The Super Dimension Fortress Macross
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is an
anime is Traditional animation, hand-drawn and computer animation, computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside of Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, in Japan and in Japane ...
television series from 1982. According to story creator
Shoji Kawamori A is a door, window or room divider used in traditional Japanese architecture, consisting of translucent (or transparent) sheets on a lattice frame. Where light transmission is not needed, the similar but opaque ''fusuma'' is used (oshiire/ ...
,Super Dimension Fortress Macross: Series Staff. ''Macross Official Website''. Series Section. 04-09-09
/ref> it depicts "a love triangle against the backdrop of great battles" during the first Human-alien war. It is the first part of two franchises: The ''Super Dimension'' trilogy and ''Macross'' series. ''
Macross is a Japanese science fiction mecha anime media franchise/media mix, created by Studio Nue (most prominently mecha designer, writer and producer Shōji Kawamori) and Artland in 1982. The franchise features a fictional history of Earth and the ...
'' () features mechanical designs by
Kazutaka Miyatake is a visual artist and anime designer known for the mechanical design of the ''Macross'' TV series and a number of its continuations from Studio Nue, of which he is a founding member. He has also contributed to the mecha design of other series such ...
and Shoji Kawamori (both of
Studio Nue Studio Nue, Inc. ( ja, スタジオぬえ) is a Japanese design studio formed in 1972 (as Crystal Art Studio) by Naoyuki Kato, Kenichi Matsuzaki, Kazutaka Miyatake, and Haruka Takachiho. Crystal Art Studio would change their name to Studio Nue ...
) and character designs by Haruhiko Mikimoto of
Artland is a Japanese animation studio. It has produced numerous noted anime series, including the award-winning ''Mushishi'' and epic ''Legend of the Galactic Heroes''. It is also well known for producing the anime adaptation of '' Katekyō Hitman Re ...
.Super Dimension Fortress Macross: Staff. Pages 248–253. ''Macross Perfect Memory''. Reference Book. 260 A4 pages. Minori Library, Japan. Y2800. 1983, 10 October. ''Macross'' also created one of the first anime idols
Lynn Minmay Lynn Minmay ( Japanese: リン・ミンメイ ''Rin Minmei'', Chinese: 鈴明美 / 林明美 ''Líng Míngměi / Lín Míngměi'') is a fictional anime character from the '' Super Dimension Fortress Macross'' television series and '' Macross: D ...
, turning her voice actress
Mari Iijima is a Japanese actress and singer. She writes and produces most of her own music, and plays the piano and other instruments. After being signed to JVC Victor in 1982, Mari first became known for her voice-acting role as Lynn Minmay in the anime ...
Super Dimension Fortress Macross: Cast. Page 254. ''Macross Perfect Memory''. Reference Book. 260 A4 pages. Minori Library, Japan. Y2800. 1983, 10 October. into an instant celebrity, and launching her musical career. Most of its animation (with edited content and revised dialogue) was adapted in the US for the first saga of ''
Robotech ''Robotech'' is a science fiction franchise that began with an 85-episode anime television series produced by Harmony Gold USA in association with Tatsunoko Production and first released in the United States in 1985. The show was adapted from t ...
''.ADV Films Official ''Macross'' English Dub Page. Main Section. 04-09-09


Plot

In 1999, a city-sized alien spacecraft crashes in South Ataria Island on Earth. Over the course of 10 years the military organization U.N. Spacy reverse-engineers its technology and rebuilds the spacecraft, naming it the SDF-1 ''Macross''. In 2009 at the launch ceremony of the ''Macross'', a young civilian pilot,
Hikaru Ichijyo Hikaru Ichijyo (一条 輝 ''Ichijō Hikaru'') is one of the main fictional characters of the '' Macross'' Japanese anime series.Character of Macross: Hikaru Ichijyo. Pages 102–105. ''Macross Perfect Memory''. Reference Book. 260 A4 pages. M ...
, comes to visit the ''Macross'' upon U.N. Spacy pilot
Roy Focker The following is a list of all the fictional characters within the ''Macross'' anime franchise. ''The Super Dimension Fortress Macross'' Humans * Hikaru Ichijyo ( Arihiro Hase and Kenji Nojima/Vic Mignogna)The Super Dimension Fortress Macros ...
's request. During the launch ceremony, a space war fleet from an alien race of
humanoid A humanoid (; from English ''human'' and ''-oid'' "resembling") is a non-human entity with human form or characteristics. The earliest recorded use of the term, in 1870, referred to indigenous peoples in areas colonized by Europeans. By the 20t ...
giants arrives into the solar system and identifies the ''Macross'' as a former battleship used by their enemies, the Supervision Army. As the aliens, known as the
Zentradi The are a fictional, militaristic race of alien, humanoid giants and often the main antagonist in ''Macross'' media mix and its ''Robotech'' (1985) cartoon adaptation. It is transliterated as Zentradi, Zjentohlauedy, Zentrady, and Zentraedi fo ...
, approach the ''Macross'', the original systems override the crew's commands and fire its main cannon, wiping out the advance alien scouts and starting a war. While Hikaru takes the new
VF-1 Valkyrie In the fictional ''Super Dimension Fortress Macross, Macross'' Japanese anime series and its English adaptation ''Robotech'', the first mass production, mass-produced transforming aerospace fighter aircraft, fighter mecha is called the VF-1 Valk ...
on a test flight the aliens retaliate. He then encounters
Lynn Minmay Lynn Minmay ( Japanese: リン・ミンメイ ''Rin Minmei'', Chinese: 鈴明美 / 林明美 ''Líng Míngměi / Lín Míngměi'') is a fictional anime character from the '' Super Dimension Fortress Macross'' television series and '' Macross: D ...
and rescues her from the aliens. The ''Macross'' crew attempts to use the experimental " Fold System" (
faster-than-light Faster-than-light (also FTL, superluminal or supercausal) travel and communication are the conjectural propagation of matter or information faster than the speed of light (). The special theory of relativity implies that only particles with zero ...
drives) to escape to the Moon's orbit, but instead it accidentally takes the ''Macross'' and South Ataria Island to the edge of the solar system. The people from the ''Macross'' salvage everything they can, including the city surrounding the ship and its civilians (who have survived in special safety shelters, which were transported along intact), and attach two aircraft carriers to the ship. Since the fold systems have vanished after the jump, the ''Macross'' is forced to make its way back to Earth by conventional power. The Zentradi suspect the humans might be their creators, the Protoculture. Under the command of
Britai Kridanik The following is a list of all the character (arts), fictional characters within the ''Macross'' anime franchise. ''The Super Dimension Fortress Macross'' Humans * Hikaru Ichijyo (Arihiro Hase and Kenji Nojima/Vic Mignogna)The Super Dimension ...
and
Exsedol Folmo The following is a list of all the character (arts), fictional characters within the ''Macross'' anime franchise. ''The Super Dimension Fortress Macross'' Humans * Hikaru Ichijyo (Arihiro Hase and Kenji Nojima/Vic Mignogna)The Super Dimension ...
, they plot ways to understand them. Fearful of their old combat directives of not interfering with Protoculture, the Zentradi perform attacks to test their theories about the people on board the ''Macross'', and even have their Zentradi soldiers "micloned" (miniaturized) to learn more about their culture. The Zentradi capture several ''Macross'' personnel, including Officer
Misa Hayase is one of the central fictional characters of the ''Macross'' Japanese anime series.Character of Macross: Misa Hayase. Pages 106-109. ''Macross Perfect Memory''. Reference Book. 260 A4 pages. Y2800. Minori Library, Japan. 1983, October 10. Her ...
and Hikaru, to study. Boddole Zer, Supreme Commander of the Zentradi, is puzzled over things such as relationships amongst males and females. He confirms that the Miclones "are" Protoculture during a demonstrated kiss between Hayase and Hikaru. After escaping, Hikaru and the others report their findings to their superiors, who have trouble accepting the reasons behind the Zentradi attacks as well as the huge forces the aliens possess. After much difficulty returning to Earth, the UN Spacy refuses to allow the ''Macross'' and the civilian passengers to return to land. Minmay's cousin, Lynn Kaifun, decides to join the ''Macross'' to see his parents and also look after Minmay. Because of Kaifun's relationship and constant contact with Minmay, the pair eventually enter a romantic relationship. After deliberation, the UN Spacy orders the ''Macross'' to leave Earth as a means to get the Zentradi away from them. During all these events, a female Zentradi ace fighter pilot, Milia Fallyna, is micloned and attempts to assassinate
Maximilian Jenius The following is a list of all the fictional characters within the ''Macross'' anime franchise. ''The Super Dimension Fortress Macross'' Humans * Hikaru Ichijyo ( Arihiro Hase and Kenji Nojima/Vic Mignogna)The Super Dimension Fortress Macros ...
, an ace UN Spacy pilot. Attempting to kill him during a knife duel, Milia is defeated and falls in love with Max, and the two are subsequently married. Their wedding aboard the ''Macross'' is broadcast to the Zentradi as a message that aliens and humans can co-exist. Since the Zentradi's exposure to culture and to Lynn Minmay's songs, some of them become eager to join the humans. Believing the "miclone contamination" is becoming a threat to all Zentradi forces, Boddole Zer orders his entire army to exterminate the human race and all those Zentradi previously exposed to human culture. Because
Britai Kridanik The following is a list of all the character (arts), fictional characters within the ''Macross'' anime franchise. ''The Super Dimension Fortress Macross'' Humans * Hikaru Ichijyo (Arihiro Hase and Kenji Nojima/Vic Mignogna)The Super Dimension ...
was "contaminated" as well, he works with the humans to defeat the main Zentradi forces. The resulting battle culminates in the large scale devastation of Earth, but the people of the SDF-1 survive. After Boddole Zer is killed and his armada defeated, the surviving humans and their Zentradi allies begin rebuilding Earth. Two years after the end of the first Space War the transition into the Human ways becomes difficult to some Zentradi who cannot stand the idea of a pacified life.
Quamzin Kravshera The following is a list of all the character (arts), fictional characters within the ''Macross'' anime franchise. ''The Super Dimension Fortress Macross'' Humans * Hikaru Ichijyo (Arihiro Hase and Kenji Nojima/Vic Mignogna)The Super Dimension ...
constantly incites conflicts towards the civilians. He repairs a damaged Zentradi warship to return to his old ways and attacks the new Macross City built around the SDF-1. Moments before the final Zentradi attack, Misa Hayase tells Hikaru Ichijyo of her feelings for him and her decision to leave to space in a colonization mission to preserve human culture across the galaxy. Lynn Minmay, who was left by Kaifun and now loves Hikaru, does not want him to leave to join the fight. However, Hikaru still goes to defend the city anyway. Eventually Quamzin is killed. After a long emotional conflict Hikaru finally decides to be with Misa and join the colonization mission, but the two remain good friends with Minmay in the end.


Episode list

* Note: Back when ''Macross'' was first put in production, the anime was originally going to end with a total of 24 episodes, but due to popularity, it was expanded to end with a total of 36 episodes.


Sequels and prequel

A number of sequels and one prequel to the series have been produced.


Production

The series title uses the name of the main spacecraft (which is usually shortened to ''SDF-1 Macross'' as it is Earth's first ''Super Dimension Fortress''). The original name for the ''Macross'' project was ''Battle City Megaload'' (or ''Battle City Megaroad'', as the Japanese transliteration to either or gives the title a double meaning in reference to the story line: ''Megaload'', referring to the spacecraft containing an entire city of people; and ''Megaroad'', referring to the long journey through space back to Earth). However, the director of
Big West The Big West Conference (BWC) is an American collegiate athletic conference whose member institutions participate in the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division I. The conference was originally formed on July 1, 1969, as the Pacific ...
, one of the later sponsors of the project, was a fan of Shakespeare and wanted the series and the spacecraft to be named ''
Macbeth ''Macbeth'' (, full title ''The Tragedie of Macbeth'') is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. It is thought to have been first performed in 1606. It dramatises the damaging physical and psychological effects of political ambition on those w ...
'' (). A compromise was made with the title ''Macross'' () due to its similar pronunciation to ''Macbeth'' in Japanese and because it still contained connotations to the original title. The word ''Macross'' also comes from a wordplay combination of the prefix "macro" in reference to its massive size (though when compared with the alien ships in the series, it is only a relatively small capital ship) and the distance they must cross.Super Dimension Fortress Macross: The Making of Macross. Pages 203–246. ''Macross Perfect Memory''. Reference Book. 260 A4 pages. Minori Library, Japan. Y2800. 1983, 10 October. "Super Dimension Fortress" prefix ("Chō Jikū Yōsai") is a wordplay on an intermediary working title for the series, which was originally "Super Dreadnought Fortress Macross" ("Chō Dokyū Yōsai Makurosu"). Originally proposed in 1980 and greatly inspired by ''
Mobile Suit Gundam , also known as ''First Gundam'', ''Gundam 0079'' or simply ''Gundam '79'', is an anime television series, produced and animated by Nippon Sunrise. Created and directed by Yoshiyuki Tomino, it premiered in Japan on Nagoya Broadcasting ...
'' (1979-1980), the show created by
Studio Nue Studio Nue, Inc. ( ja, スタジオぬえ) is a Japanese design studio formed in 1972 (as Crystal Art Studio) by Naoyuki Kato, Kenichi Matsuzaki, Kazutaka Miyatake, and Haruka Takachiho. Crystal Art Studio would change their name to Studio Nue ...
Super Dimension Fortress Macross: Series Outline. ''Macross Official Website''. Series Section. 04-09-09
/ref> (from an original concept by newcomer member
Shoji Kawamori A is a door, window or room divider used in traditional Japanese architecture, consisting of translucent (or transparent) sheets on a lattice frame. Where light transmission is not needed, the similar but opaque ''fusuma'' is used (oshiire/ ...
) was initially sponsored by a group called the "Wiz" (''Uizu'') Corporation that was prepared to fund a 48-episode run. "Wiz" wanted to produce the Sci-Fi show as an
outer space Outer space, commonly shortened to space, is the expanse that exists beyond Earth and its atmosphere and between celestial bodies. Outer space is not completely empty—it is a near-perfect vacuum containing a low density of particles, pred ...
comedy, but this clashed with Studio Nue's original idea of a more serious and epic "
space opera Space opera is a subgenre of science fiction that emphasizes space warfare, with use of melodramatic, risk-taking space adventures, relationships, and chivalric romance. Set mainly or entirely in outer space, it features technological and soci ...
" storyline. The resulting animosity between both companies made the initial pre-production of the series very difficult and full of delays.Super Dimension Fortress Macross: Production Notes. Page 247. ''Macross Perfect Memory''. Reference Book. 260 A4 pages. Minori Library, Japan. Y2800. 1983, 10 October. However, by 1981 Wiz had gone out of business and the "Megaload/Megaroad" (''Macross'') project seemed to be in permanent hiatus. Studio Nue bought the rights of the show from "Wiz" and searched for a sponsor with no avail.
Big West The Big West Conference (BWC) is an American collegiate athletic conference whose member institutions participate in the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division I. The conference was originally formed on July 1, 1969, as the Pacific ...
, an advertising agency looking to branch out into animation sponsorship, approached Studio Nue about the project and agreed to sponsor it. Big West insisted on a leaner budget, not convinced that the show would pan out as profitable and pared the episode count to 27 episodes (meaning the show would have ended with the battle against Boddole Zer's fleet). Even then, Big West found that the show was going to run more expensive than it had bargained for, and to secure more money, entered into a partnership with animation studio
Tatsunoko Production and often shortened to , is a Japanese animation company. The studio's name has a double meaning in Japanese: "Tatsu's child" (Tatsu is a nickname for Tatsuo) and " sea dragon", the inspiration for its seahorse logo. Tatsunoko's headquarters are ...
which included international distribution (what would culminate in the creation of the "
Robotech ''Robotech'' is a science fiction franchise that began with an 85-episode anime television series produced by Harmony Gold USA in association with Tatsunoko Production and first released in the United States in 1985. The show was adapted from t ...
" adaptation a few years later). When Macross debuted on 3 October 1982 (with only three episodes made so far) its stunning success among Japanese television audiences convinced Big West to approve an extension to 36 episodes, allowing the staff to end with the "two years after" story arc. Animation work was contracted out to a number of sub-contracting studios, including
Artland is a Japanese animation studio. It has produced numerous noted anime series, including the award-winning ''Mushishi'' and epic ''Legend of the Galactic Heroes''. It is also well known for producing the anime adaptation of '' Katekyō Hitman Re ...
( Haruhiko Mikimoto's employer), the nascent
AIC AIC may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Alice in Chains, American rock band * Alice in Chains: AIC 23, a 2013 mockumentary * Anime International Company, a Japanese animation studio * Art Institute of Chicago, an art museum in Chicago Busin ...
and
Gainax Gainax Co., Ltd. (stylized as GAINAX; ja, 株式会社ガイナックス, Hepburn romanization, Hepburn: ) is a Japanese anime studio famous for productions such as ''Neon Genesis Evangelion'', ''Royal Space Force: The Wings of Honnêamise, Roya ...
studios, as well as the
Tatsunoko and often shortened to , is a Japanese animation company. The studio's name has a double meaning in Japanese: "Tatsu's child" (Tatsu is a nickname for Tatsuo) and " sea dragon", the inspiration for its seahorse logo. Tatsunoko's headquarters are ...
-supplied AnimeFriend and
Star Pro A star is an astronomical object comprising a luminous spheroid of plasma held together by its gravity. The nearest star to Earth is the Sun. Many other stars are visible to the naked eye at night, but their immense distances from Earth mak ...
. AnimeFriend and Star Pro are infamously notorious among fans of the show for having brought in very spotty, off-model and continuity error-laden animation work. There were plans for a splashy ending to the series, one that would have shown major characters Misa Hayase and Hikaru Ichijo blasting off in the colonization ship ''
SDF-2 Megaroad-01 is a 1987 collection of music videos from ''The Super Dimension Fortress Macross'' animated television series (1982–1983) and the '' Macross: Do You Remember Love?'' theatrical film remake (1984). Released to commemorate the fifth anniversar ...
'', but the sequence was scrapped due to lack of time and budget. However, due to fan demand this sequence was later used in the '' Macross Flashback 2012'' OVA released in 1987. ''The Super Dimension Fortress Macross'' was produced as the first of the three ''Super Dimension'' mecha anime television series in Japan. It was followed by ''
Super Dimension Century Orguss is an anime science fiction series. It inspired an Original Video Animation, OVA sequel series called ''Orguss 02''. ''Orguss'' was the second part of ''The Super Dimension (disambiguation), Super Dimension'' trilogy from Big West Advertising ...
'' (1983) and '' Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross'' (1984). These shows were related in name only.


Media


Anime

In 1984, Harmony Gold licensed the first ''Macross'' series from Tatsunoko and planned to dub the series on home video. In 1985, Harmony Gold edited and rewrote the series with ''
The Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross is a Japanese science fiction mecha anime TV series released in 1984, as the third of the Super Dimension series. It was adapted as "The Masters Saga" or the "Second Generation" of the American TV series ''Robotech''. Plot In the year 2120, ...
'' and ''
Genesis Climber Mospeada (literally "Armored Genesis MOSPEADA") is an anime science fiction series created by Shinji Aramaki and Hideki Kakinuma. The 25-episode television series ran from late 1983 to early 1984 in Japan. MOSPEADA stands for Military Operation Soldi ...
'', collectively releasing them as ''
Robotech ''Robotech'' is a science fiction franchise that began with an 85-episode anime television series produced by Harmony Gold USA in association with Tatsunoko Production and first released in the United States in 1985. The show was adapted from t ...
'', to syndicate on weekday television and to promote a
Revell Revell GmbH is an American-origin manufacturer of plastic scale models, currently based in Bünde. The original Revell company merged with Monogram in 1986, becoming "Revell-Monogram". The business operated until 2007, when American Revell was ...
model line. ''Robotechs credits listed only the English adaptation's production crew and two Tatsunoko producers. In 1999, Harmony Gold asserted it had exclusive rights to the "distribution of the Macross television series and the right to create and authorize the sale of merchandise based on such series" outside Japan, and began sending cease-and-desist letters to import toy dealers, temporarily barring ''Macross''-related merchandise from North America. The merchandise has since been imported again by the same toy dealers in direct sales, and Harmony Gold has sublicensed additional material for North American retail distribution. In 2000, Big West and Studio Nue took
Tatsunoko Production and often shortened to , is a Japanese animation company. The studio's name has a double meaning in Japanese: "Tatsu's child" (Tatsu is a nickname for Tatsuo) and " sea dragon", the inspiration for its seahorse logo. Tatsunoko's headquarters are ...
s to the
Tokyo District Court is a district court located at 1-1-4 Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan.Supreme Court of Japan websit東京地方裁判所の紹介Retrieved on August 7, 2011 See also *Judicial system of Japan The judiciary (also known as the judicial sys ...
over who had the rights to the first ''Macross'' series, due to Harmony Gold's attempt to bar Japanese Macross merchandise in North America the previous year. During production, Big West entered into a partnership with Tatsunoko to assist in the production of the series in a deal where it acquired the license to distribute the show worldwide (i.e., outside Japan), as well as earning some royalties to the merchandise. Tatsunoko then sub-licensed ''Macross'' to
Harmony Gold USA Harmony Gold USA, Inc. was an American film and television production company. It was founded in 1983 by Egyptian-born Frank Agrama and is managed by his daughter, Jehan F. Agrama. In 1976, Agrama sold broadcast rights from Paramount Pictures t ...
in 1984. In 2002, the Tokyo District Court ruled that Big West/Studio Nue is the sole owner of the original character and mecha designs for the first series, while that same court ruled in 2003 that Tatsunoko owned the production rights to the first series. In the autumn of 1984, Harmony Gold released the first English-language version of ''Macross'': an English-dubbed VHS video release containing unedited video footage of the first three episodes with a new English theme song, adapted dialogue scripts, and several name changes (which were later used in ''Robotech'', aside from Rick Yamada/Hikaru Ichijyo, who became Rick Hunter). This release was canceled after one volume when production of the ''Robotech'' adaptation began. The first episode of this 1984 English dubbing was later released as an extra in the ''Robotech Legacy Collection 5'' and ''Robotech Protoculture Collection'' DVD releases, and is also included in the first volume of
ADV Films A.D. Vision Holdings, Inc. (known simply as ADV and also referred to as ADV Films) was an American multimedia entertainment distributor headquartered in Houston, Texas, and founded in 1992 by video game fan John Ledford and anime fans Matt Gre ...
' 2006 release of ''Macross''.
Streamline Pictures Streamline Pictures was an American media company that was best known for its distribution of English-dubbed Japanese animation. History Founding Founded in Los Angeles, California, in late 1988, Streamline Pictures was one of the first No ...
then released ''Robotech Perfect Collection: Macross'' on VHS in the summer of 1994, combining two English subtitled episodes of ''Macross'' and the corresponding dubbed episodes of the ''Robotech'' adaptation in each volume. This was the first English subtitling for ''Macross'', but it contained unedited video footage with incomplete and mistranslated English subtitles and was cancelled after eight volumes and 16 episodes. The series was originally licensed in North America by
AnimEigo AnimEigo is an American entertainment company that licenses and distributes anime, samurai films and Japanese cinema. Founded in 1988 by Robert Woodhead and Roe R. Adams III, the company was one of the first in North America dedicated to licensi ...
, who restored the series and released it unedited on DVD with Japanese audio and English subtitles. At first a limited edition pre-order boxset across nine discs was released on 21 December 2001. Preorders were available on AnimEigo's web store. Three smaller boxsets, each comprising three discs, were released from 10 September 2002. Finally, AnimEigo released nine individual volumes. In 2003
Madman Entertainment Madman Entertainment Pty. Ltd., also known as Madman Films, is an Australian distribution and rights management company headquartered in East Melbourne, Victoria, specialising in feature films, documentaries and television series across theatri ...
released a six-disc
PAL Phase Alternating Line (PAL) is a colour encoding system for analogue television. It was one of three major analogue colour television standards, the others being NTSC and SECAM. In most countries it was broadcast at 625 lines, 50 fields (25 ...
format version of this edition entitled ''Macross Ultimate Collection''. In the summer of 2005,
ADV Films A.D. Vision Holdings, Inc. (known simply as ADV and also referred to as ADV Films) was an American multimedia entertainment distributor headquartered in Houston, Texas, and founded in 1992 by video game fan John Ledford and anime fans Matt Gre ...
announced that it would be releasing an English dub of ''Macross'' on 10 January 2006. This is the first uncut, unedited English dub for ''Super Dimension Fortress Macross'', and featured
Mari Iijima is a Japanese actress and singer. She writes and produces most of her own music, and plays the piano and other instruments. After being signed to JVC Victor in 1982, Mari first became known for her voice-acting role as Lynn Minmay in the anime ...
returning to reprise the role of Lynn Minmay. However, the voice actors used in the dub were not the same as those used in the 1985 ''
Robotech ''Robotech'' is a science fiction franchise that began with an 85-episode anime television series produced by Harmony Gold USA in association with Tatsunoko Production and first released in the United States in 1985. The show was adapted from t ...
'' adaptation.ADV Films Official ''Macross'' English Dub Page.
This version was released by
Hulu Hulu () is an American subscription streaming service majority-owned by The Walt Disney Company, with Comcast's NBCUniversal holding a minority stake. It was launched on October 29, 2007 and it offers a library of films and television serie ...
for online streaming in the United States in February 2010 and was removed in February 2013. On 25 July 2014,
Lionsgate Home Entertainment Lions Gate Entertainment Corporation, doing business as Lionsgate, is a Canadian-American entertainment company. It was formed by Frank Giustra on July 10, 1997, domiciled in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada and is currently headquartered in ...
announced that they would release a new ''Robotech'' DVD collection entitled ''Robotech: The Classic Collection'' exclusively through
Amazon.com Amazon.com, Inc. ( ) is an American multinational technology company focusing on e-commerce, cloud computing, online advertising, digital streaming, and artificial intelligence. It has been referred to as "one of the most influential economi ...
. Volume 1 contains the first 18 episodes of ''Robotech: The Macross Saga'' as it was originally broadcast, and the first 18 episodes of ''Macross'', completely uncut and presented in both Japanese with English subtitles and the ADV English dub. On October 21, 2019,
Funimation Crunchyroll, LLC, previously known as Funimation from 1994 to 2022, is an American entertainment company owned by Japanese conglomerate Sony as a joint venture between Sony Pictures and Sony Music Entertainment Japan's Aniplex that specializes ...
announced that they have licensed the ''Robotech'' series only, which excludes ''Macross''. On April 8, 2021, Harmony Gold and Big West reached an agreement to release ''Macross'' globally.


Manga

Four
manga Manga (Japanese: 漫画 ) are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long prehistory in earlier Japanese art. The term ''manga'' is u ...
adaptations of the TV series by different artists were serialized in 1982. A new manga adaptation called began releasing in Japan in 2009. It is a comic format alternate telling of the events in ''The Super Dimension Fortress Macross'' (with modern character and mecha designs) that was serialized in the ''Macross Ace'' manga magazine until its cancellation, being moved to ''
Newtype Ace is a monthly magazine publication originating from Japan, covering anime (and to a lesser extent, tokusatsu, manga, Japanese science fiction, seiyuu, and video games). It was launched by publishing company Kadokawa Shoten on March 8, 1985, with i ...
'' manga magazine until its cancellation, then to ''ComicWalker'' online magazine, and then to
Cygames is a Japanese video game development studio established in 2011 by CyberAgent. Mobile and E-commerce company DeNA acquired a 24% stake in the studio in 2012, and Nintendo acquired another 5% stake in 2018, leaving CyberAgent with 69% of the share ...
''Psychomi'' online magazine. It was collected into six volumes. The artist for the new manga series is Haruhiko Mikimoto, who was the character designer for the original ''Macross''.


Video games

A game based on the TV series called ''
The Super Dimension Fortress Macross is an anime television series from 1982. According to story creator Shoji Kawamori, it depicts "a love triangle against the backdrop of great battles" during the first Human-alien war. It is the first part of two franchises: The ''Super D ...
'' was released for the Japanese Nintendo Family Computer console in 1985 by video game company
Namco was a Japanese multinational corporation, multinational video game and entertainment company, headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo. It held several international branches, including Namco America in Santa Clara, California, Namco Europe in London, Na ...
. Years later
Bandai is a Japanese multinational toy manufacturer and distributor headquartered in Taitō, Tokyo. Its international branches, Bandai Namco Toys & Collectables America and Bandai UK, are respectively headquartered in Irvine, California and Richmond ...
released ''
The Super Dimension Fortress Macross is an anime television series from 1982. According to story creator Shoji Kawamori, it depicts "a love triangle against the backdrop of great battles" during the first Human-alien war. It is the first part of two franchises: The ''Super D ...
'' 3D shooting game in October 2003 in Japan for the
Sony , commonly stylized as SONY, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. As a major technology company, it operates as one of the world's largest manufacturers of consumer and professional ...
PlayStation 2 The PlayStation 2 (PS2) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on 4 March 2000, in North America on 26 October 2000, in Europe on 24 November 2000, and in Australia on 3 ...
console. This game had levels based in both the TV series and its
movie adaptation A film adaptation is the transfer of a work or story, in whole or in part, to a feature film. Although often considered a type of derivative work, film adaptation has been conceptualized recently by academic scholars such as Robert Stam as a dia ...
. More recently, a new 3D
shooting game Shooter video games or shooters are a subgenre of action video games where the focus is almost entirely on the defeat of the character's enemies using the weapons given to the player. Usually these weapons are firearms or some other long-range ...
called ''
Macross Ace Frontier is a shooting game developed by Artdink for the PlayStation Portable. The game is based on Studio Nue's popular ''Macross'' series, one of which is known in the West as the first generation of ''Robotech''. It features original elements as well ...
'' included several elements from the original series. It was developed by
Artdink is a Japanese developer of video games, based in Tsukishima, Tokyo. By far Artdink's biggest international success was the award-winning ''A-Train'' (known in Japan as ''A Ressha de Ikou'', or "Take the A-Train") strategy game released for the ...
for the Sony PSP and was released in 2008.


Reception and legacy

In the ''Anime Encyclopedia'', authors
Jonathan Clements Jonathan Michael Clements (born 9 July 1971) is a British author and scriptwriter. His non-fiction works include biographies of Confucius, Koxinga and Qin Shi Huang, as well as monthly opinion columns for '' Neo'' magazine. He is also the co-aut ...
and
Helen McCarthy Helen McCarthy (born 27 February 1951) is the British author of such anime reference books as ''500 Manga Heroes and Villains'', ''Anime!'', ''The Anime Movie Guide'' and ''Hayao Miyazaki: Master of Japanese Animation''. She is the co-author of ...
called the series "One of the three unassailable pillars of anime sci-fi, pioneering the tripartite winning formula of songs, battling robot-planes and tense relationships". ''Super Dimension Fortress Macross'' was the basis for two different animated franchises, ''
Macross is a Japanese science fiction mecha anime media franchise/media mix, created by Studio Nue (most prominently mecha designer, writer and producer Shōji Kawamori) and Artland in 1982. The franchise features a fictional history of Earth and the ...
'' in Japan and ''
Robotech ''Robotech'' is a science fiction franchise that began with an 85-episode anime television series produced by Harmony Gold USA in association with Tatsunoko Production and first released in the United States in 1985. The show was adapted from t ...
'' in North America. In Japan, ''Super Dimension Fortress Macross'' spawned an animated film adaptation, '' Macross: Do You Remember Love?'' (1984), and a number of sequels, including ''
Macross Plus is a four-episode anime OVA and theatrical movie in the ''Macross'' series. It was the first sequel to the original ''Macross'' television series that took place in the official timeline (''Macross II'' was quickly retconned by series creator ...
'' (1994), ''
Macross 7 is an anime television series. It is a sequel to the show ''The Super Dimension Fortress Macross'' that takes place many years after the events of the first series following a cast of mostly new characters. The show ran from October 16, 1 ...
'' (1994), ''
Macross Frontier is a Japanese anime television series and the third Japanese anime television series set in the ''Macross'' universe. It was broadcast on MBS from April 4, 2008 to September 26, 2008. ''Macross Frontier'' is the story of a human space ...
'' (2007) and ''
Macross Delta is a science fiction anime television series that aired on Tokyo MX in Japan from April 3, 2016, to September 25, 2016. The fourth television series set in the ''Macross'' universe, it is directed by Kenji Yasuda and written by Toshizo Nem ...
'' (2015). In North America, ''Super Dimension Fortress Macross'' was adapted into the first saga of the ''Robotech'' television series (19851986), called ''The Macross Saga'', which spawned the ''
Robotech ''Robotech'' is a science fiction franchise that began with an 85-episode anime television series produced by Harmony Gold USA in association with Tatsunoko Production and first released in the United States in 1985. The show was adapted from t ...
'' franchise. ''Robotech'' was influential in the Western world, helping to introduce the
anime is Traditional animation, hand-drawn and computer animation, computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside of Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, in Japan and in Japane ...
medium to North America. In 1996, '' Hyper'' magazine reviewed ''The Macross Saga'', rating it 10 out of 10. ''Macross'' popularized the concept of transforming
mecha In science fiction, or mechs are giant robots or machines controlled by people, typically depicted as humanoid walking vehicles. The term was first used in Japanese (language), Japanese after shortening the English loanword or , but the mean ...
, which can transform between a standard vehicle (such as a fighter plane or transport truck) and a fighting mecha robot.
Shōji Kawamori is a Japanese anime creator and producer, screenwriter, visual artist, and mecha designer. He is best known for creating the ''Macross'' mecha anime franchise and the ''Diaclone'' toyline, which were in turn the basis for the ''Robotech'' and ...
introduced the concept with ''
Diaclone is a toyline by Takara Toys launched in 1980. It consisted of transforming vehicles and robots piloted by miniature, magnet-shoed figures spun off from the prior Microman toy line. The toys in the 1980 line were designed by future ''Macross'' ...
'' in 1980 and then popularized it with ''Macross''. Kawamori then went on to design transforming mecha for ''
Transformers ''Transformers'' is a media franchise produced by American toy company Hasbro and Japanese toy company Takara Tomy. It primarily follows the Autobots and the Decepticons, two alien robot factions at war that can transform into other forms, suc ...
'' (1986). The transforming mecha concept became popular in the mid-1980s, with ''Macross: Do You Remember Love?'' and ''
Zeta Gundam is a 1985 Japanese television anime series, the second installment in the ''Gundam'' franchise, and a sequel to the original ''Mobile Suit Gundam''. The show was created and directed by Yoshiyuki Tomino, with character designs by Yoshikazu ...
'' (1985) in Japan, and with ''Robotech'' and ''Transformers'' in the West. ''Transformers'' went on to influence the
Hollywood movie The cinema of the United States, consisting mainly of major film studios (also known as Hollywood) along with some independent film, has had a large effect on the global film industry since the early 20th century. The dominant style of Amer ...
industry. In contrast to earlier
mecha anime Mecha anime and manga, known in Japan as and , are anime and manga that feature robots (mecha) in battle. The genre is broken down into two subcategories; "super robot", featuring super-sized, implausible robots, and "real robot", where robots are ...
which focused on combatants, ''Macross'' portrayed a mecha conflict from the perspective of non-combatant civilians, such as the fictional singer
Lynn Minmay Lynn Minmay ( Japanese: リン・ミンメイ ''Rin Minmei'', Chinese: 鈴明美 / 林明美 ''Líng Míngměi / Lín Míngměi'') is a fictional anime character from the '' Super Dimension Fortress Macross'' television series and '' Macross: D ...
. She went on to become the first
virtual idol In entertainment, a virtual band (also called a virtual idol, virtual singer, virtual group, cartoon group, cartoon idol, cartoon singer or cartoon band) is a band or music group whose members are not depicted as corporeal musicians, but animat ...
. Voiced by
Mari Iijima is a Japanese actress and singer. She writes and produces most of her own music, and plays the piano and other instruments. After being signed to JVC Victor in 1982, Mari first became known for her voice-acting role as Lynn Minmay in the anime ...
, Minmay was the first fictional idol singer to garner major real-world success, with the theme song "Do You Remember Love?" (from the film ''Macross: Do You Remember Love?'') reaching number seven on the
Oricon , established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan and Western music. It started as, which was founded by Sōkō Koike in Nov ...
music charts in Japan. This was later further explored in ''Macross Plus'' with the virtual idol
Sharon Apple The following is a list of all the fictional characters within the ''Macross'' anime franchise. ''The Super Dimension Fortress Macross'' Humans * Hikaru Ichijyo ( Arihiro Hase and Kenji Nojima/Vic Mignogna)The Super Dimension Fortress Macros ...
, an
artificial intelligence Artificial intelligence (AI) is intelligence—perceiving, synthesizing, and inferring information—demonstrated by machines, as opposed to intelligence displayed by animals and humans. Example tasks in which this is done include speech re ...
(AI)
computer program A computer program is a sequence or set of instructions in a programming language for a computer to execute. Computer programs are one component of software, which also includes documentation and other intangible components. A computer program ...
who takes the form of an intergalactic
pop star A pop icon is a celebrity, character, or object whose exposure in popular culture is regarded as constituting a defining characteristic of a given society or era. The usage of the term is largely subjective since there are no definitively object ...
, and in ''Macross 7'' with the
virtual band In entertainment, a virtual band (also called a virtual idol, virtual singer, virtual group, cartoon group, cartoon idol, cartoon singer or cartoon band) is a band or music group whose members are not depicted as corporeal musicians, but animat ...
Fire Bomber Fire Bomber is a fictional rock music, rock band (music), band from the anime series ''Macross 7'' (and related projects such as ''Macross 7 Trash'', ''Macross 7 Encore'', and ''Macross Dynamite 7''). In real life, Fire Bomber's music was perform ...
who became a commercial success and spawned multiple CDs released in Japan. ''Macross'' set the template for later virtual idols in the early 21st century, such as
Hatsune Miku , also called Miku Hatsune, and officially code-named CV01, is a Vocaloid software voicebank developed by Crypton Future Media and its official moe anthropomorphism, anthropomorphic mascot character, a 16-year-old girl with long, turquoise bu ...
and
Kizuna AI is a Japanese virtual YouTuber (VTuber) currently part of Kizuna AI Inc., a subsidiary of digital entertainment company Activ8. From her debut in 2016 until 2021, she was the most subscribed VTuber on Youtube, with more than 4 million subsc ...
. Another innovative character concept in ''Macross'' was the role of
Misa Hayase is one of the central fictional characters of the ''Macross'' Japanese anime series.Character of Macross: Misa Hayase. Pages 106-109. ''Macross Perfect Memory''. Reference Book. 260 A4 pages. Y2800. Minori Library, Japan. 1983, October 10. Her ...
in ''Macross'' (called
Lisa Hayes ''Robotech'' is the American adaptation of three Japanese animated series: ''The Super Dimension Fortress Macross'', ''The Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross'', and ''Genesis Climber MOSPEADA'', as a single TV series. The series is divided i ...
in ''Robotech''), who was one of the main commanders of the Macross battleship. She was the boss and commanding officer of the fighter pilot protagonist
Hikaru Ichijyo Hikaru Ichijyo (一条 輝 ''Ichijō Hikaru'') is one of the main fictional characters of the '' Macross'' Japanese anime series.Character of Macross: Hikaru Ichijyo. Pages 102–105. ''Macross Perfect Memory''. Reference Book. 260 A4 pages. M ...
(called Rick Hunter in ''Robotech''), and later his love interest. This was a scenario Kawamori came up with which he had not seen in any Hollywood movies before. A similar scenario, however, later appeared in the Hollywood movie ''
Top Gun ''Top Gun'' is a 1986 American action drama film directed by Tony Scott, produced by Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer, with distribution by Paramount Pictures. The screenplay was written by Jim Cash and Jack Epps Jr., and was inspired by an a ...
'' (1986). According to Kawamori, "Many people pointed out that later films like ''Top Gun'' copied that idea and setting, as well as including the combination of many songs and fighters too." For the video game ''
Devil May Cry 4 is a 2008 action-adventure game developed and published by Capcom. It was released for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Microsoft Windows platforms. It is the fourth installment in the ''Devil May Cry'' series and is written by Bingo Morihashi ...
'', motion and voice actor Reuben Langdon was told to be cockier than his younger persona, albeit more mature. Despite the staff's concerns for the difficulties of such a portrayal, Langdon had no issues after choosing
Roy Focker The following is a list of all the fictional characters within the ''Macross'' anime franchise. ''The Super Dimension Fortress Macross'' Humans * Hikaru Ichijyo ( Arihiro Hase and Kenji Nojima/Vic Mignogna)The Super Dimension Fortress Macros ...
from ''The Super Dimension Fortress Macross'' as his character model and noting he had almost the same age as
Dante Dante Alighieri (; – 14 September 1321), probably baptized Durante di Alighiero degli Alighieri and often referred to as Dante (, ), was an Italian poet, writer and philosopher. His ''Divine Comedy'', originally called (modern Italian: '' ...
during the production of the game.


References


External links


Official ''Macross'' website
* *


Macross Compendium


A website profiling the fictional vehicles of the ''Macross'' series
Macross Chronicle
News and Info of the ''Macross'' series (In Spanish) {{DEFAULTSORT:Super Dimension Fortress Macross, The 1982 anime television series debuts Alien invasions in television Animated space adventure television series Anime with original screenplays Aviation television series Fiction about size change Japanese idols in anime and manga Kadokawa Shoten manga Macross anime and manga Madman Entertainment anime Mainichi Broadcasting System original programming Mecha anime and manga Shōnen manga Super Dimension Tatsunoko Production Television series set in 1999 Television series set in 2009