Yama

Yama is the point of view character in the Space Pirate Captain Harlock movie. He takes the role of Tadashi Daiba from the original series but has a different approach.

Appearance
Yama is a young man with a rather striking similar appearance to a younger Captain Harlock with messy shoulder length brown hair, dark eyes, and a lean build. He is usually dressed in a full body suit depending on his allegiance ranging from a blue colored Gaia Sanction uniform or a black pirate outfit with a Jolly Roger on the left breast.

Personality
Yama is driven to make a better life for himself and the people he cares about. Initially he was held back by his wishes from his need to redeem himself for an accident that he had a hand in causing from inexperience. When Harlock however had helped realize his wish for freedom from the Gaia Sanction and himself, Yama had begun to see the faults in his own thinking. This however was only fully revealed when Yama had found that both party leaders he worked for including his emotionally abusive brother Ezra and the nihilistic Harlock had only been using him for their own ends.

It was when Yama saw beauty from an otherwise ruined Earth that Yama finally found the path he believed in, an Earth free from the clutches of the Gaia Sanction and one that could be lived on. His resolve became so strong, Yama was granted the right to decide Earth's fate and captain the Arcadia.

Abilities
Yama had gone through the standard training of the Gaia Sanction, showing adequate levels of handling a gun with the blaster he carries. He is shown to be a natural user of using the mounted cannons of the Arcadia after using them only once. Upon gaining favor with the Arcadia, Yama gains control of the entire ship including harnessing the power of the dark matter engines.

History
Yama had lived on a Gaia Sanction colony where he spent a good portion of his life with his brother Ezra and their childhood friend Nami. Yama had shared Nami's wish to see a flower that could only grow on Earth. When trying to fix a problem at a greenhouse, he inadvertently caused an accident that crippled Ezra and left Nami on a need for life support. Deeply regretting his actions, Yama strove to redeem himself. Ezra had sent Yama to a far off planet to locate the Arcadia in order to track down Captain Harlock.

Yama passes the initiation by stating the wish for freedom via Harlock. Yama is put under Kei Yuki's command with a rather rocky relationship between them. Yama impresses the rest of the crew with his ability to handle a turret. When setting up a bomb that was meant to be for a plan to restore Earth, Yama kicks Kei to safety while he falls down into a crevice with the bomb. Harlock comes to his aid with Yama pointing his gun at Harlock, revealing his intentions. Harlock however had already known, revealing to Yama how the boy always knew that he did not have a home to go back to with the Gaia Sanction. With this Yama helps Harlock reset the bomb and battle the Sanction fleet lead by Ezra.

But when confronting a captured Ezra, his brother reveals Harlock's origins and real plans as Earth's true lifeless state is revealed. Feeling betrayed, Yama goes back to the Sanction and arrests the Arcadia crew. However, Nami had been killed by Ezra when they had an argument. Yama was furious at his brother and when going down to Earth to grieve, he found the flower that he and Nami had dreamed of seeing. Realizing that both sides were wrong, Yama frees the Arcadia crew showing them that life can still prosper on Earth with a flower he brought back.

Part of the Arcadia once again, Yama helped in the plan that revealed the Sanction's lies before confronting Ezra as his brother boarded the ship. During their battle, Yama hurt Ezra and destroyed his chair while Ezra wounded Yama's face and would have killed him if Harlock had not intervened. When the Jovian Blaster had fired destroying Ezra's ship the Oceanus, Yama asks his brother his actions with Ezra saying it was for Nami. As the Arcadia managed to take the second blast but crashed to Earth, the final vibration bomb was set. Harlock tells his intentions to Yama, asking him what he wants to do. Yama stands his ground saying that in spite of another Come Home war, he wants Earth to be reborn. Relinquishing the detonator to Yama, Harlock gives Yama an eye patch to cover his damaged face. Yama then takes the wheel of the Arcadia as it takes off, becoming the new Captain Harlock.