he original television series (1985)
| Robotech | |
| A Robotech title screenshot showing Rick Hunter | |
| Genre | Mecha , Space Opera |
|---|---|
| TV anime | |
| Robotech: The Macross Saga | |
| Directed by | Robert V. Barron, Ippei Kuri |
| Written by | Carl Macek,[5] Steve Kramer |
| Studio | Harmony Gold USA, Tatsunoko |
| Network | Syndicated |
| Original run | March 4 – April 22, 1985 |
| Episodes | 36 (List of episodes) |
| TV anime | |
| Robotech: The Masters | |
| Directed by | Robert V. Barron, Ippei Kuri |
| Written by | Carl Macek, Steve Kramer |
| Studio | Harmony Gold USA, Tatsunoko |
| Network | Syndicated |
| Original run | April 23 – May 24, 1985 |
| Episodes | 24 (List of episodes) |
| TV anime | |
| Robotech: The New Generation | |
| Directed by | Robert V. Barron, Ippei Kuri |
| Written by | Carl Macek, Steve Kramer |
| Studio | Harmony Gold USA, Tatsunoko |
| Network | Syndicated |
| Original run | May 27 – June 28, 1985 |
| Episodes | 25 (List of episodes) |
| Anime film | |
| Codename: Robotech | |
| Directed by | Robert V. Barron, Ippei Kuri |
| Produced by | Ahmed Agrama, Kenji Yoshida |
| Written by | Carl Macek |
| Music by | Ulpio Minucci |
| Studio | Harmony Gold USA, Tatsunoko |
| Released | March 1, 1985 |
| Runtime | 73 minutes |
| Anime film | |
| Robotech I: The Untold Story | |
| Directed by | Carl Macek, Noboru Ishiguro |
| Produced by | Ahmed Agrama, Toru Miura |
| Written by | Ardwight Chamberlain, Carl Macek |
| Music by | Three Dog Night |
| Studio | Harmony Gold USA, Tatsunoko |
| Released | July 25, 1986 (Limited Release) |
| Runtime | 82 minutes |
| Original video animation | |
| Robotech II: The Sentinels | |
| Directed by | Carl Macek |
| Produced by | Ahmed Agrama, Frank Agrama |
| Written by | Kent Butterworth, Carl Macek |
| Studio | Harmony Gold USA, Tatsunoko |
| Released | 1987 |
| Runtime | 75 minutes |
| Original video animation | |
| Robotech 3000 | |
| Directed by | Carl Macek |
| Studio | Harmony Gold USA, Netter Digital |
| Released | Canceled |
| Runtime | 3 minutes |
| Anime film | |
| Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles | |
| Directed by | Dong-Wook Lee, Tommy Yune |
| Produced by | Frank Agrama, Alan Letz, Jason Netter |
| Written by | Tommy Yune, Frank Agrama, Ford Riley |
| Music by | Scott Glasgow |
| Studio | Harmony Gold USA, Dr. Movie, Tatsunoko |
| Released | August 25, 2006 (festival) January 5, 2007 (wide) |
| Runtime | 88 minutes |
| Anime and Manga Portal | |
Main article: Robotech (TV series)
Robotech is a story adapted with edited content and revised dialogue from the animation of three different mecha anime series:
anime series:- The Super Dimension Fortress Macross
- Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross
- Genesis Climber MOSPEADA.
Harmony Gold’s cited reasoning for combining these unrelated series was its decision to marketMacross for American weekday syndication television, which required a minimum of 65 episodes at the time (thirteen weeks at five episodes per week). Macross and the two other series each had fewer episodes than required, since they originally aired in Japan as weekly series. On some television stations, the syndicated run was preceded by the broadcast premiere ofCodename: Robotech, a feature-length pilot.
, a feature-length pilot.
This combination resulted in a storyline that spans three generations, as mankind must fight three destructive Robotech Wars in succession with various invading forces, each of which is motivated in one way or another by a desire for a powerful energy source called“protoculture.” While each of the three animated series used for its footage informs its content, the Robotech storyline is distinct and separate from each of them.
in succession with various invading forces, each of which is motivated in one way or another by a desire for a powerful energy source called“protoculture.” While each of the three animated series used for its footage informs its content, the Robotech storyline is distinct and separate from each of them.- The First Robotech War (The Macross Saga) concerns humanity’s discovery of a crashed alien ship and subsequent battle against a race of giant warriors called the Zentraedi, who have been sent to retrieve the ship for reasons unknown. In the course of this chapter, Earth is nearly annihilated, the Zentraedi are defeated, and humans gain knowledge of the energy source called protoculture. Humanity also learns of the Robotech Masters whose galactic empire the Zentraedi protected and patrolled.
- The Second Robotech War (The Masters) focuses on the arrival in Earth orbit of the Robotech Masters, who have come seeking what turns out to be the sole means in the universe of producing protoculture. Through a combination of mistrust and arrogance, their attempts at retrieving this meet with opposition from the humans and unleash a war that leaves the Masters defeated and Earth awash in the spores of a plant called the Flower of Life — the source of protoculture and a beacon to the mysterious Invid who scour the galaxy for its presence.
- The Third Robotech War (The New Generation) begins with the arrival on Earth of the Invid, who are lured by the Flower of Life and rapidly conquer the planet. References in the previous two chapters explain to viewers that many of the heroes of the First Robotech War had left Earth to seek out the Robotech Masters on a preemptive mission, and it is this Robotech Expeditionary Force that sends missions back from across the galaxy to attempt a liberation of their homeworld. The storyline follows one group of freedom fighters as they work their way towards the final battle with the Invid.
See Robotech Wars to find out how the gap between the series is filled.
to find out how the gap between the series is filled.Animated sequels and spinoffs
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Robotech: The Movie (1986, canceled in U.S.)
Main article: Robotech: The Movie
Also called Robotech: The Untold Story, this theatrical film was the first new Robotechadventure created after the premiere of the original series. It used footage from the Megazone 23 Part 1 OVA (Original Video Animation, or made-for-video animated feature) combined with scenes from Southern Cross and additional original animation produced for the film. The American release of the film was canceled after a poor test run in Texas, but saw limited success in Argentina and Belgium. Harmony Gold relinquished their license to Megazone 23after director Carl Macek washed his hands of the project.
OVA (Original Video Animation, or made-for-video animated feature) combined with scenes from Southern Cross and additional original animation produced for the film. The American release of the film was canceled after a poor test run in Texas, but saw limited success in Argentina and Belgium. Harmony Gold relinquished their license to Megazone 23after director Carl Macek washed his hands of the project.
In 2011, A&E Home video released, as a part of their Robotech: The Complete Series collection, a 29-minute version of Robotech The Movie containing only footage used from The Southern Cross.
Robotech Wars (1986)
A promotional VHS video created by Matchbox included with the “Robotech Wars” playset. This video includes two episodes entirely from various re-used clips of The Macross Saga. Titled “To the End of the Universe” and “Battle Royale,” these episodes contain no new footage, and are not meant to follow any continuity established in the TV series.
Robotech II: The Sentinels (1987, canceled)
Main article: Robotech II: The Sentinels
This aborted American-produced series would have followed the continuing adventures of Rick and Lisa Hunter and the Robotech Expedition during the events of The Masters and The New Generation. The feature-length pilot is composed of the first three (and only) episodes that were produced. Being a sequel/spinoff to the combined series, The Sentinels featured characters from all three Robotech sagas and introduced the SDF-3 along with an overview of their new mission. The series was planned to have total of 65 episodes.
along with an overview of their new mission. The series was planned to have total of 65 episodes.
In Robotech Art 3: The Sentinels, Macek blamed the cancellation of the series on the crash of the Yen/Dollar exchange rate,which caused toy partner Matchbox to withdraw from the project due to the increased cost. Since Harmony Gold lacked the funds to produce the series on its own, production ceased after only three episodes.
,which caused toy partner Matchbox to withdraw from the project due to the increased cost. Since Harmony Gold lacked the funds to produce the series on its own, production ceased after only three episodes.
Efforts to petition the completion of this series failed, but much of the completed footage—re-edited and rewritten as a feature-length production—was released on VHS by Palladium Booksand on DVD by ADV Films. The completed episodes have never been released in their original form.
and on DVD by ADV Films. The completed episodes have never been released in their original form.
In 2011, a “remastered” version was released on the A&E DVD set, ROBOTECH: THE COMPLETE ORIGINAL SERIES DVD. This version has opening titles resembling those found on the “Robotech Remastered” DVD’s, as well as a new ending with text explaining the fate of the SDF-3. Also, all of the flashback footage used from “The Macross Saga” has been removed, along with re-used footage from the episode “Wedding Bells.”
Robotech III: The Odyssey (proposed)
Macek revealed ideas for another proposed series, Robotech III: The Odyssey, which would have picked up where The New Generation and end of Robotech II: The Sentinels left off, and eventually created a circular storyline that would end where the original Robotech began in a giant 260-episode cycle to fill up all the weekdays in a year. According to Macek, The Odyssey would involved the SDF-3 travelling back into the past to the days before the birth of Zor (as well as Scott Bernard’s search for the SDF-3). The SDF-3′s crew would become citizens of the Robotech Masters’ homeworld and change time by becoming a part of its history. Ultimately, it would be revealed that Lynn Minmei was the mother of Zor, making Minmei the focal point of Robotech. The final episode of the Odyssey would be of Zor dying and his Super Dimension Fortress (the SDF-1) being launched into space, and eventually crash landing on Earth in 1999. The next episode after that would be “Boobytrap”, episode 1 of the original series which in turn will create an endless loop within the Robotech universe. After the failure ofSentinels, Odyssey never went into development, although some of its ideas were worked into the final Jack McKinney novel The End of the Circle, which wrapped up all of the outstanding plot threads left by the original series and the previous Robotech novels.
The End of the Circle, which wrapped up all of the outstanding plot threads left by the original series and the previous Robotech novels.Robotech IV and V (planned)
Fan publication Macross Life interviewed Harmony Gold executive Richard Firth in 1986, where he revealed that Macek had “plans throughROBOTECH 5, which would give us an episode for each day of the year for a year and a half.” He also said that these two installments would have brought the series to 285 episodes. Regarding the plot, Firth mentioned a “retired Commodore Hunter, whom ever that may be, could very well be speaking at the graduation of the later day cadets or whatever, and they ask him to tell them the story all over again: it comes back [to the first episode of the series].”
It should be noted that Macek himself has never mentioned Robotech IV or V in any interviews or writings, and taking the three different “generations” of the original series as separate parts, and the canceled Robotech II: The Sentinels as the “fourth” part, Firth could have simply been referring to the proposed Robotech III: The Odyssey as Robotech 5, since it would technically be the fifth part of the overall saga.
as the “fourth” part, Firth could have simply been referring to the proposed Robotech III: The Odyssey as Robotech 5, since it would technically be the fifth part of the overall saga.Robotech 3000 (2000, canceled)
Main article: Robotech 3000
Macek attempted another sequel with the development of Robotech 3000. This all-CGI series would have been set a millennium in the future of the Robotech universe and feature none of the old series’ characters. In the three-minute trailer, an expedition is sent to check on a non-responsive mining outpost and is attacked by “infected” Veritech mecha. Again, the idea was abandoned midway into production after negative reception within the company, negative fan reactions at the FanimeCon anime convention in 2000, and financial difficulties withinNetter Digital who was animating the show. It now exists only in trailer form on the official Robotech website.
. This all-CGI series would have been set a millennium in the future of the Robotech universe and feature none of the old series’ characters. In the three-minute trailer, an expedition is sent to check on a non-responsive mining outpost and is attacked by “infected” Veritech mecha. Again, the idea was abandoned midway into production after negative reception within the company, negative fan reactions at the FanimeCon anime convention in 2000, and financial difficulties withinNetter Digital who was animating the show. It now exists only in trailer form on the official Robotech website.Robotech UN Public Service Announcement (2005)
A sixty-second public service announcement for the 60th anniversary of the United Nations, featuring Scott Bernard and Ariel, was animated during the production of The Shadow Chronicles. Although it did not use the original voice actors and the dialogue was somewhat out-of-character, it nonetheless marked the first fully completed Robotech footage in many years.
, featuring Scott Bernard and Ariel, was animated during the production of The Shadow Chronicles. Although it did not use the original voice actors and the dialogue was somewhat out-of-character, it nonetheless marked the first fully completed Robotech footage in many years.Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles (2006)
Main article: Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles
In 2002, director Tommy Yune announced development of a new sequel movie, which was untitled until 2004 as Robotech: Shadow Force. The storyline overlaps with and continues from the unresolved ending of the original series. The title of the story-arc was soon changed toRobotech: The Shadow Chronicles. The first trailers with finished animation were shown at Anime Expo and Comic-Con International in 2005. It was not until February 2006, when Kevin McKeever, operations coordinator at Harmony Gold, was able to confirm that the pilot movie had been completed. After a series of delays, FUNimation Entertainment was finally announced as the home video, broadcast, and theatrical distributor at the 2006 Comic-Con International in San Diego. Harmony Gold premiered the movie at various film festivals in 2006, and it was first seen by a public audience at MechaCon on August 9, 2006, where it was showcased as a charity screening to help raise funds for the ongoing Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita recovery effort. A limited theatrical run followed in January 2007, and the film was released on DVD on February 6, 2007. A 2-disc collector’s edition was released in November 2007.
announced development of a new sequel movie, which was untitled until 2004 as Robotech: Shadow Force. The storyline overlaps with and continues from the unresolved ending of the original series. The title of the story-arc was soon changed toRobotech: The Shadow Chronicles. The first trailers with finished animation were shown at Anime Expo and Comic-Con International in 2005. It was not until February 2006, when Kevin McKeever, operations coordinator at Harmony Gold, was able to confirm that the pilot movie had been completed. After a series of delays, FUNimation Entertainment was finally announced as the home video, broadcast, and theatrical distributor at the 2006 Comic-Con International in San Diego. Harmony Gold premiered the movie at various film festivals in 2006, and it was first seen by a public audience at MechaCon on August 9, 2006, where it was showcased as a charity screening to help raise funds for the ongoing Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita recovery effort. A limited theatrical run followed in January 2007, and the film was released on DVD on February 6, 2007. A 2-disc collector’s edition was released in November 2007.Robotech: Shadow Rising (planned, delayed)
On July 27, 2007, at their Comic-Con International panel, Harmony Gold and Yune unveiled the second entry of the Shadow Chroniclesproduction, titled Robotech: Shadow Rising which will be another feature movie. Pre-production reportedly began and a projected release date of sometime in 2009 was originally expected. However, subsequent announcements in mid-2008 have made it clear that little-or-no progress has been made on the film, and it has been indefinitely postponed, pending developments with the live-action film, which itself has been mired in development problems for nearly half a decade.
Unofficial and parody productions
In the 1990s, Seishun Shitemasu, an anime fandubbing group, produced the parodies “Robotech III: Not Necessarily the Sentinels” and “Robotech IV: Khyron’s Counterattack,” using footage from, respectively, Gunbuster/Aim For The Top! and Gundam: Char’s Counterattack, continuing the tradition of the original Robotech’s adaptation of unrelated anime series into a single continuity.
, an anime fandubbing group, produced the parodies “Robotech III: Not Necessarily the Sentinels” and “Robotech IV: Khyron’s Counterattack,” using footage from, respectively, Gunbuster/Aim For The Top! and Gundam: Char’s Counterattack, continuing the tradition of the original Robotech’s adaptation of unrelated anime series into a single continuity.
In 2010, a Chinese animated series titled Astro Plan was released. Fan-edited videos of the series were produced to make it look like a newRobotech title.
titled Astro Plan was released. Fan-edited videos of the series were produced to make it look like a newRobotech title.Proposed live-action film
On September 7, 2007, The Hollywood Reporter stated that Warner Bros. had acquired the film rights to Robotech and would be producing a live-action film with an as-yet-unknown release date.[14] Tobey Maguire is producing the film through his Maguire Entertainment banner and is pursuing the lead role in what the studio plans on being a tentpole science fiction franchise.
stated that Warner Bros. had acquired the film rights to Robotech and would be producing a live-action film with an as-yet-unknown release date.[14] Tobey Maguire is producing the film through his Maguire Entertainment banner and is pursuing the lead role in what the studio plans on being a tentpole science fiction franchise.We are very excited to bring Robotech to the big screen. There is a rich mythology that will be a great foundation for a sophisticated, smart and entertaining film.—Tobey Maguire,
In an interview, Harmony Gold representative Kevin McKeever said that Warner Brothers had approached Harmony Gold about the project, that Harmony Gold would have “a say” in its creative direction, and that it was not expected to affect the production schedule for Shadow Rising. He was unable to confirm any details of budget, casting, expected release date, or storyline, explaining that it was too early in the life of the project for these things to have been decided.
. He was unable to confirm any details of budget, casting, expected release date, or storyline, explaining that it was too early in the life of the project for these things to have been decided.
In June 2008, it was reported that Lawrence Kasdan (Raiders of the Lost Ark, Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, and The Bodyguard) had been hired to write the film, with Charles Roven (Afro Samurai, Get Smart, The Dark Knight) and Akiva Goldsman joining Tobey Maguire as producers.
(Raiders of the Lost Ark, Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, and The Bodyguard) had been hired to write the film, with Charles Roven (Afro Samurai, Get Smart, The Dark Knight) and Akiva Goldsman joining Tobey Maguire as producers.
During the Robotech Panel at Anime Expo 2008, the involvement of Tobey Maguire and Lawrence Kasdan was confirmed, with Kasdan writing the script for the live action movie. Tommy Yune also revealed that the movie is planned as a re-imagining of the original Robotech universe (with new updated mecha and character designs) and will take place several years in the future, departing from the original cartoon’s 2009 setting.
also revealed that the movie is planned as a re-imagining of the original Robotech universe (with new updated mecha and character designs) and will take place several years in the future, departing from the original cartoon’s 2009 setting.
As of November 2008, Alfred Gough and Miles Millar (who both worked in Smallville, Spider-Man 2, Herbie: Fully Loaded, and The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor) are the set writers for the film.
and Miles Millar (who both worked in Smallville, Spider-Man 2, Herbie: Fully Loaded, and The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor) are the set writers for the film.
Due to undisclosed reasons, Roven is currently no longer working on the proposed film adaptation of the Robotech animated series. Roven also announced that he wishes the remaining producers, Akiva Goldsman and Tobey Maguire, “fantastic luck” on the project.
The Mania.com website reported recently that British television writer and novelist Tom Rob Smith “has taken over writing duties” for the proposed film adaptation of the Robotech animated series. Smith wrote for the British soaps Family Affairs and Bad Girls before writing a critically acclaimed crime suspense novel called Child 44. Smith will be the fourth writer or writing team to be reportedly attached to the upcoming film’s pre-production.
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