News that Kyoto University iPS Cell Research Institute director Shinya Yamanaka had won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine raced across the country. The Mainichi Newspapers, headquartered in Palaceside Building, was among the first to distribute special editions at major terminal stations in Tokyo. The morning papers on the 9th led with praise on page one, noting that his groundbreaking work could lead to regenerative medicine with fewer rejection issues and a clearer understanding of intractable diseases.
Speaking of "regeneration" — today, October 9, is a day of extraordinary significance for restoring the Earth. In the world of science-fiction anime, that is.
Yes — in Space Battleship Yamato, created by Yoshinobu Nishizaki and Eiichi Yamamoto and directed by Leiji Matsumoto. After Earth was contaminated by radiation from the Gamilas planet bomb and turned red, Yamato was entrusted with humanity's last hope and departed on October 9, 2199, for the planet Iscandar in the Large Magellanic Cloud, 148,000 light-years away. One year remained before extinction. Queen Starsha of Iscandar had sent a message asking them to retrieve the radiation-removal device "Cosmo Cleaner D," along with design plans for the wave-motion engine capable of warp travel. Yamato overcame Gamilas and countless obstacles across the cosmos, traveling 296,000 light-years round trip and returning on September 6, 2200. Earth slowly regained its blue......
The anime was made some 40 years ago, depicting a fictional world 187 years from now. Yet hearing how decontamination in areas affected by the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident has barely progressed, one cannot help wishing someone would bring a "Cosmo Cleaner D" from Iscandar to restore the disaster zone.