Macross general Thread

So, reading this press release (details on Macross specifically is near the end) it sounds like Harmony Gold is open to bringing Macross sequels Stateside and is intending to not be quite as belligerent toward the Japanese companies, but they're looking to Sony to iron out the legal issues on the Japanese side of things.

Also, they state that this deal has been in the works for years and is not a new thing.

On the whole: nothing's changed, and HG's license is not expiring in 2021. They are "hopeful" about releasing additional Macross content, but it doesn't seem to be a priority for them.

You guys know how some people are begging for the Snyder Cut of the Justice League movie?

Let's try something else: #ReleaseTheMacrossFranchise

Studio Nue has already told Harmony Gold to sit and spin. And Harmony Gold wants a cut of everything Macross related, further enforced by them trademarking the name Macross and the UN Spacy logo outside of Japan.

But what would I expect from a company that was convicted of money laundering for the Italian mafia?

Doing some extensive digging and I think I found some wrinkles:

• When HG says they'll be holding on for another 35 years, it's hyperbole. Apparently, they didn't specify for how long until they need to renew again.
• Also, they emphasized how the Robotech movie with Sony is still going to happen. It could be that this licensing extension will all hinge on whether that Robotech movie actually goes anywhere or not.
• And Sony evidently sees Robotech as "a possible "Harry Potter style franchise," which strikes me as a red flag.

Also, as mentioned earlier, Big West has been making a concentrated effort in getting the trademark for Macross in other countries and last month, they got the trademark in the UK. Ergo, if the Robotech movie gets made and winds up tanking harder than Dragonball Evolution, HG and Tatsunoko's house of cards could fall apart instantaneously.

Wishful thinking? It might be. But I'm not letting this go.

EDIT: Removed the hashtag since it probably isn't working anyway.

Edited by TargetmasterJoe on Jul 7th 2019 at 2:45:57 PM

Even though I love Robotech when I was a kid, it still pisses me off that Harmony Gold still owns the license for Macross and keeps trying to do new Robotech stuff when fans really want is to buy and legally stream Macross Frontier and Delta.

Robotech does have its fans, independent of the Macross franchise. That's why HG keeps hold of those rights: if everyone truly hated them it would be a different story.

The most recent attempt at a Robotech comic sold less than 5,000 copies. Whatever fans they have, they are at best minuscule, at worst non-existent.

Anime News Network's Answerman analyzes the Macross/Robotech situation.

TL;DR: It looks like, if anything, Harmony Gold is only a Disc-One Final Boss and there's other roadblocks on the path to properly localize Macross into the USA.

And HG is banking hard for a Robotech movie to happen in the near future. Except it looks like it'll either never happen because God hates HG and Robotech as much as we do or it does happen, but it crashes and burns at the box office.

And if the latter happens, then HG will REALLY be up a creek without a paddle.

Edited by TargetmasterJoe on Oct 26th 2019 at 7:15:19 AM

Good. Those guys can go dance on coals. They've been hobbling the Macross franchise in the west for decades now. No official subs, dubs, merchandise, or games. They just keep weakly peddling the Robotech name, which, while it did serve as a gateway anime for some people, has outlived any usefulness or cultural significance it once had.

The first big move since the license renewal for Robotech has been to give FUNimation distribution rights.

And most people are saying the legal f*ckery is even worse now.

I still think it's too early to say, though...

Watched SDF Macross over the last week or so. Plus DYRL afterwards. Still have Flashback 2012 and Macross Plus to go.

Really enjoyed it.

The 80's sexism was really blatant though. I think some of it was meant to be a flaw specific to Hikaru, but the Max and Milia wedding and knife fight taking 7 minutes of screentime and Milia becoming demure and hardly talking at all after getting beaten was pretty bad. She got a bit better after the timeskip though.

Earth getting destroyed was also a great twist. Real jaw dropping moment.

Was pretty interesting seeing how much of the early stuff in Frontier (the only other one I've seen) was a direct reference to this.

My favorite characters were probably Global, Claudia and Shammy. I also really loved the stuff with the Zentradi Trio. Probably my favorite joke in the show was them saying they could be put to death if anyone knows about the culture they kept hidden, then immediately showing it to everyone.

I loved SDF, especially the first 10 episodes and the big event at episode 27 (which also features a very nice song). However the gap between the two felt longish, with many filler battles and filler episodes.

The whole franchise is full of obvious self-references, for instance in Frontier they also have an episode or two about making a Macross Zero film on the beach.

Macross Delta wasn't very popular, but I think it is still worth watching if you want more Macross.

I started with Frontier, but I'm planning on watching the rest in order of release.

I'll likely watch 2012 and Plus soon, but wait a few months before I move on with 7 since its fairly lengthy.

Which version of Plus are you watching? The OA Vs or the Movie? (This is one of the rare occasions when either is perfectly acceptable and both is in fact highly recommended).

According to the list I was following OV As.

Although if you say it's worth it, I'll watch the Movie afterwards.

Oh, I never noticed the ovas. The Plus film is very good.

Is anyone familiar with the Macross character Sheryl Nome? Because I came across a really bizarre line she says at one point: that her breasts "give people hopes and dreams". Does anyone know what episode she says this in?

It's one of the early ones. I can't remember the exact number off the top of my head but its in the mid-middle digits. It's the one where Sheryl, Ranka and Alto are caught in an emergency shelter.

A quick trip to The Other Wiki mid-post says that it was earlier than I remember and it was episode 3.

Also that whole thing about Sheryl's breasts being what give hopes and dreams is more of meme. In the actual dialogue she's referring to her performances but the way she crosses her arms under her breasts and causes them to lift at the same time gave her statement some unintended emphasis (both in and out of universe).

Edited by KnightofLsama on Jun 16th 2020 at 6:47:13 PM

Finally watched the Passionate Walkure movie.

Aoshima's latest VF girl kit is straight out of Frontier canon

I see they made her a VF-25 styled Macronized powered armor based on Michel's old sniper unit.

Edited by AceOfScarabs on Sep 18th 2020 at 8:12:38 PM

Keep an eye out for aviatorially inclined pigs cause Macross looks to finally be coming west.

Big West officially recognizes Macross license by Harmony Gold

Essentially Big West agreed to recognize Harmony Gold as holding the distribution rights for the original series in return for HG conceeding that they don't hold the rights to the franchise as a whole.

How much money did Sony throw at them to finally make them settle peacefully?

Obligatory "Fuck Harmony Gold".

They should've gotten their heads out of their asses about this literally decades ago; the damage they have inflicted on the franchise is immeasurable and irreparable.

At least now I can maybe get my hands on a Vakyrie kit I suppose.

It took me longer than it should've to realize you were referring to flying pigs. Heh. Fitting because this is a franchise about jets in a sense.

On the news itself...

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...So in other words, Big West, Studio Nue, and HG are sharing Macross? For real? NGL this feels like a particularly cruel April Fools joke, but April Fools already passed.

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...Are we sure we're not getting punked?

EDIT: Hey, happy 600th post!

EDIT 2: You know things are getting real when Macross is trending on USA Twitter. Hell to the Yeah!

Edited by TargetmasterJoe on Apr 8th 2021 at 8:50:29 AM