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Hideaki Anno, Khara Produce New Yamato Anime Film Project
posted on by Egan Loo
Anno said he could not reveal details on the project yet, but emphasized that it is different from the ongoing remake projects launched by the Space Battleship Yamato 2199 anime. Neverheless, Yutaka Izubuchi, the chief director of the remake projects and another guest at Sunday's screening, is also working on the new project. Anno indicated that the staff aims to begin production in 2025 for theatrical release later.
Anno, arguably best known for co-creating Neon Genesis Evangelion and working on the Shin Godzilla, Shin Ultraman, and Shin Kamen Rider films, has frequently cited Yamato as inspiring his interest in anime. He previously planned the opening sequence to the Space Battleship 2199 series. Anno stated in a comment about the 50th anniversary project that he has been a fan of the franchise for 49 years, since his second year in middle school. He added that he did not think he would be the same person he is today without the franchise. He reminisced about how he missed the first episode when it was first broadcast, but how he watched the second through final episode, sacrificing even watching Great Mazinger and running home after cram school to do so.
The original anime follows the voyages of the World War II battleship Yamato after it is resurrected as a space-faring ship to fend off alien threats to Earth. The first television series premiered in October of 1974. The first animated film then opened in 1977 and earned 2.1 billion yen (about US$23 million) at the box office. The anime franchise later garnered a record instantaneous television rating of 50% in 1978.
Yamato yo Towa ni: Rebel 3199 (Be Forever Yamato: Rebel 3199), the current project in the Space Battleship Yamato 2199 remakes, is opening as seven films, beginning with the first film "Kuro no Shinryaku" (Dark Invasion) this past July.
Source: Space Battleship Yamato 50th anniversary screening event
