"Star Blazers Movie and Fleet Battles" Topic

OK, so I've just discovered this:
YouTube link

Then I discovered that there is an official game based on the old series:
link

Has anyone played the game? I'm looking for simple but not "easy" if that makes any sense. Something I can learn and enjoy but I could eventually offer as a convention game.

Also, what do others think about the trailer?

Will the movie be released in the US? Or anywhere outside Japan?

Colonel, I've got no intel much beyond yours at this time. You might keep an eye on the YouTube comments section 'though for any news, as occasionally some Japanese-savvy English speaker will post some news…

Hope this helps!

Leland R. Erickson
Grayhawk Studios
grayhawkstudios.com

Hello Colonel I'm a very big fan of StarBlazers aka Space Cruiser Yamato.

The rules for the most part are pretty simple and easy the only part which takes alot of time is the Missile/Torpedo phase,both offensive and defensive.

My friends have played many games using the StarBlazers minis,which i have around 500 minis from the 4 main Races which are the following-

Earth Defense Fleet

Gamilon Empire

White Comet Empire

Dark Nebulian Empire

If you want to get the rulebook you can go to starblazersonline.com,they have everything you need.

I've seen the few trailers for the live action movie and from what i've seen i like it.

As to if the movie will be released in the U.S. i don't know.

I'm still trying to obtain the NEW Yamato animated movie which came out about a year or so ago,but so far no luck.

Thanks
Captain Gideon

The forums on Starship Combat News have had multiple Star Blazers battle reports posted, some quite lavishly photographed. I had a copy of the game myself but never played it – the minis were too small for my tastes and I could never bring myself to play with model kits. I dimly recall thinking it looked a little overcomplex and smaller ships tended to evaporate despite them toning down the area affect superguns a bit for better gameplay. Seems to be designed for medium-sized fleet actions with maybe half a dozen capital ships and screens of (extremely short-lived) escorts on each side, as well as the expected swarming fighters.

For myself the size of the StarBlazers ships is a perfect scale,and they're not too small for my tastes.

The other nice thing about the StarBlazers minis is that everything is in the same scale to each other,and not many spaceship ranges can make that claim.

And some of our games have been somewhat large at least in the games we do.

And also you get the flavor of the series which is what i like also.

Captain Gideon

IF that's a 'fake' youtube video of a non-existant movie…it's a darn SLISHY one! I loved the original series and it LOOKS like they've managed to capture the flavor (ala' a bit of the 'new' BSG CGI stuff)…of the original series…and made it more 'adult' than when it first came out as 'Star Blazers' in the US from Harmony Gold back in late 1970's???

I'd pay to see/get that one, even with 'subtitles' as if you've seen the original series/gotten the original 'Yamato' graphic novels or 'Star Blazers' graphic reworks…you already 'know' most of the dialog/story…but it's still COOL to see it come to the BIG SCREEN…

Just watching the Yamato 'lift-off' from Earth on the WIDE SCREEN would be worth the price of admission and I wouldn't say that about a lot of the stuff out there now…and IF it was 3D? WOW!

That would be just too SLISHY, baby…way too SLISHY!

Sgt DWW-btod

I don't always agree with the bar-tentacle ("I have NOT had too many Pan-Galactic Gargle Blasters! Lemme havva nuvver!") but:

"That would be just too SLISHY, baby…way too SLISHY!"

- just about sums it up perfectly.

Be FOREVER Yamato!!!!!

It's real. So prepare to be SLISHED. I mean it even has it's own wiki page!
yamato-movie.net (in Japanese mostly)
link (official cartoon site)
link (Wiki Link)
link (IO9 Blog with vid)

RELEASE INFO (Japan & Brazil only so far)
link

Thanks to everyone for posting their thoughts on this and the game. Please keep them coming!

Colonel Bismark beat me to it.

I have talked to some of the people working on CGI for the movie (well, people who "worked" on CGI, as it is all done at this point, and they are now just left with the job of Photoshopping the scenes for production values), and they have said that they hope to get an English release of the movie (and Chinese, although that one is FAR easier to get… In fact, they won't have to do a thing, as some Chinese Pirate will get together a group of voice actors and put out a Chinese version that they have put together using Sound Stage or one of the apps from Apple). They also mentioned that it will probably get a Spanish dub before it gets an English dub.

I am hoping that there will be new models for this movie as well. They have changed many of the enemy ships, and I am not certain if it is JUST the Gammilons or if they are going to do the Comet Empire as well (They wouldn't say)

There appear to be "fake" trailers as well as the two or three real ones.

There was also a simple set of rules intended for use with the model kits. TCI sent it out as a stapled, photocopied stack of pages.

Cog,

to Hell with the dubbing, just gimme good ole' Emperor's Japanese with English subtitles and I'll be a happy camper!

New model kits?! We wants them, Preeeeeccioussss!!!

Leland R. Erickson
Grayhawk Studios
grayhawkstudios/com

I've never been fond of Japanese material but this one might be an exception. I, too, felt the Star Blazer miniatures were too small use.

I loved the cartoon series and I've had the rule book and minis for years but never actually played the game. It looks a tad complicated for my tastes. I hope the live-action movie does make it over to the States.

I've only seen a very poor American dub of the original cartoon, which ended rather abruptly. I've since heard there is a better version, but I've never seen it.

As the cartoon at least didn't really have much detail as to the workings of the weapons (or anything else), I think G.O.B.S.! should handle gaming it quite well. The Spinal Mounts in the G.O.B.S. More! supplement can take the place of the Wave Motion Guns.

I'm certainly hoping this live-action movie makes it as a theatrical release in America. But at the very least it will hit DVD at some point. One way or another, I'm watching.

--- Howard Shirley, Creator of Generic Outlandishly Big Spacefleets!
thegobspage.com

Actually, the Cartoon has TONS of detail on how the weapon systems work and their general performance.

In fact it's mostly about blowing everything up in range, huge fleet battles, planets being wrecked, orbital bombardment and Treachery.

I like the ship sizes! they match up with Fleet action stuff really well.

Alien: "Humans, I need you to save my world and yours at the same time, but since you have limited time, I'm giving you this super-duper fast ship drive technology."
Humans: "Cool."
Alien: "Hey, what are you doing with that peaceful technology I just gave you?"
Humans: "Making a *really* big gun."
Alien: "What what what?"

Great show.

I'm a huge fan of Star Blazers/Yamato and I've got to say I'm rather disappointed in the live action trailers I've seen so far. Now, hopefully the actual movie is better but I'm not optimistic as the current trend is to put the BEST stuff in the trailer.
The new animated movie trailers looked a LOT better IMHO. The new Cosmo Tigers! Yes please… Blue Noah and other EDF ships look really cool.

As far as the Star Blazers Fleet Battle System goes, I really like the game. It's more complex than the current bread of Spaceship games like Firestorm Armada but it's a good system. The miniatures are small and not everyone's cup of tea but I love them. Here are a few links to my Blog with some pics of some of my Star Blazers minis.

Some evil Gamalons

link

Hero… the Yamato!
link

very small bat-rep with my son
link

Egads! Am I reading that counter on the official page right in it's starts in Japan tomorrow? I don't really expect a domestic U.S. release for it, but I'll keep my eyes open for a fansub torrent of it in a few months.

I lived in Japan for many years and speak Japanese.

Sorry Sargonarhes, that counter says it's going to be 96 days til release. The green countdown clock seems to be counting down each day. So it's due to release on or about November 30 (I'd say December 3rd is more likely).

The guy who plays the lead is Takuya Kimura, a member of one of Japan's most popular boy bands of the 90's called SMAP – I'd say they were the equivalent of the Backstreet Boys or NSync (or however you spell it). While that makes my skin crawl generally, I think Kimura is okay for the part of Kodai. The actor playing Captain Okita is also pretty famous in Japan too. No idea if the script will be any good but, yeah, I'm looking forward to this too. No idea about a U.S. release either. Probably somewhere down the road though.

As an aside, I was still living in Tokyo when they found the wreck of the real Yamato. The discovery was reported very matter-of-factly, but I swear I felt this unspoken sense of disappointment in the air that ship wasn't found lying on the bottom in one piece (it capsized and broke up when it went down I think). The Yamato would never be resurrected! :P

I have to admit, I was disappointed too!

Most ships do break up when going down, even the Bismark had it's aft snap off. And when they turn turtle the turrets go as the only thing holding them down is gravity.

But I'll likely see a fansub of this long before it's even considered for a US release. Most people might remember this as Starblazers, but it's likely to be as popular as the Speed Racer and Astroboy movies of recent.

Actually Takuya Kimura has done some acting as well, he did a voice in "Howl's Moving Castle" And I believe it was the lead voice as well, redone by Christian Bale for the English viewers.

"In fact it's mostly about blowing everything up in range, huge fleet battles, planets being wrecked, orbital bombardment and Treachery."

Um, you say that all likes it's a Baaad thing!

Leland R. Erickson
Grayhawk Studios
grayhawkstudios.com

I like to clarify something that Dances With Words said earlier in this thread.

He said that Harmony Gold released StarBlazers back in the mid to late 1970's,well that's not true.

It was Claster Television that brought StarBlazers over to the US and NOT Harmony Gold.

I just wanted to put that staight.

Captain Gideon

Harmony Gold did Macross.

Although both companies used some of the same voice actors (not sure about for these two shows, but they did cross-employ voice talent).

You know, one thing that bothered me about "Star Blazers" (Space Battleship Yamato), was that the guns on the various ships seems to effect their targets differently.

The Andromeda was sunk with one salvo from the Comet Empire, yet the Yamato managed to weather a withering barrage of fire from the same ships (who had longer ranged weapons, I seem to recall)

"You know, one thing that bothered me about "Star Blazers" (Space Battleship Yamato), was that the guns on the various ships seems to effect their targets differently.

The Andromeda was sunk with one salvo from the Comet Empire, yet the Yamato managed to weather a withering barrage of fire from the same ships (who had longer ranged weapons, I seem to recall)"

HELLLOOOOO!!!! My number 1 pet peeve about the show was how useless the ostensibly more technologically advanced EDF ships were compared to the old Yamato! ARRRGH!!! The Andromeda remains one of my all-time favorite starship designs -ever!- and to see her end so ingloriously was just too much to bear!

Shoulda been armed with my patented nuke-throwing mass driver cannons, I tell ya!

Leland R. Erickson
Grayhawk Studios
grayhawkstudios.com

To correct you the Andromeda was not sunk by the Comet Empire,it crashed into the Comety Empire and was thus destroyed.

And since the Yamato is a HERO ship it can take the punishment that most other ships could not,see the show is about the SHIP so having the ship destroyed after only a few episodes would be stupid.

Another HERO ship would be the Enterprise who also takes a pounding,but manages to survive somehow.

I can't say anything regarding the various guns of the various ships,but i do agree with you and it does'nt bother me that's ANIME for you.

Captain Gideon

HELLLOOOOO!!!! My number 1 pet peeve about the show was how useless the ostensibly more technologically advanced EDF ships were compared to the old Yamato! ARRRGH!!! The Andromeda remains one of my all-time favorite starship designs -ever!- and to see her end so ingloriously was just too much to bear!

As i said before the show is about THE YAMATO and one way or the other she must and does survive throughout the pounding she takes.

I like the Andromeda as well but the story/show is'nt about the Andromeda.

I figured if i was commanding the EDF after i fired all the Wave Motion Guns at the Comet Empire,and nothing really happened at that point i would've ordered a retreat because i feel that a Fleet in Being is better than NO Fleet at all.

But the Japanese do it differently and i know seeing the Andromeda get destroyed like she did but it had to happen.

And whatever you think of Yamato compared to the newer Earth ships,is'nt the case here you could say that the EDF are the red shirts of StarBlazers they're meant to be destroyed but the Yamato lives on to save the day so to speak.

Captain Gideon

Beggin' the Captain's pardon, but yer overstating the obvious here!

I am quite well versed indeed in how to structure a story, and even regarding anime, its general history, style of presentation and storytelling, assorted genres, Japanese folklore, the whole concept of "heroic" characters v. the hapless extras, dramatic style East v. West, et al.

Yes, I beg advancing old age and faulty memory regarding the demise of the Andromeda; crashed into the Comet Empire? I remembered the Andromeda getting run over like some poor armadillo up on I-380!

And I agree with you, that the moment the main guns of the fleet were shown to be *useless,* a hasty retreat would have been in order! But then again, *retreat* is not something the Japanese have a natural temperament for if history is any indicator…

Still one of my all-time favorite starship designs -ever!

Leland R. Erickson
Grayhawk Studios
grayhawkstudios.com

Depending on the source the Andromeda meets her end a couple of ways. In the movie version she gets sucked into the White Comet with the rest of the fleet and is destroyed (Rather ingloriously) in the US TV version she takes several hits from the comet empire when her destruction is implied (fiery cloud on the Comet Empire is all we see)
In the Japanese TV version you see her actually plow into the Comet Empire(Almost as sad as the Enterprise blowing up over the Genesis planet)…

I'm with Leland though, one of my favorites ever, I even prefer the design over the Yamato herself. Though my all time favorite design is the Arizona, a great mix of the Andromeda and elements of the Yamato.

For those curious, here's a pic of the SB:FBS Andromeda mini, leading a small EDF fleet.

picture

Buck

I believe in the final Yamato movie the hero ship meets her end. It's typical of anime for the hero ship to be destroyed in the end.
Examples are the SDF-1 from Macross/Robotch, White Base from Mobile Suit Gundam, Nautilus from Nadia the Secret of Blue Water.

The ships from Yamato were very cool looking admittedly for them being not much more than a rocket with turrets and other structures on them.

Yes the Yamato was destroyed in Final Yamato and i got emotional when i see that happen.

But her death saved the Earth from being destroyed by Aquariaus.

And if it's true for the new Yamato Animated movie they rebuild Yamato from the frozen sea of Aquariaus.

And Leland you may be right regarding the storytelling but i call them as i see them,no disrespect to you Sir.

For myself i grew up with Yamato/StarBlazers you could say that i was into Yamato before it came over here.

And living in San Francisco back in the 1970's i had access to many good items from a place called Japantown,where i bought many of my items(books mainly) that are in my collection now.

Before the show came over here they had many books and other things at Japantown,and i was buying books right and left.

I have 2 bankers boxes filled with many different types of books and other items,and i'm very proud of my collection.

I'll have to slightly disagree with you Sargonarhes as i think that the ships from the series are more than a rocket with turrets and other structures on them,i don't see them like that at all.

To me they're good looking warships regardless of the Fleet that they belong to.

Captain Gideon

The Stores in Japantown are still excellent sources for new Anime/Sci Fi stuff.

You're right about that which is where i found a book on the NEW Yamato Animated movie,yes it was $30.00 USD but it was worth it.

Also Japantown as changed over the years and many stores which i used to buy stuff is long gone,so the number of stores has shrunk.

Captain Gideon

"Yes the Yamato was destroyed in Final Yamato and i got emotional when i see that happen.

But her death saved the Earth from being destroyed by Aquariaus."

Excuse me? *Aquarius?*

"And if it's true for the new Yamato Animated movie they rebuild Yamato from the frozen sea of Aquariaus."

I believe I've seen that clip on YouTube; very cool IMHO…

"And Leland you may be right regarding the storytelling but i call them as i see them,no disrespect to you Sir."

None taken, mon Captaine.

"For myself i grew up with Yamato/StarBlazers you could say that i was into Yamato before it came over here."

Ye stars and little comets! I was practicaly weaned on Japanese sci-fi starting with all those cheesy low-budget black and white films, moved on to Astroboy et al…

"And living in San Francisco back in the 1970's i had access to many good items from a place called Japantown,where i bought many of my items(books mainly) that are in my collection now."

I know it well: I'm a Bay Area native who only left after over 40 years in the same ole shack down in West Menlo Park.. ah, Japantown… Chinatown… real Far Eastern cuisine…

"Before the show came over here they had many books and other things at Japantown,and i was buying books right and left."

I was kitbashing my own sci-fi ground vehicles and such for playing Starguard! back in high school working from descriptions in novels by Gordon R. Dickson, Robert Heinlein, and Keith Laumer before I set eyes on the wonders of Crusher Joe, Space Battleship Yamato/Starblazers, and Star Wars.

"I have 2 bankers boxes filled with many different types of books and other items,and i'm very proud of my collection."

And well you should be! I have an entire shelf's worth of books and such, plus more anime injection plastic kits built up and painted in fetching camo specs for Starguard! (which I still play after over 30 years every now and again), 5150, and whatever else I can be coaxed into playing… still have many an unbuilt kit I'm finally finding the time to dust ff and build, and just finished a major project of repainting a whole mountain of the sharp Zakka Pop Space Battleship Yamato gashopon for Full Thrust/playtesting-my-own-"Pax Imperialis" rules… the fun never ends, and I can't WAIT to rip into those two "Akuyaku Number 1" 1930's tech monster tank kits (one for the USSR, and one for La Belle France for pulp fiction gaming)…

Lots of fun to be had… wish to Hell they'd release some Gamiras/Gamilus gaming scale space fighters: all those fancy EDF fighters from Zakka Pop are just begging for some Gamilon birds to blast into atoms using the Silent Death: The Next Millennium rules…

Leland R. Erickson
Grayhawk Studios
grayhawkstudios.com

Captain Gideon, HobbyLink Japan is your FRIEND:

hlj.com

Warning: abandon all hope all ye who enter hlj.com, for your wallets may not survive the experience…

Leland R. Erickson
Grayhawk Studios
grayhawkstudios.com

Sorry for my spelling Leland but I was going on memory with the name of the water planet.

Also while I was growing up we had a tv station called KEMO now it's a different station.

Anyway I saw the following ANIME shows every saturday nite-

1.Yusha Raideen
2.UFO Dai Apolon
3.Captain Harlock

There was also some live action shows like Go-Rangers and Kikider(not sure on spelling).

As for other ANIME shows i remember a local tv station showing Astroboy,Kimba the White Lion and Marine Boy.

And believe me after seeing these ANIME shows our cartoons could'nt compare.

The other Anime show i really like was Mobile Suit Gundam the one that started all the Gundam shows.

I have other Anime shows that i've not seen that much of like the following-

Mazinger Z
Great Mazinger
Getta-Robo G
Grandizer
Devilman

Captain Gideon

Kimba the White Lion, Marine Boy, Captain Harlock, ye stars and little comets the memories from childhood!

I agree; once you've seen anime, the post-Marvel/DC cartoons of the 1960s just pale in comparison!

For me there's Crusher Joe, Sky Crawlers, and a few others, but mainly I've just been a fanatical hunter of the sci-fi vehicle and starship kits that I can adapt to the wargame table! I have three of the 1/48 scale Galleon assault tanks from Crusher Joe in my collection, along with two of the smaller fast assembly kits; both of which were perfect for adaptation to Starguard (which is all 1/72 scale), and the bigger Galleon kits work just fine for 28mm as well.

Yikes! The memories!

Leland R. Erickson
Grayhawk Studios
grayhawkstudios.com

Does anyone here have some SBFBS minis that I can buy? I mean if anyone doesn't want them anymore. I was woundering if Battle Works Studios hade some for sale.

Thank you for a great forum!

email me at henrik@bergau.se

Bergau – if you are talking about the small metal ones I thought they were in production. If you're talking about the plastic kits that were about 4" long and not to scale with each other I have a few.

You can buy the minis straight from Musashi. I certainly don't have any for sale – I did say right in my post (months ago) that they were too small for my tastes, and never bought a one.

Hmm …

Not many Asians in the original, are there (compare that to the mostly Asian cast seen in the trailers for the new film):

picture

Are Japanese allowed to play with nukes in the future?

And what are the red arrows pointing to?

Dan