Time to dump all the data I have.
Star Blazers (1979) was a translation of the Japanese show Space Cruiser Yamato (1974), so it predates Galactica in Japan at least.
In the American version, Derek Wildstar is the central character, and his love interest (Nova) is the only female member of the crew. (In Japan, the
ship was the central character.)
More parallels: in the second season, the enemy is the Comet Empire, who have a mysterious weapon that deactivates high-technology devices. The ship from the original mission is the only Earth ship that can fight back because her crew stubbornly resisted upgrading to computer-controlled guns and drives. (Even to the point of stealing her.) (Sound familiar Mr.Moore?)
And another parallel; some folks cast Galactica as a Cold War metaphor, and StarBlazers was in some ways a tale of WWII:
The Gamalons (evil enemy aliens) totally outclass the humans, and are crushing Earth's defenses. They have creamed our navy and can bomb the planet at will. They keep dropping bombs which are poisoning Earth with radiation, and already the radiation levels have driven all life underground. In about a year the planet will be unlivable.
Derek Wildstar lost his parents in an enemy attack years ago, and his older brother (last living relative) was killed in the last battle with the aliens. When they capture a Gamalon pilot and get their first look at one, Derek goes nuts at the idea that these horrible atrocities were committed by someone who appears entirely human. He cannot believe that anything human could do those things.
And Earth's only hope for salvation is the Yamato, a space ship built from the hull of the sunken WWII battleship of the same name, which is also an ancient and holy name for Japan.
