History Trivia / Macross

*** In 2017, as part of lead-up for the latest stage in the ''Battletech'' case, Harmony Gold took Tatsunoko into arbitration, to reaffirm their legal position ready for the case... '''and lost!''' While Harmony Gold had initially been forced to release ''Macross'' back to Tatsunoko in 2021, news emerged in July 2019 that they managed to [[http://amp.denofgeek.com/us/tv/robotech/282027/the-robotechmacross-license-has-been-extended-exclusive hammer out an amended deal with Tatsunoko]] that extended that agreement until an unspecified date, to the utter dismay of Macross fans worldwide, with ''another'' blow dealt when Funimation announced that they too were getting rights to the ''Robotech'' franchise in October 2019.
*** Practically at the same time Harmony Gold were meant to lose the license to Macross forever, Big West, Studio Nue, and Harmony Gold instead announced that they [[https://macross.jp/b2b/ had finally come to an agreement in regards to both the Macross and Robotech franchises,]] allowing for both the international release of most of the later ''Macross'' series and films as well as the Japanese release of the upcoming ''Robotech'' film. Unsurprisingly, a year later, [[https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2022-07-02/right-stuf-nozomi-ent-to-release-macross-7-on-home-video-in-n-america-for-1st-time/.187292 virtually]] [[https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2022-07-01/macross-plus-macross-ii-anime-offered-overseas-on-blu-ray-disc/.187281 everything]] [[https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2022-07-01/macross-frontier-macross-delta-anime-offered-on-home-video-outside-japan/.187277 post-SDF]] got picked up for US and other international distribution.

*** In 2017, as part of lead-up for the latest stage in the Battletech case, Harmony Gold took Tatsunoko into arbitration, to reaffirm their legal position ready for the case... '''and lost!''' While Harmony Gold had initially been forced to release ''Macross'' back to Tatsunoko in 2021, news emerged in July 2019 that they managed to [[http://amp.denofgeek.com/us/tv/robotech/282027/the-robotechmacross-license-has-been-extended-exclusive hammer out an amended deal with Tatsunoko]] that extended that agreement until an unspecified date, to the utter dismay of Macross fans worldwide, with ''another'' blow dealt when Funimation announced that they too were getting rights to the ''Robotech'' franchise in October 2019.

*** In 2017, as part of lead-up for the latest stage in the Battletech case, Harmony Gold took Tatsunoko into arbitration, to reaffirm their legal position ready for the case... '''and lost!''' While Harmony Gold had initially been forced to release Macross back to Tatsunoko in 2021, news emerged in July 2019 that they managed to [[http://amp.denofgeek.com/us/tv/robotech/282027/the-robotechmacross-license-has-been-extended-exclusive hammer out an amended deal with Tatsunoko]] that extended that agreement until an unspecified date, to the utter dismay of Macross fans worldwide, with ''another'' blow dealt when Funimation announced that they too were getting rights to the Robotech franchise in October 2019.

*** At the end of March 2024, Creator/DisneyPlus announced an unprecedented global distribution deal, in Japan, America ''and Europe'' of '''''everything''''' (excluding the original series and ''Do You Remember Love?'' outside Japan), including the various movie adaptations, giving European Macross fans a one-stop shop for practically ''the entire franchise'' and American fans a much easier way to access the series that, only a few years earlier, would ''never'' have got licensed '''''at all''''' by anyone.[[note]]The original Macross was originally licensed, through Harmony Gold's Robotech license, to Sony's Funimation streaming platform, with no other series licensed at the same time. This is the first dedicated ''global'' licensing deal '''''ever''''' for the entire franchise.[[/note]]

*** At the end of March 2024, Creator/DisneyPlus announced an unprecedented global distribution deal, in Japan, America ''and Europe'' of '''''everything''''' (excluding the original series and Do You Remember Love outside Japan), including the various movie adaptations, giving European Macross fans a one-stop shop for practically ''the entire franchise'' and American fans a much easier way to access the series that, only a few years earlier, would ''never'' have got licensed '''''at all''''' by anyone.[[note]]The original Macross was originally licensed, through Harmony Gold's Robotech license, to Sony's Funimation streaming platform, with no other series licensed at the same time. This is the first dedicated ''global'' licensing deal '''''ever''''' for the entire franchise.[[/note]]

*** Practically at the same time Harmony Gold were meant to lose the license to Macross forever, Big West, Studio Nue, and Harmony Gold instead announced that they [[https://macross.jp/b2b/ had finally come to an agreement in regards to both the Macross and Robotech franchises,]] allowing for both the international release of most of the later ''Macross'' series and films as well as the Japanese release of the upcoming ''Robotech'' film. Unsurprisingly, a year later, [[https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2022-07-02/right-stuf-nozomi-ent-to-release-macross-7-on-home-video-in-n-america-for-1st-time/.187292 virtually]] [[https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2022-07-01/macross-plus-macross-ii-anime-offered-overseas-on-blu-ray-disc/.187281 everything]] [[https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2022-07-01/macross-frontier-macross-delta-anime-offered-on-home-video-outside-japan/.187277 post-SDF]] got picked up for US and other international distribution.

* NoExportForYou: [[ScrewedByTheLawyers A large assortment of absolutely hideous legal snarls]] between Harmony Gold, Creator/StudioNue[=/=]Creator/{{Satelight}}, Creator/TatsunokoProduction, and Big West – especially the last two – means that virtually nothing of the franchise that hadn't already been incorporated into the original ''Anime/{{Robotech}}'' adaptation (i.e. ''Anime/SuperDimensionFortressMacross'') saw the light of day outside of Japan for ''decades''[[note]]This also affects ''Anime/SuperDimensionCavalrySouthernCross'', but not ''Anime/GenesisClimberMospeada''. Either way, neither of those series have been dubbed outside of ''Anime/{{Robotech}}''[[/note]].

*** In fact, ''Macross Frontier''[='s=] incredible popularity worked against it, for a time. Even if all the parties to the legal morass were to agree to let it get licensed ''at all'', conventional wisdom was that it would cost any licensor (especially an American one) several appendages and probably a few internal organs to get it, and that was before having to deal with Harmony Gold and their notorious price-gouging. And ''that'' is before having to deal with the hell that is Japanese record companies and music rights independently.

** For those readers who want to know how Harmony Gold (an American company) got into the Japanese legal snarl in the first place, you can thank some nameless, dense California judge. Harmony Gold created the Frankenstein's monster that is ''Anime/{{Robotech}}'' (see its entry), and as the legal battles over international rights heated up in Japan, they got involved to try and keep from losing the series – a Japanese court declared in 2003 that Tatsunoko never had the right to grant a license to Harmony Gold in the first place, which ''normally'' would have voided the original 1985 contract… except that American courts rarely acknowledge decisions from foreign courts (in fact, some states outright ban judges from doing so). This judge allegedly granted Harmony Gold not only exclusive control of the international distribution of the original ''Macross'', but also inexplicably gave them '''permanent''' rights to license and distribute every Macross-related series that '''will ever exist'''. In other words, HG holds the trademark on ''Macross'' outside Japan and there's nothing the original creators can do about it except just refuse to license it out (which is exactly what they do) as a middle finger to Harmony Gold.
*** Tatsunoko, their bad blood having deepened since losing the fight in Japan (specifically, it was ruled that they own the original footage and international licensing rights for ''SDF Macross'', but ''not'' the rest of the franchise), has taken advantage of the international legal confusion and continues to renew Harmony Gold's license (including the trademarks), as a middle finger to Big West and Studio Nue. At last check, Harmony Gold controls ''Macross'' outside of Japan until at least 2018... And by then there's a high chance they'd renew it again, pissing off the ''Macross'' fanbase. Big West and Studio Nue ''could'' try and get HG's contract voided in an American court… and they ''could'' win if they pressed it. But fighting complicated contract disputes in the USA is an incredibly expensive prospect, and no one in Japan wants to pay for that (there's also the not-exactly-wrong perception that American courts are inherently biased against foreign litigants – see the Apple/Samsung patent lawsuits for an example).
*** That said, the planned ''Robotech'' movie with Creator/SonyPictures could finally give Studio Nue and Big West their chance to take Harmony Gold to court, because BoxOfficeBomb or not, Hollywood movie deals are potential big bucks, and Hollywood movie adaptations are not something that slips under the radar so easily. Not to mention that the original creators of ''Macross'' are no doubt frowning upon this project (the same way Shotaro Ishinomori reacted to Saban's ''Masked Rider'')[[note]]with one exception: Shoji Kawamori himself has said that he would actually be perfectly willing to help with the film[[/note]].
*** In 2017, as part of lead-up for the latest stage in the below-mentioned case, Harmony Gold took Tatsunoko into arbitration, to reaffirm their legal position ready for the case... '''and lost!''' While Harmony Gold had initially been forced to release Macross back to Tatsunoko in 2021, news emerged in July 2019 that they managed to [[http://amp.denofgeek.com/us/tv/robotech/282027/the-robotechmacross-license-has-been-extended-exclusive hammer out an amended deal with Tatsunoko]] that extended that agreement until an unspecified date, to the utter dismay of Macross fans worldwide, with ''another'' blow dealt when Funimation announced that they too were getting rights to the Robotech franchise in October 2019. On the bright side of things, [[https://trademarks.ipo.gov.uk/ipo-tmcase/page/Results/1/UK00003235006 Harmony Gold has finally lost the rights]] [[https://twitter.com/munkeatlooi/status/1130940718858604546 to Macross in the UK]] [[https://search.ipaustralia.gov.au/trademarks/search/view/1903760?q=macross and Australia to Big West]], and Big West is currently trying to [[https://euipo.europa.eu/eSearch/?fbclid=IwAR1L_ToO5c3AboCo4vk1jTwBzQsbMUlhR_O4XFoXJ06F9IU-Q0Da9Obh00U#details/trademarks/016448731/opposition/002911975 reclaim the rights to the franchise in the rest of the European Union]].
** This legal snarl also caused some severe issues with the ''TabletopGame/BattleTech'' franchise. FASA had bought (or they believed they had bought) rights to the designs in good faith, from Studio Nue themselves, and used the designs without molestation for 10 years[[note]]In case you're wondering, the Valkyrie in its various variants became the Phoenix Hawk, Stinger, Wasp, Crusader and Valkyrie Mechs, the Glaug became the Marauder, and the Destroids became the Warhammer, Archer, Rifleman and Longbow. The Regult provided the basis for the Ostscout, Ostroc and Ostsol, though those three were so radically changed in the translation from ''Macross'' to ''[=BattleTech=]'' that they are officially considered by Catalyst to be original art and safe to use[[/note]]. However, FASA and Creator/PlaymatesToys got into a legal battle when Playmates created several toys for their ''WesternAnimation/ExoSquad'' line that closely resembled their ''[=BattleTech=]'' equivalents (at the time, FASA was finalizing both toy and TV deals for ''[=BattleTech=]''); naturally, FASA sued. However, Harmony Gold had sublicensed ''Robotech'' to Playmates as a tie-in to ''WesternAnimation/ExoSquad'', and when ''they'' noticed that FASA was using the ''Macross'' designs, they naturally counter-sued. Nobody quite knows what the actual settlement in the cases were, but [[WordOfGod official word from Catalyst Game Labs, FASA's successor company,]] is that the discontinuation of the ''Macross'', ''Literature/CrusherJoe'' and ''Anime/FangOfTheSunDougram'' (of which the latter two were not owned in any way by HG) designs was part of an internal decision by FASA to bar all designs not created in-house in order to avoid any potential legal hassles, and not a legal mandate from a court. This policy, funnily enough, also forced FASA to stop using designs made specifically for them by Creator/StudioNue for Japanese releases of ''[=BattleTech=]''. However, since 2009, Catalyst has felt comfortable in resurrecting the ''Dougram'' and ''Crusher Joe'' mechs (realizing that the law is most likely on their side there), and as of late 2015, ''[[VideoGame/MechWarrior Mechwarrior Online]]'' has been successfully re-releasing the ''Macross''-based "Warhammer" and "Marauder" designs, suggesting that Catalyst has worked out some kind of deal regarding ''Macross''...
*** Notably, in the 2009 incident, Harmony Gold, against existing copyright at the time, and a letter sent to them by Studio Nue and Tatsunoko forbidding them from continuing the lawsuit, were able to point out a clause in the settlement which meant they effectively could still override Studio Nue, and they later, in 2017, did exactly the same thing to Harebrained Schemes, founded by FASA co-founder Jordan Weisman! [[note]]They lost this case too, and it was not only lost but dismissed with prejudice--any attempt to file suit again will likely be met with stern reprimand[[/note]]

** On April 9th, 2021, Big West, Studio Nue, and Harmony Gold announced that they [[https://macross.jp/b2b/ had finally come to an agreement in regards to both the Macross and Robotech franchises,]] allowing for both the international release of most of the later ''Macross'' series and films as well as the Japanese release of the upcoming ''Robotech'' film. Unsurprisingly, a year later, [[https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2022-07-02/right-stuf-nozomi-ent-to-release-macross-7-on-home-video-in-n-america-for-1st-time/.187292 virtually]] [[https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2022-07-01/macross-plus-macross-ii-anime-offered-overseas-on-blu-ray-disc/.187281 everything]] [[https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2022-07-01/macross-frontier-macross-delta-anime-offered-on-home-video-outside-japan/.187277 post-SDF]] got picked up for US and other international distribution.

** On April 9th, 2021, Big West, Studio Nue, and Harmony Gold announced that they [[https://macross.jp/b2b/ had finally come to an agreement in regards to both the Macross and Robotech franchises,]] allowing for both the international release of most of the later ''Macross'' series and films as well as the Japanese release of the upcoming ''Robotech'' film. Unsurprisingly, a year later, [[https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2022-07-02/right-stuf-nozomi-ent-to-release-macross-7-on-home-video-in-n-america-for-1st-time/.187292 virtually]] [[https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2022-07-01/macross-plus-macross-ii-anime-offered-overseas-on-blu-ray-disc/.187281 everything]] [[https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2022-07-01/macross-frontier-macross-delta-anime-offered-on-home-video-outside-japan/.187277 post-SDF]] got picked up for US and other international distribution.
* TheWikiRule: [[http://macross.wikia.com/wiki/The_Macross_Wiki The Macross Wiki]].

** This legal snarl also caused some severe issues with the ''TabletopGame/BattleTech'' franchise. FASA had bought (or they believed they had bought) rights to the designs in good faith, from Studio Nue themselves, and used the designs without molestation for 10 years[[note]]In case you're wondering, the Valkyrie in its various variants became the Phoenix Hawk, Stinger, Wasp, Crusader and Valkyrie Mechs, the Glaug became the Marauder, and the Destroids became the Warhammer, Archer, Rifleman and Longbow. The Regult provided the basis for the Ostscout, Ostroc and Ostsol, though those three were so radically changed in the translation from ''Macross'' to ''[=BattleTech=]'' that they are officially considered by Catalyst to be original art and safe to use[[/note]]. However, FASA and Creator/PlaymatesToys got into a legal battle when Playmates created several toys for their ''WesternAnimation/ExoSquad'' line that closely resembled their ''[=BattleTech=]'' equivalents (at the time, FASA was finalizing both toy and TV deals for ''[=BattleTech=]''); naturally, FASA sued. However, Harmony Gold had sublicensed ''Robotech'' to Playmates as a tie-in to ''WesternAnimation/ExoSquad'', and when ''they'' noticed that FASA was using the ''Macross'' designs, they naturally counter-sued. Nobody quite knows what the actual settlement in the cases were, but [[WordOfGod official word from Catalyst Game Labs, FASA's successor company,]] is that the discontinuation of the ''Macross'', ''LightNovel/CrusherJoe'' and ''Anime/FangOfTheSunDougram'' (of which the latter two were not owned in any way by HG) designs was part of an internal decision by FASA to bar all designs not created in-house in order to avoid any potential legal hassles, and not a legal mandate from a court. This policy, funnily enough, also forced FASA to stop using designs made specifically for them by Creator/StudioNue for Japanese releases of ''[=BattleTech=]''. However, since 2009, Catalyst has felt comfortable in resurrecting the ''Dougram'' and ''Crusher Joe'' mechs (realizing that the law is most likely on their side there), and as of late 2015, ''[[VideoGame/MechWarrior Mechwarrior Online]]'' has been successfully re-releasing the ''Macross''-based "Warhammer" and "Marauder" designs, suggesting that Catalyst has worked out some kind of deal regarding ''Macross''...

** On top of all that, you've got the VF-1[=/=]''Franchise/TransformersGeneration1'' Jetfire issue. [=TakaraTomy=] can't reissue the original Jetfire figure (the VF-1 mold would now be owned by [=TakaraTomy=] and their American partner in crime Creator/{{Hasbro}}'s joint toy industry rival Bandai - which is also why Hasbro can't reissue any of the original 80's toys of former ''Transformers'' rival ''WesternAnimation/{{Challenge of the GoBots}}'', as Bandai licensed them to Tonka at the time), but thanks to a later court ruling between Hasbro and Harmony Gold (the latter had sued Hasbro when the former rereleased a Skystriker jet plane in VF-1 colors as part of a set of ''Franchise/GIJoe''/''Transformers'' [[FanConvention San Diego Comic-Con]]-exclusive toys.), Hasbro and Takara can now release new versions of G1 Jetfire in all of his ''Macross'' glory so long as they stick to the modern Hasbro-created redesign of Jetfire, and Harmony Gold can't do a thing to stop it.

* NoExportForYou: [[ScrewedByTheLawyers A large assortment of absolutely hideous legal snarls]] between Harmony Gold, Creator/StudioNue[=/=]Creator/{{Satelight}}, Creator/TatsunokoProduction, and Big West – especially the last two – means that virtually nothing of the franchise that hadn't already been incorporated into the original ''Anime/{{Robotech}}'' adaptation (i.e. ''Anime/SuperDimensionFortressMacross'') has seen the light of day outside of Japan[[note]]This also affects ''Anime/SuperDimensionCavalrySouthernCross'', but not ''Anime/GenesisClimberMospeada''. Either way, neither of those series have been dubbed outside of ''Anime/{{Robotech}}''[[/note]].

** Despite the insane sales of ''Anime/MacrossFrontier''[='s=] [=DVD=]s and soundtracks (which ended up posting sales numbers that had not seen in at least a decade), any plans for export look extremely unlikely. Likewise, ''Anime/{{Macross 7}}'', ''Anime/MacrossZero'', and various video-game projects and the like will almost certainly never see release overseas either.
*** In fact, ''Macross Frontier''[='s=] incredible popularity works against it. Even if all the parties to the legal morass were to agree to let it get licensed ''at all'', it would cost any licensor (especially an American one) several appendages and probably a few internal organs to get it, and that's before having to deal with Harmony Gold and their notorious price-gouging. And ''that'' is before having to deal with the hell that is Japanese record companies and music rights.
*** As it turns out, the only part of ''Frontier'' to receive any sort of Western release were the manga.
** It's gotten so bad that industry insiders have said that it's likely '''nobody''' knows who has international rights for some bits of the ''Macross'' franchise, particularly ''Anime/MacrossDoYouRememberLove''
*** Robert Woodhead, Creator/AnimEigo's CEO, once said he does not expect to ever see a legal US release of ''Do You Remember Love?'' because of the titanic, multi-side battle (it's not just the usual culprits like Harmony Gold in the way, but apparently also Shogakukan, Creator/{{Toho}} and a few others who have some sort of interest in the film).

** On April 9th, 2021, Big West, Studio Nue, and Harmony Gold announced that they [[https://macross.jp/b2b/ had finally come to an agreement in regards to both the Macross and Robotech franchises,]] allowing for both the international release of most of the later ''Macross'' series and films as well as the Japanese release of the upcoming ''Robotech'' film.

*** Notably, in the 2009 incident, Harmony Gold, against existing copyright at the time, and a letter sent to them by Studio Nue and Tatsunoko forbidding them from continuing the lawsuit, were able to point out a clause in the settlement which meant they effectively could still override Studio Nue, and they later, in 2017, did exactly the same thing to Harebrained Schemes, Catalyst's successor! [[note]]They lost this case too, and it was not only lost but dismissed with prejudice--any attempt to file suit again will likely be met with stern reprimand[[/note]]

** Also, ''Anime/MacrossDoYouRememberLove'' can be legally bought in the US (at least via export from Japan) in a format viewable on unmodified US equipment, thanks to the US and Japan finally sharing a common Blu-Ray region. However, though, as the Blu-Ray hovers around $100 new.

** On April 9th, 2021, Big West, Studio Nue, and Harmony Gold [[https://macross.jp/b2b/ have finally come to an agreement in regards to both the Macross and Robotech franchises,]] allowing for both the international release of most of the later ''Macross'' series and films as well as the Japanese release of the upcoming ''Robotech'' film.

** On April 9th, 2021, Big West, Studio Nue, and Harmony Gold [[https://macross.jp/b2b/ have finally come to an agreement in regards to both the Macross and Robotech franchises,]] allowing for both the international release of most of the later Macross series and films as well as the Japanese release of the upcoming Robotech film.

*** In 2017, as part of lead-up for the latest stage in the below-mentioned case, Harmony Gold took Tatsunoko into arbitration, to reaffirm their legal position ready for the case... '''and lost!''' While Harmony Gold had initially been forced to release Macross back to Tatsunoko in 2021, news emerged in July 2019 that they managed to [[http://amp.denofgeek.com/us/tv/robotech/282027/the-robotechmacross-license-has-been-extended-exclusive hammer out an amended deal with Tatsunoko]] that extended that agreement until an unspecified date, to the utter dismay of Macross fans worldwide. On the bright side of things, [[https://trademarks.ipo.gov.uk/ipo-tmcase/page/Results/1/UK00003235006 Harmony Gold has finally lost the rights]] [[https://twitter.com/munkeatlooi/status/1130940718858604546 to Macross in the UK]] [[https://search.ipaustralia.gov.au/trademarks/search/view/1903760?q=macross and Australia to Big West]], and Big West is currently trying to [[https://euipo.europa.eu/eSearch/?fbclid=IwAR1L_ToO5c3AboCo4vk1jTwBzQsbMUlhR_O4XFoXJ06F9IU-Q0Da9Obh00U#details/trademarks/016448731/opposition/002911975 reclaim the rights to the franchise in the rest of the European Union]].

*** In 2017, as part of lead-up for the latest stage in the below-mentioned case, Harmony Gold took Tatsunoko into arbitration, to reaffirm their legal position ready for the case... '''and lost!''' While Harmony Gold had initially been forced to release Macross back to Tatsunoko in 2021, news emerged in July 2019 that they managed to [[http://amp.denofgeek.com/us/tv/robotech/282027/the-robotechmacross-license-has-been-extended-exclusive hammer out an amended deal with Tatsunoko]] that extended that agreement until an unspecified date, to the utter dismay of Macross fans worldwide. On the bright side of things, [[https://trademarks.ipo.gov.uk/ipo-tmcase/page/Results/1/UK00003235006 Harmony Gold has finally lost the rights]] [[https://twitter.com/munkeatlooi/status/1130940718858604546 to Macross in the UK to Big West]], and Big West is currently trying to [[https://euipo.europa.eu/eSearch/?fbclid=IwAR1L_ToO5c3AboCo4vk1jTwBzQsbMUlhR_O4XFoXJ06F9IU-Q0Da9Obh00U#details/trademarks/016448731/opposition/002911975 reclaim the rights to the franchise in the rest of the European Union]], with the final date set for September 13.

*** In 2017, as part of lead-up for the latest stage in the below-mentioned case, Harmony Gold took Tatsunoko into arbitration, to reaffirm their legal position ready for the case... '''and lost!''' While Harmony Gold had initially been forced to release Macross back to Tatsunoko in 2021, news emerged in July 2019 that they managed to [[http://amp.denofgeek.com/us/tv/robotech/282027/the-robotechmacross-license-has-been-extended-exclusive hammer out an amended deal with Tatsunoko]] that extended that agreement until an unspecified date, to the utter dismay of Macross fans worldwide.

*** In 2017, as part of lead-up for the latest stage in the below-mentioned case, Harmony Gold took Tatsunoko into arbitration, to reaffirm their legal position ready for the case... '''and lost!''' Harmony Gold has been forced to release Macross back to the original copyright holders in 2021, until the [[http://amp.denofgeek.com/us/tv/robotech/282027/the-robotechmacross-license-has-been-extended-exclusive reached an agreement with Tatsunoko]] that extended that agreement until an unspecified date.

*** In 2017, as part of lead-up for the latest stage in the below-mentioned case, Harmony Gold took Tatsunoko into arbitration, to reaffirm their legal position ready for the case... '''and lost!''' Harmony Gold has been forced to release Macross back to the original copyright holders in 2021, and that nice cushy safety net mentioned above? They're just being given time to close up what's in production then it's ''O-V-E-R''.

** Also, ''Anime/MacrossDoYouRememberLove'' can be legally bought in the US (at least via export from Japan) in a format viewable on unmodified US equipment, thanks to the US and Japan finally sharing a common Blu-Ray region. However, though, as the Blu-Ray hovers around $100 new, that just means we've graduated from NoExportForYou to... [[CrackIsCheaper a different trope]]...