Mr March

In a way, it's kind of messed up... when McDonalds found out that their commemorative Shrek glassware might contain cadmium in the art from Shrek printed on it, they issued a massive voluntary recall, but Harmony Gold just slapped a warning on the store entry and kept selling them as usual. LOL! Now THAT is comedy (tragedy?) gold

It's been 20 years since the last time I watched Robotech. At this point you can safely assume Robotech has zero relevance in my opinion of anything Macross and means absolutely jack shite to me in any other conceivable way.

I agree for the most part with the exception that I don't share your personal interpretation. But we don't need share an interpretation so long as it's understood that we can't know the answer for certain like some trivia statistic. There's no published trivia in "meters" or "tons" to cover this situation When it comes to theme and mood, all good film drama relies upon unspoken cues to communicate visually with the audience. But film can't be literal when "literal" is precisely what the creator is trying to avoid. No one likes exposition hammered into their head or to be led by the hand like a retard from one plot point to the next (unless you're a fan of Michael Bay *chortle*). So filmmakers use other techniques to communicate a purpose for what is shown onscreen. Sometimes the communication is clear...other times it's not. But even when the creator does want to convey a straight forward concept in a simple way, the audience can always intentionally distort the result. Ewok Holocaust, anyone? It's also true that Shoji Kawamori is one of those writers who absolutely adores myriad interpretations of his work, especially in ways he never imagined. Most writers do. So when he creates a story in which we viewers are shown a past event in fractured flashbacks from a character with a fractured mind, it's clear Kawamori isn't hitting the audience with a straight forward interpretation. It's why many groan when this topic comes up because they hate questioning a beloved film/series that they've interpreted the same way for years and years

I haven't seen any YF-19 landing gear pictures except for this one, but I remember someone once said it was an unofficial drawing. I'm not even sure where this picture comes from. It could very well be fan-made for all I know. But that's all I got.

Movies on television...my gawd, I can't believe people still watch them that way. Chopped, dubbed and dumbed down. It should be illegal.

That's odd, I had the exact opposite reaction watching DYRL. When Hikaru slapped Minmay, that was an attitude adjustment for a spoiled brat that was YEARS in coming. Someone should have done it to her much earlier and she would have grown up a lot sooner

Well that's the catch with relying upon the flashbacks as evidence: we're either accepting the flashbacks literally or we don't accept the veracity of the flashbacks at all. There's no room for any in between unless we accept the possibility that a rape could have happened, regardless of individual theory/interpretation. Hence my original post on the subject.

Awesome in it's awfulness

That's an interesting scene to cite. If we're accepting the veracity of Guld's flashbacks (as I said before, a very questionable proposition), the case against a rape becomes more compelling due to that scene showing Isamu comforting Myung. If I recall the particulars of that scene, Myung still had her clothes with the exception of her tattered shirt. Unless Guld can space fold himself through clothing, a rape would require Myung in a state of greater undress.

Oh come on, lets not be like that. Is the number of active posters at one message board of any consequence? I mean let's be honest. I understand where you're coming from, but it's rather arbitrary if you see what I mean.

The few numbers of consequence most certainly support my assertions. Dismissing the fact I didn't limit my examples to just "message boards", there are numerous fans online that do not interact on Robotech forums (or ANY forum). The internet is filled with thousands of online locales where niche fans talk about their niche hobbies, including Robotech. Hell, when I advertised my own Macross fansite, the disparate website referrals came from all over, domestic and internationally. Our modern society ensures virtually every consumer has a basic knowledge of any product they wish to buy and niche consumers inquire about products with a zeal beyond the average consumer. If you can honestly say the vast majority performing a Macross/Robotech Google search aren't going to run into the other, well, what can I tell you? Robotech is invariably linked to Macross, particularly in this modern age of the internet. Virtually every online source mentions the link. Almost every database or information site pays homage. Nearly every columnist writing about the topic on a sci-fi, film, animation or gaming website publishes the proper program. You're rarely going to find one mentioned without the other and would be hard pressed to remain ignorant. Though as I said, there is a not insignificant minority whose ignorance never ceases to astound

Just a comment on the general discussion... Any Robotech fan I've ever met, online or offline, is certainly aware of other Macross series at a fundamental level. I'd agree that a not insignificant minority of the Robotech fandom may be unaware of other Macross series, but they hardly account for the majority of the property's fans. Even the most casual user of the internet (which is nearly everyone at this point) who searches for Robotech online would be at least indirectly aware of other Macross series through sheer exposure via Google searches, YouTube videos and ubiquitous resources like Wikipedia. Now if one were to characterize a Robotech fan as "30-somethings who watched Robotech as children of the 1980s", those aren't fans by any relevant definition and certainly not a financial one. It's clear those teeming masses didn't pay to see Shadow Chronicles. They are consumers with a fondness for their eighties childhoods and would sooner pay to see a Michael Bay adaptation of Transformers as they would a Robotech movie. It's also important we note Robotech fans are niche consumers every bit as much as comic book fans or anime fans. Consumers with mainstream tastes typically do not watch Macross or Robotech nor do they read Green Lantern or Iron Man comics nor do they watch anime. These are not consumer markets in which the active online communities "represent only a very vocal minority" like the case with their contemporaries in the mainstream movie and music markets. The niche community IS the majority consumer of these niche products. These fans congregate online precisely because there is no mainstream interaction even among the major consumers of popular culture. Niche consumers are well-informed tech-savvy fans who expend far more effort than the mainstream consumer to actively seek unconventional fare. Those are not the minority of a niche product like Robotech; they are the majority and such consumers are aware of other Macross series.

I'm afraid that right now I'm much too busy bending space-time in our universe. I'm altering the laws of physics such that women grow larger more firm breasts. It requires a great deal of my concentration and godly powers. Once I'm done that, I'll see if I can make time for the GERWALK

Almost anything is possible, but it takes very specific circumstances and conditions to make the improbable probable or practical. The GERWALK is feasible in Macross for numerous reasons like powerful cheap energy, very advanced technology, low maintenance engineering, a hyper-growth economy, the need for anti-giant combat systems, the social/political will to support alien countermeasures, etc. Without all those myriad conditions, there are simply too many other alternatives that better fit current and near-future military needs.

AMC has been marketing the hell out of this series. They've delivered all kinds of pre-release trivia to the film bloggers for nearly a year now and I can't watch a single hockey game without seeing an add for the show at least half a dozen times. I really hope Darabount can pull this off and produce something that is as good as they're making it look.

Naturally. Which is why the best policy is to offer all originally available versions to the consumer so they can choose which they want. Like Ridley Scott does with his movies. If some audiences of questionable taste (hehehe) actually like that awful voice-over narration in Blade Runner, they should be able to watch it Okay, I'm off the soap box now

In the OP, I interpret Macross Plus as the second choice. As much as I dislike the concept, I do believe the possibility of a rape occurring in the story of Macross Plus must remain a valid interpretation. Fans like Guld as a character and enjoy Macross Plus as a tragic story, but we don't like the idea of rape (for obvious reasons). Hence, it can be better to chose an interpretation of Macross Plus which precludes the possibility of a rape via a literal reading of the story. However, the Isamu/Guld/Myung assault was written and animated the way it was for the express purpose of shocking and disturbing the audience with a traumatic event. Once the reveal is made, we the audience are meant to feel as surprised and horrified as Guld. If we as the audience comfortably preclude any possibility of a rape, the sequence is robbed of a certain dramatic intensity since we are "certain it never happened". A rape also makes the audience complicit just like Guld; we refuse to believe it really happened and thus we forcibly deny reality for ourselves just as Guld has done to himself. We are also shown these past events in flashbacks through the mind of a character who has already brutally distorted his own memory. I'm not sure a literal interpretation of Guld's flashbacks can be justified when their veracity is so questionable. Above all, I have to be honest with myself as the audience; when I first saw Macross Plus, the scene in question evoked the thought of rape having happened (or at the very least, attempted). As I said, I'm positive that was the intention of Kawamori and Co. It's what I'd do if I was writing it. Now first viewings are not always the most incisive and we don't always interpret things the same way upon repeat vewings, especially when we are supposed to be shocked. But there is something to be said about first impressions. Audiences were convinced they saw a head inside a box the first time they watched Se7en only to discover upon repeated viewings that there was no such shot in the film. Yet at the same time, even though we never see such a shot, we all know whose head is in that box Since we're on the subject of horror and shock, we should also consider what we are watching. This is a Macross anime and as dark as Macross gets (arguably M+ was the darkest), the creators couldn't explicitly depict a full on rape even if it was part of the story. But rape is such a horrible crime, the mere suggestion of it is sufficient to describe it without actually showing the act (a technique used in a lot of entertainment). So again, we're left with the possibility of the act despite the absence of it visually. Now having said all that, I personally don't believe Guld raped Myung. For the most part, I don't believe rape is necessary to fulfill the trauma and subsequent motivations of the characters. Assault (even one on the edge of sexual assault) is more than sufficiently traumatic as the impetus for Guld's mental problems and Myung's personal issues. This is especially true since all three characters were such close childhood friends. The lack of a rape also explains why Isamu and Myung never pressed charges against Guld. With the past reduced to an assault, we can also sympathize more with Guld and his fury over being spurned by a romantic interest, an experience to which all audiences can relate. Lack of a rape also places the Guld/Myung love scene in a much more complex and dramatically fulfilling light rather than reducing Guld to a rapist and opportunist taking advantage of a mentally traumatized Myung. The love triangle is also much more believable and compelling if Guld and Myung have real feelings for each other. It raises the stakes and makes the audience believe that Guld just might win Myung over on Isamu. If Guld is just a rapist, there's no way to cheer for the underdog. Also, if a rape did occur, Guld ceases to be sympathetic and his death ceases to be tragic in any way. That interpretation is rather at odds with the way Kawamori and Co. wrote and animated the relationships in Macross Plus, especially those of Guld. Hope that was worth reading

I file that under lazy writing, though to be fair that's something that hamstrings a lot of science fiction. Creating powerful technology requires the writers account for them in each applicable situation. Problem is writers live in the real world and have to write drama from a perspective of living in the 21st century. We don't have a big cannon like the Macross 25/Frontier, so often the writers will forget or fail to prioritize the implications of the technology they've created. In the Macross Frontier movie, they just decided to make the macross cannon ineffectual for no apparent in-universe reason just to create dramatic tension. Like you, I didn't care for that. It would have been better if the Vajra simply used a decoy ship to absorb the macross cannon attack and then struck back before the UN forces had time to fire again. That's understandable, since it was the first version. We often prefer the first edit we see. We get used to the sequencing and timing and enjoy how and when the beats strike their chord. Which is why people have strong negative reactions to future edits of some show or film they really love (Star Wars SE, film edits for TV, etc).

You and me both. I was flipping out when I saw that Super VF-1 Valkyrie And thanks. It was time for a change of the old avatar

I really like that new VF-1D head unit. I agree it looks way better than the original. It almost has an "Appleseed" look to it.

Actually, the editing in some parts of the film is legitimately weak. I also felt that particular sequence was rather poorly pieced together. Most likely the sequence was edited as such to maintain the pace that was established in the earlier sequences as well as that of the whole battle sequence. I agree it's still a legitimate problem, I'm just saying they might have had reasons for editing it poorly. But since I'm talking about editing, I will also say the first Sheryl Concert was also poorly edited cross-cutting. Or perhaps it's more accurate to say the cross-cutting was fine but it was the introduction of the entire sequence that was poor. For example, the first Sheryl Concert/Battle sequence itself was edited similarly to the Macross Frontier series (Sheryl singing - cut to - VF-171 fighters fighting outside - cut back to - Sheryl singing). Just one problem: if the audience wasn't already familiar with the Macross Frontier TV Series, they'd... a) have no idea WHY the hell those VF-171 fighters were launching and... b) have no idea WHAT the hell the VF-171 fighters were shooting at! Granted this is nitpicking to a certain extent, especially since I am part of the audience already familiar with the Macross Frontier series. Still, it kinda bothers me and feels poorly made. So there it is

Just finished and found the movie very entertaining. I knew what to expect going in, so I was pleased with the retelling of the series. In many ways, contrasting the Macross Frontier Movie to the Macross Frontier TV Series is much like the similarities between the Macross Plus Movie and the Macross Plus OVA. I suspect I'll end up preferring various parts from each iteration of Macross Frontier (TV series and Movies) much like that of Plus and pine for an edit that includes everything I like. I haven't re-watched the series since it first aired, so coming back to Macross Frontier via the movie was a welcome experience. The new animation seamlessly integrated with the older animation and it was great to see many of old TV series scenes either redrawn or refinished with superior artwork. I will say that in spite of enjoying the movie, I would have preferred a more radical retelling and redesign of the characters, mecha and sets. Perhaps it's just being spoiled by DYRL?, but given the time and money put into these productions it would have been nice to go a different route. Overall, this first film makes a great addition to the Macross Frontier story. I can see myself likely rewatching the two movies more than the actual series simply because the editing and story is that much more focused. I'd say 4 out of 5 for me.

I think you're right. A VERY long time, indeed. I'm an old school Castlevania fan that loved Super Castlevania, Rondo of Blood and Symphony of the Night. I played a few of the games following that Playstation masterpiece, but they were all mediocre at best. Since for the most part I've fallen out of gaming, every year or two I'll replay an older Castlevania game and that reminder will entice me to seek out information on the "state of the franchise". Most often all I see are the common and forgettable games that lack any majesty, atmosphere or polish that made the best games of the Castlevania series. However, when I saw clips for Castlevania Lords of Shadow, it was readily apparent this new game had the potential to be something different. You can see an honest attempt is being made this time to make something good. Reading your thoughts confirms many of my own. I've now got more confidence in the quality of this new game. I'm glad to hear it's turned out as good as I'd hoped it would be.

Let's not. Instead, let's comment on the news. For example, does anyone else find the pairing of Christopher Nolan and Zack Snyder rather odd? I do. Their styles of filmaking are almost mutually exclusive. Though one might argue that Nolan's not the strongest action director and hiring someone like Zack Snyder might make for a great action adventure film, if that's the direction the new Superman film is going.

I think Macross will stay on the course it has so far, for better or worse. Big West releases a Macross space opera TV series once a decade and in between there's some OVAs and movies. Unless a truly novel concept is hit upon, or there is some pressing need to do so, I don't think we can expect another TV series for some time. This latest wave of Macross popularity will ride itself out like the previous ones and eventually the franchise will come back for a fourth major installment when the demographic is ready. About the direction of future Macross sequels, I will say this: I definitely do not want to see any more prequels, I don't want to see what happened to any previous cast of characters and I don't want to be shown anything more of the Protoculture (but more historical trivia about them is always fun). What should be done to inject some more life into the franchise is independently create an interesting story of similar theme and simply adapt it into the Macross setting. In fact, nearly all quality sequels to almost any property are based upon either a strong narrative through line adapted for the existing material or a dynamic contemporary relevance for the same formula. I'd like to see a different style of story once again told in the Macross universe. Of course, the problem with creative stories that hold their own is the inevitable question one must ask; "If the story stands strong on it's own, why not just make that story and forget about Macross?"