New Robotech Shadow Chronicles Vid

[1/1 LowViz Lurker]

Finally..........20 years just to find out what happened when rick killed all those innocent humans on earth just to get at the invid. When the invid mention shadow they must be reffering to the dark side of humans. So I bet Rick hunter = robotech equivalent of Anakin Skywalker. Just my guess.

Edited July 25, 2006 by 1/1 LowViz Lurker

[1st Border Red Devil]

Finally..........20 years just to find out what happened when rick killed all those innocent humans on earth just to get at the invid. When the invid mention shadow they must be reffering to the dark side of humans. So I bet Rick hunter = robotech equivalent of Anakin Skywalker. Just my guess.

419005[/snapback]

With anyone else but Tommy Yune at the helm, most likely. When the Regess in Robotech talks about 'the shadow' she specifically states its the shadow of the Robotech Masters that mankind has become tainted by: literally that they will go to extreme ends to win a war.

Now, supposedly, it refers to some 'shadow dimension' and some kind of weird aliens.

[Keith]

i.e. they've gone back to copying Exo-squad (which copied robotech which plagurized Macross) with the whole dark matter/alien invasion dealy.

Should we also expect to see a Zentradi disease which causes them to melt?

[renegadeleader1]

first off JsARCLIGHT my bad I should have checked this thread first before making a new one.

secondly this is from my post

Who is Kenji Terada? Is he some guy that came up with RT's story or was he a writer for one of the orginal shows? (macross southern cross mospeada)

[renegadeleader1]

well to answer my own question from IMDB.com he was a writer for both southern cross and mospeada.

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0855381/

[Ginrai]

i.e. they've gone back to copying Exo-squad (which copied robotech which plagurized Macross) with the whole dark matter/alien invasion dealy.

Should we also expect to see a Zentradi disease which causes them to melt?

419128[/snapback]

I've read this like five time and I still can't make -any- sense of it.

What?

[Vermillion21]

i.e. they've gone back to copying Exo-squad (which copied robotech which plagurized Macross) with the whole dark matter/alien invasion dealy.

Should we also expect to see a Zentradi disease which causes them to melt?

419128[/snapback]

I've read this like five time and I still can't make -any- sense of it.

What?

419565[/snapback]

Not sure about the plot, but I know that when the Exo-Squad toyline was released in the early 90s, a lot of their toys were "stolen" from the Macross line. Namely the destroids, Matchbox valkyrie, and enemy mecha. I believe.

[1st Border Red Devil]

well to answer my own question from IMDB.com he was a writer for both southern cross and mospeada.

Hmm, didn't realise he was involved with Southern Cross. Interesting...

[1/1 LowViz Lurker]

Also I think Louie might turn out to be a mad scientist, remember how he mentioned he wanted to create a robot society to replace humans? Maybe he get injured in a battle and (a bit like briareos in appleseed) has his brain hooked to a cyborg body and forces everyone to become like him? The military fund his projects in the interest of using his inventions but he turns against them at the last minute for forcing him to make weapons of war which he was against in his younger days. (he was plotting all along)

Rick hunter will of course come in as a "hero" with the zentradi clone army (modelled after britai) and .... it is up to scott and a few others to save us from rick hunter's army of clones (who then turn against rick to kill all humans after thier mind control wears off through minmay's music) by making a deal with good invid. (well it would be a good twist for once to see aliens as the good guys. Because every past war has seen the humans as the ones correcting the aliens.)

The best thing to do would be to get all the characters from every past war involved and it all ends in a cataclysm. (like a big epic where there it is told by a survivor from the war and there is nothing left like in those post apocalyptic movies. By killing off characters and technology from macross they can then focus on new mecha. "Reflex weaponry" will then become some kind of legend. With the few invid survivors deciding that they don't want to evolve to our level "cuz we are evil" and instead go beyond humanoid type shapes. Maybe an alien equivalent to newtypes? heheh just kidding! )

Edited July 26, 2006 by 1/1 LowViz Lurker

[Mog]

i.e. they've gone back to copying Exo-squad (which copied robotech which plagurized Macross) with the whole dark matter/alien invasion dealy.

Should we also expect to see a Zentradi disease which causes them to melt?

419128[/snapback]

I've read this like five time and I still can't make -any- sense of it.

What?

419565[/snapback]

Okay, this will be a little bit of a spoiler for those who haven't watch the show. But in Exo-Squad (which honestly is a damn good show in its own right), the leader of the bad guys (the Neosapians) contracts this disease that was slowly turning him into "mush." Hence, Keith's melting comment.

As for the "dark matter" stuff, I personally don't know.

But with the "alien invasion dealy", it wasn't so much an alien invasion as it was a "man's creation revolting against him" story. Sorta like BSG, but with genetically engineered human-like creatures instead of robots/cyborgs.

As for the toyline, the toys at first were the original designs from the cartoon. Other than being mecha, I don't think you could say they were really inspired or derived from Robotech/Macross. The toys didn't transform, and most of them (not all) were just slightly-larger-than-human-sized armored mechs.

It was only later, about the time the cartoon was getting cancelled (or little bit after the second season ended), that the Robotech molds and designs were included into the toyline.

The Macross/Invid designs never were shown in the cartoon, but if there was ever a third season of Exo-Squad, who knows?

[Keith]

While Exosquad was an ok show, it did heavily borrow from Macross/Robotech, as its creaters even admitted. The basic premise was that in the future, humans genetically engineered an offshoot labor species to take care of their dirty work (Neosapians). The Neosapians eventually rebelled against humans, initiating the need for combat mecha, be it more of an "aliens" inspired brand called "exo-frames" that looked a lot like the "aliens" loaders, but with actual weapons, and a nuero-link-up system (something akin to the robotech novels explanation for mecha pilotting).

As the series went on, the Neosapians took it upon themselves to "upgrade" their ranks with new breeds of combat neosapians (much like the various different evolutions that hte Inbit took in Mospeada), though they couldn't overcome a genetic breakdown disease that caused some of them (including their leader) to melt away. They were also engineered so that they couldn't procreate naturally, and their only means of perpetuation was through testube style birth.

Aside from the Neosapians, the Exosquad fleet also had rumbles with pirates, who possessed cloaking technology brought about through a substance called "dark matter," and out of necesssity/survival, the two sides joined together against the Neosapians , sharing their technology.

Things got pretty whacky towards the end of the series, with things like bringing a dead character back to life through Neosapian styled clone birthing (only with the same body), and a re-imprinting of the characters memory through the black box in his E-frame. There was also a group of humans who developed paranormal powers through inter-DNA mixing with plants (again, similar to the robotech novels depiction of Protoculture), etc.

At the very end of the series, the conflict between humans & Neosapians was resolved, but then a new alien threat popped up, seemingly caused by heavy use of the dark matter, which apparently belonged to the aliens.

Now you'll also recall the preliminary materials released for robotech 3000, which in themselves looked a lot like certain aspects of Exo-Squad (specifically the hero mecha for RT3000 looked a lot like the hero mecha from Exo-Squad). And now here we have the Shadow Chronicles with a mysterious "shadow/dark" substance (tied in with the developement of the dark Legioss/alpha's), which looks to be panning out to be similar to the dark matter from Exo-Squad, completely with the summoning of a "new" threat.

Sorry, I figured you guys had kept up on all this stuff

[Vermillion21]

Wow. Thanks for the summary mate - much appreciated.

[Keith]

Wow.  Thanks for the summary mate - much appreciated.

419660[/snapback]

Take into account that summary is pretty abridged. There were some pretty good episodes around the mid-end of the first season, when Earth went almost entirely under Neosapian rule, and internal strife within the Exofleet, when a G.W-esque military commander winds up getting their flagship destroyed....Why doesn't CN do something useful by re-airing shows like this that will never see the light of DVD?

[Keith]

Maybe we've all got it wrong. Perhaps Shadow Chronicles is about 1980's late night DJ "Shadow Stevens" & his exploits in life.

[Mog]

Damn. Didn't realize a lot of those plot similarities between Exo-Squad and the R-word.

Thanks for the detailed primer Keith. I almost forgot about that out-of-left-field, plant-folk plotline.

I personally liked the military strategy aspects of Exo-Squad, like liberating Venus before going after Earth (ala the Allies going to Africa before hitting Europe in WWII). Or the Exofleet realizing they needed the pirates help, after getting PWN'ED! by the Neosapians.

For an American animated series, it was definitely one of the better ones.

Don't forget Keith, CN is also the genius network that decided to cancel Justice League Unlimited. Now why Adult Swim doesn't try to re-air this series? Who knows?

But getting back on topic, should we expect a new "Pointy Headed Alien of the Week" from the Shadow Chronicles?

[Mog]

Maybe we've all got it wrong. Perhaps Shadow Chronicles is about 1980's late night DJ "Shadow Stevens" & his exploits in life.

Or maybe it's about DJ Shadow, chronicling his collaboration with Dan the Automator on "Bombay the Hard Way: Guns, Cars, and Sitars"!!

[wolfx]

Only thing i remembered about Exo Squad were, small armored mecha shooting down giant cap ships with their puny lasers.

Yeah i never paid attention to that show although the toyline looked interesting especially the leader's "flying power loader" mech.

[Keith]

Nah, pointy headed alien of the week would be too cliche. I think Shadow Chronicles will actually be about a green Irish rabbit that sounds like he's fully baked flying through space with a 4 armed duck, and a super genius kid. That would be pure genius!

Thanks for the detailed primer Keith. I almost forgot about that out-of-left-field, plant-folk plotline.

Then I'm also guessing you forgot about the love triangle between Nara Burns, Marsala, & Takagi (or was it J.T., damnit, now I can't remember). Now there was some wackiness, especially when Marsala wasn't even "equipped."

All this reminicing has reminded me of a funny story. Way back in the day, when I had first read descriptions of Gundam Wing, all I could picture were the "Exo-Scouts." heh.

Edited July 26, 2006 by Keith

[Ginrai]

You know, I watched Exo-Squad back in the day, but I don't recall anything about "dark matter" and while I certainly bought the Exo-Squad Robotech toys, the little story on the back of the box just seemed like marketing crap meant to sell the toys, not a serious continuation of the story.

[Keith]

And that's exactly why those toy's wound up at the Kay-Bee's bargin bin.

[HoveringCheesecake]

And that's exactly why those toy's wound up at the Kay-Bee's bargin bin.

421454[/snapback]

lol hey now, for a 10 year old kid those Destroids where the shiznit. They were the only Macross toys that I had for years.

[Ginrai]

Pfft, the story on the back of the box has nothing to do with how well the toy sells. More likely they wound up at bargain prices because they were ten year old toys for a different TV show.

[JsARCLIGHT]

Well from what I recall Robotech toys did not sell too well the first time around back in the mid '80s. They where in hot competition with Transformers and GI Joe (both vastly more popular than RT was). I fondly recall seeing tons of them on pegs and shelves all the time while the more popular Transformers and Joes where half empty or sold out... and then I remember seeing the RT toys all get marked on clearance from 25% off then down to 50% off then down to "free puppy if you take these". They haunted clearance bins all the way until '88 when I left for the Army. It might have just been my neck of the woods but in 86/87 Robotech toys where shelf warmers and it took years for some places to finally clearance out all of them.

[1/1 LowViz Lurker]

I wonder why they didn't use jetfire as a robotech toy?

[JsARCLIGHT]

Because Hasbro swooped in and got the US distribution rights for it as a Transformer before HG had a chance to circle their wagons. Back in the mid '80s it was almost a free-for-all when it came to licensing toys from Japan for distribution in the United States. With different companies signing agreements with different American companies right and left it left a lot of the "real" Macross / Mospeada / Southern Cross / Orguss / Dougram / Dorvack stuff's licensing was left in a mess. Hasbro here, Revel there, HG with their own clutch of things... it was like the Yalta Conference of Japanese toys.

[Macross73]

Because Hasbro swooped in and got the US distribution rights for it as a Transformer before HG had a chance to circle their wagons. Back in the mid '80s it was almost a free-for-all when it came to licensing toys from Japan for distribution in the United States. With different companies signing agreements with different American companies right and left it left a lot of the "real" Macross / Mospeada / Southern Cross / Orguss / Dougram / Dorvack stuff's licensing was left in a mess. Hasbro here, Revel there, HG with their own clutch of things... it was like the Yalta Conference of Japanese toys.

421731[/snapback]

Allthough this is moot i was wondering If HG had

acquired the Jetfire and used it for Robotech would

that have blocked Bandai from producing the

Re-issue Valks. Would Bandai still have had the

rights to make Valks? Imagine if HG had made US

versions of Chunkey monkey, how would things

have turned out. Perhaps we wouldn't have seen

Toynami Valks.

[Keith]

Yes, Bandai would still have had the rights. Takatoku were only selling rights to use their molds, not rights to their whole design, that is until they went under/Bandai bought them up. Bandai would still own what they own, as they had much more money than HG.

[baronv]

Alright people, the release date has been set for the Shadow Chronicles DVD, November 21st!

Read it here:

http://robotech.com/news/viewarticle.php?id=281

Edited August 2, 2006 by baronv

[EXO]

Alright people, the release date has been set for the Shadow Chronicles DVD, November 21st!

Read it here:

http://robotech.com/news/viewarticle.php?id=281

421962[/snapback]

big...

woop.

[azrael]

*snip*

421962[/snapback]

*snip*

421964[/snapback]

*yawn*

Edited August 2, 2006 by azrael

[Effect]

Alright people, the release date has been set for the Shadow Chronicles DVD, November 21st!

Read it here:

http://robotech.com/news/viewarticle.php?id=281

421962[/snapback]

Release dates from RT.com (and HG) mean poo I feel. Until I hear a store actually shipping the item and someone reports to have gotten their own in the mail or from an actual store I couldn't care less.

If this is so, I wonder how long it will take before it's on the internet. No way in hell I'd spend money on this thing without seeing it first and even then it's debateable.

Edited August 2, 2006 by Effect

[Vermillion21]

Thanks for the info baronv - since I rarely go to the RT site anymore.

Although, like many others ... I'll wait and see what the response is.

[Keith]

Oh come on, this will be the best POS since the sentinels. I can't wait to slap this beside it, and laugh at whatever new crumbling cat robots they've added to this. And better yet, how exactly did Tommy Yune go from fanboy to director in 5 years? This will be pure comedy gold!

Edited August 3, 2006 by Keith

[Vermillion21]

It'll be interesting to see what the MSRP is for the DVD ... regardless, I plan on waiting to hear fan reaction/reviews before I pick it up.

[jenius]

Well, I'll be one of the first to buy it and review it on my website Unfortunately, I'm so MOSPEADA biased that it's bound to rub off on the new Robotech production. I'll have to watch it several times and try to be as critical as possible... but no matter what I say I'm sure many will vehemently disagree. As always, take it for what it costs right? The best opinion on something like this is your own.