That dramatic opening heralded the arrival ofRobotech and American television had never seen anything quite like it.
There was action, but also comedy, tragedy and pathos.
It even provided a generous helping of bubblegum pop music.
These come in handy when, in 2009, an alien race of giants called the Zentraedi attack Earth.
Their target: the SDF-1.
As a 2013LA Weeklyarticle pointed out,Robotechwas enjoyed by kids and soap-opera-loving adults alike.
Thirty years on, and Sony Pictures has begun efforts to bring a live-actionRobotechmovie to the screen.
This success caught the interest of American TV company Harmony Gold, who purchased the rights forMacrossin 1984.
It could unite Revells line of mecha kits withMacrossand sell it under a single name Robotech.
There was, however, a problem: theMacrosssaga was told over the course of 36 episodes.
In the 1980s, Macek ran an art gallery dedicated to displaying and selling anime cels.
The success of theRobotechseries was such that plans were made to produce a spin-off theatrical movie.
Robotech: The Moviewas made as a venture withthe infamous Cannon Films, whod agreed to handle the distribution.
This is not a Cannon film!
Golan raged, according to a hilariousrecollectionfrom Carl Macek in 1990.
We want lots of guns!
Macek was therefore given just one day to re-editMegazone 23into something more spicy.
Golan, thankfully, was appeased: NowTHATis a Cannon movie, he exclaimed.
Unfortunately for both Harmony Gold and Cannon,Robotech: The Moviewasnt exactly a hit.
The legal tussle overMacrossand its merchandise continues.
A series calledRobotech: Academywas put on Kickstarter in 2014, but failed to raise the requisite funding.
Progress at Warner Bros seemed to be rather slow, however.
And givenMacrosss ongoing popularity in Japan, how will Sony market it there?
Are its confusing rights issues still a problem, or can Sonys clout cut through all that?
