Space Battleship Yamato 2 01
Uchuu Senkan Yamato 2 Episode 01
宇宙戦艦ヤマト2 Ep. 01 (TV, Anime)

SPOILER Summary/Synopsis:

The Comet Empire is taking over the universe and they have set their sights on Earth as the Emperor sees it as a good planet to take to continue the rest of their campaign. Joining the Emperor and his staff is Supreme Leader Desler of Gamilus, who is the Emperor’s honored guest. As the Emperor receives information on his forces current status, the military leaders don’t see Earth as much of a problem. Desler reminds them of Yamato and while that ship may have defeated Gamilus, Gamilus is not dead as long as Desler is alive, his surviving forces fighting alongside the Comet Empire forces. He advises the military leaders to test out Yamato for themselves and see if he’s wrong.

For its part, Yamato is the flagship of the Solar System Perimeter 3rd Patrol Fleet and has just completed its 1-year patrol. With humans building facilities all over the solar system, there is plenty of activity going on. Acting Captain KODAI Susumu has his communications officer report to Earth Defense Force HQ that the fleet is returning home. The officer jokingly asks if there’s is a pretty nurse at the Earth Defense Force Central Hospital that Susumu would like to message as well. At that hospital, Yuki performs her duties as the robot Analyzer cops a feel. He’s going to tell her that Yamato is returning to Earth but naturally, Yuki already knows this.

Susumu receives a report of unidentified craft following the fleet. Susumu dismisses this as cargo ships but the radar officer is very insistent. Susumu decides to take it seriously but it is too late as communications to Earth are jammed. Ships from the Nazca Fleet (Comet Empire) attack, taking out some destroyers and cargo ships and hitting Yamato as well. Susumu abandons ship to scout the area in his fighter. He encounters the enemy but can do nothing as they are too fast. A frantic call from Yamato has him returning to his ship as Commander Nazca and Commander Balsey (Balsey Fleet, Comet Empire) remark on how easily things are going and how much of a coward Desler is.

Yamato‘s systems are being overloaded by excessive energy, a phenomenon happening on Earth as well where Sanada and Yuki are attempting to cut power lines and Analyzer overheats. As people on Earth and Yamato attempt to put out small fires from overheated electronic equipment, they detect that some kind of message has been sent to them. Back with the Comet Empire, the Emperor is told that Teresa of Teresart has managed to get a message through to Earth despite their efforts to block it. Teresart is the lone planet within the Empire that the Emperor can’t touch and despite her abilities, the Emperor figures they should leave her alone. Desler agrees, saying contact between Teresa and Earth is part of his plan.

Yamato makes a final approach to Earth to land when another battleship leaving Earth is now in their flight path. This brand new flagship for the Earth Defense Force is called Andromeda and Susumu orders that a message be sent to the ship to get out of the way. The captain of Andromeda refuses and a game of chicken begins. Neither captain blink and the two battleships narrowly miss a head-on collision. Once passed, the bridge crew is relieves and Susumu laughs, causing the others to laugh. That out of the way, Yamato continues to its landing point on Earth.

Thoughts/Review:

I was surprised when I heard the 2nd variation of the first series’ OP theme song being used since the lyrics are about Yamato going to Iscandar. Considering that this second series is already showing signs of copying some aspects of the 1st series (mysterious blonde alien chick sends message to Earth to help them while vast enemy forces prepare to destroy them), maybe that shouldn’t be a surprise. Maybe the OP theme will get some lyric modifications from “Iscandar” to “Teresart.” ^_^;

Gah! Desler returns. I knew it. If I may quote myself from my episode 26 blog entry for Space Battleship Yamato.

Just because Sanada’s deus ex machina “oh, I’ve been secretly working on some new reflective armor for Yamato” appeared to have killed Desler this time doesn’t mean he’s dead. Part of me thinks he’ll show up again to be a pain in the butt for Space Battleship Yamato 2 (which I will now start watching).

I’m not a fan of the enemy that repeatedly gets “killed” but doesn’t actually die. Further, his leadership skills are so great, he lost his entire empire and his home planet to a single freaking ship. So for the Emperor of the Comet Empire to put such blind trust in Desler means the Emperor is a fool too.

Susumu is an idiot captain. OK, so he’s still “Acting Captain Kodai,” but he’s still unworthy of the title. First, he ignores the obvious threat when it is reported to him. Then when Yamato comes under attack, rather than command his ship, he jumps in his fighter, forcing his crew to beg for his return. Ah, but he’s SOOOOO brave as when he played chicken with the captain of the Andromeda. Yeah, whatever.

Susumu isn’t a good captain but the fact that he hasn’t been made full captain even though he’s been in command of Yamato for well over a year suggests that the production team has other plans for Susumu. I won’t say he’ll die, but they’ll either have Susumu do something so spectacular they make him captain or they give his command to someone else. I’d say the captain of the Andromeda would be a prime choice, but considering his ship is new and better, the writers would have to destroy it first without killing the captain. We’ll see what happens.

I see that Yuki is back to being a nurse. Poor Yuki. Sanada’s current job seemed right for him. I wonder what happened to Daisuke and the others.

I plan to blog the entire series though I have some qualms after the first episode.