Anime’s Biggest Space Opera Celebrates 50th Anniversary With Solid-Gold Merch Costing Nearly $4000

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Posted 1 days ago by inuno.ai

Category: Animations & Comics

Long before major mecha and science fiction anime franchises took center stage, Space Battleship Yamato was one of the biggest and most iconic anime of them all. Now, a recent exhibition revealed an expensive yet epic recreation of the titular craft, with another also on the way.

The pricey collectible is a model of the Yamato cast in pure gold, and the cost to pre-order it is, as expected, immense. Likewise, another similar item “produced” by one of the biggest names in anime is also being released once again. Pre-orders for both are now open, with the franchise as a whole still a monumental part of Japanese popular culture.

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New Space Battleship Yamato Model Is Truly the Gold Standard for Anime Fans

Showcased at the “Space Battleship Yamato: The Complete Record Exhibition” in Tokyo, a golden new collectible for the brand is just one part of its 50th-anniversary project. This is a solid-gold sculpture of the titular spacecraft, with every detail brought to life in 0.42 ounces of 24 karats of the precious metal. While only 1.8 inches long, its diminutive length belies its incredible value. Given the fact that something as lucrative as gold is involved, the shimmering anime collectible will only have 100 sculptures made. They’ll also cost far more than just a pretty penny, with these coming in at 550,000 yen (roughly US$3,700). Fans can pre-order theirs in advance until April 6, with the first day of the month also being when general pre-orders open via the Takumi Pure Gold Collection ~Shop! Nippon Broadcasting Project~ website.

If this wasn’t enough, there’s also a connection to a major mecha anime through another item; an upcoming re-release of a previous 1/700 scale Yamato plastic model, with this having been “produced” by none other than Hideaki Anno, the creator of the iconic Neon Genesis Evangelion anime. The first release for the collectible was in 2008, and the new version has updated molding colors and packaging. Pre-orders for it recently opened and will continue until May 30, with general sales not available until January 2026. Able to be purchased online through the A-on Store, Premium Bandai, the Yamato Crew store, and the Evangelion Store online, it’s thankfully much more affordable than the golden incarnation. However, even at the more reasonable pricing of 8,000 yen (about US$54), it’s still worth its weight in gold for Yamato fans. Hideaki Anno has recently noted his love for Space Battleship Yamato, with this being one of the most pivotal anime of his youth.