Japanese Live Action Star Blazers (Space Battleship Yamato) Trailer

I previously wrote about the cast of the new Space Battleship Yamato (Star Blazers) movie. Well, the trailer is now available and you can judge for yourself whether to see this one or wait for the inevitable Hollywood remake. This trailer doesn’t show how the story will change with Reiko Takashima as the ship’s doctor, and model and actress Maiko as Homer, the communications expert. Both of those characters were male in the original tv series.

Other casting decisions, such as Yuki Mori as Nova, and veteran actor Tsutomu Yamasaki (known in the West for his work in Juzo Itami’s films) as Captain Avatar seem right on.

The trailer prominently features Takuya Kimura (Kimu-Taku) of SMAP, and some pretty weak looking special effects. I hope that they just rushed this trailer for New Year’s TV in Japan, and the movie’s final FX are going to be better.

It’s not a very good sign that Kimu-Taku is the lead because it could mean they are counting on his popularity and the popularity of the original series to get viewers to come – a sign that corners might be cut on the special effects and storytelling.

I still have high hopes, being someone who watched this series as a kid… anyway here’s the first teaser to be released.