Hideaki Anno has finally taken the helm of that ship. On October 6, 2026, the 52nd anniversary of the Space Battleship Yamato TV anime’s premiere, Khara and Production I.G jointly announced that the theatrical feature-length anime Space Battleship Yamato √2199 (read as “Route 2199”) has officially entered production. Hideaki Anno serves as planner, production supervisor, and director, with Yutaka Izubuchi as co-director and designer.
This is the first co-production between Khara and Production I.G. Anno became a director of Production I.G in August 2025, and this collaboration is directly related to that connection. The planning team also includes Production I.G founder Mitsuhisa Ishikawa, with SHIN OFFICE ACADEMY as the production company.
Anno’s feelings for Yamato need no translation. Born in 1960, he fell in love with the work in the second year of junior high school, and has spent half his life returning to it in one way or another. The 2024 50th anniversary project was driven by him, and he said at the time: “If my 50-years-ago self had not encountered Yamato, I don’t think I would have achieved what I have today.” His statement in this announcement is equally direct: “Not only to fulfill a boyhood dream, I also hope to continue making a Yamato that carries our wishes and prayers for the next generation, and for those of our own generation.”
The addition of Yutaka Izubuchi adds a layer of “return” to this lineup. He was the chief director and screenwriter of the 2012 Space Battleship Yamato 2199 remake series, which redefined the possibilities of Yamato in the context of modern anime. The symbolic relationship between “√2199” and “2199” in the new title, along with Khara’s official website explicitly stating that it “takes a different course from the 2012 2199 and Yamato Forever REBEL3199 series,” suggests this is not a continuation of the remake series, but a parallel new route.
In the simultaneously released teaser visual, the Yamato is rising from a desolate land toward space. There are no characters, no fleet—just a single ship lifting its head amid the ruins. The release date has not yet been announced; the official statement says it will be announced separately.
Counting from the 26-episode TV anime that aired on October 6, 1974, the Yamato has been sailing for 52 years. Anno spent half a lifetime reaching the position where he could grasp its helm, and the first thing he chose to do was let the ship take off again from a field of ruins.
FAQ
Q: What is the production lineup and production company for Space Battleship Yamato √2199?
A: Hideaki Anno serves as planner, production supervisor, and director, with Yutaka Izubuchi as co-director and designer. The production company is SHIN OFFICE ACADEMY, with Khara and Production I.G co-producing for the first time.
Q: How does this new work relate to the 2012 Space Battleship Yamato 2199?
A: According to Khara’s official website, the new work takes a different course from the 2012 2199 and Yamato Forever REBEL3199 series, suggesting it is not a continuation of the remake series, but a parallel new route.
Source: Khara
