Renato

REALLY??! Scans, please!! I love Orguss and I'd love to see new merchandise.

I think the "Fleet of the Strongest Women" episode, where they kiss implies that they will eventually get back together since they both feel a spark. Although it's been years since I saw it so it's not so clear in my memory. EDIT -- Nyaha! http://youtube.com/watch?v=6QmrtQqJrG0

Because of THIS:

Yeah, but the Cup Noodles were really in-your-face-like. Subtlety and subconscious advertising is also an option. And Cyber Formula is cool. Kawamori cars, great. I love how they used the real F1 style placement boards in the anime and stuff. I remember in one magazine a few months back Kawamori transformed the Aquarion toy into a Cyber Formula car, pretty damn funny.

I rented the first episode. It's about a bunch of guys on the moon, which is now where mankind lives since Earth is said to have become uninhabitable. The first episode is mostly a race story, but towards the end we get an inkling of the following plot development when the main character finds a message that is received from outside the moon (this scene can also be seen, albeit animated differently -- better -- in the Cup Noodle commercials) . I think the racing and Cyber Formula type stuff is just at the outset, introducing you to the story world, like all the bike chases and stuff at the beginnning of Akira, before the real story moves on. All in all, not bad. But too early to tell. I'm not a big fan of the way they move, I prefer if the characters were hand-drawn in the quality style of Akira and Steamboy. Plus all the blatant Cup Noodle product placement is off-putting.

On July 4th, the choice will be clear.... Transform, or Die Hard!

Hey there, I just checked the official macross.co.jp homepage and it seems to be in the middle of a renewal. There's been no leaks of a new series or movie, but they may still have an ace up their sleeves.

This is Kotobukiya we're talking about. Along with Volks, they are the ones keeping everything at MSRP. It's so stupid seeing things like 1/55 reissues at Y6800 in this day and age. I'm sure whatever Yamato's asking, that's what Kotobukiya and Volks will charge. Although if you go to Yodobashi or other places, you should be able to score one for substiantially less.

Though I haven't seen it myself, I hear the box for the 19 is ugly as sin.

Totally different things. This is not the case where a stock sound effect has been used again -- this sound has been ripped straight out of the soundtrack of the movie! How else would that one-quarter-of-a-second of Slimer appear?

OK... Does that mean there is gonna be an assasination attempt on our lives now..?

By the way, I heard from a shopkeeper that this thing has been delayed until the 10th of December.

Figured Ghostbusters fans might be interested too so I put it here.

Here's something interesting/funny/f***ed up. My friend has decided to go out and buy the new SOC Gunbuster toy and so I was using my PC to show him clips from the original OAV on Youtube. I should note this guy is a total film buff. Anyway, we of course had to see the big action scene from episode five. We're coming up to the scene where the Exelion explodes and there's short silence just before that huge low exploding/crushing/smashing kinda sound. At this point, my friend said "I know that sound..." and then shortly after, "Jeeeeesus CHRIST!! That's the sound of the Ghostbusters shooting the table in the dining hall while trying to trap Slimer in the first film!! BLATANTLY!!" We play the Gunbuster bit again and lo and behold, a split-second of Slimer's voice panting can actually be heard in the anime before the sound effect cuts out (which I realise, I had always been wondering "what the hell was that?" when I used to watch it in the 90s). Of course, we immediately get the Ghostbusters DVD out, play the Slimer scene and the truth is revealed: GAINAX STOLE IT RIGHT OUT THE MOVIE!! What, did they think we would never find out?? THAT'S JUST UNDERESTIMATING THE PROWESS OF GEEKDOM IN THE SPACE YEAR 2006!! I urge you to go look to your Gunbuster DVDs and see if there any more instances of plagiarism. Cos... we don't have the time.

I don't understand why people aren't more excited about this, yet are head-over-heels in love with the new 19, which has had several toy incarnations over the years and has less die-cast and costs around 50% more. And why do you guys keep saying it is too small? Isn't 25cm around the size of a 1/48 anyway? People pay for those without complaints. I'm not attacking anyone, I was just asking for an explanation, as I find this really bizarre. It's like, Macross fans don't care about the Macross, haha. EDIT -- I saw more detailed pics in the new Hobby Japan: I don't have the magazine though so be on the lookout for scans from... I dunno, someone.

It's a pre-assembled, painted, completed, transformable model. At least according to the Wave press release.

That's "Mizu no you na, Ai no you na". It's on the Radio Fire CD.

Yeah, but how do you do that, since there are no parts to grip in order to pull it out without first folding the wings? Unless you wanna use the airbrake to yank the whole piece out, but then you'd just end up breaking that instead.

They follow the panel line, which are not designed to run parallel to the edge of the wing itself.

I got mine yesterday. Takara's QC has gone to pot: mine came with the arm stripes and other paint peeling off and NO SIDE LASERS!! Both of 'em missing. Sucks. I hate that there's no window in that box. That said, it doesn't look too shabby with the sidewinders on the arms.

Yep. I was born in Peru and my mother tongue is Spanish. Mucho gusto conocerle. BTW, what are the "Jam Trip" etc albums like?

Except, remember that none of the music in either of these CDs are from the Original Series. Or movie, for that matter. Be sure to bear that in mind before purchasing or you might get something you were not expecting.

I believe there are many factors involved in the evolution of the word "otaku" into what it now means, but while improbable as it may first seem, there are plenty of sources that claim Macross is indeed one of them. In fact, the latest of these I have spotted has been in this year's May issue of EX Taishuu Magazine, one of those tabloid news/softporn mags which ran a special on Macross including features on Mari and Kawamori. There are several trivia tidbits and one of them indeed states that hardcore fans started calling each other "otaku" after hearing the characters do the same in the show (which they do, as Pat pointed out). It's in Japanese, but I can probably scan that bit of text. As I say, I do not believe there is ONE sole origin of the word, rather various situations and uses evolved into the now common one. However, do not be quick to dismiss Macross's involvement in this, for this is not the first time I have read of this.

Funny coincidence, over a year and three quarters later that this be brought up again, because I very recently tracked down and purchased the CD -- AT LAST. I have only heard it once so far though because I am really busy, but I think the description on that site is incorrect. I believe Haneda composed these pieces to better portray the themes in the movie AFTER its release, and not for use in the actual film itself. Kind of like he did for the TV show with the album "Rhapsody In Love" previously. If you like the movie music, this and "Rhapsody" are great additions to a collection, though.

Heh. These are fun. I'll be getting the Prime one.