chrisk

In fact, considering the overwhelmingly negative fan response to the idea of a "reimagined" Macross Saga, I'd say that Macross may well be the death knell for the live-action Robotech movie, either because of the inherent legal ramifications, or the fact that the fans don't want Baytech with their Bayformers.

A lot of long-time Robotech fans are praying that by 2010, production for the Live Action Movie would have begun, although the current "news blackout" (since the late 2007 movie announcement) leads me to believe that Warner Brothers had no idea how complicated the legal wrangling was...

Who knows? Maybe come Comic Con 2009, Harmony Gold/WB will announce that Big West decided to surrender all their rights to Macross after two years of intense negotiations and everyone can finally get on with their lives.

since the profits from the DVD sales were enough to cover the film's production costs several times over, which does technically make it a financial success.

You're absolutely right, Seto. I suppose Shadow Chronicles did prove to the powers-that-be that Robotech can stand on its own without Macross, and that milking the Mospeada franchise is... somewhat "profitable". Am I right, or am I right?

If the Robotech LAM somehow becomes the next Darknight and leads to a new Robotech series on Cartoon Network or something I can see HG continuing to be the c@$Kblock of Macross for the American market, but it won't change Macross's popularity with American fans.

Sounds pretty grim, actually. Macross fans might end up like the aging Japanese population...

...or simply outdated in an increasingly Robotech-ized world.

Great idea. "Hey Janice... ah I mean Chase what song did you sing when you committed suicide to defeated the Haydonites in Robotech: Deep Shadow Nine?

Shame. Chase Masterson is actually very nice in person. She doesn't know the fate that awaits her character in Shadow Rising. She deserves more.

This is something that's also been bothering me for the longest time, and I'd be glad to hear your thoughts on it: Is the Live Action Movie the death knell for regular ol' Macross in the States?

If I remember correctly, when Warner Brother's announced the Live Action Movie almost a year ago, the reception was INSANE. Variety and countless other numerous mainstream media portals reported on it. I'm sure Robotech.com's traffic received a massive spike as well. Last year's Robotech Comic-Con panel had a full house too (no movie info was released, just HG staffers boasting how healthy the franchise was... expect a repeat in this year's Comic-Con)

Will the American Otakus... and heck, the Japanese accept the Robotech movie? Last I heard, that Robotech movie was designed to Warner Brother's big blockbuster movie (merchandise, video games, tv show tie-ins, the works). All speculation at this point, of course, but I'd like to hear your thoughts on it.

But actually and in point of fact there came a moment where people got sick and tired of the boobs and started making fun of it and it became sort of trendy to lowbrow anime for all the boobage and to talk about anime just being boobs and booms! Basically garbage.

Hmm... Just because Americans (or Korean-Americans, if you're being nit-picky) are at the helm with the Shadows "franchise", it's not "real" anime?

Play around with them a bit. Give your animation some characteristic style. Shadow Chronicles was flat in terms of design.

Did Shadow Chronicles fail to impress artistically because it was too close to the original series?

The problem might be narration style. Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles took 1/3 of the film to go over material from the previous series and set up this new chapter. Surprisingly, they killed off the narrator (maybe the Carl Macek insert for the story) who was an arguably important feature from the original series. He was replaced by a character(s) who may know more than they should about the past and current situation.

A bit off-topic, but I loved how the rebooted Star Trek handled their continuity. Casual folks could watch the movie and need not bother about the other Star Trek movies and its numerous spinoffs. Most of the backstory was neatly explained in the best-selling Star Trek: Countdown graphic novel.

In retrospect, Shadow Chronicles attempted to the same thing, but it boggles my mind to this day why the comic books made the story feel even more convoluted. Maybe Warner Brothers/HG should bring back Macek and do that time traveling plotline thing to reboot the franchise... (read: Robotech: Odyssey)

Probably the same lineart the Robotech.com Infopedia used... none at all.

I think the SDF-2 should have Zentraedi ships as arms.

Wasn't it in Funimation's top ten bestsellers?

Yes, it was.

It would seem as if I've been lurking the Robotech.com and its spinoff message boards for too long. I just got tired of the antics of a couple of "active" Robotech fans, most especially the unusually strict moderators. Umm... is it me, or all they seem to do there to this day is either praise Shadow Chronicles (or rationalize, whichever way you want to look at it), beg the Powers-that-be for a sequel or more merchandise or my favorite: talking about the true nature of Protoculture.

Honestly, I was hesitant to join the Macross World community and bring up this topic, because of all the "Macross Purist" garbage (brought to you by some Robotech fans who considered Macross inferior). After reading your fairly extensive discussions on HG/BW Licensing, something tells me those guys were wrong...

Are you asking this question as someone who has watched Macross Frontier?

Despite Frontier's flaws (which I've been told is well documented in the Robotech.com forums), I freakin' loved it. Can't wait for the OVA.

And don't underestimate the fact that Frontier is longer. 25 episodes means more to chew on.

Length isn't really a factor... c'mon, didn't Shadow Chronicles already have the 85 episodes behind it?

It's just that I was led to believe that Shadow Chronicles was so lucrative that it was able to spawn three video releases in two years (DVD, Special Ed DVD Blu-ray). But despite this alleged success, tthe Robotech community seemed DOA. I can understand if this is a poor barometer in gauging a show's popularity, but where are new young, enthusiastic Robotech fans? Where's the thriving fan art community? Why aren't there any cosplayers flaunting Invid boobage?

I've seen other anime made by the same studios, so the low quality here, I assume, must simply be due to not paying them enough to put real effort into it.

I know it's been discussed to death, but that's something I never got... Nobody thought the explosions sucked when they watched the pre-vis?

In contrast, I was bored a couple weeks ago and downloaded and started watching Macross Frontier. I loved it. Had to ration it out so I didn't finish the 25 episodes too quickly. Gorgeous artwork. Well written story (sure, with flaws, but relatively few, all things considered). Good dialog. New designs, but which still feel like part of the same universe. Overall, it builds on everything that came before, while still being its own unique, original, distinctive entity. It makes references to previous series, as well as paying homage to them, while still giving it all its own unique, updated spin.

What was the secret to the Frontier's "success"? Even though Harmony Gold's Robotech dominates Stateside, how come Frontier is the one people are still talking about?

Physically, no one's flat in Shadow Chronicles, but Nanase and Macro-Klan put them all to shame).

I don't know man, that Invid Ariel chick's rack grew pretty big after she gained her powers from the Regess...

You might want to check the previous topic for that stuff:

http://www.macrossworld.com/mwf/index.php?showtopic=153

http://www.macrossworld.com/mwf/index.php?...st&p=732649

Thanks! I'm new to the boards, and I have to say that those are very entertaining discussions. I think it's telling of... open this community is. These threads would never fly in Robotech.com...

I found MEMO1DOMINION's intentions on crafting a brand new (Un?)official Robotech Reference Guide very interesting. What lineart would they use for the SDF-2? I wonder...

IMHO, the best thing for Robotech right now would be a Robotech 3000-esque complete and total departure from the established setting, which is derived in equal measure from Mospeada and Carl Macek's Robotech II: the Sentinels.

Humor me here: Barring whatever you feel about Macross Frontier, how did that show gain such an active, devoted following compared to Shadow Chronicles? Was it because of the classic Macross love-triangle formula? Was it because of the characters? Better mecha design?

Didn't Shadow Chronicles sort of deliver on these as well?

Ever heard of "Shadow Rising", the sequel to the 2006 smash-(s)hit Shadow Chronicles? Question: Assuming Robotech: Shadow Rising is still in development, do you think it would be a step in the right direction in trying to mass-market Robotech? (Given its currently EPIC storyline with Haydonites and big boobs...)

Or are you guys leaning more on the fact that the original Robotech universe is dead (thanks to not having access to Macross designs/anything), and there will be a complete reboot come the movie?

Philippines.