Revision: 06/11/96

Reviewer: Steve Harrison

In 1979 I discovered Star Blazers, and was instantly blown away. It was the most amazing cartoon I had ever seen! The voice acting, the design work, the story, and the music. That oh so famous music. Full, rich orchestral sound, so much more powerful than the usual TV canned soundtrack. I yearned to own a record of the soundtrack, but figured it would be impossible-after all, who makes soundtracks for a *cartoon*, for goodness sake? There was a faint clue, actually quite pronounced, in the end credits of the show: "Originally produced in Japan by Yoshinobu Nishizaki as Space Cruiser Yamato."

Fast forward to 1980, when in a local comic shop I find a copy of Fanfare Magazine (issue #3,Spring 1980) with a slightly familiar looking character on the cover. He looked kind of like Derek Wildstar, but taller, with an eye patch and a big skull and crossbones on the front of his shirt. The magazine promised `a survey of TV animation in Japan,' and my jaw dropped...there, on page 14 was a picture of a *soundtrack album* for Space Cruiser Yamato!!!!!

I quickly bought the magazine, found out that guy on the cover was Space Pirate Captain Harlock (from the series of the same name...), and discovered a whole new world....anime. But more importantly, discovered that there was a metric buttload of stuff about my favorite show available in Japan!! These guys knew how to crank out the merchandise! Toys! Models! Books! And Records. Many, many records.......But, where to get it?

Later, a friend gave me a catalog list from a company that specialized in import LPs, and lo and behold, Symphonic Suite Yamato was one of the LPs in stock! I quickly called, ordered it, and waited. It was the longest week I had ever spent.

When it arrived in the mail I quickly put it on my turntable, gently put the needle on the platter, and waited........

When those first notes drifted from my speakers, I was interested, but when Kazuko Kawashima started her `scat'(that wistful aaaAAAAHhhh sound, as heard in the first Star Blazers episode), I was transfixed. This, this is what I've been waiting for. I was in Heaven.

I must have played that record hundreds of times, a good dozen that first day. But there was more! An insert with color pictures! A green paper banner, which listed *other albums*!! There was MORE to buy and listen to! And I went nuts, and embarked on a quest to own all the Yamato LPs available. Came darn close, too! As time went on, I grew to love other anime series, but I always came back to Yamato. And I grew worried. My poor LPs were getting played to death. This new thing called CD was up and coming, but where were the Yamato CDs? Year after year, Where were the Yamato CDs?!?!

Finally, in 1995, it happened. Nippon Columbia started releasing their entire catalog of Yamato music on CD, and fans all over the world rejoiced! At last, perfect, eternal copies of their favorite music available!

And now, a whole new generation of Star Blazers and Yamato fans can share the excitement I had, by buying their favorite Yamato music on CD. Now the question is, which one to buy? Hopefully, the reviews on this site will help.