Yamato 2520

Finally something objectively good from the Yamato franchise.

World Building is logical and consistent. Of course it's weird that we didn't see how Earth get out of trouble and beat the Bolan and Gamilusian Empires but that's not this show's job to explain.
We got explanations for pretty much anything that we have to know for the current situatuation of the universe.

The plot is pretty solid as well. We get why the characters have their initial motive, their actions and desires are humanistic and sound. The sides of the conflict react rationally and competently.

The characters are unique from each other and we learn a lot ... about not just a main 4, but the side-characters as well. No one seems to be one dimensional.
It's also cool, that the antagonists aren't mustace-twirling "be villainous just to be a villain" thropes, but human beings with their own rational, logical and humanistic actions and desires as well. They don't just oppose our heroes to be the antagonist, but because the two side's goal contradict the other's, and each goal is very approachable to their own side. (One wants to retain control of their territory while the other wants to be fully independent and destroy any obstacle what's hinder their independence.

The main characters are approachable, I'm personally agains't the very childish man-woman "tsundere" relationship, where each side just incapable of understanding the other and sadly it's present in this as well. I also disliked the personal rivalry thrope between the MC and his Rival.
Outside of those - or even including them - every character behaves like they are supposed to, main ones are even shine when they got the chance to do so.

The graphics developed a lot, but it's ten years since the last Yamato so it was expected, the score was solid. The new design I wasn't the biggest fan of, but it's proved to be a capable and upgraded design for space combat with much less blindspot areas, and more capable turret arrangements.

Lastly I am so pleased that finally we got a Yamato show where it is not full of inconsistencies; logic, physics or brain breaking incidences or full on involuntary retcones that just destroy the plot and world building of previous iterations.
(Maybe Aratanaru Tabidachi / The Last Voyage was the least bad in that front.)
To just name a few worst examples:
- For the first season the two sides fought for the same planet because they cannot coexist in the same atmosphere. Gamilusieans need radiation to survive.
Not after season 2.
- Stop destroying the Yamato because if you do, it would also destroy a planet with our forward base.
Well the planet and the forward base are destroyed even if i stop now, so why am I stopping? Why am I stoping? (So the Yamato can survive.)
- We got you yamato with our super laser.
No U, We had a superreflector what reflects your laser and You are destroyed. (We just did not use it the whole time, and literally no one knew outside of one person that we even had this reflector shield thingy. Also we wont use it ever again.)
- Well we think we just travelled for 200 years so if we turn around and go for another 200 years we will maybe travel back in time and arrive the same time as we departed.
- I fallen love with you woman so I challenge you to kill me and if you do succeed I give you the key to destroy my species.
- Our planet got destroyed by a flood, so we will destroy Earth by a flood, then reverse the effect of the flood and then settle down on Earth.
Why not just reverse the effect on the flood on your own planet that get destroyed by the same flood you want to use against Earth?
I don't know. So the movie can happen?
- I am literally dead, but don't worry just set me somewhere where the Sun can ray on my body and I will be resurrected.
- (And if ressurections) Ohh you remember the character who died in the first season. Well we resurrect him as well 7 iterations later. How and why he wasn't in any other seasons or movies where Earth was in even more dangerous conditions? I don't know. He was in coma? Is that a passable enough explanation?

I can go for days but I think you can get the gist of it. The main thing is that 2520 is devoid of any of these idiotic mistakes afaik.

If someone ask me, while Yamato movie 2 is maybe the best Yamato show, Yamato 2520 is the best in the Yamato franchise from the ones I've seen (I've seen everything outside of the live action and the remakes).
I've given Yamato 2520 a 7 star while every other was between a 2 and a 4. It's a huge step-up and a shame that we cannot ever see the whole series, just the first three out of 10.

Comparisons, between the original Space Battleship Yamato (be it the original 1975 version or the modern Yamato 2199 version), are extremely unfair but ultimately unavoidable. In short, anyone viewing this series expecting a remake of Yamato/Star Blazers will be disappointed. Sadly, Yamato 2520 is largely unconnected to the classic series - a totally different look for the ship, completely different characters, no Gamalons, none of the extremely cool music - it's Yamato in name only.

What we are left with is a series that, although looks nice, doesn't have the same emotional quality of the original. The series is way too short to tell this much ... story. Instances like relating the whole 100 years war done in a brief pre-credit sequence, and could have easily been expanded up to several episodes. There's no time to sink our emotional hooks into the characters.

Technically, the series is passable. The animation is fluid and looks nice, although Leiji Matsumoto's art style and directorial touches are sadly missed on the project. The music doesn't contain the power and majesty that Yamato deserves - nay, requires. As a result, it ultimately fails to support the series. The voice acting isnt bad, but not outstanding.

Is Yamato 2520 bad? No - if allowed to stand on it's own, it might have been enjoyable. Does it live up to the original series? Not even close - the worst entry of the Yamato saga is still superior to 2520. In the end, it's all academic, however - the series was aborted before the final four episodes were completed, and the odds of it making it to US shores are slim at best. In the end, Yamato 2520 will remain a footnote in the Star Blazers story.

Go watch Yamato 2199 instead.