjoyed it. The update has reignited my interest in the Yamato universe.
 
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