The Daicon Squadron Project

[the white drew carey]

Here's a little project I've been working on in free time since about August of 2024.

The Daicon IV opening animation from 1983 is a cult classic in anime fandom. Coming on the heels of the conclusion of the SDF: Macross TV series, the amateur animators (many of whom would go on to found Gainax) included multiple Macross references in both the intro as well as other promotional materials.

They created unique and interesting versions of the VF-1 Valkyrie. Part of my Daicon Squadron Project was to take these oddball one offs, draw them in a more realistic style, and then compose a back-story that would slot them back in to Macross continuity. These are the results of that project.

Each "poster" design includes unique text in two sections. The first section features the "in-universe" fanfic history, with the second (in italics) detailing the real world story that inspired the artwork.

All art done in Photoshop. No AI used.

[the white drew carey]

Bonus materials below are the original full poster that influenced the "Castor," "Pollux," and "Random Donkey" illustrations, as well as "reference" sheets that details and discuss some of the other little tidbits I included.

[Mommar]

Would probably make more sense to call it the UNSRCO for UN Spacy Rapid Capabilities Office.  Or maybe UNSRCS for Rapid Capabilities Squadron.  Real world analogies being both AFRCO and SPRCO.

[the white drew carey]

On 2/6/2025 at 8:46 PM, Mommar said:

Would probably make more sense to call it the UNSRCO for UN Spacy Rapid Capabilities Office.  Or maybe UNSRCS for Rapid Capabilities Squadron.  Real world analogies being both AFRCO and SPRCO.

It was something similar. I ran it through a translator into Japanese, then to Norwegian, and then back again to accomplish some of the clunky (and maybe not entirely accurate) language. It's a tried and true way to get the whole "Engrish" effect.