Recap: The Yamato crew sends Shinohara to do recon on the other end of the warp gate. There they find nearly the entire Gamilan navy. In addition, Domel is released from prison and along with the rest of his loyal crew, continue their pursuit of the Yamato.

Gee’s Thoughts: These last two episodes have only strengthened my belief that Yamato 2199 is one of the best things airing. Turns out I interpreted the preview from the last episode incorrectly, and the huge Gamilan fleet was there in an attempt by Zoelik to consolidate power under his control in the wake of Dessler’s demise. Oh wait, Dessler’s alive, as if anybody thought a smug snake chess master would die so easily. Come on Zoelik, you can’t confirm until there’s a body. That’s like, lesson number one in the book of villainy.

In a turn of events I’m sure everybody saw coming, Captain Okita continues with his standard tactical approach of “charge everything head on.” Still, without the likes of Domel in control, the 10,000 ship strong Gamilan fleet couldn’t hope to stop the sheer guts of the Yamato. Breaking through in a thrilling fire fight, our heroes manage to make it to the Large Magellanic Cloud. And hey, they manage to blow up the Gamilans’ main warp hub in the process, effectively stranding the entire Gamilan fleet. Not too shabby for a single ship.

Overall, this was the kind of exciting thrill ride we needed. Not to say Yamato 2199 is ever boring, but after a couple episodes of inner politics and character development, we needed an epic battle on a grand scale to remind us that this show is a space opera. Lasers, missiles, and explosions everywhere, a few riveting character moments, and all while some sneaky politics goes down in the background. Everything a good space opera needs. With Dessler back in power though, the Yamato will most certainly have its work cut out for it again.

In the second of the two episodes, Domel is released from prison, just in time to pick up the shattered pieces that comprise what’s left of the Gamilan’s military strength. Domel is forced to use the four remaining carriers left in the capital while recruiting the old and young men unfit for frontline duty. While one would think Domel has been defanged by the situation, we must remember that this is a man who is Okita’s true equal.

In fact, this episode spends a good amount of time examining the similarities between the two. Both have children who are no longer alive, a wife who is in some way or another, also gone, both are headstrong charismatic men who command complete loyalty in their subordinates, and both have a better understanding of strategy and tactics than anybody else in the show. However, just like before, Domel is a good soldier while Okita is a good man. With the next episode shaping up to be an exciting clash between the two, I look forward to seeing how they’ll play off each other.

In addition, this episode featured what is perhaps one of my favorite moments in the show. While inspecting his new troops, Domel meets four volunteer troops from a recently conquered planet. Second-class citizens, none of Domel’s crew trusts them or the mysterious mission they’ve been entrusted with. However, a strong showing by singing the Gamilan anthem instantly wins over Domel and crew, leading to everyone present taking part. Factor in that the troops are part of the 442nd squad, and you realize that this moment is a perfect example of world building with relevant real-life analogies. While using the same name as the most decorated infantry division in US military history might be a little heavy handed, the fact that a Japanese animation studio would reference the famously all-Japanese-American division is wonderful to behold. It’s a great example to show us that the Gamilans are just as nuanced and unique as humanity is, comprised of heroes, villains, and everything in between. They might be our enemies, but I’ll be damned if the Gamilans aren’t some of the best villains I’ve seen in a long time.

And really, this was just one of many great moments in past two episodes. Akira and Shinohara’s interaction with each other in the face of the latter’s apparent suicide mission was a great bit of character building, showing that Yamato 2199 is a master of characterization, giving even the minor characters the proper development they deserve. In fact, Kodai barely featured at all in the past two episodes, really giving the rest of the cast a chance to shine. Another exemplary moment is the conversation between Captain Okita and Yurisha Iscandar, the “spirit” possessing Misaki’s body. Indeed, the discussion of the Wave Motion Engine once again reflects the issues of the real world. Its application as both the Yamato’s method of traversing the stars and its usage as a destructive weapon is a direct analogy to the debate of nuclear power and its place in the modern world.

The Iscandarians gave humanity the Wave Motion Engine to reach Iscandar in the first place, but it was humanity that managed to turn it into the infamous weapon that has saved the crew’s lives multiple times. Was every usage justified? Could the Yamato have even survived up to this point without it? In that case, why shouldn’t humanity have developed it. As Okita mused, perhaps the Iscandarians are testing humanity, but in that case, why? What do they seek to gain from humanity’s struggle? It’s these sort of questions and ideas that Yamato 2199 introduce that makes it such a strong work of science fiction. The best science fiction not only expands our horizons, but allows us to take the lessons we’ve learned and apply them to our own world. Yamato 2199 is currently doing an amazing job of it.