Robotech Episodes 25 - 30

by Nathan Stout (of AccordingToWhim.com)

Episode #25 Wedding Bells

Out of all of the events of Robotech (with all it's weirdness including the dinosaurs in that episode of the New Generation) the battle between Miriya and Max in the park then the sudden marriage proposal is the most unbelievable. Sure, it's dramatic and makes good action but it stretches things a bit.

The sword fighting with knives is a bit much too. Oh well... lol.

The cafe place everyone is hanging out in is pretty cool, lots of windows. Rick acts like a total ass then totally turns on a dime when Miriya shows up. Women have that affect on him.

Within a day Miriya goes from queen bitch to a petite, polite bell when introduced to Rick.

My wife just made the observation that Breetai sounds like Moltar from Space Ghost Coast to Coast.

Of course Minmei has to butt into the wedding. She is such an attention hog.

Well, the final order comes down from Dolza to destroy the SDF-1. It's about time. When people rush from the wedding the door sounds like the doors from Star Trek. Also when the guy tells Max that he doesn't have to go into battle the person running in front of him repeats again and again.

Who in the hell who let Miriya into a Veritech? A: she is a non-combatant B: she is a former alien spy.

When the Zentraedi leave after the battle Gloval says a few line and his hat is HUGE! Also when they show the bridge the 'B' team is on duty but when the order to return is given it's Claudia. I guess she showed up at the end of the battle or something.

"You cooked the coffee pot!" I love that line. Also, why is Rick sleeping in his uniform?

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Episode #26 The Messenger

When Breetai's ship shows up it still has the hole from the Dadelus attack in the front. That's cool that they remembered it.

The scene with Exedore in the conference room was cut from my 6 episode FHE VHS version of the show. When I finally got the Laser Disc version of the series I got to see this. I laughed so hard! I can't believe I missed out on this scene for so many years! When Exedore gets up and sings Stagefright I just about pee my pants!

Does Lynn Kyle ever change clothes? Stinky old hippie.

The UEG are just dying to fire off their Grand Cannon. Even with peace on the horizon.

Gloval's hat isn't the only thing that seems to have grown, his collar is giant! He could go hang gliding with that thing!

Azonia tells Breetai that the 'main fleet' is going to show up. I thought Breetai had the 'main fleet'...

The UEG base at the Grand Cannon is huge. There is a highway and what looks like a virtual city down there.

Of course Minmei breaks into a song in the conference room... sheesh!

Here it is! The big one! Things are getting serious... then, oh man the episode ends.

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Episode #27 Force of Arms

You can tell this was the original end of the series. The animation is EXCELLENT.

FINALLY! Rick tells Minmei he loves her... took you long enough.

We get to see the inside of the MAC II Monster here. When it walks it ruins the deck...that sucks.

The Earth is practically wiped out. It kinda sucked that we don't see much close up action of that happening, it's such a big event you'd think more detail would be shown. They even reused SDF-1 landing footage. There are some appropriate reaction from everyone but it could have been drawn out a little longer. Its shortness kinda sucks some of the life out of the event. The audio editing (with Minmei's song) is kinda bad.

The death of the army guy and the little girl is chilling and horrifying. Time to get little Johnny another appointment with the shrink.

The use of Minmei's singing (and kiss) to disrupt the enemy forces is brilliant.

Every one's lack of emotional distress at the near destruction of Earth is a little distracting.

After the break there are some excellent shots of the RDF forces getting ready to attack.
The 'We Will Win' song fits the final battle perfectly. This was a great decision on the part of the US team.

Having to watch your parent get blasted away like Lisa does sucks!

How in the world is Lisa the only person still alive in the whole of the UEG base. That place was giant.

That was an ship from Orguss on the deck of the SDF-1... how did that get there?

It's sad to see Macross city get blasted.

When the SDF-1 enters Dolza's main base you can see Dolza standing in front of the big screen for just a moment then he vanishes.

The SDF-1 falls to Earth, bruised and battered. It's an awesome final image.

This was supposed to be the end of the series but it became so popular that more episodes were ordered. It was a very fitting ending but it would have been much better spread out over a couple of episodes, it seemed so rushed (the animation still rocked)!

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Episode #28 Reconstruction Blues

We pick up 2 years later in this episode. The residents have left the SDF-1 and are now seem to be the bulk fo whats left of civilization. Fitting considering clivilization sent them off to be a sacrifice during the final battle.

The voice actor for The New generation's Rand is the voice of Bobby and his lines are delivered like someone about to go to sleep.

For some reason Rick and Lisa STILL have not hooked up. They have this weird relationship that makes Rick look like a bastard. Lisa hangs around while the uncaring Rick goes about his business.

Rick remembers Roy's speech 'on the day he signed up' but we see the day Rick met Roy on the day the SDF-1 originally took off. All that battle caused Rick some memory issues.

Minmei sings a song you hardly ever hear during the series while she is in Granite City. Something about 'making the right moves at the right times'. It's not on the Robotech soundtrack so its really rare. Oh yeah, then there is Lynn Kyle with that same freaking purple suit!

During Minmei and Kyle's fight, Minmei finally sounds grown up. Gone is the loopy young girl and in her place is a serious and slightly depressed young adult.

At the end of the New Portland battle there is a shot of the Zentraedi invasion into the SDF-1 from wayyyy back eariler in the series. It was really out of place.

Now 'Admiral' Gloval talks to Rick about putting the Zentraedi into a quarantine area like the SDF-1. This got me thinking about the size of the SDF-1. In earlier episodes it looks to be fairly small when you compare it to a ship like Breetai's and if you remember the size of the carriers it uses as its 'arms' you can get a scale of of the ship. A full size Zentraedi would take up a lot of room in the SDF-1. In fact it doesn't seem like you could get very many full size Zentraedi inside the SDF-1 at all.

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Episode #29 The Robotech Masters

We begin this episode with a boring scene with the Robotech Masters. This is an early taste of the boredom headed our way during the 2nd Robotech war that is just a few episodes away.

Afterwards we get the narrator for a while in a rather depressing monologue.

Oh, look Kyle is wearing something different, what an early Christmas gift! After they have their spat in the car Kyle is 'kind' enough to let Minmei off at the city line... what?! What a turd!

During the RDF meeting Lang is talking but it's someone elses voice. It is obviously Lang but I guess they didn't want him to be the one that argued with so they changed his voice.

When Minmei is thinking about Rick she has a very different memory of what happened in those episodes.

Minmei gets up in the morning and walks about Macross. There is this nice direction where we see all these characters going about their morning rituals/jobs. Rick is running and the former spies are delivering their laundry. Rico now has glasses, that is a cool that the artist have changed a character's look. You usually don't see that sort of thing. Did I mention that met the voice actor that did the part for Rico AND I got him to autograph my Robotech novel Force of Arms?

Bam! Minmei runs into Rick and Lisa, what a soap opera moment!

The voice of Destroid pilot Dan is also the voice of Rand. That guy was working overtime.

Ugh, Khyron is back. Geraro's voice has changed from way back when he was overseeing the gravity mines on Mars.

At the concert that Rand voice actor is back as some usher or something.

Exedore makes a gross over exaggeration when he says that the Robotech factory can make ships that can destroy the Earth in one shot, we never see any of that later.

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Episode #30 Viva Miyira

The boosters attached to the shuttles are gigantic!

Are you telling me that the RDF developed a special pod for Max and Miriya's kid?

Before Breetai folds in space we see some computer screens and there is English on the screen and it is utter gobble-de-gook. You can read some of it but it is just junk.

Ugh... more Roboteh Masters.

I like how Miriya asks if she and Max will ever be able to touch lips again.

Then we see Miriya flying with Dana just sitting on her lap... how dangerous!

I don't want to rag on the series but at this point you can tell it's just a some tacked-on stories to keep it going. There is no real emotional connection to what is happening because there is no real threat. The RDF seems to be going out of it's way to find trouble. The writers did what they could, eh?

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Book 5: Robotech: Force of Arms

by Nathan Stout (of AccordingToWhim.com)

The next book in my year+ long look at Robotech is the fifth book in the Del Ray series Robotech: Force of Arms. This book covers episodes 19-24 which cover the big events of the first Robotech War. Before we go on you will undoubtedly notice that I now am calling this my 'year+ long look at Robotech' as opposed to my 'year long look at Robotech'. As the middle of the year zipped by I started to figure out that my schedule will not permit me to finish this within the year. This will probably drag into the majority of 2013 now. No big deal but I would have liked to have completed this task before the year was out so I could read other stuff. Watching the show is a breeze but the reading of the books and the comics have become a real time drag. Oh well, more Robotech fun!

This is the big one... the book covers the near destruction of the human (and Zentraedi) race. After the events of the Zentraedi attack the story takes this lurch of 2 years and slows way down. Yeah, I know this is all spoiler material but you probably know everything that happens anyway, right?

This is also the book that covers the fun events of Max and Miyira's meeting and wedding. Wow, a lot happens here. The novel does a lot to explain some of the weirdness of their meeting like the fact that Max meets this stranger in a park at night and why all the sudden he falls so in love he doesn't care that she is trying to kill him.

They fall in love and marry and all that jazz. Suddenly the military lets Miyira get in a Veritech and fly around with him in battle?! Does anyone find that a bit strange? The author does his best to explain it but you can only do so much.

As you know I have had my suspicions as to who was writing which book (Daley or Luceno). It used to be somewhat obvious but now I am not 100% sure. I would bet that Daley did this book but he didn't stick so closely to the show like he did before.

Back to the action: so Max and Miyira are in the battle and she tells him to shoot the pods so the pilot will survive. What Miyira does is more cruel to the Zentraedi pilots that just blowing them up. She is basically disabling the pod, stranding the pilot in deep space to presumably to die of starvation. They are a warrior race that seems to care little for their troops. Do you really think higher-ups will bother to go retrieve a few measly pods? I doubt it. Also, these are warriors, to deprive them of a honorable death in battle is humiliating! That Miyira... what a bitch!

During Rick's rescue of Lisa (in the show) his canopy gets broken. It's very faint (thanks to the fact that is transparent) but you can see it. In the book this doesn't happen. I think the source tape the author was watching was bad enough for him to miss this fact.

In the final attack of the SDF-1 on Dolza's headquarters the main gun is NEVER used. I just found that interesting since it was always such an important part of the ships offense and the storyline.

In the show several direct hits on the SDF-1 and the destruction of Macross City. It looks like they animated the destructing at 32 frames a second (twice as normal). It is kinda heart wrenching but the book just mentions it briefly.

When the SDF-1 launches it final attack and turns on the shield barrier the book never mentions that this is the same overload type explosion that happened to Ontario. A very clever twist by the writers. The book says the alliance attacks Dolz'a base's reflex drive. This just sucks. The deliberate use of the faulty overloading shield is much cooler.

Dolza seems to change his mind at the last second when he sees the power (and cunning) of the SDF-1 in the hands of the humans. I doubt this behavior would be the Zentraedi way. Again (as in an earlier book) the Zentraedi high-command considers attacking their masters (the Robotech Masters). I think this is off-base with their character as a whole. They are Zentraedi, bred for war. I doubt it would have even crossed their minds to betray their masters.

I have never really even though about this part but Breetai and Azonia's forces fight along side the SDF-1 where do they go when the SDF-1 goes in and blows up Dolza's ship? The explosion takes out ALL of the Zentraedi forces. How did Breetai and Azonia escape?

In my RPG books and in other material it looks like the SDF-1 lands in North America after it destroys Dolza's fleet. Now... Rick and Lisa are on hand to see it fall from the sky. Rick saved Lisa from Alaska base. You mean to tell me that Rick and Lisa flew that far? Remember Rick ditched his Veritech's canopy after it was damaged. So they flew unprotected all the way down there? Whaaaaa????? lol.

Chapter 22 (the beginning of 'Reconstruciton Blues') recaps the destruction of the Earth at the hands of Dolza's fleet. It is very good. Bravo!

Sorry this took so long to post. I have been trying to sell my house and all that jazz so it has taken extra long to get this stuff done. Not to mention I finished watching the Flash TV series and Birds of Prey series (on DVD). I'm such a slacker!

Macross Perfect Memory

by Nathan Stout (of AccordingToWhim.com)

Right up there with the Robotech Roleplaying books, Macross: Perfect Memory is the other 'must have' for any Robotech fan. Perfect Memory is a Japanese book (easily available on EBay) that shows almost every concept sketch, character models, as well as the majority of the show (through screen caps). Although it is in Japanese it won't stop your enjoyment of this visual feast.

Perfect Memory covers the Macross saga only (the first 36 episodes of Robotech). As a side note Macross was intended to only last the 24 episodes but the show turned out to be so popular that more episodes were added (everything after the Zentraedi armada defeat). You can also find other animation art books online for Southern Cross and Mospeada (the other 2 parts of Robotech).

Years ago I got a hold of 'This Is Animation' volumes 1, 2, and 3 which covers most of the stuff in Perfect Memory. For some reason I had sold or traded away those. I found this book on EBay and it has been fantastic. The book is divided into several sections that cover the story of the show, artwork, concept art, character model sheets, mecha and Macross city model sheets. There are also story boards, 'the making of', and staff comments.

The first part of the book is an episode summary of the show. There is the episode's synopsis (in Japanese) and multiple screen shots. It is interesting to see the Japanese names of the episodes (which are in English). Some of them are exactly like the Robotech ones and some are downright funny like: 'Pine Salad', 'Kung-Fu Dandy', and 'Virgin Road'. It is also interesting to see some of the stuff that was cut out of Robotech like seeing Lynn Minmei's naked butt in 'The Long Wait' or Roy Fokker's bloody back in 'Farewell Big Brother'.

The next part of the book is Macross 'Outside Story' which appears to be what happened after episode 24 of the series (assuming that it was the end of the show). It's all in Japanese but from what I can gather from the pictures is that Rick and Lisa went on being in love, Minmei and Lynn Kyle lived happily ever-after, the Zentraedi that were left peacefully integrated with the humans, and New Macross city grew up around the old SDF-1 (like in the show). Of course all this was somewhat altered with addition of the 12 extra episodes.

The next section deals with the last 12 episodes and is just like the synopsis for the first 24. After that 'Combat Action' shows the animation cells used the action scenes of the show. There are a bunch of cutsie-type pictures of super deformed mecha and characters in funny poses throughout this section.

Miss Macross "For Space Life Casual" is the next part of the book. It is basically some color art work of the women of Macross in various outfits.

The next section (page 101-136) is filled with the character model sheets for the series. There are hundreds of sketches of the characters (major people and background ones too).

My favorite section is the next one: Mechanic of Macross. This section contains the sketches of the ships, configurations, details, and every location in loving detail. I think this section alone could be sold as a book. There are soooooo many great drawings here! If you are following my year long Robotech experience I have often commented that the comics will use some of original sketches as a basis for their art work. Just look at the SDF-1 on page 140 or the Veritechs on page 151 and you will see lots of shots that look familiar. As an interesting side note there is a drawing of the SDF-2 on page 150. You can see how similar (and dissimilar in some ways) to the original SDF-1. The SDF-2 looks very similar to the SDF-1 in the Macross movie: Do You Remember Love.

The next section has concept artwork for the characters. You will some strangely familiar figures in this section. The early Rick Hunter looks like he would be more comfortable in Starblazers then Robotech. Minmei didn't change one bit while Roy went from looking more like Ben to the character we know and love. The final character changes were all for the better! There are also some very interesting concept art work for the SDF-1 and other mecha. The SDF-1 looked very Gundam-like in it's robot mode and I have to admit I liked the Gladiator better in it's concept drawing than the final product.

The next section I can't figure out at all. It seems to be a page from a manga but I am not sure if it's something that inspired Macross or just some test manga or what. Nothing really looks like Macross with the slight exception of the big ship in the background. I wish I could read Japanese...

The last section deals with (in Japanese) the staff and the voice actors of Macross. There is a saucy little picture of a naked Myria inside her Quadrono battle suit too!

That's all! This book is work every penny I paid for it. If you are fan of either Macross or Robotech this book is a must!

Vermilion Issues #1-4

by Nathan Stout (of AccordingToWhim.com)

Welcome to my peek into the Robotech Universe in 2012 & 2013! At this point in the Robotech Timeline we are taking a pit stop after Comico issue 14 with the Vermilion mini-series from Antarctic Press. Let's 'press' on... get it?

Vermilion #1 (Antarctic Press 1997)

We start off with a much more modern 'anime' look to these comics. We have been thick in the world of Comico's 80's comic book look and to be thrust into the future of comics is jarring. It's nice, just different.

Duc Tran is our artist here and his style is 'long and skinny'. Everyone look 2 meals shy of anorexic. This is just his style and it looks very artistic... just sayin'.

The art is black and white (which I happen to like) and has a somewhat 'sketch' appearance. There is a lot of cool detail on the character's surroundings.

Page 11 shows the SDF-1 and it looks great! You know how much of a sucker I am for the SDF-1 by now...

Page 17 starts the 'Mospeada Diary' by Joe Weltjens. I don't what to say about this. It is 'written' from Scott Bernard's point of view and is simply a picture (of original animation quality) and a sentence underneath it. There really isn't much here. It is kinda wasted space. It seems they needed several pages of filler and turned it over to Joe.

Vermilion #2 (Antarctic Press 1997)

Joeming Dunn is COO of Antarctic and Ben Dunn is the Publisher. I run into Ben three times a year at Dallas Comicon and trade him Macross/Mospeads stuff for drawings. It works out well for both of us! Anyway Antarctic Press seems to have been Ben's baby and perhaps I will get him in an interview on our main According To Whim Blog one day.

Page 7 is a shot of the bridge. I love those.. and this one has a lot of outer (and inner) detail.

So this RDF guy is in cahoots with Khyron (not really a Zentraedi trait but I'll roll with it).

Ben Dixon makes a cameo on page 12!

The shots of Battlepods on 17 and 19 are very detailed and they look great!

The story stops and on page 21 is Robotech: Unsung Heroes by Brian Farrens. The art work is Joe Weltjens (like the Mospeada Diary from last issue).

The art in this piece looks more 90's 'comic book traditional'.

They call a Legioss 'Legios' so I am not sure. That happens a lot with Robotech, a name will be spelled here one way and there another.

Speaking of there is a cool shot of one on page 23!

Cool shot of Invid on page 24 and 25 too.

Vermilion #3 (Antartic Press 1997)

The story continues with Rick and Lena discovering the hidden Zentraedi ship.

On page 7 there is a shot of a restaurant in Macross and it looks fantastic, such detail! I love attention to detail at this level!

The Bridge Bunnies make an appearance on page 16. They sure are cute...

'Unsung Heroes' picks back up on page 20 with some cool shots of Invid Shock Troopers.

It's over quickly but it looks great all the way. This is some great art!

Vermilion #4 (Antarctic Press 1998)

There is some fantastic artwork throughout this comic. It is very reminiscent of Evangelion in character design with the skinny people but like I said before it's the artist's style.

The overall storyline is good enough but it might have fit better in a large one-shot or perhaps a graphic novel. It's got nice art and the 'extra' characters they added for the story don't stick out like sore thumbs (like some of the Academy stuff).

In this final story Rick and Lena foil Khyron's plans and help expose the traitors.

There is a direct attack on the bridge. We have never seen that before, cool.

Ugh, page 21...

After the story ends we see the end of 'Unsung Heroes'. Right on the first page we get an awesome shot of an Alpha in Battloid mode!

Ouch! This story ends on a super bummer of a note!

Robotech (Comico Comics) #7-12

by Nathan Stout (of AccordingToWhim.com)

Robotech #7 (1985 Comico)

Once again this is a great front/back cover. There is a cool shot of the MACII outside Sera Base's window.

Ugh, there's that Carl Rieber again. Why would you bother joining the military if you were so opposed to war? Just asking...

On page 11 the alien recon ship somehow knows the name of the base (Sera). There is also one of those rare 'under' shots of the SDF-1. I like it. Oh yeah, finally on that page the Zentraedi screen is in English.

On page 12 there is a full page advertisement for the dorkiest sweatshirt ever. Anyway this is the first clue that Cark Macek had bigger plans for Robotech. The title Robotech Oddesy referred to the '5th' part of Robotech which was to take place after The New Generation and The Sentinels. Basically the further adventures of the SDF-3 which would end in the REF going back in time and basically becoming the Robotech Masters, thus creating an infinite loop. Clever idea but it never came through... cause The Sentinels SUCKED! Oh, sorry... lol.

When Khyron shoots down his own troop (that tried to attack early) another one of the troops reported that he was dead. In the series he is still alive (just moaning).

On the final page of the comic Rick asks Lisa a question and she responds. It's a much less poignant moment than in the show since there (the show) they don't speak to each other, it's just the announcer.

Robotech #8 (1985 Comico)

The opening box calls the Mars base Sara, not Sera... not sure what it is supposed to be.

Reggie Byers does the art in this issue and you can tell he has a hard time with the character's looks.

On page 12 is a sign up form for the Official Robotech Fan Club. I wasn't a member back then but somewhere in the early 2000's I got the membership kit off Ebay. It was all water damaged but I still enjoyed it.

On page 14 the overhead announcement (presumably from Lisa) calls Veritechs 'varitechs'. She calls them that later too.

On page 16 Gloval orders all 'battloid' teams out. He meant destroid teams. Oh well, he's busy and under a lot of pressure. Claudia then tells Gloval that the defender team has been destroyed. Oh the name confusion!

Rick's Veritech is a strange color.

Robotech #9 (1986 Comico)

On the inside cover they advertise the upcoming movie and 65 new episodes of The Sentinels.

On page 5 Rico calls it operation 'Miss Macross', not 'Blue Wind'.

On page 16 we see Minmei fall because of her broken heel. We don't even get to see this in the show. As I read through this issue I am really seeing an almost scene for scene and word for word adaptation here, good work.

On page 24 there is something DEFINITELY not in the show. The host is singing the cheesiest song ever to Minmei.

Robotech #10 (1986 Comico)

In this comic the front/back covers are gone. Too bad.

On page 3 (and in the show) the narrator mentions that because of constant battle much of the technology aboard the ship is no longer working. This little factoid seems random and made only to take up time on the show since there is no other reference to problems of this nature anywhere else in the series.

While reading this comic I am getting an sense of real order from the layout artist. I forgot that in a previous issue they said that Mike Leeke was going to be drawing the comic (he is the guy who drew the covers). The art is sharp and well done. The previous issues were fine but Leeke has taken it up a notch.

Diana Shultz (the Editor) has a different and amusing title in each issue. This issue she is listed at Gamemaster.

On page 10 the narrator (I'll just call it that to keep any confusion out) says that Breetai is loyal "The Supereme Dolza". It almost seems like it is a title instead of his name.

On the same page the asteroid the Zentraedi destroy is called an asteroid here as opposed to a planet (like in the show).

There is a frog in the fountain with Rick after the radar tower is hit.

The bridge structure of the SDF-1 seems to be on a pedestal or something. It is sitting higher here than I have ever seen it before. I don't think it's like that in the show. It always appears to be resting right on the deck.

Starting on page 17 is a REAL BUMMER of an article by the editor about child abuse with some real graphic information. Were they sure this was a good fit for a kid's comic book?!

On the 2nd pane of page 18 we can see where Disney stole Lightning McQueen's catchphrase from Cars. Also, Lisa calls the chunk of asteroid 'planetary fragment'. I was too quick to thank the comic makers for fixing that faux pas. Then all the sudden the chuck of rock becomes a Zentraedi cruiser and then suddenly it becomes a chunk of rock again (like in the show).

Robotech #11 (1986 Comico)

If memory serves Lisa did not volunteer for this mission as it says on the first page.

On page 8 is some nekkid images of Lisa! Woo woo!



On page 12 there is an ad for the F.H.E. Robotech VHS tapes. A deal at only 9.95 per tape (per episode)! Do you realize that would cost you almost $400 for JUST the Macross part of Robotech?! If F.H.E. released it all you would have been paying $850 for it all! Wow.
When I got into Robotech F.H.E. had already moved on to selling the condensed version of the Macross Saga on 6 VHS tapes. These were crudely edited together episodes with a lot of stuff cut for time. I never owned the single episode VHS versions you see here.

Dolza is supposed to be even bigger than Breetai but when Dolza holds Lisa, she is pretty big in his hand (about the size of a Barbie doll). When Breetai holds Rick after capturing him in his escaping ejection seat, Breetai can close his hand around Rick and the ejection seat...

On page 26 and in the show Dolza goes into a speech that confuses me. I thought the Zentraedi were the unthinking clones of the Masters but his speech leads us to believe that the Master don't even exist and all this stuff with getting their hands on the SDF-1 is his idea and not a simple direct order of the Masters...

The petition on page 29 is interesting... I wonder how that turned out.

Robotech #12 (1986 Comico)

On page 3 Exedore suggests they send spies into the SDF-1 but if you remember he is most adamant about not have any contact with the Micronians.

On the bottom of page 12 it looks like Rick and Lisa are nekkid and Rick is wearing a bra... lol.

The show cut out the Zentraedi getting blasted by the Rick (using a Zentraedi rifle) but the comic shows it... right in the faceplate!

As I stated in the video review I am confused as to why there are men and male battlepods on the female Zentraedi ship. I thought they were very segregated.

On page 24 there is a copyright at the bottom of the page stating that Minmei's lyrics belong to Harmony Gold... sheesh.

On page 27 (the letters page) the Editor in Chief rips Robotech fandom a new one! There was a 1986 'Galaxy of Stars' Robotech promo mini-convention in New York and apparently the fans there were very rude and it was more of frenzied free for all than an well ordered promotional event. One of the promoters was a local New York radio station that was broadcasting from there, giving out stuff and asking trivia. Although it sounded like a hot-mess it also sounded like a great time for Robotech (wish I was a little older back then... and living in the area).

Page 29 is cool. I love advertisements for comic books stores, conventions, etc.. ahhh old school.

Robotech Episodes 7-12

by Nathan Stout (of AccordingToWhim.com)

I've had fun so far, picking apart each episode in my year long look at Robotech and now let's continue with the next six episodes of the series. I will also be reading the next six comics and reading the next book (which covers about six episodes).

Episode #7 Bye By Mars

It's strange that Sera base would be totally deserted. Such a large base should have harbored some survivor. Oh well.

If you remember earlier in the year in some of the Academy comics Khyron and Breetai had some adventures together. In the show it seems that they don't really know each other. However, it could be construed that they did know each other.

After the Khyron scene there is a battle scene. This is one of those scenes I never really cared for. I'd just watch more Macross city fun and drama as opposed to ships duking it out. At one point Gloval orders the main gun to be moved and we see it rotate. How in the world that is possible is beyond me.

Rick hears some RDF propaganda and it upsets him. This is a VERY adult theme. I'm sure kids would just let this go in one ear and out another but I think it's very cool.

Once again I'll ask it, why in the heck was Carl Rieber in the military? Such a puss... and apparently a cradle robber.

The Zentraedi spy buried in the ground was WAYYYY ahead of his time. He was the first Emo!

The shot of the destroids coming down the ramp show the MACII at the right size this time. It's huge!

The scene where Lisa rides into Sera Base makes the place looks like Tomorrow Land Disneyworld.

Vanessa's video screen is ginormous!

Gloval calls the Veritech squadrons 'Valkyrie' squadrons.

Rick rescuing Lisa from Sera Base is the first step to their eventual hookup.

P.S. The bloopers from Protocultrue Addicts are a lot bigger this time since they were kind of hard to read last time. Enjoy!
PROTOCULTURE ADDICTS BITS:
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Episode #8 Sweet Sixteen

Ut oh, we are the 'B' team again.

I used to record little audio bits of the show onto audio tapes back in the 90's. I found interesting stuff and recorded it back to back and got to know those bits word for word. The ceremony scene that happens here at the beginning of the episode is one of those recorded sessions. I know this stuff by heart.

Khyron looks very 'Star Blazers' in his first scene of this episode.

Rick is almost 2 heads shorter than the others in the room!

The laptop or whatever it is that Roy opens to show Rick his new subordinates sure is crude. No normal image but a strange flashing black and white photo... it will probably give you a seizure!

The medal that Rick just put on his chest disappears before he leaves Roy's.

Wow! Max's uniforms changes color right in front of your eyes when they are standing on the street watching the destroyed destroid being hauled off.

Ben's enthusiasm is infections.

Why are the destroids all just walking targets?

I know I've already covered this but the 'B' team animation is really rough. The space scenes with the black backgrounds look really dirty, there is a lot of dust particles on the cells.

If Rick had some balls he would could have killed Khyron when his ship was immobilized by thr recall beam.

"Cola makes the good times roll. Have a peanut." WTF?

Minmei goes all gooey because the medal (which she doesn't even know what it is) just because it's shiny. SHEESH!

PROTOCULTURE ADDICTS BITS:
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Episode #9 Miss Macross

This is one of my favorite episodes of the series. All the elements are just so right here. It's fantastic!

The opening shot shows some of the Ghost fighters you saw in the very first episode. According to the RPG those are unmanned ships.

The very next shot is a view of Macross city's 'layers'. There is no apparent railing or anything... cars and people could just go right over the edge!

When Rick and Minmei are sitting, talking Rick sees a blue sky outside. Minmei tells him that the Robotech engineers did it. I wonder if that was the original dialogue. I am thinking that it was an English addition to the story and that in the original Japanese show Rick was just musing about being able to see a real sky, sort of a day dream. Can anyone tell me? I know that the books really grabbed ahold of that concept and dubbed it the EVE system.

The Zentraedi spies enter the picture and they whole storyline alters. They are the catalyst for the end of the war.

One of the Miss Macross contestants looks to be dressed up as Sybil Faltey.

The long shot of the fanliner looks really crude.

The whole Jan Morris subplot is great and I wish they showed a little more. The book elaborates on her more so I can get my fix.

Rick's uniform looses its blue for a moment when he is being paged at the Miss Macross contest.

The Super Battloid is awesome. It was always my favorite ship in the RPG. So many missiles!

The shot of the missiles coming towards Rick have the SDF-1 in the background. What the heck is going on there?! Looks like they got sloppy and used old animation.

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Episode #10 Blind Game

Rico, Konda, and Bron's positions keep changing during their altercation in front of Breetai.

The lower faceplatesRobotech force's helmets keep changing is size. Sometimes they are small, sometimes they are so big they are covering the pilot's mouths conveniently.

The bridge bunnies move so fast when the phone robot rolls up infront of Rick... it's hilarious. And as a note, Rick's choice in wardrobe is pretty horrendous.

Right after the 'commercial break' there is a shot of the whole SDF-1. It looks great! There's a lot of detail there. Infact all the shots of the ships looks really good in this episode.

I know it's just a show and all that jazz but why o why would Gloval make Lisa go on recon? Oh well, I guess you had to get her captured somehow.

Max says he has some pods coming up at 4 o'clock. He is looking somewhere at 10 o'clock... just sayin'.

When Breetai takes off running down the hall is great. You really want to root for him, he takes such decisive action! This whole battle scene make Breetai a much more interesting character.

Breetai's uniform changes color just like Rick's!

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Episode #11 First Contact

It's WWF Robotech style.

Max's veritech changes color right before he is sucked out of the ship.

Rick is such a chauvinistic pig! 'Some assignments are just too difficult for women." lol. Well, he was really young.

Ben makes a very dirty remark when Lisa is showing off her 'mico video recorder'. 'Micro' my foot. Not by today's standards.

Max hides in the toilet! I just now figured that out!

When Max changes his battloid into a disguise the walking noise changes from a loud clanking to a soft shoe sound.

When Minmei is singing for the first time we see Roy and Claudia together for the first time ever.

PROTOCULTURE ADDICTS BITS:
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Episode #12 The Big Escape

Lisa says "OK, I heard that" when Max tells them they need to put the guard into the cell. Her inflection was all wrong. The line didn't seems to be for that particular moment. I guess that's the danger of doing voice acting work.

When Max blasts through Breetai's view screen to escape I always thought that was so awesome. It was very 'movie-esque'.

When the veritech blows up and kills the Zentraedi he screams and it sounds so bad. I'm sure little Johnny had nightmares that night.

Rick makes another chauvinistic comment here about women not making any sense.

After their fall in the Zentraedi ship Lisa's har is down out of those awful rolls. This is when I fell in love with Lisa... that lovely hair, fair skin, and shapely thighs... sigh......

How absolutely fortunate that the escapees just happen to get on Azonia's ship which just happens to be going to the sol system where the SDF-1 is.

Wait wait wait! There is a lot of confusing stuff going on here. It looked like Rick, Lisa, Ben, and Max got aboard a purple ship (female ship). Why are battlepods onboard the female Zentraedi ship? Battlepods are male ships, right?

Then we see the spies on board an obvious male ship (no biggie here I just didn't think male and female Zentraedi would fight together). The ship is purple too so I guess the escapees didn't get on the 'wrong' ship. I just never knew purple ships had males on them.

Finally the FEMALE Zentraedi tells Myria that her ship is ready. She is speaking in a man's voice. I am sure this was just an accident on behalf of the American voice over team.

I always liked the way the female power armor zipped and zoomed around.

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My Robotech Stuff

by Nathan Stout (of According To Whim.com)

While we all wait for the next part of my 2012 Robotech Experience (I'm up to the cartoon episodes 7-12) I ran into a little bit of a road bump. This last weekend I was down at my mom's lake place and took the book (Battlecry)... yep, I left it... well at least I think I did. I am still searching. Anyway I decided to have a filler post since I was going through all my collectibles and ran across the Robotech stuff. Today's post is all about my Robotech collectibles. I don't have a tons but I do have a bit. Let's take a look, shall we?

First off is a little shadow box with some Macross pewter (or some such similar metal) figures. I have Rick, Lisa, Roy, Max, and Gloval (who you can't see at this angle). I have a couple of the little Mospeada riders from the Gakken Alpha and some Battletech miniatures from the 80's (when they used the Macross designs for their stuff). There is also a 1/144 scale Super Battloid model there. Just in case you were wondering there are some D&D minis, Ral Partha minis, D&D game pieces that were painted, Warhammer 40K minis, and some Jurassic Park Lost World micro figures. Oh yeah, there are some Star Wars minis there too. Oops, I almost forgot, there are some Heavy Gear minis on top. Now on to the bulk of the collection:

Here we see some toys and a pile of sad model kit parts. In the back is the insanely huge Master Piece Beta, a Gakken Cyclone and some Macross Models still in the box (more on those in a minute). There are bunch of the 90's re-release of Matchbox Robotech toys (from the Exo-Squad line). There is also a super poseable and a smaller Gakken Alpha (which only transforms from Armo Solider to Armo Diver), a super deformed Valkyire from the 80's and the rest are model parts. The 1/72 gray colored Veritech is the oldest model I own and has so many layers of paint on it you can't use it for anything but maybe a wrecked plane. There are many different kits here from 1/144 to 1/72 kits as well as some tiny deformed kits I got years ago and I can't remember where.

As for the new/sealed model kits... you may know (or may not) that I have a business where I sell import model kits. The site is RenegadeAnime.com and I have a bunch of stuff there. Macross models are one of the main 3 lines I carry (along with Gundam and Yamato). I am almost out of all my Macross models but thank goodness Bandai is re-releasing most of the old kits for the 30th anniversary of Macross! That means I will be getting a LOT of kits for sale. I might have to even make a few myself (although I am not very good at it).

I also have the Robotech Legacy edition DVD set as well as the Perfect Collection CD set. The Legacy DVD set is the first DVD set they released (not the remastered one). As you may have read from me I don't like the remastered versions with added crap. I prefer they older set. As for the CD set, you can read about it and the other stuff I used to have (like the F.H.E. VHS set) at this post from earlier in the year.

Finally I have some of the comics, fanzines, and all of the original RPG books. At one point I had probably 90% of the comics but sold them. Now I have very few since I can get what I need online. I have the first 10 issues of the only Robotech Fanzine out there: Protoculture Addicts. What a great mag! I will post a blog about it one day soon. Also, I love the Pallidum role playing books. They were my real re-introduction back into Robotech in early 90's. The artwork is great and I had lots of fun playing the game. Last year (at our other blog) we had an RPG week and I talked about my Robotech RPG fun there. Check it out. It's very entertaining!

I have had other Robotech collectibles over the years that I got and sold or what-not. Out of all the Robotech stuff I have had I would have to put the following at the top of my 'favorite list' (in no order): RPG books, Protoculture Addicts Fanzine, and Soundtrack. Those are my favs but I like it all!

What do you have? Anything cool or unusual? Leave a comment!

Robotech (Comico Comics) #1-6

by Nathan Stout (of AccordingToWhim.com)

Welcome to my 2012 Robotech Experience! I am reading and watching everything Robotech during 2012 and am reporting it to you through this series of Blogs. I have just started watching the TV series and now (at the same time) I am reading the comic adaptations and reading the books.

It's interesting that apparently Harmony Gold does not consider the adapted Comico comics to apart of 'Official Continuity' since they are adaptations of the show (probably the closest representation to it that exists AND it's actually at the end of the show's credits). Perhaps I will discover why they decided this while I read them. Like I said in a much earlier post I am not big on what is canon and what not. I am going to enjoy Robotech in it's entirety (even crap like Aftermath).

Macross / Robotech #1 (1984 Comico)

This is a strange issue. It is actually titled Macross and reads to be an adaptation of the Japanese show Macross (not Robotech). The issue was released with no 'Robotech' anywhere on it. Maybe this is why Harmony Gold decided it wasn't good enough to be apart of the 'Official Continuity'. Anyway the powers that be decided to rename the series Robotech Comico didn't bother to create a new issue #1, they just told people that Macross #1 was Robotech #1 so just get over it. So the characters names will be different from this issue to the next.

On the cover there is a WAY over sized Veritech... and is that New York complete with the twin towers?

On page 8 Claudia boasts that Roy shot down 5 planes during the war, however Roy claims to Rick that he shot down 108.

The art in this comic is good for its time, and the fact that Comico wasn't one of the big comic companies with massive resources. It's strange to see scenes right out of the show in comic panel format. The story and dialogue is altered a bit but nothing too drastic.

Rick and Roy's interchange right after the SDF-1's main gun fires fits better in the comic than in the show. In the show their reaction doesn't seem to have much interest in something so monstrous as the main gun going off. They just seems to be like... meh. In the comic there is a little more concern. I would imagine in real life something so violent would be met with real shock and dismay. Something like: "Oh shit! Oh my God, oh my God! What the hell was THAT!?"
The bottom left cel on page 23 is confusing.
When Lisa tells him to pull B for battloid he pulls G.

Robotech #2 (1985 Comico)

Comico has switched to a more 'traditional' form of comic art as opposed to the more involved way they were doing it for the first issue. I like it this new (old) way. I think it looks cleaner.

Issue 2 picks up the Robotech storyline where the Macross comic ended. No biggie, the changes are so slight that it really wasn't worth reprinting the old comic with only a couple of changes.

When Russo comes in and he talks about the SDF-1 there is a curious gap in his words. It looks like 'Macross' was probably there and they replaced it with 'SDF-1' so the gap between words is bigger.

I did notice that Lynn Minmei's first name is still Lin and Lisa's last name is still Hayase (until later). Guardian mode is still called Gerwalk too.

On page 12 there is a neat view of the SDF-1's conning tower.

On page 14 the comic font is gone and more hand-drawn font is being used... strange.

Robotech #3 (1985 Comico)

The Comico comics actually had some pretty awesome covers. I never noticed that they wrapped the book. In the CBR program I am using you see this automatically. The covers are pretty cool.

I find it funny that the comic kept closer track to continuity than the show. On page 8 you can see the holes where the anit-gravity pods tore from the ship. The show didn't bother with them after the event.

Carl Macek was the script writer for these comics and I found it interesting that he changed Lisa being called 'Old Sourpuss' with 'Old Woman'. I guess the word sourpuss was too nastily looking or something...

On page 16 is a Matchbox advertisement. Notice anything out of place? First off Lancer is called Lance, The Alpha's Guardian Mode is called Diver (the original Mospeada name), and all 3 1/2" Cyclone riders have their heads on backwards. I guess the advertising company didn't have a Harmony Gold rep on site during the shoot... lol.

Robotech #4 (1985 Comico)

On page 10 Kim has the biggest cup of coffee ever (more like a mug)!

While stuck in the bowels of the ship Rick tells Minmei he left the water rations back at the plane. In the show he didn't have any water rations on the plane. Ah ha! Now I see why Harmony Gold decided this wasn't good enough for 'Official Continuity'! jk.

Wow, I'm surprised the decided to keep the Rick peeping at Minmei showering in the comic. I figured they would just pass it by. Well, they have been mildly cussing so it should be no surprise really.

Robotech #5 (1985 Comico)

This is a fantastic front/back cover! Nice work.

On page 6 Lynn Minmei's hair is all in her eyes. I guess maybe the artist messed up and decided just to put hair over part of her face.

One of the RDFComico.

When Lang tells Gloval about the transformation he acts like he won't know what will happen to the city. He has the schematics on the screen, he should know exactly how the transformation will affect the city! I always wondered why they didn't adress this anymore. I guess it was just a plot point for the city to get wiped out again during the transformation.

On page 17 when Breetai is looking at the videos of the Earthlings, the one that is getting knocked off the building has a Mage shirt on (one of Comico's other comic books).

On page 24 there is an ad for a free Robotech poster from Comico. I got ahold of one of these and it was taped to the window of my comic book store back in 2001. I loved that poster, it was really awesome.

At the bottom of page 27 Lisa's uniform has changed colors.

On page 34 is a backside view of the SDF-1. I have never seen this view before. It's pretty awesome and well drawn. Bravo.

I just noticed that there are numbers on the pages now. I have been referring you to the page number that shows up on my comic book reader program. Sorry for the confusion.

Robotech #6 (1985 Comico)

On page 3 is the pantie and bra scene. I love it!

When Captain Gloval is taking about his battle plans he calls the enemy Zentraedi. I don't think they knew what to call them yet (in the animation). They just kept referring to them as the enemy.

The camera robot actually had a thought bubble.

Diadalos???

Oops, they are still calling Guardian mode Gerwalk.

On page 21 the Zentraedi talks. He didn't do this in the show. It's not like Rick could have understood him anyway (although he appears to have understood him) here.

Robotech Episodes 1-6

by Nathan Stout (of AccordingToWhim.com)

Here we go! We have finally go to the actual episodes in my 2012 chronological Robotech Experience! Click here if you know nothing of this. The story of Zor's betrayal and the early escapades of Roy Fokker and the rest of the Macross Island crew has passed and we have approached 2009 and the launch day of the SDF-1.

As I have said in the past I didn't enjoy the Remastered Robotech that was released a few years back. I found the audio very distracting. I am watching the first DVD set that was released back in early 2000/2001.

These 'reviews' are not reviews in the traditional sense but more reaction / commentary on stuff I think is interesting enough to comment on.

After each episode I will also include some tidbits from Protoculture Addicts (in the form of images right out of that great old fanzine!

One final note before we begin. You will notice the animation quality varies throughout the series. There was the 'A' team of animators and... the other guys. I don't know exactly what the arrangement was but you will notice that the pivotal episodes were done in a much higher quality than most of the rest of the series (the Macross part). Extensive use of shadowing will give away which 'team' you are watching. The first few episodes were the primary team (as well as the original ending episode when Earth gets attacked by the Zentraedi and they also did the last episode of the Macross saga). Keep an eye out and you will see it.

Episode #1 Boobytrap

The SDF-1 looks rather different than most Tirolian ships. While it is descending to Earth it looks much like it does after it is rebuilt (very angular). After the crash there is a slow pass across the hull and it has a definite green tint and looks Zentraedi.

I aways found it funny the way the narrator first calls Robotech 'Rubutech'

Mayor Lunan stands with the crowds when Gloval and Russo pass. The RDF sure treated him like crap! He should be right there in the middle of the ceremonies.

Right before Roy takes the stage there is a close, low shot of the stage and underneath the SDF-1. You remember that it sits on some massive support structures. If you pause the show you can see under there. It's a shot you never see much of or think about. There is quite a bit going on down there. As someone who played the Roleplaying game I was always looking for cool locations like that to set part of my adventures in.

As Roy is saying that Robotechnology makes such precision possible there is a scan of the crowd and someone who looks ALOT like the Zentraedi spy Rico is in the background.

I always thought the part where Rick buzzes Roy on the stage was awesome. Afterwards when Rick and talking to Roy you get to just how short Rick is.

This is one of the first edits from the original Macross. Roy is clearing leering at Minmei's legs as she walks away from the cola machine with Jason. In the US version that shot of her legs walking away is cut. That's why Rick says Roy is still a ladies man.

When the Zentraedi Flagship comes through the jump it looks like they used a shot made for the SDF-1's entry, it looks pointy at the front, not rounded.

Who in their right mind would take a civilian for a test flight? Roy would have been court marshaled!

When Claudia tries to shut off the main controls it looks like a stove nob.

You will notice that the unsure, bumbling Roy Fokker from the comics is gone and in his place is the far more adult, confident combat professional.

The bit where Roy is talking to Rick and casually flips the missile cover and looses 2 missile to destroy a Butrouo fighter is so cool.

When Rick's ship transforms and crashes into all those buildings there is a shot of the foot rockets firing to stop the forward motion. Right when the shot begins you can see someone standing on the left of the screen. He gets blasted off the screen when the foots comes tearing through the building. You will have to use your pause/slomo button to see it. Poor guy.

PROTOCULTURE ADDICTS BITS:
# of 'Uh?!' said by the characters during this episodes: 10
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Episode #2 Countdown

Lisa just tells Gloval he will just have to do without Roy's team... the cheek!

We get some more of the super annoying Jason. Shut that kid up!

When the helicopters get blowup you can see one of the pilots puts his arms out as he is annihilated. I aways thought was was so 'adult' for a cartoon to show a death like that.

Couldn't that truck drive use another street and go around Rick's battloid?

On Kim's screens there are various images including the Earth, some readouts, and an image of a field with a tree.

The shots of the street level urban combat between battloids and battlepods is cool. The shots of the battlepods walking is particularly cool. It has an 'alien invasion' feel to it.

I won't mention the physics of the Rick opening his cock pit in mid flight to save Minmei because Ill leave it for my review of the book.

Of course if you know about Macross and such you will know there is some more editing here when the Zentraedi comes for Rick's guardian and Roy blows a hole in his back. In the original version it's a slightly longer shot and you see the hole get blown in his chest.

PROTOCULTURE ADDICTS BITS:
# of 'Uh?!' said by the characters during this episodes: 7
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Episode #3 Spacefold

The announcer covers a lot of ground in the opening of this episode.

During more of the ground battle scenes several battlepods blow up from laser bolts... that hit the ground all around them. Those are some powerful blasts!

I noticed that it appears this is the 'B-Team' of animators. You will notice how different and a little more crude the animation looks. The mecha looks more rounded and less angular. The character's looks seem to change. They have a particularly hard time

You will notice some voice actors doing different voices. One Veritech pilot has the voice of Ben Dixon.

I have always wondered why Veritech pilots don't seems to wear sealtbelts...

The drive through the SDF-1 to the Mockingbird shows you just how big the inside of the SDF-1 is. It's not so unreasonable to think they moved the city in there.

In this episode the Zentraedi basically destroy the Armor Space Platforms. Have you ever noticed that in the series the SDF-1 gets the Dadelus and Promethus as 'arms' but in the movies and later series they have one of the Armor Platforms instead of the Promethus?

When the Zentraedi is firing between the SDF-1 and Armor Space Platforms there are several red and gray ships that look alot like aircraft carriers in the background.

All I have to say is... "Yes Sir, Cap-taaaan"

I hope Rick knew that the SDF-1 was back in the atmosphere before he pulled that lever to open the bay doors (when he left the SDF-1 in his plane).

When the fold starts happening there is a shot of the ocean and one of the aircraft carries and one of those red and gray ships... IN THE SKY. What the heck is it? I thought only the SDF-1 had anti gravity.

There are a couple of battlepods still in Macross city when the fold starts... I thought they all left earlier?

Now if this were real how do you think Henry Gloval felt when he saw Macross Island out in deep space? He basically doomed a lot of people to their deaths. Claudia warned him about jumping so close to the ground.

PROTOCULTURE ADDICTS BITS:
# of 'Uh?!' said by the characters during this episodes: 18
Bloopers:

Episode #4 Countdown

Lisa thinks it's strange that she can't contact anyone on the Prometheus or Dadelus... hummm ocean going vessels in deep space...

We seem to have switched back to the "A" team of animators.

When Rick and Minmei bust open the water pipe it's a good thing it wasn't a sewer line! Also this is where the infamous topless Minmei scene is located (in the Japanese movie version anyway).

Rick seems to have grown up very quickly. He seemed so young in the first 3 episodes but suddenly he seems much older. I guess war does that to you :)

Lisa opens some 'SDF-1' brand sugar.

"Tuna fish!"

Teens now a days would have jumped in the sack in the first 24 hours, there would have been no talk of marriage, lol.

When the crowd starts looking down in the hole when Rick and Minmei are found Rico's voice can be heard. I swear he was on Macross Island from day one! (not really people).

PROTOCULTURE ADDICTS BITS:
# of 'Uh?!' said by the characters during this episodes: 14
Bloopers:

Episode #5 Transformation

Why is Minmei always humming the wedding march?

There is a crane carrying a MAC II Monster through the city but it is wayyyy too small in size. It would have been like four times bigger.

The Mayor's wife fell out of the ugly tree and hit every branch on the way down!

I'm gonna have to stop referring to voice actors voicing other characters, it just happens too often!

For some reason the animators made Lang's eyes dark for no apparent reason. Carl Macek gave those eyes a back story (Lang 'interfaced' with the Protoculture rich SDF-1 and was zapped by it). I think Lang is a pretty awesome character.

The videos the Zentraedi watch when they identify Earthlings as Micronians... the scenes are fairly graphic for a cartoon, people getting blasted, people getting thrown off skyscrapers... little Johnny is gonna have nightmares.

When Rick is talking to Minmei in her room a building moves by the window. It's being hauled by crane down the street complete with a bed inside. Robotechnology sure is spectacular.

There appears to have been a fairly long time period between the SDF-1s fold and the time the Zentraedi catch up with them. I'm sure that would be a good gap for some comic stories and RPG adventures. Alot of stuff must have happened (non-war stuff) during this time.

The shots of the SDF-1 during it's transformations are top notch. They knew they needed to make it look good for it's first time.

Macross city looks like total crap afterward.

PROTOCULTURE ADDICTS BITS:
# of 'Uh?!' said by the characters during this episodes: 19
Bloopers:

Episode #6 Blitzkrieg

The clothing store scene was cut out of the FHE 'condensed' version of the show so I didn't see it for years. The bridge bunnies digging through the pantie bin is hilarious.

The first meeting of Rick and Lisa is really great. Top notch stuff!

The night meeting between Rick and Minmei is great too. This scene defines the characters and situation so very well.

Unfortunately the battle in the rings of Saturn isn't all that great compared to the two previous scenes (the Lisa/Rick and Rick/Minmei scene). The only real redeeming part of the battle is the mobile shield barrier stuff. The three women rolling the balls around trying to keep up with the incoming fire is so funny.

I'm not bashing this particular space battle or anything it's just that I never was a big fan of the battles. They just seemed to slow down the storyline for me.

Breetai seems to have no issue with sending his commanders to their deaths just to test the SDF-1's ability.

The announcer does a lot of exposition at the end of this episode. He says that Rick feels that things were changing inside of him... yeah, it's called puberty! lol.

PROTOCULTURE ADDICTS BITS:
# of 'Uh?!' said by the characters during this episodes: 10
Bloopers:

Return To Macross: Issues 27-33

by Nathan Stout (of AccordingToWhim.com)

Here we go back on a stretch of Return to Macross comics. If you are totally confused about what this is then be confused no more! This is my 2012 tour of the Robotech Universe! I used SuperMecha8's timeline list to begin reading/watching my way through the events in the Robotech universe in chronological order.

It's April and I am still in the pre-lauch part of the Robotech timeline. Fist we started off with the events pre-landing of the SDF-1 on Macross Island and have been slowly moving along, watching the island become a teeming city with all the issues a teeming city has. Let's continue!

Return To Macross #27 (Academy 1995)

The first thing that caught my eye was a spelling error on page 13 (yeah, I know... nit picky).

It looks like we are rehashing the story from several issues back when Roy is asked to join the Lumerians. The woman he kinda has a thing for was killed but she left a message for the rest of her people to capture Roy and try to get him to join them again.

Last time Roy tricked them into thinking he would join them and it appears the EXACT same thing is happening again. I hope this goes somewhere different.

Return To Macross #28 (Academy 1996)

Wes Abbot is back and his stuff looks different. It looked very manga-ish before, now it seems to have a realy cartoony feeling. I guess he wanted to try a different approach or something.

Wait wait wait! What in the Mayor Luan is going on here?! What happened to the story line from the last issue?! Roy was taking Lumerian ship while getting the Lumerians to abandon it to 'fight another day'. I figured this story would go somewhere... wtf???

This issue starts out with Roy trying to get Claudia to forgive him (what's new). Infact it seems like that is all that happend between Roy and Claudia. I can't remeber one time where he wasn't getting into do-do with her.

The story jumps to a serious situatution where Roy is out searching for survivors to a crashed shuttle. Oh, there are the Lumerians!

Return To Macross #29 (Academy 1996)

Yikes! That cover art! I HONESTLY think I could have done better... I can't draw for crap! Ok, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Knowing the power of the Internets I'm sure the artist will probably read this at some point. I apologize... I'm just being picky.

Check out page 12... Roy (I guess that's him) is just a head sitting on a torso... no neck!

Oh my gosh! This is just painful! Look at Leonard on page 16!

Well before I even get to thinking about it... this comic will 100% be the stinky winner of the 1st quarter's 2012 Robotech 'worse art in a comic' award. I'm sorry if I make the artist feel bad but this honestly looks like something I drew (which isn't' saying much).

The story is coherant though (which can't be said of some of the more recent stuff). Claudia's old flame shows up on the island and it tips her affections away from Roy. It turns out her old flame is wrapped up in some shady stuff.

Return To Macross #30 (Academy 1996)

We are back to the Birchfields and man what an improvement! I complained about them before but not now...

In this issue Gloval has a flashback of his youth in the Internationaists army. Their uniforms are strikingly close to the RDF ones.

The terrorist guy can shoot smoke out of his hand... cool!

What's wrong with Admiral Hayes in the first frame of page 17? He seems to have a crick in his neck.

Page 18 has some confusing speech bubble layouts. I hate when I get all lost on what is being said becasue I don't know which one to read next.

Towards the back of the comic is the Robotech Reporter where Malibu talks about their titles and news and such. They mention the passing of Brian Daley of Jack McKenny fame. That's sad. I didn't realize that he and James Luceno were working on Galaxy Rangers, thats' one of Chris' favorite cartoons!

Return To Macross #31 (Academy 1996)

Dusty Griffin is the artist in this issue. He draws structures and vehicles very well but seems to have a hard time with the human form. Not that I'm complaining, I'm still coming off the low of RTM #29 so this guy is Lenardo Divinci to me...

There is a nice two page panel to open this comic of Invid attacking the SDF-1 (presumabily during Zor's final hours). Nice artwork! I did notice that several of the Invid look like direct copies of the art from the Roleplaying guides (which was probably a direct copy from the Japanese 'This is Animation' book for Mospeada.

Look at the guy playing the sax in the street on page 9... te he.

On page 10 there is a nod to Akira in some guy's jacket with a photo of a pill on it. Claudia is apparently having gravity issues in the same frame.

On page 16 you can see the Dadelus in the water in the top left corner of the frame. This is one of the few times you ever get to see it in the water (what it was built for). It does look like it's riding a little low there...

Anyway this issue is the continuation of the Salamander hacker and the people paying him (who just happen to be an old flame of Claudia's). Salamander is working off shore on a casino ship looking to get ahold of Admiral Hayes' itenary for his arrival on Macross Island... I'm sure they want to throw him a surprise party or something...

Return To Macross #32 (Academy 1996)

The art in this issue reminds me of some Role Playing Game books. I wonder if Dusty Griffin ever illustrated any?

Lisa has some deadly looking fingernails on page 13. Also, Admiral Hayes was named in an eariler issue and here you can see his name again. I never saw his name before these comics so I wonder if the Academy guys officially got to name him.

On page 14 Claudia comes into their (Lisa's and Claudia's) apartment in the middle of story that she is telling her beau, but the wording is wrong... I think the word 'the' is missing.

The Return to Macross series is really treating Roy Fokker like a putz. He is constantly drunk now and he acts more and more pathetic when it comes to Claudia. Poor Roy.

Return To Macross #33 (Academy 1996)

The character's looks veer wildly in this issue. Lisa looks real homely on page 7.

On story element I am digging in this particular story arc is the impending Typhoon. It is like a dark cloud (literally) shadowing everything that is happening. It menaces but at the same time it gives some reality to the whole situation.

On page 11 the 'Bree Bree' sound and the way De Salva is moving made me think that he was pulling his pants up at first! lol. I thought: 'ut oh, De Salva and Salamander are up to no good'.

Salamander seems more like a character out of Cyberpunk or NetRunner than Robotech.

2012 Robotech Quarterly awards cermony (1st Quarter)

by Nathan Stout (of AccordingToWhim.com)

Welcome to the first quarterly awards in my 2012 Robotech Experience. I plan on having 3 of these which take place a the end of each quarter of the year (each 3 months). Let's get on with it!

• Award for the best artist work in a comic this quarter: Sean Bishop
• Award for the best storyline in a comic this quarter: War of the Believers I guess, no real winner. I did like Academy Blues... hard... to... decide.
• Award for the best over all comic this quarter: Academy Blues #1
• Award for the worst storyline in a comic this quarter: It's a toss up between Metal Swarm and Warriors.
• Award for the worst art in a comic this quarter: Return to Macross #29

There will be different awards when I start reviewing new media types like the books and the shows so there is still a lot more to come!

Academy Blues #0 and Return To Macross: Issues 21-25

by Nathan Stout of (AccordingToWhim.com)

Academy Blues #0 (Academy 1995)
This is a whopping 40+ page comic which revolves around Lisa Hayes' days at the Robotech Academy. This type of storyline is the kind of thing I like. It gets more involved with the characters. When you have a nice mixture of the action and character's lives it really makes for interesting reading.

Roy Fokker shows up to lecture at one of her classes and on page 9 the students throw some funny questions at him.

Rolf Emerson is brought into continuity here as well. Claudia is smitten with him.

The comic only lasts the first 24 pages and then we are given an interview with the writer of the Academy Blues series: Robert Gibson. After that there is another interview, this time with artist Sean Bishop.

Return To Macross #21 (Academy 1995)

Bill Spangler and Wes Abbot are back on the case as we swing back to the Return to Macross series. We pick back up with the trouble with the 'Faithful' group on Macross Island.

Roy and Lang mosey on down to a special submarine that is kept on standby to safe all Lang's research away in the event something goes down on Macross. The sub takes off by itself and Roy has to takes steps to figure out what's going on and who is doing it.

On page 18 (after Roy has gotten ahold of a ridiculously large missile launcher) Lang dumps his research to distract the probe. It is a box of... floppy discs... come on! Even in 95 there were CDs...

Return To Macross #22 (Academy 1995)

This issue opens with Lang's sister Nina talking about how the SDF-1 is a timebomb then we cut to Roy and Lang talking at the Robotech HQ. I for one would like to know how the HECK they got out of the fix they were in during the last issue! They seems to have just dropped that storyline. Roy and Lang were prisoners inside that sub that was being remotely controlled then... nothing. I figured they would still be on it but I guess when they destroyed that probe thingy it released control (although nothing was ever mentioned).

On page 9 I could see the outline of a T.A.C. solider and sure enough on the next page there is the Southern Cross armor. Once again I like the fact that they are mixing that stuff in but it doesn't fit into the cartoon at all. If we are seeing it now I would assume we would have seen it in Macross City on the SDF-1... just sayin'.

On page 17 they are egging the Spartan Destroid... nice.

Return To Macross #23 (Academy 1995)

Charles Wilbur is back on Macross Island. You will remember that he was the once leader of the faithful but left after seeing that Robotechnology wasn't all that bad. He returns to the island to denounce the new violence that the 'Faithful' has started up.

Wilbur is shot and POOF! Roy just happens to have a brand spanking new plot device motorcycle to give chase to the killers.

On page 25 there is a short article about the upcoming Robocon 10 convention! I'm sure you all know about me and Robocon 10... check the last paragraph.

Return To Macross #24 (Academy 1995)

The 'Faithful' faction that is all for causing real turbulence is planning something big and Nina (who is on the less-extreme side of the argument) is getting caught in the middle.

I can't be sure but it looks like he drew the Gladiator backwards on page 15. It could be going the other direction but the hands look like they are facing the wrong way for it to be walking away from the viewer.

On page 16 we are watching the MBS news but there is a shot of a person being interviewed and an MBS TV camera guy is in the shot... filming the guy. I guess MBS (Macross Broadcasting System) wants multiple angles for some really high quality news reporting.

On page 24 there is a Playstation on the floor.

After the comic there is an interview with Carl Macek. He comments that he wishes everyone would just forget about Robotech: The Movie... lol. He also talks about his total plan for Robotech (one he would never get) as well as a tidbit about the Soundtrack Perfect Collection set that came out around that time.

Return To Macross #25 (Academy 1995)

This issue concludes the 'War of the Belivers' storyline from the last few issues. Nina was kidnapped in the last issue and it's up to Roy to save her.

So while they (Roy and Lang) are trying to find Nina, Roy just blasts a major piece of communications equipment to play a hunch... really Roy?

Everything is wrapped up neatly and Lang introduces Nina to Brian Bernard... yes, that Bernard. I don't think it was ever mentioned later but I am guessing this is supposed to wind up being Scott's future mother and father.

Macross Isand Junkie

by Nathan Stout (of AccordingToWhim.com)

As you all know I am fan of Robotech. I have enjoyed it for many a year and it has (for me) become far beyond a cartoon with dubious animation at times. I remember it around the first time back in the 80's but I wasn't that into it at the time. I am guessing I was more into G.I. Joe and He-Man than Robotech. It really wasn't until I was a freshman in High school that I got into Robotech. I think what initially happened was that my best friend in High school (Eric) got ahold of the RPG book and I think we launched from there.

Over the next several years it was a search for anything I could lay my hands on. Robotech's hey-day had passed and there was little new product coming out. I scoped out my local comic book shops (Heroes Workshop off West Berry and Lone Star Comics near Hulen) but didn't find too much in thoes early days. I remember that Heroes Workshop had a big cardboard SDF-1 and I was always amazed by it. I did find some issues of the Canadian Robotech Fanzine Protoculture Addicts and ate them up.

I got all the RPG books I could afford and the novelizations as well. When money permitted I would go wild at one of Lone Star's sales and stock up on back issues of the comics. Most were good but there were some strange ones too. Me and Eric and some of his friends would play the RPG. This was great fun but for some reason I was almost always the GM. Once I found 2 Peter Pan - Robotech Cassette with book sets at Pic-N-Save (which is now Big Lots). I loved those pieces of shit! They were so patched together and the narrator would constantly get the names wrong and when he read it was like he was reading the story for the first time (he would get inflections all wrong). None of it matter because it was Robotech and I enjoyed them thoroughly.



Through those first few years I got ahold of the F.H.E. version of Robotech. It had six VHS tapes with six episodes mercilessly editing together. They would only show one opening and closing credits and slap six episodes all together (cutting out quite a bit as I later found out). F.H.E. also released a couple of other versions of the series (with fewer episodes on each tape) but it appears my set was the last VHS set they produced. I would take a tape deck and record audio snippets off the show and make a 'mix tape' of audio sound bites. Years later I got the F.H.E. laser disc versions of the series and it was a totally different experience. The episodes were complete and there were scenes that I had never seen before. I gripe about those crappy VHS versions but they did offer some fun years later with the missing scenes I got to see off the laser discs.


Let's take a break with this cute chick giving us one of Minmei's songs...




Through all this I got on this kick to get Robotech Perfect Collection CD (or record it didn't matter to me). I contacted the company only to find out that it was out of print. These were the days before eBay so I was SOL. One day I was browsing something (online or in a magazine, I can't remember) and I ran across something that showed that a new soundtrack called Robotech: Perfect Soundtrack was about to be released... in less and a week! I was so excited. I got my order in ASAP but the production was delayed until early 97 and once I did get it I see why it was delayed. It had 2 discs and they were marked wrong. Disc 1 was Disc 2, etc... It still didn't detract from my utter delight. I got to enjoy songs I had never heard before including the ones I simply didn't remember from the Robotech The Movie soundtrack. As it turns out it wasn't 'perfect' there was another set that came less than 10 years later with even more.



In 1999 I built a website called Robocon.org. I already had a page about Robotech on my webpage so I moved it to the new Robocon.org and added more stuff to it. Robocon was the 10th anniversary of Robotech convention that took place in 1995. It focused on my take on Robotech as well as the voice actors that had attended the convention and so on. I had a couple of phone conversations with Tom Bateman (the organizer and protoge' of Carl Macek. He got me some info and gave me blessings to use it all on the site. He had been planning a Robocon 15 in 2000 but it fell through. In 200? He contacted me again (along with Tommy Yune I believe) about giving Robocon.org to Robotech.com (the official portal for Robotech). So they could use it for the upcoming Robocon 20. I agreed and they suped up my site and integrated it into their own. I still have my site archived here. You can compare the changes they made to it here (their official version). I found it funny that they kept the front page (the one with animation that says: 'Welcome to the Future of the Human Race' from my old site. I basically took that from my existing Front Mission fan site cause it sounded cool (I just changed 'Future of Warfare' to Future of the Human Race'). I also find it cool that the site is still up and intact after all these years.



Robotech has been good to me over the years and I feel I have been good to it. It's a nice relationship, eh?