Destroy All Podcasts DX Episode 45 - Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles
Hosts: Andrew, Todd
This is about floating robot torsos?
Click [HERE] to be just as confused as we are.
"There's been an accident! Someone left the iron plugged in!"
OVA quality?
| Posted 28 February, 2008 - 17:51 by Destroy All Pod... |
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Comments
28 comments postedMaybe I'm just an old fart. But what fantasy/alternate reality did you grow up in where you never saw Robotech and only saw the original anime? What are you, 17?
Robotech is what it is, it's by no means perfect and is a comedy of errors in story telling, but it's arguably the single-biggest reason many of us got into this whole thing. I just love how people can s**t on something that they used to love because they found out it wasn't the true story. I guess it's the cool move to try to distance yourself from it and be "hardcore" and watch the originals. Like the old adage of not wanting to be a member of a group that would have you, instead wanting to be the outcast too cool for the room.
I watch both, I like both, I don't argue and try to say Robotech is better in any way over the source material. But I can't walk away from a treasured part of my childhood watching it in 1984 just because it's not "cool" to like it any more.
As for this mess, I agree that Robotech needs to stay in the past. It's great for nostalgia and for the casual masses that never ventured further than Robotech or Voltron, but anything new is just digging the hole deeper into Carl Macek's grave. The quality of animation is horrid, the story is worse than anything Macek pulled, and the changes from the series practically make it a Gundam-esque alternate universe.
So try not to act like you're the only two guys ever to watch a Japanese show, older and wiser have since before you were born, and I agree that this movie sucks.
I won't hang around in here too long (I haven't seen this yet, so I can't comment, nor will I listen to the 'cast). But, isn't this crossing dangerously close to the Sub VS. Dub fight that ever goes on in anime? I saw only the Macross section of "Robotech" from many, many moons ago (though long after it had finished its TV run), but I knew of "Macross"-proper beforehand though I've never seen it before. Now I know the differences- or at least a good share of them- between the two shows. Yes, I, too, would like to see a complete, accurate-as-possible, & official sub of the original "Macross" series (any suggestions where/who?), but I won't bag on "Robotech" until I have done so.
This also sounds, duke togu, an awful lot like the Super Sentai-VS-Power Rangers fight (which also parallels the Macross/Robotech battle). Now, in that case, after realizing what a sham PR was, I became what is known as a Sentai-snob (is that term still used?) because the content was just more engaging in its original form than the watered down always-end-the-episode-with-a-smile format of PR. That battle continues on- some like PR, others Super Sentai.
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CollectionDX Staff
I think this has been mentioned in the podcast about Macross, and in other places.
Where to get the original Macross TV:
AnimEigo released a 9 disc subtitled only set of Macross TV in 2001-2002. It sold out years ago.
Harmony Gold has re-released the AnimEigo set with new packaging. It's currently available for about 40$ for the whole set.
ADV released a dubbed and subtitled 7 disc set of Macross TV in 2006. It costs 20$ to 30$ per disc, but hit the right ADV sale and the price could be much less.
All these releases feature a superb digital restoration done by AnimEigo in 2001.
For what it's worth, I've never seen Robotech either. I've watched Macross and Mospeada as an adult, but never saw Robotech at all. And it was aired here and I'm 33. So, it's not like it's impossible to have not seen it.
"This must be settled the way nature intended....with a vicious, bloody fight!"
Onyx Blackman
Principal, Flatpoint High
I'm 22 actually. When I was a kid, I mostly watched stuff on tape. I had a few episodes Transformers, the Transformers movie, Return of Optimus Prime on a tape that also has the Gobots movie, and Macross in CLASH OF THE BIONOIDS that awful Celebrity Just for Kids version that is 30 minutes shorter with Hong Kong dub voices. My first exposure to Robotech was a single tape of episode 2. I was confused as to why Hikaru wasn't in his cool outfit from DYRL. I also saw the Cartoon Network run which was pretty hilarious in retrospect. Their new opening for the show and all the commercials they ran for it seemed to only feature Macross so I was really confused when, with an audible CLUNK, the show switched to Southern Cross. And then they never showed the Mospeada part. So whatever, I can watch these all on DVD now. So I got into Macross through the models, Jetfire, Macross 2, Macross Plus, and the VF-X game after that. Robotech or not, I'd still be a Macross fan.
And you know what? I don't care about your nostalgia. I don't even care about my nostalgia. I tried that stuff. All it got me was a bunch of wasted afternoons watching Real Media copies of Transformers episodes and writing bad fanfic.
Even with all the lulz drama here, at least we can agree that Shadow Chronicles sucks.
-Andrew
Ok, I'm 16 so In the ways of nostalgia I can't contribute much more than what aired in CN about 7-8 years ago. I will not lie, I got into anime because of DBZ, Gundam Wing, and Tenchi *insert series title here*.
Two of those three shows I can still watch and enjoy. They are DBZ and Tenchi. Wing was definitely "the s**t" back then, but now it is cringe worthy. It takes itself way too seriously while it rolls off corny dialog and an abundance nonsensical characters.
Point is, just because you have nostalgia doesn't make the s**t good. To me Gundam Wing is only the anime that got me into the mecha genre. Nothing more or less.
You know what's funny, guys? I was listening to your all-time favorite podcast, Space Station Liberty starring Chris Meadows, because they were talking about the up-coming Robotech live action movie. On this particular program he was interviewing some Harmony Gold rep and Robotech apologist named Kevin McKeever.
This guy, I must say, is the world's biggest douche bag, because he comes on this hour-long show to "answer questions" and basically doesn't answer a single one. He just plugged Robotech the entire time without divulging any details that everyone didn't already know. After a while, I think even Meadows was beginning to wonder why this guy was even here.
It didn't take callers very long to start asking Macross questions. They were asking the usual questions about mecha designs and other aspects of the show currently owned by Big West and Studio Nue.
Now, here's where the fun begins, too. Whenever the callers had the temerity to IMPLY that there was some aspect of Robotech that Harmony Gold does not own, he would turn into a robot and robotically say "Harmony Gold owns all the rights to Robotech", which is sort of like saying, "We own everything we already own." He really, truly believed that his vague assertion was going to get him through the program, and he sure tried his darndest!
Well, this OBVIOUSLY wasn't going to satisfy the callers, so they kept pegging him with questions, first trying to get him to be clear as to what Harmony Gold ACTUALLY owns, and then trying to get him to even acknowledge the Big West/Studio Nue issue. He completely dodged every single question. It was as if these two companies didn't even exist in his mind.
Eventually, the conversation turned to the Shadow Chronicles as well. Someone noted that Rick Hunter had to be redesigned to avoid any visual reference to Macross. McKeever immediately put on his apologist stomping shoes and played off the visual differences as if they were directly related to the fact that Rick had AGED. Of course, he was called on that bulls**t, too!
One caller even confronted him with a question directly related to Big West and Studio Nue, and he completely non-answered it. He didn't even want to say the names of those companies. Again, he turned into a robot and said, "Harmony Gold owns all the rights to Robotech", which was his way of sticking his fingers in his ears and going, "LALALALALALA!!!! I CAN'T HEEEEAAAAR YOOOUUU!!!!"
If you want a great laugh of listening to a Harmony Gold rep dodging uncomfortable questions, I believe it's the October 9, 2007 show of Space Station Liberty. The Kevin McKeever show. Hilarious stuff!
~TV's Mr. Neil
That's pretty funny. I've only listened to the two episodes of that had our own Roger Harkavy as a guest host. Nothing is funnier than him arguing with Dave aka 1st Border Red Devil or Brooklyn whatever about the Condor's groin area. The attitude of McKeever seems indicative of the overall frustration Harmony Gold must be having over this mess. I mean come on, thanks to Big West, their own arrogance, and some other stuff they cannot give their fans more of what they want which is Macross. They can't even try and put the universes together with Macross and Southern Cross totally off limits. And the big problem with Mospeada is that the story is finished at the end of the show. I honestly have to wonder what's the point of continuing Robotech other than brand name recognition, which is still only really seems to be equated with Macross. I wonder why they've never tried a total reboot of the franchise. I sure the live action movie will do that no doubts about it.
-Andrew
Yes, that's actually a lot of what the fans wanted to know. They wanted to know if the Valkyries would finally return or if they'd just design new mech. And it's obvious that they're just going to redesign new mech. I mean, if Michael Bay is going to redesign all the Transformers, you better believe that Robotech is going to get a swift across-the-board redesign. OF COURSE they will!
And you're absolutely right, if Robotech is brought back, the right thing to do would be to simply reboot the entire franchise. They own the trademarks to all the Americanized names, as far as I know. They could just make a new Rick Hunter and Lisa Hayse, and they could basically just rip off the general concept of Macross with entirely new mecha. I mean, Macross has been ripped off so many times already that nobody cares if someone does it again. I mean, as long as they're ripping off Babylon 5...
But to reboot Robotech, they would either have to make protoculture into a coherent concept or just purge it altogether. I'm not interested in this super science/magic flower/fuel/drug-of-choice thing they've been doing for twenty years already.
I mean, even ENERGON made more friggin' sense than this!
I've never watched Robotech (I live in Scotland, and I don't even think it aired here). I grew up on cheap Transformers tapes and terrible old manga dubs. I found out about Robotech years later after seeing a compilation book of the comic book. I was kind of aware of Macross at the time, so it did come as a bit of surprise to see it got liscensed years ago and still had a fan following going for it.
I've never seen any of the Robotech animated properties, but I've seen all of Macross and Mospeada.
...That our readership runs a fairly wide age cross section. I'm 29 and I grew up with Robotech. There's definitely a solid nostalgia effect for me. I loved that show when I was little...and when I was in high school, I discovered the Jack McKinney novels, which blew my mind.
Regardless, I really can't go back and watch the cartoon. I mean, it's pretty damn bad! ;) I can still read the books because, in my mind, horrible dubbing and even worse music isn't playing! I can focus on the weird plot twists and enjoy the "who's doing what, where, and when" game.
I've come to be a fan of Macross as well (as of my high school anime-fan phase)--I've seen the original show and all the sequels (though I've yet to get started on Frontier). I really dug Macross 7 (*ducks*) because it was pretty unique. Macross 2 was meh...as was Plus (though it was pretty)...Zero's end left me pretty annoyed.
Anyway, I don't think the Macross vs. Robotech argument makes much sense to me. If you go back and watch the original Macross, it just isn't all that much more entertaining than Robotech: Macross. When you remove any 80's US nostalgia or any Japanophilic snobbery, they're just two dumb cartoons featuring subpar science fiction. I guess if you're gonna force me to choose, I'd personally rather re-read the Jack McKinney Robotech novels (which I consider the beginning, middle, and end of the franchise) than watch any of these shows--Robotech orMacross.
I mean, I have lots of love/nostalgia for Voltron, too...but I'm not crazy enough to try to watch it again now! I'd blow my brains out! I'd rather listen to my Wu-Tang cd's and crack a smile at the Voltron references here and there.
I guess it boils down to people taking the argument (and their chosen positions) too seriously. Lighten up. Shadow Chronicles is pretty crappy in light of all the good sci-fi that exists in the world today. But, hey, if you like it...go on witcho bad self. Do you.
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Oh, one quick note: this is a great discussion, fellas. Please continue. But also, please be mindful that CollectionDX gets a LOT more traffic than our content often suggests. We have lots of young people visiting the site, so while it's ironic that Andrew and Jeremy get to swear like sailors in their podcast, we can't have profanity in the comments. We appreciate your understanding!
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Sanjeev
I going to have to go ahead and say that I disagree with Sanjeev on several things.
First off, I take issue when people, "lol nerds taking this too seriously" when this stuff is worth it for companies as franchises that make millions of dollars. If it's someone's job to care about this stuff. Look at Lucasfilm and Star Wars.It's their job to deliver a quality product (or at least try to) based on a franchise of glowie sticks and teddy bears.
Also, calling Macross some sub par sci-fi cartoon is an insult to the huge hit that it was back in the day. I mean, it's not everyday a sci-fi cartoon designed for selling toys gets a feature length movie (at least in Japan) otherwise we'd have Outerspace Mission SRUNGLE the movie.
I have never read the Robotech novels, but it is my understanding that despite being reprinted, they are largely irrelevant to the franchise. They may be good, but as you said they manage to do so well is because they are not like Robotech the show when it comes to presentation.
Regarding the Robotech version of Macross, I am aware that it is a much better adaptation than say the hack job done to Southern Cross or Megazone 23 (or both at the same time as it were), but what that means is that Robotech owes everything to Macross. Macross does have that Yamato/ Gundam pedigree that has endured it long enough for sequels to still be made today.
It's like, if you swap out Macross from Robotech with say, Dorvack, I don't think it would have been as popular. I haven't seen much of Dorvack, but I do know that it's about people in Transforming robots that fight blue dudes from space who pilot strange floating walker robots so it would at least fit the general theme of Robotech. So replace the established phenomenon of Macross with a show that was largely forgotten today and I don't think the whole thing would work as well. Granted, something like Golion is mostly forgotten in Japan while being a lot bigger in America so I might be mistaken.
I must admit that the reason I wanted to review Shadow Chronicles is because it didn't make it into the Robotech Trilogy of Pain in favor of Codename Robotech. This prompted me to actually see Shadow Chronicles after having read some of the reviews, very few of which are positive. As such, you guys got the review Todd and myself made to show our reactions to this disaster. If anything, I hope to discourage people from buying this crap which will hopefully discourage them from making more crap. Much like how G-Savior was a total flop and we thankfully don't have a G-Savior 2.
I suppose my biggest question to Robotech fans, is that what's is important to the franchise? What I hear from Roger is that the general fans and the general public see and want the Macross part or at least something like it. To me, Shadow Chronicles represents an attempt to continue Robotech "the story" as in that vaguely defined MULTI GENERATIONAL EPIC as per the tagline I've seen. And let's be honest, that's probably the weakest aspect of the story if only due to the nature of how it was put together. And especially now in light of all the problems Harmony Gold faces in trying to make a sequel that could tie everything together. So what should they be focusing on? EPIC or a good story? The two aren't necessarily mutually exclusive, but trying to make the EPIC work now is about as hard as getting Macross DYRL released in America.
-Andrew
Well, my dad can beat up your dad! Nyah!
;)
Nah, I like your arguments, but I still sorta don't buy it. First off, let me be clear about a couple things. Everything I said in my previous comment is just my opinion (despite my tone!). I call myself a Robotech fan (and a Macross fan, incidentally), but I've never seen the Robotech Movie (Megazone 23) and I have no clue what some terms like "Robotech Trilogy of Pain" or "Codename Robotech" refer to (maybe the movie??).
Anyway, first, I'm not exactly sure what you're getting at with your disagreement with my assertion that people take Robotech vs. Macross too seriously. Sure, I sound dismissive about something you're passionate about...and for that I apologize--I mean no disrespect...but I'm still not sure what you mean with your Lucasfilm/Star Wars analogy. Yes, Robotech and Macross are million dollar franchises. So? So is the media hooplah around Britney Spears' personal life. That doesn't mean that I should care about that either. Perhaps you were trying to make a different point though...
Next, I called Macross a subpar cartoon. Well, okay...it's a super-influential cartoon that, if watched again today by an adult sci-fi fan who'd never seen/heard of it before, would probably be viewed as being "subpar" (again, by today's adult sci-fi standards). Maybe that isn't true--who knows. But my point is that if this hypothetical adult sci-fi fan of today watched Robotech as well, he or she probably wouldn't enjoy one ALL that much better than the other. By today's standards, neither is all that great.
You said not to insult Macross because it was such a huge hit when it aired. Was Robotech not such a huge hit among US kids when it aired? The only reason many of us are even having this conversation is because Robotech was such a huge hit. Would anime in the States be anything like it is if it weren't for Robotech? I don't know...just pondering...
Anyway, whether something's influential or not doesn't necessarily mean I can't dog it. ;)
You probably have more insight into the Robotech "fan community" than I do (through Roger?). I have essentially ZERO connection to other Robotech fans--believe me, it was surreal as all hell when I went to see Shadow Chronicles in the theater and saw SO many other fans all in one place! Anyway, all I can say about the books is that back in the early 90's, I was reading Eternity's Robotech comics and the majority of the fan letters and editor comments printed in the backs of the issues involved plot points I had no clue about...all gleaned from the already-published McKinney novels. Judging by that alone, I would say that those novels had a BIG impact. Anyway, you're right: reading them is very different from watching the show!
Next, you say that Robotech owes everything to Macross. Sure. Of course...I don't think anyone's arguing that point. It's pretty obvious that Robotech stands on the shoulders of giants. But so did Macross--you, yourself, mentioned Yamato and Gundam. Granted, Macross was significantly more original in its offering than Robotech...but Robotech was NOT intended to be original (with respect to Macross, anyway).
Anyway, as a kid growing up in the States when Robotech aired (note: the target audience for the show), we had no access to Macross at all...let alone knowledge of its existence. So who cares? The bottom line is that the final product--Robotech--was quite enjoyable to our young minds back then...just as Macross was enjoyable to young minds back in Japan at the same time.
So, yeah, if Macek had picked Dorvak instead of Macross, Robotech may have been awful. But why wouldn't he pick the more popular show? Macross was a hit in Japan when he selected it. Again, the bottom line is that what he synthesized outta Macross and the rest was popular here, too. This is why I tend to feel that these arguments of Robotech vs. Macross are moot.
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And, lastly, I'll just say that I commend you guys for trying to discourage people from supporting Shadow Chronicles. *I* thought it was awful and I, too, hope that no further "crap" such as this is produced.
Again, speaking as just one Robotech fan, why can't we just let the story be done? Why make more? If the bickering concerning the absurd licensing fiasco prevents a proper animating of The Sentinels, End of the Circle, and the like, then quit...........OR reboot the whole thing, just like every damn thing else. No, really: go ahead, Hollywood, keep raping my childhood... :P
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Sanjeev
Robotech Trilogy of Pain is what Jeremy referred his reviews of the Sentinels, Robotech the Untold Story, and Codename Robotech (which is a dumb compilation movie that few people have seen). They were reviewed on this very podcast.
My Star Wars analogy was pretty bad, but I just hate when someone is like, "nerd argument! not important!" well it's sorta important to someone if people are making money on it. It's like when Marvel comic fans complain about making Iron Man into a fascist prick. Or when Spider-Man makes a deal with the devil to keep Aunt May alive. I think people have a right to be angry about that when they've been paying for it for a while.
I honestly don't put a lot of stock in adult sci-fi if what you call adult is just people being gritty alcoholics and fighting with lots of shakey-cam like in Battlestar Galactica. Macross is like I said, like Yamato and Gundam which is old style space opera. I've certainly seen modern sci-fi fans who like space opera.
As far as the novels go, I've seen some noise about them not being a part of the story anymore. Some people were celebrating it. Sure back in the 90's when Robotech was almost dead, people would draw from them because hey, the printed word demands respect. You should see some people whine about how Tommy Yune is, "trying to make his own End of Circle!"
Probably the most damning thing to Robotech is that anime just isn't handle like it was back then. Part of the problem is that the shows that make it up are enjoyable, but Robotech didn't make them that way (you wouldn't believe the people who argue that). Probably the most bizarre thing is that Carl Macek is still getting work in the anime industry despite the fact that he has not changed his ways. As Todd has told me, "If what Carl Macek did with the Dunbine dub is out of love, I'd hate to be his wife."
In the end it's a big question of, "why is this still here?" Other than brand name recognition and nostalgia, Robotech has become a big joke. It has aged a lot worse than the shows it's based on due to the horrible dubbing in where people talk constantly to fill up silence and the narrator either spoils the plot or just flat out makes stuff up (Aisha is a spy? What?). Robotech is pretty much obsolete. If "young minds" like Todd and me can enjoy these shows without Robotech, I don't think it's too much of a stretch for other young people. Macross is even dubbed now, so who needs Robotech?
I am glad we can agree on Shadow Chronicles. Although Daryl Surat of Anime World Order said my review was too soft. He wanted me to complain more about the cookie cutter character designs and the ridiculous body suits (with visible navel) that make the characters look like a bunch of copy and paste jobs. He also expressed his ire at Shadow Chronicles for having Mark Hamill utter his famous (to Wing Commander fans) "BREAK AND ATTACK!" in the Shadow Chronicles trailer but not in the final cut of the movie. I also wanted to complain about how this movie tries to imprint a lot of Macross things into Mospeada. For example, they use a lot of Macross sound effects in Shadow Chronicles which is odd because Mospeada is one of the few robot animes that had a lot of unique sound effects. Also having the big Garfish ships open up like Zentradi vessels to fire their guns and the Legioss ejecting its nose section as an escape pod is totally not from Mospeada (or any of the design material). Also the "Super Alpha" design is just a bad attempt at dressing a Legioss like a Valkyrie. So in a weird twisted way they tried to make more Macross using Mospeada set pieces.
PS. I love me some Macross 7.
-Andrew
Thanks for the clarification on the Trilogy of Pain. I figured it was basically that...but I'd forgotten exactly what pieces made it up.
But back to my dismissal of the Robotech vs. Macross argument...I know what you mean. I don't think that screaming, "NERD", is a good basis for dismissing a whole line of reasoning. I'm still not quite convinced, however, that the money-making aspect of the Robotech and Macross properties necessarily justifies the clearly emotional R vs. M argument that continually seems to go nowhere. Yes, it's true that they both continue to make money...and there's certainly stuff to be upset about concerning the assinine licensing mess that exists in the States with these properties, but I still don't see how these discussion points justify, or even relate to, all the angst that's out there...let alone the argument that one show is somehow "better" than the other.
I totally agree that Robotech would never be necessary in today's world of importing anime to the US...but hey, what's done is done, right? And Macek? Well, f that guy. But again, we can't change the past...so why argue about it? That's sorta my stance. For better or for worse, Robotech is what it is...and we can judge it on its inherent traits...just with respect to the strange historical circumstances that led to its creation. Same thing with Macross. All I know is that right now, Shadow Chronicles blew. Macross Zero blew. I pray that Frontier is good and if anything further gets made for Robotech, it doesn't make me angry (I'll probably end up skipping it anyway).
Whether they're considered "canon" or not anymore (apparently not), I dug the Robotech novels--they were enjoyable to read (as an adult) and they offered a satisfying beginning, middle, and end to the saga. Probably my favorite Macross property is Macross 7--it was just so *different* from all the other, more generic takes on the space opera...and it was done well enough to keep me happy (again--as an adult...not as a kid watching cartoons).
Oh, and just to clarify what I meant about "adult" sci-fi...I just meant stuff for the "standard" sci-fi audience. Young children are not the target audience of Shadow Chronicles--today's adults (who grew up with Robotech) are. Yeah, while I like BSG, the tense, drunk, shakey-cam stuff's getting a little old... Time to wrap up that mess...
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Sanjeev
Did you know that if you're entering a comment when someone else is finishes a post, your unfinished comment gets erased? Now you know :)
Has anyone here seen or heard of Yamato 2520 (circa 1994 or 1995?). It was a sequel to a classic that really angered hard-core fans and got a very critical reception. It never made it to the states. Based on these posts, I think the reception to Shadow Chronicles may be quite similar. Well, probably not. Shadow Chronicles sold well and at least has some fans - Yamato 2520 did not sell well.
Why all the large volume of hateful rhetoric? It's not like the movie is going to magically improve because you say bad things about it. More of the hate seems to be directed towards the production company than the film itself. Dallos was probably much worse and never received this many user comments.
I guess this is just the downside of nostalgia - people just can't let the past go.
I think what probably happened to you is that you were entering a comment while we were rebooting the server. The server has been under an immense load since toy fair, and we are taking steps to resolve that this month.
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CollectionDX Admin
And this is coming from someone that grew up with the Robotech franchise, read the rather sucky books, played the subpar videogames for the PS2, and who had hoped for a franchise rejuvenation that managed to stand on its own without raping two of my other favorite shows, Macross and Megazone 23. I was more than a little bit foolish, because all I got is a raping of MOSPEADA.
While is was good to see Stick back in action, the dialogue and inane "oh, I didnt see that coming!" saturday morning cartoon plot twist was an animated abortion. So much potential gone to waste. All I kept thinking this is just a massive, big budget fanfic that's somehow legal.
Sad to think that the only way I can get Macross Zero is through Chinatown bootleggers, but this POS gets an official release.
BTW- how was Harmony Gold able to pull off using a MOSPEADA character, while Macross and Souther Cross are so obviously off limits?
Haha. I wanted to make a comment that Shadow Chroncles does feel like one big fan film. As to your question, Tatsunoko owns Mospeada. They even have it on their website. They don't have Southern Cross or Macross on their website.
-Andrew
Andrew,
Do you think that Tatsunoko will actually do something with MOSPEADA or are pretty much content with HG's official bootlegs?
Also, in Shadow Chronicles, was there even a mention of protculture? Or was that just swept under the table?
In Shadow Chronicles Protoculture is mentioned as something that's good and powerful. Basically it replaces the concept of Laytow that the Inbit revere in Mospeada. Admiral Hunter's ship is the only one with a PROTOCULTURE MATRIX that can make more flowers I guess. Later on the crew bemoans the fact that they may run out of Protoculture but it isn't shown explicitly on screen. I'm not really sure what's going on with Mospeada in Japan outside of some toys that are being made just in time for the anniversary.
-Andrew
I know I wasn't on this podcast and have had nothing to do with this dicussion, but I would like to point out that there absolutely is a Southern Cross character in Shadow Chronicles, Louie, and Tatsunoko has just as many rights to Southern Cross as they do to Mospeada.
If you will remember from our Southern Cross episode, all of the design work and most of the talent in Southern Cross came in-house at Tatsunoko. Ohkura design group that did the mecha is Tatsunoko's in-house mecha design group, the director was Tatsunoko staff, and it was animated mostly in-house.
The reason Macross was different is that Tatsunoko only came aboard at the last minute when they were having budget and scheduling problems and Tatsunoko got international distribution rights out of the deal, whereas in Mospeada and Southern Cross' cases, Tatsunoko owns a lot more than just international distribution rights.
The real reason there is very little Southern Cross in Shadow Chronicles is the same reason the modern Harmony Gold Robotech products do not include Southern Cross themed comics or Southern Cross themed video games -- Southern Cross doesn't sell.
-Jeremy
Yup, Louie was in there, but I thought it was one of those instances where HG tweaked the character design so it wasnt exactly Tatsunoko's Louie, but its "own".
Every character design was tweaked. But that doesn't change the fact that they could do Southern Cross stuff but choose not to.
-Jeremy
Where did my post go? I had one here and today its all gone...
I'm pretty certain I didn't say anything out of line or anything.
I dunno. Is something going weird with CDX? I didn't delete anything.
-Jeremy
Place Shir in you party. Fight until Shir is level 10. Then, go in and out of the locker room in Paseo on Mota. Keep repeating until Shir disappears. Go back to your home, and Shir will rejoin your party. Look in her inventory, and you will find the visiphone. Now you can save your game anywhere!
It was probably a server error. The site's been under heavy traffic. Moderators usually post a warning after deleting a post for content.
This was kind of funny!
Anyway - we're upgrading to a new server early next week - you should see a big difference in speed when we are done.
Josh
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CollectionDX Admin