• I have heard that this Blu-Ray has been locked at region B, so won't play on North American players.

• Because it looks badass.

• Anno only had time to storyboard the opening credits (he was originally attached as the series Supervising Director, which went to Yutaka Izubuchi), which were finalized by Izubuchi. Anno's idea was to just simply re-do the original opening credits sequence with a modern flare, keeping the flavor of the original as close as possible. You can see the original Japanese opening credits right here: http://youtu.be/LKe0wARmks4 You can check out my blog for YAMATO: 2199 updates here: http://augustragone.blogspot.com

• Thank you for the information. 

• 26 episodes is official. These will be released as seven movies, every two months, with DVD/Blu-ray releases following six weeks later, in episodic form. These movie versions will also be available VOD in real time during the theatrical releases. Television broadcast of the series, in episodic form, will follow in 2013.

• When the first series was originally planned as a 39-episode adventure, several "space monsters" were supposed to tangle with the Yamato. The only one that they encountered was the Balanodon (or "Balanosaurus" in the Star Blazers version), which took place in Episode 17 (there were also the insectoid "Bee People" featured in Episode 16).

• YAMATO: RESURRECTION (2009), the follow up to FINAL YAMATO (1983), under performed at the box office, but not because of lack of quality. Rather, it's was out of step with the flashy-rapid-cut-screaming anime that is the rigor du jour. RESURRECTION is stately, beautifully animated, and unfolds in the same manner as its predecessors, such as BE FOREVER YAMATO (1980), with an extremely long running time. Some fans were disappointed that the original sound effects and more of the classic music were missing. The producers did announce that there would be a "Director's Cut", which was finally released in a limited engagement this past January. This version was shorter, tighter, contained previously dropped scenes, an alternate ending, and the original music and sound effects. The response was much greater than the 2009 version, and this Director's Cut will be released on DVD and Blu-ray in Japan on March 25th. 

• It hasn't been picked up for North America, because the lead actor's agents won't allow him to be dubbed into another language. The film has been released on DVD throughout the world, in Japanese and in that respective country's language subtitles. The only English version is available from the Madman label in Australia. http://www.madman.com.au/catalogue/view/15674/space-battleship-yamato-bluray

• This has been in the planning stages for a number of years, with preproduction starting in earnest about three years ago.

• The opening battle still takes place at Pluto. In this new version, this is a diversionary tactic, as the Earth Forces already know that the ship from Iscandar is on its way, to distract the Gamilas (Gamilons) from intercepting the ship. Let's just say that if you saw the original series as a kid, and you watch this version, the story will seem pretty much the same. They are actually going to be leaving the Earth in the second episode (it was the third in the original) and the first firing of the Wave Motion Gun will take place in the third episode (not the fifth as in the original). They should be out of the Solar System by the sixth episode, instead of the 10th, and in the original, too.

• In the trailer it says that Hideaki Anno (Evangelion) is directing the opening. This is big news considering he hasn't done much work outside of the Evangelion Rebuild movie series!

• Is that what the Japanese language on the promo said? They already have the Blu-Ray and DVD cases premade, and neither one looked large enough to hold more than one disc. My guess from that was they were going to be a series of movies like the recent EVA reboot or the most recent Gundam series. (With the first movie released in theaters. But then they did say ep 1 and 2 would be edited for theatrical release, so... sigh, I dunno.)

• So how bout that LIVE ACTION one JAPAN made last year,  I'm still waiting for a western release! dot really requiring more of the same anime really.

• As exciting and fucking awesome as this trailer is... I'm still a bit disappointing that I didn't get to see the Wave Motion Gun fired =(

• Google "Octopus Star System" episode. I'm sure you'll be able to fill in the blanks.

• Nice. Wonder if they could do this with Irresponsible Capetian Tyler :D

• How many times have we told you, Rob: there needs to be a real "Super Terrific Japanese Thing" and a "Super Terrifying Japanese Thing" tags to differentiate these things, because now I can't help but think of how particularly phallic the Yamato's designs are and thanks to the tag, immediately relate this old school anime classic with Skyline Tenga, Essence of Schoolgirl's Sweat, and Chilled Panties. And I hate you for indirectly causing me to do that! Great anime, though. Can't wait to see it! XD

• I've said it before and I'll say it again: The Galactica doesn't have a wave motion gun so it would lose in a nerd fight.

• I saw the live action film last summer and was profoundly disappointed. Rob, forgive me for linking to my own stuff, but all anyone may want to know about the live action version is found here: http://cinemiscreant.blogspot.com/2011/07/space-battleship-yamato-2010.html

• I spied Captain Birdseye. Sold!

• Why not have bo - OH GOD I'M MAKING JOKES ABOUT USED PANTIES MACHINES SOMEONE <s>KILL ME</s> <b>WORSHIP ME AS A GOD</b>

•  Definitely a fan of Nobuteru Yuuki's artwork. And it feels like alot of the Last EXILE/Gundam MS IGLOO animators are involved here, or inspired by those works.

• Why not have bo - OH GOD I'M MAKING JOKES ABOUT USED PANTIES MACHINES SOMEONE KILL ME

• Don't forget horse flavored ice cream and used panties from vending machines (though not both at the same time).

• TV series I think. 13 episodes probably, maybe 26?

• So is this an OVA, a movie, or a series?

• Yes. In so very, many ways.

•  Ah, the dark lord arrives!

• no. but, um, it did have a giant throbbing drill missile rammed into it's wave motion hole. does that count?

• so the yamato, has it ever had an "experience" with space tentacled monsters ALA hogwarts or been crammed into gigantic sentient genitalia and or orifices? because that would not only be awesome it may actually rival the recycled meat STJT from way back when.

• Total goosebumps with the opening words... fan-fucking-tastic!

• A couple of the character redesigns look a bit too different (like the chief engineer's), but that's purely a question of personal taste. Overall I love every frame. And all we've seen in this preview are portions from what amount to the first two eps! (I wonder though if they're going to pull the opening action back closer to Earth, to make the lack of hyperspatial engines more realistic; so that the opening last-stand fleet battle occurs near the Moon and the ship of Starsha's sister crashlands on Earth instead of Mars--the terrain would be the same by then anyway, and it makes more sense. I would be 100% in favor of those changes.)

• Ho! ...wait, that's Chinese, sorry. I'm so excited I have literally forgotten the Japanese word for yes... Hai!

•  Yes! Yes! The bits and pieces I've been seeing the past few years weren't only flashback sequences from the animated sequel movie last year (or 2010 or whenever it was... apparently it wasn't so great because I've barely heard anything about it since its release.) Which means they are undoubtedly already far along in preparing updates to the second and third seasons, too (as some of the flashback sequences involved highlights from those seasons). It isn't clear on this 3:45 minute trailer (I saw it yesterday at AICN first), but the opening few frames of this trailer feature the classic "blue outer space" color before fading to the more realistic black, by the way. A subtle nod to the transition from original series to update.

• Anyone else get chills on that choral arrangement of the Yamato theme? Seriously, that tune should be the Japanese national anthem. All in favour?

• Budgetary constraints are often the reason. It can be done well and seamlessly. This looks alright to me. It can be done much, much worse. 

• somewhere....tim eldred is excited

• Must they always pollute traditional animation with CGI vehicles nowadays? :(

• When? When?!?! WHEN?!?!

• What happened with the live action movie? Is that available in the states yet?

• I think this one would have happened anyway but Evangelion success probably didn't hurt any.  I definitely will be checking this one out. 

• Did the Evangelion Rebuild really do so well as to inspire others? Or would this have happened even if those hadn't lit up the charts in Japan? 

• Really?!! That's awesome! My first question before reading this comment was what they were doing about the theme, since the original was SOOOOO good!

• Noboteru Yuuki is handling character designs I believe, which given his love of all thingsMatsumoto doesn't surprise me. I really love the fact that Isao Sasaki will be re-recording he Yamatotheme forthis!

• I was really banking in that lubricant recipe this week, Bricken...

• All ship captains in Japan wear their hats very very low.  With one eye revealed.

• So they're redoing the original series with updated animation? I'm cool with that. :)

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