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Fans of the landmark anime series Space Battleship Yamato have even more reason to be excited for the first episode’s upcoming 50th anniversary. Hideaki Anno, most famous for creating the legendary Neon Genesis Evangelion franchise, has recently been announced to be producing a lengthy project to celebrate Space Battleship Yamato’s milestone.

Anno’s love for Space Battleship Yamato is well known – he has cited the work as one of the key influences behind Neon Genesis Evangelion, stating that he “didn’t think my life would be the same if I hadn’t encountered Space Battleship Yamato.” Studio Khara, which Anno set up in 2006 to handle the planned Rebuild of Evangelion films, announced that he would be planning and producing the 50th anniversary project, which would include a screening event on October 6, 2024, exactly 50 years after the first episode aired in Japan.

The project will also include an exhibition across Japan. Past events for Anno’s work have included giant spears sticking out of the ground, so this could be something more spectacular than a simple art exhibit. The project has been advertised as a tour, implying that it will hit multiple locations across Japan.

The bulk of the Space Battleship Yamato 50th anniversary project will be a series of books to commemorate the highly influential anime series. It will include an artbook from mangaka Michio Murakawa, a book of design artwork by Junichiro Tamamori, a commemorative edition of the Space Battleship Yamato 1974 Complete Works book, and publications of the multiple manga based on the series. Sadly, the celebrations won't include a new anime series by Anno, but his involvement ensures that the project will have a healthy respect for the important place Space Battleship Yamato has in anime history.

Aside from influencing Hideaki Anno’s Neon Genesis Evangelion series, Space Battleship Yamato is one of the most celebrated anime series in history. Its use of dark themes in animation was decades ahead of its time and it is seen as a direct influence on both Mobile Suit Gundam and Macross. The series continues to this day, with an upcoming seven-film remake in the works.

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