Macross: Do You Remember Love's 30th Anniversary

[UN Spacy]

If the internets are correct this movie opened in theaters on July 7, 1984.

Let's all reminisce about the VERY FIRST time you watched this timeless masterpiece.

[Renato]

Technically, it was "officially" released nationwide on July 21st. It's just that some in Osaka and Nagoya got to see it early on the 7th due to a special preview campaign or something. Anyway, that's sort of cool because my wife's birthday is on the 7th and mine is the 22nd.

Anyway, here is a radio broadcast from the time of the movie, "Macross Minna-de-culture!" Starring Shammy, Vanessa and Kim.

www.nicovideo.jp/watch/sm3279404

[Gerli]

Time really flies....

I watched this masterpiece in a VHS around... 1995? 1996? and I was lucky, it was a independent release, so no names changed or scenes altered.... it was amazing. that VHS lead my curiosity toward Macross Plus, so everything start from there.

Edited July 6, 2014 by Gerli

[no3Ljm]

Japan 1984. When it was released on laser disc after its theatrical run, we asked the local video shop rental to make us a 'betamax' copy. It's the first time I'm going to see it since we missed the theatrical run a month or two. But I remember that summer I keep on seeing on the TV the trailer and the commercials. Minmay. Macross. Su-pi-do (Speed). After watching it, I fell in love with Minmay immediately. And hate Hikaru at first for choosing Misa.

But in the end, I was just 9 back then so the whole love triangle kinda new to me. But seeing those cool animated Valks in action... it was heaven for me.

Edited July 6, 2014 by no3ljm

[Jefuemon]

Early '90's, in college a Japanese exchange student friend of mine let me borrow his un-edited English dub with Japanese subtitles copy. I later tracked down a fansubbed copy for myself.

[Renato]

Jefuemon, I recently found out that that version actually HAS been edited. The part where Hikaru and Misa are on Earth -- in the original Japanese version, Minmay is singing Cinderella. But in the English dub, she is singing an odd English-language version of DYRL. However, in the Japanese subbed release of the English dub, they have replaced the track with the original Cinderella song. I guess they have standards after all -- that awful singing made them change it back!

[Zhou]

I first watched this movie in the year 2000, when the defunct channel Locomotion first aired it in Brazil. I had previously watched a few Robotech episodes and portions of an uncut dub of the original Macross TV series titled "Guerra das Galáxias" ("War of the Galaxies"), but it was DYRL that made me fall in love with the franchise.

However, the first time I watched the movie wasn't the best. After the last commercial break, just when the final battle was supposed to begin, Locomotion made the mistake of airing the beginning of the movie all over again, and one commercial break later, they simply acted as if the movie had ended and aired the next show on schedule. I think it took another month or two for them to rerun the movie, and then they finally aired it in its entirety.

[Beltane70]

I first saw DYRL at a Creation Convention in NYC in November of '86. A dealer was showing it at his table and I happened to notice it while the first battle scene was playing. Having seen Robofech before, I recognized the Valkyries, but not the scene, plus the fact that the animation quality was significantly better. The dealer informed me what it was, but I sadly didn't have enough money to buy a copy at the show. Needless to say, I went home and asked my parents for money and ordered a bootleg copy of the movie. I've been hooked on anime ever since then!

[Marzan]

I came late to the DYRL party compared to some of you guys. I'd heard about it in hushed tones by some guys who sold bootleg VHS in Mexico City in the mid 90's, but the first time I watched it was around '99 when in London I got my hands on the VHS release by Kiseki for about 5 quid. Mercifully it's subbed so I didn't have endure the legendary "Clash of the Bionoids" debacle. BTW, looking it up once I fuond out that I could sell that tape for about 10 times the amount I bought it for today (not that I'm goin to though!)

Still one of the most beautiful anime movies ever made. Whenever I get to share my japanese BD with anime newbies who make funof what they call "dated animation", I get a kick in seeing their faces of awe when they see in the opening SDF sho,t how luxurious and detailed hand drawn stuff can be.

[Mommar]

A buddy of mine got a copy of it when we were in high school. '97 '98 time frame. I guess I come off as the negative Nancy here but to be honest the animation looks good but without knowledge of the television series the actual story is indecipherable IMO.

[Mr March]

I'm also another fella REALLY LATE to the DYRL? party. I believe the first time I watched it was on a bootleg DVD at the end of the 1990's or early 2000s. It was astounding, a feature film of all my beloved charactes from SDF Macross but in such high quality animated glory that rivalved the best anime movies. I watched DYRL? during the dawn of the internet and even though I knew more about Macross than I had ever known before (thanks to Macross online fandom), the Macross movie was yet another mystery to me that created an Itano Circus of questions...

Why was the story different from SDF Macross?

What happened to the SDF-1 Macross design?

Why did they change the way Roy died? Kakizaki?

What was going on with the female Zentradi? Did they call them Meltrandi?

What were all these new valkyrie variants called?

For me it was like the Macross Plus era yet again, discovering for the first time all these things I didn't know about the fictional world of Macross. I remember the excitement and the thrill of rediscovering Macross through the film. Watching it so many years after the original series made me fall in love with the franchise all over again. It was like discovering a great film or a great band from the 1980's that I somehow missed. I remember how grateful I was that DYRL? existed. It's a feeling I still have even after all these years.

Still working hard on the next update for my website, but in honor of DYRL? I'll share a piece of new material for the movie section that is part of the next update.

We remember love!

[Scyla]

A buddy of mine got a copy of it when we were in high school. '97 '98 time frame. I guess I come off as the negative Nancy here but to be honest the animation looks good but without knowledge of the television series the actual story is indecipherable IMO.

I agree. I watched DYRL after SDF-M and still had a hard time figuring out what is going on. Has anyone impressions from people who saw DYRL without any prior knowledge about any parts of the Macross story.

[jvmacross]

My first exposure to the DYRL film was via the 2 volume film comics and the This is Animation #11 DYRL book....I remember liking the designs, etc....but still preferring the "look" of the TV show......still do to this day....I think I watched the movie in '85 or '86 at an anime club near Chicago.....Greater Chicago Megazone Anime Club I think it was called....the late 80's was a fun time......and I've been hooked on Macross since!.....

In honor of the 30th Anniversary of the Summer of Macross.....here are some original DYRL movie theatre memorabilia from the original 1984 release:

http://www.macrossworld.com/mwf/index.php?showtopic=40307

http://www.macrossworld.com/mwf/index.php?showtopic=37110

Edited July 7, 2014 by jvmacross

[Nekko Basara]

When I was maybe 14, my best friend who lived across the street got a hold of a VHS copy somehow. We grew up together with Robotech, and he told me it was like that but with boobies and more violence. So I watched it with him, and all I really remember was it was awesome and a guy's head got squished and, yep, there was a shower scene. Oh, and Max and Miriya's hallway fight rendered in muzzle flashes was the coolest thing I'd ever seen (Max was my personal hero from about age eight, so...).

I'm guessing that was the Clash of the Bionoids version, based on the timing, but I don't recall the specifics. Then in college around '94 I rented the '91 VHS release from a comic shop (I remember the box on that one) and enjoyed the heck out of it. I remember being struck by how clearly I remembered certain scenes from earlier, even though I have no impressions of the plot.

[drum001]

'89 or '90. I was in middle school and a big Robotech fan. I was only vaguely aware that Robotech came from something Japanese. When I saw this thing called Clash of The Bionoids at the video rental shelf at my local grocery store I was simultaneously excited and confused. I loved it, but had no idea how this was connected. There being no Internet with which to figure all this out, I decided that DYRL was the original Japanese movie that the series Robotech was based on. I guess since the animation in the TV show was so spotty, I figured that it was an american attempt to copy the style of DYRL. I think I figured it out shortly thereafter, but it goes to show how mysterious anime was for those of us in the pre-internet era of fandom.

[Renato]

Aha, you see? It says 21st July right there on Jvmacross's poster!

[jvmacross]

Aha, you see? It says 21st July right there on Jvmacross's poster!

Clearly you must be seeing things......

[Dynaman]

I first saw it sometime in the late eighties, sadly it was the "Clash of the Bionoids version:. I saw an unsubbed version sometime in the early nineties.

[JetJockey]

I agree. I watched DYRL after SDF-M and still had a hard time figuring out what is going on. Has anyone impressions from people who saw DYRL without any prior knowledge about any parts of the Macross story.

I'm kind of in that group. This is kind of vague. Strange how that happens with age. I still have my original bootleg of DYRL. English with Japanese subtitles. It was uncut as far as I knew then. I can't remember where I got it. I was always ordering Japanese anime stuff from Nikaku with a friend of mine. Perhaps he gave me the copy. This was around 1990 or 1991? I can't remember.

I probably saw some of Robotech around the time when I saw DYRL. But not the complete Robotech of Macross, Southern Cross, and Mospeada. Remember this stuff came on TV weekday mornings for the most part. I still have some of it taped on VHS. You had to skip school, live close to school, or know how to work a VHS to schedule a tape. Which even though I was fairly good with tech stuff, scheduling to record a program was still sketchy. Remember no Cable guide, we went by TV Guide or the TV schedule in the Sunday paper! Things could change without notice too. So what I saw of Robotech wasn't complete. Bits and pieces of all three series. I didn't see the Japanese Macross till I got the Animeigo DVDs.

When I watched DYRL it was so much more adult. More professional with the animation. Characters fully realized and seemingly more mature. The violence more direct. The movie was almost foreign. I was young so stuff with the dialog was still over my head too. I didn't get where Hikaru and Misa were after they escape. That part of the movie felt really sad and lonely. I think I might have actually stopped the movie at that point out of confusion.

I think I played a PC Engine version of DYRL around this time. I think PC Engine because I remember the music and the other systems weren't up to that spec. It probably wasn't until 1992 or 1993 that I went back to that bootleg and watched the whole movie. I know I still couldn't read the Macross titles because I couldn't explain to a Japanese girl what was one of my favorite anime shows. I think I just called it DYRL not Macross DYRL. But when I watched it again the animation was still amazing to me. The detail on the ships, backgrounds, all the stuff going on like the no gravity sequence. It was so high quality. It still is which is why I look for cels from the movie.

That's all I can remember. Oh I was getting DYRL artbooks, a few posters, and those plastic pencil boards after originally watching as much as I did of the movie. But it wasn't until late in the 90s, close to 2000 that I got the Gold Book. But that's another story.

Edited July 9, 2014 by JetJockey

[abbadon]

I think it was around 1990-91. My Friend had managed to find a copy in VHS or Betamax. We watched it and was blown away by how much better the animation was compared to the TV series. I think it was the dubbed version since I remember debating how to spell the name Hikaru Ichijo. We loved it so much, we abandoned all things Robotech, and embraced everything Macross. I know we made a copy, don't know where it is now, but then again I don't have a player anymore. Haha! Anyway, I just got the Complete Edition blu-ray of the original series and I plan to hunt down a BD copy of Do You Remember Love? As well.

Edited July 12, 2014 by abbadon

[Guest davidwhangchoi]

awww i looked here thinking they're re-releasing dyrl bluray with english subs

[Oskull]

For me it was in the mid 90´s...I was in my early 20´s and being a former Robotech fan it caught my attention a movie (OVAS) called Macross Plus.

The same concept (transformable fighters) made me investigate a little more about Macross and realize what it was and its relationship with Robotech.

The guy that owned the Macross Plus video tapes (VHS) told us about having a couple of additional movies and invited us to watch so that was the first time I watched DYRL? and FB2012. I was really impressed by both especially by DYRL?.

So far I´m a big DYRL? fan and I just purchased the BD Hybrid set for the 30th anniversary. Altough a little late in the party and having paid more than US$300 I dont regret it. Honestly I dont think the BD quality is the best and I knew everything was in japanese; still I have a VHS and DVD versión (both fansubed) but wanted the printed material and the extras that otherwise it could be difficult (or imposible) to get.

If a new factory subed versión is released it is strongly possible I´ll be buying it again.

[Vifam7]

My first exposure to DYRL was summer 1984. That year I was in Okinawa. I remember watching the commercial for DYRL on TV and wanting to go see it (because Macross was hot stuff back then and all the boys were talking about it). Unfortunately, I didn't get to see it at the theaters as end of July was when I was heading back home to the US.

I finally got to watch DYRL 5 years later via a VHS tape recording of DYRL that aired on TV. I hadn't seen Robotech or Macross TV before so I went into DYRL without any prior knowledge (other than it had transforming fighter jets). It didn't matter, the story, the animation, the character designs, the choreography, the songs... it all totally blew me away. Ever since then, DYRL is the standard to which I judge all other anime. Very few anime match what DYRL accomplishes (IMHO).

[Apollo Leader]

In my own case my very first exposure to DYRL came in early 1997 when I rented a VHS copy of "Clash of the Bionoids" from a local Blockbuster. I think I had just rented Macross II a matter of days earlier. In the next few months I finally saw DYRL on a fansubbed tape and I was hooked. In the next few years I would have the movie in multiple formats including VHS, LD, and DVD. Still got to get it on Blu-Ray one of these days.

And for those looking for a laugh...

Edited July 10, 2014 by Apollo Leader

[McFly!!]

saw it with my buddies in the late 80s (88/89?), betamax rental. hahaha betamax... XD

[Hoptimus]

It was the summer of 1989. I had just met a new friend and he was into Robotech and RPG's like me so we use to play the Palladium game. One day he asks me if I want to see something cool. I said heck yeah. He pulls out a BETA VCR and pops in a tape. I hear the Zentradi spoken language and see Japanese subs. Then I was glued to that 19" JVC Color CRT set for 2 hours. Afterward I had a million questions that he only knew answers to a few. That began the obsession there. That same summer one of the local hobby shops that carried import Macross models (also where I bought my RPG stuff) got the This is Animation Macross DYRL. It was way overpriced ($60.00) but at that time there was no ebay.. I bought it on site with all of my extra money. I am still bummed the new Blu Ray is censored.

[Mechapilot77]

yup my first exposure was late 80s too with "clash of the bionooids" i really did not like the voices of the people who dubbed it. i was thinking "wow, this animation is far better than SDFM" though. SDFM had its moments (adn still my preferred version of macross), but DYRL blows it away with animation quality and iconic moments etc. its too bad all these years later...we still can't have a bluray of it with english subtitles. :-(

Edited July 11, 2014 by Mechapilot77

[antibiotictab]

You may think it's funny...

I first watched DYRL in 1989 or 1990 on the NHK BS TV channel. Not 1984. When the movie was screened in 1984 in

Japan, of course I knew it, but I was so busy studying because I was a ronin student then. Moreover, I liked live action

movies better at the time, so I didn't watch it. I only watched "Star Trek 3" and "Indiana Jones" in the year.

I was not so enthusiastic about anime. I preferred some indoor and outdoor activities. And didn't have my VCR. When I

had a time, I went out to Harajuku, enjoyed skateboarding, and did not watch TV in my apartment.

In 1989, I bought a VCR and I could watch the NHK BS channels. In summer days, the TV stations aired some anime

movies. DYRL was one of them.

I liked it. I have sometimes watched it.

I lived in Kanagawa Pref. and the apartment is not so far from Atsugi Air Base. In 1991, the USS Independence comes

to Japan, and the Tomcats, too; VF-21 Freelancers and VFA-154 Black Knights. I have come to like to watch them in

Yamato City when they were training and like to watch DYRL more and more. Now, It is my favorite anime movie.

[sketchley]

I first watched DYRL in 1989 or 1990 on the NHK BS TV channel. (...)

That's NHK 'Broadcast Satellite' TV, for those that don't know.

For English native speakers in Japan, it's funnier than the ASS-1, as it crops up in daily life, and in more unexpected ways!

[Jefuemon]

BS News.

Well, at least they're honest about it!

[Marzan]

So, 21st of july today...If we are to believe jvmacross' poster, DYRL opened exactly 30 years ago.

Happy 30th anniversary!

[Roy Focker]

My first exposure was buying a film comic book about it from the Golden Apple in 85 or 86. It wasn't till the next year or so did I see it when I rented Clash of the Bionoids from 7-11.