Megaroad. SSM-01? or SDF-2?

[Gideon Krieg]

I have in my possesion an old copy of the Ronin Network. This anime magazine did an article on Macross FB 2012. In the article they state that the Megaroad is the SSM-01, Super heavy Starship Megaroad-01 as opposed to the SDF-2 Megalord concept shown in the Macross Perfect Memory book.

Apparently SDF-2 was completed but destroyed during SW1.

SSM-01 Megaroad was completed and launched in 2012.

Just curious, I have noticed many sites refer to the Megaroad as SDF-2. Was the original name changed? I have a copy of the Best Hit series FB 2012. No where is the Megaroad called SDF-2 in that book that I can find. If anyone knows the page or pages where it is listed as SDF-2, please let me know.

Also, I was under the impression that a Super Dimentional Fortress had to transform from cruiser to storm attacker in order to hold the SDF classification.

Technically the Battle 7/Macross 7 is an SDF.

Megaroad certainly does NOT transform.

Just being nit picky and curious.

If anybody can answer my question, it would be appreciated.

[Nightbat]

as far as continiuity goes the Megaroad was built using the unfinished hull

of the SDF-2 (The moon was left alone during SW1)

as for the "Super Dimensional" reference

I always thought it had to do with enormous size, nothing else

[ewilen]

To add to the speculation: My theory is that "Super Dimension" refers to the ability to Fold, since "Super" = "Hyper" (via translation from Latin root to Greek) and "Dimension" is similar to "Space". Thus "Superdimension" = "Hyperspace". I think my interpretation is supported by the occasionally-seen alternate Engrish title of SDF Macross as "A Fortress Exceeding Time and Space".

Besides, Macross was SDF-1 even before anyone got the idea of transforming it. That only happened in Episode 5.

OTOH, I could see changing the designation of Megaroad due to the fact that its role was no longer that of a warship. Therefore, the term "Fortress" would be inappropriate. Nevertheless, what you quote from your magazine isn't consistent with the information over at the Macross Compendium. ( http://macross.anime.net/mecha/united_nati...s/Megaroad.html ) So it doesn't seem to be "official" now, if it ever was.

Edited May 14, 2004 by ewilen

[Gideon Krieg]

Okay, Ronin network is no longer with us, sadly. It was a fanzine started by the American based "Books Nippon" company. While Books Nippon is still in the US, they no longer have their fan clubs or even sell to the general market. They are a distribution company to dealers only.

Anyway, I have checked the information with them. Yes, aparently the original title for Megaroad was SSM-01, super heavy starship megaroad. But, like so many other things in the world of Japanese Anime, continuity does not exist.

Keep in mind that all of the information in the Ronin Network magazine was published right after the release of FB 2012. Many things have changed since then, including its designation.

As far as the Macross Compendium is concerned, while I am thankful for Egan Loo's hard work, it itself is not an "offical" site and while extremely accurate in many ways, a few things have slipped through the cracks now and then.

Thank you for your input gentlemen. If anyone else has more information about Megaroad, I would be interested.

[justvinnie]

As far as the Macross Compendium is concerned, while I am thankful for Egan Loo's hard work, it itself is not an "offical" site and while extremely accurate in many ways, a few things have slipped through the cracks now and then. 

Egan Loo's Compendium is about as official as it can get. It has Big West and Studio Nue's sanction. Everything that is found in the Compendium are derived from official sources only.

vinnie

EDIT IN: Oh yeah, it is also the only officially recognized depot of info for all things Macross by the creators themselves.

Edited May 14, 2004 by justvinnie

[dna]

As far as the Macross Compendium is concerned, while I am thankful for Egan Loo's hard work, it itself is not an "offical" site and while extremely accurate in many ways, a few things have slipped through the cracks now and then. 

Egan Loo's Compendium is about as official as it can get. It has Big West and Studio Nue's sanction. Everything that is found in the Compendium are derived from official sources only.

vinnie

EDIT IN: Oh yeah, it is also the only officially recognized depot of info for all things Macross by the creators themselves.

While I don't degrade the value of the Compendium, I can't consider it "official" until there is a Big West logo on it stating so. But I will consider it amazingly accurate above other sources.

[Gideon Krieg]

Egan Loo's Compendium is about as official as it can get. It has Big West and Studio Nue's sanction. Everything that is found in the Compendium are derived from official sources only.

I think I understand your meaning, but you should be more careful how you word it. The most official you get is the Macross Gold book, Macross this is animation books, Macross Perfect Memory, Macross FB 2012 best hit series, Newtype Magazine interviews with Shoji Kawamori, Hiruhiko Mikimoto, etc.

I am not chastising you or putting you down vinnie, just be more careful as there are those here who would lower themselves to such childish shananaghans.

I am not dissing Egan Loo's site, it is by far the best unofficial site on the entire web. Without a doubt. It is by far the closest thing to officially sanctioned as any fan-site has gotten as far as I know. But big west has their own Macross site and I think if they wanted to have an "Official Compendium or Database" of somekind, they would do it. However, I think they let the fans compile info and come up with new ideas they may be able to work off of. Not necessarily using an exact idea but shall we say, they like the cranial stimulous. Paramount did the same thing with Star Trek, George Lukas does it with Star Wars, so why should Big West be any different.

Anyhoo, I have triple checked the SSM-01 information, it is accurate. However, the designation was dropped in favor of SDF-2. I wonder if Robotech's international influence had anything to do with that?

[Nightbat]

However, the designation was dropped in favor of SDF-2. I wonder if Robotech's international influence had anything to do with that?

[justvinnie]

While I don't degrade the value of the Compendium, I can't consider it "official" until there is a Big West logo on it stating so. But I will consider it amazingly accurate above other sources.

That will never happen since the Compendium as a website does not belong to Bandai.

I am not dissing Egan Loo's site, it is by far the best unofficial site on the entire web. Without a doubt. It is by far the closest thing to officially sanctioned as any fan-site has gotten as far as I know.

It does have Bandai's sanction which makes it as official enough for me. From the Compendium:

This resource is sanctioned by Bandai Visual and Manga Entertainment, Inc. Further information is available in the Copyright Notice.

But big west has their own Macross site and I think if they wanted to have an "Official Compendium or Database" of somekind, they would do it. However, I think they let the fans compile info and come up with new ideas they may be able to work off of. Not necessarily using an exact idea but shall we say, they like the cranial stimulous. Paramount did the same thing with Star Trek, George Lukas does it with Star Wars, so why should Big West be any different.

Bandai as a company only considers profit. Setting up a compendium for Macross offers them no reward. Having a Macross site, on the other hand, is a marketing device. If some fan wants to set up a compendium though, Bandai won't stop them and if they do a good job, even sanction it. That's the way I see it.

vinnie

[Keith]

This sounds more like an issue of pre-liminary pre-production info from a fanzine Vs officially sanctioned info than anything. Much in the same way the pre-production name "Phoenix" got out for the VF-0, despite not being a "final" decided on designation.

[Gideon Krieg]

This sounds more like an issue of pre-liminary pre-production info from a fanzine Vs officially sanctioned info than anything. Much in the same way the pre-production name "Phoenix" got out for the VF-0, despite not being a "final" decided on designation

That sounds reasonable. During the late 1980s, information on Macross here in the US of A was pretty scarce and heavily filtered by the Robotech types. Although I am a fan of Robotech, and respect it for what it is (in my humble opinion a professional fan fiction, and a damn good one at that! ).

Ronin network was the first fanzine here in the US of A (that I know of) that actually tore apart the whole Robotech fiasco. In the same article on the Megaroad, it explained the protocultures, the "official" Macross storyline at the time, the differences between the TV series and DRYL, and that a whole new Macross was soon to be released. A few years later Macross 2 came out.

I for one actually like Macross 2. I like it primarily because the UN Spacy gets their asses kicked! I feel that with all the colonies of the so called UN Spacy should not the name be changed? Like UG (United Galaxy)Spacy or something?

Anyway, I digress. SSM-01 is a nifty name most likely dropped to help with somekind of continuity. Hell Space Battleship Yamato is a typical Japanese anime with multiple personality disorder, Macross was inspired by it, so it is no wonder why there are a few minor inconsistences.

Not a big deal, I only asked because I was curious if anyone else had ever read or seen the Megaroad refered to as such.

Thank you all for trying to help.

[Keith]

No, Yamato is definately a special case. On one side it has the genius Leiji Matsumoto behind it, and on the other side it has the freakin' loon Nishizaki behind it. Yamato can't help but have mutliple story outcomes (such as Farewell Yamato & Yamato 2). In most cases it was Matsumoto saving the franchise from Nishizaki's whacked out idea's.

[ewilen]

I'm wondering...what source(s) does Ronin Network cite for their "SSM-1" information?

[Gideon Krieg]

Okay, so you all do not think I am cracked or anything.

The Ronin Network, volume 1, December 25th, 1988 issue is where Hiruhiko Mikimoto is interviewed about the Macross TV series (which according to him and Shoji Kawamori, at that time, they co-wrote together). During the interview Mikimoto states that the name of the Megaroad is SSM-01, super heavy starship Megaroad type01. This issue of Ronin Network came in the Animag issue number 6 (it has space pirate Captain Herlock on the cover and a pic of the Arcadia in the background). There is a neat interview with Leiji Matsumoto in this issue also.

Now, upon looking through all my old Animags (I have em all), I found that in issue number 11, an interview with Shoji Kawamori and Haruhiko Mikimoto was done by David Keith Riddick, Robert Napton, and Byunghum Park. During the interview Haruhiko Mikimoto again refers to the Megaroad as the SSM-01 BUT!!, Shoji Kawamori refers to it as the SDF-02 Megaroad!!.

I think this explains why it became the SDF-02.

Apparently, the SSM-01 Megaroad name was also Hiruhiko Mikimoto's original title for what became the SDF-1 Macross!

The article states that Toshio Okada and the Gainax Team were with Shoji Kawamori at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum for research on the whole WINGS OF ONEAMIS anime thing when they caught a broadcast of Macross, Robotech style!!!

According to Okada, when he said to Shoji Kawamori jokingly, "O-h-h, M-i-i-n-m-a-a-y.....", Shoji Kawamori was silent and remained subdued for the rest of the trip.

I think Pissed Off would have been a better way to put it.

Hey this article in Aninmag claims that Studio Nue did work for Toei Animation on Space Cruiser Yamato, Space Pirate Captain Harlock, and Fighting General Daimos (what ever that was?). Also Shoji Kawamori claimed that the animator who was his greatest inspiration was none other than Leigi Matsumoto (go figure, one great anime artist leads to another ).

It is a really good article, to bad Animag no longer exists. Oh well.

[ewilen]

Thanks for that summary. It's interesting that Mikimoto claimed co-authorship of the story, since the court judgments that I've read regarding the Tatsunoko-Big West/Studio Nue cases all have Mikimoto involved strictly as a character and setting designer.

This article by Egan Loo may be of interest:

http://www.ex.org/3.3/04-feature_macross1.html

Note that the original story concept for Macross was "Battle City Megaroad/Megaload". I wonder if the SSM designation actually goes back to that original concept and was dropped when the story evolved into its more familiar form?