What is “Macross”, and why is the concept of “Macross” (sp) so important in Japanese Anime? Is it because Macross is done by one large studio, like Warner Bros or something like that, and Macross is their long running property, like say, James Bond?
Super Dimentional Fortress Macross is an early ‘Transforming Mech’ series, from the 70s. (Actually, the first mecha series I can think of offhand where the mecha transformed, though I could be wrong.)
What do you mean ‘why is it so important to anime’? It actually isn’t, really. It’s influential, sure, in that it spawned a subgenre (like Gundam did before it, and Eva did after it in the mecha genre), but not unduly ‘important’. It’s simply a moderately popular series that’s survived a couple decades and a few sequels (Macross II, Macross Plus, Macross 7), really. Certainly not as important as Gundam, or Tetsuwan Atom (Astroboy), or other big genre shapers.
It’s rather more important to North American anime fandom, since many anime fans (myself included), became fans of anime through being a fan of Robotech, which was adapted from Macross, and two other series (Super Dimentional Cavalry Southern Cross, and Mospaeda), of which Macross was the least altered and best recieved. Some mecha designs were also used in early editions of the game Battletech, but some confusion about the rights, when cleared up, resulted in FASA no longer being able to use them. (Ironicly, there’s again some confusion about the rights, but Harmony Gold (and through them ADV Films and Animeigo), apparently still legitimately hold some NA rights to Macross, since they acted in good faith.)
Starblazers (Space Battleship Yamato) holds the same sort of place with a slightly older group of anime fans.
Tengu: As long as we’re on the topic of Macross, I gotta quick question: I understand that Robotech crammed three Japanese series together, with not altogther happy results, but…
In the American version, what is “Protoculture” supposed to be? Is it a type of energy (like electricty, say), or is it “culture” as such…art and music and literature and so forth.
And if it is art and music that the bad-guys can’t cope with, why did Minmei’s singing defeat the bad-guys, since no rational person could call that stuff “music”?
:: has flashbacks of Minmei singing ::
< shudder >
Fenris
Protoculture is a power source, although it was hinted it had somewhat a will of its own. It was plant-based. Zor’s ship (the SDF1 brought it to earth and ended up polinating Earth, which brought first the Zentraedi, followed by the Robotech Masters and lastly the Invid (to whom protoculture had a narcotic effect). I believe that in the end, the protoculture was all wiped out. This is all off the top of my head; I’d need to reread and rewatch to give a 100% answer (if that is even possible).
And Minmei’s singing would have defeated me, also. [Actually, the bad guys had all emotions not related to war supressed, and singing awakened the emotions. The rush of new emotions was overwhelmeing to many, causing mass confusion. The confusion caused a breakdown of their military discipline and gave the Earth forces the opening it needed. It also emboldened the Earth forces - no accounting for taste.]
[someone mantioned Starblazers… that takes me back. Cartoon Network is showing the first 13 episodes of Starblazers, the Comet Empire on the web. The anime is signigicantly better that the animation from the first series, the Quest for Insandar. I hope fans have a chance to check it out]
I mentioned Macross being important, becuase I could have sworn when watching Akira, Macross was mentioned somewhere in there, which lead me to believe that it had some sort of greater meaning.
Pretty much correct, although it’s not all that well explained in the TV series, and the novels aren’t particularly canon to the TV series.
And on the subject of Minmei’s singing: I’ve never understood why the singing itself was so bad…Reba West wasn’t particularly inspired, but able. The lyrics, on the other hand… ::Shudder:: Great, now I have To Be In Love in my head. >_<
Interestingly enough, the word “protoculture” actually comes from a reference in the original Japanese series, with the meaning entirely changed: there’s an episode at one point where Hikaru, Misa, and Max (Rick, Lisa, and Max in Robotech are captured by Breetai and interrogated, and he asks if they know about “the protoculture” (or at least the invented Japanese equivalent of the invented English term “protoculture”). In the original, it’s very, very clear that he’s talking about sex/reproduction 
. The Zentrans were all clones, with strict separation by sex, so this was part of the “cultural shock” that eventually did them in - though Minmei’s sugary-sweet “singing” is quite obviously suicide-inducing in either version.
Off to Cafe Society.
Tengu covred this pretty well.
I disagree with Tengu that it was not important.
Of course, he’s right on the mark with Robotech being paramount to the genesis of anime fandom in the US, which, prior to then, was probably about as prevalent as the fanbase of Lost in Space.
It spawned several short series (the aforementioned Macross Plus, Macross 2, and Macross 7), but the original has been resurrected continuously through the re-release of music videos, movies, and merchandise.
Macross introduced what is probably the most recognizeable (although not the first) transforming mecha ever - the Valkyrie series fighters. I challenge you to find an anime store that doesn’t have one on its shelf - if they haven’t sold them all already. All the Gundam mobile suits start to look alike after a while, but you can always recognize the VF-1A/J/S.
I would also credit Macross with generating substantial interest in the voice actors and the sound tracks of the shows (we’re going back to the Minmay singing thing again), as you’ve a definite musical connection there.
You have to keep in mind that, by the time of its maximum effect, “the Earth forces” consisted of a couple ten thousands of people who had been living in isolation for months and months, living mainly off of freeze-dried rice and moonshine. (This is speculation, but I’m comfortable with it.) They were also in constant danger of being randomly crushed between buildings or sucked into vacuum because their spaceship kept having to transform with warning times of only twenty seconds or so. Given the number of times the bulkheads opened up to space, most of the Earth forces also had cumulative effects of recurring hypoxia.
After nearly a year of that kind of treatment, Minmei could have just stood on stage and banged pots and pans together and they would have been just as emboldened.
I’m hoping Animeigo at some point releases Mospeada (the Invid arc of the Robotech crumple) in a dvd box set. The Macross set was a great trip down nostalgia lane.
Not an inaccurate description; throw in the teen charm theme (for our younger readers, think about Britney) and talent is a distant second, at best.
I’ve got it all on VHS. Can’t justify the expense of DVD, as the kids aren’t as into as I was. If only they would pop for it, instant justification (birthday presents) - so what if I watch it more? Still, I can’t fault the kids too much; after resisting for some time, I finally sat down to watch some Dragonball and Dragonball Z with them - and I liked it! Can’t tell how helpful it is when speaking with them to have this kind of common reference. Pokemon and it’s bastard children were just to inane for me (or maybe just too sanitized). DB and DBZ lets us sit and talk.
Does anyone remember the Jetfire Autobot that was exactly like a Valkyrie? I think is was the same type as Roy Fokker’s but with slightly different markings.
Yeah, Hasbro licensed the toy from Bandai for the American Transformers toy line.
Funny thing is, Hasbro only licensed the toy itself, but not the rights to the animated version. So when they wanted to put Jetfire in the Transformers cartoon series, the animated form had to be redesigned to not look like a Valkyrie, and they had to rename him “Skyfire” instead. It didn’t help that Transformers and Robotech were airing on weekday afternoons in most American TV markets at the time.
(And to get even more geeky, I’ll note that the upcoming Transformers: Armada toy line features a new “Skyfire” toy – as a Decepticon…)