When I was a youngster, there was an anime program that was being aired in the states. Before Macross(Robotech), there was Space Battleship Yamato(Star Blazers). The story, from what I remember, revolved around humans being attacked by aliens. An invitation to assist them is sent across the far reaches of space but, the humans must travel across the great distance to recieve aid. With their spacecraft in ruins, they recycle one of the greatest battleships ever built by Japan during WWII. The Yamato is fitted with new cutting edge engines that can leap through vast amounts of space in the blink of an eye, upgraded armaments, and a new weapon that makes the whole ship a laser gun.
There have been several variations of the show in the movies and on TV. There is currently a new animated version playing Japan. However, by the end of this year, there will be new live-action version of this anime classic starring Kimura Takuya from the group Smap. The trailer looks interesting.
