Uchuu Senkan Yamato 2 Episode 22
宇宙戦艦ヤマト2 Ep. 22 (TV, Anime)
Space Battleship Yamato 2 22

SPOILER Summary/Synopsis:

As repairs are underway, the heavily damaged Yamato flees to Jupiter’s Ganymede Base, where they can dock the ship and make use of the facilities to perform structural repairs. Meanwhile in sick bay, Acting Captain Susumu Kodai wakes up to find Sado-sensei, Yuki, and Analyzer looking at him. His leg has been injured and bandaged up but he can’t walk and Sado wants him to stay put, and Yuki has Analyzer put Susumu back into bed when he tries to get out. Sado tells Susumu that Sanada has taken command and the repairs are ongoing. When Saito comes in, Sado orders Saito to make sure the captain stays put. Sado, Analyzer, and Yuki then leave to carry out other duties.

On Earth, word of the Earth Defense Force Fleet’s destruction has spread and the people panic and riot. This is observed in Gatlantis, where Sabera and the others are highly amused. Sabera wants the humans wiped out immediately, but Emperor Zwordar doesn’t want to destroy such a beautiful planet. Instead, he orders Genitz to take some ships and fly to Earth to issue a demand for an unconditional surrender. The Earth Defense Force defense satellites in orbit are positioned to attack, but are too weak to do any damage and are quickly destroyed. The Earth President asks for peace talks, so in response, Emperor Zwordar orders the White Comet to attack Earth’s moon, where they obliterate the entire surface, causing it to burn so fierce, it is easily seen on Earth. Zwordar gives Earth 24-hours.

Back on Ganymede Base, Yamato‘s repairs are wrapping up. Daisuke reports to Susumu about Earth having surrendered. Hearing this, Saito decides to ignore his orders and help Susumu up and to the ship’s mess hall, also aided by Yuki. There, the crew is gathered and Susumu states that before he passed out, he heard Hijikata order him to fight on no matter what. As such, even though Earth has surrendered, this is what Susumu intends to do now that Yamato is repaired. The crew voice their approval and Yamato is off. Rather than contact HQ, Susumu decides they will warp in and surprise the White Comet.

Thoughts/Review:

Not quite the magical instant repairs I had thought would happen, but they happened pretty quick just the same. I say “quick,” but in reality, the only reason they were shown at all is because the production team needed to kill time. Basically, this episode is an in-story filler. WAY too much time was spent showing the panic and riots on Earth. The emperor could have communicated with Earth directly, but instead we send out small fleet and why? To kill time. Also, the emperor gives Earth 24-hours to surrender and why? To kill time. Yep, killing time is the name of the game so as to pad the episode, much as I’m doing here to pad out this paragraph so that it looks like I’m saying something when I’m really not. ^_~

The only other comment I have is the defense satellites in Earth orbit. Having watched Babylon 5, I had the eerie impression that the scene used in season 4 there of Earth’s final defensive line was in fact taken from Space Battleship Yamato 2. The satellites looked a bit different and there were no missile launchers for the anime’s version (and why not?) but the feeling that I’d seen this before was still there. I’m not sure why these small satellites couldn’t hit the broadside of a barn but the enemy had no trouble hitting the satellites (beyond needing for the enemy to get through easily), but I would have liked the few that did to have at least caused some damage. Oh well.

Four more episodes and Desler on the horizon. *_*