When did you first realise how cool Macross is??

[taksraven]

There have been a few negative Macross threads lurking around lately so I thought I would try to start a more positive one.

When did you first realise/discover what a cool show Macross is? It could have been from the start of the first episode of SDF:M, it could have occurred later. Whenever it was, let us know.

I can list two defining points in my life when I realised that this show truly rocked.

The first was when I was standing in a modelshop somewhere in Sydney and I saw a kit for the SDF-1 in attack mode. I had already seen a few episodes of the program and liked it but this was the first time that I found out that the SDF-1 was a transforming vessel. Don't get me wrong, I love the Valks, but the fact that the SDF itself had the ability to transform was a factor that really convinced me that the program was MUCH better than the Transformers. (Yes, I was a young teenager) It was the biggest transforming vessel I had seen in my life up until that stage and I was VERY impressed.

The second defining point for the coolness of Macross was watching the first episode of Macross Plus. This demonstrated to me that the franchise could be strong and compelling even without the lead characters and many of the elements of the original series. It still stands up as one of the greatest episodes of any animated franchise. A great work, which made me a Macross fan for life.

So, what do other people have to share on this topic?

Taksraven

[Cent]

When I watched Isamu in the YF-19 do atmospheric re-entry with his flight systems off... in a barrage of ion cannon fire to the backdrop of Info High.

Epic

Edited April 11, 2009 by Cent

[SkullLeaderVF-X]

There have been a few negative Macross threads lurking around lately so I thought I would try to start a more positive one.

When did you first realise/discover what a cool show Macross is? It could have been from the start of the first episode of SDF:M, it could have occurred later. Whenever it was, let us know.

I can list two defining points in my life when I realised that this show truly rocked.

The first was when I was standing in a model shop somewhere in Sydney and I saw a kit for the SDF-1 in attack mode. I had already seen a few episodes of the program and liked it but this was the first time that I found out that the SDF-1 was a transforming vessel. Don't get me wrong, I love the Valks, but the fact that the SDF itself had the ability to transform was a factor that really convinced me that the program was MUCH better than the Transformers. (Yes, I was a young teenager) It was the biggest transforming vessel I had seen in my life up until that stage and I was VERY impressed.

The second defining point for the coolness of Macross was watching the first episode of Macross Plus. This demonstrated to me that the franchise could be strong and compelling even without the lead characters and many of the elements of the original series. It still stands up as one of the greatest episodes of any animated franchise. A great work, which made me a Macross fan for life.

So, what do other people have to share on this topic?

Taksraven

The opening of Macross Plus. When Isamu takes out almost all of the renegade Zentradi. I just got into Macross after discovering it through robotech. I was also in a model shop looking at all the macross models of Valkyries I've never seen before (all my Macross knowledge was through robotech, and whatever I could find on the web in the school computer lab). I see a VHS of M plus, and decide to buy it after reading the front cover and putting together the "Macross" in Macross plus's title, with the "Macross saga" from robotech. I foolishly thought this was the Japanese version of robotech (god I was so naive back then). I went home watched it and realized this was not robotech at all but something new and much,much better. Within the opening sequence I was a Macross fan. I forgot/sold everything of robotech I had, and became a Macross Purist. But never will I forget that feeling I had when I saw Isamu kick ass in his Thunderbolt. Best/closest way I can describe it, is like being on a roller coaster going down a steep drop while having a orgasm of pure joy, well making out with your special someone. Pure unadulterated blissful happiness. I found nirvana in that VHS tape. Then soon enough, I was able to replicate that feeling with every Macross series/movie/ova from that point on till today (except with Macross II though. It was eh-eh)

Edited April 11, 2009 by SkullLeaderVF-X

[big F]

Simple 1984/5 in a model shop in town, just after seeing the first episode of Robotech. Then came TF's and the deal was sealed.

[MDP310]

I only got into Macross recently. A couple months ago, even.

For me it was Mac Zero. I heard about the original series and DYRL but I hadn't seen them. When Zero came out, I figured "well this is a prequel, might as well start there." But then it took like 3 years for the rest of it to come out, and I didn't see the rest of it until a litle while ago. Then I watched SDFM, DYRL, and Frontier.

The part in Zero that really got me was the first time Roy transforms, in super slow motion, and then takes out about 22,000 missiles while killing an SV-51. So awesome. Of course that was before I saw Ozma make his awesome "I'm not an adult, I'm a MAN!" speech. And it was before I saw Max do...pretty much anything, really. Everything the man does is epic.

[Vepariga]

started when i was a young lad, during the time robotech was on tv,i was hooked from the first episode,after i went thru all of robotech, my fandom lead me to Macross and once i watched it, it was incredible,THE best series ive ever witnessed,I was amazed, it became a key in my upbringing as it gave birth to a new type of fan within me, the fanatic. lets just say the rest is a growing history. oh and misa too,she played a big part.

[Gubaba]

For me, it was an issue of the flimsy little "Parade" magazine that comes with the L.A. Times. In December, 1984, they had something about Japanese robot toys, and showed Hikaru's Valkyrie, saying that it was from the show "Macross," and giving a very brief (and not entirely accurate) run-down of the plot. I also, at around the same time (maybe a little before) saw in ad for Starlog for Harmony Gold's original Macross video tape. I didn't find the video until much later, but after I saw that Parade article, I went to Little Tokyo and got a bunch of the 1/144 Imai model kits.

When Robotech came on the air, I knew exactly what it was, and although i loved it, I really wanted to see the japanese version. Then, around the time Robotech finished, I got my hands on a copy (of a copy of a copy) of DYRL, and I never looked back.

Macross II I was initially disappointed by, and I didn't realize it was cool until 1998 or thereabouts, when I finally watched the whole thing.

I didn't want to see Macross Plus at first, since after MII I decided I was done with Macross. The guy at the comic/video store convinced me to check it out (with the promise of a refund for the rental price if I didn't like it). Needless to say, I liked it A LOT.

I really WANTED to like Macross 7, but it took a lot of time. I first watched it, raw, in '96. By the third time through, I realized that although I wasn't what I had wanted, it had its own distinct charm.

Macross Zero grabbed me immediately. So did Frontier.

[Robelwell202]

I can pretty much nail it on the head, when I actually became a FAN of Macross...

As I've stated before, I was a fan of Robotech, since I saw the original arings on Saturday Morning TV. As I'd come to learn more about RT, I became aware of the RT/Macross soap opera, albeit confused, so I let it sit in ht back of my mind... I have a real low tolerance for drama.

Then, we fast forward many years, where a friend shows my this ridiculous thing called "Macross Plus"... Come on, now... only some really CRAPPY Japanes production would have a mathematical symbol in the name... this sounded like a real turkey... but... above all my objections, my friend perservered, and got me to watch this thing that I predicted would be a horribly made, badly voiced, STUPID show... He did this by offering me many beers.

Well, my predictions held out for maybe 5 miliseconds... I was impressed!!! This show had potential!!

But, the point where I became a true, solid MAcross fan was when this guy named Isamu was taking on all the Renegade Zentradi guys, pulling some amazing shots and moves, and he's saying "These guys are so dull..."

THAT'S when I became a real fan.

[macross1979]

About 3 years ago originally I discovered how cool Macross was in various ways, shapes and forms...then I found the MW. Even with all the bickering, belittling, whining, and complaining that goes on here. There's a bunch of good stuff that comes out as well. I appreciate Shawn & Graham for starting this site. It's cool to be able to share my love with everyone across the globe (and even those who are my fellow shipmates aboard the Macross )

[Bowen]

Macross Plus Ep1, Isamu tearing the rogue Zentradi a new one

[miriya]

When Robotech first aired in the 1980s and I saw the even just the introduction it was love at first sight.

Now of course that is technically not Macross purely.

So then it was when I saw DYRL in 1998ish (cant remember clearly) that I got turned on to MACUROSSU!!!!

[SchizophrenicMC]

My dad introduced me to Robotech, early in life. After a while, I discovered Macross, in its true form. Now, I love both Macross and RT as separate entities.

MAH-KU-ROSS! MAH-KU-ROSS!

[Cyclone Trooper]

My love affair with Macross began like a lot of the other "old timers" on here...with Robotech. Even in its bastardized rewritten state, Macross was the most appealing of all 3 series to me. It had a much more realistic feel because it had mecha that was believable, comparatively speaking. Veritechs were quick and deadly fighter/robots while the Destroids were basically 35-foot tall infantry/artillery. Around the summer of 1986, my local comic shop procured several imported Macross model kits and books, including the (at the time) never-before-seen Flashback 2012 book and the famous Gold Book, which I purchased a year and a half later. The shop owner was the one who introduced me and my friends to the concept of the Macross movie (DYRL) by allowing us to leaf through the Gold Book. Because the only information we could get our hands on at the time (remember, there was no internet back then) was the Robotech Art 1 and 2 books, we had never seen a Strike Valkyrie before...nor did we know that "Valkyrie" was the correct name! The comic shop also had a list of videos that could be imported from Japan...one of them was simply called "Macross: The Movie" on the order sheet. The shop owner assured us that it was indeed the same DYRL movie from the Gold Book, and was even dubbed in English. And it could be ours for $100 plus shipping. We pooled our money and preordered it. $100...for a freaking VHS tape. But when it arrived, we were treated to our first glimpse of the "real" version of Macross. The version of the movie we got was not the heavily-edited Clash of the Bionoids, but an unedited version that still had Minmay's shower scene, the beheading of the Macross citizen, and Bodolza's head exploding under a hail of gunpod fire. It also had Japanese subtitles, which I found strange. But a few years later, I was told that this particular dub was used to teach Japanese-speaking people how to speak English...whether that was true or not, I dunno. For those who are aware of the various dubs, this is the one that has the Zentran uttering the line "A man and a woman! It must be Protoculture!" The voice actors were supposedly from both China and Australia.

The DYRL redesign of the SDF-1 struck a resonating chord in me and my friends, leading us to use that version in our later roleplaying campaigns. Yes, I was a complete Macross RPG geek back in the late 80s. lol We used the old Palladium Robotech RPG book, but everything was quickly relabeled with their correct names, including the characters. Lisa became Misa, Minmei became Minmay, Rick became Hikaru, etc. The material we used incorporated all the "new" stuff from DYRL, including the strike cannon, ARMDs and redesigned Zentraedi and Meltrandi. And we never ventured into any of the other source material pertaining to Southern Cross or MOSPEADA.

Because of this, I became an obnoxious Macross "purist" for a few years in the late 80s/early 90s...quick to jump into someone else's Robotech conversations and correct them with information that they were fairly unaware of. I'd flash my Gold Book at them like it was the Gutenberg Bible, showing the error of their sinful "Robotech" ways. Also by this time, I had acquired several other Japanese Macross sourcebooks as well. I felt smugly sure of myself as a Macross know-it-all. Since then, I've found that I was woefully wrong! lol

By the early 90s, Macross II came out and left me sort of put off by the whole Marduk thing...and the extreme leap into the timeline's future. I saw it as little more than "Macross: The Next Generation." So I sort of drifted away from Macross until the Spring of 1995 when I caught wind of something called Macross Plus. Because of the bad taste that MII had left in my mouth, I was a tad dubious as to what this would be about. But I preordered the first video tape...and was blown away by everything from the characters to the storyline. I DID have to get used to the YF-19/YF-21 designs simply because I had been so used to the tried-and-true VF-1 design for so long (and still prefer it over anything else). But the writing was good, the visuals were spectacular (I loved the scene where Sharon Apple activates the entire planetary defense grid against a single Valkyrie), and the characters were engaging. Yes, there was a love triangle, but it was between three adults instead of between teenagers (and Misa, but she sometimes acted like a teenager herself), and therefore was a bit more mature than the sometimes comedic "Three's Company" triangle from SDFM. I was officially hooked again!

It would be many years later before I'd see any of the newer Macross offerings...all of which were viewed via the internet. Gotta love YouTube! Macross 7 came across too much like Power Rangers to me, though it did have some good parts, but there were more cringe-worthy ones than not. Macross Zero was beautifully-done, but it didn't hit me the right way because of the "prequel updating" that was done to it. I've already covered my opinions of M0 in another thread, so I'll spare you that rant again. If I consider it a stand-alone project, then I have absolutely no problem with it at all. And then I sat through Frontier...

Don't get me wrong, Frontier was good...it had the visuals of M0, the designs of DYRL and M7, and was episodic like SDFM. It just felt too much like a retelling of everything that had already come to pass in the Macross universe. That was my only real gripe with it--aside from the anorexic mecha. Otherwise, it carries on the spirit of Macross in spectacular fashion!

It's been nearly 25 years since seeing Macross as the first installment of Robotech, and my passion for it is as alive as ever...

Edited April 11, 2009 by Cyclone Trooper

[Beltane70]

I realized how cool Macross was the moment that I saw my very first episode of it as Robotech. I missed the first episode of it and found out about it from my best friend who had seen the first episode the day before.

Macross became even cooler to me when I saw DYRL for the first time. This was about a year after Robotech came out. DYRL was also the very first anime that I saw in its original language.

[Ghost Train]

I loved Robotech when I was little... I did eventually learn of the Macross-schism and how -tech came into being.

Fast forward many years, and in 1997 I saw Macross Plus. To this day, it's still my favorite Macross OVA/Movie (I like the movie ver a little bit better ). What got my attention was the more mature story - no angsty teenager piloting mecha, the absolutely beautiful mechanical designs, and to this day an example of good merging between CG and traditional hand drawn animation.

[Killer Robot]

I missed Robotech myself. I saw some of the RPG books via browsing at the store, but that was about it. So my first encounter was Macross Plus when it came out, and I assured it would be great from people who were fans of the original. True enough, it was amazing. After that I saw some other bits of Macross: the Macross 7 movie, which I saw untranslated and found interesting but really bizarre; and DYRL, which was pretty and all but really doesn't have that much content for someone who doesn't already know and love the TV series. I gave Macross 7 TV an attempt but I lost interest a half dozen episodes in. I loved Macross Plus then, but Macross in general? Not so much.

In 2002 or so when Macross was released on DVD, I watched through that and found it quite enjoyable. It gave me a new perspective on the rest of the franchise: Macross Plus was fun to rewatch even though it's an odd fit with the rest, DYRL was a lot better after seeing the TV series, and Zero opened up with some amazing 3D work though I drifted off somewhere in the long spaces between episodes. After that I also watched Macross 7 again, making it more 12-15 episodes in before I gave up and just watched the Encore episodes and movie(fansubbed this time!) and enjoyed them for the comedy value.

When Frontier came out I had mostly drifted out of watching anime, and a friend mentioned it. I put it on the "to do" list but didn't really start downloading until I saw screenshots of a Zentradi mall and just had to see more. It was rocky going at first for a few reasons, but by the late series I was hanging on every episode and rushing to download fansubs every week. During that wait was when I went through the rest: a second viewing of original Macross and DYRL, Macross II which didn't wow me but was worth seeing, and finally going the whole way through 7, which I at least enjoyed a lot more when the plot started moving and they added some fresh music.

[Macross007]

When I watched Isamu in the YF-19 do atmospheric re-entry with his flight systems off... in a barrage of ion cannon fire to the backdrop of Info High.

Epic

I second that. It was certainly the moment I decided that Macross was for me one of the most important thing I have ever seen in my entire life. Being myself a nerd and all that you know.

Edited April 12, 2009 by Macross007

[BChoinski]

I realized how cool Macross was the moment that I saw my very first episode of it as Robotech. I missed the first episode of it and found out about it from my best friend who had seen the first episode the day before.

Macross became even cooler to me when I saw DYRL for the first time. This was about a year after Robotech came out. DYRL was also the very first anime that I saw in its original language.

Fo me it was probably when I rented the proto-macross first two episodes from my local comic shop. This was the first one that Harmony gold did, and it was called Macross, before they merged it into Robotech. All the RT voice actors, but with the original macross music (not the RT scores). Most names were the RT ones, though I think Misa was sort of half-way as "Lisa Hayase".

I was hyped for the rest of it, but nothing for months until RT came onto TV.

Kind of meandered away from the series (and anime in general) after I was married and busy with work, but in the past few years have refound myself. I got a torrent of DYRL and got back in, finally got to see M7 (It had some good points, but song-repeat-overload was bad -- it would have been better had they trimmed about 1/3rd the fluff and repeats and tightened up the storyline). I also got and saw M0 (kinda meh for story, but the mecha visuals were excellent). I think I saw M+ a few years earlier through netflix and though it was ok. MII I only saw as the 6-episode compilation, so the love story bewteen the reporter and the Military girl (names escape me) seemed rushed...was there a full 26 episode season, of is the 6 all there is? I was not thrilled with the Macross getting nuked.

Finally saw frontier this year and enjoyed it. There is still lots of room to play in this universe, so hopefully they can explore it with some additional series, or by following on MF with some OAVs

[Gubaba]

MII I only saw as the 6-episode compilation, so the love story bewteen the reporter and the Military girl (names escape me) seemed rushed...was there a full 26 episode season, of is the 6 all there is?

Just six. It was originally released in Japan in six volumes, which became three volume (2 eps. each tape) for the U.S., and then they all got slapped together as a "movie."

I'm surprised by how many people there are who saw Robotech a tyke, but only got into Macross in the last few years. I'm glad I got to experience everything in kinda/sorta real time (it took a few years after its release for me to get to see Macross 7, and another few years after its release for me to see Dynamite 7, but that's about it), but there's something that sounds kind of fun about waiting a long time, and then gorging yourself on EVERYTHING. While I can rewatch Macross in huge chunks, I was never at a point where I could watch it in huge chunks.

On the other hand, I was never really confused about which order to watch everything in, and I'm kind of anal when it comes to stuff like that...so I guess I'm glad I wasn't driven crazy by the countless timelines out there.

Of course, what I'm REALLY waiting for is someone to come in and say "I got into Macross when I saw Frontier last year; then I went back and watched everything else."

[Sir Galahad®]

When I was a Kid, I thought it was another copy of the Transformers since I was a Transformers fan, but as I watched it (It was aired 6:00 PM in the philippines every sunday at RPN) I began to like it very much to the point when I was assigned in Japan (worked as a Systems Analyst) I rented VHS tapes of it and Bought the DVD when I was there. It was also there I rented videos of Macross Plus and Macross 7 (I was there 1996~97) and (2000~2003)

There was no Robotech in the Philippines (or maybe I just ignored it and got lucky ). We had a Dubbed Macross in English (the names of the characters were a bit different but were faithful to the original story)

Edited April 12, 2009 by Sir Galahad®

[Gubaba]

There was no Robotech in the Philippines (or maybe I just ignored it and got lucky ). We had a Dubbed Macross in English (the names of the characters were a bit different but were faithful to the original story)

I've heard about that version before, but I've never seen anything from it. How was the dubbing?

(I saw a Brazilian dub once and was surprised at how good it was. Of course, it helps that Portuguese is one of the loveliest languages in the world, so Minmay and Misa automatically sounded ten times sexier.)

[Sir Galahad®]

The dubbing, I actually didn't complain much.... I was a kid that time. The weird thing though are the names. Hikaru becomes Rick, Misa remains Misa, and Minmay becomes Maria. All others retained their names (as far as I remember). I mean even my college sister was hooked that time and at her age (she's 45 and has two kids who are into the Yu-gi-oh franchise) she still remembers it when she sees me watching Macross (again )

I've heard about that version before, but I've never seen anything from it. How was the dubbing?

(I saw a Brazilian dub once and was surprised at how good it was. Of course, it helps that Portuguese is one of the loveliest languages in the world, so Minmay and Misa automatically sounded ten times sexier.)

[Beltane70]

On the other hand, I was never really confused about which order to watch everything in, and I'm kind of anal when it comes to stuff like that...so I guess I'm glad I wasn't driven crazy by the countless timelines out there.

Same here. After Robotech and my first view of DYRL, I was able to follow Macross as its sequel (and prequel) were released. I really hated those dry spells, especially the period between Plus/M7 and Zero.

[shiroikaze]

Back when I was a kid and never paid much attention to anime, first time I ever heard of Macross, I kinda already knew right off the bat that I would like it. Never got around to watching any of the stuff. Years later, I encounter the internet and Lo! I fell in love with anime soon after. I seen images of Macross Plus and 7 on random anime sites but still haven't watched a damn thing of it.

Fast forward to 2006 or '07, it was either Do You Remember Love or the Frontier pilot episode that I saw first... was pretty much hooked after that.

[Legioss]

I was a Robotech fan since 1988 or something like that. In 1991 or 1992 there was an ad for Macross II in my Books Nippan catalog. So I ordered II when they dubbed it and I saw Macross II and Plus when they came out. I'd seen DYRL and thought it was okay. I liked them but not as much as Robotech, purely for the story. I didn't understand how cool the story of Macross was. Plus didn't really shed any light on what the whole thing was about at least for me. I'd seen the Macross episodes on the Robotech Perfect Collection tapes and they seemed kind of sedate in comparison. I didn't appreciate them.

When 7 came out, somebody showed me a tape of it without subtitles. My Nihongo understanding was so little then that for some reason I couldn't appreciate Basara's music and I didn't understand that story. Maybe I heard Planet Dance or something and couldn't make sense of it, even though I already liked Japanese music before that. I remember thinking it was like bad country music. Also I didn't like newer character designs. I thought they didn't look 80s enough, so I'd purposely try to ignore shows like Bubblegum Crisis and Tenchi Muyou even though I'd seen some of them. I had put Macross 7 in that category.

Somehow I got it in my head that Macross 7 was forgettable until I could watch it with subtitles. I also had this stupid belief that Robotech's unanimated backstory made it better, Robotech's potential that HG is always claiming but that they never deliver on. It wasn't until like 2004 or 2005 I got a complete set of Macross 7 fansub tapes. I finally understood Macross. Zero was announced and came out and it was great. If you had seen 7 it ruled.

It was when Macross 7 made me excited and sad, when I loved the characters and started to understand spiritia. In a way Basara reached me, broke through the confusion, and made me understand. I really should have worked harder to track down those tapes. It would have saved me a lot of time and money. Macross 7 made it clear who actually makes Macross. It's not a bunch of guys in Hollywood.

[sharky]

I started to like Macross when I was a kid watching Robotech everyday after school, in the 80s. I think watching DRYL for the first time sealed the deal and made me a lifelong fan. DYRL made me realize that Macross was way better than the show Robotech portrayed. Macross FOREVER!

[007-vf1]

I was originally hooked on Thundercats and the kiddish seriesTransformers. I have seen some other Japanese movies before hand, and always thought their emotional dept had greater potential over the American shows. Then one day I saw this show called Robotech and was awed seeing Rick Hunter's orange fighter transform into a giant robot!? Coolest thing I have seen to that day. The animation sequence looked so real... Eventually Japanese animation changed mi perspective and the way I looked life in many aspects.

[Bri]

Robotech got me into Macross, saw it for the first time in '87. Taped the whole thing on the reruns. Macross and Southern cross parts were great but I disliked the New generation/Mospeada thing. The Sentinels killed Robotech for me and I was close to forgetting all about it.

Things changed when I got a hold of the Kiseki Clash of the Bionoids and Macross II. Loved the different direction and the Mikimoto designs. These tapes got me in to Macross. Only thing I did not like so much about Mac II was the far future bit.

Macross Plus was a real let down. The mecha action was great but the characters were a total turn off. I didn't like their design nor personalities. So I almost stuck with Mac II. Luckily there were several stores across the border in Antwerp and Bruxelles that carried model kits, figures and Chines bootleg tapes. So I got my hands on Macross 7 which got me totally hooked on the normal continuity Macross.

[Sir Galahad®]

I was originally hooked on Thundercats and the kiddish seriesTransformers. I have seen some other Japanese movies before hand, and always thought their emotional dept had greater potential over the American shows. Then one day I saw this show called Robotech and was awed seeing Rick Hunter's orange fighter transform into a giant robot!? Coolest thing I have seen to that day. The animation sequence looked so real... Eventually Japanese animation changed mi perspective and the way I looked life in many aspects.

It would depend on the target audience I guess.... In Japan animation (or manga) is created for a specific target audience (shounen, seinen, shoujo etc.). And handle real world events as real as possible. I mean, I have still yet to find western cartoons where a character (protagonist) has been killed off. They just get shipped off to HFIL . Or don't die (G.I. Joe anyone?)

I mean when Roy Died in one episode, and then Kakizaki in the next, I would often wonder how kids would handle scenes like that during the 80's. Kids nowadays are more aware

Another thing that made me like macross? GERWALK. I mean there are transforming machines that go from vehicle to robot and back, but it is one of the first to incorporate 3 modes

[Gubaba]

I mean when Roy Died in one episode, and then Kakizaki in the next, I would often wonder how kids would handle scenes like that during the 80's. Kids nowadays are more aware

Oh, yessirree, of course they are. I was forever eating bars of soap and wandering into traffic when I was a kid in the '80s. My friends were all the same. It's a miracle we survived.

Really...yeah, it was a big shock (although I missed the episode where Kakizaki died because I hadn't finished my homework). But look: I had read books, seen movies, and watched TV shows where people died. The fact that people died in Robotech was one of the main reasons I liked it.

And, even in cartons, I'd been "softened up" by Star Blazers...Captain Avatar, anyone?

[Sir Galahad®]

I guess Yamato/Star Blazers had many deaths as well....

It was shown star blazers here too... I had a crush on Nova when I was a kid (hahahahaha)

I guess the gray blue and red sections of a ship are common color codes that time.... Daedalus and Prometheus Sport the same color

[BChoinski]

Another thing that made me like macross? GERWALK. I mean there are transforming machines that go from vehicle to robot and back, but it is one of the first to incorporate 3 modes

Oh yea, that's my favorite mode as well, always seemed the coolest. I have my VF at work in Gerwalk mode.

Of course, seeing the quarter in MF go Gerwalk just made it all the better. :}

[taksraven]

I mean when Roy Died in one episode, and then Kakizaki in the next, I would often wonder how kids would handle scenes like that during the 80's. Kids nowadays are more aware

Yeah, a lot of kids back in the 80's didn't even get to see Robotech because they were working hard in the coal mines. :P

Taksraven

[Morpheus]

- When the hero transform his plane for the first time and crash into a girl's room.

- When SDF-1 transform into a "that's one huge fricking robot" and blast an entire Zentraedi flotila into dust

- When they perform Maross Missile Massacre

[ghostlightning]

When I was a Kid, I thought it was another copy of the Transformers since I was a Transformers fan, but as I watched it (It was aired 6:00 PM in the philippines every sunday at RPN) I began to like it very much to the point when I was assigned in Japan (worked as a Systems Analyst) I rented VHS tapes of it and Bought the DVD when I was there. It was also there I rented videos of Macross Plus and Macross 7 (I was there 1996~97) and (2000~2003)

There was no Robotech in the Philippines (or maybe I just ignored it and got lucky ). We had a Dubbed Macross in English (the names of the characters were a bit different but were faithful to the original story)

I saw this too... in 1984 right? LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT. But man you remember more of it than I do. I vaguely remember a different OP theme: SU-PER SPACE FOR-TRESS!... MAAAACROSS!

Unlike you the next Macross experience I had was Robotech already, so for a long time I had thought that was canon (and I thought very highly of Dr. Lang LOL). I've no deep hatred for ROBOTECH, it kept me good company way back then.

But to address the main topic, when I saw what looked like an F-14 transform into a gerwalk, and THEN transform into a bipedal robot... WHOOOOSH. There was no turning back for me.