Macross general Thread

Well I certainly can't complain about being addicted to Yoko Kanno's music.

edited 7th Feb '17 2:46:14 PM by TheAirman

So...

How about that whole Robotech/Macross/"Harmony Gold is made of stingy tax evading frauds" weirdness that's going on?

I haven't paid too much attention before, but reading about it now, it's really nasty, isn't it?

edited 10th Aug '17 12:56:24 PM by TargetmasterJoe

Everything related to the copyright issue is nasty. On the bare minimum though, it means none of the shows after the original Macross can be properly brought stateside.

Oh yeah, that much I know.

Actually, I didn't know anything about the tax fraud aspect until I found this Tweet.

And now there's going to be a live-action Robotech movie from the guy behind It (2017) (which isn't playing until next month or so) and Sony (who people do not think very highly of due to circumstances that shan't be said here). But I have the strangest feeling that it's not really going anywhere near production because of how problematic this copyrighting thing is. (Anyone notice how future Robotech projects seem to always end up in Development Hell?)

Honestly asking, what would it take to either get the Macross license out of Harmony Gold's sleazy claws or otherwise have the other entries in the Macross franchise properly be released stateside? Because this can't go on forever, can it?

edited 10th Aug '17 1:40:09 PM by TargetmasterJoe

Someone has to buy the copyright, or otherwise the company's hold on the copyright has to naturally expire, and I can't see the latter happening.

The judge's ruling was that they hold the copyright forever IIRC. Any western release has to go through that real estate company as a middle man, that aint likely to happen seeing how on the Japanese side has sworn off dealing with anyone in the west over this.

...goddamn it.

Can't a different judge do a reevaluation or something?

Because I'm not kidding about how a lot of future Robotech projects seem to end up in development hell for some reason.

You guys remember how HG wanted to do a Kickstarter on a Spin-Offspring project called Robotech Academy that got so underfunded, that they pretty much did a Rage Quit and shut down the campaign?

Or how there was supposed to be a tabletop game on Robotech, also funded via Kickstarter, but that got a case of Schedule Slip leading to...uh...this happening?

Sigh, it must be hard being Macross fans, huh?

(Shakes head in anguish) I'm telling you guys, something's up.

edited 10th Aug '17 4:30:00 PM by TargetmasterJoe

No, perpetual copyright is not legally possible (in America, anyway).

What the judge ruled was that Harmony Gold held the American copyright over Super Dimension Fortress Macross, Macross II, AND any additional Macross franchise products that may come out down the line.

If the copyright is allowed to expire, HG loses all those rights.

edited 10th Aug '17 4:21:14 PM by DarkHunter

No one will fund a Project with Harmony Gold attached to it because of what they have done to Macross.

In the most hated companies in America voted by its fanbase, by proportion, Harmony Gold is easily at the top. And they don't even make shows anymore it is a Real Estate company.

So...I guess my only real choice to get into Macross itself is to go the fansubs route?

I'm usually against subs, but if Macross truly is the masterpiece people say it is, I'll make an exception.

Now, if you'll all excuse me, I need to cheer myself up.

All this talk about HG is getting me depressed...

Super Dimension Fortress Macross and Macross Plus both got official releases in the States. As did Macross II if you really want to watch that.

Unfortunately, Macross 7, Macross Zero, and Macross Frontier are only available in English through fansubs.

Macross Delta is technically legally available in English since the Japanese Blu-Rays include an English subtitle track... but Japanese Blu-Rays are expensive as hell, so...

edited 10th Aug '17 4:55:28 PM by DarkHunter

The subs on Delta were explicitly there cause of this situation. A few other series knowing they wont get western releases have done it as well, like Nanoha.

And just to put how scummy they are. In 1999 and 2002, Harmony Gold tradedmarked the name 'Macross' in the USA, Canada, Germany, and the United Kingdom. Why? Just cause. they have never done anything with it.

http://www.animenewsnetwork.cc/feature/2017-08-08/interview-mari-iijima/.119866

Interesting interview with Mari Iijima, especially with the problem she had with being typecasted.

Someone at a forum told me that Iijima blocked him from talking to her via FB 'cause of this.

Gotta say I love how quickly she jumps aboard the "Fuck Harmony Gold" Express there.

Has there been any news on the new series next year?

Not really; though it was announced in the last week or so that Delta is getting a movie which is also slated for next year.

Macross has a pattern of series then a movie immediately after, so not surprised it's that way again with Delta.

The fact that the movie's airing the same year as a new series is however a first as far as I'm aware.

It does seem to lend some credence to the speculation that the new series is a direct sequel to Delta which would also be a first given all the other series are only loosely connected.

It's good to hear that Iijima-san has a sense of humor.

Was Delta popular enough in Japan to justify a sequel series? Honestly the reception I've seen stateside has been pretty resoundingly meh at best so far.

Whenever there's a news of a sequel immediately after a series ends, it usually means it's already been pre-planned, as production committees have to wait for either sales figures or positive viewer reactions before they okay another season, and that usually takes months to compile.

Necroing time!

The Robotech movie scored the writer for Wonder Woman a while ago.

Speaking of which, are you guys wondering why all of a sudden, there's been buzz about a Robotech movie as of late?

Turns out Harmony Gold's grip on the Macross license will go kaput in 4-5 years from now...

edited 15th Sep '17 4:02:17 PM by TargetmasterJoe

I know I'm reaching, but I do hope they lose the legal rights.

Maybe, just maybe, if they're out of the picture the Japanese companies will be willing to play ball.

More or less. The official ruling is that Harmony Gold owns the Robotech name but they have to license the use of material not just from Macross but Southern Cross and Mospeda as well and all three are due to expire in 2021.

There is a separate arrangement meaning they hold the distribution rights to Macross but contrary to previous claims of this being held by Harmony Gold in perpetuity, it to is subject to expiration and renewal and will expire in 2022.

Given that this came up because Tatsunoko was suing them from breach of contract, that even though that ruling didn't go their way, the fact it went so far means that Tatsunoko will not be renewing the agreements. However this could negatively impact other English language licensors (Funi, Sentai, Crunchyroll etc) in that Tatsunoko is going to be "once burned, twice shy" over the entire affair and only willing to enter into agreements under very strict conditions.

Oh. Hell. YES.

Light at the end of the tunnel, finally.

Wow, only 4-5 years?!