Einherjar

Hmmm...I can understand why numbers 2 and 5 are missing...

6 baffles me, though.

Oh, it's a cultural reference. Stupid me. At least Luca's number makes sense now.

Yeah, this Robotech debates must be the real-life incarnate of the Robotech "Circle." Fans debate until they come to the realization that there is little we can do about HG licensing Macross blah blah blah. Then get disappointed when the latest Macross won't cross the Pacific, new angry fans join in, and discussions on the HG license debate start again.

There are some positives about the whole thing though; more people get a better picture about what Robotech really is, HG's reputation is tarnished even further with more people getting informed, and, as time goes on, some of our accusations regarding the whole debate may turn out to be true, especially with HG's inactivity.

In going back to this, Medmapguy was doing a lot of art and contributing to making this publication. The person he was working with, I believe might have been a member here, was in talks with Tommy and co. Well, to make a long story short, Medmapguy had some choice things to say about the way the franchise and story was going. Somehow, Tommy was pointed to his blog, and read it. So, Tommy took offense to it, and decided that the fan publication was a no go unless Medmapguy was cut out of it. So, being the great "professional" that Tommy is, he basically said, in not such short words, that if the publication is to be made, MedMapGuy, and his work, have to be cut from the publication. As to what extent, and after that, I don't know what happened from there.

MMG has... a colorful personality. He might have screwed himself and the staff for not showing some restraint, especially when working with professionals even if it's HG. As for the blog, Tommy may not be the only person to take offense to the stuff on it.

So each of the VF-25s in Frontier had their production number printed on the left leg of during Battriod mode. Is there a story behind what happened to the other numbered planes that didn't make an appearance?

Ozuma - SMS001

Michael - SMS003

Luca - SMS004

Alto - SMS007

Just two more days until this turd comes around. With the strong emotions regarding the film, I hope the reaction from this will make an impact on the other anime and video game film productions being planned. Seriously, all the news about live adaptations are getting embarrassing.

Unfortunately there really isn't any new news on the matter just fan speculation. Still as a new comer to this copyright case it fascinates me and its something to look into while waiting for the MF movie and the Robotech movies. Till then we can only wait and see if anything happens when Harmony Gold's rights from Tatsunoko expire or if BW decides to spend a lot of cash in a legal battle with Harmony Gold directly.

Hopefully something, hell let's face it anything at this point, from HG except news updates and panels would really interest me from their side. The pattern I've been seeing is for years they've been working to bring Robotech back into the mainstream with constant attempts while everyone else, even Shoji Kawamori, moved on doing other things. Then every a couple of years, someone does a stand alone production for Macross with some new ideas while HG's still trying to continue a story without end and with very little to show for it (unless you count the novels and comics). I personally had Ending Fatigue when getting info about Robotech up to Shadow Chronicles and its lack of closure. They've let this happen so many times so far (II, Plus, 7, Zero, Frontier, the movies) that I doubt they'll break the cycle. HG will probably renew those licenses when the time comes while forcing fans to wait years for the next exciting chapter of Robotech and a live movie.

I'm not going to discuss whether or not the Macross sequels were good, just that they started, ended, and people moved on with their lives, unlike Robotech.

EDIT: Macross Zero took at least two years to complete, what did Robotech do during that time?

EDIT: Never mind... I found him. It looks like he was permanently banned from Robotech.com for doing what I so often do... telling the people in charge just how shitty the quality of their work really is.

I should've warned you about that, it's mostly the reason why his blog exists. Plus, he's also pals with dougbendo and the pie guy. That's the reason why I didn't believe much of his blog at first.

They must be planning to make this like First Kid except with some jailbait and giant robots.

This is surprising, at least one preview copy of the Robotech Anthology is out there. Bravo to the crew I guess.

http://robotechflash.blog.com/2908439/

That approach is nothing new, Einherjar. After all, it's exactly how they made the Robotech.com Infopedia... right down to the poaching of information from Macross sources. A lot of the guys who wrote the Unofficial Robotech Reference Guide "consulted on" (wrote) the Infopedia based on their work on their own site.

I'm assuming that those people did it for free, but since this one is planned as a publication of some sort, doesn't that mean money will be involved somewhere down the line as well as a hands free endorsement from HG?

LITTLE ROBOTECH FANDOM POLITICS.

Not to be rude, but that kind of rubbed me the wrong way. Somehow that sounds like what Carl Macek and the HG crew did back in the 80s when they had the material from Macross, Southern Cross, and Mospeada and decided how to use them as they saw fit. Only this time, it's a small group of fans, I think, taking info from wherever they can and arbitrarily deciding on what should or shouldn't be included in the publication for the fans. And then there's the decision of how new, relevant information, like from the Macross Chronicles, should be interpreted in the Robotech universe by these fans. With that kind of responsibility you can't please everyone, and there's the possibility of people asking who gave these people the right to represent the fandom in that way.

I had a look at that Robotech Anthology website, and it looks like Harmony Gold hasn't given them the go-ahead yet anyway... it says they submitted a demo version of the first issue/volume and haven't heard back yet. I'd imagine if they decide to go ahead and add mecha and character stats to all that, it'll have to go through approvals again.

The blogger I mentioned a couple of pages ago, Medmapguy, mentioned doing work for that book, the cover in fact. He's still bitter about the experience, talking about HG and Funimation approving it but unwilling to spend money printing it or something. Guess they wanted the fans to pay for it.

THIS PERTAINS TO THE QUESTION OF WHY ONE MECHA.

THERES A FANDOM ARTBOOK IN THE WORKS www.robotechanthology.com . WHEN AT THE SAME TIME THERE WAS A ROBOTECH SOURCE BOOK IN THE WORKS. WELL, THE IDEA IS TO PUT ALL INFO ON ONE BOOK CALLED THE ROBOTECH ANTHOLOGY. WICH IS BASED ON FANDOM FAN ART AND FAN FICS THAT IS LOOKING FOR A LEGAL DESTRIBUTION FROM HG. NOT MUCH ROOM FOR THE ROBOTECH CODICE THAT WILL PIGGY BACK ON THE PROJECT AS WELL. BUT WILL HAVE AS MUCH OF EVERYTHING OF ROBOTECH OUT THERE.

Aren't there legal issues concerning professional companies endorsing fan material like fiction and art for distribution?

Wow, didn't think someone would come and totally prove my point. Seriously though, is the infopedia, fanfiction, and Palladium Books not good enough for people or is this just to make Robotech more modernized and legitimate?

By the way, you wouldn't also happen to be a regular on RT.com? There used to be a group there called the Einherjar. Any connection?

Yeah, I'm not a member, but I've been going there looking what's happening there for a while. Didn't think people were well verse in Norse mythology there... or actually played Valkyrie Profile.

Truth is Robotech never caught my attention at all. I knew about it's colorful history and just ignored it all these years. But when Frontier came out I really had to ask myself, "Why is this definitely never leaving Japan?" Then everything became underwhelming with Robotech turning out to be a generic series with lots of borrowed stuff. Add to that some cliche sci-fi stuff in the expanded universe and it started looking like a shallow franchise selling the same stuff for 20+ years. It's not like Macross, where they improve stuff while sticking to the traditions of the series. Here they're still using the Alpha, Beta, and space helicopter from the 80s while hammering on about, "We Will Win." Also, can't forget about the spacism people are totally fine with too. This is what HG is forcing on people as a alternative superior version.

And the fandom? It's hard to believe they called Macross fans elitist, because that's mostly what I see from them online. Maybe it's a bad year for Robotech and they're being vocal about it, but I guess that's the case whenever another Macross series or botched production comes along. On the other hand, they're stuck with years where HG does very little for them at all as well. Regardless of its history, many fans will stick to it until the end even if they have to do things themselves. That's usually a noble thing to do in my eyes, but here it just makes them look like Robotools to me.

Likewise, the Robotech fanbase has a long history of eagerly snapping up any new release, no matter how awful, simply because it's something new. That particular tendency has only gotten worse in recent years, with the release of that bland-a-thon epic Robotech: the Shadow Chronicles.

What's up with that anyway? The fanbase is either the most patient people I've seen online waiting for a sequel or very desperate about Robotech that they'll take anything. They're even okay with adapting material from later Macross titles and other series into it to expand the convoluted universe.

Crap, it's on people:

North Korea launches rocket over Japan!

Starting in Robotech: Prelude to the Shadow Chronicles, the last of Wildstorm's Robotech comics, an odd trend started with regard to Macross intellectual property... it started to disappear. Many of the Robotech equivalents of Macross characters either died, went missing, or were totally remodeled to the point where they bore no resemblance at all to their Macross origins. In the span of the five-issue miniseries, Breetai (Vrlitwhai), Exedore (Exsedol), and possibly Dr. Lang (SDF-1's chief engineer) were all killed, Lisa (Misa) was critically injured and spent most of her time uninvolved in the story, Rick (Hikaru) was completely remodeled to the point where he looks like Hideo Kuze from Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2nd gig, and Max and Miriya (Milia) mysteriously failed to appear. Minmay made a brief appearance, but was obscured from view in all but two panels, both of which were in the last issue.

Gruesome way for the Macross crew to go, it probably should have happened to Minmay as well. I don't hate her, just that her treatment after Macross, from what I heard, is truly depressing and would have been more merciful.

I wasn't thinking about it money-wise, but that makes sense. Don't forget about Palladium Books too.

I was thinking reputation-wise, mooching off Macross and the other series used? Like all the characters, mecha, etc. when they just paid for and changed info from the original material to fit their needs.

Is it fair to say that HG is still mooching off the Macross franchise and others without making their own stuff, more or less?

I can't believe Cartoon Network actually endorsed this movie and made it sound like it was the anime brought to life....big mistake CN, big mistake...

They did the same thing for the Ben10 and Speed Racer live movies, I think. I thought CN lost their anime cred with Toonami gone and Adult Swim faltering a bit?

EDIT: Ladies and gentlemen, stay indoors on April 10th and at least a week after.

Dragonball Evolution Doesn’t Need Reviews

Btw, has anyone seen/participated in a fan riot before?

Oh anything can turn to garbage if you think about it too much. I know that the hard way. Forums especially can do it when one has to restate opinion in new ways and back them up. Before you know it, a quirky observation becomes a serious flaw just because you have to dissect it because someone misinterpreted it.

Though it all comes down to differing opinions.

From personal experience online, thinking too much about a series can drive people literally insane, and this is from stuff seen in other fandoms besides Macross and Robotech. Not a position I want to be in or be remembered for in some situations.

Anyway, I'm not raising my hand for this one. It's flawed, but represents the series well.

Um, maybe we're all over analyzing the series too much. I forgot a lot of the small details about the franchise before Frontier started, years since I saw a Macross title actually, but it was still okay.

It's gotta be a parody, it would suck it they took it seriously.

Well, considering that there are only two anime magazines left in the US (well, one's technically Canadian) it shouldn't be too hard to pick!

One of them is Protoculture Addicts, so that just leaves one.

Oh look, April Fools...

Robotech Chihuaua

They're still lazy bastards.