Diaclone ( ダイアクロン , Daiakuron ) 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.
70-485: The toys in the 1980 line were designed by future Macross designers Shoji Kawamori and Kazutaka Miyatake (both contracted from Studio Nue ), who designed the mecha and the figures respectively. Unlike Microman, which featured "full-scale" toys of its 10-centimeter-tall alien cyborgs, the figures in Diaclone represented full-sized human (and enemy alien Waruder) pilots, and were in approximately 1/60 scale. In 1982,
140-473: A bird 's legs, hence the name. However, birds actually have forward-facing knees; they are digitigrade , and what most call the "knee" is actually the ankle. The 1868 Edward S. Ellis novel The Steam Man of the Prairies featured a steam-powered, back-piloted, mechanical man. The 1880 Jules Verne novel The Steam House ( La Maison à Vapeur ) featured a steam-powered, piloted, mechanical elephant. One of
210-521: A cockpit , typically located in the chest or head of the mech. While the distinction is often hazy, mecha typically does not refer to form-fitting powered armor such as Iron Man 's suit. They are usually much larger than the wearer, like Iron Man's enemy the Iron Monger , or the mobile suits depicted in the Gundam franchise. In most cases, mecha are depicted as fighting machines, whose appeal comes from
280-449: A skyscraper ( Space Runaway Ideon , Genesis of Aquarion , Science Ninja Team Gatchaman , Neon Genesis Evangelion ), some are big enough to contain an entire city ( Macross ), some the size of a planet ( Diebuster ), galaxies ( Getter Robo , Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann ), or even as large as universes ( Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann: Lagann-hen , Demonbane , Transformers: Alternity ). The first titan robots seen were in
350-636: A super robot , with Getter Robo (1974 debut). An early use of mech-like machines outside Japan is found in "The Invisible Empire", a Federal Men 's story arc by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster (serialized 1936 in New Comics #8–10). Other examples include the Mexican comic Invictus by Leonel Guillermo Prieto and Victaleno León; the Brazilian comic Audaz, o demolidor , by Álvaro "Aruom" Moura and Messias de Mello (1938–1949), inspired by Invictus , created for
420-562: A "sub-Protoculture" race meant for preparing the Earth for a future Protoculture colonization. The genetic engineering crew, however, was immediately destroyed by anti-Interstellar Republic military ships. The final blow of the war happened because of the Protoculture lost control of the Zentradi; 475,000 years ago, the Protoculture was believed extinct. However it was discovered that 10,000 years ago,
490-426: A Takatoku Toys handheld electronic game distributed by Incoming Trading, a Banpresto arcade game licensed by Fabtek, and a Bandai Visual PlayStation game whose debuted North American localization was eventually cancelled probably due to copyrights issues involving Harmony Gold. See the list of Macross video games for all the official and crossover releases from the 1980s up to the 2010s. Harmony Gold purchased
560-526: A fictional history of Earth and the human race after the year 1999, as well as the history of humanoid civilization in the Milky Way . It consists of four TV series, four movies, six OVAs , one light novel , and five manga series, all sponsored by Big West [ ja ] , in addition to 40 video games set in the Macross universe , two crossover games , and a wide variety of physical merchandise. Within
630-401: A large scale for use in wars. The real robot genre also tends to feature more complex characters with moral conflicts and personal problems. The genre is therefore aimed primarily at young adults instead of children. Mobile Suit Gundam (1979) is largely considered the first series to introduce the real robot concept and, along with The Super Dimension Fortress Macross (1982), would form
700-448: A milking stool, imagine it a great body of machinery on a tripod stand." Ōgon Bat , a kamishibai that debuted in 1931 (later adapted into an anime in 1967), featured the first piloted humanoid giant robot, Dai Ningen Tanku ( 大人間タンク ) , but as an enemy rather than a protagonist. In 1934, Gajo Sakamoto launched Tank Tankuro ( タンクタンクロー ) on a metal creature that becomes a battle machine. The first humanoid giant robot piloted by
770-490: A school. The pilot episode aired on December 23, 2007. The new series were finally set in the year 2059 AD and took place in a new Macross Colony Fleet called "Macross Frontier". The new show was produced by Satelight and its episodes began their regular broadcast on April 4, 2008, in MBS channel of Japan. The final episode aired on September 25, 2008, what brought the series to a total of 25 episodes. A Macross Frontier Movie Edition
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#1732859347019840-480: A space-fold transports a spacecraft in a very short amount of time by first swapping the location of the spacecraft with super dimension space or subspace, and then swapping the Super Dimension space with the space at the destination. According to U.N. Spacy First Lieutenant Hayase Misa during Space War I (2009–2012) an hour passes in super dimension space as approximately ten days passes in normal space. One of
910-486: A split in the Republic. One of the factions' created "super-Zentradi" forces, which was later possessed by interdimensional beings—these forces are later called the "Protodeviln", which feeds on life energy of both Protoculture and Zentradi; some of both the Protoculture and Zentradi was later brainwashed into the "Supervision Army". The Supervision Army continued to battle both the Protoculture and Zentradi, which resulted in
980-553: A standard vehicle (such as a fighter plane or transport truck) and a fighting mecha robot. This concept of transforming mecha was pioneered by Japanese mecha designer Shōji Kawamori in the early 1980s, when he created the Diaclone toy line in 1980 and then the Macross anime franchise in 1982. In North America, the Macross franchise was adapted into the Robotech franchise in 1985, and then
1050-461: Is a completely new project. Several sequel series and prequels have followed in Macross . The main Macross productions consists of (in fictional chronological timeline order): Macross video games are based on its universe, sometimes expanding it with original characters and sidestories; latest games often include newly created anime footage, and all of them were exclusively released in Japan; except
1120-414: Is a fan, Macross explored how individuals cope with warfare. Whereas Gundam is far more political and direct on the horrors of war, each Macross television series is unique for never depicting the antagonists as inherently evil and proved in the end that love, culture, and music can be used to resolve their conflicts. Several sequel series and one prequel have followed. Most use a chronology created by
1190-504: Is an abbreviation, first used in Japanese, of 'mechanical'. In Japanese, mecha encompasses all mechanical objects, including cars , guns , computers , and other devices, and 'robot' or 'giant robot' is used to distinguish limbed vehicles from other mechanical devices. Outside of this usage, it has become associated with large humanoid machines with limbs or other biological characteristics. Mecha differ from robots in that they are piloted from
1260-462: Is called "fold in". When arriving at the destination, the act of leaving Super Dimension space is called a "defold" or a "fold out". The metaplot of the franchise is centered on a purportedly extinct humanoid alien race called the Protoculture ( プロトカルチャー , Purotokaruchā ) . It was first conceptualized during the pre-production of The Super Dimension Fortress Macross when the creators were researching cultural studies to develop concepts used in
1330-498: Is often tied in with toy manufacturers. Large franchises such as Gundam , Macross , Transformers , and Zoids have hundreds of different model kits. The size of mecha can vary according to the story and concepts involved. Some of them may not be considerably taller than a tank ( Armored Trooper Votoms , Yatterman , Megazone 23 , Code Geass ), some may be a few stories tall ( Gundam , Escaflowne , Bismark , Gurren Lagann ), others can be titan sized as tall as
1400-408: Is part of the ongoing fictional time-line of the Macross franchise. The most recent series, Macross Delta , is set 59 years after the start of the war with the Zentradi. Its main plot is about the spread of a rage virus on a star system and the combined efforts of singing idols and valkyrie fighters to stop it spreading. Along with Gundam , a real robot mecha series of which Shoji Kawamori
1470-624: The Decepticon planes (originally from two "JetRobo" toys, produced in the colors of future Decepticons Starscream and Thundercracker ) and the Constructicons , who also came from the Car-Robots set. The Constructicons came from near the end of the series, at which point Takara was starting to abandon the Inch-Man pilot figures and being limited to the 1/60 scale. The six TrainRobo were also produced in
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#17328593470191540-527: The Shogun Warriors in the U.S., that were (and still are) very popular with children and collectors. Robot/mecha anime and manga differ vastly in storytelling and animation quality from title to title, and content ranges from children's shows to ones intended for an older teen or adult audience. Some of the first mecha featured in manga and anime were super robots . The super robot genre features superhero -like giant robots that are often one-of-a-kind and
1610-650: The Star hub), with the exception of both the Super Dimension Fortress Macross and Do You Remember Love? that was currently available in Japan. Macross was the basis for the Robotech franchise in North America. Super Dimension Fortress Macross was adapted into the first saga of the Robotech television series (1985–1986), called The Macross Saga , which spawned the Robotech franchise. Robotech
1680-586: The run and gun shooters Hover Attack in 1984 and Thexder in 1985, and Arsys Software 's 3D role-playing shooters WiBArm in 1986 and Star Cruiser in 1988. Historically mecha-based games have been more popular in Japan than in other countries. There are a few real prototypes of mecha-like vehicles. Currently almost all of these are highly specialized or just for concept purpose, and as such may not see mass production . Most of these experimental projects were made and first presented in East Asia. In
1750-466: The virtual band Fire Bomber 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 and Kizuna Ai . Another innovative character concept in Macross was the role of Misa Hayase in Super Dimension Fortress Macross , who was one of the main commanders of the Macross battleship. She
1820-400: The 1948 manga Atomic Power Android ( 原子力人造人間 , Genshiryoku Jinzō Ningen ) and Mitsuteru Yokoyama's 1956 manga Tetsujin 28-go . However, it was not until the advent of Go Nagai 's Mazinger Z that the genre was established. Mazinger Z innovated by adding the inclusion of futuristic weapons, and the concept of being able to pilot from a cockpit (rather than via remote control, in
1890-405: The 25th anniversary concert, a trailer was shown that revealed the new tentative title of Macross F (Frontier) . During the concert, Kawamori Shoji mentioned that the timeframe of Macross Frontier was about 2070 AD. Kawamori also announced that Yoko Kanno would be the music co-composer of the new Macross series. According to Newtype magazine, this new series were supposed to take place in
1960-448: The Diaclone series, and several figures were based on Diaclone characters. This Transformers -related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Macross Macross ( マクロス , Makurosu ) 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
2030-634: The Diaclone toy line was adapted into the Transformers franchise in 1986. Some of Kawamori's most iconic transforming mecha designs include the VF-1 Valkyrie from the Macross and Robotech franchises, and Optimus Prime (called Convoy in Japan) from the Transformers and Diaclone franchises. In Japan, "robot anime" (known as "mecha anime" outside Japan) is one of the oldest genres in anime. Robot anime
2100-576: The Microman's Micro Change toyline from Takara and merged the two series of toys to create the Transformers . Most of the original Autobot vehicle-based characters came from the Car-Robots set of Diaclone robots. Other Transformers characters that came from the Diaclone line included the Dinobots, Insecticons (from the enemy Waruder toys), the Jumpstarters, the mail-order exclusive Powerdashers and Omnibots,
2170-417: The Protoculture remnants made contact with humans in "Mayan Island", genetically re-engineering the native inhabitants to utilize the artifacts left by them. This included the "Bird Human" bio-mecha, tasked to destroy humanity if they are still in war. The franchise also explores minor themes including culture shock , capitalism , coming of age and nostalgia . The new era following the end of Space War I
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2240-608: The Studio Nue creators, and those that followed their own chronologies were regarded as "parallel storylines" by the studio. Several different studios were involved with Studio Nue in the Macross franchise along the years, but since 2002's Macross Zero , production has been handled exclusively between Nue and Satelight , from which Shōji Kawamori is one of the main key members. The main of Macross production consists of (in chronological release order): A feature film, subtitled Do You Remember Love? (愛・おぼえていますか Ai Oboete Imasu ka ),
2310-474: The alien ships in the series, it is a relatively small gun destroyer) and the distance they must cross. The following are themes commonly seen and established among the various series in the Macross franchise. The U.N. Spacy ( 統合宇宙軍 , Tōgō Uchūgun ) is a fictional space military arm of the Earth Unified Government ( 地球統合政府 , Chikyū Tōgō Seifu ) . It was established by the successor to
2380-744: The basis of what people would later call real robot anime. Some robot mecha are capable of transformation ( Macross and Zeta Gundam ) or combining to form even bigger ones ( Beast King GoLion and Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann ), the latter called 'combination'. Go Nagai and Ken Ishikawa are often credited with inventing this in 1974 with Getter Robo . Not all mecha need to be completely mechanical. Some have biological components with which to interface with their pilots, and some are partially biological themselves, such as in Neon Genesis Evangelion , Eureka Seven , and Zoids . Mecha based on anime have seen extreme cultural reception across
2450-456: The case of Tetsujin). According to Go Nagai: I wanted to create something different, and I thought it would be interesting to have a robot that you could drive, like a car. Mazinger Z featured giant robots that were "piloted by means of a small flying car and command center that docked inside the head." It was also a pioneer in die-cast metal toys such as the Chogokin series in Japan and
2520-422: The cast. The winner of the contest as well of the rest of the cast and characters were revealed in a special event held on October 29, 2015. A new Macross anime television series was to premiere in 2018, but still hasn't released (as of September 2024). A new Macross series was announced in 2023 to be animated by Bandai Namco Filmworks . It is unknown if this is the previously announced 2018 anime or if this
2590-519: The combination of many songs and fighters too." Mecha In science fiction , mecha ( Japanese : メカ , Hepburn : meka ) or mechs are giant robots or machines typically depicted as piloted and as humanoid walking vehicles . The term was first used in Japanese after shortening the English loanword 'mechanism' ( メカニズム , mekanizumu ) or 'mechanical' ( メカニカル , mekanikaru ) , but
2660-439: The combination of potent weaponry with a more stylish combat technique than a mere vehicle. Often, they are the primary means of combat, with conflicts sometimes being decided through gladiatorial matches . Other works represent mecha as one component of an integrated military force, supported by and fighting alongside tanks , fighter aircraft , and infantry , functioning as a mechanical cavalry. The applications often highlight
2730-529: The dwindling of Protoculture population; they revoked the prime directive that banned Zentradi to attack the Supervision Army. This, however, made the war even more intense, and the Protoculture population sharply decreased; to avoid extinction, they seeded uninhabited planets by means of pantropy and avoided any conflict as much as possible. This action included the genetic engineering of homo sapiens on Earth by combining Protoculture genes with native genes;
2800-503: The first appearances of such machines in modern literature was the tripod (or "fighting-machine", as they are known in the novel) of H. G. Wells ' famous The War of the Worlds (1897). The novel does not contain a fully detailed description of the tripods' mode of locomotion , but it is hinted at: "Can you imagine a milking stool tilted and bowled violently along the ground? That was the impression those instant flashes gave. But instead of
2870-518: The giant robot genre in Japan. The first anime featuring a giant mecha being piloted by the protagonist from within a cockpit was the Super Robot show Mazinger Z , written by Go Nagai and introduced in 1972. Mazinger Z introduced the notion of mecha as pilotable war machines, rather than remote-controlled robots. Ken Ishikawa and Go Nagai, later, introduced the concept of 'combination' ( gattai ( 合体 ) ), where several units slot together to form
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2940-420: The international distribution rights for the Macross series and between 1999 and 2003 filed trademarks on the distribution of Macross merchandise and media outside of Japan. Harmony Gold's international distribution rights are under dispute however as they bought the rights from the Japanese company, Tatsunoko Production, which in a court ruling against companies, Studio Nue and Big West, was ruled to have only
3010-561: The latest Macross TV series, Macross Frontier , further expands on that concept by introducing fold faults or dislocations, which further retard fold travel and interfere with fold communications. Also explained in Macross Frontier are the limitations of space folding, such as the geometric increase in energy requirement with the mass of the object to be folded, which prevents very large objects from being folded with ease across vast distances. The act of entering Super Dimension space
3080-457: The line later featured the Car-Robots set of transforming robot toys, invented by Ōno Kōjin with some initial designs by Kawamori and others. While the original series featured fanciful robots and vehicles, Car-Robots added the feature of the robots being able to disguise themselves as various late 20th century-era contemporary vehicles. In 1984, Hasbro licensed the Car-Robots toyline along with
3150-577: The manga/anime franchise Patlabor and the American wargame BattleTech universe , also encompass mecha used for civilian purposes, such as heavy construction work, police functions, or firefighting . Mecha also have roles as transporters, recreation, advanced hazmat suits , and other research and development applications. Mecha have been used in fantasy settings, for example in the anime series Aura Battler Dunbine , The Vision of Escaflowne , Panzer World Galient , and Maze . In those cases,
3220-738: The meaning in Japanese is more inclusive, and 'robot' ( ロボット , robotto ) or 'giant robot' is the narrower term. Fictional mecha vary greatly in size and shape, but are distinguished from vehicles by their humanoid or biomorphic appearance, although they are bigger, often much bigger, than human beings. Different subgenres exist, with varying connotations of realism. The concept of Super Robot and Real Robot are two such examples found in Japanese anime and manga . Real-world piloted humanoid or non-humanoid robotic platforms , existing or planned, may also be called "mecha". In Japanese, "mecha" may refer to mobile machinery or vehicles (including aircraft) in general, piloted or otherwise . 'Mecha'
3290-411: The mecha designs are usually based on some alternative or "lost" science-fiction technology from ancient times. In case of anime series Zoids , the machines resemble dinosaurs and animals, and have been shown to evolve from native metallic organisms. A chicken walker is a fictional type of bipedal robot or mecha, distinguished by its rear-facing knee joint . This type of articulation resembles
3360-537: The mid-1980s, with Macross: Do You Remember Love? (1984) and Zeta Gundam (1985) in Japan, and with Robotech and Transformers in the West. Transformers went on to influence the Hollywood movie industry. In contrast to earlier mecha anime which focused on combatants, Macross portrayed mecha conflict from the perspective of non-combatant civilians, such as the singer Lynn Minmay . Voiced by Mari Iijima , Minmay
3430-532: The modern United Nations in order to defend Earth from a possible attack by hostile aliens , and was involved in Space War I against an extraterrestrial race called the Zentradi . Later operations of the U.N. Spacy expanded into interstellar colonization and general peacekeeping of off-world Earth settlements. The term "Spacy" is a portmanteau of the terms Space and Army or Navy . Some Japanese sources also use
3500-520: The plot. According to official sources, the Protoculture was the first advanced humanoid race in the universe—advanced Protoculture civilization started 500,000 years ago—and is the creator of the Zentradi and homo sapiens . Phases of colonization resulted in the establishment of an "Interstellar Republic", (similar to a galactic empire ) which covers much of the Milky Way galaxy 2800 years after Protoculture civilization started (498,000 years ago). A civil war happened sixty years later, resulting in
3570-421: The product of an ancient civilization, aliens or a mad genius . These robots are usually piloted by Japanese teenagers via voice command or neural uplink , and are often powered by mystical or exotic energy sources. The later real robot genre features robots that do not have mythical superpowers, but rather use largely conventional, albeit futuristic weapons and power sources, and are often mass-produced on
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#17328593470193640-403: The protagonist appeared in the manga Atomic Power Android ( 原子力人造人間 , Genshi Ryoku Jinzō Ningen ) in 1948. The manga and anime Tetsujin 28-Go , introduced in 1956, featured a robot, Tetsujin, that was controlled externally by an operator by remote control. The manga and anime Astro Boy , introduced in 1952, with its humanoid robot protagonist, was a key influence on the development of
3710-880: The rights to the international distribution of The Super Dimension Fortress Macross and no legal claim to the rest of the franchise; those belonging to the latter companies. Harmony Gold claims that the case does not apply to them since it occurred in Japan and does not apply to the international distribution rights. Harmony Gold continued to re-affirm their claim to the international distribution through cease and desist letters, resulting in later Macross series not being distributed outside of Japan. On March 1, 2021, Big West, Studio Nue, and Harmony Gold came to an agreement. Harmony Gold would no longer hinder Big West's distribution of Macross properties outside Japan and Harmony Gold would be allowed to release their upcoming Robotech film in Japan. On March 18, 2024, Macross would be available via Disney+ for streaming worldwide (via
3780-595: The same sub-line as the Constructicons, but would only become Transformers (as the Trainbots) in Japan's 1987 line. Takara eventually discontinued the Diaclone and Microman toylines in 1985 in favor of the Transformers rebranding. Takara has since revived the franchise, however; first announced at Tokyo Toy Show 2015, the first proper figure of the new Diaclone line was revealed at Wonder Festival of 2015. The BotCon storyline for 2015 also features several concepts from
3850-445: The series and the spacecraft to be named Macbeth ( マクベス , Makubesu ) . A compromise was made with the title Macross ( マクロス , Makurosu ) due to its similar pronunciation to Macbeth in Japanese and because it still contained connotations to the original title. The word Macross comes from a wordplay combination of the prefix "macro" in reference to its massive size in comparison to human vehicles (though when compared with
3920-403: The series, the term Macross is used to denote the main capital ship . This theme began in the original Macross , Super Dimension Fortress Macross . "Overtechnology" refers to the scientific advances discovered in an alien starship ASS-1 ( Alien Star Ship - One later renamed Super Dimension Fortress - One Macross ) that crashed on South Ataria island. Humans were able to reverse engineer
3990-652: The supplement A Gazetinha from the newspaper A Gazeta ; Kimball Kinnison's battle suit in E. E. "Doc" Smith's Lensman novel Galactic Patrol (1950); the French animated film The King and the Mockingbird (first released 1952), and Robert Heinlein 's waldo in his 1942 short story, " Waldo " and the Mobile Infantry battle suits in Heinlein's Starship Troopers (1958). A transforming mech can transform between
4060-413: The technology to create the mecha ( variable fighters and destroids), faster-than-light space fold drive for starships and other advanced technologies that the series features. The series title comes from the name of the main human spacecraft (which is usually shortened from Super Dimension Fortress Macross to "SDF-1" or The Macross as it is the first). The original name for the Macross project
4130-515: The term Space Army and some English-language sources use the term Space Navy , suggesting that the term is a contraction. The valkyrie fighter is one of a series of transformable aerospace fighters , primarily designed by franchise creator Shōji Kawamori and Kazutaka Miyatake . They are generally able to transform into jet/space fighters, Battroid (a humanoid robot) and a hybrid of the two modes, called Gerwalk (Ground Effective Reinforcement of Winged Armament with Locomotive Knee-joint). The VF-1
4200-558: The theoretical usefulness of such a device, combining a tank's resilience and firepower with infantry's ability to cross unstable terrain and a high degree of customization. In some continuities, special scenarios are constructed to make mecha more viable than current-day status. For example, in Gundam the fictional Minovsky particle inhibits the use of radar, making long-range ballistic strikes impractical, thus favouring relatively close-range warfare of Mobile Suits. However, some stories, such as
4270-459: The two depictions of Space War I: "The real Macross is out there, somewhere. If I tell the story in the length of a TV series, it looks one way, and if I tell it as a movie-length story, it's organized another way." (An edited, English-dubbed version of the feature was also released to video as Clash of the Bionoids .) Macross II , the only animated project without Studio Nue's direct involvement,
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#17328593470194340-631: The world. The personification of this popularity can be seen as 1:1-sized Mazinger Z , Tetsujin, and Gundam statues built across the world. Mecha are often featured in computer and console video games . Because of their size and fictional power, mecha are quite popular subjects for games, both tabletop and electronic. They have been featured in video games since the 1980s, particularly in vehicular combat and shooter games , including Sesame Japan's side-scrolling shooter game Vastar in 1983, various Gundam games such as Mobile Suit Gundam: Last Shooting in 1984 and Z-Gundam: Hot Scramble in 1986,
4410-428: Was Battle City Megarōdo (or Battle City Megaroad , as the Japanese transliteration to either "L" or "R" 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, one of the sponsors of the project, Big West Advertising, was a fan of Shakespeare and wanted
4480-425: Was announced just after the ending of the new TV animated series. The Kanto area rerun of the Macross Frontier anime television series during early 2014 in Japan ended with a teaser announcement that a new Macross TV series is in the works, and later in the year was tentatively titled Macross Δ (Delta) . Just like for Macross Frontier , a casting call was held for the series' main singer who also became part of
4550-407: Was declared by Studio Nue to be a parallel-world story. In March 2007, Studio Victor placed a casting call for a voice actress to play the heroine Ranka Lee , in a then untitled new Macross series. Eighteen-year-old Megumi Nakajima selected in the nationwide singing and acting audition for the role of Ranka Lee in Japan. The project was given the tentative title of Macross 25 . Later, as part of
4620-562: Was influential in the Western world, helping to introduce the anime medium to North America. Macross popularized the concept of transforming mecha , which can transform between a standard vehicle (such as a fighter plane or transport truck) and a fighting mecha robot. Shōji Kawamori introduced the concept with Diaclone in 1980 and then popularized it with Macross . Kawamori then went on to design transforming mecha for Transformers (1986). The transforming mecha concept became popular in
4690-415: Was released in 1984, with a condensed version of the storyline and cutting-edge animation. This movie was later described as a "historical drama" movie within the Macross universe (similar to World War II films in the real world). In Macross Plus and Macross 7 , it is revealed that there was a movie produced after Space War I (the original Earth-Zentradi conflict). Kawamori described the relation between
4760-517: Was specifically named "Valkyrie", but all of the jet fighter craft have generically been referred to as such in the series since then. Music is integral part to almost every Macross title by having significances in a series' antagonists behavior towards it. Music idols also play a central role to various Macross stories. Often, the protagonist will be involved in a love triangle with a series' music idol; most notably, Lynn Minmay . Space folding permits nearly-instantaneous ultra-long distance travel:
4830-481: Was the boss and commanding officer of the fighter pilot protagonist Hikaru Ichijyo , 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 (1986). According to Kawamori, "Many people pointed out that later films like Top Gun copied that idea and setting, as well as including
4900-547: 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 music charts in Japan. This was later further explored in Macross Plus with the virtual idol Sharon Apple , an artificial intelligence (AI) computer program who takes the form of an intergalactic pop star , and in Macross 7 with
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