Live action TV
Description
Daisuke Shima serves as the chief navigator and helmsman of the space battleship Yamato, a role that places him at the very heart of the ship's operations. Born on August 15, 2178, in Naha, Okinawa, Shima comes from a family with a long maritime tradition. His father, Captain Daigo Shima, was a highly respected officer in the United Nations Cosmo Navy who instilled in his son the principle that a sailor never abandons a comrade in need. The elder Shima met his end during Earth's first, disastrous encounter with the Garmillas Empire, an event that profoundly shaped Daisuke's future.
Shima's personality is most often defined by his calm, methodical, and level-headed disposition, which stands in stark contrast to the hot-blooded impulsiveness of his best friend and classmate, Susumu Kodai. While Kodai is prone to acting on emotion, Shima prefers objective judgment and careful consideration of any situation. In the original series, this difference in temperament leads to frequent, sometimes physical, arguments between the two, particularly over moral questions of whether to fight or avoid the enemy. Despite these clashes, their friendship is unshakeable, built on raw honesty and a deep, unspoken loyalty that only grows stronger through their conflicts. Shima often serves as the voice of reason, the stabilizing presence that prevents Kodai's passion from leading the crew into unnecessary danger. However, he is not without his own internal struggles, and he is known to suffer from a quiet lack of self-confidence in his ability to handle the immense responsibility of piloting the Yamato, a feeling that exists in stark contrast to his proven competence in times of crisis.
As the ship's chief navigator and helmsman, Shima's responsibilities are immense. He is charged with the safe operation, navigation, and maneuverability of the Yamato. He is particularly renowned as a warp specialist, possessing a near-perfect success rate with the risky faster-than-light navigation technology that is critical to the ship's mission. Over the course of the series, his role evolves from a department head to more senior positions. In later voyages, he is promoted to Executive Officer, serving directly under Captain Kodai and focusing on maintaining the crew's morale and supporting his friend in his command duties.
Key relationships are central to Shima's character. His bond with Susumu Kodai is the most significant, a partnership of two halves that together form an ideal leader. While the original series depicts Shima as having a quiet crush on their crewmate Yuki Mori, this feeling is never fully realized and remains a point of unrequited affection. A more defining romantic arc takes place in the second series, where Shima develops a profound love across the stars with Teresa, the guardian of the planet Telezart, communicating with her via interstellar radio. This relationship becomes a core part of his personal journey, and he is deeply heartbroken when she must sacrifice herself to save the Yamato. Family also remains an anchor for him; unlike the orphaned Kodai, Shima's mother and his younger brother, Jiro, are alive on Earth, and his devotion to them provides a strong motivation for his fight to save their home planet.
Shima's personal motivations are rooted in a sense of duty and protection. He originally aspired to be a merchant sailor, inspired by his father's stories of space. However, following his father's death in the line of duty, he abandoned that path and joined the Cosmo Navy to follow in his footsteps and defend Earth. This desire to protect his home and his family is a primary driving force, though it is often tempered by his more objective and cautious personality.
Over the course of the various sagas, Shima undergoes significant development. In the original series, he moves from being a cautious officer who frequently clashes with Kodai to a trusted and reliable partner who understands and supports his captain's decisions. The reboot, Space Battleship Yamato 2199, offers a different interpretation of the character. In this version, Shima is initially much hotter-headed and driven by a burning hatred for Garmillas, because he blames them for his father's death. This hatred is further complicated when he learns that his father was actually following orders when he fired the first shot, forcing Shima to confront a painful and complex truth about the war.
Ultimately, Daisuke Shima is defined by his commitment to his crew and his ship. He is a master of his craft whose technical skills are vital for survival, a voice of calm in a sea of chaos, and a loyal friend who will offer both support and necessary criticism in equal measure. He meets his end in the film Final Yamato, dying in the line of duty after sustaining a fatal wound but continuing to pilot the ship to safety, ensuring the mission's success and the survival of his comrades.
Shima's personality is most often defined by his calm, methodical, and level-headed disposition, which stands in stark contrast to the hot-blooded impulsiveness of his best friend and classmate, Susumu Kodai. While Kodai is prone to acting on emotion, Shima prefers objective judgment and careful consideration of any situation. In the original series, this difference in temperament leads to frequent, sometimes physical, arguments between the two, particularly over moral questions of whether to fight or avoid the enemy. Despite these clashes, their friendship is unshakeable, built on raw honesty and a deep, unspoken loyalty that only grows stronger through their conflicts. Shima often serves as the voice of reason, the stabilizing presence that prevents Kodai's passion from leading the crew into unnecessary danger. However, he is not without his own internal struggles, and he is known to suffer from a quiet lack of self-confidence in his ability to handle the immense responsibility of piloting the Yamato, a feeling that exists in stark contrast to his proven competence in times of crisis.
As the ship's chief navigator and helmsman, Shima's responsibilities are immense. He is charged with the safe operation, navigation, and maneuverability of the Yamato. He is particularly renowned as a warp specialist, possessing a near-perfect success rate with the risky faster-than-light navigation technology that is critical to the ship's mission. Over the course of the series, his role evolves from a department head to more senior positions. In later voyages, he is promoted to Executive Officer, serving directly under Captain Kodai and focusing on maintaining the crew's morale and supporting his friend in his command duties.
Key relationships are central to Shima's character. His bond with Susumu Kodai is the most significant, a partnership of two halves that together form an ideal leader. While the original series depicts Shima as having a quiet crush on their crewmate Yuki Mori, this feeling is never fully realized and remains a point of unrequited affection. A more defining romantic arc takes place in the second series, where Shima develops a profound love across the stars with Teresa, the guardian of the planet Telezart, communicating with her via interstellar radio. This relationship becomes a core part of his personal journey, and he is deeply heartbroken when she must sacrifice herself to save the Yamato. Family also remains an anchor for him; unlike the orphaned Kodai, Shima's mother and his younger brother, Jiro, are alive on Earth, and his devotion to them provides a strong motivation for his fight to save their home planet.
Shima's personal motivations are rooted in a sense of duty and protection. He originally aspired to be a merchant sailor, inspired by his father's stories of space. However, following his father's death in the line of duty, he abandoned that path and joined the Cosmo Navy to follow in his footsteps and defend Earth. This desire to protect his home and his family is a primary driving force, though it is often tempered by his more objective and cautious personality.
Over the course of the various sagas, Shima undergoes significant development. In the original series, he moves from being a cautious officer who frequently clashes with Kodai to a trusted and reliable partner who understands and supports his captain's decisions. The reboot, Space Battleship Yamato 2199, offers a different interpretation of the character. In this version, Shima is initially much hotter-headed and driven by a burning hatred for Garmillas, because he blames them for his father's death. This hatred is further complicated when he learns that his father was actually following orders when he fired the first shot, forcing Shima to confront a painful and complex truth about the war.
Ultimately, Daisuke Shima is defined by his commitment to his crew and his ship. He is a master of his craft whose technical skills are vital for survival, a voice of calm in a sea of chaos, and a loyal friend who will offer both support and necessary criticism in equal measure. He meets his end in the film Final Yamato, dying in the line of duty after sustaining a fatal wound but continuing to pilot the ship to safety, ensuring the mission's success and the survival of his comrades.