Soon the Star Force will feel the full power of the Gamilons.
I think the time has come. -- Leader Desslok
Appearance Codes: YTV1 = Yamato TV Season 1 (Quest for Iscandar)
YTV2 = Yamato TV Season 2 (Comet Empire)
YTV3 = Yamato TV Season 3 (Bolar Wars)
AY = movie, Arrivederci Yamato
YNJ = movie, Yamato New Journey
BFY = movie, Be Forever Yamato
FY = movie, Final Yamato
Gamilon was originally without human life, but thousands of years ago, blue-skinned explorers from the planet Galman ventured to Gamilon, and established a settlement. Planet Gamilon is a semi-hollow planet, located in the Greater Magellanic Cloud (one of two small galaxies which orbit the Milky Way) within the star system, Sanzar, 148,000 light years from Earth. It has two outer shelves, of which, to quote Leader Desslok, "the top one, is a thin, protective crust. Gamilon was built by volcanic action, and now is being destroyed by these same volcanoes. All our land and sea is being polluted by sulfur compounds contained in the lava. The seas around the lava crust have become almost pure sulfuric acid." The outer shelf has large openings through which ships may pass.
Gamilon is a twin planet, sharing an orbit with planet Iscandar. Life on Gamilon was doomed from the volcanic activity. Because Iscandar was mostly water, and because its inhabitants possessed a doomsday bomb, the Gamilons sought out other planets outside the Magellanic Cloud on which to live. Eventually, they located Earth.
Leader Desslok (Desslar Sohtoh)
Leader Desslok is perhaps the most complex character in the
whole Yamato story. In 2199, Desslok first appears in his
103rd year as the diabolical and clever leader, whose only goal
is to expand Gamilon territory. At his command is the most
powerful and expansive space fleet this side of the Milky Way.
The Gamilons inevitably encountered Earth, and decided to claim
it for their Leader. When the Star Force rose up in defiance of
this, Desslok considered first considered it a trifle, then an
amusement. Slowly at first, and then in a frenzy, Desslok threw his
forces in the path of the Star Force as it pressed to Iscandar
(and therefore to Gamilon as well).
In 2201, after having his Gamilon ruined by his own schemes to trap
the Star Force, Desslok vowed revenge on his hated enemy. With his
forces greatly weakened, Desslok allied himself with the Comet Empire
in its conquest of Earth. In doing so, he also created a few
rivalries in the Comet Empire itself, particularly with Princess
Invidia, spawning jealous schemes which eventually foiled
many of his efforts to destroy the
Star Force.
When victory against the Star Force was finally at hand,
in a pistol duel with Derek Wildstar, Desslok witnessed Nova risk
her life to save and defend Wildstar. Touched by their exchange of
love and concern for Earth in the face of immediate personal danger,
Desslok realised that the Earther's reasons for fighting were
the same as his own motivations to save life on Gamilon. He vowed
then never to fight Earth or the Star Force again, and, placing
Wildstar's dropped Astro Pistol into Nova's hands, he bid farewell
and set out to find a new home for his people.
Appears in YTV1, YTV2, AY, YNJ, YTV3, FY
General Krypt (Hiss)
Krypt is Desslok's right-hand man in TV Season 1, overseeing
all of the three main branches of Gamilon's military. Krypt is
a practical man, with no illusions about matters. He does not
mix personal agendas or pride with his duties, and looks disdainfully
on those who do. Perhaps it is this philosophy which causes him
to question Desslok's decision to bring ruin upon Gamilon just to stop
the Star Force, and to suggest that aggressions cease before it is
too late. In any case, these actions result in Desslok shooting
him at point-blank range (not shown in Star Blazers).
Appears in YTV1
General Talan (General Talan)
Following the removal of General Krypt, General Talan, who was the Minister of the Greater Magellanic Cloud Defense Force, assumed his position as Desslok's second. Talan has the wisdom to be less questioning of Desslok's judgement. Talan is, like Krypt, less interested in battles of vengance, and it is Talan who convinces Desslok that there is no reason to remain on his ruined flagship once the Star Force has been fought to helplessness (episode 2-23).
Talan's appearance seems to change significantly from Season 1 to Season 2. A skilled pilot, Talan was responsible for adeptly flying Desslok to safety ahead of pursuing Comet Empire attack planes.
In Season 3, Talan was carelessly renamed "Sgt. Masterson" by the American translators of Star Blazers.
Appears in YTV1, YTV2, AY, YNJ, YTV3
Colonel Ganz (Shultz) and Major Bain (Gantz)
A member of the Foreign Space Dispatch Force, Milky Way War Command Group, Colonel Ganz is in charge of the Sol System Pluto Base from which the Planet Bombs are launched at Earth. Ganz and his assistant, Bain, are relatively simple-minded, and are too easily distracted by the desire to please their superiors with show. They consequently bungle every attempt to stop the Star Force from leaving the Sol system.
Appears in YTV1
Lysis (Domeru)
A member of the Foreign Space Dispatch Force, Milky Way War Command Group, General Lysis is in charge of the campaign to stop the Star Force from leaving the galaxy. At his disposal is the Gamilon base on planet Balan, its territorial space fleets, and a special task fleet made up of four fighter carriers.
Lysis himself is quite vain but patient, with the
physique of Superman. His respect for Desslok seems to be
second only to his admiration for himself. He is willing to
squander vast resources to win a medal on his chest. Image and
his record of success are extremely important to him. As such,
when the Star Force defeats his task fleet at the Rainbow Nebula,
he chooses to blow his own ship up underneath the Argo
rather than return to Gamilon and face disgrace.
Vulgar is initially the top man of the Gamilon base at planet Balan. Vulgar resents the fact that Lysis has been sent to replace him during the campaign against the Star Force. When Lysis attempts to smash the Argo between the Gamilon base on Balan and its orbiting artificial sun, Vulgar breaks the chain of command and calls Desslok to inform him of Lysis's misplaced priorities. This results in the maneuver being delayed long enough to allow the Star Force to escape and the base to be melted down.
Appears in YTV1
Garrat (Van Devil)
General Garrat is the commander of a Gamilon Battle Carrier, and his plan to infect the Argo with star flies bearing a metal-corroding bacteria backfires on his own ship. His failure to anticipate this angers Desslok who says "You're dismissed from my command!" That's Gamilon-language for "I'm going to shoot you now!" Desslok shoots Garrat after he apologises for the defeat... not shown in Star Blazers.
Appears in YTV2
In late 2201, when Leader Desslok made peace with Earth and set off to find a new home world, he first returned to Gamilon to bid farewell to it and to Queen Starsha. But, on the deserted Gamilon, he found a mining operation put there by the Black Nebulan Empire. In the effort to drive off the invaders, Gamilon's seismic activity was pushed to the point that the entire planet broke up.
After fighting a common war with the Star Force against the Black Nebulans' advance forces, Desslok's remaining fleet set sail in search of their ancient, legendary home world, Galman. What they found were two planets similar to Gamilon and Iscandar near the centre of the Milky Way. But, Galman was controlled by the Bolar Federation, an empire similar to the old Soviet Union. Desslok drove off the Bolars and was proclaimed saviour and Emperor of Galman. For the next three years, he built a new Empire in the image of old Gamilon. In doing so, he was brought into direct confrontation with the Bolar Federation.
In the year 2205, the Galman/Bolar war that ensued reached Earth.
All Galmans appear in YTV3
Admiral Keeling (Keeling)
Admiral Keeling rose from the ranks of the Galman natives to
a position high in Desslok's court. The bald Keeling is the
Head Staff Officer.
Admiral Smeerdom (Commander Gaidel)
Admiral Smeerdom is the Commander of the Eastern
Area Task Force, the most successful branch of the Galman
military. Smeerdom values his position of favour with Desslok,
and constantly attempts to impress the Emperor. His base of
operations is a huge mobile space fortress in which he traps
the Argo.
Admiral Smellen (Commander Histenbargar)
Smellen is the Commander of the Empire's Western
Area Task Force. His campaigns have not been going well, and
Desslok has threatened to kill him if he loses any more.
General Daygon (Commander Dagon)
The Dagon character seems to be patterened after Lysis.
Even his fleet, the 18th Mechanised Armored Division, is similar
to Lysis's carrier fleet. Like Lysis, Dagon is rather arrogant.
Luchner Von Ferrel (Commander Frakken)
Ferrel is the commander of the wolf-pack sub-space submarine task force, and is also known as the "Galman Wolf" or "Lone Wolf of Sub-space". He is assigned to lure the Star Force into the trap of Smeerdom's fortress. As if "Frakken" was not an outrageous-enough name, the English translators chose the Germanesque, Luchner Von Ferrel.
Gustaf commands the 3rd Local Defense Fleet, and is the one
who spots Queen Mariposa on the Argo after destroying planet
Phantom.
Technology Major Cranshaw (Technology Major Frausky)
Cranshaw is one of the more likable Galmans. He is scholarly
and reserved. He is commissioned by Desslok to find a way to
restore the normal conditions of Earth's Sun. Failing in this,
he cannot return to Desslok honourably, and so crashes his
ship into the Sun.
Major Nayzmayo (Imperial Survey Group Lead Helmeyer)
Nayzmayo is another Galman scientist. He is sent to investigate the nature of Planet Phantom. He makes this mistake of probing it too intrusively, setting of a defensive reaction from the planet. Both he and the Star Force's survey crew are forced to flee the planet.
See Translation Note.
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