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SUPER DIMENSION FORTRESS MACROSS (1982): ROBOTECH 30 Year Anniversary

Robotech

Super Dimension Fortress Macross, Robotech 30 Years Old. The Super Dimension Fortress Macross aka Macross aka Robotech premiered on October 3, 1982. That makes the landmark anime TV series 30 years old. I remember when Super Dimension Fortress Macross first began airing in the US, retitled Robotech. I had never seen a cartoon so detailed and intricately drawn before in my life. Robotech was the beginnning of my admiriation for anime and Japanese animation, as it was for many others as well. US cartoons could not hold a candle to Robotech, the animation was just too high-end.

Robotech was also high-end with respect to its narrative. Robotech was unlike other cartoons then and now because it actually told a real, unique story (created by Shoji Kawamori) set against something world changing yet held together by human emotion. The closest way to describe it would be if the new Battlestar Galactica were animated, it would echo Robotech in many ways.

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I have never seen a cartoon where singing and pop idols were an integral part, especially to multiple parts of the storyline e.g. Lynn Minmay (Mari Iijima)’s singing “We Can Win” (that is from memory and might not actually be the title of the song) during an impossible battle where humans fighters were out numbered and out-gunned.

I would like to catch-up on the series and the other adaptations and films that followed Robotech but there are a lot, far more than I had thought (in chronological order): The Super Dimension Fortress Macross (Robotech), Macross: Do You Remember Love?, The Super Dimension Fortress Macross: Flash Back 2012, Macross II, Macross Plus, Macross Plus: International Version, Macross 7, Macross 7: Trash, Macross Plus: Movie Edition, Macross 7 The Movie: The Galaxy Is Calling Me!, Macross 7: Encore, Macross Dynamite 7, Macross Zero, Macross Frontier, Macross Frontier, Macross Frontier The Movie: The False Diva, Macross The Ride, Macross Frontier Movie: The Wings of Goodbye, and Macross FB7.

As you can see, Robotech is popular.

The animation present in Robotech is dated now but I noticed in one of the clips below (2012 opening remake) that Robotech has been given a facelift, computer CGI and all, making it lush, relevant, and more beautiful than it had been previously. I hope they update the animation from the entire 1982 run that way.

The Super Dimension Fortress Macross TV show photo:

The Super Dimension Fortress Macross

The Super Dimension Fortress Macross

The Robotech TV show photo:

Robotech

Robotech

Robotech‘s initial plot synopsis: “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 of the Macross, a young civilian pilot, Hikaru Ichijyo, comes to visit the Macross upon U.N. Spacy pilot Roy Focker’s request. During the launch ceremony, a space war fleet from an alien race of humanoid 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, 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.”

Watch the Robotech opening sequences from its various incarnations below and leave your thoughts on it in the comments section. For more Robotech photos, videos, and information, visit our Robotech Page, subscribe to us by Email, follow us on Twitter or on Facebook. The entire original series of Robotech is available on DVD.

1982’s Super Dimension Fortress Macross 

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Robotech opening

2012 opening remake

1984’s Macross: Do You Remember Love?

1992’s Macross IIlegally watch it online

1994’s Macross Pluslegally streaming online

1994’s Macross 7

2002’s Macross Zero

2008’s Macross Frontier

Source: Macross, Wikipedia, Crunchyroll, @aicnanime

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Rollo Tomasi

Rollo Tomasi is a Connecticut-based film critic, TV show critic, news, and editorial writer. He will have a MFA in Creative Writing from Columbia University in 2025. Rollo has written over 700 film, TV show, short film, Blu-ray, and 4K-Ultra reviews. His reviews are published in IMDb's External Reviews and in Google News. Previously you could find his work at Empire Movies, Blogcritics, and AltFilmGuide. Now you can find his work at FilmBook.
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