heads-up for any Robotech fans

[Edmond Dantes]

Amazon currently has three copies of "Before the Invid Storm" (the last Jack McKinney novel, which usually goes for $20+ used) for $10 or less.

I already snagged my copy, and just thought I'd help out any other protoculture addicts who might be here.

(Incidentally, were any of the Robotech games any good? I've heard the GBA one was a good shmup...)

[Mortificator]

While I think the Robotech novels are some of the best licensed fiction out there, I didn't like Before the Invid Storm much. It felt perfunctory, written just to fill the gap between the Southern Cross and Mospeada eras.

I could never get into a Robotech or Macross 2D shooter. For 3D, Macross VF-X 2 is probably the best of the PS1 games. Robotech Battlecry wasn't bad, but not particularly memorable.

[Specineff]

Not even Macross 2036? It's quite decent and miles better than the Saturn one that uses pre-rendered sprites.

[Pretas]

Macross 30, easily the biggest Macross game yet released, came out for the PS3 back in February. It's what you'd call a mixed bag, though the three-form combat mechanics from the PSP games are integrated into an open world RPG better than one might have expected. It's also a generous love letter to the franchise, with pretty much every main character and Valkyrie from each series (excluding the unpopular, non-canon Macross II) making a faithful playable appearance, as well as some Zentradi craft. This time, instead of being restricted to their respective sagas, they're all united under a silly, canon-defying crossover story. I would recommend it to any serious Macross fan.

Upon the game's release, it suffered from occasionally crippling slowdown and frequent crashes, suggesting Artdink's lack of experience with PS3 development. These have been more or less fixed by a patch.

Review here.

[Edmond Dantes]

While I think the Robotech novels are some of the best licensed fiction out there, I didn't like Before the Invid Storm much. It felt perfunctory, written just to fill the gap between the Southern Cross and Mospeada eras.

I remember feeling like that when I read The Zentraedi Rebellion. I don't know what it was (but I suspect it had to do with that half of "Jack McKinney" was dead) but that one felt less... spiritual than the earlier novels. It was like Robotech had gone from being this rich saga to being just another science fiction license.

[PC Engine Fan X!]

Well, back in 2000, the average second-hand prices were in the 6,000 yen range for a used copy of PC Engine Super CD-Rom2 Macross 2036 in Akihabara. Nowdays, it's more cheaper to acquire.

The USA region PSX game of Macross VFX 2 from the likes of Bandai of America subsidy was supposed to released but was cancelled at the last minute (despite having a single playable stage demo featured in one U.S. OPM demo disc release back in the day). Even a Macross VFX-2 OST was released as well for your listening pleasure.

The arcade Jamma PCBs of Super Dimensional Fortress Macross, Macross II: Lovers Again & Macross Plus shmups are cool to play/own on a candy cab/supergun setup.

Fabtek distributed the "Space Fortress Macross" variant Jamma PCB conversion kits stateside back in 1992...so it was well recieved amongst the American Robotech/Macross fans indeed. It was a common staple to see/play in some of my local arcade hangouts back in the early to mid-1990s. Not even Harmony Gold was able to enjoy the success and profits of the U.S. version Macross PCB that Fabtek reaped back in the day. A full sized backlit marquee came included with a typical full kit, something that the original SDF-Macross Jamma conversion kits that were sold by Banpresto in Japan didn't have period.

As for the latter two Macross PCBs of Macross II & Macross Plus, they were never picked up for proper arcade distribution in the USA and thus remained as Japanese game center exclusives.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[greg]

I've read the Robotech novels. Just stop at #18. After Brian Daley died, he apparently took the talent of Jack McKinney with him. The Zentraedi Rebellion was so slow and boring. He could have just done a novelization to the Malcontent Uprisings comics series and it would have been better, but he just glossed over it. The book was way too thick and it didn't even seem to have much of a plot. It was also full of continuity errors, like saying that Rick Hunter was shot down in the same battle that Roy Fokker was killed. No, he was already in the hospital when that happened. Roy was shot in the battle when Max and Miriya first fought, IIRC. The Masters Gambit (misspelled as "Giambit" on the spine) was even worse. It had really no real plot and the characters didn't even do anything. I totally gave up on those books after that. James Luceno, the other half of "Jack McKinney," is of course a nice guy who truly loved Robotech. I wrote "Jack McKinney" a letter and he wrote me back. He told me that Daley had died. So yeah, he's a super great guy, and I guess he's kept going with serialized fiction (mainly Star Wars prequel-related books it seems).

Nowdays, it's more cheaper to acquire.

You now have a warrant for your arrest by the grammar police!

[PC Engine Fan X!]

Nowdays, it's more cheaper to acquire.

You now have a warrant for your arrest by the grammar police!

You've got me there. I see it's properly spelled as "nowadays" indeed.

Back to the original topic at hand.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[Friendly]

Does anyone still care about "Robotech" even after discovering that it's a Frankenstein-version of Macross, Southern Cross and Mospeada?
I'm glad that the late Carl Macek brought those shows to the west, but since learing about the real Japanese Macross and its storyline in the early 90s I've been unable to return to Robotech or any of its derivatives. It's the same for me with Macek's Captain Harlock/Queen Millenia series, which just makes me cringe.

[Edmond Dantes]

Does anyone still care about "Robotech" even after discovering that it's a Frankenstein-version of Macross, Southern Cross and Mospeada?

Yes. Derivative work it may be, Robotech has become its own thing.

And to be honest, I tried to watch Macross and Southern Cross, and never finished them. I just felt like Robotech was better. (Mospeada, on the other hand, was better in Japanese). This is honestly the only time in history where I ever preferred a dub to the Japanese original.

[greg]

Nowdays, it's more cheaper to acquire.

You now have a warrant for your arrest by the grammar police!

You've got me there. I see it's properly spelled as "nowadays" indeed.

I was just teasing you for saying "more cheaper." You don't say that, just as you wouldn't say "more better."

Does anyone still care about "Robotech" even after discovering that it's a Frankenstein-version of Macross, Southern Cross and Mospeada?
I'm glad that the late Carl Macek brought those shows to the west, but since learing about the real Japanese Macross and its storyline in the early 90s I've been unable to return to Robotech or any of its derivatives. It's the same for me with Macek's Captain Harlock/Queen Millenia series, which just makes me cringe.

I agree with you. However, the Robotech novels hold up better than the corny TV show.

[Mortificator]

There've been a lot of crappy localizations over the years, but it's not like every idea a non-Japanese dude has for changing a series is going to be terrible. Southern Cross and Mospeada have themes of mecha and music that complement Macross very well, and were a more meaningful direction for the story to take than Macross 7, where we have a rock band strumming guitars in their military jets and firing speakers from their autocannon.

[Friendly]

Every aspect of Macross 7 is trash, it's quite fitting that the manga sidestory was called Macross 7 Trash. It's one of the most embarrassing sequels and anime shows ever made. Let's just pretend it never happened.

[Pretas]

It's one of the most embarrassing sequels and anime shows ever made.

Sounds like someone has remained blissfully oblivious to the untold amounts of disposable moe and harem series to come out in recent years. Macross 7 isn't perfect, and suffers from poor mecha animation (which can be blamed on the meager budget), but it's an uplifting story with great characters, music and an impressive amount of world-building. That's more than enough for me to forgive, and even embrace the silliness. If you want to call out a Macross saga for being crap, there's II and Frontier.

A real "most embarrassing anime show ever" would be something more along the lines of Moetan, Chocotto Sister or Arcade Gamer Fubuki.

[PC Engine Fan X!]

It was Central Park Media whom wanted the last two episodes of Macross II finished (episodes 5 & 6), so they forked up the money to get them done. Otherwise, Macross II would've ended at episode 4 at best, leaving Macross fans to wonder what happens next.

Back in 1992, anime fans were quite desperate for any new Macross anime, when it was announced that it'd be coming to the USA in both subtitled and dubbed versions. Of course, Studio Nue came up with a proper Macross sequel titled Macross Plus a bit later.

The mecha designs shown in Macross Frontier were interesting, with some designs a sly nod to the original Macross mecha designs from 1982 in retrospect. The events that take place in MF are in 2046 A.D.

Studio Nue was seriously considering releasing Super Dimensional Century Orguss first before making Super Dimensional Fortress Macross but ultimately, thought that Macross wouldn't do too well. They weren't prepared for the success that Macross garned.

The first time I had seen the cool Revell released Robotech Changers model kits that were originally based on the VF mecha from SDF-Macross and Orguss Orgaroid mecha from Orguss in 1984. Some the paint schemes and new names (like Vexar, Orbot, Axoid, Nebo, etc.) were quite different but entertaining, nevertheless. They were quite complex model kits to put together with traditional plastic model cement back in the day + the cool factor of being able to transform into various forms/modes was the main draw/attraction/selling point. Not to mention, the glut of unsold NOS of Macross, Southern Cross, Mospeada, Dorvack, Orguss, etc. model kits from Japan that would envelope the USA in the mid-1980s at rock bottom bargain prices. It was a cool time to snatch up those early anime mecha model kits on the cheap.

It wasn't until April of 1985, that with much hype that Robotech was airing on channel 31 in the Sacramento, CA area. That was the beginning of the Robotech saga/era. This was during the same era that some anime clubs started forming in the USA...the Cartoon Fantasy Organization (CFO) comes to mind with it's multi-state chapters in the mid-to-late 1980s showcasing the latest anime on borrowed VHS tapes.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[Edmond Dantes]

That's one thing about Robotech... whereas Macross's sequels were mostly insults to the original, Robotech's at least had promise.

Sentinels did, anyway. The Shadow Chronicles, on the other hand, is a horrible horrible movie.

[greg]

Sentinels did, anyway. The Shadow Chronicles, on the other hand, is a horrible horrible movie.

I can't even remember the movie much. I didn't think it was horrible, but I wasn't really expecting much from it, anyway.

[cj iwakura]

I hardly remember Robotech, but I've been watching OG Macross lately, and it's finally gotten interesting.

Also, the Saturn game was fantastic, IMO.

Here's a sampler.

[Edmond Dantes]

Sentinels did, anyway. The Shadow Chronicles, on the other hand, is a horrible horrible movie.

I can't even remember the movie much. I didn't think it was horrible, but I wasn't really expecting much from it, anyway.

To be fair, I only watched Shadow Chronicles once, years ago, and the main things I remember hating:

1) that half the movie is just a retcon of the last episode of the TV series.

2) Marlene chooses to embrace her Invid ancestry and insists that Scott call her "Ariel" (which just pisses on her entire character arc in the New Generation saga). Also she's suddenly a "Princess" which doesn't even make sense in context.

3) I remember all the relationships seeming rushed. Like they went out of their way to shoehorn love at first sight into everything (as opposed to how the Robotech TV series developed everything at an even pace)

4) Likewise, the subtlety and nuanced conflicts of the TV series were thrown out the window in favor of a generic evil race of robots who, of course, want to conquer the universe.

It's seriously like Harmony Gold no longer even remembers what Robotech was about. And the worst thing is they're actually developing a sequel, like they really think Shadow Chronicles could be something if they just work at it.