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Few anime franchises have had the kind of influence that Space Battleship Yamato has had. Since its debut in 1976, it has gone on to inspire shows like Mobile Suit Gundam, Neon Genesis Evangelion, and Macross, becoming one of the most important anime series of all time. It has also created one of the most confusing continuities of all time.

With multiple movies, spin-offs, reboots, and remakes to work through, knowing how to approach Space Battleship Yamato can be daunting, but don’t be put off. Whether you watch Space Battleship Yamato in chronological or release order, it will be an enlightening experience for any modern anime fan.

How to watch Space Battleship Yamato in chronological order

The timeline of Space Battleship Yamato is typically split into two distinct flows. There is the Original Continuity, which begins with 1974’s Space Battleship Yamato through Great Yamato No. 0, and the Reboot Continuity, which starts with 2012’s Space Battleship Yamato 2199 and encompasses the films and series that followed. If that’s not confusing enough, there are also a few non-canon entries to consider as you make your way through this complex but storied series.

Here is the best way to watch all of Space Battleship Yamato in chronological order:

Original Continuity Timeline

• Space Battleship Yamato (1974-1975)
• Yamato: The Movie (1977) - Note that this is a recap film of the original series that repurposes footage and cuts it down to a 90-minute film.
• Space Battleship Yamato II (1978)
• Yamato: The New Voyage (1979)
• Be Forever Yamato (1980)
• Space Battleship Yamato III (1980)
• Final Yamato (1983)
• Space Battleship Yamato: Resurrection (2009)
• Great Yamato No. 0 (2004)

Reboot Timeline

• Yamato 2199 (2012-2013)
• Odyssey of the Celestial Ark (2014)
• Space Battleship Yamato 2202 (2017-2019)
• Space Battleship Yamato 2205 (2021-2022)
• Be Forever Yamato: Rebel 3199 (2024)

Non-canon films and series

• Arrivederci Yamato (1978) – Note that this was originally meant to be the final entry in the series but, due to high sales, it was retconned out of continuity due to its ending. Footage from it was reused for Space Battleship Yamato II.
• Yamato 2520 (1994-1996) – This OVA was meant to revive the series but it was abandoned due to copyright issues, leaving only three episodes released.
• Space Battleship Yamato (2010) – This is a live-action remake of the original series that exists in its own continuity.

How to watch Space Battleship Yamato in release order

As you’d expect, it is much easier to watch Space Battleship Yamato in release order. Because the rebooted timeline was so long after the original show, it doesn’t actually change much of the order of things. This can be slightly confusing simply because it throws the multiple timelines together, but they are still fairly easy to pick apart.

The release order for Space Battleship Yamato is:

• Space Battleship Yamato (1974-1975)
• Yamato: The Movie (1977) - Note that this is a recap film of the original series that repurposes footage and cuts it down to a 90-minute film.
• Arrivederci Yamato (1978)
• Space Battleship Yamato II (1978-1979)
• Yamato: The New Voyage (1979)
• Be Forever Yamato (1980)
• Space Battleship Yamato III (1980)
• Final Yamato (1983)
• Yamato 2520 (1994-1996) – This OVA was meant to revive the series but it was abandoned due to copyright issues, leaving only three episodes released.
• Great Yamato No. 0 (2004)
• Yamato Resurrection (2009)
• Space Battleship Yamato (2010) – This is a live-action remake of the original series that exists in its own continuity.
• Yamato 2199 (2012)
• Odyssey of the Celestial Ark (2014)
• Space Battleship Yamato 2202 (2017-2019)
• Space Battleship Yamato 2205 (2021-2022)
• Be Forever Yamato: Rebel 3199 (2024)

Where can you watch Space Battleship Yamato?

Like many classic anime, Space Battleship Yamato can be somewhat tricky to track down. Crunchyroll has the live-action film available to stream as well as Yamato 2199 and Yamato 2202. However, to find more of the iconic franchise, you’ll need to do a bit of digging and invest a bit of money.

No streaming service has the full Space Battleship Yamato franchise available in the West, so you’ll have to invest in getting physical copies. Most of these are sadly out of print which will make it tough to see the show. We’re hopeful that this will change shortly as the 50th Anniversary of the show approaches and new re-releases are planned.

Is Star Blazers part of Space Battleship Yamato?

The name Star Blazers is often used to refer to Space Battleship Yamato, so it can be a bit confusing to know which one is which. The answer comes down to localization issues. Star Blazers was the name given to the show when it was dubbed in 1979 for American TV. While this version was heavily edited, with names and plots changed for Western audiences, it is remarkable for simply existing. Very few Western shows at the time had continuity between episodes, making Star Blazers years ahead of its time.

What’s next for Space Battleship Yamato?

The next chapter of Space Battleship Yamato is going to unfold in 2024 as Be Forever Yamato: Rebel 3199 lands in Japanese cinemas on July 19, 2024. This seven-film series is a remake of Be Forever Yamato and takes place in the Reboot Timeline.

Beyond that, there aren’t any new Space Battleship Yamato projects planned, but we are getting a 50th anniversary project headed up by Neon Genesis Evangelion’s Hideaki Anno coming in October 2024. Anno has long cited Yamato as one of the main influences behind his own highly influential show, so we’re excited to see what he puts together for it.

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