Continuing The Macross Saga

[Wicked Ace]

I often frequent the Toys section of MacrossWorld, and I've noticed lots of new Toy offerings based on the original Macross TV series, the DYRL movie, and subsequent OVAs. It seems Macross is still profitable (merchandise wise), so why isn't there a continuation of the series? If there were a continuation that takes up around the 2012 time period, then there would be an already loyal Macross fanbase and the potential for a whole new generation of consumers, I mean fans, to appeal to.

I admit that I don't know how profitable (or unprofitable) the Macross Zero OVA endeavor was, but I'd like to think there's enough original story ideas left, not to mention some awesome animation techniques, to make a really great new series, or movie, or OVA. Of course from the perspective of anime fans (and consumers), I'm not sure if Macross can, for lack of a better phrasing, stand up to the current animated series offerings. I wonder if the time is right for an all-out revival of Macross.

Edited July 23, 2006 by Wicked Ace

[Shinigami Grahf]

There's definitely a lot of room for expansion. Especially in the timespan between original Macross and Plus. It could easily do as many things as the Universal Century of Gundam does, it's just up to the folks behind Macross to do something with the timeline...

Or even go AU, like with II.

[sketchley]

I think any future Macross projects are going to come from Kawamori exclusively - and he appears to be pretty busy these past few years.

I'd expect more Macross projects when Kawamori is a) less busy, b) getting the VF bug again*, c) there's some new or big animating technology breakthrough**, and d) market demand.

Sadly, I don't think there'll be a big enough market demand for the next few years. We're flooded with Gundam stuff...

*By this, I mean his desire to draw, and tell stories about VFs. He mentioned something along these lines in an interview once.

** Macross Plus contained the most expensive OVA made up to that point - and both it and Macross 7 contained dabblings in CGA; which have gone on to become industry standards. Macross Zero is heavily populated with CGA - in a way, the big tech push was to get a fully 3-D CGAed VF in action. IMHO, I think the next leap will be a fully 3-D CGA production - we've already seen Kawamori dabbling in that with the (failed) Macross 3DVFX, and the remake of the original TV series.)

[the white drew carey]

I may be off base here, but I think Kawamori has slightly alienated many of the older Macross fans with his increasingly spiritualistic projects.

[Mr March]

That might be a valid criticism to some degree, but I think it's minor. Personally, I think fans can watch just about anything as long as it's done according to their tastes. I mean, take a look an NGE and all the mass of like anime that followed in its wake.

I'd just like to see another epic like SDF Macross. Macross Plus was great, but it's well past time for another quality television series. If we don't see that, I think Macross is pretty much completed. Some may say the Macross franchise has been done for years now anyway and I'd be hard pressed to disagree.

[GutsAndCasca]

How depressing to think Macross would just be ended like that. There is VAST room for so many things... I don't want to think about it 'cuz it'll depress me. Macross Zero should have been a 40 episode thing, in my opinion, with more focus on the anti-UN forces and the drama going on with them. If they never make another Macross movie/series I'm gonna' go nuts! Can't they see the tremendous opportunity to make mega $$$$$$?

[MjrMisaHayase]

How depressing to think Macross would just be ended like that. There is VAST room for so many things... I don't want to think about it 'cuz it'll depress me. Macross Zero should have been a 40 episode thing, in my opinion, with more focus on the anti-UN forces and the drama going on with them. If they never make another Macross movie/series I'm gonna' go nuts! Can't they see the tremendous opportunity to make mega $$$$$$?

418642[/snapback]

It'd be interesting to see the timeline in-between 2012 and 2040, including the disappearance of the SDF-2 Megaroad.

[yellowlightman]

I may be off base here, but I think Kawamori has slightly alienated many of the older Macross fans with his increasingly spiritualistic projects.

418606[/snapback]

I think you're right.

Really, I can't fault him for it. Can't expect the guy to keep churning out the same kind of stories over and over again, that'll get boring. People change over time, and as a result their work is going to change too.

As for a direct continuation to the original series, it's never going to happen. Fans really need to accept that and move on.

[the white drew carey]

I think that's just the thing. Whether for good or bad, SK seems to hold Macross firmly in his grasp.

There really are two options:

1) We simply wait for Kawamori to be ready for another Macross story- in which case, based on past history, a portion of the fans will not like it.

Or 2) Kawamori lets someone else take the reins in leading a new project with SK as either a story consultant/final approval and, of course, VF design.

I just have this feeling that he doesn't want his baby to become another Gundam which, as a whole franchise, runs the gamut between genius and ludicrous. It's just that Macross is still well thought of and, by the sound of it, many fans really want a new epic set after SW1, but well before Mac7.

Oh well, I guess we'll just have to wait...

[Lightning]

How depressing to think Macross would just be ended like that. There is VAST room for so many things... I don't want to think about it 'cuz it'll depress me. Macross Zero should have been a 40 episode thing, in my opinion, with more focus on the anti-UN forces and the drama going on with them. If they never make another Macross movie/series I'm gonna' go nuts! Can't they see the tremendous opportunity to make mega $$$$$$?

418642[/snapback]

It'd be interesting to see the timeline in-between 2012 and 2040, including the disappearance of the SDF-2 Megaroad.

418653[/snapback]

I think SK has said something to the effect of "They dissappeared, The End." or something like that....

It'd be nice to see something with the Jenius girls in it, during that time period...

[Sumdumgai]

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, did someone mention Jenius girls? As long as they're not as bad as or worse than Mylene on the annoying female-dog level, then it's cool.

I'd like to see the goings on of the 2020s or 2030s.

[sketchley]

Well... as Macross 0 was released for the 20th Anniversary of Macross... there's hope for the 25th Anniversary, 30th Anniversary... it might be few and far between, but there's hope for that.

[the white drew carey]

I think SK has said something to the effect of "They dissappeared, The End." or something like that....

But a story about one particular task force doing SAR for the Megaroad-1 would be a neat story.

[Lightning]

I think SK has said something to the effect of "They dissappeared, The End." or something like that....

But a story about one particular task force doing SAR for the Megaroad-1 would be a neat story.

418701[/snapback]

ok, that would be cool to see.

[azrael]

I may be off base here, but I think Kawamori has slightly alienated many of the older Macross fans with his increasingly spiritualistic projects.

418606[/snapback]

I think you're right.

Really, I can't fault him for it. Can't expect the guy to keep churning out the same kind of stories over and over again, that'll get boring. People change over time, and as a result their work is going to change too.

As for a direct continuation to the original series, it's never going to happen. Fans really need to accept that and move on.

418663[/snapback]

People need to get over the fact that Kawamori isn't going to do Macross like Tomino did Gundam. He isn't the kind of guy who is going to pump out sequels every few years. Otherwise he might end up like Tomino, never ever want to see Macross again, and only use it to get money for another project. If we had Macross every few years, we would end up just like the Gundam kids; UC vs AU, My Gundam is more powerful than your Gundam, blah blah blah.

Edited July 24, 2006 by azrael

[JB0]

I may be off base here, but I think Kawamori has slightly alienated many of the older Macross fans with his increasingly spiritualistic projects.

418606[/snapback]

I think you're right.

Really, I can't fault him for it. Can't expect the guy to keep churning out the same kind of stories over and over again, that'll get boring. People change over time, and as a result their work is going to change too.

As for a direct continuation to the original series, it's never going to happen. Fans really need to accept that and move on.

418663[/snapback]

People need to get over the fact that Kawamori isn't going to do Macross like Tomino did Gundam. He isn't the kind of guy who is going to pump out sequels every few years. Otherwise he might end up like Tomino, never ever want to see Macross again, and only use it to get money for another project. If we had Macross every few years, we would end up just like the Gundam kids; UC vs AU, My Gundam is more powerful than your Gundam, blah blah blah.

418739[/snapback]

But Fighting Street G Macross could be kinda neat... in a disgusting abuse of the license kinda way...

[Keith]

When the time is right, we'll get a sup'd big bang sequel, probalby taking place in the 2050 era, and hopefully tying in with the end of Zero.

As for Kawamori's spiritiualism, the only people who seem to have a problem with it are a handful of U.S. fans, so I wouldn't expect it to change any time soon. It's a common theme through out most anime, and shouldn't be much of a surprise to anyone.

-Keith

[Zinjo]

I think any future Macross projects are going to come from Kawamori exclusively - and he appears to be pretty busy these past few years.

I'd expect more Macross projects when Kawamori is a) less busy, b) getting the VF bug again*, c) there's some new or big animating technology breakthrough**, and d) market demand.

Sadly, I don't think there'll be a big enough market demand for the next few years.  We're flooded with Gundam stuff...

Well we need to keep in mind that SK himself said that he takes 3 years to develop any of the Macross stories (which I'd suspect he does in his spare time), coupled with market demand and the apparent limited control the courts have given Big West over SDF Macross, it may be a few more years.

If I were the execs at Big West I'd want to get a chance to re-do SDF Macross with new animation technologies!

There is plenty of room left for stories in the universe. Mac Zero is a fairly open ended chapter, the fate of the Megaroad 1, colony stories, etc....

Edited July 24, 2006 by Zinjo

[Zinjo]

People need to get over the fact that Kawamori isn't going to do Macross like Tomino did Gundam. He isn't the kind of guy who is going to pump out sequels every few years. Otherwise he might end up like Tomino, never ever want to see Macross again, and only use it to get money for another project. If we had Macross every few years, we would end up just like the Gundam kids; UC vs AU, My Gundam is more powerful than your Gundam, blah blah blah.

Kawamori has already gone through that personal divorce from the series that made him famous.

Even Macross II didn't shake him out of that funk.

It wasn't until the studios wouldn't give him the money to make his Top Gun in space story, unless it was in the Macross universe, that he accepted the fact that he had leverage with Macross and could use it. Thus Macross Plus was born.

That may be the reason why we don't see as many Macross productions as other series, in that if SK doesn't have a Macross story that interests him, he doesn't persue / develop it.

I do agree that it couldn't hurt for him to collaborate with other story tellers, with respect to the franchise. Such partnerships tend to find fresh angles to tell stories from.

[MjrMisaHayase]

People need to get over the fact that Kawamori isn't going to do Macross like Tomino did Gundam. He isn't the kind of guy who is going to pump out sequels every few years. Otherwise he might end up like Tomino, never ever want to see Macross again, and only use it to get money for another project. If we had Macross every few years, we would end up just like the Gundam kids; UC vs AU, My Gundam is more powerful than your Gundam, blah blah blah.

Kawamori has already gone through that personal divorce from the series that made him famous.

Ouch.

[danth]

If I were the execs at Big West I'd want to get a chance to re-do SDF Macross with new animation technologies! 

Gah, please no!

The "non-Anime Friend" episodes of Macross are far better animated than the talking-head cartoons we see today.

[JB0]

If I were the execs at Big West I'd want to get a chance to re-do SDF Macross with new animation technologies! 

Gah, please no!

The "non-Anime Friend" episodes of Macross are far better animated than the talking-head cartoons we see today.

418967[/snapback]

But what if they hired James Earl Jones to do all the voices?!?!?!

[eugimon]

If I were the execs at Big West I'd want to get a chance to re-do SDF Macross with new animation technologies! 

Gah, please no!

The "non-Anime Friend" episodes of Macross are far better animated than the talking-head cartoons we see today.

418967[/snapback]

But what if they hired James Earl Jones to do all the voices?!?!?!

418969[/snapback]

swwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet.

James Earl Jones sings Minmay!

[MjrMisaHayase]

If I were the execs at Big West I'd want to get a chance to re-do SDF Macross with new animation technologies! 

Gah, please no!

The "non-Anime Friend" episodes of Macross are far better animated than the talking-head cartoons we see today.

418967[/snapback]

But what if they hired James Earl Jones to do all the voices?!?!?!

418969[/snapback]

swwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet.

James Earl Jones sings Minmay!

419263[/snapback]

[Zinjo]

If I were the execs at Big West I'd want to get a chance to re-do SDF Macross with new animation technologies! 

Gah, please no!

The "non-Anime Friend" episodes of Macross are far better animated than the talking-head cartoons we see today.

Not as a full blown TV series, because production quality has to suffer in such a project.

I am suggesting an OVA series, similar to Macross Zero....

[eugimon]

If I were the execs at Big West I'd want to get a chance to re-do SDF Macross with new animation technologies! 

Gah, please no!

The "non-Anime Friend" episodes of Macross are far better animated than the talking-head cartoons we see today.

418967[/snapback]

meh. If they re-did the series with Eureka 7 level animation and quality, I wouldn't cry over spilled milk, The majority of the animation on SDF macross was really poor and other than a few scenes, doesn't compare at all with modern animation.

[GutsAndCasca]

When the time is right, we'll get a sup'd big bang sequel, probalby taking place in the 2050 era, and hopefully tying in with the end of Zero.

As for Kawamori's spiritiualism, the only people who seem to have a problem with it are a handful of U.S. fans, so I wouldn't expect it to change any time soon. It's a common theme through out most anime, and shouldn't be much of a surprise to anyone.

-Keith

418762[/snapback]

Agreed. He had to hit on something new.

[Mowgli]

The shame of all of this is the legal problems. From what I understand Macross doesn't do spectacularly well in Japan. The most profitable place to market Macross would be here in the states, but as tied up as the rights are I doubt that that could ever be possible.

Though it is best to think of it as a reunion tour. Fans always plead for bands like Jane's Addiction to get back together. The band is convinced to do this by an obscene pile of money, and then the music sucks because it seems contribed and forced, because it is. I am sure Kawamori feels the same way about macross.

[Razor x]

HAHA i remember when i first saw Flashback 2012 online (about 3 months ago)

I flipped out and ran over to my wife and said" I cant belive it, their going to make a new series!!!!" Sadly my wife told me "sorry dear that video was made in 1986"

i was devestated, my wife knows more about Macross than i do!

i would love to see a new Macross series or OVA with todays animation i bet it would be awesome.

[azrael]

The shame of all of this is the legal problems. From what I understand Macross doesn't do spectacularly well in Japan. The most profitable place to market Macross would be here in the states, but as tied up as the rights are I doubt that that could ever be possible.

420725[/snapback]

Actually, Macross does fairly well. But the target market size is much smaller than say...Gundam.

[sketchley]

I do agree that the percentage of Macross fans amongst English speaking anime fans is greater than that of Japanese speaking anime fans. However, as Azrael started to point out - if Macross is truly that profitable in English speaking countries, we would see more joint productions like the Manga Video - Production IG work in the "Ghost in the Shell" movie.

[Ishimaru]

Didn't Shoji say he would not go back to Hikaru, Misa, etc? It would be nice to see something about the Megaroad, at least a OVA come on it was so god damn interesting just looking at Flashback!

But seriously if Shoji can not do this and fill in the gap between Mac and Mac+

Then someone else should do it, to at least keep us in love with the series before it dies out soon...

[Mowgli]

Didn't Kawamori originally write the story that was used for Macross Plus as a new series outside of the Macross universe, but when it wouldn't sell he made it a part of the Macross universe? I forget the details of this since it was a long time ago when it was last discussed on this forum.

[KingNor]

MZero realy broke my fanboy'zm of Macross. SDF remains my favorite, followed distantly by MPlus.

In my opinion SK doesnt' have the right mentality for Macross. MZero to me was very Gundam already. Too much super stuff going on.

M7 was also very Gundam.

I'm all for moving on. If SK is done with realistic robots in a plausable realistic environment then he should start a new franchise. NOT move macross into the supernatural super robot genera.

Edited July 30, 2006 by KingNor

[1/1 LowViz Lurker]

That's why I had the idea maybe they should just continue with the alternate universe idea so it doesn't intrude on kawamori's world.

ie Macross III (sequel to macross II )

All the super moves like pinpoint barrier punch can be done up in 3d like aquarion, and every episode new protodevlin-like monsters attack. It's up to UN SPACY to team up with Blade (appeared in macross II) to fight the threat.

Edited August 1, 2006 by 1/1 LowViz Lurker