NEW MACROSS TV SERIES ANNOUNCED!

[big F]

It's a painfull fact that some films were filmed in such a way that conversion to HD makes then look shite, even before some bright spark tinkers with it.

I too have some stuff that is on HD and the original DVD or VHS is better. Sadly most of it seems to be anime.

[Strumvogel]

His is the only bad reaction I have seen to 2199, my own personal opinion is that it is better then the original in every way.

For Macross, I just want to see a new series, remake, new, whatever, it is all good.

Well the fact he was around to watch the original series so as become quite attached to it may have something to do with it. I think one of his complaints was that 2199 veered slightly from the original story or something in the later stages. I'll have to ask him again sometime when I next get into contact with him.

I used to think it was about the quality of the DYRL BD format release...

The remaster was quite uneven throughout the movie and what was done wasn't the best work one could have done as mentioned by Mr March and others.

It's all primarily due to the big wigs in charge wanting to clean up and sanitize the whole thing to appeal to the new Macross Frontier/7 fans, which is why there's the text at the start which explains the setting of the movie and the censorship. Then had the gall to charge an ungodly amount for the limited editions without even including the untouched movie version, for you know, the actual original fans who would actually shell out that amount of money for it.

So people paid full price for a half baked product in the end. Hence the rage.

Oh yeah, btw, the new Frontier and 7 fans they're aiming for? They didn't care. And especially now since they may have heard how little effort the put into making the rerelease. *golf claps*

[VF-15 Banshee]

Sanitize? Sanitize it of what exactly? The Frontier movies had plenty of violence in them.

[Saruta]

With all the guesswork already going on I'd like to add yet another line of it. Macross must include a lot of music to be Macross. But, what music? Whose music? Didn't Yoko Kanno say somewhere that she won't be doing Macross anymore?

So if Kanno is not in it, who will take her place? I'd love an attempt at a Yuki Kajiura Macross, but probably not too much hope for that. Who else could it be?

[Kronnang Dunn]

It'll be the same as MF was. A teaser episode in December to call it a "30th Anniversary Series" and then the actual series will begin in August / September of 2015...

The 30th Anniversary (2012) project was the Macross 30th PS3 video game released in 2013.

More and more I am convinced that the new series will be for the 35th Anniversary (2017). I guess that if they already announced it the pilot will be out in late 2015... with the new series being broadcasted from late 2016 to early 2017.

Edited May 6, 2014 by Kronnang Dunn

[Zinjo]

The 30th Anniversary (2012) project was the Macross 30th PS3 video game released in 2013.

More and more I am convinced that the new series will be for the 35th Anniversary (2017). I guess that if they already announced it the pilot will be out in late 2015... with the new series being broadcasted from late 2016 to early 2017.

Sadly, you could be right...

[JetJockey]

I can't speak for others, but for me the problem I have with the DYRL? Blu-Ray release is primarily the censorship. However, the quality angered me as well. But even more than both of those reasons, the problems with DYRL are just a symptom of a far greater disease that has been plaguing the release of old movies/tv series on DVD and Blu-Ray for years. I've dropped more favorite films from part of my collection than I care to count because of this after-the-fact garbage. Not just censorship (ala Lucas' now infamous Han-shot-first debacle), but other forms of abuse like the infamous DNR (Digital Noise Reduction) on Predator (1987) or the CGI and color grading on Ghost in the Shell.

The censorship is why I didn't get it. The package itself looked nice too. I've been waiting on an HD version by FX I think that version was called. I passed on DYRL and Flashback when Valkyrie Exchange had them. Kind of regret it now.

The Ghost in the Shell movie wasn't that much of a bad idea. I think they were trying to get it to look closer to Innocence and away from The Matrix movies. But the look of Ghost in the Shell is so important that it shouldn't be changed. And adding modern CGI to only a few sequences just pulls you out of the movie. They should have redone all of it if they wanted to try that.

[isamu]

With all the guesswork already going on I'd like to add yet another line of it. Macross must include a lot of music to be Macross. But, what music? Whose music? Didn't Yoko Kanno say somewhere that she won't be doing Macross anymore?

She's said no such thing.

[Tochiro]

She's said no such thing.

She did say that, after producing the Macross F Merry Christnas Without You Concert, she was done with Macross for now. Or something to that effect. It was in an interview in either CD Journal or some other more mainstream music magazine from memory. Unfortunately I no longer have the issue on me to check.

Regardless however, despite having been a rabid Kanno fan for over 20 years, IMO it's time to let someone else/new step up to the plate. There's been more Macross productions in the franchise that haven't been scored by Kanno than have, and this musical diversity AND quality is something that I think helps to define Macross.

[ron5864]

Wonder if they will take the new Macross series in a direction it has not tried before.....an action comedy that does not take itself so seriously. The way Martian Successor Nadesico was itself a parody of Macross in some parts worked well. Nadesico used a robot anime TV show to bond the two enemy sides together instead of a song like in Macross.

Either way, we all have some time to build up our toy fund for this new series.

[Marzan]

She did say that, after producing the Macross F Merry Christnas Without You Concert, she was done with Macross for now. Or something to that effect. It was in an interview in either CD Journal or some other more mainstream music magazine from memory. Unfortunately I no longer have the issue on me to check.

Regardless however, despite having been a rabid Kanno fan for over 20 years, IMO it's time to let someone else/new step up to the plate. There's been more Macross productions in the franchise that haven't been scored by Kanno than have, and this musical diversity AND quality is something that I think helps to define Macross.

I adore Kanno too but I agree. It'd be great to have someone else do a kicka*s Macross OST.

I'd love a guy like Iwasaki Taku who did the OST for Gatchaman Crowds and Gurren Lagann. But I'm sure whoever Kawamori chooses will be plenty good.

[Vifam7]

I adore Kanno too but I agree. It'd be great to have someone else do a kicka*s Macross OST.

I'd love a guy like Iwasaki Taku who did the OST for Gatchaman Crowds and Gurren Lagann. But I'm sure whoever Kawamori chooses will be plenty good.

It's too bad Haneda Kentaro is no longer with us. If they're animating Macross the First, Kawamori ought to bring back Haneken's music from SDFM & DYRL (perhaps slightly rearranged like they did with Miyagawa's music in Yamato 2199).

[isamu]

She did say that, after producing the Macross F Merry Christnas Without You Concert, she was done with Macross for now. Or something to that effect. It was in an interview in either CD Journal or some other more mainstream music magazine from memory. Unfortunately I no longer have the issue on me to check.

Regardless however, despite having been a rabid Kanno fan for over 20 years, IMO it's time to let someone else/new step up to the plate. There's been more Macross productions in the franchise that haven't been scored by Kanno than have, and this musical diversity AND quality is something that I think helps to define Macross.

Ahh, I stand corrected then. Thanks for clearing that up. Had no idea she made those comments. Oh well, I too wouldn't mind them getting someone else to do the score.

Can you say.......

Kô ÔTANI!!!!!!

This guy's music is freakin awesome. He did the score for Gundam Wing....one of my favorite anime OST's of ALL time!!! A quick sample:

[Nekko Basara]

Gundam Wing also got me into Two Mix (openings, endings, inserts), and I love them. Even when it's lyrically incongruous, their songs still make my brain think of cool robots flying really fast and hitting things. Sadly, they're not really active anymore.

I thought that Yuuki Hayashi's work for Gundam Build Fighters was really exciting and original. I guess his background is in rhythmic gymnastics, so it's no surprise that the themes had tons and tons of energy. What was surprising was how he incorporated international instruments and themes. Even if you thought the show was silly, I'd suggest checking the score out.

And as for losing Kanno, I agree that diversity is a good thing, but diversity is sort of her hallmark. It's almost hard to believe that the same mind was behind the pop in Frontier, the orchestral pieces in Escaflowne and Plus, the rock and blues in Bebop, etc. If she and Kawamori decide to bring her back for another Macross, I don't expect it will be "same old, same old."

[Chronocidal]

Actually, while most of the pop from Frontier was distinctly different, the first time I heard Diamond Crevasse, I felt something like nostalgia for "Real Folk Blues" from Bebop. Don't know how similar the lyrics are, but the use of that piece as the ending for the first half of the series was an excellent choice (especially in the episode 6-7 bit where it just blended into the concert).

[mecha2241]

I apologize for doing this, it's just too jaw droppingly stupid not to share...

http://robotech.com/community/forum/read.php?id=2188030&forumid=31&pagenumber=7#post

[jenius]

LOLz. Demand for Robotech is getting stronger... The 30 year olds that still remember us will be 40 soon and think how many comic books they're going to buy in their 40s!

Good luck with that business model.

[Einherjar]

I apologize for doing this, it's just too jaw droppingly stupid not to share...

http://robotech.com/community/forum/read.php?id=2188030&forumid=31&pagenumber=7#post

That's a lot of "cloned accounts" to eventually ban in the near future. You'd think people should see the whole thing reeks of delusions of grandeur by now.

[Renato]

In that Robotech forum link, Kevin McKeever says that the announcement of the new Macross show may "validate" what he "has been saying in these threads". Does anyone know what that means? What has he been saying?

[Gerli]

Where I can buy HG shares? After this statement, their stock value is gonna skyrocket!!!

Edited May 14, 2014 by Gerli

[Vifam7]

In that Robotech forum link, Kevin McKeever says that the announcement of the new Macross show may "validate" what he "has been saying in these threads". Does anyone know what that means? What has he been saying?

I think he is saying that the market in Japan is different and thus operates on a different business model. While this is true, his defense of of how wonderful the RT franchise is doing (or will be doing) is absolutely laughable.

Edited May 14, 2014 by Vifam7

[Renato]

Thanks, Vifam7. I agree, the markets have their own idiosyncrasies, but still you have to look back and see that even during the early 2000s when Macross was not really such a profitable brand and Bandai stayed the hell away (BV notwithstanding), they still managed to put out Macross Zero. At the end of the day, there are people putting effort into the Macross brand, taking risks, stimulating interest and reaping rewards. HG is doing none of this.

But yeah, it's like beating a dead horse at this point.

[Chronocidal]

I think he is saying that the market in Japan is different and thus operates on a different business model.

Clearly, since the Japanese market seems to run on this silly idea of making a profit.

[akt_m]

I apologize for doing this, it's just too jaw droppingly stupid not to share...

http://robotech.com/community/forum/read.php?id=2188030&forumid=31&pagenumber=7#post

They all laughing there?

[Tochiro]

In that Robotech forum link, Kevin McKeever says that the announcement of the new Macross show may "validate" what he "has been saying in these threads". Does anyone know what that means? What has he been saying?

He started saying it in his post on March 26 on this page

http://www.robotech.com/community/forum/read.php?id=2188030&forumid=31&pagenumber=4

[Marzan]

He started saying it in his post on March 26 on this page

http://www.robotech.com/community/forum/read.php?id=2188030&forumid=31&pagenumber=4

He keeps on talking about the point he tries to make, but never actually gets to the point. It's rather amusing actually.

[Mr March]

I know I'm completely unfamiliar with anything Harmony Gold and what they do with their Robotech version of the SDF Macross series, but after following those links and reading those posts I just have to ask; why are they all discussing anime, Japan, the Macross franchise, etc? I was under the impression Robotech fans prefer their version of Macross because it's Americanized and eliminates as much of the Japanese regionalism, culture and character as possible. Am I wrong? Just a little perplexed here to see so much anime talk on such a website.

LOLz. Demand for Robotech is getting stronger... The 30 year olds that still remember us will be 40 soon and think how many comic books they're going to buy in their 40s!

Good luck with that business model.

LOL, yeah, that seems a rather bizarre business plan.

[big F]

OMG I am so glad I got banned from that site, for talking about "real" Macross.

They really are like the dumb ass cousin that nobody wants to have visit during the holidays.

Edited May 14, 2014 by big F

[Zinjo]

Wonder if they will take the new Macross series in a direction it has not tried before.....an action comedy that does not take itself so seriously. The way Martian Successor Nadesico was itself a parody of Macross in some parts worked well. Nadesico used a robot anime TV show to bond the two enemy sides together instead of a song like in Macross.

Either way, we all have some time to build up our toy fund for this new series.

Nah, it's been done. It's called Macross 7....

[VF5SS]

Macross 7 is not a parody.

It is a rock n' roll journey.

Much like the band, Journey.

[Zinjo]

I know I'm completely unfamiliar with anything Harmony Gold and what they do with their Robotech version of the SDF Macross series, but after following those links and reading those posts I just have to ask; why are they all discussing anime, Japan, the Macross franchise, etc? I was under the impression Robotech fans prefer their version of Macross because it's Americanized and eliminates as much of the Japanese regionalism, culture and character as possible. Am I wrong? Just a little perplexed here to see so much anime talk on such a website.

LOL, yeah, that seems a rather bizarre business plan.

7 years ago WB bought an option on the RT property that HG owns, it has seen several writers and nothing has materialized most likely because HG has no IP rights to Macross, the one series that everyone in the RT community wants to see. It is debatable whether WB has even renewed that original option, since the fervor over Transformers is beginning to cool.

The reason why so many fans are talking about Macross is because it's worst iteration is still better than what HG has put out so far.

The other reason is that the brass at HG are allowing their fanbase believe that somehow HG has the IP rights to Macross outside of Japan, which is untrue. HG has dubious ownership of the trademark of Macross, the international copyright to SDFM animation and international merchandizing rights to SDFM animation, which they own by virtue or their relationship with Tatsunoko.

The duped fanbase are allowed to believe that HG can import the post SDFM Macross properties and incorporate them into the RT franchise, which of course Big West would never allow. I attended a panel with McKeever once and someone in the audience asked him when Macross Plus was going to be incorporated into RT and simultaneously he and I both said, HG doesn't have rights to that property. So when pressed they will admit to what they don't own, never exactly what they do own.

With the rights they currently hold all they can do is what they are doing. Re-Re-Re release the RT animation, comics, books, toys, etc.... Their OVA was a not enough of a success to green light a sequel immediately, so they are not even producing original animation to perpetuate the franchise. So long as the fan base keeps buying the regurgitated merchandise, the longer those perpetuating the franchise have jobs...

Macross 7 is not a parody.

It is a rock n' roll journey.

Much like the band, Journey.

But i LIKE Journey...

I will admit, I would like M7 so much more if it were half as long. The meat of the story could be told in 24 episodes.

Edited May 14, 2014 by Zinjo

[Dynaman]

In that Robotech forum link, Kevin McKeever says that the announcement of the new Macross show may "validate" what he "has been saying in these threads". Does anyone know what that means? What has he been saying?

Watch the movie Moonstruck, in it there is a great conversation between Danny Aiello's character and Vincent gardenia's.

Vincent - "I'll say no more"

Danny - "But you haven't said anything!"

thus it is with Kevin McKeever.

Now back to waiting for more Macross info!

[Oihan]

Edit: Edited for grammar and spelling mistakes...and I added a quote after further reading the last two pages. Also, sorry for the wall of text, but I felt it would be better if I put everything into one big post rather than several posts.

God I hope its a reboot. Macross is popular still, but nothing has come close to the original, or DYRL, which was the same story. Stick with the story, just make it breathtaking visually.

If a remake were made I too hope they stick with the story and just make it visually breathtaking. Space Battleship Yamato 2199 comes to mind...not the best example though. I know there are some differences between it and the original, but it was done really well in my opinion.

I can enjoy the mecha porn, music, action and animation of something like Macross Frontier, but Frontier's offerings weren't enough to elevate that series to the level of dramatic/emotional payoff provided by SDF Macross, DYRL? and Macross Plus, which remain my favorites. Frontier came closer than the other Macross sequels since the aforementioned, but couldn't win the race. I'd kill to love a Macross sequel as much as DYRL? or Macross Plus again. But I don't have much faith that will happen. I hope I'm wrong.

Some fans are willing to take anything Macross even if it decends into mediocrity and some fnas have a very narrow definition of what Macross is; that's their choice, but I am not and I do not. I expect more from Macross because it was proved before that the franchise was capable of more and because Macross means so much to me as a fan. I can enjoy something like Macross Frontier on a surface level as pure entertainment (which I do), but I'm always wanting Macross to offer more depth like my favorite Macross series once did. If that's too much to hope from any future Macross series, then so be it. But that's all I'm advocating and that's what I want to see.

I couldn't agree more with the above sentiments! Frontier is fine for what it is, but I too agree in that it didn't quite deliver on the same levels SDFM, DYRL?, and Plus did. It would be great if the next Macross series hits home...recaptures those magic moments...for lack of better phrases/words. I hope you guys catch my drift.

Not to go completely off topic, but I'm still trying to figure out why so many people have this idea that because they saw an SDF in the message, there's an automatic conclusion that it'll be a retelling of the original. That SDF was used in the 30th anniversary imagery, and is just about on all the toys released since. It's become more of a symbol for the franchise as a whole. While it'd be cool to see a "Macross the First" type of new series (the VF-1 is probably the most popular selling of the Yamato/Arcadia toys), I'd rather have them do something totally new.

I know you posted this long before I ever posted, but I'm not convinced or believe that this series will be a remake... I only entertain the idea because I would love to see it happen and it's something I think is long overdue, personally. Macross TV looks absolutely beautiful on Blu-ray, but the animation just hasn't aged well comparatively (Star Pro anyone?), but that's neither here nor there. Whatever the next series will be, I cannot wait!

Eh... I think you're being too charitable here. The people who want "something more gritty and realistic" are the ones whose rose tinted memories of older shows are playing them false, because Macross has never been either of those things.

Seriously. Even at its darkest, like the orbital bombardment of Earth or Guld's graphic death dogfighting the Ghost X-9, Macross has always kept its trademark lightness of tone and optimistic outlook. It really says something that the Macross Frontier movies have one of the darkest endings in Macross... since Sheryl's dying and Alto's vanished and all that. We usually end on a higher note... love triumphs, peace prevails, the hero gets the girl and (almost) everybody goes home in one piece. This is a franchise that's made teaching aliens about love and peace through the power of song into its signature move. That is neither gritty nor realistic... but it is kinda kickass.

If you want dark, gritty, and realistic... you can always go to the beach and bury your head in the sand. Or you could give the Gundam franchise's Universal Century timeline a look. Either way, Macross is the wrong place to look if that's what you're after, and I like it that way.

Er... you sure you watched the show? The original Super Dimension Fortress Macross series (and its sequels) are about love stories set against the backdrop of interstellar war. Even Kawamori says so. Yes, we see humanity dodges the extinction bullet and they off a couple supporting characters to drive home that war is serious business, but those are small pieces of the whole story, which cares more for the trials and tribulations of the heart as an indecisive teenage boy tries to decide which of the two girls in his life he really loves. The war is a backdrop for the love story, not vice versa. It seems that you may have completely missed the point of Macross as a whole.

At the end of the day, almost the entire main cast is alive and well. Love conquers all, even Kamjin finds it before the end. The human race took one for the team, but at the end there's the promise of a brighter future as humanity moves out into the galaxy with the help of their new Zentradi allies. The warlike Zentradi learn the value of peace and discover a new life. You don't get a downer ending in Macross... unless you're watching Sayonara no Tsubasa. The hero gets the girl, love conquers all, peace is restored, and the world moves on a little wiser for having acknowledged the mistakes that led to hostility.

I don't see how you can say the show is not gritty and realistic. For example, Hikaru had the courage and resolve to keep moving forward. He often thought about if he would make it alive or not when he went on his sorties...and he found his resolve to keep piloting after Focker and Kakizaki passed away...to protect the ones he cares about. If that isn't gritty then I don't know what is. I know there are more examples than that.... I feel Macross is also very realistic for the most part. Yes, the show is a space opera for the most part, but it's also hard/military science fiction. The show and characters deal with more than just lovelike Claudia and Hikaru dealing the death of Roy for example. I feel that Roy's death is pivotal in Hikaru's growth as a character...and I feel to dismiss that is like dismissing the significance Roy had in the show. Now I am not trying to say that Macross is nothing but gritty, but that gritty has been a part of Macross. As for "teaching aliens about love and peace through the power of song"...I find it realistic and totally plausible. We're talking about a race of aliens who know no other culture but war. These concepts of love, peace, and song are so foreign to these people, they're bound to learn about it once introduced to it for the first time...not to mention the culture shock. Weren't you ever curious about things you encountered for the first time? I also don't know why you, or anyone else for that matter, seem to equate gritty with dark.

The phrase "dark, gritty and realistic" in relation to popular culture is really a modern trend that many use for discussion, but I feel some misuse. Seto is on the right track that even during it's original 1982 run and the sequels that followed, Macross was never dark, gritty or realistic. The tone of Macross has always been strongly melodramatic, hopeful, grand, and alive with popular culture and music.

What some fans are refering to as "dark, gritty and realistic" in their favorite Macross is simply those story/character elements written about mature subject matter within the context of our silly, far flung sci-fi fantasy show. War, death, love, loss, coming of age, responsiblity, survival, mental illness, and more such topics are actually explored in many of the Macross productions. The reason many older fans love those mature aspects of Macross the most is because they are mature (ahem), which is a natural part of growing older for all of us. We grow up and when our beloved childhood franchise grows up with us, we continue falling in love with Macross. This is why so many older Macross fans adore the SDFM to Macross Plus era of the franchise. In contrast, the reason other Macross fans don't like those mature elements of Macross as much is because their favorite parts of Macross are not the mature elements but rather the fantasy escapism elements of the franchise. Some of us want our Macross to evoke that wonder we felt as a child first watching our beloved anime.

I'm not going to say which is better. But I will say that I understand from where the different types of Macross fans are coming. As evidenced by the Macross franchise to date, each iteration of Macross has explored more or less mature themes than the other. I think the best Macross handles the maturity and the fantasy of the franchise with skill and equal measure, but that's just me. Whatever happens with the next Macross series, I hope for that.

I think you're right in regards to what fans, of the various eras of Macross, come to love and expect from the show as a whole. I too would like to see some balance of everything that makes Macross Macross in the next Macross series. That said though, I would like it if the next series were more like SDFM, DYRL?, Plus, II, and Zero...and a little less like 7 and Frontier (even though I did enjoy Frontier a lot).

I have a friend who's a long time fan of the Yamato series and he also quite liked it although he also added that the first 6 episodes of 2199 was great but it then didn't follow through with the promising start and seemed that from then on to be dictated and made by committee. By which he meant by those out of the production company, ie. sponsors and business people holding the purse strings.
Felt compromised as a result.

Just a result of doing business these days I guess.

It's pretty much why I remain cautious for the new series, or any remake of Macross really.

That and the DYRL re-release incident. No, I'm not letting that go.

Oh it's still good according to him, just not as good as the first 6 episodes seem to promise.

I do wonder if those responsible for the DYRL debacle ever took note of the backlash and would help them plan future products better.
Oh who the hell am I kidding, of course not. They're always insulated from their own bad decision, letting the creators take all the blame. If anything they'll take away from this all the wrong lessons. *grrrr*

Well the fact he was around to watch the original series so as become quite attached to it may have something to do with it. I think one of his complaints was that 2199 veered slightly from the original story or something in the later stages. I'll have to ask him again sometime when I next get into contact with him.

There's always going to be some moments in any remake where we all just wince at a change or deviation. DYRL? on Blu-ray being a perfect example as you've noted. That said...considering how DYRL? turned out with respect to SDFM...another retelling of the story may turn out just as wonderful. Could turn out horrible too...but man to see updated animation for the entire show would sure be awesome!

You're always welcome to the party, you old-timer

I agree that a remake would be quite a bit of fun. The Yamato 2199 has turned out incredibly well. I've not gone through enough of it. I really must devote some time to watching it through because it's such a great production. After the next update to my website I'll have time...

Thanks for the sentiment, it's appreciated! =) It's always nice being able to come here after all of these years and still talk Macross (among other things) with you guys.

Edited May 15, 2014 by Oihan

[VF5SS]

Just gonna do some max relaxing (re-maxing) until there's some actual news.

[Nekko Basara]

Just don't fall asleep! The bridge bunnies cannot be trusted with a sleeping captain.