Tochiro

Still there are some experiments going on with Japanese releases having English subs that have not been broadcasted outside of Japan like the upcoming Gundam Unicorn and Haruhi S2 so who knows. The international collectors market might be large enough to make the inclusion subs profitable. Subs only requires passive knowledge of english.

Both of those are using existing deals and distribution networks. Unicorn is a worldwide release, not just a JPN release with English subs. Apart from things like this, the only Japanese blurays with subs are things like Patlabor and GitS which Bandai just rereleased with different covers in the US (and sold dismally because they expected fans to pay Japanese prices and didnt adopt their pricing structure for the US market).

Good subtitling requires far more than a passive knowledge of any language since it not only translated but also interprets meaning into more natural sounding language when necessary. Besides which, there are practically NO English speakers in the anime industry in Japan. The few that are in related industries tend to be employed at game companies but even then the translating and subtitling work (when needed) is often outsourced.

Not to mention the fact that they probably would have subtitled the Japanese Bluray release of the series as well if they intended to adopt the approach you are suggesting.

Sorry, I dont mean to shoot down your hopes here but there are ZERO chances of English subs on Mac F BRs occurring. In a perfect world we would use the extra capacity of BR discs to include subs in every language. But we dont and the anime industry in general is a very closed and domestic one. (And they are RAKING the money in with Mac F so theres no financial impetus to look to foreign sources of revenue anyway).

Yes, I doubt regional languages like Mandarin or Cantonese would be addeed because the series/movie gets officially licensed in these regions so doing so would lessen the value of licensing the product.

As for English subs though, not a chance. Not only would they be useless for 99.99% of the population, a 3rd party would have to be brought in to do them (no way they could be done in-house). And that would cost money.

I mean, many Japanese BD/DVD dont even have Japanese subs for the hearing impaired even.

"Sashays"?

And last time I checked, the Tokyo venue was the CC Lemon hall. Isn't that a fairly large locale? The Kansai one is Zepp Osaka, where Franz Ferdinand played last week. I would say this is a fairly big event, maybe not Budokan, but nonetheless.

What are the T-shirts like, by the way?

Sorry, I typed "asshats" and my iphone "corrected" it. Seriously, people with half a dozen shirts. It was ridiculous. It looks like they got a few more boxes in after the concert but id already gotten a grey firebomber hoodie so that will do.

As as venues go, CC Lemon Hall is tiny. Bigger than Zepp but smaller than Tokyo International Forum. 2084 seats. We crammed more people than that into the last Mayn concert and that place didnt even have seats! lol.

The shirts that sold out were black with the big red fire bomber logo on em - great stuff. Hopefully they'll go on sale online at a later date.

As for the concert - there were still some sound issues, but overall it was great! Will post more detailed impressions later.

We did have one very important special guest tho - the flower girl!

Damn!! 1hr b4 the concert starts and I'm nowhere near the head of the merch line. At least 2 types of shirts are sold out already thanks to some sashays buying 4 or 5 shirts each. Thought the would have limited this stuff like at the kanno concert, sigh.

I'll be there!! What time you going?

Am planning on getting there about 4:30ish since I dont think there will be a huge line for merch (its a smaller concert after all). Dunno how many white guys will be there but Id guess not many so I'm probably pretty easy to spot. If anyone sees the tired lookin gaijin with the camera and the PSP, itll be me, lol.

So who is going to the Revival concert tonight?

According to Fukuyama's site, there will be hoodies and tshirts available :-).

I really hope they get the sound mix right this time. I dont think I could deal with another scowling Kajiura for 2 or 3 hours ^^;

1) TV stock footage is great on the big screen. The new footage is even better as the camera lens is different and they look like they tower over the audience.

2) Yes it's the main Valk in the end fight, and people think the VF-2SS single cannon is lame.

3) Yes and no, the cannon can rotate 360 and take out the big Vajra in one shot.

4) Nope no sight of it.

5) Quarter has some new heavy gun turrets, fleet ships have more detail that's about it. Vajra have a new main ship, and a new Vajra insect.

6) You mean like Saturn rings type stuff?

Good eyes Save!

One thing I neglected to mention (not really a spoiler .....

the Ranka Natto Bukake scene!

Oh, dear oh dear oh dear.... Kawamori has gotten so hentai in his old age.....

This movie definitely ramps up the fan service imo.

Grabbed these myself yesterday. To anyone else who is thinking of doing the same, each volume includes 2 of the old Tankobons, so they are pretty darn huge!

Wow, sounds like it was a pretty good performance guys.

And that version of Diamond Crevasse was Singapore only - so it was a special 1-off that only you will ever get to hear!

Anyone else take any pics?

Some questions for Save, Rentato and others who have watched it: -

1) How was the mecha action?

2) Does the Tornado pack actually make an apperance?

3) Does the Tornado pack kick ass?

4) Is the YF-25 Prophecy in the movie.

5) Any noticable design changes to the Quarter or Ozma's VF-25S with Armored Pack or other mecha?

6) Is there actually more atmospheric combat, as was promised?

Seems most of the discussion on the movie so far is about the characters and differences with the TV series, but us mecha-heads want to know about the VFs!!!!!!!!

Graham

1) Good but was all at the beginning (space) or end (in the Mac F)

2) Yes

3) Do you even need to ask? Actually, the shoulder cannons werent as powerful as I had hoped but they werent bad.

4) Uhm... dont remember sorry

5) No huge differences that I noticed but then again I wasnt paying attention to those kind of details sorry. Will pay better attention when I see it again next week.

6) As in within the Macross F? If so, see answer (1)

Overall it was loud, large and fun although a little poorly paced (all the action at the beginning or the ending). Also, being far shorter than the series, a lot of character motivations are simplified or else not explained. Yet somehow some of the details that are hinted at in the series are made clear right from the beginning of the movie.

Way, way more new animation than I had been lead to believe. Somewhere between 40%-60% is new. And the final battle was pretty damn cool.

They also rerecorded ALL of the voice work for the movie - so Ranka sounds a little more....sure of herself.

In short, think less Gundam Seed clip movie and more of something between Eva 1.0 and 2.0. Or maybe one of the New Translation movies for Zeta Gundam.

Any word on the length of film ?

I hope for a two hour flick like DYRL, but I expect more something like 90 minutes...

-Sergorn

Its 100-110 mins

Just got out of the cinema but am doing this from my phone because I'm currently in line for a final fantasy tactics concert.

Actually, grace has a huge amount of screentime.

It's also revealed that ....

and I'm totally serious!!

Did anyone get this months Newtype? While the double cover (Sherryl on the front and Ranka on the back) which was posted here earlier, it comes with a CD with a special recording of the Mac F radio show to commemorate the movie.

Am going through it over my morning coffee and its pretty damn funny. Personally Im loving the skits where Alto supposedly "borrows" Rankas Newtype and she wont stop pestering him about it. "I dont remember you being such an annoying character,' he says. 'Maybe I should check with KAWAMORI, HMMM?'

lol

Other highlights include Klan wanting Michele to take her to tha Macross movie - oh and people giving poo to Kawamori's eyebrows, hehehe.

In one interview Nakamura claims that Alto sings the ending theme song for the movie....but at the end it turns out he was just screwing with everyone...doh^^;

Reminded me that need to pick up the drama CDs one of these days.

It's kind of sad that the only article on this list I'm even remotely curious about is "Macross loading machines".

Sheryl Nome's always well and good, couldn't care less 'bout another background mook sheet, or the Macross 7 stuff... but I'm somewhat curious to see what the Chlore sheet has.

That sound you hear is my interest in buying the rest of Macross Chronicle plummeting. Where the hell is the variety... it's all SDF:M, 7, and Zero lately. There's a ton of Macross II stuff left uncovered (where's my Metal Siren, my Icarus, and my Valkyrie II B-sheet?), and even a decent amount of stuff from Macross Plus and Macross Frontier that could be covered instead.

'kay, mildly curious as to what's in this one...

What? Does chaff really deserve such coverage?

Hmmm...

Theres a good 15 issues to go. It will all be covered eventually. Try to think of it less on a per issue bassis and more like 1 complete overall set (binders).

I went through a similar stage with the Gundam Fact Files - and that went for 150 issues! But the set at the end of almost 3 years was well worth it :-D

And now for something completely different ...

Pizza Hut will be holding a Macross Frontier promotional campaign to tie in with the new theatrical release.

Theres a range of goods for those buying one medium size pizza or more including a special Macross Frontier pizza box, codes to download character voice samples, original PC and mobile phone wallpapers, etc.

20 special customers will also be chosen for a special prize.

5 people will win a poster signed by Kawamori.

5 people will win a Sherryl cap signed by Risa Ebata

10 people will win a 2010 calendar signed by Yuichi Nakamura, Aya Endo and Megumi Nakajima.

The campaign will run from November 9 to December 13.

Glad to see a Macross series (well, movie) getting such a mainstream promotion! Pizza boxes though...eeeew?

Exactly. Tochiro, that wasn't a rant at all. That was in fact THE best concert review I have ever read on any forum, PERIOD. Excellent job man

Tochiro are you native Japanese? If not, what ethnicity are you? I assume you speak fluent Japanese, and know your way around Japan? It must be pretty awesome living there bro.

I honestly would have seriously considered giving the middle finger to my job and go to Japan for the concert if I had known it would be THAT awesome. But not knowing Japanese at all and having never been there before, it would have definitely been a disadvantage to say the least

That is why they need to hold a Macross event of this magnitude in the US. Do it at the Anime Expo or Comic Con at least! It's just not fair that the rest of us missed out

I *WILL* say however, that I have been fortunate enough to meet several Macross people when they attended Anime Expo a few years ago. I was EXTREMELY lucky to meet Yoko Kanno when she attended AX back in I think '99. Got home video footage of her sitting down and talking to a roundtable of guests at the meet the guests reception, and then was able to attend her live piano concert recital the next day.

That was also the same weekend Mari Ijima attended AX, and I was lucky enough to meet her and got home videos of her chatting with fans at her Guests of Honor Panel, as well as her AX concert which was amazing! Saw her again at the Genghis Khan restaurant a couple weeks later too!

I also met the Japanese VA's for Myung and Isamu at Anime Expo....forgot what year it was, 2000 I think. Met Hikariku Mikimoto(sp?) the following year I think it was, and then met Shoji Kawamori during his AX visit as well where he signed my Macross TV series dvd box set. All of these guests are on home video too so I will cherish this footage for life! Lots of good times

So yeah, I've been fortunate enough to meet several people in the macross universe so it isn't all that bad. But going to that concert would have definitely topped all those things IMHO.

Nope, I'm definately not Japanese although I can fool the odd local on the phone every now and then, lol.

Originally from Australia, but have been in Japan for about 8 years now (honestly, I've kinda lost track ^^; )

And yes, I feel EXTREMELY lucky to be here during this point in time. A few years ago when Mac 0 came out it had minimal promotion and was not even on the radar of most casual anime fans. At that time I could never have predicted the sort of renewal and surge in popularity that Macross in general is getting now. Its a great time to be in Japan, but more than that its just a great time to be a Macross fan imo.

Having said that, those are some pretty awesome experiences you've listed there. The thing about Japan is that, although we get all the BIG events, theres hardly ever and meet and greets, signings or anything like that. So to be able to actually meet someone involved with Macross is a dream that will forever go unrealised for the vast majority of Japanese fans.

Sounds like you have some great memories from those events. Treasure them :-) Its a shame that, with the way the bulk of 'anime fandom' seems to be heading in the west, there is probably almost no chance of getting Macross-related guests at conventions anymore (at least, not like in the 90's).

If there was a signing session with Kanno or Mikimoto or Kawamori involved, Id be heading straight over to the US for a week!

Anyways, next up will be a FireBomber concert review at the end of the month! Keep an eye out for it ;-)

Really? You work in Pachinko?

(or just entertainment in general?)

That's kewl, I teach preschool...

Like I said somewhere else, I am only 1/2 otaku. I devour the shows, but I don't pay much attention to the sidestuff (unless it comes in a trading card booster pack! ).

Well could I tap your expertise one more time?

Is the Macross pachinko game exclusive to any of the chain shops, or is pretty much every big one gonna have it.

I must admit to a desire to try it.

I'd like to do what I did the other time I played pachinko- sit down, feed it 1000 yen and play till its gone.

Which is fine cause 1000 yen only last about 10 minutes(if you're lucky) and I was able to get out without having an asthma attack.

No, games arent usually exclusive to any one chain (that wouldnt be in the manufacturers best interests unless maybe they owned the stores in question) so you should be able to play the new Macross game pretty much at any parlour. Having said that, a FEW parlours 'specialize' completely in one or two titles - ie, theres a few Hokuto no Ken only parlours because its one of the best performing machines of all time. Also, some of the smaller local stores might not necessarily upgrade to newer machines as quickly or often as the bigger chain-parlours do.

@Jasonc - Getting one isnt totally out of the question but now would not be the best time to do so. Wait a year or two until the next big game comes along and there will be hundreds of Macross machines being sold off 2nd hand. An average machine costs approx. US$500 2nd hand. Then theres shipping, etc (as someone who has carried demo units to trade shows before I can tell ya that these things aint light!).

Getting one shipped overseas isnt impossible (Ive heard of people doing it) but keep in mind that you would have a LOT of gaming regulation forms etc to overcome since, by US standards, these could be used as gambling machines. That can make things decidedly more tricky.

Within Japan its pretty easy though - a friend of mine is a bit of a Stallone fan - and has THREE Rocky/Rambo themed machines in his apartment, lol.

Oops, sorry. Looks like only Ftama members can access the set list.

Sorry guys ^^;

Japanese concert report and track listing are up if anyone is interested

Track list

https://www.finn.ne.jp/contents/03368/event...over/index.html

Report (good pic on page 6)

https://www.finn.ne.jp/contents/03368/event.../report_01.html

Okay whatever you say.

And that's not the smart alec rolled eyes version, its the 'Huh really? Okay I'm wrong ' version.

I was only going by what gets plastered on the walls and doors of the places; when you see the same 'NEW MACHINE' posters for like 6 months in a row, I had come to assume that new licensed machines didn't come out very often, and were a much bigger deal. I stand corrected, and now know something I didn't, and learned it without having to go into one of those wretched places. so, thanks I guess

Glad I could be of some assistance.

Unfortunately I know far more about the topic than I want to. Thats what happens when you are in the industry

But if Maross wasn't popular, they wouldn't have bothered developing the machine.

Unlike trading card games, they don't pop out machines for every possible property and then see what sticks.

.....

You point about FotNS is good- it seems like only the best mid-tier properties get snatched up by pachinko.

You'll probably never see Gundam pachinko.

I'm just glad that Macross is back on the scene!

Actually, that is EXACTLY what happens. Pachinko/pachislot machines are relatively cheap to make and pretty much EVERYTHING gets thrown at the wall to see what sticks. You probably just dont notice because new titles come and go so quickly. Case in point - NADESICO and BATTLE ATHLETES recently got their own machines.

I mean heck, NANASE AIKAWA just got her own machine! I'm the only person in my office who remembers who she is! (was a fan in university).

Gundam? Gundam already had THREE Pachinko machines, one for each movie! hahahaha.

In the case of Macross, Im not saying that the popularity/recognition isnt there, but its the nostalgia factor that Sankyo wants to use to get people in intitially. Then, if the math behind the game is good, word of mouth woll spread.

Look at one of the most popular Pachinko machines ever - Evangelion. What was the biggest demographic playing the game? 40y/o+ females. I guarantee you this was not the market the game was originally pitched at. But word spread and a new market was created. This is what Sankyo is trying to do with Macross as well.

Tochiro, you are honestly the luckiest person I have ever met on a forum. Damn man, will anything else in your life top this? I know it wouldn't for me.

The fact that Hiroko Kasahara was there and sang Mouichido Love You....UN-FRIKKIN-BELIEVABLE!!!!! Plus Tomo Sakurai? I've always had a crush on her! How did she look? What's she been up to lately?

I would have given anything to be there. Dammit Dammit Dammit!!!! Why do these once in a life time events happen only in Japan? It's a shame. C'mon Bandai and Macross musicians....COME TO THE US FOR ONCE!!!!!!

Ahahaha, many thanks - it's really just that I was lucky to stick around in Japan for this long. The past 12 months have been full of AMAZING events: Mac F Concert, Yoko Kanno Concert, Macross Crossover, Gundam Soul G, and Firebomber Reunion in Nov. I dont expect any period to ever come close to 2009 again in terms of events, so I feel really fortunate to be here during this time. Fingers crossed I'll still be in Japan when 2012 rolls around ;-)

FYI, Sakurai looked good! Wish she was doing more regular mainstream anime these days.

You know its funny, compared to most of the prizes found in UFO Catchers - body pillows, moe themed bedsheets, etc, these Macross ones seemed positively normal to me.

Hadnt thought of the whole loli angle. Eegads, maybe Ive been here too long! ^^;

Actually, it doesnt have anything to do with Macross' popularity really. It works the other way around.

Ie, if the Pachinko is popular, a LOT of that money gets pumped back into Macross. This could have a really positive effect on getting some sort of new goods/anime made - I mean, Pachislot pretty much funded both the new Fist of the North Star movies (AND Raoh's funeral, lol), as well as the Evangelion rebuilds.

Sankyo is going all out for 2 reasons that I can see - to cash in on the greater general awareness of Macross that has resulted from Frontier's success; and to hit that sweet nostalgia spot with potential players who are now in their mid-late 30's.

Also, this is their big successor to Aquarion, which was huge for a while but then sunk without a trace.

With the industry being in a slump ever since the new regulations on Unit 5 machines in 2007, it will be interesting if this can pull in a new audience for parlour operators.

wow, thats pretty impressive!

I grabbed a starter set back when they came out but am not much of a card game fan. Got them more as a Macross collectible.

(Need to get me some of the posters that are up in most card shops for it)

But its great that others can now understand the game too!

Kudos!