Star Blazers

This "movie" is actually the original series "Uchû senkan Yamato" (1974-1975) edited into 2+ hours and shown theatrically. It should also be noted that it was this movie that made "Yamato" extremely popular in Japan (the original TV series didn't do so well in the ratings) and its success led (so far) to two other TV shows, four more movies, and a direct-to-video mini-series.

In Farewell to Space Battleship Yamato (also rendered as Arrivederci Yamato), the Yamato and her crew face the onslaught of the Comet Empire, a civilization from the Andromeda Galaxy who seek to conquer Earth, led by Zohdah the Great. The Yamato is aided by a telekinetic woman composed of anti-matter, Teresa of Telezart, while the Comet Empire has restored to life Earth's old enemy, the Gamilas' leader Desslar, who is eager for revenge. After a massive battle which destroys both Earth and Comet Empire fleets, the Yamato crew defeat Zohdah's fortress, but at the cost of the ship and their lives. A massive fan outcry to the film convinced the show's creators to make a second season of the TV series based on the film, but with a much different ending. As such the events of Farewell to Space Battleship Yamato are now considered to be an alternate storyline altogether and is no longer regarded as official canon.

In the film, later modified into a theatrical movie, Desslar sees his homeworld, Gamilas, destroyed by the grey-skinned aliens, and its twin planet Iscandar next in line for invasion. He finds an eventual ally in the Yamato, then on a training mission under deputy captain Kodai.

The first episode of Star Blazers ("Space Battleship Yamato") is born. The earth is being decimitaed by meteor bombs from outer space which is slowly poisoning the earth. Captain Avatar's (Okitaâ's) ship and his assault fleet are attacked by the Gamilons (Gamilus), a form of alien invaders. His ship is critical injured but he makes back to earth. Meanwhile a group of cadets, Wildstar (Kodai) and Venture (Shima) find a special message and ship to aid the fight against the invaders.

The hope of the Earth lies within an old battleship found at the bottom of what used to be the Great Eastern Sea.

The Star Force is created, and their mission is clear - take the newly rebuilt Argo 148,000 light years to the planet Iscandar, to retrieve a machine called the Cosmo DNA which will save Earth from its irradiated state. But will the Gamilons stop them?

The year is 2201, one year after the Star Force returned to Earth bringing the Cosmo DNA device which rid it of the radioactive pollution caused by Gamilon's planet bombs. Since that time, no longer threatened by outside forces, Earth has recovered and expanded its naval power and terrirory to the periphery of the Solar System. Most of the Star Force crew are assigned to various posts on Earth, although the Argo is currently on assignment as the flagship of the Solar System's peripheral defence patrol fleet. Commanding it is Deputy Captain Derek Wildstar. Unknown to Earth, a new threat lurks in outer space. In the palace of the Comet Empire -- a huge mobile city fortress shrouded in a plasma field which makes it resemble a white comet -- its green-skinned ruler, Prince Zordar, plans for his next conquest, Earth. His minions, daughter Princess Invidia, and Generals Dire and Gorse, gather to review the plans for the Earth, the defenses of which are deemed vastly inferior. An easy victory is predicted. But suddenly, a surprising voice pierces the air. Gamilon Leader Desslok steps out of the shadows of the throne room to chide the court for its overconfidence. They have failed to consider the Star Force. Invidia, immediately showing her disdain for the former Gamilon ruler, scoffs at this, asking whether this is the same Star Force which single-handedly wrecked Gamilon. Desslok scoffs at her arrogance, and insists that unless the Star Force is dealt with, the Comet Empire will be unsuccessful. He convinces Emperor Zordar to allow him to personally take care of the Star Force. Meanwhile, Comet Empire strike planes begin stealth attacks on Earth's defence patrol fleet. Wildstar takes his Superstar flighter out on a solo mission to chase the mysterious enemy, only to be called back to the ship which has been crippled by an enormous EMF surge which has passed through the Solar System. The surge burns up many of the Argo's electrical circuits, but the communication system holds out long enough to record a garbled radio message from an unknown source. Could it be related to this new enemy, they wonder. As the damaged Argo returns to Earth, it crosses flight paths with Earth's new flagship, Andromeda, commanded by Captain Gideon, on its maiden flight. Each captain masks pride with principle, and refuses to yield airspace. The two ships come within mere meters of collision. The Argo descends to Earth.

As the Star Force reunites to honor Captain Avatar's memory, Derek Wildstar says that he scouted what he thinks is a new and potentially very powerful and dangerous enemy. He then goes to the Andromeda and confronts Captain Gideon, who turns out to be one of his former instructors, about the near-miss in space. Gideon says that even though the Argo had landing priority as a returning spaceship, it still would have had to yield to the Andromeda because the latter was Earth's highest-ranking starship. Despite Wildstar's protests, Gideon simply tells him he will "learn the hard way." Wildstar leaves Gideon's quarters along with former crewmate Sandor, who gives him a tour of the Andromeda, saying how computerized the ship is. When Wildstar asks about the radio message, Sandor plays it back; although mostly garbled, it appears to contain a woman's voice. Wildstar asks about the improvements to the Argo, and Sandor mentions that the Earth Defense Force wants the Argo just as computerized as the Andromeda. The news upsets Wildstar, who confronts the Earth Defense Council's commander, just as a massive blackout occurs. On board the Comet Empire, which was responsible for the blackout, Desslok tells Zordar that the Star Force will head to Telezart once they decipher Trelaina's message. Zordar puts Desslok in charge of handling Trelaina and the Star Force.

Sandor and Wildstar try to decode the message Wildstar received, but the best either of them can determine is that it appears to be a jammed distress call vaguely warning the Earth of some sort of danger. Believing the message and the blackout may be related, Wildstar unsuccessfully tries to get the Earth Defense Force to listen. He then decides to take the Argo -- unauthorized -- out into space, even though he isn't fully sure there is a threat to Earth. Wildstar sends a message to the old Star Force crew, emphasizing that their participation in this mission is strictly voluntary since the mission isn't authorized. Sandor agrees to go, but Venture wants time to think it over. Nova is torn between letting Wildstar go and asking him to stay. Desslok meets with his former battle staff and has the Gamilon fleet go to Telezart to wait for the Star Force. Wildstar boards the Argo and is surprised when it powers up, then discovers Sandor and Orion on board. The rest of the old bridge crew, minus Venture and Nova, also join Wildstar on the Argo as it prepares to depart Earth.

A war between two factions outside the Solar System threatens Earth. A wayward missile in that war hits the sun (and destroys a starliner en route), and this causes the sun's nuclear fusion to go out of control. In one Earth year, unless the fusion is corrected, the sun will burn the Earth and all life will cease to exist. Also, in three years, the sun will explode and destroy the solar system. The Argo, now officially captained by Derek Wildstar, is commissioned (with new cadets) to search for a new home for the people of Earth.

On board the Argo, Commander Wildstar meets former shipmate Cory Conroy. Derek shows Conroy the new Cosmo Tiger fighter, being piloted by Cadet Flash Contrail. In the mess hall, they meet Flash briefly before Derek receives orders to send Flash back home. Mark Venture briefs the crew on where they plan to look for a new planet, but Derek says that beyond a certain point they don't know what to expect. The ongoing war between the two factions intrudes into Earth's solar system, prompting the Earth Defense Force commander to order the Argo to launch sooner than the six days Wildstar said he needed to prepare for departure. Meanwhile, the increasing solar activity creates more havoc on the Earth. When Flash gets home, he argues with his father, who wants him to take over the family business. Flash's ill mother implores his father to let him return to the Star Force so he can be happy.

During the ongoing war outside of Earth's solar system, one of the ships mistakenly warps to Earth's atmosphere, heading directly for the Argo's location. The Earth Defense Force alerts Commander Wildstar, who sends the Cosmo Tigers to investigate. The ship attacks the Tigers, but they dispatch it. Wildstar briefs his crew on the mission, offering those who wish to remain on Earth a chance to leave. Chief Communications Officer Homer Glitchman is the only one who does so, wanting to find a girl who had given him a flower, but whose name he didn't get. Derek discovers that the girl in question is Wendy, the EDF's commander's granddaughter, and sends out the Cosmo Tigers to bring Homer back. Just then, he finds Homer still on board and brings him back to meet Wendy, who wishes him luck. As the Argo launches into space, 329 days remain before the sun destroys Earth.