Nishizaki Yoshinobu's "Uchuu Senkan Yamato Fukkatsu Hen" is an ambitious yet ultimately disappointing entry into the "Uchuu Senkan Yamato" anime saga. While the impressive CGI and improved animation may be attractively eye-catching, it can't save the film from a confusing story with uninteresting characters and none of the heart that made the earlier "Yamato" movies work.
Producer Nishizaki and acclaimed manga artist Matsumoto Leiji's 1974 "Yamato" TV series set the golden standard for anime series with its emotionally poignant and melodramatic "space opera" story. Matsumoto's signature animation style incorporating complex and highly detailed mecha, ethereal characters and sophisticated design work influenced a generation of animators/artists and helped usher in a renaissance of Japanese Sci-Fi fantasy and space drama films and series during the 70s. This achievement is even more amazing as "Yamato" predates George Lucas' "Star Wars" by a good three years.
The 26-episode series was condensed into a 130-minute-long movie by combining elements from a few key episodes and debuted in 1978, successfully competing against "Star Wars": A New Hope's" in Japan.
The success of both the TV series and abridged movie spawned a second and third TV series (1978 and 1980 respectively) and also generated four sequel movies (Saraba Uchuu Senkan Yamato/Farewell Yamato; Uchuu Senkan Yamato Ataranaru Tabidachi/Yamato The New Voyage; Yamato To Towa Ni/Be Forever Yamato and Uchuu Senkan Yamato Kanketsu Hen/Final Yamato).
The dubbed version by Westchester/Claster, known as "Star Blazers" was considered by many one of the best adaptations of a Japanese anime series ever and is still fondly remembered by American fanboys who grew up at that time.
While Nishizaki attempted to try and re-capture the "lightening in a bottle" success of "Yamato" with other similar nautically themed projects, most notably "Odin - Kôshi Hobune Starlight" (1986) and "Uchu Kubo Blue Noah" AKA Thundersub (1979), they were met with lukewarm results. Even, the much hyped "Yamato 2520" which had the gimmick of using new ship designs by famed "Blade Runner" designer and futurist Syn Mead was as a failure.
Nishizaki's "Fukatsu Hen" (Resurrection) goes back to basics by making it a direct sequel to the fourth film "Final Yamato".
17 years after the events of "Final Yamato", Earth is threatened again with total destruction this time in the form of a "black hole" funnel of energy which is destroying everything in its path (similar to the "Comet Empire" saga). Earth's united defense force under the leadership of former Yamato science officer Sanada Shiro (Aono Takeshi) make plans to evacuate Earth's population to a distant world called Amal (arabic for Hope). However Amal and its sister planet belong to a coalition of Alien planets that are part of the SUS and the SUS refuses to allow the Earth refuges to colonize there and sends coalition forces to attack the first of Earth's convoys to Amal. Kodai/Mori Yuki (Yume Noriko)Captain of one of the escort battleships is "lost" in the battle while trying to escape in a warp maneuver. Captain Kodai Susumu (Yamadera Kôichi) is called back from deep space exploration and is tasked to lead Earth's next convoy to Amal. Sanada tells Kodai that he and his technicians have rebuilt the Yamato (last seen destroyed in remnants of the Aquarius water planet in the events of "Final Yamato"). The new Yamato is retrofitted with a new engine that bolsters the "Wave Motion" engine and also enables the Yamato to fire consecutive blasts of Wave Motion energy.
Captain Kodai takes command of the Yamato and brings aboard a new crew of young recruits including hotshot pilot/helmsman Kobayashi Atsushi (Namikawa Daisuke), Nagivation Specialist Orihara Maho (Yuzuki Ryōka), Artillery specialist Goda Minoru(Takase Akimitsu), Chief Medical Officer and Cosmo Tiger pilot Sasaki Miharu (Fuyuka Ōura) and twin Engineers Sho and So Tenma (Sakaguchi Daisuke ). Estranged daughter and nurse Kodai Miyuki (Fujimura Ayumi) refuses to join her father opting to stay on Earth with Dr. Sakezo Sado (Nagai Ichirô) and faithful companion Analyzer (Ogata Kenichi).
Together they guide Earth's second wave of refugees to Amal but can they withstand the onslaught of the SUS lead by Admiral Metzlar(Yanaka Hiroshi)and Commander-in-Chief Balzman (Iizuka Shōzō).
The story by Ishihara Shintarô (elder brother of actor/singer Ishihara Yujiro and former Governor of Tokyo)focuses a lot on socio-political issues relating to immigration, sovereign rights and also hints at the current situation in Iraq but fails to really capture the emotional power of the earlier Yamato films particularly the first film. The SUS are a generic enemy and lack any of the interesting aspects of the Gamalus/Gamilon Empire. Metzler and Balzman are boring villains and I long for the days in which the charismatic Dessler/Desslock made for a worthy and noble opponent.
Nishizaki's direction is competent but again lacks the thrill of early installment and he takes a "paint by numbers" approach at telling his story. There is little surprise and in fact the battle scenes are quite boring when compared to other films. Fanboys will be happy at seeing some neat references to other series.
The revised theme song by JPop band The Alfee is terrible and makes one long for the original Sasaki Isao version.
While some comparisons have been made to the "Star Trek" series, I think "Yamato Fukatsu Hen" shares more in common with the recent "Battlestar: Galactica" than anything else especially in that both films deal with humanities struggle to survive and endure amidst terrible circumstances and the threat of total annihilation by an alien empire. Of course, it's a "chicken and the egg" causality dilemma as one wonders who inspired who.
Die-hard fans may find "Fukatsu Hen" enjoyable on a purely nostalgic level but for others it is an anti-climatic and unsatisfying footnote to an otherwise epic saga. The film leaves room for possible sequel ("The Search For Yuki"?) but this fan would rather just rewatch the first two movies and TV series and just leave it at that.
Producer Nishizaki and acclaimed manga artist Matsumoto Leiji's 1974 "Yamato" TV series set the golden standard for anime series with its emotionally poignant and melodramatic "space opera" story. Matsumoto's signature animation style incorporating complex and highly detailed mecha, ethereal characters and sophisticated design work influenced a generation of animators/artists and helped usher in a renaissance of Japanese Sci-Fi fantasy and space drama films and series during the 70s. This achievement is even more amazing as "Yamato" predates George Lucas' "Star Wars" by a good three years.
The 26-episode series was condensed into a 130-minute-long movie by combining elements from a few key episodes and debuted in 1978, successfully competing against "Star Wars": A New Hope's" in Japan.
The success of both the TV series and abridged movie spawned a second and third TV series (1978 and 1980 respectively) and also generated four sequel movies (Saraba Uchuu Senkan Yamato/Farewell Yamato; Uchuu Senkan Yamato Ataranaru Tabidachi/Yamato The New Voyage; Yamato To Towa Ni/Be Forever Yamato and Uchuu Senkan Yamato Kanketsu Hen/Final Yamato).
The dubbed version by Westchester/Claster, known as "Star Blazers" was considered by many one of the best adaptations of a Japanese anime series ever and is still fondly remembered by American fanboys who grew up at that time.
While Nishizaki attempted to try and re-capture the "lightening in a bottle" success of "Yamato" with other similar nautically themed projects, most notably "Odin - Kôshi Hobune Starlight" (1986) and "Uchu Kubo Blue Noah" AKA Thundersub (1979), they were met with lukewarm results. Even, the much hyped "Yamato 2520" which had the gimmick of using new ship designs by famed "Blade Runner" designer and futurist Syn Mead was as a failure.
Nishizaki's "Fukatsu Hen" (Resurrection) goes back to basics by making it a direct sequel to the fourth film "Final Yamato".
17 years after the events of "Final Yamato", Earth is threatened again with total destruction this time in the form of a "black hole" funnel of energy which is destroying everything in its path (similar to the "Comet Empire" saga). Earth's united defense force under the leadership of former Yamato science officer Sanada Shiro (Aono Takeshi) make plans to evacuate Earth's population to a distant world called Amal (arabic for Hope). However Amal and its sister planet belong to a coalition of Alien planets that are part of the SUS and the SUS refuses to allow the Earth refuges to colonize there and sends coalition forces to attack the first of Earth's convoys to Amal. Kodai/Mori Yuki (Yume Noriko)Captain of one of the escort battleships is "lost" in the battle while trying to escape in a warp maneuver. Captain Kodai Susumu (Yamadera Kôichi) is called back from deep space exploration and is tasked to lead Earth's next convoy to Amal. Sanada tells Kodai that he and his technicians have rebuilt the Yamato (last seen destroyed in remnants of the Aquarius water planet in the events of "Final Yamato"). The new Yamato is retrofitted with a new engine that bolsters the "Wave Motion" engine and also enables the Yamato to fire consecutive blasts of Wave Motion energy.
Captain Kodai takes command of the Yamato and brings aboard a new crew of young recruits including hotshot pilot/helmsman Kobayashi Atsushi (Namikawa Daisuke), Nagivation Specialist Orihara Maho (Yuzuki Ryōka), Artillery specialist Goda Minoru(Takase Akimitsu), Chief Medical Officer and Cosmo Tiger pilot Sasaki Miharu (Fuyuka Ōura) and twin Engineers Sho and So Tenma (Sakaguchi Daisuke ). Estranged daughter and nurse Kodai Miyuki (Fujimura Ayumi) refuses to join her father opting to stay on Earth with Dr. Sakezo Sado (Nagai Ichirô) and faithful companion Analyzer (Ogata Kenichi).
Together they guide Earth's second wave of refugees to Amal but can they withstand the onslaught of the SUS lead by Admiral Metzlar(Yanaka Hiroshi)and Commander-in-Chief Balzman (Iizuka Shōzō).
The story by Ishihara Shintarô (elder brother of actor/singer Ishihara Yujiro and former Governor of Tokyo)focuses a lot on socio-political issues relating to immigration, sovereign rights and also hints at the current situation in Iraq but fails to really capture the emotional power of the earlier Yamato films particularly the first film. The SUS are a generic enemy and lack any of the interesting aspects of the Gamalus/Gamilon Empire. Metzler and Balzman are boring villains and I long for the days in which the charismatic Dessler/Desslock made for a worthy and noble opponent.
Nishizaki's direction is competent but again lacks the thrill of early installment and he takes a "paint by numbers" approach at telling his story. There is little surprise and in fact the battle scenes are quite boring when compared to other films. Fanboys will be happy at seeing some neat references to other series.
The revised theme song by JPop band The Alfee is terrible and makes one long for the original Sasaki Isao version.
While some comparisons have been made to the "Star Trek" series, I think "Yamato Fukatsu Hen" shares more in common with the recent "Battlestar: Galactica" than anything else especially in that both films deal with humanities struggle to survive and endure amidst terrible circumstances and the threat of total annihilation by an alien empire. Of course, it's a "chicken and the egg" causality dilemma as one wonders who inspired who.
Die-hard fans may find "Fukatsu Hen" enjoyable on a purely nostalgic level but for others it is an anti-climatic and unsatisfying footnote to an otherwise epic saga. The film leaves room for possible sequel ("The Search For Yuki"?) but this fan would rather just rewatch the first two movies and TV series and just leave it at that.