As many long time readers of this site know, Robotech is my absolute favorite sci-fi franchise. Yes, even ahead of heavyweights like Star Wars, Star Trek and StarCraft.
Simply put, Robotech put Anime on the map in America. Yes, there were other series that tried to enter the pop culture of the U.S., but none prior to Robotech were successful.
When A&E provided me the opportunity to review this collection, it was like I had died and gone to geek heaven. Of course, I already owned all the dvd’s for the entire series already, but with this new collection, they’ve been re-mastered and look much better than the first editions that I have.
That alone makes this set worth getting for any fan. But then they include a fourth set simply named: The Robotech Archives.
This is where the treasure of this collection emerges. Being a fan for over 30 years, I thought I had seen and heard about everything there was to know about Robotech. Wow, was I wrong.
This set has 4 dvd’s of “extra” content including the Robotech Movie, The Sentinels episodes, sketch art, commercials, pilot episodes, production art and International clips to name a few things.
Granted, this was created back in the mid 80′s, and some of the content reflects that. For example, the original unaired Genesis Climber Mospeada pilot episode looks like I was watching it on a VCR. (Anyone remember those things?)
There is a great encapsulation video of the entire series which if it were available on YouTube I would link to it, but it’s not up yet.
All of these things are great, but they are not what makes this collection the best.
As part of the 25 year anniversary celebration, they were putting together a special documentary about the franchise, led by Carl Macek, the man who championed the entire Robotech universe, and died of a sudden heart attack in April of 2010.
Instead, they rightfully made a tribute to Carl and how his vision shaped the series and impacted their lives. That segment alone is worth the price of this entire collection. Carl Macek impacted soo many people in the industry and it’s great to see him get the credit he deserves. It’s not very often where you get insight on how someone wanted to dedicate their lives to doing something great. As Steve jobs is considered to technology, Carl Macek is the same for Anime.
I want to personally thank Suzanne Dobson at Foundry Communications for giving me this fantastic set to review, it’s very much appreciated.
One last thing. If you are not a Robotech fan, you probably won’t get a lot out of this. However, if you are, this is something you must absolutely have.
Here is the blurb:
IN STORES OCTOBER 18
SAN DIEGO, CA, July 21, 2011 – Long before the current live action Transformers franchise took over the box office and introduced giant alien robots to a new generation, there was a sweeping animated sci-fi epic that delivered “mecha” to the masses: Robotech. Arriving on U.S. airwaves in the mid-80s via syndication, the legendary space opera – one of the very first anime imports — helped to usher in the multi-billion dollar anime industry and now, through the cult classic curators at A+E Networks Home Entertainment, the influential series will be reborn on DVD. Working in close conjunction with original Robotech producer Harmony Gold, the franchise will be available in a handsomely-designed collector’s set featuring all 85 re-mastered episodes of the engaging and dramatic anime classic. Available for $99.95srp, the specially-priced 17-disc set ROBOTECH: THE COMPLETE ORIGINAL SERIES will also feature four exclusive bonus discs with more than 10 hours of bonus content – much of which is new to DVD. The deal was brokered by Content Media Corporation, the worldwide distributor of the series.
A sweeping science-fiction anime epic, ROBOTECH was set at the turn of the millennium, when a mysterious spacecraft crash-landed on a South Pacific island. The secrets of alien knowledge aboard this vessel were unlocked, leading to the development of “Robotechnology” and the creation of a vast arsenal of robotic “mecha” to defend the Earth against the alien threats that would eventually strike, attempting to lay claim to the mysterious power source known as “protoculture.” Told through the eyes of characters caught in a successive series of three extraterrestrial invasions, the saga was the first anime series that many fans had seen, and is often credited with the explosion of anime fandom that continues to grow in the U.S. today.
The cornerstone of a blockbuster franchise that has spawned dozens of movies, books, toys, video games and comic books, ROBOTECH was originally licensed from Japan’s Tatsunoko Studios, adapted from three different series and re-edited and re-dubbed into English. Because ROBOTECH hailed from three completely different anime series, Harmony Gold joined them into a cohesive narrative by splitting them into three distinct chapters, each representing a different generation of the saga: THE MACROSS SAGA (36 episodes), THE ROBOTECH MASTERS (24 episodes) and THE NEW GENERATION (25 episodes). These are also informally referred to as “The First Robotech War,” “The Second Robotech War” and “The Third Robotech War” respectively.
Aside from featuring all 85 half-hour episodes of the original series (re-mastered from original elements for this release), ROBOTECH: THE COMPLETE ORIGINAL SERIES also includes over ten hours of bonus programming:
• The Making of Robotech Documentary – NEW to DVD
• Robotech Music Videos – NEW to DVD
• Robotech Overview – NEW to DVD
• Alternate versions of select Robotech episodes – NEW to DVD
• Robotech: The Movie supplementals (including several sequences NEW to DVD)
• Macross Original Pilot – 70 minute extended version – NEW to DVD
• Promotional reel of Robotech Launch in China – NEW to DVD
• Over an hour of deleted scenes
• Robotech: The Sentinels (with optional audio commentary)
• Robotech: The Sentinels promotional video
• Macross Original Pilot – Parts 1, 2 and 3
• Mospeada Original Pilot – Part 1
• Original opening and closing animations
• Galaxy of the Stars – Harmony Gold promotional reel
• Toy Commercial and Videogame presentation reels
• International clips for all three Robotech Wars
• A vast stills appendix containing character bios, model sheets, pre-production art, comic book covers, and merchandise galleries
• And much, much more!
Voted #34 on the “Top 100 Animated Series of All Time” by IGN.com, ROBOTECH will also be released day-and-date in several additional configurations. THE FIRST ROBOTECH WAR (THE MACROSS SAGA; 5 discs), THE SECOND ROBOTECH WAR (THE ROBOTECH MASTERS; 4 discs) and THE THIRD ROBOTECH WAR (TRHE NEW GENERATION; 4 discs) will also be available for fans both new and old.
With interest in “mecha” at an all-time high, don’t miss out on this landmark in anime history from the guardians of classic TV DVD at A+E Networks Home Entertainment.
About Harmony Gold:
Formed in 1983, Harmony Gold is a leading production, acquisition and distribution company of quality international television programming, producing some of the most classic and history-making programs in the industry. Harmony Gold is a division of The Harmony Gold Companies, whose interests range from theatre management, real estate and finance to film and television production.
About Content Media Corporation:
Content Media Corporation plc (“Content”, formerly ContentFilm plc), is a publicly traded, global entertainment media company based in London with offices in Los Angeles, New York and Toronto, which owns and distributes a significant library of film, television and digital assets. Content Film (formerly ContentFilm International), the film sales division, holds the rights to 200 titles and helps producers secure financing, marketing and distribution. The division also acquires top-tier documentaries. Content Television (formerly Fireworks International) is the television sales division, which holds the library rights to 3,200 hours of TV programming incorporating major drama series, non-fiction entertainment, special event programming, kids’ series, TV movies and mini-series. Content Digital licenses over 300 hours of bespoke digital properties, in addition to the existing library, to digital media platforms worldwide, including on-demand, broadband and mobile.
A+E Networks Home Entertainment, part of the Consumer Products Division of A+E Networks, is a video distributor of non-theatrical programming, featuring collectible DVD editions of the high quality programming from A&E Network, HISTORY®, and Lifetime, as well as acquired classic programming and sports. A+E Networks Home Entertainment brings the best of critically acclaimed entertainment presented in award-winning packaging to the special interest category.
If only Cartoon Network in general(as in current C.N, not the one from the past) had the balls to gut it out and just bring in another Giant Robot Anime that has quantifiable feats on its side.
Blast it.
Harmony Gold needs to let go of it’s choke hold on Robotech. Because of them the Macross Franchise is almost completely barred from the United States.
@Lizard God
Either way, we need an epic-level giant robot anime to arrive, since the last one that got televised was the mobile suit gundam meta-series’ latest universe, Gundam 00, really.
Is that all and is that the end?
The problem I have with Robotech is that it doesn’t actually exist. Infact, harmony gold all but plagiarized three existing series, Super Dimensional Fortress Macross, Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross, and Genesis Climber MOSPEDA, and forced them into one big legal mess. This legal snarl is actually why Macross Frontier never released outside of japan.
@Belisaurius
Where else went wrong with the regards that none of the other 2 series that helped to breed out Robotech didn’t get released, either?
Well, for one it ultimately means that gundam would have a far larger customer base and we ended up getting crappy attempts to replicate the original series. How many times has Tomino tried to start something cool only for Bandai to screw him over in an attempt to sell toys of all things? Just look at G Gundam. Take the Gundam label off and it would have been more successful.
If Harmony Gold hadn’t breached contract, we’d probably see more Macross series animes with the solid formula of good mecha action and music.
@Belisaurius
The last i checked, Gundam 00 didn’t try to outright replicate the original series(not counting the Expy of the RX-78 Gundam known as the 0-Gundam, either!) and actually brought in some new worthwhile material for quantifiable feats.
Still, i feel that for the sake of a creative fight(assuming if most of the other factpile mainlanders are not slacking off, as ever!) i’d suggest a Mobile Suit vs a 40K Titan, unless this depends greatly as to what particular type of Titan i am talking about, that is.
Mobile suit vs a 40k Titan would be good … but the Titan would be at a major disadvantage … they not quite as “mobile” as just about any mobile suit … only saving thing would be size depending on which mobile suit is use
@Skalkorik
Not to mention which sorts for either will be used and whether or not either type will have Ace Pilots using them, right?
‘Regular’ Mobile suits(I.E Zakus, G.Ms, Goufs, DOMs, GINNs, GN-Xs*both original and advanced versions* etc) against Titans instead of any Gundams, then?
@CC
Thats another thing … Titans have many crewmen …not just one pilot … which is why the mobile suits faster … but what Titans lack in speed they most certainly make up with fire power … but all the faster mobile suits ( just about all of them ) can just side step the weapons and take the titan down
Then how do we find a proper mobile suit type to make sure the fighting is balanced?
For that matter, we have any Giant robots from Macross or Robotech for any 40K Titan to have an equal fight with?
The origins of the Tau.
Anyhow, I love Macross. I got sucked in due to Macross 7 with Basara.
Dood be flying around in in his transforming robot while fighting dinosaur space vampires with the power of rock.
@Fatazn
Then for old time’s sake, what say you on having a giant robot against whatever sort of giant robots the Tau have on their side, mono-a-mono?
be careful which mobile suits you pit against a titan. Some are barely abrams with legs or arms. Others, especially with the right pilots, enjoy suffering no equals on the field of battle. Macross enjoys some really nasty mecha too, and I recently suggested a match pitting a gundam ace vs a macross ace. I did suggest a mobile suit vs titan match too, but it hasn’t shown up yet. Kshatriya vs a pair of Eldar Titans, I forget which. It’s a nice, slenderized version of the Queen Mantha but I don’t know if I like it as much.
@Lizard God
For Ace pilot vs Ace Pilot, wouldn’t it depend greatly as to which aces for which side out-aces the other side?
I hope the mobile suit match against the Eldar’s own kind of Titans turn out to be worthwhile, because worthwhile fights would be what the site needs, right now.
I suggested Graham in a Brave vs Ozma in a Messiah for Gundam vs Macross.
I mainly suggested the Gundam vs 40k mecha match to give the Eldar Titans some light on this site, I don’t actually know much about them but I picked a pretty capable mobile suit.
@Lizard God
Given the regards that M.S.G Newtypes are essentially more or less the kind of beings that the Potter-world magic users generally wish to grow up to become along the lines of(kind of like the X Parasites of Metroid and the Flood of Halo!) there should be enough reason that if the pilot for the selected mobile suit is a newtype, they may be able to at least give the Eldar pilots at minimum some pause for thought.
And if Amuro were piloting a Hi-Nu Gundam against a Bio-titan, make no mistake, i would be rooting for him to destroy the thing so royally, the Nid Hive Mind would have to think twice before unleashing another one of those things against the M.S.G forces.
@ Shas’O (Commander) Cross
ShadowSun vs. Basara
…..
DOO ITTTT…..
Also:
Shin Getter Robo (Armageddon) piloted by the original batshit insane Getter Team vs. Hi Nu Gundam with Amuro = EPIC MECH MATCH EVER
@ Commander Cross
Lizard God? Seriously?
I would have thought something along the lines of Warrant Officer.
Roboteh…Macross
The ONLY thing related to those two I like it the adventures of hte SDF-1 (basicly Macross the original series).
Evertying after that – sucks.
Sentinels? Mospeda? Macross 2-7? Fronteer? SUUUUUUUUCKS.
They dwell too muhc into the stupid territory.
@Fatazn
*salutes*
ShadowSun vs Basara?
It sounds like it has potential, but what factions are the both of them from, and where to begin on the incarnations in question for both?
Shin Getter Robo with Original Pilots vs Amuro in the Hi-Nu?
Where do we start in terms of fields of fighting that would appropriate such epicness?
———
SPOILER ABOUT THE KSHATRIYA!!
———
The pilot is a surviving Puru Two, and her combat skills show it. However after the fall of neo-zeon she went from being a child soldier to forced child postitute. She suffered countless violent rapes and abortions to the point she can no longer have children. This has degraded her fighting ability somewhat, even if she seems to have found peace working for zeon again. However, she still brings down even very good pilots when she’s focused.
———–
SPOILER OVER
———–
Nonspoiler version.. Basically, yes, the Kshatriya pilot is a newtype, you have to be if you use funnels.
———–
There are no Titans that can defeat Amuro. So there’s no point in pitting them against him. He’s fought things bigger, better armed, faster, and with their own set of funnels/bits. Anyone at his level of being a newtype or higher (such as Kamille, Judau, and Yuri) would just stomp all over anything that hasn’t at one time or another enjoyed being plot shielded.
——————-
I severely doubt a small, ground based crisis suit is going to stand up against Basara. The guy is good enough to play a guitar and pilot his plane through enemy fire at the same time. I actually don’t care for Macross 7.. at all.. but I have to step back and begrudgingly admit to his skill. He’s probably one of the better pilots in mecha history.
———
…Doesn’t Shin Getter chop moons in half when it calls upon the dragon? I suppose if we remove outside help like that then yes it’d be a pretty epic match, otherwise it comes down to who can engage cheater mode faster. Well.. not really.. Amuro HAS used the psyco-frames after a move has been used on him and stopped it from defeating him before. Namely, Loran’s Moonlight Butterfly.
@Lizard God
You mean the Newtype pilot in question was a child Pro…*will not spit out the intended word*
I generally don’t sympathize with such people(recalling all too well a certain ‘incident’ in Vampire Academy with such a case!) but maybe when i finish watching this M.S.G series, i may be ready to make an outright exception, right?
At least with guys like Amuro or Heero, we can actually QUANTIFY their piloting feats and combat feats for the Mobile Suits, right?
*still awaits when we can have a plethora of epic M.S.G fights and when Naruto feats can be quantifiable*
You are brinign up MAcross 7? One of the greatest abortions of all that is good in recorded history?
Where transforming mecha are controlled by playing a guitar? Where you’re launching a speaker missile onto the enemy so you cna sing them into defeat?
The only Macross worth watching is the original. Where music was just music and didn’t have magical powers. Where mecha are sensibly design and look like something the military would field.
Macross 7…I feel my IQ dropping just by thinking about ot.
@TrashMan
Ouch on the idea.
You realize, Trashman, that Frontier is likely the original’s superior? This may have to do with the screwed up pacing of the original, though, due to the constant early cancellations followed by extensions to the show.
@Lizard God
Did you note what i said in regards to the pilot of that Funnel-tech mobile suit, actually?
Not that i plan on underestimating the Eldar Pilots of those Titans, either, i am sure they have viable Precognition options available provided that they are potent.
For all we know, depending on how balanced the fight is(and i hope the end result is nothing short of badass!) it could result in Quick-draw options for both sides, for all we know.
Funnel equipped models are by definition long range combat models. The Eldar pilots wouldn’t see the Kshatriya before it begins attacking them with funnels, so I think it’s more of a twitch shooter kind of fight than a quick draw. And yes, I read what you said about newtypes but they don’t win EVERY fight they’re in… well.. I don’t think they do anyways, even if I can’t think of a single battle where an old type defeated a new type. I’m sure one exists somewhere and my crap memory is just acting up again.
@Lizard God
As much as i hate to say this, remember Yazan Gable from Zeta Gundam and how he was able to kill Newtype pilots who didn’t develop Ace Stats?
Yeah, the guy has counterparts in Dolohov of the Potter-world, i’m telling you.
So its to see how fast both sides can react to whatever the other side will throw at each other(among other things) right?
More Gundam and Macross matches are good, right now.
I don’t remember Yazan ever killing a new type, although I haven’t seen ZZ yet. I know when he worked with his team he was able to over come a single new type but he failed to kill if I recall.
@Lizard God
Still, even i have to(grudgingly, might i add) admit he was able to hold his own against Lesser Newtypes better than Kira Yamato did against Rau Le Creuset, remember?
In any case, if i were to suggest the rest of the world of .hack in a universe fight(i only introduced Alkaid of .hack to factpile!) i will have to finish reading .hack//Cell(a side-story that’s still canon) to get a feel or an exact gauge on how many numbers the world of .hack can pull from its fighters.
P.S:Main reason i have to do that, is because i want to be able to prepare a universal face-off between the Potter-world and all of .hack, but i need to recall what limits should be set on both sides before i can be convinced its anywhere near fair.
So for my test, i’ll consider having all of .hack against all of Naruto, first.
That reasonable?
Char is actually very much a lesser newtype, and he’s not top tier in terms of piloting skill, either. He’s just a clever son of a bitch and wins through tactics and pre planned actions.. kind of like the Red Baron he’s modeled after, so being a newtype isn’t everything. Yazan’s also a good, if not overly brutal and violent, pilot. Partially because he is skilled in combat but mainly because he’s a lot like char and uses excellent tactics.
@Lizard God
The only known differences between the two, is that one of them is most likely an(outright) complete monster while the other…where to begin on someone who wasn’t always in his right mind?
Meantime, what say you on having any Macross Giant Robots against what the Tau can offer, in group combat?
Or having the entire world of .hack against the world of Naruto, for that matter?
Maybe if you used first generation Destroids.. MAYBE.. for Macross vs Tau. Macross has some really, really nasty stuff. Let’s say you field even just one Lucifer.. what do the Tau have to counter a nightmare like that? Robotech vs Tau is probably a lot more fair and even then I think Robotech has it in the bag.
@Lizard God
Depends on how we can establish testing grounds for newcoming mechs, properly, i feel.