Hello, my name is Stick Bernard.

[Vostok 7]

Previous thread, on it's last legs.

http://www.macrossworld.com/mwf/index.php?showtopic=27475


Ride Armors:
The Beagle is here, the Toynami is here, there's really nothing new until the Ray/Rey/Ley comes out from them, or MegaHouse/CMS releases something new.

Treads:
Toynami's Red is on pre-order, Green shortly after?

Leigoss:
CMS is releasing the drone! Toynami's Shadow sucked enough to be recalled. Nothing else new.

So, off you go boys!

Vostok 7

Edited February 26, 2014 by EXO

[Alex]

Beyond the toys, Mospeada doesn't seem to generate as much discussion as some other shows.

I'd like to see more discussions about the show.

[Vostok 7]

Beyond the toys, Mospeada doesn't seem to generate as much discussion as some other shows.

I'd like to see more discussions about the show.

It's really too bad no one is doing anything with the property besides *cough* Harmony Gold.

We need more transforming '80s-looking motorcycle animes.

Vostok 7

[Alex]

I'd like to a see a sequel to the show (dare I say it) with no Treads o rLegioss.

Just a buncha guys heading across country, blowin' up bad guys. Handle the cast more like they do with Supernatural. That cast has like two regulars and it works.

It was just laughable when you think that they flew the Tread/Legioss slow enough to let the Mospeada catch up. WHY not just load the bikes on the Tread and get to Reflex point in like a day?!

Edited February 18, 2009 by Alex

[Vostok 7]

I'd like to a see a sequel to the show (dare I say it) with no Treads o rLegioss.

Just a buncha guys heading across country, blowin' up bad guys. Handle the cast more like they do with Supernatural. That cast has like two regulars and it works.

It was just laughable when you think that they flew the Tread/Legioss slow enough to let the Mospeada catch up. WHY not just load the bikes on the Tread and get to Reflex point in like a day?!

Supposedly, the original plan for the show was for it to be exactly what you describe, just a bunch of dudes with transforming motorcycles kicking Inbit butt across the country. Unfortunately for that plan, the popularity of Macross made the sponsor demand triple-transforming aircraft to bolster the toy line. Hence why the inclusion of the Legioss/Tread seems "incomplete".

Vostok 7

[mr.chogokin]

I'd like to a see a sequel to the show (dare I say it) with no Treads o rLegioss.

Just a buncha guys heading across country, blowin' up bad guys. Handle the cast more like they do with Supernatural. That cast has like two regulars and it works.

It was just laughable when you think that they flew the Tread/Legioss slow enough to let the Mospeada catch up. WHY not just load the bikes on the Tread and get to Reflex point in like a day?!

If they do that wouldn't the bigger hbt signals of the Legioss & Tread attract every Inbit on the planet? They wouldn't last minutes. That's what happened to Stig's group as they attempt to enter earth. Travelling on the Mospeadas make sense because of the lower signal and they disappear completely everytime the engine is turned off.

On the Beagle, I really hope some attempts are made to change their cloth material. My Stig's crotch seems to be afflicted by a full blown psoriasis.... his feet is having a early Christmas and it's snowing red flakes!

[Alex]

If they do that wouldn't the bigger hbt signals of the Legioss & Tread attract every Inbit on the planet? They wouldn't last minutes. That's what happened to Stig's group as they attempt to enter earth. Travelling on the Mospeadas make sense because of the lower signal and they disappear completely everytime the engine is turned off.

On the Beagle, I really hope some attempts are made to change their cloth material. My Stig's crotch seems to be afflicted by a full blown psoriasis.... his feet is having a early Christmas and it's snowing red flakes!

Oh, I understand WHY in the story they would need to go slowly. I just hate that there's a huge reason invented just so they can include these ships just to sell more toys to the Macross crowd.

And the suit of my Stick has split totally along the side of the torso.

[Graham]

If they do that wouldn't the bigger hbt signals of the Legioss & Tread attract every Inbit on the planet? They wouldn't last minutes. That's what happened to Stig's group as they attempt to enter earth. Travelling on the Mospeadas make sense because of the lower signal and they disappear completely everytime the engine is turned off.

It's been ages since I watched Mospeada. I forget did they haul their Legioss and Tread around on a flatbed truck and only fly them when necessary, or were they flying all the time, just slowly, so the bikes could keep up?

If they were flying all the time, even slowly, wouldn't they have been detected anyway, if the Inbit can detect HBT?

Can the Inbit detect HBT? I can't rememeber.

Graham

[Alex]

It's been ages since I watched Mospeada. I forget did they haul their Legioss and Tread around on a flatbed truck and only fly them when necessary, or were they flying all the time, just slowly, so the bikes could keep up?

If they were flying all the time, even slowly, wouldn't they have been detected anyway, if the Inbit can detect HBT?

Can the Inbit detect HBT? I can't rememeber.

Graham

Even firing up their guns caused the Invids to react and allowed them to detect their presence. Though I can't recall the proximity of the invid.

That was one element of the show that I really liked. We've got these awesome weapons, but they light up like a Christmas tree on the enemies radar.

Can't remember if they used a flatbed or not though. I'm sure they did some of the time.

Edited February 18, 2009 by Alex

[EXO]

They mostly left the bigger machines in hiding places and used the cyclones and land vehicles to get around and when the big trouble starts they have to run all the way to the hideouts. It was done really nicely. There was effort involved and it wasn't just happenstance that the Legioss were nearby.

[dominion]

Also, don't forget that they were low on fuel almost the entire time. They didn't have the fuel to fly the Legioss and Treads at max blast, let alone fight with them.

[Morpheus]

Also, don't forget that they were low on fuel almost the entire time. They didn't have the fuel to fly the Legioss and Treads at max blast, let alone fight with them.

Low on fuel but not missiles supply, I swear Stick always performing missile spam with his Legioss. Btw, IIRC, they once use an old naval ship to transport the Legioss.

This made me want to watch Mospeada again.

[VF5SS]

I think you guys are giving the show too much credit. The gang's uncanny ability to drag no less than four fully functional airplanes wherever they go makes the whole transforming airplane addition a bit daft in retrospect. I recall Ginrai has this translated interview with Aramaki where he said the Legiosses were supposed to be more "disposable" and that they would basically find them and use them during their journey. That makes a little more sense than the gang being able to transport their planes down the river on giant log rafts. That show was crazy silly.

[VFTF1]

Hm. This shows sounds remotely interesting. Guess I need to get around to watching it eventually...

Pete

[regult]

I've just finished watching the show for the first time today!

Of course I did see the evil Robotech adaptation back in the 80's but honestly I had completely forgot about that besides there were crab-looking alien robots and bikes...

Guess the inclusion of Legioss/Tread was a good idea, otherwise the entire Western hemisphere would be unaware of Mospeada altogether. I did fall asleep to some episodes...Macross, which I rewatched not too long ago, has a faster pace, better narrative and probably more exciting mecha sequences. The Legioss are quite stiff most of the time...and if you've just watched MacrossF, you'll have a hard time readapting to 80's animation.

It's a good show in itself, but I wonder how well it would have done outside Japan without the little push from Harmony Gold...

EDIT:spelling

Edited February 18, 2009 by regult

[EXO]

I think you guys are giving the show too much credit. The gang's uncanny ability to drag no less than four fully functional airplanes wherever they go makes the whole transforming airplane addition a bit daft in retrospect. I recall Ginrai has this translated interview with Aramaki where he said the Legiosses were supposed to be more "disposable" and that they would basically find them and use them during their journey. That makes a little more sense than the gang being able to transport their planes down the river on giant log rafts. That show was crazy silly.

yeah you're right, I'm giving this 80's animated show too much thought. I should throw my toys away and burn the DVDs.

[mr.chogokin]

Yeah the show is not perfect but it did show a lot of promise in the beginning and the middle. The Legiosses and Treads were to be found at certain abandoned military basses because the army has been sending their people and machines to reoccupy earth all along, albeit with little success. What was shown though was Stig's group putting them to use and hiding them until they are needed again... so it's not that all far-fetched to imagine the trouble it took them to move all that massive equipment around with all the HBT-sensitive Inbits flying everywhere.

[Totoro242]

yeah you're right, I'm giving this 80's animated show too much thought. I should throw my toys away and burn the DVDs.

Yes, what insight. Mospeada is just so unbelievable and I should watch a realistic show like... SDF Macross.

[jenius]

The log raft episode is definitely terrible. I gotta imagine that was an idea that worked without the Legioss in some way, then they were told to add the Legioss and were like "Meh, we'll just put it on the raft too."

While the traveling with both jets and motorcycles does seem pretty silly, I wouldn't say they did a horrible job with it. I think the Point K episode also gives you the answer to why they didn't just fly straight to reflex point. Any time any human force tried to accumulate or be direct they get wiped out. By hopping along and hiding their mechs the group is able to avoid Inbit attention. The Inbit are shown to be quite happy turning a blind eye to humans so long as they don't seem aggressive. Not a brilliant show by any means but I still find it fun.

[EXO]

Constantly finding functional vehicles along the way is NOT MORE believable. I think Stick anticipated that they need heavier armed vehicles to make a successful siege at Reflex Point. Sneaking those planes were half of the mission. Sure it wasn't part of the original idea, but they added to the story and also the coolness factor. The Legioss/Tread combo are awesome and Mospeada would be less interesting to me without them. There's plenty of things that were an afterthought in movies that ended up making them better.

[VF5SS]

yeah you're right, I'm giving this 80's animated show too much thought. I should throw my toys away and burn the DVDs.

Microwave them for science.

[EXO]

Microwave them for science.

I'd rather stick you in there for fun.

[AcroRay]

Hey! This thread's title stole my material! I'm calling in royalties!

http://www.macrossworld.com/mwf/index.php?...st&p=707964

Seriously, though - Don't forget the upcoming Mospeada art book, due in March, in our list of topics:

http://ariuf.co.kr/shop/shopdetail.html?br...&sort=order

[VF5SS]

I'd rather stick you in there for fun.

But I don't fit in microwaves.

[RavenHawk]

We need more transforming '80s-looking motorcycle animes.

Vostok 7

AMEN, BRUTHA!

Love MOSPEADA, Megazone was good, Bubblegum Crisis had some good moments (and some that just weren't for me).

Viper's Creed, so far, is pretty disappointing.

Rideback is really surprisingly good.

Edited February 18, 2009 by RavenHawk

[EXO]

But I don't fit in microwaves.

not all at once

[Agent ONE]

"Open your mind"

- Quato

Seriously what is believable and not believable can change in an instant... I should send VF5 some naked pictures of myself. His vision of reality would be altered forever.

[VF5SS]

"Open your mind"

- Quato

Seriously what is believable and not believable can change in an instant... I should send VF5 some naked pictures of myself. His vision of reality would be altered forever.

Don't flatter yourself, big boy.

[505thAirborne]

I always thought Mospeada or RT New Generation your choice, was a great series. Lots of action, surprises, some silliness. Agreed the episode with the river rafts for transporting aircraft was bit far fetched, as a Legioss & Tread must be heavier than $h*t fully loaded. Its a Shame there was never a true sequel by now.

As for the shows premise and concept, Older Anime series out of the late 70's & 80's used a lot of WWII exploits and concepts in their story lines. I always thought of the series with Stick and his crew as something like the French & Dutch underground's in Nazi controlled Europe. Read some books, you'd be amazed the stuff the Underground rebels pulled off, weapons, tanks & aircraft, blowing up railways and assisting the Allied troops during the invasions. And using what ever they found along the way. Playing double spies, secret maps and infiltration missions too.

Not much different than the gang finding more Legioss fighters and a Tread, keeping a low profile, striking when needed, infiltrating the old base in the mountains, getting more weapons from the crazy old guys in the desert, and then assisting the Main fleet when they arrived to destroy Reflex Point.

Sorry all, I have some free time today and felt like rambling a bit, plus I have a cold so I think the medicine is talking as well!!

[RavenHawk]

Having loved Robotech's New Generation as a kid, I recently picked up and watched Genesis Climber MOSPEADA. I absolutely loved it.

Yes, what some people up above are saying about some things being unrealistic are true (though that's the case in probably 98% of anime).

Yes, some of the episodes are either just silly or plain dull.

Yes, I think it would've been better if done as originally intended (without the Legioss and Tread, and much darker and more military in mood).

On the other hand, the Legioss and Tread combining is still just plain awesome to me (I keep my Toynami Alpha and Beta always attached when displayed)...

the transforming bikes, seen at the age of 8 or 9, probably had a huge deal to do with my love of motorcycles now and career in engineering...

and, honestly, there is something very cool about colonists coming back to their homeworld to free it from an alien invasion, and having to form an underground resistance army (probably why my favorite Exo-Squad episodes are the resistance ones on Earth).

[RavenHawk]

I always thought Mospeada or RT New Generation your choice, was a great series. Lots of action, surprises, some silliness. Agreed the episode with the river rafts for transporting aircraft was bit far fetched, as a Legioss & Tread must be heavier than $h*t fully loaded. Its a Shame there was never a true sequel by now.

As for the shows premise and concept, Older Anime series out of the late 70's & 80's used a lot of WWII exploits and concepts in their story lines. I always thought of the series with Stick and his crew as something like the French & Dutch underground's in Nazi controlled Europe. Read some books, you'd be amazed the stuff the Underground rebels pulled off, weapons, tanks & aircraft, blowing up railways and assisting the Allied troops during the invasions. And using what ever they found along the way. Playing double spies, secret maps and infiltration missions too.

Not much different than the gang finding more Legioss fighters and a Tread, keeping a low profile, striking when needed, infiltrating the old base in the mountains, getting more weapons from the crazy old guys in the desert, and then assisting the Main fleet when they arrived to destroy Reflex Point.

Sorry all, I have some free time today and felt like rambling a bit, plus I have a cold so I think the medicine is talking as well!!

Actually, the creators said that their main influence for this series was the D-Day invasion and the various activities in Normandy and other parts of France and Europe during World War II.

Being a bit of a WWII history buff (got that from my dad), this is probably also a big part of my love for the series.

[Agent ONE]

Don't flatter yourself, big boy.

I don't really need to, there is a line out the door of others waiting to flatter me.

[Vostok 7]

Actually, the creators said that their main influence for this series was the D-Day invasion and the various activities in Normandy and other parts of France and Europe during World War II.

Being a bit of a WWII history buff (got that from my dad), this is probably also a big part of my love for the series.

Hence the "invasion stripes" on all the good guy mecha

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invasion_stripes

Vostok 7

[AcroRay]

The mecha are nice, and I've always loved powered armor, but its the character chemistry and the travellogue element that I enjoyed most.

Hopefully this isn't too off topic - I did a review of ADV's Mospeada brick for a web site called "DVD Vision Japan" a couple of years back, which promptly folded after I was brought in as a reviewer. They seem to have reorganized somewhat, but this review isn't in their mix, so I'll just reprint it here for you all:

Genesis Climber Mospeada review

Title: Genesis Climber Mospeada

Volume: 1 of 1

Reviewed by: Ray Miller

Company/Studio: ADV Films

Running Time: 625 minutes (25 half-hour episodes on 5 disks)

Region: 1

Rated: PG (bloody violence, extensive gun play, some nudity)

Summary: Future Earth has been subjugated by the insect-like Inbit, who have devastated human civilization and forcibly returned much of the planet to a more ‘natural’ landscape unspoiled by man’s industries and pollution. Under the bio-mechanical heel of the Inbit, the dwindling remnants of mankind now live in an uneasy peace where military and industrial activity is subject to merciless, lethal reprisal.

Earth’s colonies elsewhere in the solar system have remained untouched by the Inbit, even after a disastrous attempt to free their mother planet. A second assault from Mars Base leaves only one survivor - young fighter pilot Stig Bernard. Heartbroken by the deaths of comrades and of his fiancée aboard the assault fleet, Stig nonetheless continues with his mission: find and destroy the Inbits’ home base, the Reflex Point.

Stig embarks on a long trek through the American continent to the Inbits’ stronghold in what was once Canada, finding friends and traitors, survivors and victims. Along the way, Stig and his newfound comrades are forced to question again and again their friendships, their places in the world, the survival of their species, and the true motives of the Inbit.

DVD Vision Test

Video: This is certainly the best this show has looked in Region 1. It is clean & sharp, with good encoding and minimal cross-coloration. Some aliasing might be visible on certain setups. The original material comes from film stock that is occasionally rather grainy, so it does show its age in this sharper format. Clear, well-written dialog and song subtitles are available in English, although the font is intrusive and unappealing.

Audio: The audio is simple stereo, true to its 1983 original. The single audio track is the Japanese track, which sounds clear and well-mixed.

Edits: No edits here! This edition restores the original open and close, as well as a number of cuts and shots which were removed for the show’s presentation in the ROBOTECH series.

Extras: A clean open & close, and a slide show of line art set to music (much of which will be nothing new to most viewers). One gem of an extra is a dense 22-page booklet featuring interviews and articles from most of MOSPEADA’s key Japanese staff!

Review

Story:

GENESIS CLIMBER MOSPEADA’s 25 episodes are essentially a travelog. In the tradition of the classic stories of great journeys, it offers opportunities for its characters to reflect on who they are and how they live their lives in the face of the different challenges and people they encounter along the way. The world of their journey is particularly difficult. The Inbit have destroyed much of what human civilization would consider ‘normal’, depriving most of the remaining population of a power grid, telecommunications, heavy industry and large cities, leaving many communities as little more than agrarian small-towns blighted with paranoia and deprivation. Stig and his friends meet all manner of people in this world, but more often than not they encounter the types who are unable, unwilling or genuinely opposed to standing against the Inbit. Some even hunt & kill soldiers, lest their military presence attract the aliens’ wrath. Others are happy to sell out anyone for a better opportunity in a world with little left to offer. In many cases, this new dog-eat-dog society even forces our heroes to question mankind’s right to survive in the face of the powerful, highly-evolved Inbit. Stig, Ray & our band of diverse, engaging heroes each offer strong personalities and a good mix of chemistries that result in a wide range of adventures in each episode. At times it is a bit difficult to recall where this troop is along the route of their journey due to the array of different stories and the jumbled picture of North American geography, so MOSPEADA suffers somewhat from a lack of cohesion. They do, however, keep to their mission northward to Reflex Point, which is easier to follow in multi-episode screenings. There are also several instances of rather dated design, particularly in the musical concert scenes.

MOSPEADA offers something rather unique in SF TV series: an environmentally aware storyline that offers the strong argument that Earth may actually be better off in someone else’s hands than in mankind’s. For anyone who might have wondered if the world just might be a better place if there were fewer people around, this is a good possible look at such a world. Responsibly, however, MOSPEADA’s world doesn’t fail to offer the other side of that coin, showing that mankind is still a resident of the world and Earth iteslf also suffers when the balance is upset.

Comparison between MOSPEADA and its corresponding ROBOTECH entry is unavoidable, and speaks volumes. MOSPEADA’s Stig is arguable a very different person from Scott, the ROBOTECH alternate. Stig (noted as of Norwegian descent) Bernard comes across as much more socially comfortable than Scott. Stig is no less driven, but not so obsessed with his mission that he’ll rub friends the wrong way. He is mature and goal oriented, but friendly. On the other hand, Scott Bernard is portrayed as generally sullen, inflexible and often unlikable. Robotech viewers who haven’t seen MOSPEADA may also note that the Inbit are far less ‘chatty’ than the Invid. The Inbit generally go about their alien business in creepy silence with only the occasional inhuman grumble, whereas ROBOTECH's Invid constantly babble their plans and motives to one another in clear English as if the audience isn’t bright enough to figure it out themselves. Similar added dialog peppers many of MOSPEADA’s scenes of intense yet silent cross-cutting when seen in ROBOTECH. These different approaches to script and dialog make MOSPEADA a very different and genuinely more mature viewing experience in terms of tone and storytelling than with ROBOTECH’s NEW GENERATION.

Acting: Mospeada features a fine cast, offering clear, dramatic performances true to the characters. None are bizarre or cliché with the possible exception of young Mint Rubble. In the case of Yellow Belmont, a man and a woman share the role!

Fan Service: MOSPEADA offers tiny bits of tame fan service typical of the era, so nothing particularly dramatic. Unless you’re a ROBOTECH viewer who was fortunate enough to catch the oversight in ROBOTECH’s earliest syndication run, you’ll probably be surprised to see a nude Aisha [aka Marlene] floating about in the show’s finale.

Conclusion:

MOSPEADA’s high quality attracted a small but strong following in both the US and Japan, and is certainly a classic of the 1980's “mecha opera” genre. The Tatsunoko Pro staff of MOSPEADA included many talents who would later become key players in some of the most popular and well-known works in the genre today. These include Yoshitaka Amano of VAMPIRE HUNTER D fame, mecha and toy designer Shinji Aramaki, world-famous Studio Ghibli composer Joe Hisaishi, and TENCHI MUYO screenwriter Naoko Hasegawa. MOSPEADA features a solid array of appealing mecha designs that have delighted fans across the globe and made toys and models from the show particularly sought-after. Airing in late 1983 during a maelstrom of similar shows such as DOUGRAM, VOTOMS, XABUNGLE and L-GAIM, MOSPEADA suffered from a painfully early Sunday morning time slot which nonetheless attracted a following that kept the show alive for years in VHS recordings and laser disk releases. Vocal fans even inspired the show’s creators to develop one of the industry’s first OAVs as a sequel of sorts: the extended music video epilogue MOSPEADA: LIVE, LOVE, ALIVE.

One of the best things in this collection is the thick booklet of articles! The details in this booklet are a wealth of intimate and revealing material about the show’s development and the creative influences that went into everything from casting to toy & model development to the recording of the rare “Live At Pitt Inn” concert. There is even a wonderful short story by MOSPEADA’s director which contributes a surprising - and dare I suggest - canonical epilogue the MOSPEADA stroy. One downside of this booklet is the rather poorly-edited text, with inconsistent character name romanization and difficult grammar that seems to come straight from a Bablefish translation. But written MOSPEADA material from Japanese sources is rare, making this booklet alone extremely worthwhile.

This box set is an exceptional, long-desired addition to a small but very strong property. MOSPEADA fans are finally given their due in this package thanks to the refreshingly insightful new marketing activities of North American license holder Harmony Gold and the “old school anime” founders of ADV. ROBOTECH: NEW GENERATION fans owe it to themselves to pick up this set as well, as it offers not only crisp video and uncut material, but it provides an excellent example of the subtle differences in storytelling style between ROBOTECH and the material’s Japanese origins.

[RavenHawk]

There is even a wonderful short story by MOSPEADA’s director which contributes a surprising - and dare I suggest - canonical epilogue the MOSPEADA stroy.

I own this, but don't remember this part. Can you refresh my memory?

Is this something along the lines of the Megazone 23 background story that explained the war that went on between Earth and Mars, leading to the creation of the Megazones?