Macross streaming on Disney+ (under the "Star" label; Star/Hulu of D+)

[Jeff J]

46 minutes ago, Seto Kaiba said:

I suspect the response will be a rousing rendition of Pinocchio's "I've got no strings".

Followed by Pinocchio's nose growing to record length... 😜

[Beko Pharm]

I'm happy with that. We just re-renewed Disney+ anyway. Probably like most parents. And if there's a chance I can finally show this to my kids[1] myself I'm all for it.

 

[1] Hoping for localised subtitles here, which is always a blocker for the little ones.

[network19]

If you were to tell me that Disney would be our savior, I would of called you crazy. But I can't really complain since it looks like they are finally doing something.
I still prefer to buy the Blu-rays, whenever they're finally release.
Could this possibly mean that upcoming Macross series might be Disney+ streaming exclusive?

[Big s]

2 hours ago, network19 said:

If you were to tell me that Disney would be our savior, I would of called you crazy. But I can't really complain since it looks like they are finally doing something.
I still prefer to buy the Blu-rays, whenever they're finally release.
Could this possibly mean that upcoming Macross series might be Disney+ streaming exclusive?

Might be. If the deal is that everything other than og and dyrl are going there, then future installments would be likely 

[Knight26]

So, everything I read keeps saying all 18 entries in the franchise for worldwide release, nothing, that I have seen anyway, says that SDF and DYRL are excluded.  Or am I missing something?

[Bolt]

The mouse ate HG..?

[CollectorCanine]

32 minutes ago, Knight26 said:

So, everything I read keeps saying all 18 entries in the franchise for worldwide release, nothing, that I have seen anyway, says that SDF and DYRL are excluded.  Or am I missing something?

SDF and DYRL are included in the deal, but will be region-locked to only be viewable on the platform in Japan.

Says so on the Macross website.

https://macross.jp/news-detail/25073/

Edited March 20 by CollectorCanine

[Seto Kaiba]

3 hours ago, Knight26 said:

So, everything I read keeps saying all 18 entries in the franchise for worldwide release, nothing, that I have seen anyway, says that SDF and DYRL are excluded.  Or am I missing something?

It says in the announcement:

Quote

 

（*一部日本でのみ配信の作品がございます）

 

"(*Some works are only available in Japan)"

Since the original series and DYRL? are ruled out of western markets by their agreement with HG, we presumably get the sixteen titles from Flash Back 2012 forward:

• Macross Flash Back 2012
• Macross II: Lovers Again
• Macross Plus
• Macross 7
• Macross Plus: Movie Edition
• Macross 7 the Movie: the Galaxy is Calling Me!
• Macross 7 Encore
• Macross Dynamite 7
• Macross Zero
• Macross Frontier
• Macross Frontier the Movie: The False Songstress
• Macross Frontier the Movie: the Wings of Goodbye
• Macross FB 7: Listen to My Song!
• Macross Delta
• Macross Delta the Movie: Passionate Walkure
• Macross Delta the Movie: Absolute Live!!!!!!

 

[jvmacross]

4 hours ago, Knight26 said:

So, everything I read keeps saying all 18 entries in the franchise for worldwide release, nothing, that I have seen anyway, says that SDF and DYRL are excluded.  Or am I missing something?

 

Edited March 21 by jvmacross

[TehPW]

Is there any reason, legally, that TPTB cannot animate a REBOOT of SDFM-TV? or is it a purely Japanese Cultural reason, they have not yet?

[Seto Kaiba]

1 hour ago, TehPW said:

Is there any reason, legally, that TPTB cannot animate a REBOOT of SDFM-TV? or is it a purely Japanese Cultural reason, they have not yet?

If what you're envisioning is a remake of Super Dimension Fortress Macross akin to what Sunrise did for Mobile Suit Gundam: the Origin... then no, there's no legal obstacle we know of that would prevent them from making it.

They just wouldn't be able to distribute it outside Japan if they used the original designs at all.  Part of their distribution agreement with Harmony Gold was that they wouldn't use the OG designs going forward... which is probably a dealbreaker for it now that they're focusing on an international audience.

[Master Dex]

2 hours ago, TehPW said:

Is there any reason, legally, that TPTB cannot animate a REBOOT of SDFM-TV? or is it a purely Japanese Cultural reason, they have not yet?

Legally, I dunno, probably not but I could be wrong there.

It's not cultural why they won't though. They just don't want to do it. Kawamori isn't interested, and without him it's barely worth it. He'd rather put the energy into a new show with new characters. 

[KOG Water Dragon]

I just hope this disney deal doesn't mean the blu-ray releases are canceled.

[network19]

Hopefully whenever Disney decide to make it available for streaming, that they choose the best quality version for each entry. Like using the recently released Zero Blu-ray over the older version. I doubt they will update Macross 2 source when the Blu-ray comes out. Here's hoping that Disney doesn't crop the video.

[Scyla]

I could care less about who is streaming Macross (though it might nudge me into subscribing to Disney+).

What I want is official licensed BlueRays with good subtitles of the Macross shows like we are getting with the M2 Kickstarter.

 

[Convectuoso]

 

 

[KOG Water Dragon]

8 hours ago, Scyla said:

I could care less about who is streaming Macross (though it might nudge me into subscribing to Disney+).

What I want is official licensed BlueRays with good subtitles of the Macross shows like we are getting with the M2 Kickstarter.

 

Agreed. I want copies to own, not a monthly subscription that I need to maintain in order to have access.

[azrael]

Given the tendency of disappearing media off streaming media network lately, perhaps the public will realize having physical media is not as bad as it seems? 😒

[sh9000]

Pics from AnimeJapan 2024.

[kalvasflam]

Dear Lil Bob, please do not F*** up Macross.  Most definitely do not do a live action version with US rewrites.   Hollywood has screwed up enough original material.

[Scyla]

39 minutes ago, kalvasflam said:

Dear Lil Bob, please do not F*** up Macross.  Most definitely do not do a live action version with US rewrites.   Hollywood has screwed up enough original material.

Did Disney buy more than the streaming rights for the West? 

[Big s]

On 3/22/2024 at 8:22 AM, TehPW said:

Is there any reason, legally, that TPTB cannot animate a REBOOT of SDFM-TV? or is it a purely Japanese Cultural reason, they have not yet?

From my understanding there’s something to do with the character and mecha designs, which seems odd since they’re ok with 2012. I’m still a bit confused on all the legal junk and I may have misunderstood a few things 

[CollectorCanine]

4 hours ago, kalvasflam said:

Dear Lil Bob, please do not F*** up Macross.  Most definitely do not do a live action version with US rewrites.   Hollywood has screwed up enough original material.

Disney only has the streaming rights. They won't be able to do anything other than put Macross on their streaming service.

[TehPW]

Not that i have been paying attention to Doomcock on YT but has he said anything about Disney and Macross (last i glanced at was something about him bitching about Teh Acolyte)?

[CollectorCanine]

I frankly don't care what a guy like Doomcock has to say. lol

[Seto Kaiba]

1 hour ago, TehPW said:

Not that i have been paying attention to Doomcock on YT but has he said anything about Disney and Macross (last i glanced at was something about him bitching about Teh Acolyte)?

I can think of only a few people whose opinions on the matter would be even less relevant than his... and they're all Harmony Gold employees. 🤣

 

14 hours ago, Big s said:

From my understanding there’s something to do with the character and mecha designs, which seems odd since they’re ok with 2012. I’m still a bit confused on all the legal junk and I may have misunderstood a few things 

Harmony Gold still has the exclusive rights to the original series outside Japan under their license with Tatsunoko, and they need to keep the Robotech franchise limping along so they can keep the trademarks that are the only reason Big West has to deal with them.  So in order to protect their Robotech franchise, they added into the contract with Big West that Big West would not use designs from the original series in new works meant for global distribution.

Presumably the reason Flash Back 2012 is in the clear is that the main characters were redesigned for it and are "different enough" from the original designs used in the TV series and in DYRL to be considered legally distinct.

[MisaForever]

Regardless whether you like him or not, DC has been right almost every time on everything. But no, he hasn't said anything on the Macross/Disney stuff.

[kalvasflam]

yep, that's how it starts, some small streaming rights, but before you know it, little old Mickey will have his paw mitts all over Misa and Sheryl.  After all, how much is HG worth?  Probably pocket lint as far as Disney is concerned, and Disney needs content.  If they thought they could get away with it, they'd buy Sunrise too. 

[MisaForever]

22 minutes ago, kalvasflam said:

yep, that's how it starts, some small streaming rights, but before you know it, little old Mickey will have his paw mitts all over Misa and Sheryl.  After all, how much is HG worth?  Probably pocket lint as far as Disney is concerned, and Disney needs content.  If they thought they could get away with it, they'd buy Sunrise too. 

They touch Misa they ded. 😡

[Roy Focker]

Disney certainly has the money to buy all of Macross but it really isn't worth it. As a streaming service, they need fresh content that doesn't cost much to acquire. Delta the last series came out what 8 years ago? The rights to stream Macross can't be that much. Bet they got it at a discount bundled together with other series. Outside of Japan only the most informed anime fan knows about Macross. I doubt that the streaming numbers Disney get from it is going make them buy all rights and make that live action Robotech movie we've all been waiting for.

[Seto Kaiba]

56 minutes ago, kalvasflam said:

yep, that's how it starts, some small streaming rights, but before you know it, little old Mickey will have his paw mitts all over Misa and Sheryl.  After all, how much is HG worth?  Probably pocket lint as far as Disney is concerned, and Disney needs content.  If they thought they could get away with it, they'd buy Sunrise too. 

Nah... Disney's been pretty clear that their main focus is still very much in developing original IPs.  Their efforts to merge with Hulu and diversify their streaming portfolio are all about trying to steer a streaming service to profitability like what Netflix had before the bubble burst and the marget segmented.

Not to mention you can't force a private owner to sell if they don't want to... and if the previous investigations and prosecutions for tax evasion are any indication, Harmony Gold's owners might not want to risk a more financially literate firm examining their books too closely.

[azrael]

56 minutes ago, Roy Focker said:

As a streaming service, they need fresh content that doesn't cost much to acquire.

45 minutes ago, Seto Kaiba said:

  Their efforts to merge with Hulu and diversify their streaming portfolio are all about trying to steer a streaming service to profitability like what Netflix had before the bubble burst and the marget segmented.

This lines up with the rumblings I've hard since the end of last year. Streaming services are looking at licensing shows to fill their catalogs as in-house content has been such a money drain for the past couple of years that they want to scale back in-house produced content to licensing content, which is cheaper. Look at Doctor Who on D+. BBC is producing the show but the Mouse bought the streaming rights for the show. I've heard similar things from WB-D looking to boost their own anime catalog by obtaining streaming rights of some upcoming shows. They're still making their own shows, but until profitability comes up, those in-house productions will be fewer and farther apart while licensed shows will be on the uptick. Netflix has been upping the number of K-dramas on the service. What's the other genre which has yet to see wider audience? Anime.

[Big s]

3 hours ago, Seto Kaiba said:

Presumably the reason Flash Back 2012 is in the clear is that the main characters were redesigned for it and are "different enough" from the original designs used in the TV series and in DYRL to be considered legally distinct.

Personally, I usually rewatch the part with the VF-4 and Megaroad. But from what I remember 2012 had scenes from the series and movie.

I was also not sure on DYRL. Does hg hold a license on that or just that the likeness of characters and mecha are similar 

[kalvasflam]

Of course, it is less likely that Disney would actually find a way to buy Macross, but you never know, desperate execs do crazy things.  But, little boys and girls,  wouldn't you like to go on VF-19 the ride in Disney World.  Think about what the business they could build, Disney branded VFs coming out like the old Yamatos or Chogokin, then have them mass produced in some sweat shop in SE Asia, Macross PS and Xbox games, wouldn't you like to be in the MMO of Macross online.   How much would you pay for all of that....  if suddenly, you could actually get this stuff at your local Target instead of something seriously marked up in some obscured local Japantown shop or shipped through Amazon.jp.

As for Disney develop original IP, yeah, I'm sure they could, but look at the crap they came out with over the last couple of years, do they actually think that would sell?

Edited March 25 by kalvasflam

[Jeff J]

9 hours ago, kalvasflam said:

As for Disney develop original IP, yeah, I'm sure they could, but look at the crap they came out with over the last couple of years, do they actually think that would sell?

I think if you look back at the last 50 years or so, they have periods of hits and misses. If they keep pumping out content while also hiring creative minds, they'll get more successful hits. The problem last year seems to be one of creative bankruptcy, pumping out algorithm-driven stories that leaned hard on known IPs, and pandering to select audiences. They'll adapt.