You became a Macross fan because of ...

[Macross007]

Macross Plus for me. And you ?

Edited March 27, 2008 by Macross007

[misterryno]

Macross Plus for me. And you ?

You should add your vote.

DYRL for me.

Edited March 27, 2008 by misterryno

[UN Spacy]

Where's the Robotech option?

Seriously. That's how I became a fan of Macross.

[Macross007]

Where's the Robotech option?

Seriously. That's how I became a fan of Macross.

Done.

[Zinjo]

I was introduced to Macross through RT (although I knew of it before by the Model kits of the Valks I would find in certain hobby shops).

However, Macross Plus and Mac II are what inspired me to become a fan of the Franchise...

[miriya]

I used to watch Robotech Religiously when it first aired in the 80s. And out of the three, the Macross Saga won my heart. I still watched the Masters and the New Generation but it was the Macross that I really loved the most. So that is why I voted Robotech....

BUT, it was watching DYRL (some crazy old english dub) that got me interested in Macross and was the catalyst for me to watch the Nippon version of SDFM. And what opened me up to watching Mac+, and Mac0.

When it comes right down to the nitty gritty it was Shoji Kawamori's invention/design of the VF-1 that got me into macross. Seeing that VF-1D transform from a Jet Fighter into a Robot, that got me hooked. And of course I was into Transformers mainly becuase of Jetfire.

EDIT: By the way, I just have to mention that after watching the original SDFM in Japanese with english subtitles and DYRL too, I was a convert to macross and have for the most part denounced my Robotechism.

Edited March 27, 2008 by miriya

[MangledMess]

As much as I(or most Macross fans) hate it, RT is how I got to know what Macross is about.

But it was Macross Plus that REALLY turned me into a Macross fan. So there.

[Graham]

I got into Macross beacuse of all the hot female Macross groupies lusting after my body!

Nah, but seriously, it was the old Arii and Imai model kits that first got me into Macross back in 1983, when the kits were being imported into UK. The Takani box art and fantastic mecha designs blew me away. Made me want to see the anime they were from.

I didn't actually see any Macross until 1986, when I first got to watch DYRL on LD.

I was never exposed to (contaminated by ) Robotech and have only seen a handful of episodes.

Graham

[myk]

I became a Macross fan because I always enjoy a story involving aliens coming to Earth and attempting to wipe out the dumb human population...

Edited March 27, 2008 by myk

[ruskiiVFaussie]

Robotech, i don't even refer to that name, i just calls it the english dub. Good one at that too.

Brilliant as a kid and still brilliant now for nostalgia. Of course Macross TV series original is best.

But yeah, Robotech for me. Awesome as a kid.

[taksraven]

Of course the "Lets rubbish Robotech" line is popular in these forums. And there is a lot of validity in criticising a program that was a bastardised version of three different anime. (four if you count megazone)

BUT, (and I know that this has been argued before), without Robotech there simply would not be the Macross fanbase that there is now in the West, and that would have been really unfortunate. And for the simple fact that my life is certainly better and more enriched as a result of my being a Macross fan, I will always appreciate the fact that Robotech was created.

(I am not trying to unleash the fury of the Anti-Robotech crowd and I am not trying to say that I am a flag waving Robotech fan now, I am just stating my viewpoint).

Taksraven

"I used to be 'with it' - then they changed what 'it' is. Now what I'm with isn't 'it' anymore and what is 'it' is weird and scary to me... It will happen to you, too." - Abe Simpson

[Morpheus]

Minmay and Misa, need to say more?

[VFTF1]

I voted SDC M...

But the real truth is that I got into Macross via the Palladium Robotech Role Playing games.

I never in my life watched any Robotech, because it simply wasn't broadcast in my area of the US, but there was a fellow in my elementary school who got us together and we would role play Robotech.

I really liked the seriousness of the paladium games, the mech designs and remember spending many fun recesses role playing Robotech.

If there is ANYTHING that encouraged me to seek out the source material - it is the exitement of those role playing games...

I remember that the first Japanese Macross I saw was later, as a college student - I watched Macross Plus on video...

Then - what FINAAALLY got me full time into Macross was...Yamato.

When I saw the care and attention to detail they put into their 1/48s I just thought to myself - geez - there must be something reaaaaallllyyy special about this anime that people want to cherish it so much that there is demand for something like this...

And so I watched all of SDF M and was hooked immediately!

VFTF1

[akt_m]

I watched the original macross, dubbed in portuguese, but with all the original songs.

Edited March 27, 2008 by akt_m

[Dio]

I'm yet another one of those Robotech kids who dug deeper later in life (better access, better resources) and found the wealth of Macross available to me.

[MisaForever]

Hmmm I voted for SDF Macross but I probably should have voted for Robotech since that's what I saw first. Oh well, the original basically since I'm really old and stuff

[Mr March]

Being introduced by Robotech is not necessarily the same thing as that which made you a Macross fan. It may have been for some, but not me. I saw Robotech first as well, but had long since abandoned it because it didn't hold my interest. It was very weak when seen as an adult and didn't hold up that well at all. It was Macross Plus that got me back into Macross. That made me go after the original SDF Macross series (Animeigo pre-order, baby!) and more of the sequels. If it weren't for Macross Plus, it's likely I wouldn't have got back into Macross at all.

[Duke Togo]

I may be one of the few who wasn't much of a Macross fan coming out of Robotech. I was a big MOSPEADA fan. It wasn't until I saw DYRL around '91 that I really got into Macross.

[Garou Kuroryuu]

Robotech.

It was aired in 87 here in Mexico, Macross Saga hooked me up totally, and some years later I was able to get a hold of a copied DYRL dubbed VHS. Then I started my quest to get my hands on the original series. Only last year I was able to get Animeigo's boxset with the complete original series and the special boxset for DYRL.

The cycle has been closed.

[Gubaba]

Yep, Robotech, in 1985. But I had a magazine that came with the L.A. Times from '84 that had an article about robot toys and they showed a Valkyrie and said it was from Macross. So when I saw "Codename: Robotech," I knew it was Macross.

Some of the toy shops near my house had a lot of imported model kits (Macross, Orguss, Dorvack, Galvion...) and I started picking those up, and slowly learning the real names of the characters and mecha.

Then, in 1986, one of my friends got an nth generaton dupe of DYRL...I copied it from him, and I never looked back.

[MacrossMan]

None of the above. After getting my son a few Transformers and the V-Bot for Christmas last year, I started looking for Jetfire on Ebay. After I saw how much he was going for I ran across knock off version called "Joon Macross". I though it was a bargain so I purchased it. I then started researching all this "Macross stuff with Japanese writing". This lead me back to Robotech which then lead me back to the Macross World forums. My eyes were opened when I viewed members collections and starting reading the information posted. That was early January. Hundreds of dollars later I am still in awe by the toys and the Macross story. Just purchased the DYRL Movie on DVD with English subtitles and can't wait to see it. I have the Macross Plus DVD set and have watched some of Macross Zero on YouTube. Especially interested in Macross Frontier after seeing some of the fighters.

[robodragon]

Robotech in 85 for me too. I didn't even know Macross existed until I got in my late 20's and started collecting Robotech toys. Now I have many Macross and very few Robotech toys. Robotech is definitely Parkay and not the real butter that Macross is.

[Macross007]

I became a Macross fan because I always enjoy a story involving aliens coming to Earth and attempting to wipe out the dumb human population...

So SDF Macross introduced to the Macross universe and you became a fan, I guess ?

Edited March 27, 2008 by Macross007

[RichterX]

Robotech, I always only liked and understood the first part, later learned it was Macross and watch M+ and M7 later on bought a 1/60 Vf-1a and the VF-11B of Yamato and came across the forums researching on the hip breakage problem.

[s001]

Robotech.

It was aired in 87 here in Mexico, Macross Saga hooked me up totally, and some years later I was able to get a hold of a copied DYRL dubbed VHS. Then I started my quest to get my hands on the original series. Only last year I was able to get Animeigo's boxset with the complete original series and the special boxset for DYRL.

The cycle has been closed.

Hey I'm from Guadalajara too! But now I live in Irapuato. I watched Robotech for the first time back in '89 or '90 It was my favorite show ever! Then I watched DYRL back in 2000 more or less (a VCD copy, poor quality, with the Papacha Anime spanish subs) and I almost crapped my pants! Macross Flashback a few monts later (I almost cried like a little girl at the end) then Macross Plus, I skipped Mac 7, then zero, Macrossworld, Yamato stuff, bla bla bla... and now I'm a total addict.

By the way the latin dub of Robotech is the best of the best. Amazing voice actors. ¿A poco no? Oye ¿sabes si allá en GDL se consiguen mejores cosas o de plano me tengo que resignar a MERCADOLIBRE?

[Gerli]

Yep.. Robotech too....

It was aired in Argentina in.. ¿1985? and when I start looking for merchandising and info, eventually found the Macross universe...

[Sergorn]

Well obviously - Robotech.

I really fell in love with the series as a kid when they aired it in France in the '80 - and of course particularily with the Macross Saga. I always felt Robotech Masters was the poorer of the bunch though I liked Mospeada quite a lot too (hey the Veritech were back !). To be honest the first I heard that Robotech was just three different series mixed up together... I thought it was a bunch of crap

My first real taste of Macross was in 93, when we got a release of DYRL here... though the french version (unlike Robotech which had an excellent dub) was soso... with a totaly off translation, with weird names (Hikaru became Hikari, Minmay became Migmei, Focker became Foster :-P)... but that was still a blast... i was blown away by the animation and the film... so I guess that's when I became an actual "Macross" fans. One year later we also got to see Macross II and Macross Plus and I enjoyed the eck of both of them at the time.

But while DYRL gave my first real taste of Macross, it really is Robotech which made a fan, I was a huge fan of the Macross Saga (I watched every episodes over and over) and learning it was part of another license license is what made me want to check out the other Macross stuff (even if now I'm not sure I could watch Robotech anymore after tasting the original series)

-Sergorn

[ruskiiVFaussie]

i remember seeing DYRL? for the first time, it was the english dub (only version we had released by our local comic store)

and my friend bought it and suprised me... omg God has blessed us with this unbelievebly awesome movie,

we must have watched it 3 times straight that night. I eventually bought it the same week and since then i have

transferred it onto DVD (professionally) so i can relive it.

Yes i know, the original was the best, but coz it was the first time i seen DYRL? the dub version is still loved by me.

It was the Clash of the Bionoids with the uncut stuff, not that gay release where stuff was cut out.

Also i really liked the song minny was singing (in english) where Misa and Hikky were on earth in the VT-1, at the time

it was errie and sad, lots of emotions that song held. Love my dub version and original.

And of course Macros Plus series followed, could it get any better??? Then the movie version, omg.

Haven't watched Macross 7 yet coz still waiting for the marathon, Macross Zero was godly.

Next Generation was 2nd fav as a kid, just bought the dvd set of Mospeada, so now i can relive it in originaly glory.

Edited March 27, 2008 by ruskiiVFaussie

[MasterOfPuppets]

Couple years ago I saw a 1/48 VF-1 and I had to have one. I was also familiar with the VF-1 design already because of TF Jetfire. So I bought a 1/48 VF-1J and proceeded to watch the source anime, SDF Macross. Loved it.

[Zinjo]

BUT, (and I know that this has been argued before), without Robotech there simply would not be the Macross fanbase that there is now in the West, and that would have been really unfortunate. And for the simple fact that my life is certainly better and more enriched as a result of my being a Macross fan, I will always appreciate the fact that Robotech was created.

(I am not trying to unleash the fury of the Anti-Robotech crowd and I am not trying to say that I am a flag waving Robotech fan now, I am just stating my viewpoint).

Taksraven

That's a common RT indoctrination, but the fact is that Macross was alive and well in Anime circles before the "Macross Saga" aired, primarily in the form of DYRL.

I'd suspect about half of the members of this board were first exposed to Macross via Rt, but the old school ones like me first encountered it on a very grainy VHS, unsubbed tape of DYRL. Rt managed to flesh out "a" story for us, eventhough we felt the animation was substandard compared to the movie, we loved the story.

By the early 90's Rt was essentially dead with the exception of the printed media. It began to die off when the Sentinels failed to go into production.

Then Macross II and Macross Plus came out and we fell in love all over again. Thank you Manga Entertainment!

Rt really didn't start to resurge until HG released the show on home video and it really began to take off with DVDs around 1999. It was then that HG started to try to trademark the name "Macross", then BigWest and HG stalemated on that front until 2003 when BW let it's guard down after winning it's IP rights in Japan and HG snuck in and trademarked the name "Macross" (fatal error on BW part).

Now there are Rt fanboys who have honestly convinced themselves that Rt came first and Macross was a Japanese dub of the show.

I would guess that about 90 -95% of the Rt fanbase would list "The Macross Saga" as their favorite part of the trilogy. Has Rt furthered the popularity of Macross, even in it's bastardized form? Yes, however it hardly is responsible for the popularity of Macross worldwide.

Rt was and still remains primarily an American invention, pandering to American audiences (with latino and chinese offshoots). Asian countries and European countries were able to get the show unaltered, if it was distributed there.

This (as of yet) undisputed trademark of HG and the BW IP rights are the main reasons why the SC is based on Mospeada and that Frontier no longer has the trademark UNSpacy kites. The "Macross" name is conspicuously absent from animation and instead only seen as "M" as in M25. It may be refered to in the dialogue or subtitle texts, but both of those can be easily altered for an international release.

If HG had a live and let live attitude toward Macross productions, most here would likely do the same, however HG has actively tried to block every import of Macross branded merchandise and animation ever since 2003. The fact that HG also tells all and sundry that it owns rights to the Macross franchise that they could never prove in court. This misinformation is another reason for the resentment among Macross fans.

Hence the general resentment on these boards of the show and particularly it's owner...

Edited March 28, 2008 by Zinjo

[Mr March]

I will say this (as a Macross fan who dislikes Robotech, so take my opinion for what it's worth); the historical significance of Robotech in helping to popularize anime in North America is set. Right or wrong, Robotech helped put anime on the map for NA children of the 80's. Yet granting Macek, HG and Robotech their due credit (begrudgingly), I think far too many older anime fans exaggerate the importance of Robotech in the grand scheme of things. Robotech was popular, it did help popularize anime "in it's time" and yes, there is a significant nostalgia following to this day. But that's pretty much all it is; a nostalgia following. Robotech followed up it's popularity with virtually nothing. An ill-conceived bargain bin sequel, a few wasted efforts and RPG games and finally long years of absolutely nothing. Even to this day fans are fed Shadow Chronicles; a mediocre show using decade old CGI and 20 year old mecha designs. Not exactly innovative, imaginative product.

Robotech was no where to be found during the next great push for anime in North America, post-1980s. It was Pokemon, Sailor Moon, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Cowboy Bebop, Ninja Scroll, Gundam Wing, Ghost in the Shell and (ironically) Macross Plus along with a host of other such titles that sent North American anime into the 1990's era of far greater popularity. Only after the fact was a sequel finally released. Robotech was never the "Major pop culture icon of anime" that fans like to claim. It never spawned new NA animation or influenced later works. It didn't advance the art form of NA animation or spark a new creative movement. It didn't create a new business model or become the blockbuster birth for anime. Every indication counts it as a fad, an important fad, but a fad nonetheless. The vast majority of current anime fandom doesn't even know Robotech and has never seen it, in contrast to the awareness fans have for true pop culture icons of their respective art forms.

Having said all that, I will agree that live and let live is the best policy. I just want my Macross and to hell with Robotech. The resentment from Macross fans, as Zinjib so accurately wrote above, stems from the fact that HG couldn't see fit to do the same.

[Gerli]

but the old school ones like me first encountered it on a very grainy VHS, unsubbed tape of DYRL.

Or Dubbed, with "Macross: La Ciudad Robot" (Macross: The Robot City") as Title

[Gubaba]

I essentially agree with Mr March and Zinjo.

Robotech was good for what it was...as far as brining anime over with the essentials unchanged, Star Blazers was there first, but Robotech was still ahead of its time. As soon as anime started appearing direct-to-video in the early '90s, Robotech became a relic.

But hostility towards Robotech...yeah, I've felt it, but it's only recently that I've been asking myself why. I can't speak for anyone else, but for me, it comes from a few sources:

First, once I started uncovering the original stories, I felt like Robotech had lied to me (give me a break! I was 12), sanitizing and westernizing something that, at its core, was far stranger and more fascinating, as well as telling me that this goofy chick was the blonde afro was really Max and Miriya's daughter, and that Rick Hunter would command the destruction of the earth. I didn't buy it. Then I found out I didn't have to.

Second, Robotech fanboys. I remember having a conversation in Books Nippan (back when it was still on Sixth Street, so this would have been '89 or '90) with some guy who was telling me that the Southern Cross Army must have sucked, since, not only could they not defeat the Invid, Robotech didn't even show them trying. I said that it didn't really matter, since they were separate shows originally. He wouldn't listen, and kept trying to figure out how the Southern Cross guys failed so miserably. It was like we were speaking two different languages. And since the creation of the internet, it's only gotten worse.

Third, when the Robotech perfect Collection tapes started coming out, I snapped them up...and found that watching the Japanese shows was fine, but Robotech simply made me feel embarrassed. Could I really have loved this so much? Clunky dialogue, much too heavy on exposition, whole scenes cut out for no reason I could fathom. I cringed, and couldn't continue watching.

Fourth, HG blocking Macross toys and models, but that didn't affect me too much. I always found places that had them. But the fact that HG went out of their way to do it left me with a bad taste in my mouth.

Lately, though, I've been more tolerant of it. I still kind of shake my head at the thought that someone would look more forward to Shadow Chronicles than Macross F, but there's no accounting for taste. I do kind of wish the Robotech franchise would die, because then I'm guessing there would be more Macross for everyone, but if HG wants to be jerks about it, let them. Like most of us, I have alternative ways to get the Macross stuff I want. And I'll gladly vote with my wallet for Macross whenever I can.

[Lakan]

This (as of yet) undisputed trademark of HG and the BW IP rights are the main reasons why the SC is based on Mospeada and that Frontier no longer has the trademark UNSpacy kites. The "Macross" name is conspicuously absent from animation and instead only seen as "M" as in M25. It may be refered to in the dialogue or subtitle texts, but both of those can be easily altered for an international release.

WTH??!?! No more UN Spacy Logo on the oncoming Macross F? What a bummer!

[Lakan]

oh I forgot to answer the topic, I was first exposed to Macross by RT but I already knew back then (mid 90's) that it was just a syndicated english dubbed japanese anime.. But I still loved it not knowing theres a big difference between the RT and the orginal SDF Macross.. Fortunately though the only part I watched on RT was Macross Saga.