Section V: "Anime Related to Robotech"

5.1.1: WHAT IS IT?

Anime (pronounced "annie-may") is animation (cartoons) drawn and produced in Japan. Many American cartoon shows are actually anime shows that have been imported, redubbed, and re-released to the American public. Besides Robotech, other examples of American cartoons that use footage from anime are Speed Racer, Battle of the Planets, Gigantor, Transor Z, and others.

It is important to note that anime is a MEDIUM and not a GENRE. There are all types of animes available; sci-fi animes, comedy animes, romance animes, action animes, horror animes, etcetera, etcetera. Basically there are examples of anime for any type of story you can imagine. Robotech is NOT representative of all anime; to say that Robotech represents all anime would be like saying that Star Trek represents all American television. It is simply not true.

5.1.2: HOW IS JAPANESE ANIMATION DIFFERENT FROM AMERICAN ANIMATION?

Some people claim that anime is much more violent/sexual and drawn much better than American animation. This is not really true. There are examples of American animation that are just as violent/sexual ("Heavy Metal") or just as well drawn (Disney) as many anime shows out there. The difference is that there is a LOT more animation produced in Japan than there is here in America. Consequently, even though the percentages of types of animation are about the same, the greater number of shows produced means that there is a lot more anime to choose from in any particular genre.

One reason why anime seems so much better than American animation is the "fan filter" effect. Only a select few animes make it overseas via traders or professional companies, and those few are usually chosen because they stand out in some way. Thus, we usually only get to see the "best" examples of anime here, while the poorer ones remain in Japan in relative obscurity.

5.1.3: ARE ANY OF THESE SEQUELS TO ROBOTECH?

No, not really. Although some of the anime listed below were produced by the same producers/designers/artists that worked on the footage that made up Robotech, NONE of the plots have anything to do with Robotech. All of these shows are completely independent stories.

5.1.4: WHERE CAN I GET COPIES OF THESE SHOWS?

Many of these shows have been subtitled or dubbed in English by American companies and are now available for purchase in the U.S. and other countries. You can usually find them by looking in your local video or comic book stores, or by contacting mail-order video shops. Another good way to see these shows is to visit a local anime club. Many colleges and universities have Japanese animation clubs that promote anime by offering free showings to the public of the latest shows. These clubs are also a good source of information on how to get your own copies of these shows. Ask the employees at comic book and video stores in your area to see if there are any anime clubs near you.

5.2.1: WHAT IS IT ABOUT?

In 1999 the nations of Earth are locked in a state of nearly constant war, wars that everyone knows will ultimately result in a self-induced genocide. But before anyone starts using nuclear weapons an extra-terrestrial starship crashes on a small island. Many think that someone has started using nukes, but public announcements claim it is an massive asteroid that has impacted the Earth. The crash and eventual exploration is the impetus that causes the Unified Earth Government to coalesce. Investigators discover that the ship had retreated from a battle in space, a battle against gigantic soldiers. The "UN Spacy" (think army, navy, spacy) is formed to protect the Earth from the possibility of invasion.

After 10 years, reconstruction of the flagship of the UN Spacy, the SDF-1 Macross, is finished. But during the launching ceremonies a Zentraedi fleet appears and launches an offensive to capture the Macross. In an effort to gain a better tactical position, the Macross attempts a fold jump to lunar orbit. But there are many things about the Macross the new crew doesn't understand, and instead of the Moon they fold out to Pluto's orbit, taking the island and over 50 thousand civilians with it. One more problem: the fold drive that allowed the jump vanishes. Cut off from Earth, hounded by an enemy they don't understand, and carrying 56,000 civilian refugees, the Macross struggles to return to the planet it is sworn to protect.

"Superdimension Fortress Macross" was intended to be a tongue-in-cheek parody of shows like "Kidou Senshi Gundam" (Mobile Suit Gundam) and Uchuu Senkan Yamato ("Space Battleship Yamato" aka "Star Blazers"), as well as itself. But as the story evolved, and the company funding the project changed, the parody was set aside in favor of a more serious soap opera-style war story. As "Gundam" was the first TV series to take the giant robot seriously, turning it into just a machine of war, "Macross" was the first to do so with transforming giant robots. Macross broke many other cliches and stereotypes of the giant robot genre as well, from not making the story's hero the best pilot, to giving that distinction to an otherwise "nobody" character, and having that character become romantically involved with the the enemy pilot.

Originally slated for 52 episodes (a full year; Japanese TV doesn't have broadcast seasons like the US), it was gradually pared down to 36 episodes due to monetary and manpower restraints. But even with only a 36-episode run, Macross is still one of the most popular animated TV shows in Japan, spawning a beautiful feature-length film ("Macross Summer '84: Ai Oboete Imasuka"), a 30-minute music video "sequel" to the movie ("Flash Back 2012"), a 6-episode OAV (Original Animation Video) series sequel to the movie ("Macross II"), a new TV series starring one of Maximillian's and Miria's many daughters started it's run in early October 1994 ("Macross 7"), and a new OAV series prequel to "Macross 7" ("Macross Plus"). Not to mention numerous other merchandising endeavors from soundtrack and vocal albums to toys and models to clothes and school supplies.

5.2.2: HOW DOES IT DIFFER FROM THE "MACROSS" PART OF ROBOTECH?

Carl Macek made many modifications to the Macross story in order to mesh it with Southern Cross and Mospeada, some trivial, others grotesque. These are some of the more notable differences.

The most important difference is the definition of "Protoculture." It is not an energy source; it is not some biochemical substance that allows for mecha transformation; it is not some quasi-mystical force playing games with the Universe; it is not a god. "It" is not an it at all. The Protoculture were literally the "first culture" to evolve in the galaxy, circa 50,000 B.C. Circa 47,000 B.C. a Protoculturian exploration vessel visited Terra, presumably leaving behind humanity's ancestors. As their Stellar Republic expanded they came into conflict with the Patrollers, that conflict eventually resulting in the destruction of the Protoculture and their republic.

The "SDF-1 Macross" (originally designated "ASS-1: Alien StarShip-1") belongs to an unnamed race that is at war with the Zentraedi. Britai Kridanik's fleet is chasing it because of several unique abilities the ship possesses. The ship is capable of self-repair, something of vital importance to the aging Zentraedi fleet. Its systems are technologically more advanced than the Zentraedi's, something else they wish to study. The ship's fold engines are capable of feats previously unheard of to the Zentraedi, including folding while inside a planet's near gravity well and atmosphere. There is speculation that the fold engines are also capable of limited temporal displacement (the kanji for "superdimension" literally read "exceed[ing] time [and] space"), again something the Zentraedi desire greatly. And it's proper combat tactics to ride your kill down to make certain it's a kill.

"Robotechnology" is another invention of Carl Macek. The advanced technology of the SDF-1, referred to as "overtechnology," was studied and adapted, resulting in the development of the Destroids, Valkyries, and the reconstruction of the ship. Reflex (reactive) weapons are a form of thermonuclear weapons, probably designed in such a way as to minimize or eliminate radioactive fallout.

There is no SDF-2 being constructed on Earth. Construction of the SDF-2 "Megaroad" (or "Megalord" or "Megaload" depending on how you read it; all three were used during the preproduction of "Battle City Megaroad," the original working title of Macross when it was still a parody, the name itself being a linguistic word-play) begins on the moon in 2003, a space battleship of purely Terran design. After the near-annihilation of humanity its construction is altered, instead becoming the ark that will search the galaxy for a new home for humanity.

The reconstruction project does not completely unify Earth; there are a number of anti-unificationists using guerrilla warfare and terrorism against the United Earth Government. Because of the Unification Wars all personnel on the Mars Base are withdrawn to Earth; the Anti-Unification Army hijacks a Space Destroyer and destroys the entire return fleet (Riber is killed here, not on the Mars Base). The Anti-Unification Army is finally defeated by the unification forces in 2007 after 5 years of civil war. Even with the defeat of the Anti-Unification Army, though, there are still many people chafing at UEG rule--witness the initial decision by the leaders of the Ontario Autonomous Region to allow the Macross to debark it's civilian passengers.

At the time of the Macross' launch, there are only 2 A.R.M.D. (Armored) Carriers commissioned; Armored-1 and Armored-2 (not Armored-10 as the dialogue states) were to rendezvous with the Macross. That is probably the simple mistake of reading the "01" on the hull as "10." Construction plans called for a total of 10 A.R.M.D. carriers, though only 8 were completed and comissioned.

Many names were changed. The Macross has an international cast (see section 2).

Lynn Kaifun (Kyle) is Lynn Minmei's brother, not cousin.

Finally, of course, "Superdimension Cavalry Southern Cross" and "Genesis Climber Mospeada" have absolutely nothing to do with Macross. Any footage from Southern Cross or Mospeada that appears during the first 36 episodes of Robotech, or any Macross footage that appears during the rest of the series, has been edited in for continuity and plot development. There are no Inbit or Zor, Invid or Robotech Masters, no special or metaphysical flowers (other than the dandylions Hikaru finds out in the wastelands) in Macross. "Superdimension Century Orguss" also has nothing to do with Macross aside from sharing a "Superdimension" title and the same character designer (Haruhiko Mikimoto, aka HAL).

5.2.3: WHAT ARE THE "ZENTRAEDI" IN THE ORIGINAL SERIES?

Oddly enough, the Zentraedi are one of the things Macek changed the least, and borrowed from the most to develop the "prehistory" of the Robotech timeline.

The Protoculture's greatest science was that of genetic engineering. They could perform miracles with genetic tissue, from determining the sex of an unborn foetus to cloning an army of gigantic warriors. The Zentraedi were created by the Protoculture to protect themselves from the Patrollers and other enemies. They were conditioned to fight, devoid of emotions, and segregated by sex to prevent a resurgeance of those emotions. All knowledge of how to repair their machines of war was denied them, and they were further conditioned to respect and fear those who could perform such repairs, such as the Protoculture themselves.

The average Zentraedi soldier is approximately 35 feet tall, not the 50 feet the dialogue states; that's probably an exaggeration for effect as a 50-foot tall Zentraedi wouldn't be able to fit in a 50-foot tall Regult Combat Pod. Britai Kridanik's height is given in "Macross Perfect Memory" (the Japanese equivalent to "Robotech Art 1") at 44.5 feet, and he is much taller than the average Zentraedi soldier (and approximately the same height as a Battroid Valkyrie). Bodolza is taller still.

5.3.1: WHAT IS IT ABOUT?

In the future, humanity has moved out of the solar system and started to colonize planets far away from Earth. One of the farthest colonies in existance is the planet Glorie, on the very edge of explored space. The main military forces protecting the colonists of Glorie from the unknown are the Armies of the Southern Cross.

However, unknown to the human colonists, Glorie is the ancestral home of the Zor, a race of highly advanced humanoids that have been wandering the galaxy for the past few centuries. Although the Zor abandoned their homeworld ages ago, they have now returned with what remains of their fleet to reclaim their planet. Unfortunately, the humans have already made Glorie their new home and refuse to leave it. Since Glorie does not have a large enough food supply to support the humans and the Zor together, they declare war on each other for sole possession of the planet.

The resulting war for Glorie basically makes up the Southern Cross TV series. The events focus on Jeanne Francaix (Dana Sterling), the young and inexperienced leader of the 15th ATAC. Jeanne struggles to change her band of misfits and drop-outs into a skilled fighting force, and largely succeeds in turning the 15th ATAC into an elite unit by the end of the war. During the battles Jeanne also grows and matures from a headstrong girl into an experienced woman. (Typical Japanese "coming-ofage" storyline)

During the war, the Zor learn that they can kidnap humans and brainwash them into expendable pilots for their own mecha. This causes great moral conflicts on the side of the humans as they discover that they are often fighting their own kind, who are helpless pawns of the Zor. One of the best examples of this is Seifrietti Weisse (Zor Prime), a Southern Cross soldier captured, brainwashed, and surgically altered to be a spy for the Zor Lords. Seifrietti is returned to Glorie, where he is captured and then "adopted" by Jeanne and the 15th ATAC. Seifrietti manages to break the Zor's conditioning and kills the Zor Lords himself at the end of the series.

The three mounds seen near the end of the series are not rotting spaceship carcasses, but instead contain the last surviving plants of a species that made up most of Glorie's food supply in the distant past. When Seifrietti detonates the last Zor fortress over the mounds, the resulting explosion spreads the plant's seeds all over Glorie. Unlike in Robotech, this is a GOOD thing, since the new plants will increase Glorie's food supply to the point where it can support both the humans and the surviving Zor together in peace.

5.3.2: HOW DOES IT DIFFER FROM THE "MASTERS" PART OF ROBOTECH?

Aside from the differences mentioned above, one of the major differences between Southern Cross and Robotech is that in the original SC TV series, Glorie had TWO suns instead of one. Since Carl Macek wanted to turn Glorie into a post-holocaust Earth, he eliminated the second sun by editing out most of the footage where both suns appeared, and editing out the second sun via airbrushing in those scenes which could not be cut out.

5.3.3: WHO ARE THE "MASTERS" IN THE ORIGINAL SERIES?

As mentioned above, the "Masters" are the Zor, a race of wandering conquerors who left Glorie long ago and returned to it when their forces and number began to wane. Despite their humanoid appearance, they do not appear to be related to humans in any way. Their technology is TOTALLY different than human technology, and the two share nothing in common (unlike in Robotech).

5.4.1: WHAT IS IT ABOUT?

[To be completed]

5.4.2: HOW DOES IT DIFFER FROM THE "NEW GENERATION" PART OF ROBOTECH?

[To be completed]

5.4.3: WHO ARE THE "INVID" IN THE ORIGINAL SERIES?

[To be completed]

5.5.1: WHAT IS IT ABOUT?

"Macross: Do You Remember Love" is a full-length anime film based on the Macross TV series. The movie starts out with the SDF-1 traveling near Saturn, presumably on its way to Earth. The normal life on the warship is interrupted when a Zentran battlecruiser defolds and attacks. During the battle, a young pilot named Hikaru Ichijo rescues the famous singer and movie star Lynn Minmay from being killed, but ends up trapped with her in the lower decks of the SDF-1. While trapped, the two become very close. After being rescued, the two begin to date, and Hikaru takes Minmay on a tour of Saturn's rings. However, the lovers are captured by the Zentran along with first officer Misa Hayase, squadron leader Roy Focker, and Lynn Kaifun, Minmay's manager. However, while returning to the main Zentran fleet the Zentraedi are attacked by the Meltran, giant warrior women who have ben at war with the Zentran for ages. Hikaru and Misa manage to escape during the confusion, but Roy is killed and Minmay and Kaifun remain captured.

Hikaru and Misa fall out of the Zentran ship during a fold and wind up back on Earth. The surface of the Earth has been laid to waste by Zentran bombardments, and almost no one has survived. While searching for survivors, Hikaru and Misa discover an ancient spaceship that was once buried at the bottom of the ocean, before the ocean was evaporated in the Zentran attack. The ship turns out to be a colony ship from the Protoculture, an ancient race that were the ancestors of the Zentran, Meltran, and Humans. Misa also finds a fragment of an ancient song from the Protoculture in the ruins. Hikaru and Misa start to become very close to each other, when they are rescued by the SDF-1 which has finally made it back to Earth.

While trying to figure out what to do next, the SDF-1 is attacked by a Meltran cruiser. However, the battle is interrupted by the arrival of the Zentran fleet, which is broadcasting Minmay's singing. Bodolza, leader of the Zentran forces, calls a truce with the SDF-1. Bodolza wants the humans on the SDF-1 to complete the song that he has discovered (a "fragment of culture") which he can then use as a powerful weapon to attack the Meltraedi. While the songwriters on the SDF-1 try to come up with suitable lyrics, Misa translates the fragment she found on the colony ship and discovers that it is a listing of the original lyrics to the original song Bodolza has discovered. However, before she can announce her discovery, the main Meltran fleet arrives to destroy the Zentran and the SDF-1.

Bodolza, angered by the lack of progress from the SDF-1, breaks the truce and orders the Zentran ships to fire on the battlefortress. However, the SDF-1 manages to escape. Misa gives the lyrics to Hikaru, who in turn convinces Minmay to sing the song. The complete song, entitled "Do You Remember Love", convinces most of the Zentran and Meltran forces to join ranks with the SDF-1 against Bodolza. As both fleets and the SDF-1 attack the Zentran fortress, Hikaru enters it with his Valkyrie and manages to kill Bodolza, saving the last survivors of humanity and the Zentran and Meltran fleets from destruction.

5.5.2: HOW DOES IT RELATE TO THE JAPANESE MACROSS?

Although "Do You Remember Love" is based on the Macross TV series, the events in the movie take place outside of the original story's continuity. Some of the events from the Macross TV series are included in the movie, like Hikaru and Minmay's time trapped in the SDF-1, Roy Focker's death, and the final climactic battle against Bodolza. However, new parts were also added such as the Meltran forces and the Protoculture colony ship. While closely resembling each other, the Macross TV series and Macross Movie should be considered separate and unrelated stories.

The original Macross storyline has undergone several revisions since the release of the original Macross TV series. According to the newest continuity a la Macross Plus and Macross 7, Macross '84 is a fictional theatrical release based on the events of the original series. In other words, the movie is NOT part of the official Macross storyline. It is a historical fiction movie *within* the Macross tv series universe released in 2031 about Spacewar One. Macross II is an "alternate story"; some have interpreted this to mean it is an OAV sequel (again within the series universe) to the movie. On the other hand, Flashback 2012, which clearly uses mecha designs from the movie, has, nevertheless, been integrated into the series timeline. "August 2012, Lynn Minmay's final concert".

5.6.1: WHAT IS IT ABOUT?

Two years have passed since the events in the 1984 movie "Macross: Do You Remember Love". Lynn Minmay, who is still a superstar, quietly reminisces after a concert about the events in her life that had led up to that point. She remembers her arrival on the SDF-1, her meeting Hikaru Ichijo and Misa Hayase, and the final battle with the Zentran and Meltran forces against Boldolza. (These flashbacks are done in the form of music videos with footage from the Macross TV series and the 1984 movie.) Near the end, Hikaru and Misa appear to Minmay and show her the newly-completed SDF-2 Megaroad and the VF-4 Valkyrie fighters. The SDF-2 launches from Earth on her maiden voyage on a mission to find a new home for humanity. Minmay, however, chooses to stay behind this time and watches the enormous ship as it departs Earth to voyage into history.

5.6.2: HOW DOES IT RELATE TO THE JAPANESE MACROSS TV SERIES AND "MACROSS: DO YOU REMEMBER LOVE"?

Although Flashback 2012 uses footage from the original Macross TV series in some of its videos, the OAV is actually a "sequel" to the 1984 Macross Movie. The most direct proof of this is the fact that the SDF-2 design used in Flashback 2012 is *VERY* different than the design used in the TV series.

5.7.1: WHAT IS IT? IS IT A SEQUEL TO ROBOTECH?

Macross II is a 6-episode OAV (Original Animation Video) series that is a sequel to the 1984 movie "Macross: Do You Remember Love". The new series takes place on Earth 80 years after the movie ended. Since "Do You Remember Love" isn't part of the Macross TV series continuity, Macross II is also outside that continuity. Thus Macross II is 2 generations removed from the footage that became Robotech.

5.8.1: I SEE "SUPER DIMENSIONAL" IN THE TITLE. IS IT RELATED TO MACROSS OR SOUTHERN CROSS?

Storywise, no. Orguss was done by the same studio that did Macross and Southern Cross, which accounts somewhat for the similarities in the names. Also, the character designs for Orguss were done by Haruhiko Mikimoto, which explains the similar appearance between Macross and Orguss characters. However, Orguss and Orguss II are not related in any way to either the Macross or Southern Cross storylines.

5.9.1: WHO IS HARUHIKO MIKIMOTO? WHY IS HE IMPORTANT?

Character Designs: Macross, Macross II, High Speed Jecy, Eve from Megazone 23, Gunbuster, Gundam 0080, Genesis Climber Mospeada, Macross 7, Super Dimensional Century Orguss, assorted cover art for Mobile Suit Gundam, Z Gundam, and Gundam F-91, and artist of his own personal manga title: Marionette Generation

As you can see, HAL - as he is usually known, is one of the most popular character designers in anime. He is responsible for the character designs from Macross, which in turn became Robotech's Macross Saga. And for Eve from Megazone23, which later was used to created Robotech: The Movie. As well as Genesis Climber Mospeada which became Robotech's New Generation.

5.9.2: HOW WELL DID THE SERIES THAT MAKE UP ROBOTECH DO IN JAPAN?

A quick glance at the episode counts of the three original series should provide the first clue as to their relative success rates. Super Dimensional Fortress Macross has 36, Super Dimensional Cavalry Southern Cross has 23, and Genesis Climber Mospeada, 25. (For those number crunchers out there, yes this adds to 84. "Dana's Story," ep 37, which combines footage from Macross and Southern Cross is the 85th episode.)

Obviously, Macross is the most successful. In fact, it is one of the most successful anime titles ever. Originally scheduled for 27 episodes, nine more were added before the series ended. Furthermore, it spawned Macross '84: Love, Do You Remember?, Macross Flashback 2012, Macross II, and now, in this ten year anniversary of the theatrical release, Macross Plus and Macross 7. Lynn Minmay is one of the most popular anime characters in history. And the Macross '84 theme song crossed over and made the *regular* Japanese pop charts; it is the most successful anime song ever. Moreover, the ROBOTECH project, as conceived by Harmony Gold, started out as an attempt to bring over a faithful translation of Macross to North American audiences. Only when the syndication "magic number" of 65 episodes came into issue did the other two series enter the equation.

On the other side of the coin, is Southern Cross, which bombed. Slated for a longer run, it was cut short during its run, hence the oddball number of 23 eps.

Finally, splitting the middle is Mospeada. Mildly successful, it ran its full run of eps without cancellation. Furthermore, it did well enough to merit a follow-up music video OAV, Genesis Climber Mospeada: Love, Live, Alive, but not so well as to afford a second series. However, this should not be viewed as a sign of failure, for, as it turns out, most anime titles are like this. They run. They achieve reasonable ratings. They finish. The successful ones may spawn a music video or extra CD releases while the rest never appear again except as re-runs. End of story.