HG and Robotech Debates

[Atharun]

What's up Seto, it has been a while. Lol are you serious? Memo was the one who originaly gave out those images? Oh that's great. Talk about Irony. has anyone heard of the announcement of a new animted product to be finished next summer, not released but finished from HG? And thanks for the heads up on the Macross info. Hopefull I can get my hands on a translated novel.

[Seto Kaiba]

Lol are you serious? Memo was the one who originaly gave out those images?

Yup... according to Jasonc, the image(s) that MEMO is making such a fuss over were originally "leaked" by him in the first place:

But, there is a more logical reason why someone is already pointing fingers and trying to focus all this on Tom, a guy who I respect, and someone I wouldn't put under the bus. It's because these images came from Memo, quite a number of years ago, when everyone used to trust one another.

has anyone heard of the announcement of a new animted product to be finished next summer, not released but finished from HG? And thanks for the heads up on the Macross info. Hopefull I can get my hands on a translated novel.

Yeah... we had a brief discussion about this supposed Robotech "side story" they're working on back when the news first came to light via Twitter and that grainy, off-angle cell phone snapshot of Tommy's promo art. There wasn't much to actually talk about except how horrible the art was and how ridiculous it was for Tommy to get bent out of shape over having a grainy photo of his top secret promo art show up online. There were a couple theories about what it would be, mostly revolving around it being a dub of the Mospeada wrap-up OVA entitled Mospeada: Love Live Alive. Nothing confirmed, of course, because Harmony Gold seems to be afraid having the fans (or their detractors) find out what it actually is will put people off of it... rather a likely outcome, given the usual quality of their work.

I'm not sure if anyone here is actually going to translate Macross the Ride... Gubaba and sketchley have their own things goin' on, and I'm up to my eyeballs in Macross Chronicle still. Here's the MW topic about it though: http://www.macrossworld.com/mwf/index.php?showtopic=34229

[Atharun]

If it is "Love Live Alive" yeah...that won't sell IMO. The animation is far too dated not in a bad way but the age is obvious and will put off many people who aren't familiar with it. Plus it will frustrate RT fans more by yet again not progressing or adding to the story.

[Zor Primus]

If it is "Love Live Alive" yeah...that won't sell IMO. The animation is far too dated not in a bad way but the age is obvious and will put off many people who aren't familiar with it. Plus it will frustrate RT fans more by yet again not progressing or adding to the story.

Exactly the conclusion we reached...

[BeyondTheGrave]

OH GOD, WHY!?!

Lesser of two evils.

[Seto Kaiba]

If it is "Love Live Alive" yeah...that won't sell IMO. The animation is far too dated not in a bad way but the age is obvious and will put off many people who aren't familiar with it. Plus it will frustrate RT fans more by yet again not progressing or adding to the story.

Yup... and as Zor Primus already said, we came to the same conclusion. Even putting aside the question of the animation's age, the knee-jerk story changes in Shadow Chronicles would make adding Love Live Alive to the story untenable. Even if this side story thing is an all-new project, I doubt the sane fans will be too kind to it unless it actually advances the setting or story in progress currently on hold. It's pretty much a given that they're not making this side story show for the hell of it, it's a deliberate smokescreen to distract people from the lack of progress with the Robotech live action movie and Shadow Rising.

[Keith]

You know, I think I just realized why the HG crew has been so quiet for the past couple years, looking at the timing of their sudden silence, only one possiblity exists.

http://www.youtube.c...feature=related

After this episode of Frontier aired, the HG staff went into culture shock, and are currently awestruck sitting around Tommy's computer sustaining themselvse with vending machine food.

Back on topic, you guys have probably already seen this, but I just found it randomly searching shadow chronicles crap. Fanmade fake production animation pretending to be Shadow Rising.

That's right, the fans have put out more original animation than HG once again

Edited December 16, 2010 by Keith

[Jasonc]

What's up Seto, it has been a while. Lol are you serious? Memo was the one who originaly gave out those images? Oh that's great. Talk about Irony. has anyone heard of the announcement of a new animted product to be finished next summer, not released but finished from HG? And thanks for the heads up on the Macross info. Hopefull I can get my hands on a translated novel.

Yes, I had to tell the truth, especially since Memo went on a tirade to say I got it from Tom. Truth be told, if I did get it from Tom, it would've never seen the light of day here. It just doesn't make any sense for me to do that. And at this stage of the game, I can really careless about being a hero, or villain to those guys. It's a freakin' image, nothing more or less. I find the whole frantic runaround on rtx.com to be pretty damn funny, in a strange sick sense. If you read on that particular thread there, even rtsurfer mentions the tendency Memo has to leak out information. But yeah, I agree, it would've been nice if the discussion could've just stayed on the subject and not someone making up more conspiracies on some big plot to bring down Robotech. Poor, tortured souls...they inflict their own injuries on themselves.

[Legioss]

I'm in the conspiracy to turn Robotech into Macross, infiltrating their websites to spread lies about the upcoming worldwide Robo-mania because I'm jealous of how huge Robotech's going to be. Macross will disappear as the prophet rhade predicted. There's only going to be Robotech. At that time the loyal love feeling Robotech fans will be rewarded with virgins and the hate-filled Macross purists will burn in Hell for all eternity. My job as a Macross purist is to subvert the success of Robotech so it never happens and we get the virgins. I'll do this by posting on Internet forums which we have determined is the weak spot of Harmony Gold and Warner Bros.

[Dynaman]

My job as a Macross purist is to subvert the success of Robotech so it never happens

You are VERY good at your job! I don't think RT can get much less succesful and still be kicking.

[Seto Kaiba]

If you read on that particular thread there, even rtsurfer mentions the tendency Memo has to leak out information. But yeah, I agree, it would've been nice if the discussion could've just stayed on the subject and not someone making up more conspiracies on some big plot to bring down Robotech.

Yeah, a tendency that surprises nobody... he always was jealous of the people who got to be well known and respected in the Robotech fandom. Even I noticed, and I don't think I've had more than a half-dozen one-on-one conversations with the guy. He always did resent the people other fans looked to as experts, and I don't doubt for a second that he would share concept art like that if he thought it would increase his standing in the community...

[chrisk]

I'm in the conspiracy to turn Robotech into Macross, infiltrating their websites to spread lies about the upcoming worldwide Robo-mania because I'm jealous of how huge Robotech's going to be. Macross will disappear as the prophet rhade predicted. There's only going to be Robotech. At that time the loyal love feeling Robotech fans will be rewarded with virgins and the hate-filled Macross purists will burn in Hell for all eternity. My job as a Macross purist is to subvert the success of Robotech so it never happens and we get the virgins. I'll do this by posting on Internet forums which we have determined is the weak spot of Harmony Gold and Warner Bros.

A Robotech jihad? That's just silly.

[Seto Kaiba]

Back on topic, you guys have probably already seen this, but I just found it randomly searching shadow chronicles crap. Fanmade fake production animation pretending to be Shadow Rising.

That's right, the fans have put out more original animation than HG once again

No, the really amusing part is that it's close enough to the shoddy animation quality of Shadow Chronicles that it really COULD be mistaken for the genuine article!

[Zor Primus]

You know, I think I just realized why the HG crew has been so quiet for the past couple years, looking at the timing of their sudden silence, only one possiblity exists.

http://www.youtube.c...feature=related

After this episode of Frontier aired, the HG staff went into culture shock, and are currently awestruck sitting around Tommy's computer sustaining themselvse with vending machine food.

That's right, the fans have put out more original animation than HG once again

Thanks Keith...now I've got to jam out to Ranka and Sheryl...what about my star?

[BeyondTheGrave]

...progress with the Robotech live action movie .

That's an easy fix. Here's a preview*

Look at the emotion. The passion.

Doesn't it make you feel for rick?

*

If it was made by Tommy Wiseau

[Tom Bateman]

Guillermo "MEMO" Patino... whatever happened to you?

Memo, at one time, was one of the best of fans...

…he was also one of the best of friends...

When I wanted to move up to Los Angeles at the end of 2003 (after two years, I was tired of commuting from Orange County), it was Memo who I called and asked "Do you know anyone who needs a roommate?"

Shortly thereafter, he put me in touch with Jasonc, who I had known (but not well) from the Robotech parties that we had in SoCal, many of which took place at his home in West L.A.

Jason and I became roommates at the beginning of 2004 and remained so until mid-2007, when he got married.

During that time, our place was a great place for the SoCal RT fans to hang out. We would often get together on Friday nights to go to dinner, go to movies and just hang out. Those were some of the greatest times and it really became a family.

Obviously, since it was what brought us all together in the first place, many times conversations would turn to ROBOTECH, which we all had an interest in.

The opinions over the direction of Robotech and the quality of products that would come out were candid and vocal. I wanted my friends to be honest with me. It was my obligation to them and to Harmony Gold to give the best advice that I could regarding all matters concerning Robotech.

Just to be clear, Tommy Yune was not my boss at Harmony Gold. I was not his direct report and he did not sign my paycheck and he had no authority over me. Yes, he is Creative Director in charge of Robotech, a mistake that Harmony Gold is paying for every single day he remains employed. Just add up his $80,000 a year salary (last I heard) since 2002 and ask "Is he worth it?” I would say without any doubt or reservation that he is not.

Everything I did when I was at HG was in the best interests of HG and of Robotech. My job was to make my company rich and turn Robotech into a major multi-million dollar franchise and I made every effort to do so. I kept the faith with my company and I was loyal to it and to Frank Agrama …not to Tommy Yune.

Why they followed Tommy's advice on so many critical decisions will perplex me forever. There is no logical reason for turning over franchise decisions to someone who had no business experience or plan. Tommy was completely responsible for so many of Robotech's failures in the last decade. Both video games suffered from his creative direction (or lack thereof), the big breasts in RTSC, those were his doing; the lackluster comic books, those were his area of so-called "expertise"

Over the three years that I lived with Jason, Memo attended many of our Friday night gatherings; I think he came to enjoy the fact that Tommy and I were at odds over the direction of Robotech. He said many things to egg it on, or to get a rise out of me and others. Many people were there to witness it; they are free to talk about it if they want.

Memo would also show off, brag about information that Tommy had told him, show stuff that Tommy had given him. Being in the position I was in, I knew a lot of things that Memo was saying could only have come from Tommy, who clearly trusted Memo. In fact, I think Memo is the only guy I have ever seen Tommy buy lunch/dinner for. From what I have seen and my own personal opinion, Tommy doesn’t have many close friends, certainly not amongst the RT fans, except maybe for Memo.

Obviously, I kept the fact that I lived with another Robotech fan a secret from Tommy, because I know how much he would freak out and try to make a control issue out of it. Which is exactly what he did once he found out and used it to get me fired.

Of course, Memo knew I lived there since I moved in back in 2004; after all, he set it all up. After I was fired, I met up with Memo and asked him if he ratted me out, Memo of course denied it and claimed that it was Kevin McKeever who ratted me out.

Kevin McKeever also knew I lived with Jason since the beginning, and he too kept it a secret from Tommy, at my request, but Kevin would have had nothing to gain by revealing his knowledge of my living with Jason, whereas Memo would see it as an opportunity to enhance his standing with Tommy, by removing Jason and also helping Tommy get rid of me.

People had been leaving the site for a long time, fans were getting disgruntled and voicing their opinions about Robotech and the direction that Tommy and HG were taking it. I did my best to be the voice of those fans as I agreed with them. Robotech was not headed in the right direction under Tommy’s (mis)direction and I think we had squandered a golden opportunity with RTSC. It should have been so much more than it was.

When people started getting disgruntled with Robotech, and people started leaving the boards or getting banned; I think Memo saw that as his opportunity to assert himself as the #1 fan.

Many times, Memo would brag to us that Tommy had offered him a job at HG, but he had turned it down. This was ridiculous as Tommy didn't have the authority to hire or fire anyone.

Tommy has done a lot to insulate himself from criticism, which is why he took so much personal interest and attention in banning ANY dissent or criticism of him on Robotech.com, lest any of his superiors decide to read the website. As anyone can see now, it’s practically dead there.

It’s amazing how EVERY negative comment about RTSC would be construed as a personal attack on Tommy.

At conventions, Tommy loves to “hold court” with fans who are starstruck and naïve and won’t question his decision making. It’s sad how he strings them along, with talk of the non-existent RLAM or Shadow Rising.

Tommy surrounds himself with yes-men, like Kevin McKeever. His brother Steve could care less, but he will do whatever his brother tells him to. Steve is just happy to still have a job and collect a paycheck.

Tommy certainly was not honest in his appraisals of the health of the franchise to our superiors. Did our superiors listen to me? One did, but she wasn’t with the company long enough to change things. It’s a shame that HG doesn’t take a harder look at what kind of return on investment they are getting from their (un)Creative Director.

Tommy is incredibly insecure. He’s unable to take criticism and is quick to blame others (i.e. Korean animators, Vicious Cycle) I knew he was trying to fire me since the beginning. He would freeze me out of as many decisions as possible. I had to fight to get my input in. Eventually, Tommy succeeded in getting me fired. It’s what he wanted and obviously what Memo wanted too.

It's just as well that I got fired. In the end, it came down to him or me, and they chose him. Oh well.

When I was fired, I told HG that Robotech would never be a success as long as they listened to Tommy. It has been THREE AND A HALF years since I left Harmony Gold and what has been accomplished in regard to Robotech? Not much. This is what happens when you put a cartoonist in charge of a potential multi-million dollar franchise.

I truly doubt Tommy is even a fan of Robotech as I never had a conversation where he would talk about the show the way someone with a true passion for it would. Never a chat about what his favorite episode was, or favorite moment or favorite character. Just look at him on the “Birth of a Sequel” documentary or on a video at a convention, there is no sincerity in his voice.

Memo’s agenda? Who knows? He’s still trying to stir stuff up for whatever reason, but it’s like being mayor of a ghost town… when everyone has gone and moved out, who really cares?

[McHenry]

I also wondered what happened to Memmo. I like most others had him to thank for bring me into the So-Cal Group and introducing me to people that became life long friends. Then one day at anime expo 2006. I introduced him to my new girl friend (who is now my fiancee) and while my back was turned dealing with some one who wanted me to sign their Shadow Chronicles Art book he told her not to crowd me that I was a Robotech and Anime fan and I needed my space. This seriously freaked out my girl friend and I have stayed away from him since then. I've always wondered what the hell he was trying to accomplish by doing that.

Then some time last year he posted a attack on me on RT.com saying that Tommy told him I was talking about his family and spreading rumors. He went from being a great friend to some one I didn't want to be around any more because your wern't sure what he would do next. Sad, sad, sad.

[Colonel Wolfe]

Mr. Bateman, i was sad to see you go, and knew it spelled doom for the Robotech property...

[SkullLeaderVF-X]

Yup... according to Jasonc, the image(s) that MEMO is making such a fuss over were originally "leaked" by him in the first place:

I just dont see why those images are such a big deal. They look like something anyone with paint shop skills can make. Seriously, what the big deal about them?

[Roy Focker]

Don't have time to read it all but I was drawn to a mention of "the big breasts in RTSC."

Did anyone see that Conan gets animated part 2 Segment? That Bernard wasn't his face should totally be the new character designer for Robotech!

[terry the lone wolf]

Guillermo "MEMO" Patino... whatever happened to you?

Memo, at one time, was one of the best of fans...

…he was also one of the best of friends...

When I wanted to move up to Los Angeles at the end of 2003 (after two years, I was tired of commuting from Orange County), it was Memo who I called and asked "Do you know anyone who needs a roommate?"

Shortly thereafter, he put me in touch with Jasonc, who I had known (but not well) from the Robotech parties that we had in SoCal, many of which took place at his home in West L.A.

Jason and I became roommates at the beginning of 2004 and remained so until mid-2007, when he got married.

During that time, our place was a great place for the SoCal RT fans to hang out. We would often get together on Friday nights to go to dinner, go to movies and just hang out. Those were some of the greatest times and it really became a family.

Obviously, since it was what brought us all together in the first place, many times conversations would turn to ROBOTECH, which we all had an interest in.

The opinions over the direction of Robotech and the quality of products that would come out were candid and vocal. I wanted my friends to be honest with me. It was my obligation to them and to Harmony Gold to give the best advice that I could regarding all matters concerning Robotech.

Just to be clear, Tommy Yune was not my boss at Harmony Gold. I was not his direct report and he did not sign my paycheck and he had no authority over me. Yes, he is Creative Director in charge of Robotech, a mistake that Harmony Gold is paying for every single day he remains employed. Just add up his $80,000 a year salary (last I heard) since 2002 and ask "Is he worth it?” I would say without any doubt or reservation that he is not.

Everything I did when I was at HG was in the best interests of HG and of Robotech. My job was to make my company rich and turn Robotech into a major multi-million dollar franchise and I made every effort to do so. I kept the faith with my company and I was loyal to it and to Frank Agrama …not to Tommy Yune.

Why they followed Tommy's advice on so many critical decisions will perplex me forever. There is no logical reason for turning over franchise decisions to someone who had no business experience or plan. Tommy was completely responsible for so many of Robotech's failures in the last decade. Both video games suffered from his creative direction (or lack thereof), the big breasts in RTSC, those were his doing; the lackluster comic books, those were his area of so-called "expertise"

Over the three years that I lived with Jason, Memo attended many of our Friday night gatherings; I think he came to enjoy the fact that Tommy and I were at odds over the direction of Robotech. He said many things to egg it on, or to get a rise out of me and others. Many people were there to witness it; they are free to talk about it if they want.

Memo would also show off, brag about information that Tommy had told him, show stuff that Tommy had given him. Being in the position I was in, I knew a lot of things that Memo was saying could only have come from Tommy, who clearly trusted Memo. In fact, I think Memo is the only guy I have ever seen Tommy buy lunch/dinner for. From what I have seen and my own personal opinion, Tommy doesn’t have many close friends, certainly not amongst the RT fans, except maybe for Memo.

Obviously, I kept the fact that I lived with another Robotech fan a secret from Tommy, because I know how much he would freak out and try to make a control issue out of it. Which is exactly what he did once he found out and used it to get me fired.

Of course, Memo knew I lived there since I moved in back in 2004; after all, he set it all up. After I was fired, I met up with Memo and asked him if he ratted me out, Memo of course denied it and claimed that it was Kevin McKeever who ratted me out.

Kevin McKeever also knew I lived with Jason since the beginning, and he too kept it a secret from Tommy, at my request, but Kevin would have had nothing to gain by revealing his knowledge of my living with Jason, whereas Memo would see it as an opportunity to enhance his standing with Tommy, by removing Jason and also helping Tommy get rid of me.

People had been leaving the site for a long time, fans were getting disgruntled and voicing their opinions about Robotech and the direction that Tommy and HG were taking it. I did my best to be the voice of those fans as I agreed with them. Robotech was not headed in the right direction under Tommy’s (mis)direction and I think we had squandered a golden opportunity with RTSC. It should have been so much more than it was.

When people started getting disgruntled with Robotech, and people started leaving the boards or getting banned; I think Memo saw that as his opportunity to assert himself as the #1 fan.

Many times, Memo would brag to us that Tommy had offered him a job at HG, but he had turned it down. This was ridiculous as Tommy didn't have the authority to hire or fire anyone.

Tommy has done a lot to insulate himself from criticism, which is why he took so much personal interest and attention in banning ANY dissent or criticism of him on Robotech.com, lest any of his superiors decide to read the website. As anyone can see now, it’s practically dead there.

It’s amazing how EVERY negative comment about RTSC would be construed as a personal attack on Tommy.

At conventions, Tommy loves to “hold court” with fans who are starstruck and naïve and won’t question his decision making. It’s sad how he strings them along, with talk of the non-existent RLAM or Shadow Rising.

Tommy surrounds himself with yes-men, like Kevin McKeever. His brother Steve could care less, but he will do whatever his brother tells him to. Steve is just happy to still have a job and collect a paycheck.

Tommy certainly was not honest in his appraisals of the health of the franchise to our superiors. Did our superiors listen to me? One did, but she wasn’t with the company long enough to change things. It’s a shame that HG doesn’t take a harder look at what kind of return on investment they are getting from their (un)Creative Director.

Tommy is incredibly insecure. He’s unable to take criticism and is quick to blame others (i.e. Korean animators, Vicious Cycle) I knew he was trying to fire me since the beginning. He would freeze me out of as many decisions as possible. I had to fight to get my input in. Eventually, Tommy succeeded in getting me fired. It’s what he wanted and obviously what Memo wanted too.

It's just as well that I got fired. In the end, it came down to him or me, and they chose him. Oh well.

When I was fired, I told HG that Robotech would never be a success as long as they listened to Tommy. It has been THREE AND A HALF years since I left Harmony Gold and what has been accomplished in regard to Robotech? Not much. This is what happens when you put a cartoonist in charge of a potential multi-million dollar franchise.

I truly doubt Tommy is even a fan of Robotech as I never had a conversation where he would talk about the show the way someone with a true passion for it would. Never a chat about what his favorite episode was, or favorite moment or favorite character. Just look at him on the “Birth of a Sequel” documentary or on a video at a convention, there is no sincerity in his voice.

Memo’s agenda? Who knows? He’s still trying to stir stuff up for whatever reason, but it’s like being mayor of a ghost town… when everyone has gone and moved out, who really cares?

Mr. Bateman your conflict with Tommy Yune sounds very close to what happened with Chris Claremont & Jim Lee over the direction of the X-Men. Long time X-writer Claremont left after three issues of the new series leaving Lee as co-plotter. In recent years Claremont has returned to the X-Men and even writes a X-Men serie that's supposed to be what would've happened if he stayed on the book.

Would you do something simlar if an opportunity arises to return to HG? Would you create a series that throw out the Yune stuff and start fresh? How would you make RT better than Yune?

[Colonel Wolfe]

Mr. Bateman your conflict with Tommy Yune sounds very close to what happened with Chris Claremont & Jim Lee over the direction of the X-Men. Long time X-writer Claremont left after three issues of the new series leaving Lee as co-plotter. In recent years Claremont has returned to the X-Men and even writes a X-Men serie that's supposed to be what would've happened if he stayed on the book.

Would you do something simlar if an opportunity arises to return to HG? Would you create a series that throw out the Yune stuff and start fresh? How would you make RT better than Yune?

only bad thing is, Claremont leaving didnt screw the xmen franchise... tom leaving kinda torpedoed the whole Robotech Line... and as a RPg fan, tommy's input really shows...

[Jasonc]

Wow, didn't expect this much to come into this thread. I guess that makes 3 more people indirectly verifying what I've been saying about all this. Nevertheless, to those that I've disclosed the backstory, there the basis of it is. I'm sure with all this, will come the peanut gallery in an attempt to change all this around or whatnot. Perhaps there will be an "emergency podcast" so they can bring all the "brilliant" minds together to agree that people are posting here. In the end, a lot of this could've been avoided, but some people just can't let things go. It's all ripples in a pond, and will pass in time.

[terry the lone wolf]

only bad thing is, Claremont leaving didnt screw the xmen franchise... tom leaving kinda torpedoed the whole Robotech Line... and as a RPg fan, tommy's input really shows...

What I mean is the conflict between writer and artist. The artist can come up with pretty pictures but the writer has to formed them into something. I'm not sure but was Tom Bateman credited with some story concepts for RTSC?

[BeyondTheGrave]

Originally posted by

Colonel Wolfe

Do you want a Merger?

Thoughts?

[Seto Kaiba]

Do you want a Merger?

Thoughts?

Eh, I made my thoughts pretty clear in that thread already... it kinda got hijacked by one nutty Robotech fan who thinks Robotech is a part of Macross and that Macross's creators approved of, and were involved in, the creation of Robotech up 'till a "falling out" around 1999-2000 when Harmony Gold started sending cease and desists to anyone importing Macross merch.

The thread's OP doesn't seem to actually want to force Macross's creators to make Robotech an official part of Macross the way the thread hijacker (Emperor Ryu) does, he just wants Palladium to be able to make a couple RPGs based on the rest of Macross so he can have "official" (lit. PB-approved) stats to use mecha from Macross shows other than Macross II and SDF Macross (via RT). I guess he's not content with fanmade stats, since those are verboten on Palladium's forums. It doesn't really bear thinking about, let alone actually re-posting.

[...]

Wow... just wow.

Edited December 19, 2010 by Seto Kaiba

[TehPW]

so what the verdict? Will the current holders of the Macross poperty EVER go back to bring thier merchandice to the US? Do they or have they offered any offcial or unoffical distain to Harmony Gold?

*Jaw drops* They are offering the revoltech macross products... on RT.com?

i guess they made consessions in the terms of merchandicing at least. that's surprising...

looked at the info section for Macross. Noticed that they use the original desinations, ie defender, Tomahawk instead of the PB names. of course, the term Veritech is used.

After looking at RT.com for more than 10 min... i feel soiled. i'm gonna go watch some pr0n on youpr0n now...

Edited December 19, 2010 by pensives_wetness

[Seto Kaiba]

so what the verdict? Will the current holders of the Macross property EVER go back to bring their merchandice to the US? Do they or have they offered any official or unoffical disdain to Harmony Gold?

Doubtful... at present, all Macross licensing in the US has to go thru Harmony Gold since they hold the trademark on the Macross name and logo in the states. I don't think they've ever come out and explicitly said "we don't like HG" from Big West though.

*Jaw drops* They are offering the revoltech macross products... on RT.com?

i guess they made consessions in the terms of merchandicing at least. that's surprising...

Nah... by the look of things, HG is importing them independently for sale at a markup. What I've heard is that HG is basically shopping around for Macross goods that don't sell in Japan, buying 'em cheap, and selling 'em at full price on their site... at least with regard to the Revoltech line.

Edited December 19, 2010 by Seto Kaiba

[Atharun]

Interesting stuff Tom. As someone who is not a part of the infamous So-Cal fandom, I never knew the info with things going on. However I would like to ask if your leaving HG was related to Allen Letz's leaving? I remember in the "Birth of a Sequel" documentary from TSC, you and he seemed the most excited/genuine about the project. I am interested to see what you would have preffered as far as what TSC could have been if you're willing to post.

Also Seto can prob answer this but if HG can hold Macross products out, how were we able to get Macross II: Lovers Again, Macross Plus, and Macross Plus Movie Edition? Also how are they allowed to still be listed in Manga Ent.'s catalog?

[HappyPenguins]

Well, I found out what the future of Robotech is going to look like..........

At least it's better than DDDD boobs right?

on a serious note some fan artists disturb me

[Atharun]

Hey maybe Tom can shed some light on how well TSC sold. After all doesn't Kevin assert that it did massive "Gangbusters". Can we get the definition in a numerical sense of this very technical word.

[Einherjar]

I truly doubt Tommy is even a fan of Robotech as I never had a conversation where he would talk about the show the way someone with a true passion for it would. Never a chat about what his favorite episode was, or favorite moment or favorite character. Just look at him on the “Birth of a Sequel” documentary or on a video at a convention, there is no sincerity in his voice.

I don't know, Tommy seems to be always stuck promoting another person's material thanks to the nature of the franchise, whether it being Carl Macek or going even further to the original talent that made the shows that turned into Robotech. Only insiders, or very obsessed fans, really care about his contributions so far. And that's understandable, considering his latest chapter in the saga has been left hanging for 3+ years and the other things he's done really doesn't contribute much except filler (and Jack Archer). Maybe he really was an opportunist this whole time.

Memo’s agenda? Who knows? He’s still trying to stir stuff up for whatever reason, but it’s like being mayor of a ghost town… when everyone has gone and moved out, who really cares?

And yeah, why should anyone care about some obsessed fan (I'd rather not speak of his name anymore since he doesn't matter) who is sounding more and more creepy and submissive? This is all he really does and he loves it, but there's not much to him besides that. Like those other guys that just go on and on without real substance on the usual Robotech talkshoe shows.

[azrael]

Also Seto can prob answer this but if HG can hold Macross products out, how were we able to get Macross II: Lovers Again, Macross Plus, and Macross Plus Movie Edition? Also how are they allowed to still be listed in Manga Ent.'s catalog?

Those productions were licensed by US Renditions and Manga Entertainment (who bought most of of US Renditions' catalog) prior to HG's trademark filed in 2001...2002. Going after Manga Entertainment would open a different can of worms involving only HG and Manga Entertainment. And simply put, it's not worth the trouble.

[Atharun]

Manga's macross titles still use the Macross anme and image right? Couldn't these be used as a Precedent to argue that HG has not properly defended the Copyright they claim since Macross Plus products have been on shelves after they copyrighted the name Macross? That could open a door for other Macross products w/o HG's involvement. or I could be completely mistaken as I am not familiar with copyright law.

[azrael]

Couldn't these be used as a Precedent to argue that HG has not properly defended the Copyright they claim since Macross Plus products have been on shelves after they copyrighted the name Macross? That could open a door for other Macross products w/o HG's involvement.

No. The trademarks show that they were filed and first used in 2001. Since that time, they have defended their trademark. All previous marks were abandoned.

To go back ans file legal action for previous mark wouldn't be worth the trouble. Manga can say they did their part and diligence and found no conflicting mark when they licensed Macross Plus (and the same could be said with US Renditions when they licensed Macross II and which ever parties nabbed the film license for DYRL). They didn't need to go to HG for any legal blessing because their previous trademarks were abandoned and never renewed. That's HG's fault for not doing anything with their trademark. That opened the door for the DYRL film, Macross II, and Macross Plus. But when HG filed the trademark in 2001, the door closed. For HG to go after Manga for something they did when HG wasn't doing their jobs is ridiculous. HG has the trademarks now and have been defending it since. It's not worth the legal mess to deal with something that happened 15 years ago when they weren't doing anything about it.

or I could be completely mistaken as I am not familiar with copyright law.

I'm not a lawyer but that's how I see it. And trust me when I say there are other issues with later Macross-animated productions that don't involve HG at all.