October 6, 1974: A legendary saga aired on Yomiuri TV that was groundbreaking to the world of Japanese animation. Its story of heroism at the face of tragedy, triumph, loss, and outer space action changed the face of the medium and inspired generations of artists. Hard to believe, but that first series of Space Battleship Yamato lasted only 26 episodes due to low ratings; however, just like Americas Star Trek, its rabid cult following helped it rise from the ashes like a phoenix to become a pop culture icon. Its North American edition under the title Star Blazers was responsible for igniting fandom here in the U.S., one that would generate into a billion dollar industry on this side of the world. In fact, had Yamato not left the lasting impact that it did, I doubt that many of you who cosplay, attend anime conventions, or fawn over beloved voice actors would be here. Some of you coming up probably have only heard about it through brief passing without giving it a glance. Every serious anime to come about after its revival owe some piece to its legacy. Before Hetalia or Bleach or Attack on Titan, this was the trailblazer. So, it is to this timeless piece of animated science fiction I wish a heartfelt Happy 40th Anniversary, Yamato! May you forever continue to soar beyond the stars!
Posted on: Mon, 06 Oct 2014 06:05:25 +0000