Be Forever Yamato: REBEL3199 chief director Harutoshi Fukui has hinted that the franchise could continue after Chapter 7: Rainbow Samsara, the final installment in the seven-part remake series. Asked by Mantan Web whether a sequel might arrive, Fukui replied, “There might be a next one,” while stopping short of confirming a project.
Released in Japanese theaters on October 30, Rainbow Samsara concludes the REBEL3199 story. The chapter is also known as Star Blazers: Space Battleship Yamato 3199. Its official synopsis describes a story set in 2207, when a colossal object called the Grand Reverse breaches Earth’s defenses and the former Yamato crew receives a secret mission amid the invasion.
Fukui has described the franchise’s approach to space as one of its defining qualities. In comments ahead of the film’s release, he compared its vast setting to an ocean and an unfamiliar land, and said the story’s connection to reality is part of what makes Yamato distinctive.
A separate animated feature, Space Battleship Yamato √2199, was announced in early October. Hideaki Anno and Yutaka Izubuchi are set to co-direct the project, with Production I.G founder Mitsuhisa Ishikawa also involved in its development. No story or casting details have been announced. Rainbow Samsara is now showing in Japanese theaters.
Sources: Comic Book Resources.