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The order: SEASON 1 Released in 1974, this is the very first iteration of the series and introduces the main characters and themes of the series. It’s a bit slow in the beginning, a bit jumbled in the middle, but ABSOLUTELY EPIC in the final segment. If you have the time and energy to watch this 26 ep. season it is the best way to get into the series, but if not then you need to watch….

THE FIRST MOVIE. Made in 1977, this film is what exploded Yamato to international glory. It condenses the first season down to a feature length film, cutting out the more jumbled stories in the middle in favor the epic main story arc. As to be expected of condensing a whole season, however, it doesn’t flow as nicely, but overall it is a great film and definitely the place to start if you want a quick and exciting jump into the series.

THE SECOND MOVIE Made in 1978, this movie is bar none the highest quality installation in the entire franchise. The visuals, music, and plot are stunning, and the dramatic tension is at the pinnacle of the series’ career. This movie did have an EXTREMELY downer ending, however, so in order to have the series continue on, the story was ret-conned in…

SEASON 2 also made in 1978, this season is my personal favorite installation in the entire franchise, because it takes the story of the second movie and spreads it out into a season length story, with a happier ending. Unlike the first season, this one stays focused on the main plot from the very beginning and the pace is never slow. Easily the best arc of the entire franchise.

THE THIRD MOVIE Made in 1979, this made for TV movie picks up after season 2. The shortest of the movies, the story focuses heavily on characters and locations first seen in the first season. A fast paced and exciting story, this movie is a great standalone story and features many great dramatic scenes. This movie also sets up a confrontation which is continued in….

THE FOURTH MOVIE Made in 1980, this movie is the darkest in the series’ history. Drama, emotion, and bitter conflict define the story, and many sacrifices are made. After the second season, this is my favorite installation because of the high production values, excellent story, and AWESOME action.

SEASON 3 Made in 1980, this season starts after the end of the fourth movie. A decent plot and subplots keep this season interesting, but overall I feel it falls way short of the quality, drama, and excitement that the previous installations delivered.

THE FIFTH MOVIE (not on YT… ) After disappointing ratings for the third season, the shows’ creators decided to send Yamato off in style with one last big adventure. Made in 1983, the final movie, creatively named “Final Yamato,” was to be the last in the franchise. A big plot and lots of drama/emotion carry this film well, but it just doesn’t deliver the same punch as some of the previous stories. Also, at just under 3 hours, this film STILL holds the record of longest animated movie ever made, which makes it a real butt-burner.

So there you have it, links to as much Yamato/Star Blazers as you could possibly want and a guide for watching them. If anyone would like more info or input about any of the seasons/movies, or wants some advice about which to watch, just PM me or post in this thread. Now get watching!

P.S. The three TV seasons are English dubbed and the five movies are English subbed.