Fulfilling a childhood dream must be one of the best feelings in the world, and if you’re Hideaki Anno, that dream means directing the franchise that inspired you to pursue animation. It was officially confirmed that the website for the animated film Cosmoship Yamato √2199 (pronounced Root 2199) has launched, a project where the acclaimed creator will take the helm of direction alongside Yutaka Izubuchi.

The film will be produced jointly by the studios Production I.G and Studio Khara. In addition to co-directing, Anno handled the planning of the work alongside the founder of Production I.G, Mitsuhisa Ishikawa, who will serve as executive producer, while the design will also be handled by Anno and Izubuchi. This announcement marks the realization of a desire Anno had hinted at during the 50th anniversary screening of the original work in October 2024, after obtaining the necessary licenses from Voyager Holdings and Tohokushinsha Film Corporation.

For the mind behind Evangelion, this project is more than just a professional assignment. Anno himself confessed to being a loyal follower of the saga for 49 years, recalling how during his secondary education, he would rush out of class to catch the TV broadcasts, sacrificing even the chance to watch other popular series to get home on time. For the director, this installment not only aims to fulfill a personal aspiration from his youth but also to convey a prayer and a message of hope to new generations of viewers.

The connection between Anno and the franchise runs deep, having previously planned the opening sequence for the series Space Battleship Yamato 2199. Additionally, Anno joined the board of directors of Production I.G in August 2025, strengthening the alliance between both companies to bring this ambitious film to fruition.

Cosmoship Yamato is one of the most influential science fiction franchises in the history of Japanese animation, originally created by Yoshinobu Nishizaki and Leiji Matsumoto in 1974. The story follows the journey of the historic World War II battleship, the Yamato, rebuilt as a spaceship to defend Earth from devastating alien threats. The franchise became an unprecedented cultural phenomenon, with its first film in 1977 grossing over $14 million at the box office and achieving a historic 50% television audience record in 1978. Currently, the reboot saga continues with the seven-film project Yamato yo Towa ni: Rebel 3199, with its final installment set to hit Japanese cinemas on October 30.

What do you think of Hideaki Anno taking the helm of this legendary science fiction story?