Robotech: Mecha Magic and Galactic Grit from the 1980s (video).
Robotech, the American sci-fi franchise that took the ’80s by storm and left us all wondering if we could one day pilot our very own transformable mecha. What began as an ambitious project to adapt three distinct Japanese anime series into a singular, cohesive universe, ended up becoming a cult classic. For fans and readers of SFcrowsnest, let’s take a whimsical warp-speed journey through the history of this beloved series.
The Robotech universe was born out of a mix of necessity and creativity. In the mid-1980s, Harmony Gold USA had a brilliant, albeit slightly convoluted idea: take three visually similar but narratively unrelated Japanese anime series – Super Dimension Fortress Macross, Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross, and Genesis Climber MOSPEADA – and blend them into one seamless story. It was like making a smoothie out of apples, oranges, and bananas – different flavors, but surprisingly delicious when mixed.
This fusion resulted in the 85-episode TV series first released in the United States in 1984. The series centered around “Robotechnology,” a scientific breakthrough discovered in an alien starship. This technology allowed Earth to develop robotic technologies to fend off not one, not two, but three extraterrestrial invasions. Talk about being busy!
The chronology of Robotech spans several generations, each tackling a different invasion. The Macross Saga focuses on humanity’s battle against the giant Zentraedi warriors, The Masters saga deals with the arrival of the Robotech Masters, and The New Generation introduces the Invid invasion. It’s like a never-ending game of cosmic whack-a-mole.
Interestingly, before the TV series, the name Robotech was used by model kit manufacturer Revell for their Robotech Defenders line. It wasn’t until Harmony Gold and Revell signed a co-licensing agreement that Robotech became the name for the TV series, which was a blend of Macross, Southern Cross, and MOSPEADA. The franchise didn’t stop at TV. We got Robotech: The Movie, which mixed footage from the Megazone 23 OVA with scenes from Southern Cross. Talk about a cinematic smoothie! And let’s not forget the feature-length pilot, Codename: Robotech, which set the stage for the entire series. The Robotech universe continued to expand with various offshoots like Robotech II: The Sentinels and Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles, adding more layers to its already complex narrative tapestry. There were even plans for a Robotech 3000, which was an all-CGI series set a thousand years in the future, but it was shelved after a less-than-stellar reception.
The series also had its fair share of legal drama, with lawsuits flying around like Invid fighters. There were disputes over story origins and even a settlement out of court. It was like an episode of Law & Order: Galactic Edition.
Today, the Robotech franchise remains a beloved part of many sci-fi fans’ childhoods. Its ambitious storytelling, iconic mecha designs, and dramatic space battles have left an indelible mark on the genre. And while we might not have our own transformable mechas (yet), Robotech continues to inspire dreams of interstellar adventures. So, here’s to Robotech, the series that took us to the stars and beyond, with a little help from our alien friends.
