# Space Battleship Yamato



## 11b30b4 (Apr 6, 2011)

Hello everyone, I started a thread in the Moebius forum about my intentions to build a J2. In that thread I explained that I was currently working on a PL 1/350 Ent. and I linked my build there if you want to check on the progress. Anyway, I stated that my next project will the Bandai 1/350 Space Battleship Yamato I have sitting in my workshop and that spurred a conversation about that model in particular. So I though I would take that discussion here as it will now be in the correct spot. 

So back in July of 2010 I found out about the Movie coming out in December 2010 and I started searching for a good Yamato model to build. I got a 1/700 and built it but I wanted something much larger. that is when I found out about the discontinued bandai 1/350 scale and its intended reappearance once the movie came out but in an all chrome version. I was not interested in an all chrome version. Anyway I was not having any luck locating either version. I started considering a scratch build or ( even more interesting to me) a conversion of a Tamiya 1/350 WW II Battleship Yamato. 

In my research I found this guys 1 meter long scratch build.
http://www.geocities.jp/dourakuoyadi/index.html

There are ~24 pages of his build and I was very impressed. the level of detail was simply amazing. He has also done a 1 meter Andromeda. So I though I would share his build with you guys, and I do apologize if this link had previously been posted.

Anyway I did eventually locate a Bandai 1/350 SBY NIB for an insane 700.00 after shipping from Hong Kong. I will start it in the near future and I will chronicle the build here and on RPF.

So the purpose of this thread was to see what you guys think about a scratch build or a conversion as stated earlier. You thoughts would be welcome.


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## ClubTepes (Jul 31, 2002)

11b30b4 said:


> Hello everyone, I started a thread in the Moebius forum about my intentions to build a J2. In that thread I explained that I was currently working on a PL 1/350 Ent. and I linked my build there if you want to check on the progress. Anyway, I stated that my next project will the Bandai 1/350 Space Battleship Yamato I have sitting in my workshop and that spurred a conversation about that model in particular. So I though I would take that discussion here as it will now be in the correct spot.
> 
> So back in July of 2010 I found out about the Movie coming out in December 2010 and I started searching for a good Yamato model to build. I got a 1/700 and built it but I wanted something much larger. that is when I found out about the discontinued bandai 1/350 scale and its intended reappearance once the movie came out but in an all chrome version. I was not interested in an all chrome version. Anyway I was not having any luck locating either version. I started considering a scratch build or ( even more interesting to me) a conversion of a Tamiya 1/350 WW II Battleship Yamato.
> 
> ...


Do what you like. 
However, an interesting tidbit of info from the film is that while the shape of the Space Battleship Yamato is fairly true to shape, it seems as though they kept the turrets from IJN Yamato.

Why don't you take your Tamiya turrets and test fit them to the Bandai and see if its something you like.

Mine will be closer to the animated Yamato.

Good luck and keep us posted.


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## Steve H (Feb 8, 2009)

It's still available at Hobbylink Japan, but the shipping on that beast is fierce, no doubt about it!

http://www.hlj.com/product/BAN946749

And you may want to check out the other available kits there as well. 

(that 1 meter Yamato is pretty damn amazing. While I might disagree with some of the design elements he picked to use, I am blown away by the overall execution!)

As I stated over in the Jupiter II thread, trying to build a copy of the Space Battleship Yamato using the WW II IJN Yamato is a non-starter. Close examination of the two reveals that there's nothing, not a single thing that actually matches up. the SB Yamato is more built in the image of, the spirit of the WW II ship. A full scratch would be more practical. 

But the first thing I think you may want to consider, which image of the Yamato is your image? The visual styling of the ship changes from series to series and movie to movie, not to mention the various 'interpretations' as drawn by various key animators at the different studios used in the production of the animation cels. 

There is no one 'perfect representation' of the Yamato, because it doesn't really exist. The Yamato you see in the common '3/4 bow view' shot is drawn differently from the Yamato you see in the 3/4 aft shot. Every angle is drawn to promote, to highlight that area of the ship. It's drawn like a character, not an object. That probably sounds confusing but it's true.

So every single model made is by nature a compromise of all the disparate elements. By that reckoning, the 1/700 scale Yamato (and it's brother the 'cut-away' kit-same hull with parts that represent one interpretation of the interior) is the best version out there, only needing some minor corrections.

A strong second place goes to the new 1/700 kit that released in Japan, an exclusive bonus item with the re-release of the first series on DVD. According to contacts with Bandai, it's IMPOSSIBLE for this kit to be released on its own. So, if one is comfortable owning a DVD set that is only in Japanese and won't play on Region 1 DVD players, it IS available. (mind, some of us WATCH anime in raw Japanese and have all region players  )

The new 1/500 Yamato is a decent kit but it has too much of the 'Playstation' game revision in it for my taste, the same problem the 1/350 suffers from. This is a personal issue for me, your mileage may vary.

The older 1/500 kit is mostly junk. so much needs to be fixed it's sad. 

One thing, I'd suggest a trip to Starblazers.com. There's a lot of info going on there, I've been working with Tim on and off on some parts of it over the years. 

It's hard to describe what's wrong with the Playstation re-imaging, I don't have the language of an artist. to me it can summed up like so: for some reason they make it look more like a submarine. Rounder hull, sharper 'indents' on the bow before it bulges at the mid-point, a series of drain slots, etc. 

So, that's a start.


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## scifiguy67 (Jan 18, 2011)

i am doing the same thing building my 2nd 1/350 ent. all aztek paint no decals! back to the yamato i have them both the 1/350 space battleship yamato detail is great! you don't have to do anything to it but paint it. if you use the turrets from IJN battleship yamato you would loose the animated effect of the guns? 700.00 WOW! i am happy i got mine and built it years ago for 400.00.........i wonder why they did not make a movie version of the ship?


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## Steve H (Feb 8, 2009)

scifiguy67 said:


> i am doing the same thing building my 2nd 1/350 ent. all aztek paint no decals! back to the yamato i have them both the 1/350 space battleship yamato detail is great! you don't have to do anything to it but paint it. if you use the turrets from IJN battleship yamato you would loose the animated effect of the guns? 700.00 WOW! i am happy i got mine and built it years ago for 400.00.........i wonder why they did not make a movie version of the ship?


Because the live movie had a different licensing agreement due to the star, and Bandai declined to participate.

Given that Yamato was a license to print money for Bandai for YEARS, it was a very curious thing to all of us indeed.


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## 11b30b4 (Apr 6, 2011)

Wow, Steve thanks for the comments and recommendations. I seAttuat you are very versed on this subject. 

I am fairly knowledgeable about the Various models of the ship and the different takes on the look and feel of her. I have built the 1/700 version but I only slammed it together and did not spend any time with it. @ $12.00 I will most likely order another and spend some time with it. If the 1/700 is this one http://www.hlj.com/product/BAN42200 then we are talking about the same one. I did not like the small scale and lack of details but I have warmed to it since I built it. 
I think you and I are a bit opposite in what we like and don't like in the Verious versions. I happen to like the 1/350 rendering and I think I liked the 1/500 version ( with the IQ9 mini kit) the best, but I could never locate one for a reasonable price. That said, bandai has now re-released a few of their older kits and a few new kits. I did not know that HLJ had gotten in some of the 1/350s. Three months ago they were not to be found anywhere and HLJ had the kit listed as discontinued. They were really pushing the 1/6?? Scale kits. 
Anyway, in this link http://www.starblazers.com/html.php?page_id=225 you can scroll down the page and see 4 different bow versions for the SBY. Of them I like the third one best (super mechanics version). In tern, I do not like the soul of popynica version bow shape but I do like the hull Shape and design. I feel the soul of chogokin version is close to the 1/700 version and most like the LA movie version. I like this version but I prefer the bow to have more of a shark feel to it. 
As for building one from scratch or a conversion, I think if I were to use the main deck and Verious parts but build the hull from scratch as well as most of the bridge tower, bow and stern; I think that would be one heck of a model, and a really cool take on the SBY. I think all the WW II enhancemens like the brass cannons, photo etch ladder rings and railings would add very nice detail. I am really sort of considering the level of detail that the Japanese guy did with the 1meter scratch build that I linked in this thread. All things considered, I look at his build as the bar that all others are measured from. Well I have enjoyed talking about this with you and so that this thread sticks around for a few more days, which version of Cpt. Herlock's Archaedia do you prefer. I like the later version with the flat bow and giant blade seen here http://www.heldenshop.de/captain-harlock-arcadia-cast-p-21242.php?language=en I will most likely have to scratch build this as there has never been a large scale model of this one. Anyway, I look forward to your comments.


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## Tiberious (Nov 20, 2001)

Somewhere in my collection is a forced-perspective model of the Yamato that I've been considering digging out. Did any of you build this one? If so, what was your impression of it. I'm nobody's Starblazers expert, but while it did seem like an interesting display option....I think I'd have prefered an uncompressed one.

Tib


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## Steve H (Feb 8, 2009)

Tiberious said:


> Somewhere in my collection is a forced-perspective model of the Yamato that I've been considering digging out. Did any of you build this one? If so, what was your impression of it. I'm nobody's Starblazers expert, but while it did seem like an interesting display option....I think I'd have prefered an uncompressed one.
> 
> Tib


The Image Model (as it is called) came out around '78 or so, and it very primitive by today's standards, but in the right conditions (such as being placed in a shadowbox) it can look very impressive. 

It's also useful for a 'bursting out of the water/out of the ground' perspective diorama.


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## WarpCore Breach (Apr 27, 2005)

I also have a fairly early model of the _Yamato_; it's a bit shorter and rounder in the hull proportionally speaking compared to the (unfinished) 1/1000 model I have hiding somewhere. Not sure when I bought it other than it was early/mid '80s. I still have it... although sadly, the smaller guns mounted above the big guns have been lost.  I should track it down...


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## 11b30b4 (Apr 6, 2011)

WarpCore, I would figure out what scale it is in. Then go here and see if the same model is still available.
http://www.hlj.com/scripts/hljlist
If so, re-buying it should be ~ 12.00-50.00. The other option is to get a WWII Battleship Yamato of the same scale and try to work with those guns.


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## jaws62666 (Mar 25, 2009)

I bought and built this new release that my wife got me for Christmas. it is 1/500 and comes with 2 each of the planes. The detail is awesome.
http://www.hlj.com/product/BAN965514


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## WarpCore Breach (Apr 27, 2005)

11b30b4 - Thanks for the link! Took a bit to track down the Yamato pages  But didn't take long!

I really didn't see my specific model in there. I did find my model - a little more beaten up than the last time I saw it, w/ more pieces broken off. I managed to retain the original box lid even after all these years! I'll take some pics of the box and model soon.


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## Steve H (Feb 8, 2009)

WarpCore Breach said:


> I also have a fairly early model of the _Yamato_; it's a bit shorter and rounder in the hull proportionally speaking compared to the (unfinished) 1/1000 model I have hiding somewhere. Not sure when I bought it other than it was early/mid '80s. I still have it... although sadly, the smaller guns mounted above the big guns have been lost.  I should track it down...


What you have (most likely from my knowledge) is what we used to refer to as the 'Matsumoto' Yamato. It's the first Yamato Bandai made and it's been revised and repackaged a number of times, you could think of it as similar to the AMT USS Enterprise kit- not quite right for the detail oriented but serviceable. 

Let's see if my poor photo will load...in case my pic comes out crappy here's the page with what I'm guessing is the Yamato of which you speak.

http://starblazers.com/html.php?page_id=160

and yes my work on this was crude, as crude as you can imagine. Rattlecan paint, didn't even get to work the seams much. I was under a huge time pressure, I built and painted it in about 2 days back in '82.


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## Steve H (Feb 8, 2009)

Also, 11b, I'm not ignoring you, I'm just getting everything in line to give a worthwhile reply


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## jaws62666 (Mar 25, 2009)

here are some pics of mine


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## scifiguy67 (Jan 18, 2011)

Steve H said:


> Because the live movie had a different licensing agreement due to the star, and Bandai declined to participate.
> 
> Given that Yamato was a license to print money for Bandai for YEARS, it was a very curious thing to all of us indeed.


a i am a little late! but thanks for the info. Steve H you sure know your stuff about yamato!


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## starlord (Mar 30, 2011)

yesterday I looked into my stack of models to build, and there I found another very small model of this model, I looked into the box and it's all there. this is the 2nd model I have of it. it's all of 6inch long. someday I'id like to get the bigger model.


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## 11b30b4 (Apr 6, 2011)

Jaws, hot dang! I love that 1/500 scale. do a search on youtube for 1/500 SBY .... well I will do it... Check out this guys video of painting a 1/500 scale
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmBPx9rjKQE&feature=autoplay&list=ULYimIfOx_v8k&index=2&playnext=1

This is a 6 part tutorial and the finished model is kick but. This is most likely how I will finish paint my 1/350. I just ordered another 1/700 and a 1/500 from HLJ. For anyone looking for a low cost model of the SBY the 1/700 is only 12.00 on HLJ. 

Steve, no problem.


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## 11b30b4 (Apr 6, 2011)

Ok since steve post his pic here is my 1/700. There is a story about this one. I slapped it together early last year and painted it with testor spray cans but for whatever reason the cans of red would not dry, even after 2 days the paint was still tacky. So I stripped it off and in the process the plastic began to deteriorate. you can see in the picture the crack near the rear and the large gap between the engine nosel and the hull. I did not put any effort into fixing these errors because this was a learning project not intended to display. I knew that @ 12.00 for the model, I would get another one and do it up right in the future. Keep in mind that I knew very little about model building at the time and I have learned a ton since then. I recently looked at another forum where a guy built the same model and it looked amazing he painted on rivit lines etc... I was blown away. 










Also, after the conversation with steve, I decided to do an outline corel draw drawing of SBY that I intend to make into a T-shirt. 










I kind of took an artistic license on this and changed a few things, I lengthened the nose and made the bow fatter. I like the look but it may not be as pleasing to some.

Lastly, I found this picture of Cpt Herlock,s Arcadia, this is the one I want to build in something like 1/350 scale


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## Steve H (Feb 8, 2009)

Like any sci-fi model kit, there's really no wrong way to build your Yamato. Oh, if one goes too far off the look of the animation people might nitpick, but in the end what matters is that you, the builder, feel happy with your work. I say this because I have very intense personal views on what is 'right' for the Yamato sometimes when I write I may imply that something is wrong and I do know that the interwebtubes has a habit of turning a simple difference of opinion into some kind of blood feud. 

OK, a quick lesson in what I mean about 'drawing the Yamato as a character'. I'm glad Jaws posted those pics of his build of the new 1/500 Yamato kit. Take a look at the pic showing the forward gun turrets. See how the number 2 turret can't traverse completely to port and starboard? The rangefinder wings catch on the deck leading to the number 1 Secondary turret.

That ain't right.  It's shown clearly in the show that the Yamato is able to do a full broadsides. so what's the deal?

The deal is, when the designers were working on that kit they chose to take the image of the Main Gun turret from the 'special close-up' model sheet, where the Turret is super detailed and out-of-context with the rest of the ship. 

To be practical and more like the show those Turrets need to be a tad shorter and the rangerfinders pulled in somewhat. *heh* it's interesting, looking over other establishment sheets I can see the artists just IGNORED the fact that the rangefinder wings block the Turret from rotating! 

Also, that forward Secondary Turret isn't supposed to be on a tube, there's supposed to be a deck and the Turret flush with it, same as the Main Guns. Oh, wait, the pic of the profile, that tube gives clearance to the Main Gun rangerfinder, doesn't it? So, see how one design choice cascades to other changes? 

Ahh, so close yet so far!


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## Styrofoam_Guy (May 4, 2004)

One of my favourite series and ships. I built the 1/700 kit a while ago and have another and the old 1/500 in my pile. I also have the forced perspective one somewhere. I didn't get the new 500 kit or the 350 kit due to the high price tag.

I thought about a scratch build but dismissed it due to so many other projects. This thread now has me reconsidering it


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## 11b30b4 (Apr 6, 2011)

steve, I get what you are saying about the clearance issues with the turrets and the fact that they are to be flush with their respective decks. I never really noticed it until you spelled it out. BTW, I do not feel that you comments or opinions are negative in any way. I get what you say about how the artists and the model designers are not working with a standard that prevents such issues as the the turrets. I have noticed that the antena mast behind the smoke stack is set at different distances depending on what model or version of the ship you are looking at. 

I have these graphics that I was using to compair the WWII ship with SBY in my research to scratch build. There is a very noticeable difference in the width of the hull in various areas but I think that the original artists of the series were working with a idea rather than a scale diagram of the ship.

here is the side by side compare









but if you look at this pic of the deck of the WWII ship you can see the turret detail

















Anyway thanks for the conversation. So did you have an opinion about Cpt. Herlock?

Styrofoam, how about some pictures of the 1/700?


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## starlord (Mar 30, 2011)

I looked into my set of models I have stashed away and I just found a 2nd of the models I had found here I lived in Hawaii, it's all of 6inch long and the parts are small. I've got the 1st one build but I need to paint it. It's be a month or so befor I work on this 2nd one.


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## Steve H (Feb 8, 2009)

11b: Oh, I'm a big Harlock fan too, since the early '80s. I prefer the 'blue' Arcadia to the 'green' one, but within the context of whichever series or movie it's all good. 

(no, really, Takara made three kits of the blue Arcadia back when the show ran in '78, and they were all HORRIBLE models. just terrible. Nothing more than rough fodder to hammer and force into something resembling the ship.  )

Problem is, there just hasn't been a decent, accurate model of the blue Arcadia! Take the issues I mention about the Yamato, about perspective and model sheet design and animator's whim and multiply time 10! At least the green Arcadia is more consistent, having been 'born' during the anime boom years and the very desire to be consistent came into being thanks to the publication of books about the movies/TV series, and the blossoming creation of the home video market- which meant that a show or series was no longer a one-time 'mayfly' event but it would be watched and re-watched and examined.

There is a somewhat nice kit of the green Arcadia from Bandai in 1/1000 scale. Even at that small scale it's a fairly big kit, about the same length as the 1/700 Yamato model.

My friend Roger built the smaller, better looking kit (1/1600 scale) and wrote about it. I helped with some of the info.

http://employees.csbsju.edu/rsorensen/modelcitizen/workbench/Anime/Harlock/arcadia_green/index.html

The 1/1000 green Arcadia kit has been renamed the 'Captain Harlock-go' by Bandai for reasons unstated but easy to guess at. You can look for it by that name as well as Arcadia. 

I also suggest taking a look at my friend Matt's site for Harlock. It'll untangle a lot of mis-conceptions that have crept up. Warning: Highly opinionated content. 

http://www.cornponeflicks.org/harlock/harlockmain.html

So there's that for now!

And yeah, I'm familiar with the layout of the WW II Yamato, and I know that the secondary turret was on a pedestal. the main turrets sit back a bit more in their mounts.


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## falcondesigns (Oct 30, 2002)

Been working on these for a while now,cast clear parts for lighting.One will be sold,the other to keep.


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## Steve H (Feb 8, 2009)

falcondesigns said:


> Been working on these for a while now,cast clear parts for lighting.One will be sold,the other to keep.


Quite a project! One thing to hit you with before you're too far, remember that the Main Bridge has *5* windows. That kit, the part has 4 windows.

This error in most of the Bandai kits from 'back in the day' stems from a painting where, due to perspective and angle, it makes the Main Bridge seem to have 4 windows. It's a very odd error that's hung on for decades.

I only mention this as if the ship is to be lit those Bridge windows become a critical focus of the build.


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## falcondesigns (Oct 30, 2002)

Clear pieces allready done,they will go out as is.


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## 11b30b4 (Apr 6, 2011)

Steve, thanks for the links and information, I will check out Rodger's build. I still like working in the big scale ~1/350 heck if I could have found a bigger one I would have gotten it. I get totally randy when I see "studio scale" like the 6' Enterprise or the 22' Battle Star Galactica, so I will most likely have to scratch build. Although, these guys are doing some amazing stuff and I may shoot them an e-mail to plant the seed of the idea of a 1/350 Arcadia
http://www.arveymodelproducts.com/AMP/AMP_listing.html

Falcon, I can not wait to see the lighted version...


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## scifiguy67 (Jan 18, 2011)

Steve H said:


> 11b: Oh, I'm a big Harlock fan too, since the early '80s. I prefer the 'blue' Arcadia to the 'green' one, but within the context of whichever series or movie it's all good.
> 
> (no, really, Takara made three kits of the blue Arcadia back when the show ran in '78, and they were all HORRIBLE models. just terrible. Nothing more than rough fodder to hammer and force into something resembling the ship.  )
> 
> ...


i prefer the blue arcadia myself i have an accurate model of it i got from alex sci-high.com check it out!


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## Steve H (Feb 8, 2009)

I'm not sure which kit that might be but the one project I saw was someone making a recast of the Takara kit, the 'standard' size (appx. 1/1500 scale) with modifications based on the Bandai 1/1600 green Arcadia, mainly the bridge tower.

It's a nice try and the gentleman put a lot of work into it but it's still off. 

A couple of years back Taito made a 'game prize' toy of the Blue Arcadia. Sadly the hull is based on the green Arcadia which gives it too slim a profile.

This toy is a mix of what feels like styrene, ABS and PVC. At some point I have an idea of buying another, taking it apart and making the mods to make it more accurate but I'm no master maker like some here.


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## falcondesigns (Oct 30, 2002)

Alex's kit is not a recast,and it's very accurate.


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## scifiguy67 (Jan 18, 2011)

falcondesigns said:


> Alex's kit is not a recast,and it's very accurate.


thank you!!!!


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## Steve H (Feb 8, 2009)

falcondesigns said:


> Alex's kit is not a recast,and it's very accurate.


Well, heavily worked and then cast maybe. I mean, it's hard for me to look as some of the key areas and see detail exactly as it appears on the Takara kit, in the same thickness of part and not think re-worked kit as base for the resin casting. 

And it shares some of the flaws such as being a bit too short in the mid section.

But it looks very nice indeed. Much less frustrating than the Takara kits to build I have no doubt!


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## fluke (Feb 27, 2001)

Here is the hanger bay so far for the 1/500 Space Cruiser Yamato. I also thought the kit needed panel lines.

The rest can be seen here if you want: I have other new parts completed that have not yet been captured digi like...you dig? :tongue:

http://troyenlow.weebly.com/yamato-page-1.html


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## Steve H (Feb 8, 2009)

fluke said:


> Here is the hanger bay so far for the 1/500 Space Cruiser Yamato. I also thought the kit needed panel lines.
> 
> The rest can be seen here if you want: I have other new parts completed that have not yet been captured digi like...you dig? :tongue:
> 
> http://troyenlow.weebly.com/yamato-page-1.html


Looking very nice, as I'd expect!

But am I seeing wrong? The hanger should be forward of the hatch, as it forms a metaphorical ramp. Looking straight up into the hatch opening all that would be seen is the overhead.

The hanger, and the fighters, are one of the sore spots of the scale issue, the most visible and painfully obvious spots. Going by the shelf count for the lower and upper hanger bays the Yamato carries 40-some fighters (as well as various other craft) yet given the dimensions listed for the fighters, to get 40 fighters in the ship would take up the entire interior volume!

Very annoying.

It goes to the original concept of the layout, with a squadron of Cosmo Zeroes in the upper bays for high speed intercept (think F-104 Starfighter) and the lower hanger filled with Black Tigers, which would handle attack missions ala the A-6 intruder. This kind of went by the wayside as production started and sometimes the sky would be filled with many more of both types of fighter. 

It got better, until they carved out part of the port hull to fit a folding platform in which carried the Cosmo Hound warp shuttle. AARRGGGH!


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## fluke (Feb 27, 2001)

You see correctly sir......Its not in its final place yet....thats was just a quick positioning for the pic. Yeah...I know what you mean.

One can go nuts trying to make an accurate anime or live action film subject


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## starlord (Mar 30, 2011)

I was looking at my t.v. listing for tonight and tonight I find that the t.v. show of star blasers starts tonight on the scyfi channel!


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## fluke (Feb 27, 2001)

This is a good chance for some to see just how KOOL this show really wuz.
minus the IQ-9 Robot of course.


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## idman (Apr 11, 2004)

STARBLAZERS IS BACK ON TV it's on syfy on thurs saw the first two episodes


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## WarpCore Breach (Apr 27, 2005)

To drag this thread back on topic... I got my old 1/500 _Yamato_ building, finally!! A bit of a rough fit in some parts, I thought... but some filing and other trimming made the parts fit better. I've got a lot of sub-assemblies done on the Easter weekend. I still want to reinforce the hull seams so that's still coming. I love the lines of this ship; very sleek and ultra-modern for a warship aesthetic. I think what drew me to the _Yamato_ series was in fact the ship itself. I've never seen the "_Star Blazers_" series, although I am familiar with at least the general storyline, at least for the "_Quest for Iscander_". That's about as close as I ever got to the show... models, some basic information and lots of pictures, most of it fan stuff - I think. 

However, this weekend I DID get to see about an hour and a half of what looked to be a subtitled but original spoken language version that was basically a long movie. While I thought the animation was a bit crude (but keeping in mind that this WAS done in the early '70s), it wasn't an issue for me, BUT.... I found to my dismay that the story was almost utterly incomprehensible. If it was a direct translation, I couldn't follow it very well and the English sub-titles were filled with grammatical and spelling errors. The _Yamato_ itself was almost referred to as the "dahu (dehu?) battleship" virtually all the time.

A strange and surrealistic experience for sure. I can't deny the cultural impact of the series in Japan; surely as big as or bigger than _Star Trek_ or _Star Wars_ here in North America!! I may not fully understand a lot about the show, but the movie - those FANTASTIC trailers!!! - really wants me to experience this show for the first time!


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## scifiguy67 (Jan 18, 2011)

WarpCore Breach said:


> To drag this thread back on topic... I got my old 1/500 _Yamato_ building, finally!! A bit of a rough fit in some parts, I thought... but some filing and other trimming made the parts fit better. I've got a lot of sub-assemblies done on the Easter weekend. I still want to reinforce the hull seams so that's still coming. I love the lines of this ship; very sleek and ultra-modern for a warship aesthetic. I think what drew me to the _Yamato_ series was in fact the ship itself. I've never seen the "_Star Blazers_" series, although I am familiar with at least the general storyline, at least for the "_Quest for Iscander_". That's about as close as I ever got to the show... models, some basic information and lots of pictures, most of it fan stuff - I think.
> 
> However, this weekend I DID get to see about an hour and a half of what looked to be a subtitled but original spoken language version that was basically a long movie. While I thought the animation was a bit crude (but keeping in mind that this WAS done in the early '70s), it wasn't an issue for me, BUT.... I found to my dismay that the story was almost utterly incomprehensible. If it was a direct translation, I couldn't follow it very well and the English sub-titles were filled with grammatical and spelling errors. The _Yamato_ itself was almost referred to as the "dahu (dehu?) battleship" virtually all the time.
> 
> A strange and surrealistic experience for sure. I can't deny the cultural impact of the series in Japan; surely as big as or bigger than _Star Trek_ or _Star Wars_ here in North America!! I may not fully understand a lot about the show, but the movie - those FANTASTIC trailers!!! - really wants me to experience this show for the first time!


check it out on youtube un-cut with sub-titles !


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## Steve H (Feb 8, 2009)

Well, 11b, some crazed fan in Japan is working to outdo your ambition.


Try the Yamato in 1/100 scale. Motorized and outfitted with R/C gear.






My mind is officially blown.


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## 11b30b4 (Apr 6, 2011)

sorry guys, I have been very busy at work. 
Ok
Fluke, your build is looking awesome! I am still rather new to modle building so I would like to know how exactly you scribe panel lines and what tool you are using? Are you taping a straight edge to the plastic first? Also how do you keep from going too deep in the plastic?
WarpCore Breach, I may get bashed by some of the guys for saying this but I think you should see the first two series in english as "Star Blazers". Its how I was exposed to it in the early 80s. Once I understood the story I could then appreciate the Japanese original and the follow-on series like Herlock. As for the animation, yes it was still getting it's sea legs (if you will excuse the pun) and I dont think it was full perfected till series like Macross (Robotech here in the USA).

Seve H, yep I have seen that one and this one in a sub version





Ok and a little off topic, If you are going to something RC you may as well go big and really cool. Check this out





Ok back on topic...
Steve H. did you see this
A 5 meter SBY display
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YF1tNfQVN8w/SxaFqn0gGtI/AAAAAAAAOBg/6rLhmKhiLEI/s1600-h/1.jpg
Then again, like I said... why not go huge!
http://sumoboy.livejournal.com/328989.html


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## falcondesigns (Oct 30, 2002)

Steve H said:


> Well, heavily worked and then cast maybe. I mean, it's hard for me to look as some of the key areas and see detail exactly as it appears on the Takara kit, in the same thickness of part and not think re-worked kit as base for the resin casting.


I went to Alex's site last night and the model is from an original master patterned by him,not a "heavily worked" or any other thing.I find your cavalier statements off putting,your dealing with someone's lively hood and reputation.


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## Steve H (Feb 8, 2009)

Hm. Well, I have no doubt whatsoever that the model is made from an original master, but the CREATION of that master used various parts...

Unless, of course, this reviewer is also wrong, which given the detailed knowledge he has, I don't think he's wrong. He's seeing the same things I do.

http://www.starshipmodeler.com/other/oc_blue.htm


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## Scorpitat (Oct 7, 2004)

Now THIS is totally INSANE R/C flying!

Enjoy!







Unfortunately, the plane nose dived at an R/C airshow, and was a total loss. Cost - an estimated $40,000 plus! Oh, the humanity. Crash video also on youtube.


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## Steve H (Feb 8, 2009)

Very cool! That's a monster of a R/C aircraft, what scale do you think it was? 1/35?

Looks like they had some problems with the landing gear. I'm not surprised, the B-52 has a pretty complicated setup and getting all that to work in small scale amazing.

Hats off to the builders, and it's sad it crashed.


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