Oihan

I know this is a 'little' late...but better late than never....

A beginning is often just that: a beginning. Macross isn't like Gundam where trying to recapture the lightning in a bottle of the original required extreme fidelity like Gundam the Origin or outright rehashing like Gundam SEED. The fact that Macross hasn't done that in an animated production and has found much more (financial) success doing what it's been doing for decades now and at this point in time is popular because of stuff like Frontier makes me think they are not going to return to an SDF Macross style show. They will pay respect to SDF Macross just as every new series in the franchise has done, but Kawamori is clearly not tied down to the original in a strict sense.

This is the real problem with any sequel, not just Macross. Once the first Macross was released, the world is forever and unavoidably in a post-Macross existence. It can't be taken back. As such, no audience will find a sequel as enjoyable or fresh as they did before the original was released. So each sequel will be plauged by ever diminishing returns. As creators the writers try to find ways to make sequels different than the original specifically because more of the same is a downward spiral where familiarity breeds contempt. In the case of Macross, you also have one guy creating the franchise and there is his interest/motivation to take into account, which is obviously a big deal for Kawamori (as it should be for any writer interested in maintaining creativity). So I really like the idea of Macross playing broadly with the formula, even when it fails. Personally, I'd rather suffer an interesting failure than endure mediocrity.

I would argue that that isn't always the case with sequels. Though I suppose those sequels may be considered exceptions more than anything else.... I would also argue that making sequels different enough from the original can also breed such contempt. Take Macross 7 and Macross Zero for example. While I am well aware of Macross 7's popularity, I know there are many on this board who do not like the direction those two shows took. Personally, I don't particularly care for Macross 7, but I do enjoy Macross Zero. The way Zero was scripted feels more in line with the original whereas the former is somewhere out in left field. Macross 7 is about as broad as I would want the formula played with.

While it's great that these new TV shows have brought in more fans, I believe there comes a point where you start to alienate fans the further you move away from what made the original so great - hence my roots remark. Take music for another example. There are several bands that I used to really enjoy listening to, but over time their music deviated just enough (from what I liked about them) that I stopped listening to them a long time ago. Now Im not suggesting that I want to hear the exact same rifts, melodies, and beats in every song composed slightly different...just that it would have been nice if these bands had stuck to their roots. Some of these bands I simply can no longer relate to.

As far as roots and Macross are concerned, I mean more than just the three pillars here. As long as this new television series plays out more like a space opera with hard/military science fiction and less like a music video I will be happy.

Edit: Edited for grammar...mainly spacing between some words.

I just wanted to preface this by saying that I am not trying to pick on you or anything, but I wanted to throw my two cents in with my thoughts on the new show with regards to these three-pillar remarks people are throwing around. Then there's that Macross II comment...

Other than the parallel universe aspect that's pretty much what Frontier was. There's enough fluidity with Macross history that each series builds on old elements in different ways and has a unique feel.

I think what you guys really want is just a way to have your macross cake and eat it too. Like somehow putting the shows in the same universe makes you automatically compare them in rather unfair ways. A new universe could be as easily disappointing as Macross II was but I guess having to only judge it against itself would help mitigate the letdown?

To me it seems like maybe you could should just check out some of dozens of other mecha shows both past and present if Macross isn't doing it for you.

Well when you say "other larger mecha franchises" you basically mean Gundam because very little else even compares to that beast and fewer series even get a single sequel let alone the many Macross has gotten.

Also not to pick on Mr. March but,



This really sounds like you want a sequel to the original Macross that is not the ones you dislike. I mean there already was a sequel to the original Macross that wasn't in II's universe and that was Macross 7. I know you didn't like it but I'm sorry to say it is a big part of what shaped Macross what it is today. Frankly the worship for the original series is getting almost fetishistic and does not line up with what is actually going on with the desires of the Japanese fan base so expecting something else is just setting yourself up for disappointment.

If it weren’t for SDF Macross none of us would be here right now. Be it new fans to the series, or whatever the Japanese fan base now seems to desire as you suggest, it’s not unreasonable to want something that is rooted in the original. Otherwise you might as well call the show something other than Macross. A new alternate universe could be just what we need, whether it is a success or a disappointment is all a matter of opinion.

As for Macross II, calling it a disappointment is, again, all a matter of opinion – there are many of us who adore the show.

Do I even need to say it?

No, I probably don't...

Day one pre-order, so I'm already long since sold on it. Silvie Geena bouncing in HD ftw!

I love the polling options btw!

No mystery here as to how I voted...

Edit: Edited for grammar and spelling mistakes...and I added a quote after further reading the last two pages. Also, sorry for the wall of text, but I felt it would be better if I put everything into one big post rather than several posts.

God I hope its a reboot. Macross is popular still, but nothing has come close to the original, or DYRL, which was the same story. Stick with the story, just make it breathtaking visually.

If a remake were made I too hope they stick with the story and just make it visually breathtaking. Space Battleship Yamato 2199 comes to mind...not the best example though. I know there are some differences between it and the original, but it was done really well in my opinion.

I can enjoy the mecha porn, music, action and animation of something like Macross Frontier, but Frontier's offerings weren't enough to elevate that series to the level of dramatic/emotional payoff provided by SDF Macross, DYRL? and Macross Plus, which remain my favorites. Frontier came closer than the other Macross sequels since the aforementioned, but couldn't win the race. I'd kill to love a Macross sequel as much as DYRL? or Macross Plus again. But I don't have much faith that will happen. I hope I'm wrong.

Some fans are willing to take anything Macross even if it decends into mediocrity and some fnas have a very narrow definition of what Macross is; that's their choice, but I am not and I do not. I expect more from Macross because it was proved before that the franchise was capable of more and because Macross means so much to me as a fan. I can enjoy something like Macross Frontier on a surface level as pure entertainment (which I do), but I'm always wanting Macross to offer more depth like my favorite Macross series once did. If that's too much to hope from any future Macross series, then so be it. But that's all I'm advocating and that's what I want to see.

I couldn't agree more with the above sentiments! Frontier is fine for what it is, but I too agree in that it didn't quite deliver on the same levels SDFM, DYRL?, and Plus did. It would be great if the next Macross series hits home...recaptures those magic moments...for lack of better phrases/words. I hope you guys catch my drift.

Not to go completely off topic, but I'm still trying to figure out why so many people have this idea that because they saw an SDF in the message, there's an automatic conclusion that it'll be a retelling of the original. That SDF was used in the 30th anniversary imagery, and is just about on all the toys released since. It's become more of a symbol for the franchise as a whole. While it'd be cool to see a "Macross the First" type of new series (the VF-1 is probably the most popular selling of the Yamato/Arcadia toys), I'd rather have them do something totally new.

I know you posted this long before I ever posted, but I'm not convinced or believe that this series will be a remake... I only entertain the idea because I would love to see it happen and it's something I think is long overdue, personally. Macross TV looks absolutely beautiful on Blu-ray, but the animation just hasn't aged well comparatively (Star Pro anyone?), but that's neither here nor there. Whatever the next series will be, I cannot wait!

Eh... I think you're being too charitable here. The people who want "something more gritty and realistic" are the ones whose rose tinted memories of older shows are playing them false, because Macross has never been either of those things.

Seriously. Even at its darkest, like the orbital bombardment of Earth or Guld's graphic death dogfighting the Ghost X-9, Macross has always kept its trademark lightness of tone and optimistic outlook. It really says something that the Macross Frontier movies have one of the darkest endings in Macross... since Sheryl's dying and Alto's vanished and all that. We usually end on a higher note... love triumphs, peace prevails, the hero gets the girl and (almost) everybody goes home in one piece. This is a franchise that's made teaching aliens about love and peace through the power of song into its signature move. That is neither gritty nor realistic... but it is kinda kickass.

If you want dark, gritty, and realistic... you can always go to the beach and bury your head in the sand. Or you could give the Gundam franchise's Universal Century timeline a look. Either way, Macross is the wrong place to look if that's what you're after, and I like it that way.

Er... you sure you watched the show? The original Super Dimension Fortress Macross series (and its sequels) are about love stories set against the backdrop of interstellar war. Even Kawamori says so. Yes, we see humanity dodges the extinction bullet and they off a couple supporting characters to drive home that war is serious business, but those are small pieces of the whole story, which cares more for the trials and tribulations of the heart as an indecisive teenage boy tries to decide which of the two girls in his life he really loves. The war is a backdrop for the love story, not vice versa. It seems that you may have completely missed the point of Macross as a whole.

At the end of the day, almost the entire main cast is alive and well. Love conquers all, even Kamjin finds it before the end. The human race took one for the team, but at the end there's the promise of a brighter future as humanity moves out into the galaxy with the help of their new Zentradi allies. The warlike Zentradi learn the value of peace and discover a new life. You don't get a downer ending in Macross... unless you're watching Sayonara no Tsubasa. The hero gets the girl, love conquers all, peace is restored, and the world moves on a little wiser for having acknowledged the mistakes that led to hostility.

I don't see how you can say the show is not gritty and realistic. For example, Hikaru had the courage and resolve to keep moving forward. He often thought about if he would make it alive or not when he went on his sorties...and he found his resolve to keep piloting after Focker and Kakizaki passed away...to protect the ones he cares about. If that isn't gritty then I don't know what is. I know there are more examples than that.... I feel Macross is also very realistic for the most part. Yes, the show is a space opera for the most part, but it's also hard/military science fiction. The show and characters deal with more than just lovelike Claudia and Hikaru dealing the death of Roy for example. I feel that Roy's death is pivotal in Hikaru's growth as a character...and I feel to dismiss that is like dismissing the significance Roy had in the show. Now I am not trying to say that Macross is nothing but gritty, but that gritty has been a part of Macross. As for "teaching aliens about love and peace through the power of song"...I find it realistic and totally plausible. We're talking about a race of aliens who know no other culture but war. These concepts of love, peace, and song are so foreign to these people, they're bound to learn about it once introduced to it for the first time...not to mention the culture shock. Weren't you ever curious about things you encountered for the first time? I also don't know why you, or anyone else for that matter, seem to equate gritty with dark.

The phrase "dark, gritty and realistic" in relation to popular culture is really a modern trend that many use for discussion, but I feel some misuse. Seto is on the right track that even during it's original 1982 run and the sequels that followed, Macross was never dark, gritty or realistic. The tone of Macross has always been strongly melodramatic, hopeful, grand, and alive with popular culture and music.

What some fans are refering to as "dark, gritty and realistic" in their favorite Macross is simply those story/character elements written about mature subject matter within the context of our silly, far flung sci-fi fantasy show. War, death, love, loss, coming of age, responsiblity, survival, mental illness, and more such topics are actually explored in many of the Macross productions. The reason many older fans love those mature aspects of Macross the most is because they are mature (ahem), which is a natural part of growing older for all of us. We grow up and when our beloved childhood franchise grows up with us, we continue falling in love with Macross. This is why so many older Macross fans adore the SDFM to Macross Plus era of the franchise. In contrast, the reason other Macross fans don't like those mature elements of Macross as much is because their favorite parts of Macross are not the mature elements but rather the fantasy escapism elements of the franchise. Some of us want our Macross to evoke that wonder we felt as a child first watching our beloved anime.

I'm not going to say which is better. But I will say that I understand from where the different types of Macross fans are coming. As evidenced by the Macross franchise to date, each iteration of Macross has explored more or less mature themes than the other. I think the best Macross handles the maturity and the fantasy of the franchise with skill and equal measure, but that's just me. Whatever happens with the next Macross series, I hope for that.

I think you're right in regards to what fans, of the various eras of Macross, come to love and expect from the show as a whole. I too would like to see some balance of everything that makes Macross Macross in the next Macross series. That said though, I would like it if the next series were more like SDFM, DYRL?, Plus, II, and Zero...and a little less like 7 and Frontier (even though I did enjoy Frontier a lot).

I have a friend who's a long time fan of the Yamato series and he also quite liked it although he also added that the first 6 episodes of 2199 was great but it then didn't follow through with the promising start and seemed that from then on to be dictated and made by committee. By which he meant by those out of the production company, ie. sponsors and business people holding the purse strings.
Felt compromised as a result.

Just a result of doing business these days I guess.

It's pretty much why I remain cautious for the new series, or any remake of Macross really.

That and the DYRL re-release incident. No, I'm not letting that go.

Oh it's still good according to him, just not as good as the first 6 episodes seem to promise.

I do wonder if those responsible for the DYRL debacle ever took note of the backlash and would help them plan future products better.
Oh who the hell am I kidding, of course not. They're always insulated from their own bad decision, letting the creators take all the blame. If anything they'll take away from this all the wrong lessons. *grrrr*

Well the fact he was around to watch the original series so as become quite attached to it may have something to do with it. I think one of his complaints was that 2199 veered slightly from the original story or something in the later stages. I'll have to ask him again sometime when I next get into contact with him.

There's always going to be some moments in any remake where we all just wince at a change or deviation. DYRL? on Blu-ray being a perfect example as you've noted. That said...considering how DYRL? turned out with respect to SDFM...another retelling of the story may turn out just as wonderful. Could turn out horrible too...but man to see updated animation for the entire show would sure be awesome!

You're always welcome to the party, you old-timer

I agree that a remake would be quite a bit of fun. The Yamato 2199 has turned out incredibly well. I've not gone through enough of it. I really must devote some time to watching it through because it's such a great production. After the next update to my website I'll have time...

Thanks for the sentiment, it's appreciated! =) It's always nice being able to come here after all of these years and still talk Macross (among other things) with you guys.

I know I am late to the party as I just found out about this...and I know this has already been mentioned, but what if it is a reboot/remake of Macross TV? o.O Considering how well Space Battleship Yamato 2199 turned out...I can only imagine with Macross TV. Considering how good the pachinko footage looked too...oh the possibilities!

Whatever the case may be, I cannot wait to find out more on this series!

I never did redeem that code. Is the game still available on the PSN for purchase? I did a search for マクロス and I came up empty. Would anyone know where I could find it?

SOLD

I am glad they are releasing this on Blu-ray. I cannot wait to see how it looks!

While your reasoning -console exclusives- are the reason I will probably buy a PS4, Killzone will never be a part of my collection. There isn't a single exclusive that's a must-buy for me, yet. Of all the next-gen console-exclusives coming out in 2013, the closest to a must-buy for me is actually Forza 5, but it's not enough to sell me an Xbone.

To each their own!

Are you sure about that?

Absolutely positive! The number of players in multiplayer is significantly less, and the graphics aren't as impressive. I can paste you links if you would like.

Bull. Especially on these boards, where half the members will spend more on toys. You can build an adequate gaming PC for around the price of an Xbox One, and one capable of running most games on the highest settings for under $1000. Just because PC enthusiasts can spend thousands of dollars on a custom rig doesn't mean it's necessary. What's more, any extra you put into hardware vs. consoles you'll make back shortly on software.

Adequate gaming PC for the same price of an Xbox One? You're joking, right? If you want to play on medium settings...sure.

~$215 for a CPU (i5 3570K)

~$120 for a quality mobo (DDR3 32GB RAM max, USB 3.0, SATA III, SLI/X-fire)

~$400 for a GPU (7970)

~$150+ for a quality PSU (Gold Certified)

~$125 for 16GB of DDR3 RAM

~$40 for a quality case

~$80+ for 1.5TB HDD

~$30 for a DVD-ROM +- RW...probably more for a Blu-ray drive

~$10 for thermal paste

Comes out to about $1,170. I call those specs adequate. You could probably skimp on a few things and bring that down to $1000 like you were saying. I currently have an i5 3570K and a Radeon HD 7970 and I couldn't run the Battlefield 4 beta on the highest settings (1920x1080 res) w/o experiencing some kind of lag. Hell, I can barely play Crysis 3 maxed out with acceptable frame rates (40-50) Back to BF4, granted it was a beta and I'm sure things weren't as optimized as they are now, but it was what it was. I doubt I'll see that huge of an improvement with the final product. Minus a few discrepancies, the PS4 and PC version on the highest settings are nearly identical. We're looking at $400 vs $1000 while skimping on some parts.

In a year or two my 7970 won't be enough to play some of these games on the highest settings and I'm going to have to spend another $400 to play on the highest settings. Whereas on the console, I won't have to worry about upgrading for another six...seven+ years. I don't know about these recent consoles, but it was my understanding that consoles were coded direct to hardware which allowed developers to get more 'juice' out of the consoles than they would on a PC w/all of those APIs...which should help with the longevity of these things. Sure, the graphics on the console will eventually not be able to hold a candle to the PC, but that's the nature of the beast.

Anyway, with PCs you're constantly having to upgrade every couple of years if you want all of the eye candy whereas on a console, you're paying one flat rate once every six years.

Again, to each their own!

Edit: Figured it would help if I added the resolution I'm playing at.

I just saw that video Jefuemon linked and I have to disagree with that.

Fair enough, but like I said, they're both going to be available for PC, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3. So you and your friends could buy the games for whatever consoles you all already have, without having to pay a fortune, camp out, or whatever for the (inevitably flawed in some way) launch units that you hope all of your friends are able to get a hold of too.

There are some games, like Killzone, that are going to be exclusive to the console. I don't know about the rest of you, but Killzone: Shadow Fall is a day one buy for me - I've always enjoyed the multi-player in the series. As for CoD and BF4, yeah, they'll be on the PS3 and Xbox 360, but they're neutered versions in comparison to the next-gen versions. Not everyone games on the PC either unfortunately (or has the money to rather). My friends do most of their gaming on the consoles so that's where I'll be too if I want to team up with them. That said, this will probably be the first time where this gaming circle will be fractured...as we're not all getting the same consoles and some only have intentions to buy one or the other, but not both...at least not for a long while anyway. I'm actually in that boat where the more I hear about the Xbox One the less I like about it and what Microsoft has to offer. Anyway....

Thanks to the Chromebook commercial I've had this stuck in my head for days. I dig this song and the music video!

Anyone else picking up Killzone: Shadow Fall?

Oihan: Ashmedae

No worries. Thank you all for looking into it!

...Mods? Anyone?

I could have sworn we had an option to change how many posts we saw per page in a thread. What happened to that option? Is it possible to re-enable this feature?

Thanks

Doh! I'm still on this, if you don't mind waiting until I get out of work. I'll check to see if I have an invite for you then. At the very least, I can download the subtitles themselves and figure something out for you. If I remember correctly, the final size was around 300MB.

I just got your message and I replied back! I had only been able to find some subtitles for the first 26 episodes and nothing else for Macross 7. I never imagined it would be so difficult to find the subtitles themselves. Thank you SO MUCH for the help!

I just want the subtitles only. I had thought about making a new thread but figured posting in this one would have been better.

Would you have an invite by chance? Would you know the name of these subtitle patches? That way I can try and find the torrents elsewhere....

Thanks.

ANYONE, please?

Zombie thread!

The rapidshare links are dead; however, I just checked asiandvdclub.org and someone is seeding a torrent for the subtitle patches over there. You can also download the episodes with the subtitles already patched in, if you wish. You need to register for an account and keep your leeching ratio in check, but overall asiandvdclub is a handy resource for this stuff.

I just want the subtitles only. I had thought about making a new thread but figured posting in this one would have been better.

Registration of new accounts is temporarily disabled for those who do not have an invite. If you know someone who is already an ADC member, ask them to send you an invite so you can join our community....

Would you have an invite by chance? Would you know the name of these subtitle patches? That way I can try and find the torrents elsewhere....

Thanks.

Would anyone know where I could find these subtitles for all of Macross 7? The links in this thread are long dead. Thanks.

I just hope it's just amj's player messing it up.

Did some snaps on it.

tint-file shows more tealish shade than blue.

tint1-file shows oversaturation of teal.

tint2-file shows some oversaturation on the orange and reds/pinks background and a faded skin toning on Sharon.

tint3-file shows more Sharon's face as more greenish/tealish and the whites are more eh. Sharon's hair shows a different kind of red shading on the amj player, too.

Like I said, hope it's just amj's player messing up the colors.

I see what you're saying, but I don't think there is anything to worry about. If I were to take a guess I would think the 'discoloring' is due to the compression and the scaling algorithm/software used. I'm no expert by any means when it comes to video and I may very well be wrong here, but I'm basing my guess off of some readings I've done over the years in regards to video quality - all in the pursuit of viewing the source as it was originally intended to be viewed. Anyway...take it with a grain of salt.

List of trophies (from PSMania) in the game translated by Google:

I think part of the problem is that there are quite a few of us who cannot read or speak Japanese. Since we cannot understand it, we will be missing out on a lot of the story not knowing what is going on. There more than likely won't be any subtitles we can download so we can keep up with the story. Then there's the store and upgrade parts that drop/fall/whatever from enemies...we won't know what is what until everything is translated. It's all going to make playing the game very difficult. I know in the West, at least in the States, we live a very fast paced way of life. There's so much to do and so little time to do it. While we may find time to play the game, we may not find the time to play the game and translate every single thing.

I've bought Macross Triangle Frontier, but I have yet to play it. I'm still slowly going through MUF at the moment. However, my fear is that once I do get to MTF I won't be able to enjoy it as much as I currently do MAF and MUF. This is because I won't have a clue what's going on in Academy Mode. I'm sure I, and many others, probably won't get to thoroughly enjoy "Macross 30" either until there are comprehensive translations/guides of what's going on in the story and etc. So the action sequences are more than likely the only things most of us can really look forward to (for the moment).

Also, there might be a few or several of us who are coming to the party late. I didn't know about this game till about a month or so ago. There were 569 posts I had to read through to catch up. Not everyone is going to do their due diligence for whatever reason.

With all of that said, none of that is going to stop me from playing this game - I already have it per-ordered! I cannot wait to play it! I can only hope that someone will be kind enough to create a very complete and comprehensive guide so that we can follow along in the story.

From IGN:

Michael Bay Talks Transformers Redesign

Director discusses the future of the Transformers franchise.

by Chris Tilly

February 4, 2013

Michael Bay has been discussing the future of the

Transformers franchise, talking about both broadening and redesigning
the series.

Speaking to Forbes,
Bay said, “We’re going to start off smaller. There’s a brand new cast.
To freshen the franchise we’ve redesigned everything from top to bottom.
The history of the first three movies is still there, we start four
years later and there’s a reason why we’re meeting a new cast.”

Bay’s next film is Pain & Gain, which stars Dwayne Johnson and Mark Wahlberg, with the latter also appearing in Transformers 4.

“Mark is really excited about it and it’s a great redesign,” he
explained. “I said that three was going to be my last one. Paramount was
letting me do Pain & Gain and the Transformers ride was opening at
Universal and it was bittersweet to think of passing it off. I wanted to
set it up on a really sure footing and to bring someone else in on
that, it would have been overwhelming.”

But according to Bay, the film is definitely not a reboot. “No,
that’s wrong. We keep the Transformers the way they were, it’s just four
years later. There’s a reason the Transformers are redesigned. We’re
trying to broaden the franchise and give it more places to go.”

Pain & Gain hits this April, while Transformers 4 is released summer 2014.

I find it hard to believe that no one has any interest in the Blu-ray boxset of Katanagatari. I still haven't been able to find anymore information on it.

For anyone that doesn't know, apparently the show is going to be re-aired this April when the Blu-rays also go on sale.

http://otakumode.com...ng-on-NoitaminA!

I thought about asking in the "What Current Anime are You Watching..." thread, but I figured it might be better to create a separate thread.

Would anyone have more information as to what will be included in this LE box set? Google Translate doesn't help much at all. I went to the official website (using Google Translate) and it seems that there are two OSTs included along with the Blu-rays and DVDs. It also seems a tapestry of some sort will be included.... Everything else is gibberish to me. A Google search doesn't seem to come up with anything useful either. I've tried narrowing down my search results but I had no luck. I'm wondering if it will be worth it to spend ~$300+ on this LE set or to skip it all together.

I previously purchased the NISA box sets a long while back without realizing what exactly I was getting. To my (and many others') dismay, the subtitles are hard-coded with some questionable translations.

Anyone else thinking of picking this LE box set up? Thoughts/Opinions?

Thanks!

From the original release....20-100 usd depending on how "iconic" the scene is...

If it is an original film strip from the first gold book release...it should be inside a slip cover and the strip itself should have a small tassle tied to it....its basically to be used as a book mark...

Thanks a bunch!!!