STAR BLAZERS: SPACE BATTLESHIP YAMATO 2202 – PART ONE / CERT 15 / DIRECTOR: NOBUYOSHI HABARA / SCREENPLAY: HARUTOSHI FUKUI / STARRING: DAISUKE ONO, HOUKO KUWASHIMA, CHRISTOPHER WEHCAMP, MALORIE RODAK / RELEASE DATE: MAY 25TH
A 2017 remake of the second season of the 1974 anime Uchū Senkan Yamato (released in the west as Star Blazers), Star Blazers: Space Battleship Yamato 2202 should be an automatic home run. The 2014 remake of the first show, available from Manga UK as Star Blazers: Space Battleship Yamato 2199 – The Complete Series, ranks with the all-time best animated shows, and is one of the best examples of space opera to be found in any medium, and so expectations were understandably high for this sequel release. Unfortunately, it doesn’t deliver on that promise.
After the culmination of the Yamato’s first voyage, to Iscandar to find the secret to saving Earth from the Garmillas Empire, life has returned to a semblance of normality, and the Terrans and Garmillans share an easy peace after the deposition of the Garmillan dictator, Abelt Dessler. The crew of the Yamato, now dispersed across Earth, all receive a vision of a loved one asking for help, and feel an urge to return to the ship, setting sail for the distant planet, Telezart, to find the source of the distress call. With the Garmillans now working alongside the United Nations Defense Force, the series introduces the Gatlantis Empire as a brutal, barbarian threat to the security of the galaxy, who have their own methods and drives, a world away from the peaceful fascism sought by Dessler’s Garmillans. But first, the Yamato must escape Earth against the wishes of its government, who are fearful of causing interstellar incidents in this delicate time.
Much of the voice cast from the first show return for the second, in both the original Japanese and the English-language dub, and the animation is once again handled by Studio Xebec, who delivered the back half of the 2199 series. Where that series maintained a high quality, with a pleasingly retro feel and a seamless integration of CGI and traditional animation, the style is tweaked for the 2202 voyage, moving it further away from the style of the 1974 original, and the CGI is often jarring and obvious. The 2202 voyage has a different directing and writing team working on adapting the original material, and it shows, with the story lacking the flow of the earlier mission, despite keeping the same search and encounter theme.
The Manga UK Blu-ray doesn’t come with an abundance of extras, only the usual trailers, and textless opening and closing songs, along with a single episode commentary and interview with two of the English-language dub cast.
Star Blazers: Space Battleship Yamato 2202 is not a bad show, and considered on its own regards should be thought of as an above average anime. The quality of its prequel raises expectations that are sadly not delivered, and while this should not detract from 2202 as a product, it’s hard to escape a feeling that they could, and should, have done better. For anyone looking for more adventures featuring Susumu Kodai and his crew, this is worth your while, but those new to the Yamato should start with its maiden voyage.
