Acclaimed Director Hideaki Anno Welcomes Fans to Space Battleship Yamato 50th Anniversary Exhibition

One of Japan's forefathers of the space opera genre of anime, Space Battleship Yamato, celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2024. Created by the late Leiji Matsumoto and Yoshinobu Nishizaki in 1974, the series follows the crew of the titular ship on its one-year voyage to the planet Iskandar to save Earth from the invading forces of the Gamilons. Since its creation, the series has spawned several animated film sequels, a live-action film, and the current remake series and captured the imaginations of thousands, if not millions, of viewers around the world.

One of those influenced by Space Battleship Yamato was a young Hideaki Anno. Just 14-years-old when the series first aired, after growing into adulthood, Anno has had a prolific career in the anime industry as the creator Neon Genesis Evangelion. In October 2024, the legendary director revealed he will be helming a Space Battleship Yamato 50th anniversary project. While the details of the project are still limited, one of the first parts of the project came to fruition on March 15, 2025. This is none other than the Space Battleship Yamato: The Complete Record Exhibition held at the Seibu Shibuya department store. A gallery of Space Battleship Yamato's 50-year history, the exhibition features original scripts, rough sketches, cels, audio, and reproductions of the sketches and storyboards. For the grand opening, Anno himself appeared to give his thoughts on the Space Battleship Yamato franchise and the Exhibition.

The grand opening for the Space Battleship Yamato: The Complete Record Exhibition saw Anno, Yoko Asagami (voice of Yuki Mori), and President and CEO of Tohokushinsha Film Corporation, Keiichi Kosaka, appear for a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Kosaka thanked Anno and hoped the visitors to the Exhibition experience the “wonderful franchise that Space Battleship Yamato is.” Asagami also expressed her thanks and wished that the series creators and voice actors Gorō Naya (voice of Space Admiral Jūzō Okita) and Takeshi Aono (voice of Shirō Sanada) were at the event to celebrate with them. Anno spoke a bit longer than Kosaka and Asagami, saying, “It was an innovative animation that had a tremendous impact on people of my generation who watched it in real-time.” Anno further stated, “I think this work deserves to be passed down for another half century or more. I hope young people will continue to talk about it, not just for the 50th anniversary, but for the 100th anniversary and beyond.”

Following the ribbon-cutting ceremony, anime critic Ryusuke Hikawa asked Anno questions submitted by the press regarding the exhibition. When asked how Space Battleship Yamato influenced him, Anno replied, “At the time, anime was called 'TV manga.' And [Yamato] changed the term to animation. It was also different from the children's TV manga at the time with its hard-hitting human drama and other aspects that I had never seen before.”

Regarding his favorite Exhibition pieces, Anno frankly said every piece. Thankfully, he elaborated, saying, “Most of the pieces have not been published in magazines or other publications, and we received cooperation from the families of the staff members.” He also noted that Matsumoto's original draft pieces were on display. Hikawa further added that storyboards by Yoshiyuki Tomino of Mobile Suit Gundam fame were on display, with Anno pointing to the exact storyboards behind them.

The two men then went on a fun little tangent about the connection between Space Battleship Yamato and Mobile Suit Gundam. Hikawa noted that gunpla, or Gundam plastic models, originated in Yamato plastic models.

Anno brought the press questions to a close, speaking about how young people may find the art a bit dated, but said, “I've heard there are many young fans who are now drawn to the first Gundam after watching Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX, which [Studio Khara] is currently making,” Anno continued. “If Gundam is okay, I think Yamato will be okay too. If you think the art is dated, the Space Battleship Yamato 2199 remake series is full of the same charm. So, [if you feel that way] I think you should watch that rather than the original.”

The Space Battleship Yamato: The Complete Record Exhibition is largely split into two sections. The main exhibition is on the seventh floor of the Seibu Shibuya department store. It features several original scripts, rough sketches, cels, audio, and reproductions of the sketches and storyboards from the 1974 Space Battleship Yamato anime series. While the highlights are the original pieces, the section also features a large-scale model that shows the inner workings of the Yamato.

The exhibition's second section is on the second floor of the department store. This section hosts many Space Battleship Yamato toys produced throughout its 50-year history. Along with the toys, guests are treated to a timeline of when the Yamato TV series and films were released and a comprehensive display of the produced Space Battleship Yamato albums. The end of the section is dedicated to a lengthy synopsis of the remake series beginning with Space Battleship Yamato 2199.

While we didn't have the chance to preview it, the Seibu Shibuya department store is hosting a Space Battleship Yamato collaboration café during the Exhibition period at the 365cafe on the fourth floor. The café features several drink items, a couple of main menu items, and a dessert item. Each order comes with a random Space Battleship Yamato: The Complete Record Exhibition coaster.

Although not part of the Space Battleship Yamato: The Complete Record Exhibition proper, the Seibu Shibuya Department store also has a few separate Space Battleship Yamato displays throughout the store. The most noticeable are the displays at the store's entrance, by the escalators, and on the walls of the Exhibition space. However, if you check the stairs between the sixth and seventh floor, you will find a quaint painting of Space Battleship Yamato characters Susumu Kodai and Yuki Mori on a Yamato observation platform looking out into space. The department store's fifth-floor skybridge also features a display of Space Battleship Yamato models for shoppers to enjoy as they walk between the main department store and the second Seibu Shibuya building.

As noted above, the Space Battleship Yamato: The Complete Record Exhibition is taking place at the Seibu Shibuya department store between March 15-31. The Exhibit is open between 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., with the last entry at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available through LAWSON Tickets and cost 2,500 yen for adults and 1,300 yen for children (about US$17.00 and 9.00 respectively) for advance tickets. Same-day tickets cost 2,700 and 1,500 yen (about US$18.00 and 10.00). Fans can also purchase the 5,000 yen (about US$34.00) premium ticket, which comes with a Space Battleship Yamato acrylic stand.