Ginrai

There's actually two Zillion games on Master System. IIRC the anime is based on the Japanese Lazer Tag ripoff off game (not video game), and then the Master System games are based on the anime, I think? Maybe not exactly that order, but the Lazer Tag thing came first. The people that worked on Zillion were mostly Tatsunoko people, specifically the Ohkura design group, so mostly Southern Cross and Robotech II: The Sentinels people. Actually a number of Sentinels designs ended up in Zillion, including the transforming tricycle you seen in the opening credits, and the purple Noza robots, which are obviously just Invid Inorganics from Sentinels recolored purple. I have all of the tapes that Carl Macek's Streamline Pictures dubbed into English and release here. The show is on DVD in Japan, but it's pretty damn expensive, and I don't like Zillion enough to pay like $200 for it. If it were released here or if there were a cheap HK version I'd probably get it, but $200, no way. I'll have to check for sure at home, but IIRC there are six Streamline Zillion VHS tapes, the first five episodes of the show, plus an OAV made after the show ended. Note that the show didn't even get far enough in the US release to introduce the transforming tricycle that's in the opening credits and is basically the showpiece mecha. Nice, huh? Note that it's not like the series was unpopular and was cancelled. The first tape claims it's a five episode mini series. I have no idea why they tried to pretend the show ended at episode 5. I mean, it's the end of the first story arc, but come on! There was also a four issue US comic book adaptation from Malibu's Eternity line by some of the people that were associated with the Robotech comics at that time. The back of a couple of issues of the comic has some Japanese production line art that's pretty interesting. I wonder if there's a This Is Animation Zillion or something somewhere? I've certainly never seen any Japanese Zillion books for sale.

You mean they worked cheaper than Artland and Studio Nue.

So by "rubbery" you meant something that was not at all like rubber. I see.

I like Orguss 02, but not really as a sequel to Orguss. It has really none of what I loved about Orguss, but I am pretty interested in the scenario of, "What if a mideval feudal society dug up giant robots?" I like that idea a lot, but it should have been explored in something that wasn't supposed to be a sequel to Orguss.

I definitely think that Orguss has tighter plotting than Macross, and the character relationships are just as rich or richer than SDF Macross. But note the lack of Kawamori... I think Ishiguro Noboru's contributions to what made the original Macross so great are largely ignored. But you should check out mz23 Part 1. Mikimoto only designed one character, Eve, but Hirano's style is not dissimilar, and I think I may actually prefer Shinji Aramaki and Hideki Kakinuma to Miyatake (and Kawamori). But it has that same combination, that epic/personal thing. Dunno about the score off hand, but it works for me. mz23 also has a pretty tight plot (though there are some things that seem like red herrings since they were elements it lost when it became an OAV instead of a TV series), but obviously it has to be more focused because of the short length. But I think that's something that the later Macross shows just don't have. Macross II doesn't really have much personal going on, Macross Plus is a bit too concerned with being serious and mature and doesn't quite have the -fun- of SDF Macross, DYRL, Orguss, or mz23 Part 1, and it never feels epic to me. Macross 7 doesn't feel that epic to me, and while I enjoy the character relationships, I just don't think it goes anywhere that interesting. I mean, Mylene NEVER chooses between Basara and Gamlin, which frustrates me, plus I'm just not that into the relationships. I FEEL the connection between Hikaru and Minmay and Misa, and I FEEL the connection between Kei, Mimsy, and Sray, and I FEEL the connection between Shogo and Yui. I don't feel that way about the connection between Mylene, Gamlin, and Basara. I love Mylene, but I'm not in love with the other characters, and their relationships don't do much for me. And Macross Zero... wow, just no emotion at all. I don't care about Shin or Sara at all. I like Mao, but Shin never seems the slightest bit interested in her, so again, no connection, and while I love Roy, I again see no real connection with Aries/Alice/whatever. I feel like she's one of those girls Roy fooled around with before he gave himself to Claudia. One of the ones that didn't matter. I just am not feeling the connection. SDF Macross, Orguss, and mz23 all have that connection for me. Does anyone else know of any other anime that has this? Part of it has -got- to be Ishiguro Noboru. I'm almost certain this feeling is an Ishiguro Noboru thing, because while I love the other Megazone 23 OAVs, only part 1 has that connection. I mean, it can't JUST be an Artland thing. Artland worked on part 2 as well and that feeling just isn't there. But maybe that's down to Ichiro Itano directing it?

Have you seen Orguss or Megazone 23 Part 1? The something special might be Ishiguro Noboru's direction. I saw Orguss and mz23 and was like, "Wow! This has that something special Macross did that its sequels don't!"

Rubbery? I only have one Macross SP, the Anime Expo exclusive Hikaru Strike, but the plastic is all hard plastic. Have you actually ever TOUCHED a SP?

I reviewed this episode (raw Japanese, not the parody) back in April. http://www.masterforce.org/modules.php?op=...order=0&thold=0

That's not true. He also had the top dog Valkyrie pilot and CAG as his mentor and best friend who got him all kinds of opportunities, including said rescue mission. I think it's safe to say that's why he started out in a VF-1J.

How do you fix the crooked skull?

Note that this comes with a Shogo figure to ride it, so the Microman is not really necessary.

So you're totally cool with underaged girls getting raped? Ooookay.

I have a question on the 1st edition Hikaru, too. Is the skull straight on that batch? While I'm at it, is the first edition whiter?

All this talk about the oceans being untouched reminds me of the horribly mutated fish Misa snacks on in DYRL. Mmmm.

>Kite? What is that? I've never heard of it. Oh wait let me guess: It's a story about a young or young-ish girl in school, who wears cute little outfits, doesn't talk much, has a fraked up past, no familiy, and is an EXPERT killer, right?< Sorta not really. It's kind of like Leon, The Professional, except the crooked cop raises the girl. Basically, crooked cop murders a girl's parents, makes up an investigation to find the "real killers" and then adopts the girl, rapes her regularly while training her to be an assassin. Maybe it's technically hentai because it has pretty graphic sex scenes, but it's not -porn-. The rape scenes are VERY uncomfortable. It's a very dark, screwed up action movie. The child abuse angle is hard to take, but pretty essential to what makes Kite Kite. She had a family, but her adoptive father killed them, so I guess that counts as a "fraked up past", too. You're right -- it's not totally original. It owes a lot to Leon and La Femme Nikita, but the child abuse thing is where it's different and that's an interesting twist on the assassin formula I hadn't seen before. Also the character designs are in Umetsu's usual style, which means very realistic compared to most anime, which also makes it more uncomfortable. Really stylish action, but if you get turned on by the rape scenes, you've got issues.

I think it was intended to be the purple-red color of some of the Zentradi ships or the factory satellite from SDF Macross.

Hey folks, I'm trying to digitally edit a sticker sheet from Roy VF-1S colors to Hikaru VF-1S (or VF-1A) colors from DYRL, but I'm having trouble finding a red I like. What numerical value (or hex or whatever) that you'd input into Photoshop or whatever would you recommend for this color? Thanks.

That would be nice... anyone have that? And I'd gladly pay a bit to get someone to make these stickers for me.

Definitely don't want to do waterslide. I tried to build models before and that was a disaster. I'd certainly prefer to pay someone else to do it seeing as I have no idea what I'm doing and I'm worried about getting stickers that look crappy. Also my printer sucks.

How do you guys get/make/print et cetera custom stickers? Specifically I want to get stickers for the big ugly Matchbox VF-1S / Playmates VF-1S. Nothing special, I just want Hikaru DRYL colors instead of the TV Roy/Hikaru VF-1S colors. Can anyone help me out with this? I did apply the stickers to my Playmates toy, but I probably still have the sticker sheet.

So NO ONE has a SINGLE suggestion on where to buy this?

Hey everyone, so I'm finally breaking down and getting a 1/48. I only want Hikaru's VF-1S, so the reissue later this month is perfect for me. Where do you guys recommend I get it from? I want the best price and best reliable, since this is one expensive toy to begin. (Well, not expensive like my Bandai Strike Valkyrie, but you know, expensive for a NEW toys...)

You know what would be even better? Recycling the special effects footage from Battlestar Galactica in a thoroughly awful but unrelated Sci-Fi movie. Oh wait! That happened! http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096149/

Am I on the only one who finds it odd that Roy's Valkyrie has eyeliner?

I think it's less about who helmed it and more than GoBots was already dead by the time Battle Hackers came out, IIRC. My favorite MR toy ever Baikanfu (or however you choose to romanize than) didn't come out here either. Sadface. At least we got the DX GoBots, which are awesome (well, not the crap ones based on the show, but the metal cars and the semi).