TV on Tape: Starblazers Movie Review

In 1979, U.S. sf fans were introduced to a new animated series of unusual depth and complexity. Starblazers, titled Uchuu Senkan Yamato (Space Cruiser Yamato) in its native Japan, came as a surprise in several ways.

First of all, and most obviously, it was anime – Japanese animation, which meant it was done in a very distinctive style, one most American viewers hadn't seen much of outside of Speed Racer. Secondly, the three seasons of Starblazers each formed one long story, divided into consecutive episodes that had to be seen in order to be understood. This approach had been the norm in U.S. movie-serials like Flash Gordon, but since the ‘60s, producers had increasingly opted for the more viewer-friendly convention of independent episodes focused on a set of characters. Finally, whereas most U.S. animated sf had been fairly simple minded, or aimed at young children, Starblazers was a serious story of high drama, with complex characters. All of these factors made for classic space-opera adventure.

In the year 2199, Earth has been rendered a radioactive wasteland, thanks to constant bombardment from the hostile planet Gamilon. Humanity has fled to underground cities, and even these are imperiled by steadily mounting levels of radiation. Just as things look hopeless, a message is received from Queen Starsha of the distant planet Iscandar, offering aid to the beleaguered planet. The World War II battleship Yamato, recently rediscovered on the now-dry ocean floor, is refitted for space travel, and a group of intrepid heroes, the “Star Force,” is assembled to make the journey to Iscandar. But Gamilon's forces are determined to stop Star Force before it can save Earth.

As anime fandom grew through the ‘80s, a number of fans rediscovered the original Japanese version of the series. Today, Starblazers, or Space Cruiser Yamato among purists, is still justly regarded as a classic.

1979–82/C JP VHS WTA