No Love for Southern Cross?

[blacklotus]

I'm kinda sad that Southern Cross is not much loved by anyone from both sides of the Pacific ocean. Anyone has any idea if this TV series is a big flop in Japan when it was originally released?

I mean, we know Macross is huge, even before the Macross Plus revival, with tonnes of toys made for it, and Mospeada is currently enjoying a nice revival in the toys re-release.

But I am doubtful if I remember seeing toys in Japan for Southern Cross in the original 80s release, and even more doubtful if any toys will be re-released in the near future.

I hope anyone can provide info if this series is really a flop back then, and why so. Many thanks.

p.s. I don't mean Jeanne released as Dana Sterling on a vacuum cleaner in the 'Robotech' toyline in USA. I mean Jeanne released as Jeanne in Japan.

And I don't remember seeing any Bioroid released either. Correct me please if I'm wrong. Thanks.

p.p.s. What I really really want to find is the song CD of the show. They're hauntingly beautiful (the ending song, and the Zor song of the flower legend. And not to sound blasphemous on a Macross forum, but imo, I think they're even more beautiful than the Macross songs)

nb: Found this in wiki:

The three titles share some of the same creators, and Macross is referenced by character cameos and inside references by the latter two series. However, the basic stories are unrelated. Southern Cross was the least successful of the Super Dimensional banner and was actually cancelled due to low ratings, forcing the scriptwriters to hastily conclude the series.

No wonder the last episode always felt rushed, trying to tie all the loose ends in the last episode #23. sigh...

[Ginrai]

Well, as I said when we reviewed Southern Cross on Destroy All Podcasts, the show is an interesting failure. Perhaps it was too ambitious for its own good. Some of the mecha are pretty unique ideas (the Spartas is pretty cool even if the cruising mode stupidly doesn't even cover the pilot in a canopy, the space helicoptor Auroran is cool), having a woman as the lead (or three women as leads if you like, since Jeanne, Lana, and Marie are a trinity) is pretty unique, and the show's focus on character development as the resulting slower pace are all nice twists on the real robot genre, but it was Tatsunoko trying to do a Super Dimension show entirely in house without using Studio Nue, Artmic, or any other design houses and maybe that was part of their problem.

There really aren't Japanese toys for Southern Cross, just models, so you are kind of stuck unless you want to get the Robotech toys. I actually think the Robotech Spartas is pretty cool, for what it's worth.

If you are watching Southern Cross and not Robotech, you will probably realize in the last episode they only defeated one Zor ship and there's a whole fleet left in space around Gloire.

[Totoro242]

Zero toys released in Japan for Southern Cross. There is one super crappy Chinese bootleg of the Lana model kit, but you are better off buying Dana on a vacuum cleaner.

Many hardcore fans here in the states will tell you the reason the show didn't do well in the ratings was a poor timeslot. Mospeada also suffered from a bad timeslot, but the fan following was large enough that a follow-up OVA was made.

Mospeada also had broader merchandising support in the form of models and toys which helped the show as far as sponsorship. These toys and models began development before the show aired. SC had no toy sponsor and my guess is that it has to do with the industry at the time. Takatoku was headed towards bankruptcy while trying to push their Orguss and Dorvack lines and develope a new Macross line for the upcoming movie. Gakken's Mospeada line was also not fairing well in Japan as evidenced by so many unreleased toys from its line (they have more unreleased toys that actually releases). So you had a stalwart toy company considered a pillar of the robot toy industry and you had a publishing company (Gakken) who was fairly new in the field of making toys, both companies facing major financial probelms due to sponsorship of mecha anime shows. It seems logical then that no company would want to touch SC.

Honestly, Mospeada's revival in Japan followed Toynami's niche success line of Robotech The New Generation toys. Had they not first proved that Legioss toys were still viable, I doubt you would see anything released in Japan. Look at Revoltech. a large company like Kaiyado doesnt even have plans yet for a Legioss or Sparta figure and they'll release mecha from just about any show! Given this logic, I think that when Toynami developes SC mecha toys first here in the states, then you might see some toy companies pick it up in Japan. I know for a fact that Toynami is considering SC toys right now, so keep your fingers crossed.

I have the soundtrack CD somewhere packed away, but I'm sure there are some locations on the internet that have it for download. Someone else may have it there.

[Totoro242]

Also, most hardcore SC fans hang out here:

http://rdfhqcommunicationscenter.yuku.com/directory

[blacklotus]

Zero toys released in Japan for Southern Cross. There is one super crappy Chinese bootleg of the Lana model kit, but you are better off buying Dana on a vacuum cleaner.

Many hardcore fans here in the states will tell you the reason the show didn't do well in the ratings was a poor timeslot. Mospeada also suffered from a bad timeslot, but the fan following was large enough that a follow-up OVA was made.

Mospeada also had broader merchandising support in the form of models and toys which helped the show as far as sponsorship. These toys and models began development before the show aired. SC had no toy sponsor and my guess is that it has to do with the industry at the time. Takatoku was headed towards bankruptcy while trying to push their Orguss and Dorvack lines and develope a new Macross line for the upcoming movie. Gakken's Mospeada line was also not fairing well in Japan as evidenced by so many unreleased toys from its line (they have more unreleased toys that actually releases). So you had a stalwart toy company considered a pillar of the robot toy industry and you had a publishing company (Gakken) who was fairly new in the field of making toys, both companies facing major financial probelms due to sponsorship of mecha anime shows. It seems logical then that no company would want to touch SC.

Honestly, Mospeada's revival in Japan followed Toynami's niche success line of Robotech The New Generation toys. Had they not first proved that Legioss toys were still viable, I doubt you would see anything released in Japan. Look at Revoltech. a large company like Kaiyado doesnt even have plans yet for a Legioss or Sparta figure and they'll release mecha from just about any show! Given this logic, I think that when Toynami developes SC mecha toys first here in the states, then you might see some toy companies pick it up in Japan. I know for a fact that Toynami is considering SC toys right now, so keep your fingers crossed.

I have the soundtrack CD somewhere packed away, but I'm sure there are some locations on the internet that have it for download. Someone else may have it there.

Thank you. This is the type of info I was looking for. As for the CD, I'm hoping to snag a cheap, still-in-good condition copy off the web. But I guess I will hunt for downloads at the same time. Though both will be difficult, seeing the following is so limited.

IMO, the crisis the toy companies faced back then is probably the same we are facing now - an economic crisis. If I remember correctly, 1986 is about the time Japan's huge property bubble just burst (huge in the sense that the small plot of Japan emperor's land is theoretical worth more than the whole USA ), sending lots of firms into bankruptcy. (They are all linked)

p.s. I suppose I shouldn't bad-mouth HG too much. They did provide valuable services/incentives for the re-release of Mospeada toys.

Thanks for the link too. I shall be visiting there.

And I also love Totoro. It was my first anime related soft-toy and piggy-bank.

Edited January 5, 2009 by blacklotus

[Bri]

Always liked Southern Cross a lot. Great character designs and the main cast just worked for me. Even in RT I prefered it over Mospeada. As the other posters mentioned there are no toys except the RT stuff. I have seen a few ARII kits of the diverse body armors and the Source book: This is Anime nr10 (I think).

The human mecha looked pretty bad except for the fixed wing fighter. The enemy mechs were great. As mentioned they are Zaku inspired. Heck the bioroids designs could have been great Nu-type mecha.

Edited January 5, 2009 by Bri

[RavenHawk]

Zero toys released in Japan for Southern Cross. There is one super crappy Chinese bootleg of the Lana model kit, but you are better off buying Dana on a vacuum cleaner.

Many hardcore fans here in the states will tell you the reason the show didn't do well in the ratings was a poor timeslot. Mospeada also suffered from a bad timeslot, but the fan following was large enough that a follow-up OVA was made.

Mospeada also had broader merchandising support in the form of models and toys which helped the show as far as sponsorship. These toys and models began development before the show aired. SC had no toy sponsor and my guess is that it has to do with the industry at the time. Takatoku was headed towards bankruptcy while trying to push their Orguss and Dorvack lines and develope a new Macross line for the upcoming movie. Gakken's Mospeada line was also not fairing well in Japan as evidenced by so many unreleased toys from its line (they have more unreleased toys that actually releases). So you had a stalwart toy company considered a pillar of the robot toy industry and you had a publishing company (Gakken) who was fairly new in the field of making toys, both companies facing major financial probelms due to sponsorship of mecha anime shows. It seems logical then that no company would want to touch SC.

Honestly, Mospeada's revival in Japan followed Toynami's niche success line of Robotech The New Generation toys. Had they not first proved that Legioss toys were still viable, I doubt you would see anything released in Japan. Look at Revoltech. a large company like Kaiyado doesnt even have plans yet for a Legioss or Sparta figure and they'll release mecha from just about any show! Given this logic, I think that when Toynami developes SC mecha toys first here in the states, then you might see some toy companies pick it up in Japan. I know for a fact that Toynami is considering SC toys right now, so keep your fingers crossed.

I have the soundtrack CD somewhere packed away, but I'm sure there are some locations on the internet that have it for download. Someone else may have it there.

sorry to take this off on a slight tangent, but which unreleased MOSPEADA toys are you referring to?

[blacklotus]

Well, as I said when we reviewed Southern Cross on Destroy All Podcasts, the show is an interesting failure. Perhaps it was too ambitious for its own good. Some of the mecha are pretty unique ideas (the Spartas is pretty cool even if the cruising mode stupidly doesn't even cover the pilot in a canopy, the space helicoptor Auroran is cool), having a woman as the lead (or three women as leads if you like, since Jeanne, Lana, and Marie are a trinity) is pretty unique, and the show's focus on character development as the resulting slower pace are all nice twists on the real robot genre, but it was Tatsunoko trying to do a Super Dimension show entirely in house without using Studio Nue, Artmic, or any other design houses and maybe that was part of their problem.

There really aren't Japanese toys for Southern Cross, just models, so you are kind of stuck unless you want to get the Robotech toys. I actually think the Robotech Spartas is pretty cool, for what it's worth.

If you are watching Southern Cross and not Robotech, you will probably realize in the last episode they only defeated one Zor ship and there's a whole fleet left in space around Gloire.

Yes, but Dess and his 2 trinity brothers died. So in that sense, the Zors are defeated totally. (Leaderless. And the show did stress that the Zors take commands from the top hierarchy, and weren't capable of individual thoughts.) Also, their bio-energy reserves are way too low at the end of the show such that they even have to liquidate their own newborns. In that sense, they are sad. Even worse off than the Zentraedis, imo.

Thanks for the info. I guess I love the show for the strong characterisations. The characters are believable.

BTW, this is also my first exposure to nekkid cartoon ladies back in the 80s, courtesy of Jeanne.

I'm surprised Singapore censors let those scenes broadcasted uncut to children on national TV Saturday matinee time slot.

Edited January 5, 2009 by blacklotus

[Bri]

Well, as I said when we reviewed Southern Cross on Destroy All Podcasts

Thanks, really enjoyed the podcast on SC

[sketchley]

(...)

IMO, the crisis the toy companies faced back then is probably the same we are facing now - an economic crisis. If I remember correctly, 1986 is about the time Japan's huge property bubble just burst (huge in the sense that the small plot of Japan emperor's land is theoretical worth more than the whole USA ), sending lots of firms into bankruptcy. (They are all linked)(...)

Nope. That's when the Plaza Accord took effect, and the bubble economy started. The burst started in 1990.

And that plot of land ain't small (unless if you consider NY's central park small). It was also only valued at more than all the real estate of California, at the time.

[blacklotus]

Nope. That's when the Plaza Accord took effect, and the bubble economy started. The burst started in 1990.

And that plot of land ain't small (unless if you consider NY's central park small). It was also only valued at more than all the real estate of California, at the time.

Thanks for the correction. Still, I rather own all of California than the palace grounds. Remember David Lee Roth's famous song about California Girls?

[jenius]

sorry to take this off on a slight tangent, but which unreleased MOSPEADA toys are you referring to?

Ooh there are lots. There was a Legioss Tread combo toy never released seen in one magazine scan (scale unknown, transformability unknown), there were all the "Dark" variants that never got produced, there was the 1/72 Tread which only saw a release by Lansay in France but was planned for all color variants in Japan, there were diecast figures planned in 1/20 scale for houquet and Yellow (in both bike and armor modes), and I'm probably missing a few....

[RavenHawk]

Ooh there are lots. There was a Legioss Tread combo toy never released seen in one magazine scan (scale unknown, transformability unknown), there were all the "Dark" variants that never got produced, there was the 1/72 Tread which only saw a release by Lansay in France but was planned for all color variants in Japan, there were diecast figures planned in 1/20 scale for houquet and Yellow (in both bike and armor modes), and I'm probably missing a few....

Ok, so different toys based on designs that we've seen, nothing that was unproduced like things that didn't make it into the anime, or from a possible sequel, had it been more successful?

I know Southern Cross had a TON of designs that never saw the light of day, at least not on the show.

[Einherjar]

Yes, but Dess and his 2 trinity brothers died. So in that sense, the Zors are defeated totally. (Leaderless. And the show did stress that the Zors take commands from the top hierarchy, and weren't capable of individual thoughts.) Also, their bio-energy reserves are way too low at the end of the show such that they even have to liquidate their own newborns. In that sense, they are sad. Even worse off than the Zentraedis, imo.

Sounds like the series ends in mutual destruction for both sides.

[Vifam7]

Just to get a bit back on topic, the main sponsor for Southern Cross was supposed to be Bandai. Bandai was supposedly going to make the toys of the Hovertank/Spartas. But they backed out of the sponsorship early on. The sponsors that remained on were Arii, Imai, and LS whom were all working together. All 3 are ofcourse plastic model kit makers. For some strange reason they released 9 different model kits of the characters in armor but not one of good guy robot mechs. Not even the simple Logan. That probably didn't help. And with the huge success of Macross DYRL that same year, I assume Arii and Imai simply focused their sales on Macross products.

[Totoro242]

sorry to take this off on a slight tangent, but which unreleased MOSPEADA toys are you referring to?

These were never released in Japan:

Small scale red Legioss

Small scale green Legioss

Medium scale 3 mode red legioss

Medium scale 3 mode green Legioss

Medium scale 2 mode red Legioss

Medium scale 2 mode green Legioss

Small scale blue TREAD

These never made it past prototype:

Small scale red TREAD

Small scale green TREAD

Small scale Dark TREAD

Small scale Dark Legioss

1/20 die-cast Ride Armor Ley

1/20 die-cast Ride Armor Blowsuperior

1/8 Large transforming Bartley

Thats just the ones we have heard of, there's bound to have been more.

[Totoro242]

Ok, so different toys based on designs that we've seen, nothing that was unproduced like things that didn't make it into the anime, or from a possible sequel, had it been more successful?

I know Southern Cross had a TON of designs that never saw the light of day, at least not on the show.

Much of what you are probably refering to are early designs that were later modified or rejected for use in the show, not because of time contraints or budget, but rejected in the planning phase. In the case of the latter, Mospeada has dozens of rejected designs. Enough that someone was actually trying to get a book made. Only a handful are considered "unused" and had to be scrapped due to budgetary problems or cancelation.

[Roger]

Ah, a subject that's near and dear to my heart.

When I talk to Japanese anime fans about Southern Cross, aside from the time slot issue they cite a couple of things that made the show miss the mark:

1) The main character was a girl who was pining over a pretty boy purple hair. The target audience (teenage males) didn't connect with this too well.

2) The robot and armor designs were considered uninteresting and didn't have a strong enough "mecha" aesthetic when compared to other robot shows of the time. I agree with that assessment.

Regarding the merchandise, there were no toys that I know of, and none of the robot models were produced aside from the 1/48 red Bioroid (not even Jeanne's hero mecha), but there is a smattering of odd items that surface from time to time including menko cards, coloring books, and (only seen these once) kids' rain boots.

Odds and ends:

IMO, the crisis the toy companies faced back then is probably the same we are facing now - an economic crisis. If I remember correctly, 1986 is about the time Japan's huge property bubble just burst (huge in the sense that the small plot of Japan emperor's land is theoretical worth more than the whole USA ), sending lots of firms into bankruptcy. (They are all linked)

If you're talking about the "bubble economy," you're off by a few years. It didn't pop until 1990. Southern Cross aired in 1984.

Just to get a bit back on topic, the main sponsor for Southern Cross was supposed to be Bandai.

I've never heard this. Got a source for this info?

These were never released in Japan:

Small scale red Legioss

Small scale green Legioss

Medium scale 3 mode red legioss

Medium scale 3 mode green Legioss

Medium scale 2 mode red Legioss

Medium scale 2 mode green Legioss

Small scale blue TREAD

These never made it past prototype:

Small scale red TREAD

Small scale green TREAD

Small scale Dark TREAD

Small scale Dark Legioss

1/20 die-cast Ride Armor Ley

1/20 die-cast Ride Armor Blowsuperior

1/8 Large transforming Bartley

Thats just the ones we have heard of, there's bound to have been more.

That list jibes with what I know of. Add the die-cast Inbit Gurab and Eager, they were supposed to be sold alongside the 1/20 motorcycles.

[Roger]

Here are some notes I made about unproduced MOSPEADA and Southern Cross model kits after digging through the Imai material:

IP1, IP2 – Unproduced Model Kits from Imai.

These are sheets from an Imai internal planning memo. Several entries on this list were unproduced:

5) Legioss soldier (kit #4) with optional armor parts, 11 cm tall, 500 yen

6) Optional armor parts for soldier, diver, and fighter modes, 300 yen

7) Variable Super Legioss and TLEAD, 16 cm tall, 700 yen

Combination set of kit #4, #6, and #7, 1200 yen

9) Legioss maintenance diorama set, includes engine parts, checkup panel, and mechanic figures, 500 yen

15) MOSPEADA (kit #11) with optional armor parts and armored sidecar, 1/15 scale, 13.3 cm tall, 800 yen

16) MOSPEADA maintenance diorama set, 1/15 scale, 500 yen

17) Inbit Eager poseable kit, 1/72 scale, 8.3 cm tall, 300 yen

18) Inbit Glove poseable kit, 1/72 scale, 11 cm tall, 500 yen

19) Inbit booster, 1/72 scale, 6.9 cm long, 300 yen

20) Legioss cockpit display, 1/15 scale, 800 yen

There is a note at the bottom saying, “Other than these, we will be adding various other mecha. We will meet in two weeks.” Apparently at that next meeting, they chose to cut certain kits instead of add more.

Aside from the unused box art that appears in the B-Club Special: Artmic Design Works book, previously there was no evidence that Imai was planning TLEAD model kits.

Southern Cross TV Promotional Flyer – Unproduced Model Kits

This is a large glossy flyer that shows the various TV networks that would be airing Southern Cross with a chart showing the various armies and a listing of the model kits offered by all three companies. The Bioroid for Seifriet is listed as belonging to “Philip.”

Arii

1/12 Glorie Military Police Suit for Lana, 700 yen

1/12 A Tactics Armored Corps Suit for Charles, 800 yen

1/12 A Tactics Armored Corps Suit for Anjay, 800 yen

1/12 A Tactics Armored Corps Suit for Louie, 800 yen

1/48 Glorie Military Police Robot

1/48 Zor Late Generation Type 1 Bioroid

1/48 Zor Bi-Hover

1/48 Tactics Armored Space Corps/A Tactic Armored Corps Variable Robot [both groups listed together, this could be a typographical error]

1/12 Navy Division Suit for Yamashita

1/12 Mountain Squad Suit for Fogel

Imai

1/12 Tactics Armored Space Corps Suit for Paul, 800 yen

1/12 Tactics Armored Space Corps Suit for Marie, 700 yen

1/48 A Tactics Armored Corps Variable Hover Tank for Jeanne, 1,000 yen

1/12 Cold Squad Suit for Alexander

1/48 Cold Squad Robot

1/12 Desert Squad Suit for Ohka

1/48 Desert Squid Robot

1/12 Tactics Corps Suit for Thomas

1/48 Tactics Corps Robot

1/48 Zor Middle Generation Type 1 Bioroid

LS

1/12 A Tactics Armored Corps Suit for Jeanne, 700 yen

1/12 Glorie Military Police Suit for Alan, 800 yen

1/48 Zor Bioroid Specialized for Philip

1/20 Hover Bike

1/12 Tactics Space Corps Suit for Henry

1/144 Tactics Space Corps Rocket

1/12 City Defense Flying Corps Suit for Robert

1/144 City Defense Flying Corps Fighter

1/12 Reconnoitering Suit [no name listed for soldier]

1/48 Reconnoitering Robot

Southern Cross/Galvion Promotional Booklet – Unproduced Model Kits

Small 22 page booklet showing line art for each army’s body armor, plus a revised list of kits to look for. Again, Seifriet’s Bioroid with the name “Philip,” and Jeanne’s robot is dubbed “Spartas” instead of having a generic name.

LS: 1/12 A Tactics Armored Corps Suit for Jeanne, 700 yen

Arii: 1/12 Glorie Military Police Suit for Lana, 700 yen

Imai: 1/12 Tactics Armored Space Corps Suit for Paul, 800 yen

LS: 1/12 Glorie Military Police Suit for Alan, 800 yen

Arii: 1/12 A Tactics Armored Corps Suit for Charles, 800 yen

Imai: 1/12 Tactics Armored Space Corps Suit for Marie, 700 yen

LS: 1/48 Zor Bioroid Specialized for Philip, 800 yen

Arii: 1/12 A Tactics Armored Corps Suit for Anjay, 800 yen

Imai: 1/48 Variable Spartas for Jeanne, 1,000 yen

LS: 1/20 Flash Clapper, 800 yen

Arii: 1/12 A Tactics Armored Corps Suit for Louie, 800 yen

Imai: 1/12 Cold Squad Suit for Alexander, 800 yen

LS: 1/12 Tactics Space Corps Suit for Henry, 800 yen

Arii: 1/48 Glorie Military Police Robot, 500 yen

Imai: 1/48 Cold Squad Robot, 500 yen

LS: Tactics Space Corps Rocket [no scale listed], 600 yen

Arii: 1/48 Zor Late Type 1 Bioroid, 500 yen

Imai: 1/12 Desert Squad Suit for Ohka, 800 yen

Three sheets in one of the Southern Cross folders I have show successive iterations of blueprints for Jeanne’s robot-mode Spartas. However, this isn’t the finalized design, it’s the early version with the more ornate head seen in This is Animation #10. The first sheet sets the scale at 1/32 (for a 193mm tall model). The second one has those figures scratched out and the scale is revised to 1/40 (154mm). The third one seemingly finalizes the scale at 1/48 (129mm) after comparing it to other robot models like the Legioss and Orgroid.

[RavenHawk]

Here are some notes I made about unproduced MOSPEADA and Southern Cross model kits after digging through the Imai material:

MOSPEADA with armored sidecar? Really? Wonder if it's like the unproduced Bubblegum Crisis motoslave with sidecar.

This is the first I've heard of this. Roger, have you come across any mention of this anywhere else?

[Roger]

MOSPEADA with armored sidecar? Really? Wonder if it's like the unproduced Bubblegum Crisis motoslave with sidecar.

This is the first I've heard of this. Roger, have you come across any mention of this anywhere else?

No, and I never saw any line art for the sidecar, either.

[Totoro242]

To expand on what Roger stated about the Southern Cross models...

Model kit ads including listings the first 20 Southern Cross models kits:

[Vifam7]

Just to get a bit back on topic, the main sponsor for Southern Cross was supposed to be Bandai.

I've never heard this. Got a source for this info?

Japanese wiki article. I know, not exactly the best source. I'll look into it a bit more.

Another interesting fact which I know to be true - Southern Cross was originally conceived as a comedy series with super deformed-like lolita characters. Character designer was to be Uchiyama Aki - a mangaka (I think female) noted for creating hentai manga with loli girls. Some of his/her? artwork can be seen in the This Is Animation: Southern Cross mook/artbook. Wanna see lolita-fied Southern Cross charas? I have the artbook somewhere.

Oh yeah, the model kit for Lt. Lana has a gimmick in which the armor can be taken off to... expose her boobies.

The kit even came with a tagline: "Body comes with lolicon". Lol. WTF?

Edited January 5, 2009 by Vifam7

[Roger]

Another interesting fact which I know to be true - Southern Cross was originally conceived as a comedy series with super deformed-like lolita characters. Character designer was to be Uchiyama Aki - a mangaka (I think female) noted for creating hentai manga with loli girls. Some of his/her? artwork can be seen in the This Is Animation: Southern Cross mook/artbook. Wanna see lolita-fied Southern Cross charas? I have the artbook somewhere.

Never heard this, either.

The Imai material with the first draft of SC I have is super-serious. The arming doublets were originally concieved as equipment for heroes in a samurai war epic. (Imagine Iron Man filtered through Kurosawa.)

[bandit29]

I had this model back in the 80s...done terribly of course lol. the box has a Big West sticker on it..I guess they never went after HG for that..

http://www.zormaster.com/southerncrossmodels.html

[Roger]

Matchbox made a toy of that for the Robotech line, too.

I'm told that Tatsunoko still has the rights to license the animation, but Big West purchased the merchandising rights for Japan a few years ago.

Harmony Gold still has the right to license merchandise outside of Japan, but nobody wants it. ;p

[Totoro242]

Oh yeah, the model kit for Lt. Lana has a gimmick in which the armor can be taken off to... expose her boobies.

The kit even came with a tagline: "Body comes with lolicon". Lol. WTF?

Man, why can't a thread on Southern Cross pop up without someone mentioning that?

LOL, this seems to be Southern Cross's real legacy...

Edited January 5, 2009 by Totoro242

[Totoro242]

I'm told that Tatsunoko still has the rights to license the animation, but Big West purchased the merchandising rights for Japan a few years ago.

Big West has always been releasing the model kits since the show came out.

[Shun]

Yes, but Dess and his 2 trinity brothers died. So in that sense, the Zors are defeated totally. (Leaderless. And the show did stress that the Zors take commands from the top hierarchy, and weren't capable of individual thoughts.) Also, their bio-energy reserves are way too low at the end of the show such that they even have to liquidate their own newborns. In that sense, they are sad. Even worse off than the Zentraedis, imo.

Thanks for the info. I guess I love the show for the strong characterisations. The characters are believable.

BTW, this is also my first exposure to nekkid cartoon ladies back in the 80s, courtesy of Jeanne.

I'm surprised Singapore censors let those scenes broadcasted uncut to children on national TV Saturday matinee time slot.

hahah i remember i saw it on TV on saturdays, but i don't remember the nekkid scene Maybe i missed the episode, but i got the DVD now Mospeada's nekkid Aisha scene was the one i remembered vividly

ok, enough of nekkid scenes and lolicons... storywise, the Zor were doomed since they were seriously low on energy, but I've always wondered about the fate for the humans. Some people suggested that they were affected by the flower, but I'm leaning towards a happy ending for the humans.

I'm also looking for the ending song...

[Ginrai]

hahah i remember i saw it on TV on saturdays, but i don't remember the nekkid scene Maybe i missed the episode, but i got the DVD now Mospeada's nekkid Aisha scene was the one i remembered vividly

ok, enough of nekkid scenes and lolicons... storywise, the Zor were doomed since they were seriously low on energy, but I've always wondered about the fate for the humans. Some people suggested that they were affected by the flower, but I'm leaning towards a happy ending for the humans.

I'm also looking for the ending song...

It's totally not a happy ending for the humans. What do you think the protozor crap is doing to them? And there's still enough Zor up there to go kill most of them, even all confused.

[kamikaze_kamujin]

This is an interesting japanese webpage dedicated to Southern Cross

"Robotech Masters/Southern Cross world"

http://www.geocities.jp/yuiyuasa/newpage2.htm

[CoryHolmes]

2) The robot and armor designs were considered uninteresting and didn't have a strong enough "mecha" aesthetic when compared to other robot shows of the time. I agree with that assessment.

That's kind of odd because Southern Cross always had some of my favourite mecha and I just love the armour designs. Very cool.

[Bri]

This is an interesting japanese webpage dedicated to Southern Cross

"Robotech Masters/Southern Cross world"

http://www.geocities.jp/yuiyuasa/newpage2.htm

A Japanese fansite for Robotech. Now i've seen it all. The irony

[Einherjar]

Southern Cross was an okay show with some ideas that made it unique compared to other series. I guess for a show with a small(?) following I guess it's too bad it got canceled early. Robotech put some of the stuff cut from the show into their lore and RPG, but does anyone know where the show would've gone with a full budget?

[Ginrai]

Southern Cross was an okay show with some ideas that made it unique compared to other series. I guess for a show with a small(?) following I guess it's too bad it got canceled early. Robotech put some of the stuff cut from the show into their lore and RPG, but does anyone know where the show would've gone with a full budget?

The booklet that comes with the ADV release of the DVD set is probably the best we will get.