The Official Macross Delta Anime Thread Mk I

[DragoMaster009]

Did they mention what the new duration of the license is?

[Seto Kaiba]

I have heard some rumors that Sony have a hand in this, because they want to work out a Robotech movie. Is this true?

As far as I'm aware that's a baseless rumor.

Did they mention what the new duration of the license is?

Nope.

[DragoMaster009]

Perhaps we shouldn't go after Harmony Gold, or at least its animation department. Maybe we should go after its parent company, or at least its real estate side and putting pressure on it.

Wait, did they renew the trademarks as well?

[Seto Kaiba]

Perhaps we shouldn't go after Harmony Gold, or at least its animation department. Maybe we should go after its parent company, or at least its real estate side and putting pressure on it.

It's not really a parent company, the Robotech team is just an operating unit of Harmony Gold USA.

I'm not sure there's any realistic pressure that could be put on their real estate business, since by all accounts they're a pricy but actually competent rental property management firm. (Living in Los Angeles is NOT cheap.)

Wait, did they renew the trademarks as well?

Trademark filings are handled separately from all of this brouhaha over licensing.

I don't believe their trademarks are due for renewal anytime soon in the US.

[DragoMaster009]

Perhaps a failure to renew trademarks would be a possible weakpoint? Still, I wonder how much money they can sink into Robotech before they realize its not worth it, even if you take the illegal dealings out of it? I mean, paying to use three different shows must cost a pretty penny.

[yazi88]

They did mention how long the license was after renewal at the panel... 35 years... ANN also reported that Tatsunoko did confirm they renewed the contract...

Same agreements as the previous contract according to the panel... nothing has changed...

https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2 ... es/.148700

[Seto Kaiba]

Perhaps a failure to renew trademarks would be a possible weakpoint? Still, I wonder how much money they can sink into Robotech before they realize its not worth it, even if you take the illegal dealings out of it? I mean, paying to use three different shows must cost a pretty penny.

Yeah, the Italian justice system and US Internal Revenue have their personal theories about Harmony Gold's production and distribution business... and Frank Agrama has already been convicted on charges of using the company as part of an elaborate tax fraud and money laundering scheme once.

They did mention how long the license was after renewal at the panel... 35 years...

No, the "35 years" thing comes from one of those form letter "we're grateful to have worked for you for X years, and we hope to continue working with you for another X years" statement by Agrama. The duration of the new license was not stated at that panel. (It's not normally the kind of detail you advertise, which is why we had to get the original end date from court documents.)

Same agreements as the previous contract according to the panel... nothing has changed...

I'm not convinced that that's the case, since we haven't seen the renewed agreement itself.

Tatsunoko seems to have used the renewal as leverage to get Harmony Gold to cancel the debt from their arbitration settlement that Tatsunoko was already refusing to pay, and there were likely other conditions of the license changed as well due to the whole arbitration having started over Tatsunoko's suspicion that Harmony Gold was skimming off the royalties owed for home video.

[DragoMaster009]

So basically, it seems like Tatsunoko has decided that as long as Harmony Gold holds onto that license, they might as well squeeze every last dollar out of Harmony Gold's pockets, even if that company finally gets its act together and does something viable with Robotech due to this?

[False Prophet]

Say, what are Satelight's IP other than Macross? Symphogear and Aquarion? In the last few years they have mostly done licensed work. With Symphogear at its end, Aquarion inactive, and now Harmony Gold got an extended licensing deal, how positive are Satelight's prospect with original properties in the domestic and foreign market?

[Seto Kaiba]

So basically, it seems like Tatsunoko has decided that as long as Harmony Gold holds onto that license, they might as well squeeze every last dollar out of Harmony Gold's pockets, even if that company finally gets its act together and does something viable with Robotech due to this?

My suspicion is that Tatsunoko's plan is twofold:

1. Make Harmony Gold pay through the nose for a renewal of the license, even over a short term, by holding it hostage until they agree to withdraw their claim against Tatsunoko in the California Central District Court and wave payment of the court-ordered fees from their arbitration and then sticking it to them with a higher rate and tighter terms that won't permit Harmony Gold to pass the buck for legal expenses to them again.
2. Hold out hope that Big West will eventually get frustrated with their inability to distribute Macross sequels in a world market and try to negotiate with Harmony Gold through Tatsunoko, so they can get the share of the profits from the Macross sequels that they've been coveting for almost 20 years now.

Say, what are Satelight's IP other than Macross? Symphogear and Aquarion? In the last few years they have mostly done licensed work. With Symphogear at its end, Aquarion inactive, and now Harmony Gold got an extended licensing deal, how positive are Satelight's prospect with original properties in the domestic and foreign market?

Like most studios, they don't really have a ton of original properties owned exclusively by them... there's less money at risk if they stick to producing anime for properties that are already established and popular.

I think they'll do just fine doing business the way they're doing it... especially now that they're distributing Macross around Harmony Gold's virtual blockade by sticking English subs on Japanese home video releases.

[False Prophet]

https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2 ... ts/.149003

How long do these type of radio shows go on? The longest one I can recall is from the Idolmaster franchise.

[Seto Kaiba]

https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2 ... ts/.149003

How long do these type of radio shows go on? The longest one I can recall is from the Idolmaster franchise.

Until they stop being profitable... which for Macross, could take quite a while given that Walkure still sells out stadiums and they've got another movie coming out soon.

Not being much of a radio guy, I couldn't tell you what the typical duration is.

[False Prophet]

A new Kawamori interview for anyone interested: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/20 ... U2Oy5A3u00

I am surprised that there haven't been a Kawamori-designed consummer product. A few years ago Kunio Okawara designed a car, and Shinji Aramaki was a certified industrial designer, right?

Also, Kaiba, do we know what is Kawamori's actual taste in music like? And how was he drawn to idol pop in the 1980s in the first place--that decade was when the whole idol thing really took off in Japan.

And does anyone here know what have Koichi Ohata been doing? I know that the Junya Ishigaki has been working on Gundam Divers, and Kobayashi Makoto on Yamato, but where is Koichi?

[Seto Kaiba]

I am surprised that there haven't been a Kawamori-designed consummer product. A few years ago Kunio Okawara designed a car, and Shinji Aramaki was a certified industrial designer, right?

Shoji Kawamori did work as a toy designer for a while, his work for Takara's Diaclone toy line ended up as part of the original (Gen 1) Transformers.

He also designed one of the models of Sony's AIBO robot dogs (model ERS-220).

Also, Kaiba, do we know what is Kawamori's actual taste in music like? And how was he drawn to idol pop in the 1980s in the first place--that decade was when the whole idol thing really took off in Japan.

I haven't seen too much on that score, but I know they included characters based on several idol singers they were fans of in the original Macross series. The nurse who takes care of Hikaru in the hospital is one.

And does anyone here know what have Koichi Ohata been doing? I know that the Junya Ishigaki has been working on Gundam Divers, and Kobayashi Makoto on Yamato, but where is Koichi?

Last I heard, Koichi Ohata had turned his hand to directing... starting in 1994 with Genocyber, and continuing with the Burst Angel series, several Ikki Tousen titles, Saiyuki Reload: Burial, You're Under Arrest: Full Throttle, Blue Gender, and participating as a supporting mechanical designer, character designer, and storyboard artist on titles like Macross Frontier: Sayonara no Tsubasa, Sengoku: Night Blood, Shinkansen Henkei Robo Shinkalion, and Tenchi Muyo GXP.

His two most recent works are Shinkalion (2018) and a pink film by the director of Meatball Machine that will go unnamed because the name is NSFW.

[False Prophet]

Shoji Kawamori did work as a toy designer for a while, his work for Takara's Diaclone toy line ended up as part of the original (Gen 1) Transformers.

He also designed one of the models of Sony's AIBO robot dogs (model ERS-220).

Thanks! That is interesting to know!

And speaking about Kawamori, which common elements do you think show up in his design? With me it is a slick, rounded-edge head design with one primary color and two-three other colors.

[Seto Kaiba]

And speaking about Kawamori, which common elements do you think show up in his design? With me it is a slick, rounded-edge head design with one primary color and two-three other colors.

His humanoid robot designs tend to be characterized by a very fluid, organic aesthetic. Lots of rounded edges, complex eyes, and delicate articulations at joints. A lot of them also tend to have a very streamlined aesthetic, with a pronounced chin and a rounded, sloping forehead with sharply angular eyes. This tendency towards organic design also shows up a lot in the work other designers do for his projects, like the Octos destroid in Macross Zero being modeled loosely on the posture of a gorilla, or the Zentradi mecha's insectoid characteristics.

His car designs tend to be 90's retrofuturistic with a lot of heavy streamlining like a Formula One car.

His designs for transforming mecha tend to have a more origami-esque flow of movement as compared to the normal "rearrangement of rectangles" aesthetic that dominates most transformable mecha.

[False Prophet]

Say, do you think that Sunrise will bring back Future GPX Cyber Formula? I am actually surprise to find out that Kawamori did designed the cars, but I suppose it is a given if you look at the design.

(How many times has Kawamori worked together with Sunrise again?)

Also, does Kawamori still do shorts like Spring and Chaos?

[Seto Kaiba]

Say, do you think that Sunrise will bring back Future GPX Cyber Formula? I am actually surprise to find out that Kawamori did designed the cars, but I suppose it is a given if you look at the design.

No clue... maybe if racing becomes trendy again.

(How many times has Kawamori worked together with Sunrise again?)

• Future GPX Cyber Formula
• Future GPX Cyber Formula SIN
• The Vision of Escaflowne
• Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory
• Outlaw Star
• Fighting General Daimos
• Cowboy Bebop
• The Ultraman

So... eight times so far? Those first four are arguably his biggest collaborations with Sunrise, though he did a fair bit for Outlaw Star in partnership with Junya Ishigaki who would later go on to become a supporting mechanical designer on Macross Zero, Macross Frontier, and indirectly Macross Delta via reused art assets from Macross Frontier. (Kawamori designed the exterior of the XGP-15AII, Ishigaki-san designed the interiors. Likewise, for the aforementioned Macross titles, Ishigaki-san designed the cockpits while the exterior design was by Kawamori.)

Also, does Kawamori still do shorts like Spring and Chaos?

None since that, that I can recall.

[False Prophet]

Just happened to come across this Mari Iijima's song: https://mariiijima.bandcamp.com/track/no-one-is

WTF? Is this for real? I first thought that she is just making a song for trolling, but that music! There is not a hint of irony in the beat!

Also, I can't seem to get away from this rumor swaying around that Ms. Mari is annoyed with people associating her too much with Minmay.

[Seto Kaiba]

Also, I can't seem to get away from this rumor swaying around that Ms. Mari is annoyed with people associating her too much with Minmay.

Oh, Mari herself has confirmed on several occasions that for a long time she was rather upset/bitter over having her career dominated by her debut role as Lynn Minmay in Super Dimension Fortress Macross. You'd be pretty cross too if the world set out to tell you at every opportunity that you peaked right out of the gate in you chosen vocation.

She kind of fell victim to the same kind of fame problem that dogged many Star Trek and Star Wars actors, being known for one extremely famous role that leaves them "that actor from that film" rather than just "that actor".