Toshio Masuda, the live-action veteran who shaped the original Space Battleship Yamato films, died of old age on August 26 at 98. The Mainichi Shimbun and Yomiuri Shimbun reported his death on September 25, and the Japan Academy Film Prize Association posted its condolences the next day.
Quick answer
Space Battleship Yamato (*Uchuu Senkan Yamato*, released in the West as Star Blazers) began as a 26-episode 1974 TV series. Masuda supervised its scripts and then directed or co-directed the theatrical run: the 1977 compilation film, Farewell to Space Battleship Yamato (1978), The New Voyage (1979), Be Forever Yamato (1980), Final Yamato (1983) as chief supervisor, and Resurrection (2009) as general supervisor. The best entry point today is the 2012 remake Space Battleship Yamato 2199. According to SenpaiRanks, 2199 is the franchise's highest-rated entry at an adjusted 8.02, ahead of the 1974 original at 7.28.
Who Masuda was
Born in Kobe in October 1927, Masuda joined Nikkatsu in 1954 and debuted as a director in 1958. He built his name on Nikkatsu's action films (*Rusty Knife*, Red Handkerchief), co-directed the Japanese sequences of Tora! Tora! Tora! (1970), and directed 82 films in all. The Japan Academy Film Prize honored him for distinguished service in 2018. In anime, Yamato was his signature: he gave the space-opera films a live-action director's sense of scale and sacrifice.
Space Battleship Yamato watch order
The original continuity
- Space Battleship Yamato (1974 TV, 26 episodes) — ranking page
- Farewell to Space Battleship Yamato (1978 film) — or the Yamato 2 TV series, which retells the same war with a different ending (ranking page)
- The New Voyage (1979 TV film)
- Be Forever Yamato (1980 film)
- Yamato III (1980 TV)
- Final Yamato (1983 film)
- Space Battleship Yamato: Resurrection (2009 film)
The remake continuity (start here)
- Space Battleship Yamato 2199 (2012) — ranking page
- Yamato 2202: Warriors of Love — remakes the Farewell/Yamato 2 story
- Yamato 2205: A New Voyage, then the 3199 film series
Where to watch
The remakes are the easy streams: the Funimation-licensed Star Blazers: Space Battleship Yamato 2199 and 2202 moved into the Crunchyroll catalog with the Funimation library, though availability varies by region. The 1970s TV series and Masuda's films are harder to find on subscription services — check each show's ranking page for current links.
Keep exploring
Yamato is the root of our best 80s and 90s anime ranking lineage and a fixture of our best sci-fi anime list. For another classic getting a second life, see our Akira where-to-watch guide, and Leiji Matsumoto's other space epic in our Galaxy Express 999 film news.
Frequently asked questions
Q: Who was Toshio Masuda?
A: A Japanese film director (1927–2026) who directed 82 films, co-directed Tora! Tora! Tora!, and directed or supervised the classic Space Battleship Yamato films.
Q: What is the Space Battleship Yamato watch order?
A: For the originals: the 1974 TV series, Farewell (1978) or Yamato 2, The New Voyage, Be Forever Yamato, Yamato III, Final Yamato, then Resurrection. For the remakes: 2199, 2202, 2205, then 3199.
Q: Where should I start with Space Battleship Yamato?
A: Space Battleship Yamato 2199 (2012). It retells the original story with modern animation and is the best-rated entry on SenpaiRanks.
Q: Is Star Blazers the same as Space Battleship Yamato?
A: Yes. Star Blazers is the English-language title for the Yamato franchise.
Q: Is Space Battleship Yamato good?
A: SenpaiRanks tracks 2199 at an adjusted 8.02 and the 1974 original at 7.28.