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Robotech and HG License Debates


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If only it were that simple... or that amusing.

Lisa DID appear in Robotech: Prelude to the Shadow Chronicles. The Haruhiko Mikimoto design (Misa Hayase) was replaced by a hopelessly generic-looking woman with her hair done up in a simple ponytail.

They changed Mikimoto's charater design. :ph34r: No wonder Robotech has gone down the drain. Mess with Mikimoto's designs and god will smite thee according to the guys at Destroy all Podcast.

I guess they decided that she wasn't worth the effort, so she gets seriously wounded early in the comic and spends most of the miniseries recovering, only to quit the military and become a member of the "Sentinels Council" instead, neatly getting her out of the way so they'd be able to minimize the number of VAs they'd have to call back.

Its funny how Robotech has drastically changed their charaters to act out of charater such as forcing Lisa the military girl to quit while Macross on the other hand simply says they flew off into the sunset The End... npw lets introduce some new orginal charters.

Robotech will never stand on it's own while it uses someone else's designs and lacks the originality to stand on its own.

A close friend and I were actually discussing this the other day, more so about how the future of Robotech lies on the LAM. According to a HG staffer he knows (he wouldn't let me know who, but I do trust my friend) for the LAM the plan is:to do a trilogy about the war (and possibly reconstruction) with the Zentradi. Whats more they hope to this with the designs and story as close to the original Robotech: The Macross Saga. In the words of my close friend "They want to make a Live Action DYRL trilogy except with the name Robotech." We all know about the dispute between BW and HG. Well according to my friend's source HG is trying to put WB smack dab in the middle of negotiations and are considering exchanging several trademark rights in exchange for rights for designs and story in the LAMs. Supposedly the biggest worry isn't about BW agreeing to negotiate with WB, but about the guys at WB deciding that the Robotech movie isn't worth the legal trouble and scraping the project.

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A close friend and I were actually discussing this the other day, more so about how the future of Robotech lies on the LAM. According to a HG staffer he knows (he wouldn't let me know who, but I do trust my friend) for the LAM the plan is:to do a trilogy about the war (and possibly reconstruction) with the Zentradi. Whats more they hope to this with the designs and story as close to the original Robotech: The Macross Saga. In the words of my close friend "They want to make a Live Action DYRL trilogy except with the name Robotech." We all know about the dispute between BW and HG. Well according to my friend's source HG is trying to put WB smack dab in the middle of negotiations and are considering exchanging several trademark rights in exchange for rights for designs and story in the LAMs. Supposedly the biggest worry isn't about BW agreeing to negotiate with WB, but about the guys at WB deciding that the Robotech movie isn't worth the legal trouble and scraping the project.

Wow. If that story's true (no offense...I'm just a natural skeptic about these things), that could actually be good for Big West. Renegotiating the deal could work in their favor.

That said, it sounds like HG is trying to play WB ("Here, YOU talk to them!"), which is kind of like a gnat trying to push an elephant up a hill. WB is bigger, stronger, smarter, wealthier, AND better-looking than HG. It won't work.

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I'm still amazed that they made the VF-1R as a variation based solely on one appearance in the original series. I don't even recall ever seeing it in my various re-watchings of SDF:M.

Even harder to believe that they had a mecha from Orguss make an appearance in the episode "Force of Arms" (check out Protoculture Addicts #6 for more information about this little tidbit).

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Wow. If that story's true (no offense...I'm just a natural skeptic about these things), that could actually be good for Big West. Renegotiating the deal could work in their favor.

That said, it sounds like HG is trying to play WB ("Here, YOU talk to them!"), which is kind of like a gnat trying to push an elephant up a hill. WB is bigger, stronger, smarter, wealthier, AND better-looking than HG. It won't work.

If that is the case, WB could easily ends making a Macross's movie instead of Robotech

I like the idea xD

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If that is the case, WB could easily ends making a Macross's movie instead of Robotech

I like the idea xD

Same here. I am also hoping that Chris Nolan steps in and directs Robotech. According to an earlier statement by Chuck Roven, Chris Nolan wants to film Robotech in IMAX. Considering his great application of the Batman Mythology to Begins and the Dark Knight I definitely want him to do the Robotech LAM. Hopefully he has watched the Macross SDF and DYRL to see how the "Real Robotech Creators" portrayed things ex, the Itano Circus. Can you imagine how awesome it would be to see an itano circus in IMAX!

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As for the VF-1R, I think it was called the YF-1R for Robotech. Don't quote me on that. I never understood why it was even made as a Robotech canon veritech. What they should've done is simply redo the fastpack armor or even do something like the Platypus Valkyrie custom.

Nope, not anymore.

Right around the time Robotech: Battlecry first came out, the Infopedia listed it as the YF-1R, which is what the game calls it too. Right around the time the Jack Archer MPC was released, it was changed to "VF-1R" in the Infopedia.

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Wow. If that story's true (no offense...I'm just a natural skeptic about these things), that could actually be good for Big West. Renegotiating the deal could work in their favor.

That said, it sounds like HG is trying to play WB ("Here, YOU talk to them!"), which is kind of like a gnat trying to push an elephant up a hill. WB is bigger, stronger, smarter, wealthier, AND better-looking than HG. It won't work.

Wouldn't it be cool if BW and WB work out a deal, and exclude HG? (Or give them a finder's fee, at best).

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Wouldn't it be cool if BW and WB work out a deal, and exclude HG? (Or give them a finder's fee, at best).

All of this is beginning to sound like a Macross fans dream come true...which is enough to make me pretty sure nothing will come of it. ^_^

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Even harder to believe that they had a mecha from Orguss make an appearance in the episode "Force of Arms" (check out Protoculture Addicts #6 for more information about this little tidbit).

The Orguss Valkyrie was in "Love Goes Away" and "Farewell to Tenderness." What's "Force of Arms"?

And how can you be addicted to Protoculture? Didn't they all die out eons ago?

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The Orguss Battroid appearing in SDF:M isn't that big a surprise considering that many of the staff members of Studio Nue worked on both series. However, turning an animation error into an actual aircraft is quite a surprise.

"Force of Arms" is the Robotech title of "Love Goes Away".

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If that is the case, WB could easily ends making a Macross's movie instead of Robotech

I like the idea xD

I don't know, Hollywood's approach to an adaption of anything recently has left much to be desired. Since HG made a big deal about Robotech on the big screen, they should take the plunge first and let it backfire on them like always.

The Orguss Battroid appearing in SDF:M isn't that big a surprise considering that many of the staff members of Studio Nue worked on both series. However, turning an animation error into an actual aircraft is quite a surprise.

I remember either the RPG books or online fans making the Orguss Battroid part of Robotech as well just for that appearance.

Edited by Einherjar
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"Force of Arms" is the Robotech title of "Love Goes Away".

Yeah, I know. I always do that. "Who's Rick Hunter?" "What's a Veritech?"

Just my annoying little way of reminding the RT fans where they are and what show we're discussing...even if this is the Robotech thread. :p

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Wow. If that story's true (no offense...I'm just a natural skeptic about these things), that could actually be good for Big West. Renegotiating the deal could work in their favor.

No offense to you, Freiflug, but it sounds like BS to me... similar rumors, all started by fans who "heard it from a friend", have been flying around ever since Harmony Gold announced that Maguire Entertainment got the rights to make a live-action Robotech movie.

We have it, from no less a person than Tommy Yune himself, that Harmony Gold approached Big West not too long ago to talk about Macross rights and licensing, and that Big West told 'em to go pound sand. I very much doubt that they'd change their minds just because Harmony Gold is asking indirectly through Warner Bros. I can't imagine them having any possible incentive to want to see the movie succeed... especially when you consider their long-running squabble with Tatsunoko, and the fact that we've yet to see a live-action anime adaptation that could be called a success with a straight face.

Edited by Seto Kaiba
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I liked the Robotech novels... but not End of the Circle. That one was awfulawful.

I find it particularly obnoxious, since the branch of Macross I'm researching (the alternate universe) already has a "VF-1R", and every time I talk about it I have to qualify it with "no, not the Robotech one".

Ahhh, 2036.

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[...]

We have it, from no less a person than Tommy Yune himself, that Harmony Gold approached Big West not too long ago to talk about Macross rights and licensing, and that Big West told 'em to go pound sand. I very much doubt that they'd change their minds just because Harmony Gold is asking indirectly through Warner Bros. I can't imagine them having any possible incentive to want to see the movie succeed... especially when you consider their long-running squabble with Tatsunoko, and the fact that we've yet to see a live-action anime adaptation that could be called a success with a straight face.

Do you have anymore information on that? I've read in an interview with Yune that HG would be prepared to cooperate with bringing Macross sequels on the US market. However HG actually innitiating contact with BW and a subsequent refusal by BW is new to me.

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No offense to you, Freiflug, but it sounds like BS to me... similar rumors, all started by fans who "heard it from a friend", have been flying around ever since Harmony Gold announced that Maguire Entertainment got the rights to make a live-action Robotech movie.

We have it, from no less a person than Tommy Yune himself, that Harmony Gold approached Big West not too long ago to talk about Macross rights and licensing, and that Big West told 'em to go pound sand. I very much doubt that they'd change their minds just because Harmony Gold is asking indirectly through Warner Bros.

None taken. While my friend has never lied to me, I have nothing to go by on the reliability of his source plus I figured it was old news when my friend told me that the last time he talked to the HG Staff was nearly a year ago. I do believe though that the WB negotaitons for rights over making a loyal adaption of the Macross saga is accurate was HG's plan with great expectations, but its actual success is another story. If BW has indeed turned down the offer over Macross rights and licensing then I doubt there is little that WB can do as well.

Personally considering that the last time WB spend millions to stay as loyal as possible to look of the source material they got Watchmen which was an utter failure with the mainstream audience I think that WB will either shoot for a readaption of Robotech to avoid legal conflict or pack up rather then continuing to fight for rights.

and the fact that we've yet to see a live-action anime adaptation that could be called a success with a straight face.

Move makers go by the dollar signs and consider Dragonball Evolution and Transformers a financial success thanks to a large fanbase going to the theaters. In Robotech's case I think having a small fanbase amoung younger fans could be taken advantage of. Rather then trying to stay loyal to the source material of the cartoon that few remember from the 80s all WB has to do is make and market it as BSG with fancy transforming fighters and ships. Hardcore RT and Macross fans will complain, but sci-fi fans hungry for mpre BSG might flock to theaters.

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Nope, not anymore.

Right around the time Robotech: Battlecry first came out, the Infopedia listed it as the YF-1R, which is what the game calls it too. Right around the time the Jack Archer MPC was released, it was changed to "VF-1R" in the Infopedia.

They should've kept it YF-1R; sounds more experimental and more special to the other Valks.

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Move makers go by the dollar signs and consider Dragonball Evolution and Transformers a financial success thanks to a large fanbase going to the theaters. In Robotech's case I think having a small fanbase amoung younger fans could be taken advantage of. Rather then trying to stay loyal to the source material of the cartoon that few remember from the 80s all WB has to do is make and market it as BSG with fancy transforming fighters and ships. Hardcore RT and Macross fans will complain, but sci-fi fans hungry for mpre BSG might flock to theaters.

Alot will probably depend on the success of James Cameron's Avatar, Battle Angel.

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The Orguss Valkyrie was in "Love Goes Away" and "Farewell to Tenderness." What's "Force of Arms"?

And how can you be addicted to Protoculture? Didn't they all die out eons ago?

I was referring to the English Robotech name for the episode (I have yet to see the original Macross series, having trouble hunting down all 6 of the ADV DVD's and all).

Protoculture Addicts is the title of the official Robotech fanzine (a referance to protoculture being a fuel source in the Robotech sereis).

Edited by Wanzerfan
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I was referring to the English Robotech name for the episode (I have yet to see the original Macross series, having trouble hunting down all 6 of the ADV DVD's and all).

Protoculture Addicts is the title of the official Robotech fanzine (a referance to protoculture being a fuel source in the Robotech sereis).

Yeah, I know. <_< As I said on the previous page:

Yeah, I know. I always do that. "Who's Rick Hunter?" "What's a Veritech?"

Just my annoying little way of reminding the RT fans where they are and what show we're discussing...even if this is the Robotech thread. :p

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Can anyone just get a:

"yeah the LAM, it's proceeding but we know little else at this time"

OR

"looks like things have stalled on the LAM for now"

???

Well according to Mr. Kevin Mckeever everything is proceeding smoothly (despite the fact that there's no new news about the RLAM's current state) :p

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Alot will probably depend on the success of James Cameron's Avatar, Battle Angel.

Alot more so on Battle Angel since its actually based from an anime series. Cameron's Avator is its own original sci-fi story that in his own words is based on "every single science fiction book I read as a kid." ~http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avatar_(film)

Unlike Robotech or Battle Angel there is no established fan base or early material to draw from for a film like Avatar. The directors James Cameron and Chris Nolan though have both made the highest grossing films in history: Titantic and The Dark Knight. Planned properly though I think a Robotech LAM could easily be made cheaper then Avatar's $200 million budget if big name actors are not casted. Most of Avatars budget is being spent on motion capture CG to turn the actors into CG aliens like this: http://www.iwatchstuff.com/2007/11/avatar_...exy_dayglow.php. As for Robotech portraying humans as giants is a snap thanks to green screens and animating rigid objects in space realistically like mecha and battleships is a lot easier then animating CG aliens.

Edited by Freiflug88
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Is there any info or update on the live action Robotech movie by Toby?

Would ask in the original thread, but it's been closed...

Aside from the fact that one of the producers was reassigned to a different project by WB, the only tidbits that've come out are that Maguire Entertainment got the rights to the live-action movie, and that it was a "re-imagining".

Personally considering that the last time WB spend millions to stay as loyal as possible to look of the source material they got Watchmen which was an utter failure with the mainstream audience I think that WB will either shoot for a readaption of Robotech to avoid legal conflict or pack up rather then continuing to fight for rights.

Yeah, that'd be in line with what little official information has been made available... Maguire Entertainment and Warner intend to make a "re-imagining" of the Robotech story, not a faithful adaptation.

Can anyone just get a:

"yeah the LAM, it's proceeding but we know little else at this time"

OR

"looks like things have stalled on the LAM for now"

Well, if you talk to Kevin McKeever, about all you'll get is "yeah, they're working on the live-action movie" followed by "you can tell they're working hard because we don't have anything to show for it".

In retrospect, it seems like Harmony Gold and 3DRealms must've been following the same marketing strategy... here's hoping they'll meet the same fate.

Well according to Mr. Kevin Mckeever everything is proceeding smoothly (despite the fact that there's no new news about the RLAM's current state) :p

McKeever's word isn't worth the kilobyte of so of database space it took to post it.

Edited by Seto Kaiba
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In retrospect, it seems like Harmony Gold and 3DRealms must've been following the same marketing strategy... here's hoping they'll meet the same fate.

We all are until the Robotech Forever footage is leaked twelves years from now and blows all our expectations away.

McKeever's word isn't worth the kilobyte of so of database space it took to post it.

Everyone knows that everything on the Internet is free and 90% trash.

Edited by Freiflug88
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I can vouch for part of Freiflug's post about the movie. They definitely are going for a Macross Saga era movie. As far as a trilogy idea. I'm sure that's been thrown around as something they'd like to do, but it seems like they're just trying to figure out if they even want to make the first part. The problem with the all that, again, is the BW HG issue.

I share the sentiments of hoping WB gets Macross items and shows over here, but has WB ever gon this route before, or stepped into the "anime realm" in distribution? That I don't know. It'd be cool to have a Macross Frontier, Macross Zero in a good dub hit the states. I don't expect it to happen either, as I don't really think Tommy would like having Macross come over here. I think they just do the whole "if we could get it over here, we would" in regards to Macross to get the Macross fans off their back. Macross does provide some competition for Robotech, so having them have that out, or having a big corp. like WB bring it over wouldn't necessarily help the Robotech franchise too much.

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Not sure if this counts as news or anything

Sgt. frog

Does Hg actually get profits from that or no? If so does mean Hg can say we did something with the franchise so we still keep the rights.

To those who asked: No, i'm not a robotech.com mod/admin, also not "Gubaba", i'm just who i am, Robotechfanplus!!!!

:lol:

Am I the only one who finds that funny? pulled from that idiots channel.

Edited by BeyondTheGrave
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I can vouch for part of Freiflug's post about the movie. They definitely are going for a Macross Saga era movie.

Even though they cannot legally do so?

How is that vouching working out for you?

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Even though they cannot legally do so?

How is that vouching working out for you?

HG probably couldn't make it happen, but Warner Bros. is a world-wide money-making entertainment machine. You think Big West could stand up against them...?

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I share the sentiments of hoping WB gets Macross items and shows over here, but has WB ever gon this route before, or stepped into the "anime realm" in distribution?

One could argue that Batman Gotham Knight is "anime" that was commissioned by WB. I got the idea that WB has zero plans of distributing Macross series themselves in America and justed wanted to negotiate with Big West over the Macross designs for LAM.

I don't expect it to happen either, as I don't really think Tommy would like having Macross come over here. I think they just do the whole "if we could get it over here, we would" in regards to Macross to get the Macross fans off their back. Macross does provide some competition for Robotech, so having them have that out, or having a big corp. like WB bring it over wouldn't necessarily help the Robotech franchise too much.

One thing I have been considering is that HG has given up on the Robotech franchise and just wants to bank in with a mainstream Robotech LAM and leave the Robotech franchise at that. Keep in mind Tommy and Kevin are just the figureheads that we deal with it on Robotech.com, the high-ups at HG probably don't give a damn about Robotech when they have more success with their live action catalog and real estates deals. The heads of HG surely wouldn't think twice about letting Big West have the Macross trademarks in exchange for allowing WB to produce a Live Action Robotech: Macross Saga trilogy that could make much more money for them in several years then continuing Robotech: The Shadow Series at a snails pace ever will. Plus, its not like HG has put the Macross trademarks to any real use except for selling a few Macross toys on there website.

As for Macross providing some competition from Robotech, I would say that is an understatement. Robotech animation doesn't have anything against its Macross counterparts. Anime fans will watch Macross Frontier because its an interesting show on its own, where as fans will watch Shadow Chronicles out of either nostalgia and/or out of curiosity. The writing is on the wall that the Robotech monopoly is in legal terms only, the reality is that due to the usual fansub channels anime fans are choosing Macross over Robotech.

Even though they cannot legally do so?

How is that vouching working out for you?

What I meant, and I sure JasonC means as well is that HG and WB are hoping for a Macross Saga trilogy by ironing the legal issues out with Big West. We never said they were definitely making a Macross Saga trilogy.

Edited by Freiflug88
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HG probably couldn't make it happen, but Warner Bros. is a world-wide money-making entertainment machine. You think Big West could stand up against them...?

Legally, yes. Easily.

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Legally, yes. Easily.

That would be nice...but, well, we'll see, I guess. If this movie gets some serious traction, that is.

I always assume that any huge conglomerate could crush anything like a small anime production studio, but I could be wrong.

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