HG and Robotech Debates

[Jasonc]

Interesting to read that HG has real estate interests. It makes some sense why they are acting that way about the Macross license and the "product" called robotech.

They don't really know about anime and the fandom that much. Just trying to milk as much as they can without much work, which is real estate in the broad manner. (sorry to all real estate people in the forum)

I remember joining the Robotech home page about 2001 when it first started. and liked going to it. But it is like a page that never changes now. there is no new news as they haven't been creating anything new. And until there is, Robotech is going to die it's own death. And all the robotech fans are waiting on the chronicles of Rick Hunter which will never happen because they don't own the rights to the Macross characters. Just the distribution rights.

And now reading of the Robotech haters. That is such a mornic concept. I still like it for what it is, but do not hate it.

All people want them to do is just let the newer Macross series through. And as some one pointed out that all series need a distributor. But they have the Bandai arm to do that. HG should have to purchase the right to distribute the newer series if they want them as in all companies that distribute anime. Not black mail a company for them.

As for more Robotech Fans then Macross fans is interesting. I think that is wrong. I haven't even bothered to look for the podcasts but I would guess that it would most likely be the same people doing them all. And watching them. Sort of a self perpetual motion machine.

And I think Macross is getting new fans everyday, with the new Movie coming out and merchandise, should get peoples attension.

I work in real estate (not full time), and while we do try to make some money off of our services, it is a business. Why would people do it for free. I think you're probably referring to more of the land owners in your comment, as when I have a client, I try to cater to them and help them as much as possible, and usually develop a good relationship with them throughout the process.

What's sad about Robotech is that it directly and indirectly generates people hating some, if not, all aspects of it. HG's approach to the fans, as well as the wannabe higher-up fans, generates discourse between their own fandom. The way they treat the original series, especially Macross, generates it's own hatred for the company and product tied to it. They would probably be more tolerable if they did let Macross series come over, but I think they have this fear that it'd stomp out interest in robotech, as if it isn't already.

Oh, granted... but on most official fan community sites, the management has at least enough common sense to realize that telling the fans to their faces that you only care about their money and that you'll never do anything for them unless it directly results in you making a profit is probably a really bad idea. Now, I've never worked in a marketing department, but I'm pretty sure telling your customer base you think of them as entranced magpies with wallets isn't going to go over well no matter how you spin it. If you maintain a good relationship with your customer base and throw them the occasional bone at your own expense, they'll be a lot less likely to desert you for someone else when you finally do screw up royally... and this is something most franchise owners get, but Harmony Gold has never really understood.

Even though the stuff that isn't directly related to "Buy our sh*t!" on a franchise's official website isn't going to generate revenue in and of itself, it keeps the fans active and happy. It gives them something to talk about in the forums, and it makes the fans feel like the company actually cares and isn't just trying to shake them down for a quick buck. That happy-go-lucky feeling makes the fans that much more likely to pony up when the store rolls out a new product. Keeping the fans happy is a long-term investment in your entertainment franchise... though I suppose since Harmony Gold has more or less eliminated everyone who wasn't a fanatic, they probably don't think it's necessary anymore.

I've done plenty of marketing in the past, and there's one thing that comes to mind here. The customer may not always be right, but you gotta at least fake it to make them feel as if they are. That saying can apply to almost everything in marketing. If people are complaining about things like updating the site, brushing it off doesn't make the problem go away. Nor does telling them that they only care about their money. Simply adding updated looks and even some mindless articles could've gone a long way to let the fans know that they at least listen to them. In the end, let's face it...HG doesn't have the pull like it did even 5 years ago. If you look at the span of 10 years, you'll see that the site went from flourishing, to being on life support. Through poor staff decisions, bad firings, and poor product ideas, the site isn't even worth the time. Kevin can spin all he wants to on how well the site supposedly is doing, but I can see with my own eyes, as can many others, that the site's traffic is lower than ever, and with comments about how hard it is to update the site, whether true or not, it pretty much solidifies it as a useless site for the average fan. I'm glad I did my part in steering away a good number of people from the site. If I can, I'd get more to leave the site.

[Smegalot]

Jasonc' date='13 February 2011 - 04:32 AM' timestamp='1297535530' post='897764']

What's sad about Robotech is that it directly and indirectly generates people hating some, if not, all aspects of it. HG's approach to the fans, as well as the wannabe higher-up fans, generates discourse between their own fandom. The way they treat the original series, especially Macross, generates it's own hatred for the company and product tied to it. They would probably be more tolerable if they did let Macross series come over, but I think they have this fear that it'd stomp out interest in robotech, as if it isn't already.

I think has really hit the nail right on the head. They have started to make them selves less tolerable because of this situation. I can understand that they don't want Robotech stamped out. But they could of used the comming of newer Macross series as a spring board to try and create new fans for Robotech, say in an add saying see where the interest in macross began internationally, and sold DVD sets say, one having the original version and the robotech version included, and so forth. And they could of helped generate interest in the newer series of Macross and tried to sell to Bandai that they would distribute it for them. But the uber fans seem to not want to know about, as the Robotech vesrions are better then the originals in there mind set.

I admit. I still think fondly of Robotech as I used to watch it before going to school, and recorded it all on Video. But I accept that was over 20 years ago. And fandom stuff that has survived has continually created new stories and information to keep the punters interested (eg Star Trek - Star Wars). Not just the fans them selves. And I think HG has backed themselves into a corner. The only other way for them to get out to create a new series to get people interested again, and say hey check where it all began. But who knows what they have planned.

End of line (couldn't resit watch Tron last night)

Edited February 13, 2011 by Smegalot

[Robelwell202]

...But the uber fans seem to not want to know about, as the Robotech vesrions are better then the originals in there mind set.

Here's where we get to my personal greivance with the Gestapo-esque tactics. Insofar as they have thier site open to RT fans, the people that they have as moderators are, by and large, kool-aid swilling fanboys that seem to think that RT was a massive improvement over the original three shows that were used to create it. Now, people can debate the validity of this all they want, but if you're someone like me that found the true background of Macross and RT after not knowing for some time, it's a bit unsettling. In addition, these same moderators look for any excuse they can find to crush any percieved threat to the fanbase, wich means people who might find the original SDF:Macross, SDC Souther Cross, and Genesis Climber: Mospaeda as even a tiny bit better than the attrocity that HG perpetated.

In it's simplest form, HG's various claims (responsible for the anime trade coming to America and the west, improving on Macross, and beng a thriving interest) are just so much self-inflated crap, and for those few that are still willing to swallow this swill, I suppose they deserve anything they get.

[Keith]

So anyway, how many years until the robotech 2011 project is relased?

[Seto Kaiba]

[...] Kevin can spin all he wants to on how well the site supposedly is doing, but I can see with my own eyes, as can many others, that the site's traffic is lower than ever, and with comments about how hard it is to update the site, whether true or not, it pretty much solidifies it as a useless site for the average fan. I'm glad I did my part in steering away a good number of people from the site. If I can, I'd get more to leave the site.

Oh, there's no doubt in my mind that Kevin is going to continue telling Robotech fans that things are going great for the franchise right up to the point where Tommy gets sick of his toadying and has him fired, or the franchise finally collapses under the weight of all the bullshit and broken promises it's accumulated over the years. Mind you, McKeever's just doing what comes naturally... being disingenuous and/or outright deceitful isn't just in his job description, it's an integral part of the Robotech creative process. In the end, Robotech.com is going to just fall apart when the community shrinks below the handful of people that currently visit the site. Their draconian Terms of Use and asinine moderator behavior have just accelerated the process, it was always going to happen.

[Jasonc]

Here's where we get to my personal greivance with the Gestapo-esque tactics. Insofar as they have thier site open to RT fans, the people that they have as moderators are, by and large, kool-aid swilling fanboys that seem to think that RT was a massive improvement over the original three shows that were used to create it. Now, people can debate the validity of this all they want, but if you're someone like me that found the true background of Macross and RT after not knowing for some time, it's a bit unsettling. In addition, these same moderators look for any excuse they can find to crush any percieved threat to the fanbase, wich means people who might find the original SDF:Macross, SDC Souther Cross, and Genesis Climber: Mospaeda as even a tiny bit better than the attrocity that HG perpetated.

In it's simplest form, HG's various claims (responsible for the anime trade coming to America and the west, improving on Macross, and beng a thriving interest) are just so much self-inflated crap, and for those few that are still willing to swallow this swill, I suppose they deserve anything they get.

What bothers me, is that those same fans and a couple others try to pass off this notion as fact, when it's simply their opinion. There's nothing they can really "validate" when it comes to a 100% pure subjective claim. If they wanna believe that, it's fine. There's no hurt feelings, and I don't need to change them. In my OPINION, Macross is better than Robotech in it's epic and grand scale. It has great characters, on and on, etc, etc. See, that's my opinion, and I have no need to push that on anyone. I still like the original Robotech almost just as much, but no amount of yapping from the nutjobs is going to change my subjective opinion.

Now, if they try to say that Robotech is more successful, then they may need to attempt to verify that. As has been stated many, many times, I don't see Robotech product in the toy shelves, or new series coming out, or successful video games, or manga, magazines, food product, and that list goes on. Macross has all of those, and is verifiable fact. You'd think that with all the so-called Robotech fans in such large numbers all over the world, they'd be making money hand over fist. They can't even get reprinted comics enough interest to print in their own backyard.

[Robelwell202]

What bothers me, is that those same fans and a couple others try to pass off this notion as fact, when it's simply their opinion. There's nothing they can really "validate" when it comes to a 100% pure subjective claim. If they wanna believe that, it's fine. There's no hurt feelings, and I don't need to change them. In my OPINION, Macross is better than Robotech in it's epic and grand scale. It has great characters, on and on, etc, etc. See, that's my opinion, and I have no need to push that on anyone. I still like the original Robotech almost just as much, but no amount of yapping from the nutjobs is going to change my subjective opinion.

Now, if they try to say that Robotech is more successful, then they may need to attempt to verify that. As has been stated many, many times, I don't see Robotech product in the toy shelves, or new series coming out, or successful video games, or manga, magazines, food product, and that list goes on. Macross has all of those, and is verifiable fact. You'd think that with all the so-called Robotech fans in such large numbers all over the world, they'd be making money hand over fist. They can't even get reprinted comics enough interest to print in their own backyard.

Agreed. Who's to say that your deffinition of crap is any more valid than mine? One fan's perspective will vary wildly from another's, and in the end, we all like what we want to like.

As to your second point, that's more of the subjective bullsh!tting of the fanbase at it's finest. "Sure, RT's a going concern! It's kicking Macross' butt all over the airwaves in [Insert name of Third World Country that just got TV]. WE're off the charts!!" Right...

[HappyPenguins]

Again RT has more fans because RT has been distributed world wide.........

I know macross doesn't have a US release but what about other countries?

[Seto Kaiba]

Now, if they try to say that Robotech is more successful, then they may need to attempt to verify that. As has been stated many, many times, I don't see Robotech product in the toy shelves, or new series coming out, or successful video games, or manga, magazines, food product, and that list goes on. Macross has all of those, and is verifiable fact.

Eh... to be honest, I doubt they seriously expect anyone outside of the Robotech fanbase to believe them when they talk about how popular and successful Robotech is. The only thing they'll accomplish by telling a thoroughly obvious lie like that is to reassure the die-hard fanatics in the Robotech fanbase who want to believe they aren't wasting their time on a franchise that shat itself and died in the late 80's. They'll cheerfully run off at the mouth about how popular and successful Robotech is if you give them the chance, but ask them to quantify the alleged success of the franchise and they clam right up.

It's just part of their usual marketing strategy... being able to claim that their latest DVD re-release or toy was wildly successful sounds great on the convention tour, but only when it's bereft of context. Once you know the reason they can claim success is because the bar was set so low that it's a trip hazard in Satan's wine cellar, it loses a bit of its oomph as "proof" that Robotech still matters.

Again RT has more fans because RT has been distributed world wide.........

I know macross doesn't have a US release but what about other countries?

Right now, Macross is wildly successful in Japan... and it enjoys a fairly sizable "underground" following as the result of Harmony Gold's attempts to keep it out of the states. Unfortunately, because the Macross fandom is forced to rely on fansubs, it's hard to get an accurate measure of precisely how big the fandom is. There is at least some indication that Macross probably has the bigger fandom in that Robotech isn't exactly regarded well in most mecha circles, and that Macross Frontier was one of the biggest torrent titles of '08-'09.

If you go by online activity, then Macross is a worldwide thing, while the Robotech phenomenon is more-or-less confined to small-ish groups of fans in North and Central America.

Edited February 13, 2011 by Seto Kaiba

[Zor Primus]

Again RT has more fans because RT has been distributed world wide.........

I know macross doesn't have a US release but what about other countries?

Far as I know the original Macross was never released in either Chile or Dominican Republic. I think networks probably saw RT as an original and SDF:M a remake or something, jeeze just writing that makes me feel woozy.

[areaseven]

Again RT has more fans because RT has been distributed world wide.........

I know Macross doesn't have a US release but what about other countries?

Macross was locally dubbed in English in the Philippines back in 1985.

[jenius]

I'm a business man and success in my world is determined by profit. It's pretty easy to see that there isn't much profit being made off Robotech and there hasn't been for a while. It also seems highly unlikely that The Shadow Chronicles was nearly as profitable as Macross Frontier. Chances are selling the movie rights to WB wasn't very profitable either unless a movie actually gets made, at which point HG might stand to make some money. I think a comparison of Yamato vs. Toynami kinda says it all. Yamato makes Macross products that have done so well the company has made products we never dreamed would see the light of day. Toynami has done so poorly with the Robotech franchise that they've shuttered the name and the only line still seeing releases goes by the Macross name.

[Einherjar]

I'm a business man and success in my world is determined by profit. It's pretty easy to see that there isn't much profit being made off Robotech and there hasn't been for a while. It also seems highly unlikely that The Shadow Chronicles was nearly as profitable as Macross Frontier. Chances are selling the movie rights to WB wasn't very profitable either unless a movie actually gets made, at which point HG might stand to make some money. I think a comparison of Yamato vs. Toynami kinda says it all. Yamato makes Macross products that have done so well the company has made products we never dreamed would see the light of day. Toynami has done so poorly with the Robotech franchise that they've shuttered the name and the only line still seeing releases goes by the Macross name.

Toynami apparently still has a use for the Robotech name even when promoting visibly marked Macross toys.

Toynami booth at Toy Fair 2011. Totally classy.

[chrisk]

Toynami apparently still has a use for the Robotech name even when promoting visibly marked Macross toys.

Edited February 15, 2011 by chrisk

[Renato]

Toynami apparently still has a use for the Robotech name even when promoting visibly marked Macross toys.

Toynami booth at Toy Fair 2011. Totally classy.

Whooooah. Since apparently none of the Bandai HiMetal VF-1 toys other than the VF-1S Roy and VF-1J Hikaru seemed profitable (Max's VF-1J and the rest of Skull Squadron are all web exclusives), I would say Toynami's market research is either dubious, or the US market itself definitely has much more potential than the Japanese one. I think the truth is closer to the latter. The Japanese Macross toy market I would call rather stagnant, partly because VF-1's are everywhere now, partly because moe statues have all but taken over the aisles. I really doubt we will see any company attempting VF-1Ds, VE-1s, and VT-1s again soon, like Toynami is doing, and I really find this intriguing.

Call me a backstabbing Khyron if you want, but if I can find them cheap, I might be down for all of these. I love tiny valks.

Although the thought of buying a product with the Harmony Gold logo emblazoned on it sends shivers down my spine, should I even have one left.

Macross was locally dubbed in English in the Philippines back in 1985.

Really?? The whole show? That's the first I've heard of this.

Again RT has more fans because RT has been distributed world wide.........

I know macross doesn't have a US release but what about other countries?

I know that China enjoyed a straight, no-Robo dub of SDF Macross way back in the day. I used to see the videotapes in London's Chinatown well into the 1990s.

[jenius]

Since apparently none of the Bandai HiMetal VF-1 toys other than the VF-1S Roy and VF-1J Hikaru seemed profitable (Max's VF-1J and the rest of Skull Squadron are all web exclusives)

Huh? Being a web exclusive has nothing to do with being profitable. If anything, the fact the VF-1A DYRL toys were released as web exclusives AFTER the Max 1J was a web exclusive would lead one to believe the 1J release WAS profitable.

I would say Toynami's market research is either dubious, or the US market itself definitely has much more potential than the Japanese one.

That doesn't really make sense. The Toynami line debuted many years ago and has spent most of that time stalled despite the better economy and it's bare bottom price. What's new for this year? Paint schemes that didn't appear in Robotech and mechs only seen in a movie that has never had a proper international release. If anything it looks like Toynami is hoping for big gray market sales into Japan on these next waves.

The Japanese Macross toy market I would call rather stagnant, partly because VF-1's are everywhere now, partly because moe statues have all but taken over the aisles.

The market stalling because "VF-1 toys are everywhere" goes a long way toward showing that Macross toys have a much bigger market in Japan than they do elsewhere. Why else would so many different companies make VF-1 toys?

All that said, I don't have a problem with the Toynami booth having a huge Robotech banner above their Macross toys. They have the Robotech license and they undoubtedly made that banner years ago. I think it's more an example of cost savings than anything else.

[areaseven]

Really?? The whole show? That's the first I've heard of this.

Yup. The Philippines aired Southern Cross and Mospeada as RT, as well as Sentinels. I do recall, however, that the Philippine English dub of Macross used the

, as well as the RT-ized character names (except Minmay, who was called "Lynn Maria" or something remotely different).

[Renato]

Huh? Being a web exclusive has nothing to do with being profitable. If anything, the fact the VF-1A DYRL toys were released as web exclusives AFTER the Max 1J was a web exclusive would lead one to believe the 1J release WAS profitable.

I would say it has everything to do with whether or not a product is deemed profitable at general retail after careful assessment, weighing in all the mass production and distribution expenditures. With the market flooded in VF-1's, I speculate Bandai was left with no alternatives but to sell the Max and the others as effectively "made-to-order" to minimize losses as well as being available only through their online sales arm, cutting back every middleman except the to-your-door delivery service.

That doesn't really make sense. The Toynami line debuted many years ago and has spent most of that time stalled despite the better economy and it's bare bottom price. What's new for this year? Paint schemes that didn't appear in Robotech and mechs only seen in a movie that has never had a proper international release. If anything it looks like Toynami is hoping for big gray market sales into Japan on these next waves.

I can assure you, they aren't that lucrative when they're brought over here. After proxy fees and import taxes and whatnot, they end up priced at about the same as a Hi-Metal Bandai toy. That is, if you can find a place that stocks them, since they are by no means easy to find either online nor in physical stores. However, I expect that once word gets out of these new ones, Japanese fans may be clamoring to get these simply because the designs are so rare. I know I will be among them! However, I hope demand doesn't end up throwing the price off whack so that we have to pay Yamato prices for much inferior product. Either way, I strongly doubt Toynami is outright depending on Japanese sales, but who knows for sure.

The market stalling because "VF-1 toys are everywhere" goes a long way toward showing that Macross toys have a much bigger market in Japan than they do elsewhere. Why else would so many different companies make VF-1 toys?

I was talking about the current potential in the market as of this moment, though. It's not enough to say "the market is bigger in Japan". The market has potential only when there are still resources left to be tapped. Now that Yamato et al have flooded the market, consumers have more choice, yes, but the potential has been exploited. You cannot have infinite growth. That is why I think we are entering a period of stagnation. The products are there, but there is much less potential for companies to launch similar product and compete. This isn't the electronics industry, for example, which is based on innovation and evolution of user's needs.

Also, as the exclusive licensee of HG Robotech merchandise, Toynami effectively operates a monopoly on VF-1 toys, which means they can take advantage of some niche in the market (people who want Elintseekers) whose void they can be confident will not be filled by some competitor. It is precisely because they are producing product based on merchandising rights to a movie that effectively no-one is allowed to watch that is what impresses me, and makes me wonder about both their market research and the US market in general. I'm guessing the demand is there for Super Ostriches, since there is absolutely no alternative in the US market unless you import Yamatos, but I do not know how much. Toynami must have measured this demand, and somehow their number-crunching reached a result that viewed it as more viable than Bandai must have done. Of course, this is all speculation, but when Toynami makes a VE-1 as standard, and Bandai can't even put Maxes on store shelves (or at the very least, does not dare to), you know we're in some intriguing situation.

Heh, it will be funny if all this turns out to evaporate into nothingness like those 1/55 reissues they promised all those years ago. And by funny I mean downright heartbreaking.

[Renato]

Yup. The Philippines aired Southern Cross and Mospeada as RT, as well as Sentinels. I do recall, however, that the Philippine English dub of Macross used the

, as well as the RT-ized character names (except Minmay, who was called "Lynn Maria" or something remotely different).

That's interesting. I find it really odd that this hasn't (to my knowledge) surfaced online after all these years. Instead we get ADV (shudder).

[Legioss]

Oh yeah, that's right. They did say they were going to make 1/55 reissues. Wasn't it going to be "Takatoku" as if they had stolen the molds from Bandai or Hasbro? Trolled hard by Kevin McKeever.

Found it

http://www.robotech.com/community/forum/read.php?id=1861869&forumid=23

[Funkenstein]

So Bandai is leasing the Takatoku molds out or something? I don't understand this bit of news at all.

Just realized that that was old news. So I just got trolled too.

Edited February 15, 2011 by Funkenstein

[Jasonc]

I would say it has everything to do with whether or not a product is deemed profitable at general retail after careful assessment, weighing in all the mass production and distribution expenditures. With the market flooded in VF-1's, I speculate Bandai was left with no alternatives but to sell the Max and the others as effectively "made-to-order" to minimize losses as well as being available only through their online sales arm, cutting back every middleman except the to-your-door delivery service.

I think the web exclusives say a few things that haven't really been touched on, like the fact that Toynami has much smaller production runs. Of course, as most of us have seen and know, this makes the product possible to list as an "Exclusive", and also allows a higher price point. I know the price probably goes up in production with smaller runs, but also taking into account that these molds have all been done, the cost shouldn't be affected too much.

This is one of the things that staff at HG use to avert people's eyes from. McKeever has many times claimed that all the Robotech product sells out, and is supposedly a cash cow. But when you're only producing say, 5000 units and you sell 4000, that's 80% of the entire run, and not too bad at all. then compare that to a company that makes, say, 100,000 units. If they sell 80,000 units, that's still 80%, but the gap in units sold/unsold is much larger.

So Bandai is leasing the Takatoku molds out or something? I don't understand this bit of news at all.

Just realized that that was old news. So I just got trolled too.

I thought that deal was essentially put on indefinite hold, or "hiatus" as HG would say?

[jenius]

I would say it has everything to do with whether or not a product is deemed profitable at general retail after careful assessment, weighing in all the mass production and distribution expenditures. With the market flooded in VF-1's, I speculate Bandai was left with no alternatives but to sell the Max and the others as effectively "made-to-order" to minimize losses as well as being available only through their online sales arm, cutting back every middleman except the to-your-door delivery service.

The problem with your speculation is that it pre-supposes that Bandai HAD to make these toys. If they weren't profitable Bandai simply wouldn't have made them... not as a mass produced item and not as a web exclusive. Even lowly Hayao is getting a release so they must not be having that hard of a time turning some coin here... Toynami still hasn't given Hayao any time on their 1/100 line.

Big West crushed HG's dream of re-releasing the chunkies years ago, no need to revisit that topic.

[Einherjar]

Big West crushed HG's dream of re-releasing the chunkies years ago, no need to revisit that topic.

Hell, look where Robotech has been in the last few years. They crushed more than HG's dreams of making big money on toys.

[Funkenstein]

FYI, profit margin on web exclusive items is higher than retail. Bandai can sell their toys at retail price and since there is no retail distribution, they keep the entire margin. Items sold to retailers are sold at bulk rates so that retailers buy up lots.

[Sir Galahad®]

Yup. The Philippines aired Southern Cross and Mospeada as RT, as well as Sentinels. I do recall, however, that the Philippine English dub of Macross used the

, as well as the RT-ized character names (except Minmay, who was called "Lynn Maria" or something remotely different).

I'm not sure, but Lynn Minmay was Maria, Ichijo Hikaru was Rick Hunter and Misa was Misa (I didn't recall her last name, I was in primary school at the time haha). I'm not sure about the Harmony Gold Theme though but it was Entitled Macross when it was shown here. I'm not sure who did the Dubbing though, maybe it's the same people who Dubbed Voltes V and General Daimos that made it popular here.

[Renato]

The problem with your speculation is that it pre-supposes that Bandai HAD to make these toys. If they weren't profitable Bandai simply wouldn't have made them... not as a mass produced item and not as a web exclusive. Even lowly Hayao is getting a release so they must not be having that hard of a time turning some coin here... Toynami still hasn't given Hayao any time on their 1/100 line.

In a way, I suppose they DID "have" to make them, as I imagine they took mold-milking into account when they were at the design stage. Logically, the VF-19 may be more expensive than the VF-1J even though the VF-1J comes with more accessories for this reason: they simply expected to make and sell more VF-1 variants. After a while they realized the may not recoup their costs if they release all variants in the same numbers, at the same pricepoints through the same avenues. Then they take the exclusive route to maximize profitability on otherwise shelf-warmers. Yes, they were probably seen as more profitable than not to be made at all, but perhaps initially they expected to sell them all at retail, and had they done so, it is doubtful they would have turned a profit with the current market trends. That's what I mean when I say they probably were not considered profitable. And did they ever even make the Miria Hi-Metal? Perhaps that one will be the last exclusive after the Skull squadron?

FYI, profit margin on web exclusive items is higher than retail. Bandai can sell their toys at retail price and since there is no retail distribution, they keep the entire margin. Items sold to retailers are sold at bulk rates so that retailers buy up lots.

Right. I don't expect anything but Hayao Kakizaki Hi-metals piling up in bargain bins if they hadn't been exclusives.

Oh, and IIRC, the Hayao web exclusive is the one that comes with the case to hold all the skull squadron boxes, so they felt they needed to add even MORE of an incentive for people to buy him! Come on, Jenius, you can't tell me that is the symbol of a particularly "profitable" product. They are trying their best to make it profitable, yes, but it is not so by default.

I'm not sure, but Lynn Minmay was Maria, Ichijo Hikaru was Rick Hunter and Misa was Misa (I didn't recall her last name, I was in primary school at the time haha). I'm not sure about the Harmony Gold Theme though but it was Entitled Macross when it was shown here. I'm not sure who did the Dubbing though, maybe it's the same people who Dubbed Voltes V and General Daimos that made it popular here.

Wow. I really want to see this, now.

[terry the lone wolf]

I'm not sure, but Lynn Minmay was Maria, Ichijo Hikaru was Rick Hunter and Misa was Misa (I didn't recall her last name, I was in primary school at the time haha). I'm not sure about the Harmony Gold Theme though but it was Entitled Macross when it was shown here. I'm not sure who did the Dubbing though, maybe it's the same people who Dubbed Voltes V and General Daimos that made it popular here.

Is it possible that the Philippines aired what was going to be here in the U.S. the direct to video Macross series that Harmony Gold produced. The opening title song was produced at Intersound and composed by Ulpio Minnuchi. So that would mean HG produced a Macross english series (not RT) for international markets. In my Comico Macross issue 1 there was a advertisement for all the volumes for Macross completly unedited for the VHS.

Edited February 16, 2011 by terry the lone wolf

[Gubaba]

Is it possible that the Philippines aired what was going to be here in the U.S. the direct to video Macross series that Harmony Gold produced. The opening title song was produced at Intersound and composed by Ulpio Minnuchi. So that would mean HG produced a Macross english series (not RT) for international markets. In my Comico Macross issue 1 there was a advertisement for all the volumes for Macross completly unedited for the VHS.

ALMOST completely unedited...for some reason, they took out the scene of Hikaru and Focker flying biplanes, and maybe one or two other bits.

But that version was never completed. They only did the first three episodes. The cast for it was the same as the Robotech cast, although some of the names were different.

I have the VHS tape back home...I suppose I should get it converted to DVD...

[TheLoneWolf]

I'm not sure, but Lynn Minmay was Maria, Ichijo Hikaru was Rick Hunter and Misa was Misa (I didn't recall her last name, I was in primary school at the time haha). I'm not sure about the Harmony Gold Theme though but it was Entitled Macross when it was shown here.

Interesting discussion on the Philippine version of Macross. As we know, Carl Macek's original plan was to release a faithful version of Macross here in the USA. But since USA networks strongly recommended that syndicated TV shows be 65 episodes or more, we Americans got Robotech instead. If the Philippine networks had no 65 episode model to follow, then that would explain why Harmony Gold released Macross over there as Macross, and not Robotech.

As for Mospeada and Southern Cross, since they wound up being cancelled in Japan, perhaps Harmony Gold thought it would best to rebrand them as Robotech and give them another shot in the Philippines.

For those of you who saw the Philippine Macross, did it refer to Protoculture as a fuel? I'm guessing there was no mention of Zor, nor the Robotech Masters either?

[Sir Galahad®]

Interesting discussion on the Philippine version of Macross. As we know, Carl Macek's original plan was to release a faithful version of Macross here in the USA. But since USA networks strongly recommended that syndicated TV shows be 65 episodes or more, we Americans got Robotech instead. If the Philippine networks had no 65 episode model to follow, then that would explain why Harmony Gold released Macross over there as Macross, and not Robotech.

As for Mospeada and Southern Cross, since they wound up being cancelled in Japan, perhaps Harmony Gold thought it would best to rebrand them as Robotech and give them another shot in the Philippines.

For those of you who saw the Philippine Macross, did it refer to Protoculture as a fuel? I'm guessing there was no mention of Zor, nor the Robotech Masters either?

It's a bit blurry (I was 8 at the time hehe) ... But I think it's more faithful to the original.

[Sir Galahad®]

Robotech didn't make much of an Impact here... Never heard of it until I was in college, and I'm not sure if it was shown on Star World or Cartoon Network... if there was an anime that made waves here it would be DBZ.

[areaseven]

Robotech didn't make much of an Impact here... Never heard of it until I was in college, and I'm not sure if it was shown on Star World or Cartoon Network... if there was an anime that made waves here it would be DBZ.

Wrong. If we're talking about all-time records, Voltes V was the one that made the biggest impact in the Philippines. If we're talking about the '90s, it's probably a tie between DBZ and Yu Yu Hakusho (known in the Philippines as Ghost Fighter).

Star TV had RT back in the 1990s. Star Plus (the predecessor of Star World) aired RT in its entirety, while the Star Chinese Channel aired Macross and Mospeada dubbed in Mandarin.

EDIT: On a side note, a travel show on the Star Chinese Channel used an instrumental version of "Sunset Beach" for their opening and ending theme.

Edited February 17, 2011 by areaseven

[areaseven]

Looking at these old trailers, I can see why Robotech: The Movie was a failure. Really lame presentation and editing.

[terry the lone wolf]

"Human we've come to bury you.." Best line ever!