Robotech II: The Sentinels

by Nathan Stout (of AccordingToWhim.com)

You know, I'm not fancy... I don't wax eloquently about stuff using 'ten dollar words'. I'm no analyst of content... I'm here to have fun.

In my research for covering The Sentinels I have run across many websites/blogs/etc... where would-be Shakespeares go on about each and every detail of Robotech. They do it good and in depth... well that's not what you are going to find here. You are going to find 'Robotech-lite'... "tastes great, less filling". Quite frankly I begin to read these sites and get overwhelmed and bored quickly. We live in a society of speed and short attention spans and that's what I am trying to do here. I don't give you big synopsis (you already read/watched/listened to it, why do I need to retell?) or in-depth analysis. I give you what I think is funny and/or interesting (and I do it quickly). That's why you will be and out of my each of my blog posts in a matter of a few short minutes.

Carry on...

The Sentinels! Woohoo!

I am using (as my source here) the E3 bonus disc of the original release of the Robotech DVD set. Also on this disc is the bonus 'commentary' by Carl Macek. It really isn't commentary (he is reading a very short book he wrote about the making of The Sentinels). It is very interesting to learn how The Sentinels was made, and how ground breaking it would have been (in the business of Japanese/American animation collaboration) so give it a listen if you can.

On with the fun stuff!

At the beginning of the first episode Jack is in his training module and a new version of the Zentraedi battlepod comes up out of the water. For some reason I never really noticed it (being a different design of battlepod). Refer to the Robotech RPG Sentinels Sourcebook to get a good look.

Edwards is sitting in his quarters watching the press conference, his mask is off. He doesn't look bad at all! Why wear that monstrosity of a mask?! It's just a flesh wound...

Minmei shows up at the dress shop... she looks pretty close to her Macross original design.

I guess they couldn't get the same narrator from the original series. Although the new guy isn't bad at all.

Doesn't the Invid's Inorganics look a bit (ok, a whole lot) like Zillion's baddies?

Ok, why doe the cougar mecha explode on contact with the cliff face when they fall but you can drop a mountain on the Odeon and they are fine? The Invid really short changed the cougars when they made them.

Back on Earth the gang prepares for space travel to head up to the satellite. That sure sounds like Kyle's voice in the control room! And look at that one guy, he looks like old Max! Infact there are a lot of re-used voice actors placed here and there and it can throw you off sometimes.

Now I know they didn't get the rights to use the Macross character designs but somehow they got the rights to use the Macross footage, that is odd.** Ok, so after listening to Carl Macek commentary, it wasn't that they didn't get the rights... apparently Macross is just one of those series you don't touch, a revered show and the designers didn't want anyone to think they were working on a sequel to Macross (they even went so far as to use code names for characters... which doesn't make much sense since the American version had totally different names). That is why everyone looks so different (most of all Breetai and Exedore).

In the flash back that Rick has we see a bit of footage that was cut from the original Robotech cartoon. Rick fires on the Zentraedi solider several times but you never see the shots go in... here we see the full scene!

Rick's memory is very hazy here. Lisa looks dismayed after she is grabbed by the Zentraedi solider (because originally she dropped the video recorder). That important fact is not here. Then after Rick saves her, she is crying and says that she didn't know what she'd do without Rick... uh... that is NOT the way it happened. She was crying because the video evidence was lost when the recorder fell. Rick was just remembering with rose colored glasses I guess...

It is a true pitty they didn't get the original voice actors back for Breetai and Miriya. They 2 new people just don't so the characters justice. Miriya might as well be someone totally different.

When Edwards goes on and on to Benson about Rick Hunter, Benson looks far less naive than in the comics. I was on the fence about him being coherenced into working with Edwards... now, not so much.

Lang (among others) keep saying RDF, not REF. There are a couple of other messed up bits of identification later too (like when Shock Troopers are called Enforcers).

Rick asks Breetai and Exedore about the physical size of the Masters... really? I know it is simply exposition but still...

Rem getting into that Invid Shock Trooper is pretty cool. Where the heck is the Invid who was in it though?

The REF flight helmets are pretty unimpressive. Also, the wings of the Beta look too long.

Was it just me or did the Invid Regent keep changing the number of fingers on his hands (sometimes 4, sometimes 5).

On Jack's wedding invitation is says Lisa's real name is Elizabeth! It also says Rick's middle initial is A.

The Invid invasion of the capital of Tirol is pretty awesome. Great animation and lots of action.

There is a large amount of shamelessly re-used animation from Max and Miriya's wedding during Rick and Lisa's wedding. There is even a shot of the bridge of the SDF-1 from that old footage! For shame!

If The Sentinels had continued and no other source (comic/RPG/books) tipped it, what a cool surprise it would have been to discover Janice was an android!

Robotech Episodes 31 - 36

by Nathan Stout (of AccordingToWhim.com)

Episode #31 Khyron's Revenge

The animation looks pretty rough. I know these last episodes were tacked on but it does look unusually rough here at the beginning.

In the second scene the Masters decide on their ultimate fate: to spend the 15 years to travel to Earth (meanwhile developing one of the Zor clones along the way). This major story point was probably above the heads of kids back then but what did they care?!

The mechanical animation of this episode is rough but the character animation is really good.

Rick is a short dude but the Mayor of New Detroit looks like a midget compared to him!

Oh crap, there's Kyle again! What, Khyron is wearing the same clothes? Sheesh.

New Detroit gets EVERYTHING it deserves! Ha!

Rick's Left Wing pilot looks funny.

With every one's use of the term Protoculture (i.e. Protoculture chamber) it seems the populace knows about this mystic material.

Gloval goes on this imaginary tale about how Protoculture came about. It's totally wrong but whatever. Now I realize that as far as the cartoon goes, that is the story and it was only additional materials that turned that story on it's head.

I find the whole conversation by all the RDF guys pure speculation and totally unnecessarily. It seemed like a lot of time filler.

When Kyle takes off in the car with Minmei in the back seat he hands something to her and says 'here, hold this'. I wonder what that was...

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Episode #32 Broken Heart 

The battle scene a the beginning is kinda strange. They use strange terms and Lisa looks different.

What the heck is Lisa doing right there in the middle of the action?

The Zentraedi riding on the Battlepods look cool.

When the bad guys attack the concert hall why don't the Zentraedi in the audience fight back? They are warriors. It appears that if you give up the warrior lifestyle you become a weak and feeble.

Khyron talks about wanting to leave the planet while in the comic he longs to rejoin the Masters.

When Rick jumps into his jet during the Star Saver operation the cockpit is WAY over sized! It's huge!

Where did Khyron get chicken legs THAT big?! I wonder if you could put a regular sized chicken leg in a sizing chamber... That would solve the world's starving masses!

Those forks that make up Kyle's and Minmei's cage have gaps big enough to crawl through.

The lighting of the cigarette with the auto cannon is great. However that Zentraedi is waring a completely different uniform.

Azonia rides her mecha like a true lady; side saddle.

I can't believe that Khyron's little troop could hold up against that many MAC II Monsters.

Rick's Guardian takes the lid off Minmie's prison but then a few moments later we see him rip if off again.

At the end Minmei has to run a looooong way to get to Rick. She seems to be running forever.

Rick super leaps into his Guardian.

What's with Lisa's look at the very end of the episode? Strange...

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Episode #33 A Rainy Night

Sure Claudia... tea... sure it is... lol.

I freeze-framed the shot where Rick is climbing out of his Veritech. Something didn't look quite right. What looks like the 'head' lasers are way too high on his plane. They are on the side of the body. In fact his debarking ladder goes between the lasers... strange.

Vanessa's thought about Lisa being hung up on Rick is very perceptive. Rick seems genuinely surprised when Vanessa tells him Lisa is in love with him. Is he THAT dense?!

Rick's curtains are very transparent, he better not run around the house naked.

Lisa sure puts that Burgundy away. This is a very adult scene in a kids show. I wonder if any parents just happened to be watching when this scene happened (and I wonder what they thought)?

Claudia (in her remembrance of her waiting for Roy when he shows up with a carload of girls) looks at her watch in a strange way. She looks at the inside of her wrist. This is how I used to wear a watch (back before phones took over). I didn't wear them because of Claudia! My brother used to wear his that way and I did followed his lead)

When Claudia remembers giving Roy back his presents you can see the 'under construction' SDF-1 in the background!

When Roy meets Claudia outside in the rain he seems to have grown up from earlier in the day when he looked WAYYYYYY younger.
Claudia and Lisa are both earring fuzzy green house slippers.

It seems in the future phones got bigger, Claudia's is pretty big.
Rick's uniform changes color while he and Lisa walk home... its Robotechnology!

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Episode #34 Private Time

I always thought that when Lisa is chewing that little squiggle line looks funny.

I'm sure that map she looks at can clue me in to where the show's creators placed New Macross but I can't bother to find it out.

Rick is such a BUTT HEAD! Why would you do that??!!!! The book makes Rick a bit less jerk-like with his thoughts of quickly getting back to Lisa, but the Rick from the show just ditches Lisa... jerk!

Lisa has the patience of a rock! I'd have left a half hour after Rick didn't turn up.

The piano player just replays the same song after we come back from checking in on Lisa.

Oh no... Kyle! Rick just lets him be an ass to Minmei, what a wimp.

When Rick drinks he is the kind of person who is a 'sad drunk'.

Communication officer Mitchell is the Velma of Robotech.

The Zentraedi shooting at tiny humans is gruesome!

The Zentraedi shoot at Rick's Gladiator and the bolts do nothing! It's like Rick has the power to make the useless Gladiator a real fighting machine.

The character art changes in this episode from shot to shot. It looks like different companies worked on this episode.

Cooking?! Lisa made sandwiches... that is not cooking.

Rick has the AUDACITY to wrap his new 'cheater scarf' around Lisa! J E R K!!!

Kyle says Minmei is going to sing her latest hit 'We Will Win'. Uhhhhh 2 issues:
1.) The music that starts up is Stagefright.
2.) We Will Win was first performed over 2 years ago! Latest hit?! We call that 'A HAS BEEN'.

Kyle finally leaves! Woooohoooo! Its sad but at the same time... its party time!

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Episode #35 Seasons Greetings

How is it Khyron started in the snow and now he is in the Amazon?

Zentraedi working on the ship? I thought they couldn't fix anything?

Evil Santa giving out black balloons!

Whoa, it's a black pilot! The RDF finally stopped being racist (or something)...

You can tell this animation team did the first episodes. The character's have their original looks.

Rico, Konda, and Bron's booth is labeled Toys, Plastics. Which brilliant marketing minds thought that would entice kids? Perhaps the former spies did it, they might not know what might work.

What's up with Rick's apron? And look, he is wearing those popular fuzzy slippers.

In Rick's apartment you can see that little radio he used to have back on the SDF-1, remember when he was in the hospital and he was listening to Minmie on it?

Claudia runs to the bar to drink to Roy's memory... Ut oh, Lisa runs into relationship problems and hits the bottle!

Minmie in Rick's shirt, sitting in bed looks HOT!

The animation is great in this episode!

Hey, the store clerk has the same radio as Rick.

The radio report (which takes place 'late into the night') says that the first attacks took place six hours earlier. If you remember they attacked on Christmas morning... Its Robotechnology!

The moment of spirituality in this episode WOULD NOT BE ALLOWED in a cartoon now-a-days.

There's the SDF-1 (being lit up with Christmas lights), but where o where is the SDF-2?

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Robotech Episodes 13-18

by Nathan Stout (of AccordingToWhim.com)

I have just finished the book that covers these six episodes of the series. I decided to read first, then watch the show. Next time I will watch the show, read just that part of the book that the episode covers then read the corresponding comic. I figure that this will give me a selection of the 'best' way to experience Robotech in my year long Robotech-Bonanza! By the way, we just made it half way through the year (this last Sunday) so I better pick up steam! Click here if you need background on what the heck I am doing...

Episode #13 Blue Wind

The seat things that the bridge officer's have at their consoles always looked cool to me. I know it took extra effort to add that to the animation and I appreciate that.

Rick's neck at the escape de-briefing is suuuuupppppppeeeer long.

The officer's at the de-breifing are rat bastards!

Max and Rick are midgets compared to Ben.

During the ceremony the music the Robotech theme. Talk about busting down the 4th wall...

Although Khyron was a necessary plot device I never did care for him. It probably stems from the fact that I don't care for the battle scenes and that's pretty much what Khyron was all about.

When Rico, Konda, and Bron start floating they Konda looks totally different. It's like some other animators did this scene and they didn't know what the characters looked like.

Once again the Zentraedi shoot themselves in the foot and a near victory is stopped.

The splash down of the SDF-1 is probably the best the animation company could do for the day and age (and money). Wouldn't a remake of the series be awesome (like the new Space Battleship Yamato series)?

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Episode #14 Gloval's Report

Uuuuuuuugggggggggggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

I will comment that there is a little bit of new animation in this episode. Mainly Gloval talking into his computer (which appears to me to be something like Dragon Dictation... man they were ahead of their time), and the other new bit is when Lisa comes in with coffee. Other than that it's all reused footage (some not seen in the American version) with re-recorded dialogue (which in some cases changes the context of the scene).

 

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Episode #15 Homecoming

This episode wins the award for having the most densely packed story of any episode thus far (and probably to come). It's the story to Rick and Minmei's trip to Japan and Gloval and Lisa's trip to Alaska base.

The SDF-1 made it back to earth and people are partying like it's 1999... or something.

In Alaska while Lisa and Gloval are in the lift there is this strange bit of dialogue where they seems to talk over each other and nothing makes sense. If you watch it you will see what I am talking about.

Minmei is in FULL brat mode at this point. If people were on the fence about hating here this episode probably pushed them over.

Minmei's dad is a real punk too. I can see why she liked to hang out with her Aunt Lena and Uncle Max.

This is the fateful episode where Lynn Kyle shows his ugly mug. What a pain in the butt! I think Minmei and him were a perfect match and they should have just married... oops I'm getting ahead of myself.

In Alaska the UEG act like little babies and dismiss the SDF-1 as big trouble and nothing more. Just like any real government they hid the alien attack from the world and told everyone that the ship and all the people on the island are dead. This makes returning the people impossible. This is a great story element and really adds to the cool-factor of this show. I can't imagine how little kids viewed this episode but caters to the older viewer in a big way.

Chris and I watched this episode together so we could talk about it on one of our audio shows (According To Whim). We then went on to talk about an interesting story he had to relay about his job. Here is the audio show. If you want to hear more of our show check out page. We have been doing it for more than 10 years now!

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Episode #16 Battlecry

During the intro the narrator says that Minmei's parents convince Kyle to go back with Minmei to look out for her, but if you remember it was Kyle's idea and her parents reluctantly agreed.

Kyle's mom shows more emotion than Minmei's at their child's return.

The scene where the Zentraedi spies break the glass and try to eat the display food is one of my favorites in the whole series. I don't know why it always stuck with me. It was probably because it was one of those moments where I realized that a cartoon about robots and war could have a story that's just as good as all the action.

Lisa's Kyle psychosis begins here, ugh.

Hey, there's Jason! We haven't seen him in forever! He hasn't grown in an inch in more than a year... must be space that stunted his growth.

When the fight in the White Dragon begins the tables all vanish! Oh, there they are again.

Right before the break Max asks if Kyle is real or is he (Max) crazy and Rick answers... 'yes'. WTF?

On Azonia's ship that person who tells her Khyron is heading to the SDF-1 sounds alot like a man!

Lisa's emotions for Rick are getting stronger... or it could be the Kyle psychosis.

Once again Destroids are being wiped out left and right.

For as cheesy the animation looks at times (the B team of animators) this episode is pretty good. It has drama and action in just the right measure.

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Episode #17 Phantasm

This episode is just above Gloval's Report in tediousness. Where Gloval's Report is 95% reused footage Phantasm is somewhere around 70% but at least it has a different story behind the reused footage.

Rick has been injured after the battle in the last episode 'near bird island' (as the narrator points out).

The episode uses previous footage but as I said before it's not a retelling, the story is totally different (Rick's dreams).

Sammie's line of 'stupid' as opposed to 'lecher' fits better. I'm glad that's sorted.

I find it interesting that his whole psyche revolves around rescuing Minmei. As much as a throwaway episode this was the premise of what goes on in Rick's mind is interesting.

"I've been sorta wondering though... what's all this gonna cost me?" This is the best line of the episode.

There's not much you can nitpick 'reality' or 'continuity' wise since it's a dream (like when Max says he needs to switch back to Guardian but pulls down the B control).

The hospital beds in the SDF-1 are HUGE!

Chris and I like saying to each other "Yes Rick, only a dream."

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Episode #18 Farwell Big Brother

Oh, the bed has shrunk back down a bit.

The nurses in the hospital wear really REALLY short skirts. I guess they figure it's good for the male patients. lol.

Lisa's visit to Rick's room was flat out rude. Lisa might be a little confused but that's no reason to be a jerk.

The present Roy gives Rick is only half wrapped. Talk about lazy!

The Minmei doll the spies steal isn't very big but it appears to grow in size once they smuggle it back on the Zentraedi ship.

Since males and females are forbidden to interact in the Zentraedi culture why do we always see them talking to eachother over the video screens?

Right before the forces engage each other there is a shot on the bridge of the SDF-1 on the Vanessa's display screen. You can see the SDF-1 'standing' on the ocean floor. I've never noticed that... cool.

Once again a female Zentraedi in Myria's group sounds like a man.

Ut oh, Rick's bed has grown again. Perhaps it knew Minmei was about to show up... he he he.

I like Rick's house slippers.

An enemy ship gaining  access to the city inside the SDF-1 is AWESOME. The panic and anxiety everyone experiences is cool.

Minmei's manager seems to be wearing house slippers too.

I have always wondered what the techs working Roy's Veritech saw in the cockpit. I wonder if they show it in Macross?

The point then Roy dies is a pivotal moment in the success and the legacy of Robotech. This sort of thing just didn't happen in cartoons and much has been written about it. Go research it if you don't believe me.

It's at this point in the series that Roboteh gets increasingly better and better. The story line start maturing even more and it really goes from being a 'battle the aliens' show to a war show about the people involved in it.

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Licensing in the Robotech Universe

by Nathan Stout (of According To Whim.com)

Robotech seems to be the victim of cheesy licensing. I guess back in the 80's it wasn't too much of a big deal who you gave your license to. As long as the money came in, you were good. I think George Lucas changed that with his Star Wars lines in the late 80's through today. Perhaps it was just inevitable that rights holders would pick and choose and have final say over what their creations showed up on. Back to George, apparently Lucas chose to take (as part of his pay on Star Wars) the rights to the merchandising. THAT was a master stroke. He raked in the money with everything from the toys to party supplies. Over the years I have heard that Lucasfilm has been very picky about who they grant licensing to and what products come out (and the quality of those products).

Robotech (as a brand) was and is held by Harmony Gold. Harmony Gold sold Robotech out like a cheap pimp back in the day. There was the usual products sporting the Robotech theme such as party goods, toys, and the like but they didn't seem to care who bought those right or how well (or poorly) those products were.

This blog is about some of the items that Harmony Gold let their Robotech brand get slapped on. First I will pick the biggest chunk of the licensing... the toys. Matchbox bought the rights to the line and boy o boy did they do a job on that! Robotech figures were... how shall I say it... poorly executed. Sure, this was the early 80's but there were plenty of examples of how to do an action figure RIGHT. It looks like Matchbox chose to pick the G.I. Joe line as the basis for their figures. The construciton looks very similar but the end result is hideous...

The seem to have been built alright but the oversized heads and the short torsos made them look like circus freaks. The other toys in the line like the ships all appear to be re-releases from their Japanese counterparts which means the look pretty badass.

So the action figures and vehicles were alright (not great but not too bad). Where Harmony Gold really dropped the ball was pretty much everywhere else. I am not including the Comico comics in this since they seemed to be about par for comic books at the time.

Here is some examples of what I am talking about. First up is an old favorite... Have you ever seen those stoybooks that came with tapes or records, a read-along book?

The Robotech read-along was made by Peter Pan and it is quickly apparent that whoever produced this item did not know anything about Robotech. I won't even mention the art work inside. If you are interested in checking out the inside of the book, read it here at the 'Let's Anime' Blog. Thanks to them for the image above.

My next item is a 'Press and Stick' Robotech set. Look at this thing...

Most notibly the SDF-1 is upside down, you are seeing the bottom of it. No biggie but it is apparent that the producers of this set didn't realize the art was a bottom up view of the ship. Did I mention that an Alpha fighter is marked as a Veritech. It's just another example of a company that knows nothing about Robotech putting out a Robotech product. Oh yeah, and why the hell is Henry Gloval in there? He is a captian, not an action-type charcter. I guess smoking a pipe is action enough.

Oh crap! That would scare me to death on Halloween.

Next on my list is are not even poorly made items, just stuff that has NOTHING to do with Robotech at all! This stuff just seems to be random toys that Harmony Gold said 'sure, go ahead, slap the Robtech name on it'.

What the heck are these???

Huh?

 

What the???

Aqua-what?

Uh, cool but what the heck?

So I figure you get the picture here. Harmony Gold was out for the quick cash and knew that they better get while the gettin' was good. As a fan and sometimes collector I find all this fun but dissapointing at the same time. By the way the gun shown in this last picture has a bit of a history to itself. The white part was modified and used to make the guns the aliens used in the 80's TV series 'V'.

 ♪The Women of Robotech ♪

Do yourself a favor and click on the link above. These are classic commercials! I particuarly enjoy the last one on the video. Dana Sterling kicks ass during the day killing so many of the Master's troops then spend the afternoon working out. Also, notice how Rick Hunter is such a man-whore.