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.
Friday, June 15, 2012
Friday, June 8, 2012
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:
Bloopers:
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:
Bloopers:
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.
PROTOCULTURE ADDICTS BITS:
Bloopers:
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!
PROTOCULTURE ADDICTS BITS:
Bloopers:
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:
Bloopers:
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.
PROTOCULTURE ADDICTS BITS:
Bloopers:
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:
Bloopers:
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:
Bloopers:
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.
PROTOCULTURE ADDICTS BITS:
Bloopers:
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!
PROTOCULTURE ADDICTS BITS:
Bloopers:
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:
Bloopers:
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.
PROTOCULTURE ADDICTS BITS:
Bloopers:
Thursday, May 31, 2012
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?
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!
Monday, May 21, 2012
Book 1: Robotech Genesis - Chapter 3 - 11
by Nathan Stout (of AccordingToWhim.com)
It is time to jump back to the Robotech novels in my 2012 Robotech 'experience'. I read Chapters 0-2 back in January then moved away to continue all the 'pre crash on Earth' storyline. Now we are back up to date and start out with Chapter 3 on launch day of the SDF-1.
Like I said before, the Robotech novels took a 'realsitic' approach to the cartoon. James Luceno and Brian Daley took their combined experience (in Daley's previous writings and Luceno's real world Vietnam experience) and attempted to put Robotech into the 'real world'. This was quite the task since there is a lot of very unrealistic action in the cartoon. Luckily the concept of Protoculture (the mysterious fuel behind Robotechnology) provides an easy 'out' in explaining away many situations. You are going to read alot of that coming from me so be prepared for the gripes.
I do appreciate their efforts. I'm glad this isn't just a straight 'port' from the show. I'm glad they did their best to fit what happens into real physics (as close as they can). They only use the 'unknown element' when they can't explain away the biggest plot holes and anti-physics.
I remember reading this book back in the early nineties in the midst of my discovery of Robotech and being so impressed with how closely it followed the show and then being someone disturbed when the writers varied off of the shows dialogue. Infact, when rereading this now I still know exactly which lines are on the show and which were added by the writers.
Robotech Genesis chapter 3 on starts out with the launch day activities of the crew of the SDF-1 and Rick Hunter as he shows up for the ceremony. The book follows the show VERY closely. This includes the dialogue but the writers also give us slight alterations and additions but only when they are really needed. The first episode of the series is really played out and takes up chapters 3 - 11 (the majority of the first book). Daley and Luceno really needed to do their best in setting up the series of books and taking shortcuts wouldn't do for this pivotal part of the tale.
In several instances during these chapters that involve the first episode there are issues that arise from real life versus cartoon physics. When Rick brings Minmei into the cockpit of the Veritech he is flying the book explains away the ability of Rick, doing a free fall in a jet and being able to open the cockpit canopy and not have it ripped off as a strange ability of Robotechnology. When Macross Island is taken into deep space the ocean that is taken with it freezes over (as one might think it would happen). I guess water was boil away in the vacuum of space so the writers once again rely on the strange trappings of Robotechnology to explain it away. Before Rick is let in on the fuel known as Protoculture the writers continually refer to the somewhat mystical and unexplainable substance that can do these incredible things as Robotechnology.
The witers also deal with the strangeness that is Japanese storytelling through usage of character thought and backstory. On the bridge of the SDF-1 the behaviour of all involved is rather odd and informal for being a military command. The writers use Captian Gloval's, Lisa's and Claudia's thoughts and reflections to explain away the bridge crews sometimes unmilitaristic nature.
I know all this is nitpicking but as I have said time and again, I am going to do it because it is fun... so deal with it!
The additions to the original material I noticed in this first chunk of book (not including the first 3 chapters) are the inclusion of Rick's examination of the Veritech's helmet which helps explain the human-interface with the mecha which were never explained in the original animation. In the show they are just robots, they never had that complex explanation of how these machines could move so human-like and do things so human-like. The little additions to the books about the ability of Protoculture to make men and machines interact so seamlessly was added later and is a great device and gave it all more depth. The explanation behind soda machine that follows Jason around trying to sell that damn Petite Cola was added to as well. Roy explains that the alien technology effects all electrical systems and does 'strange things' to normal items (like the soda machine).
It is time to jump back to the Robotech novels in my 2012 Robotech 'experience'. I read Chapters 0-2 back in January then moved away to continue all the 'pre crash on Earth' storyline. Now we are back up to date and start out with Chapter 3 on launch day of the SDF-1.
Like I said before, the Robotech novels took a 'realsitic' approach to the cartoon. James Luceno and Brian Daley took their combined experience (in Daley's previous writings and Luceno's real world Vietnam experience) and attempted to put Robotech into the 'real world'. This was quite the task since there is a lot of very unrealistic action in the cartoon. Luckily the concept of Protoculture (the mysterious fuel behind Robotechnology) provides an easy 'out' in explaining away many situations. You are going to read alot of that coming from me so be prepared for the gripes.
I do appreciate their efforts. I'm glad this isn't just a straight 'port' from the show. I'm glad they did their best to fit what happens into real physics (as close as they can). They only use the 'unknown element' when they can't explain away the biggest plot holes and anti-physics.
I remember reading this book back in the early nineties in the midst of my discovery of Robotech and being so impressed with how closely it followed the show and then being someone disturbed when the writers varied off of the shows dialogue. Infact, when rereading this now I still know exactly which lines are on the show and which were added by the writers.
Robotech Genesis chapter 3 on starts out with the launch day activities of the crew of the SDF-1 and Rick Hunter as he shows up for the ceremony. The book follows the show VERY closely. This includes the dialogue but the writers also give us slight alterations and additions but only when they are really needed. The first episode of the series is really played out and takes up chapters 3 - 11 (the majority of the first book). Daley and Luceno really needed to do their best in setting up the series of books and taking shortcuts wouldn't do for this pivotal part of the tale.
In several instances during these chapters that involve the first episode there are issues that arise from real life versus cartoon physics. When Rick brings Minmei into the cockpit of the Veritech he is flying the book explains away the ability of Rick, doing a free fall in a jet and being able to open the cockpit canopy and not have it ripped off as a strange ability of Robotechnology. When Macross Island is taken into deep space the ocean that is taken with it freezes over (as one might think it would happen). I guess water was boil away in the vacuum of space so the writers once again rely on the strange trappings of Robotechnology to explain it away. Before Rick is let in on the fuel known as Protoculture the writers continually refer to the somewhat mystical and unexplainable substance that can do these incredible things as Robotechnology.
The witers also deal with the strangeness that is Japanese storytelling through usage of character thought and backstory. On the bridge of the SDF-1 the behaviour of all involved is rather odd and informal for being a military command. The writers use Captian Gloval's, Lisa's and Claudia's thoughts and reflections to explain away the bridge crews sometimes unmilitaristic nature.
I know all this is nitpicking but as I have said time and again, I am going to do it because it is fun... so deal with it!
The additions to the original material I noticed in this first chunk of book (not including the first 3 chapters) are the inclusion of Rick's examination of the Veritech's helmet which helps explain the human-interface with the mecha which were never explained in the original animation. In the show they are just robots, they never had that complex explanation of how these machines could move so human-like and do things so human-like. The little additions to the books about the ability of Protoculture to make men and machines interact so seamlessly was added later and is a great device and gave it all more depth. The explanation behind soda machine that follows Jason around trying to sell that damn Petite Cola was added to as well. Roy explains that the alien technology effects all electrical systems and does 'strange things' to normal items (like the soda machine).
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
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.
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.
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
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
Bloopers:
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
Bloopers:
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:
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
Bloopers:
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
Bloopers:
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:
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Civil War Stories #1, Return to Macross #34-37, Breaking Point #1
by Nathan Stout (of AccordingToWhim.com)
Welcome to the next part of my 2012 Reading/Watching extravaganza of Robotech! I have now moved on to the one-shot by Academy 'Civil War Stories' and more of Return to Macross and finally Break Point then I am onto the show! Catch up on what I am doing here.
Civil War Stories #1 (Academy 1996)
D.S. Villalovos is our artist and the ever-story-producing Robert Gibson is the writer once again. This one-shot is a story about a battle that happened during the Gobal Civil War.
Villalovos' art looks like it would be better suited for something original, instead of trying to reflect the look of a set of particular characters.
On page 8 we once again see Henry Gloval's 'give-up' attitude. How in the world did this guy ever get so high up in the RDF?! lol.
No sure whats going on in the bottom frame of page 22. It looks like it's a 'fill in your own tobacco advert' featuring Henry Gloval. Here is mine...
"Have you dodged death today on the open seas? Then fill up with Newton's pipe tobacco and celebrate!"
Now the first page of this story says it was an account of one of the 'bloodiest battles' of the Global Civil Way'. Must have been a VERY tame war.
Return to Macross #34 (Academy 1996)
On page 10 there is the concert on the cruise ship and in the back of the crowd is none other than Tetsuo from Akira. He looks pretty pissed!
The cartoon look of these character portraits are somewhat distracting. Take a look at page 11 and you will see what I mean. Lisa looks kinda retarded in that bottom-left frame!
The art at the bottom of page 16 looks like a caricature. I am going to bet this artist worked at one of those caricature booths at Six Flags or something.
In the Academy Mailbag section they tell us that Sean Bishop got a job working at Disney. I guess he went on to do comics for them. I wouldn't doubt it, he is pretty good.
Return to Macross #35 (Academy 1996)
Dusty Griffin continues his work with this comic with Bill Spangler doing the writing.
Looks like Admiral Hayes has been kidnapped by some thugs so Lisa isn't in so much danger anymore since they have the big fish now.
The bad guys also take control of one of the RDF's ocean platforms. They get some of the Radar X Destroids and make their demands. The Destroids look really strange.
The quality of the art in this comic is actually very good. It appears Dusty Griffin had more time or he just does a better job with action than alot of people sitting around talking.
Return to Macross #36 (Academy 1996)
The bad guys were headed up to the Achilles space ship with Admiral Hayes hostage. Roy (having his usual run of bad luck) had to put back down.
On page 4 Claudia asks Roy how he feel for the first time in this whole run of comics! She had dissed him so much all during Return to Macross I was beginning to feel sorry for him.
The double page art on page 12 looks great! It's Armor 1 doing something other than getting whupped on by the Zentraedi.
The designer of the Achilles shut off all power to everything... except the gravity. He must have forgot to shut that system off.
I found this comic to be a very easy read. It was well laid out and had coherent action, bravo!
Return to Macross #37 (Academy 1996)
Roy is in pursuit of Smythe and did he just try to commit murder on page 8? Shouldn't he be just trying to disable the shuttle?
On page 16 the Robotech Military Police sure look alot like the terrorist that invaded the Achilles. There's that strange looking Destroid again.
Mayor Lunan sure looks fit and trim! I wonder what happened to him?
That's some real dodgy art on page 21. I think he was in a rush that day.
And POOF! on page 24 everything is all right between Roy and Claudia... really? sheesh...
And that's it! The curtain closes on Return to Macross. It was a bumpy ride but I had fun. On to the next comic!
Breaking Point: Lisa Hayes #1 (Academy 1996)
All the women in this comic look the same (with the exception of Claudia). I was having trouble keeping people straight.
On page 13 the killer lady appears to be walking away from the guy then all the sudden we see him falling in the ocean. I guess she threw the knife? Not sure, the direction wasn't too clear.
Well... well... I can't say I saw the ending coming. I guess they felt the need to wrap of that particular character and leave her pre-launch. Ouch.
THAT'S ALL! I have completed the time line in the Robotech universe right up to the series. In my next post I will be going over the first Robotech book and the show itself. The reading list doesn't cover the comico stuff for some reason but I will be reading those as well.
Until next time!
Welcome to the next part of my 2012 Reading/Watching extravaganza of Robotech! I have now moved on to the one-shot by Academy 'Civil War Stories' and more of Return to Macross and finally Break Point then I am onto the show! Catch up on what I am doing here.
Civil War Stories #1 (Academy 1996)
D.S. Villalovos is our artist and the ever-story-producing Robert Gibson is the writer once again. This one-shot is a story about a battle that happened during the Gobal Civil War.
Villalovos' art looks like it would be better suited for something original, instead of trying to reflect the look of a set of particular characters.
On page 8 we once again see Henry Gloval's 'give-up' attitude. How in the world did this guy ever get so high up in the RDF?! lol.
No sure whats going on in the bottom frame of page 22. It looks like it's a 'fill in your own tobacco advert' featuring Henry Gloval. Here is mine...
"Have you dodged death today on the open seas? Then fill up with Newton's pipe tobacco and celebrate!"
Now the first page of this story says it was an account of one of the 'bloodiest battles' of the Global Civil Way'. Must have been a VERY tame war.
Return to Macross #34 (Academy 1996)
On page 10 there is the concert on the cruise ship and in the back of the crowd is none other than Tetsuo from Akira. He looks pretty pissed!
The cartoon look of these character portraits are somewhat distracting. Take a look at page 11 and you will see what I mean. Lisa looks kinda retarded in that bottom-left frame!
The art at the bottom of page 16 looks like a caricature. I am going to bet this artist worked at one of those caricature booths at Six Flags or something.
In the Academy Mailbag section they tell us that Sean Bishop got a job working at Disney. I guess he went on to do comics for them. I wouldn't doubt it, he is pretty good.
Return to Macross #35 (Academy 1996)
Dusty Griffin continues his work with this comic with Bill Spangler doing the writing.
Looks like Admiral Hayes has been kidnapped by some thugs so Lisa isn't in so much danger anymore since they have the big fish now.
The bad guys also take control of one of the RDF's ocean platforms. They get some of the Radar X Destroids and make their demands. The Destroids look really strange.
The quality of the art in this comic is actually very good. It appears Dusty Griffin had more time or he just does a better job with action than alot of people sitting around talking.
Return to Macross #36 (Academy 1996)
The bad guys were headed up to the Achilles space ship with Admiral Hayes hostage. Roy (having his usual run of bad luck) had to put back down.
On page 4 Claudia asks Roy how he feel for the first time in this whole run of comics! She had dissed him so much all during Return to Macross I was beginning to feel sorry for him.
The double page art on page 12 looks great! It's Armor 1 doing something other than getting whupped on by the Zentraedi.
The designer of the Achilles shut off all power to everything... except the gravity. He must have forgot to shut that system off.
I found this comic to be a very easy read. It was well laid out and had coherent action, bravo!
Return to Macross #37 (Academy 1996)
Roy is in pursuit of Smythe and did he just try to commit murder on page 8? Shouldn't he be just trying to disable the shuttle?
On page 16 the Robotech Military Police sure look alot like the terrorist that invaded the Achilles. There's that strange looking Destroid again.
Mayor Lunan sure looks fit and trim! I wonder what happened to him?
That's some real dodgy art on page 21. I think he was in a rush that day.
And POOF! on page 24 everything is all right between Roy and Claudia... really? sheesh...
And that's it! The curtain closes on Return to Macross. It was a bumpy ride but I had fun. On to the next comic!
Breaking Point: Lisa Hayes #1 (Academy 1996)
All the women in this comic look the same (with the exception of Claudia). I was having trouble keeping people straight.
On page 13 the killer lady appears to be walking away from the guy then all the sudden we see him falling in the ocean. I guess she threw the knife? Not sure, the direction wasn't too clear.
Well... well... I can't say I saw the ending coming. I guess they felt the need to wrap of that particular character and leave her pre-launch. Ouch.
THAT'S ALL! I have completed the time line in the Robotech universe right up to the series. In my next post I will be going over the first Robotech book and the show itself. The reading list doesn't cover the comico stuff for some reason but I will be reading those as well.
Until next time!
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