TBF, Mags, you have been doing a lot of the heavylifting for the quest, so this will be in good hands.
To be clear to everyone, this is just me burning out on imagination of the quest, since my muse has been hitting me over the head a lot with so many different ideas that I just can't find myself too interested in this.
I'll still hang out here, though, since this still does have a sepcial place in my heart.
I'd like to thank you all for making this a wonderful experience while it lasted.
I'd also like to thank @Magoose, @Fluffy_serpent, and @Martin Noctis for doing so much to help prepare and write this quest. I couldn't have done it without you all.
Something I think would be good will be to make them High Republic period not so long the EU had very detailed periods separated by periods in blank where at most a pair of things happened in the span of centuries
Honestly, we may want to consider opening a Game Engine Creation branch. Especially as better tech tends to lead to more work to take advantage of said tech. And well, having a section of LucasArts/Sega dedicated to working with game devs and refining tools that which is used to make games. 🤔
If we want a more modern time period it could be a member one of the Allied Regions* or even just the ruler of a planet or star system trying to maintain their autonomy in the face of Imperial centralization.
*Basically a vassal state that was semi automatous under the Republic and later Empire.
Honestly, we may want to consider opening a Game Engine Creation branch. Especially as better tech tends to lead to more work to take advantage of said tech. And well, having a section of LucasArts/Sega dedicated to working with game devs and refining tools that which is used to make games. 🤔
There is absolutely no need for an entire damn branch dedicated towards something like that, especially not when LucasArts already had their own game engine.
So I just watched this video where Mike Eisner in the 90s attempted to make a Disney Arcade. It was a pretty decent place, but it was too costly to do outside Orlando, though more it had shit real estate in Chicago and there was a lack of long-term planning. View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZQGtnEL2xs&t=10s
Ironically he did so because Sega and Dreamworks had partnered together to make GameWorks, a mega arcade complex which had 30 franchises but largely shut down in the 2010s. Funny how a lot of our purchases tended to have strong relations with one another OTL.
I wonder if Mike might try to make Sega Saloon a sort of pet project so he can grow parts of the business of his own creation. While most Sega Saloons would just be your basic arcade with a pizza place, there could probably be mega complexes where you have stuff like a mini golf course, go-karts or immersive attractions. This shouldn't be the main model, but a few large complexes around the major metropolitan areas would be nice. Something like Sega Mega Saloon?
Overall as we get into the 90s, I really want Lucasfilms to explore live and regional entertainment, especially with Sega Arcades. It would be a neat place to expand our brand and have lots of soft power through daily and immersive experiences. Also really hope we tackle Lucasland this decade.
Speaking of Lucasland what should the main regions in the park. We will absolutely have a Star War, Gundam, Undertale, Conan region in our park but what other popular IP do we have that we could have as its own region in the park.
Speaking of Lucasland what should the main regions in the park. We will absolutely have a Star War, Gundam, Undertale, Conan region in our park but what other popular IP do we have that we could have as its own region in the park.
Speaking of Lucasland what should the main regions in the park. We will absolutely have a Star War, Gundam, Undertale, Conan region in our park but what other popular IP do we have that we could have as its own region in the park.
Speaking of Lucasland what should the main regions in the park. We will absolutely have a Star War, Gundam, Undertale, Conan region in our park but what other popular IP do we have that we could have as its own region in the park.
Maybe a "Jellystone Park" region with lots of Hannah Barbara stuff. If there's anything close to a "kid zone" in the park it should be there but it should also have rides for everyone else.
I've ridden a Scooby Doo Haunted house ride before it was fun.
Speaking of Lucasland what should the main regions in the park. We will absolutely have a Star War, Gundam, Undertale, Conan region in our park but what other popular IP do we have that we could have as its own region in the park.
We have a lot of IP to leverage in general, but those that get their own dedicated region? Marvel and Hannah-Barbera are definitely some off the top of my head, but I'd have to take some time to go through our total IP in order to offer a more thorough answer.
Videogame Pitch
METAL SLUG Game Developer: LucasArts Entertainment Platform: Sega Arcade Genre: Action, Run And Gun, Shoot em Up.
Plot: General Donald Morden has turned traitor and formed a terrorist group known simply as the Rebel Army with one goal in mind. World Domination. It's up to a special forces unit known as the Peregrine Falcon Squad to defeat Morden and save the world.
Gameplay: Players will begin by selecting a member of the "PF" Squad as their character. Their character will be equipped with a knife attack, a handgun and a limited amount of grenades but will be able to pick up a number of powerup weapons with limited ammo. Throughout most levels the player will be given the opportunity to pilot the titular super vehicle SV-001 Metal Slug. A super tank designed for the modern battlefield. The player will go through the level fighting the Rebel army and their own war machines cumulating in a boss fight. Throughout the level the player will gain points based on enemies killed, the destruction of buildings, collection of certain powerups, completing the level while piloting a Metal Slug and most importantly the freeing of POW's who will also drop powerups. POWS will also give the player an additional bonus depending on how many the released since their last death.
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Metal Slug is a beautiful arcade game and while I don't know if we're going to be able to do it justice right now we can almost certainly down the road. And to be honest since we have the creator of Metal Gear onboard I thought that having a game called Metal Slug was funny.
A thought for lotr, I was wondering if making it part musical would be viable. On one hand the irl trilogy is great, on the other the books include a ton of musical elements and Arda is a very musical place. Hmm
Had that thought randomly and decided it to drop it here.
A thought for lotr, I was wondering if making it part musical would be viable. On one hand the irl trilogy is great, on the other the books include a ton of musical elements and Arda is a very musical place. Hmm
Had that thought randomly and decided it to drop it here.
Guys, we're selling arcade machines to others right? It's not just filling the Sega Saloons; other arcades, stores, restos, bars and mom n pop shops are buying our cabinets too, yeah?
Im hoping that, like with the Genesis and 3rd parties, we're also "publishing" arcade cabinets for indie parties and such.
Guys, we're selling arcade machines to others right? It's not just filling the Sega Saloons; other arcades, stores, restos, bars and mom n pop shops are buying our cabinets too, yeah?
Im hoping that, like with the Genesis and 3rd parties, we're also "publishing" arcade cabinets for indie parties and such.
Yeah we're selling to other people. If you look at the arcade game side stories you'll see that they list the initial money we make at the Saloons for the games and how many arcade cabinets we sell in general.
Footloose Directed by: Herbert Ross
Written by: Dean Pitchford
Produced by: Dean Pitchford
Production and Distribution: Lucasfilms Unlimited
Starring: Kevin Bacon, Lori Singer, Dianne Wiest, John Lithgow
It's always a good day whenever you manage to fund someone's passion into a film and then release it as a great piece of Lucasfilms art. While Hollywood may perceive Lucasfilms as a "Boys club" of you, George and all your friends, it didn't mean that you were opposed to giving opportunities to talent deserving of a chance, such was the case with Footloose.
The film starred Kevin Bacon as Ren McCormack, a Chicago teen who moves with his mother to their Aunt and Uncle's small Texas town of Bomont to start over after some rough times. However Ren, a free spirited young man with a passion for dancing soon comes into conflict with the rather traditionalist town as he discovers that they banned dancing and rock and roll when the reverend's eldest daughter died in a drunk accident after a night of dancing. This sets Ren on a collision with said Reverend's surviving daughter Ariel, a rebellious young woman struggling against her father's puritanism. Thus, Ren is set on a mission to overturn the town's ban on dancing and convince its people to live freely with a footloose spirit.
So apparently the entire movie was legitimately based off of real events with the town of Elmore City, Oklahoma having instituted a ban for over 80 years since 1898, instituted during a rising tide of the Prohibition movement. However, the activism of two young girls to have a junior prom managed to get it repealed in 1980. When Dean Pitchford heard about the case, he was inspired to write a coming of age story based upon the town, and thus Footloose was born. Really weird such a case was never taken to the Supreme Court, but hey you got a great movie out of it when the rest of Hollywood played Hot Potato, and thank the Lord you secured production rights because it would have been a complete disaster under Paramount's brief plan to do the film with Michael Cimino.
Footloose as a film has been said to be a smoothie mix of many contemporary works with similar genres and themes. Titles that keep on popping up are Grease for its teen drama and free vibes, Flashdance for its style of "MTV Musical" with the characters dancing to a pop soundtrack, and Cult of the Preacher for its messaging of being anti-establishment and not falling to puritan hysteria. You can see the various resemblances, most especially the latter in having the two played at the same time so it was a major point of review and discussion. But whereas Cult of the Preacher was a direct attack on evangelical radicalism, Footloose was more of a general story of the endless generational clash and how it was okay for the youth to express themselves and engaging in recreation and expression didn't mean that they were bad people, but they were just living their lives. While the plot of a town banning dancing may seem silly, you think a lot of the messages presented through a tight script are timeless and the film can stand strong and relatable decades from now.
The cast despite being composed largely of B and C listers did a great job at bringing the story to life and with the young actors especially, you feel a great air of authenticity and genuine relatability in their performances, relatability and chemistry that a lot of teen movies, even some of the great seem to lose in translation. Kevin Bacon did really well in his first major lead role bringing a lot of charisma and coolness to his performance with lots of hidden depth in his personality and actions. You also like the subversion of the Cool Guy/Bad Boy trope where the town makes these assumptions of Ren as a troublemaker, but really he's just a decent and chill person that just wants to enjoy life and he's very loyal to his friends with a strong personal code of respect and honor. The supporting cast is pretty well at their jobs all around, and you like how Lori Singer and Chris Penn execute their respective character arcs really well.
Your favorite actor though had to be John Lithgow as Reverend Moore who was often overlooked in favor of Bacon or could be disregarded by many, especially teens as just the nagging puritan antagonist. While Moore starts out that way, seemingly just a stubborn no-fun obstacle, as the film goes on you see that he's not opposing dance for the sake of it or because he's a nutjob, rather the Reverend is a decent man who is simply consumed by his grief and rather than moving forward, he tries to deal with it by lashing out at an easy target. Though in the process, he is simply alienating himself from his daughter and losing sight of years spent with his living child over the one who was lost. Thanks to Ariel, Ren and his wife, Reverend Moore comes to terms with his griefs and begins to understand the harm his actions caused, as seen in a brilliant scene where he's witnessing the zealous townsfolk burn library books like a Nazi rally in response to Ren's dance campaign, with Moore having his somewhat literal Come-to-Jesus moment and chastise the town for being so consumed by hate that they're not living by the Bible and loving their neighbor, just lashing out to feel good and superior.
From there, Moore supports the dance campaign and gives his blessing for Ariel and Ren to date, though in a good twist, the campaign doesn't manage to outright end the dance and music ban even with Moore's defection as so many of the town's leaders are too set in their ways. A shocking subversion, especially considering the teens did win in real life, but you honestly have to applaud Dean for the bold move and how it shows that even if you get some people to change, sometimes you can't win a war neatly in one go and some people refuse to change. Still, the teens do manage to have their dance through loopholes of having it out of county lines, providing a happy ending to the film with the famous Footloose danceoff.
That's one thing you really appreciate about the film, it's script has a lot of nuance that respects both sides of the argument, and even though Ren is the hero and dancing should be supported, it shows real challenges and how some people are set in their ways and how you can move forward in spite of such hostility. It really builds on what was said with Cult of the Preacher and delivers just as effective a message with the Televangelists and Puritans finally receiving pushback across the nation. You especially love the Dungeons and Dragons reference where as part of Ren's efforts to coordinate universal support from the students for the dance, he sets out to recruit the nerds who may have felt too alienated too attend or bother supporting. He seeks them out after being continuously warned that they're Satanists and delusional troublemakers, only to find a circle of awkward though friendly teens just trying to escape the mundane rural life through their roleplay like Ren and his dancing, with Ren managing to convince them to lend their support in exchange for him joining a session. A pretty funny sub-plot, and it was nice building on what Cult of the Preacher stated, though in a more relaxed manner. You really appreciate the nuance of the storytelling, and if nothing else it seems to have convinced more people than Cult, especially with Moore's arc showing that Lucasfilms' wasn't an anti-Protestant company and the message was more a warning against a certain type of mindset than beliefs.
The choreography was also top notch, probably one of the best in Hollywood and it was especially impressive dance directions for something that wasn't a traditional musical. The dance scenes followed Flashdance in that they were sort of psuedo music videos where characters would break into dance with an accompanying song playing on the soundtrack. Though its presentation was less fantastical and more diegetic than Flashdance as the scenes were real-time and focusing on characters in the moment. Overall you're really impressed with how the story continues to be told in the dances through how the characters dance, how they play off one another and the strong blocking and body language that tell just as much as the dialogue. Not to mention the songs are pretty great with Footloose and Let's Hear it for the Boys being hits afterwards. If you ever do a musical, you got to copy this.
Footloose first premiered a week before general showings in its inspiration of Elmore City where it was pretty warmly received, especially by those who participated in the inspirational dance campaign where they had fun with the Hollywood take on their struggles and afterwards there was an all-night dance reception where Kevin Bacon and some of the other cast members had a fun dance-off with their real life counterparts. When it premiered in LA, the Hollywood crowd seemed to enjoy it though there wasn't an overwhelming enthusiasm in reception. You had a good date night with Carrie watching it, though admittedly it was a bit hard to relate for the two of you, a highschool dropout and a prodigy who graduated at 14 and didn't go to any dances. Carrie did seem slightly bummed at the reminder of a missed experience, though you took her for a dancing night a few days later and you both had a great time, making up for what was missed more than a decade ago and really living the film's themes of just letting loose and having fun.
General audiences seemed to love it with a strong opening weekend of $10 million and continuous high praise across the board in general conversation. People really loved the cast, the music and dancing, and the general themes and story seemed to make a good impact, healing the divide for some cases and inspiring teens across the nation to make a difference. Kevin Bacon, while not quite an A-lister, seems to have made a similar splash to Tom's debut as Robin and is a hot new actor many want for a young leading role. He also seems to have developed a legion of admirers, as you can personally attest when your sister Cat shared that Kevin has sort of become her daughter's Sarah first major celebrity crush and she has the Footloose poster displayed proudly in her bedroom. Maybe you can do a solid and get that poster autographed or get a meet and greet.
Critics generally give the movie praise, but it lacks the enthusiasm that audiences have to Footloose with a few daring and bold critics giving mixed reception in calling it "Generic, Cliche, Carried by its presentation". The average seems to be in the upper 70s, and while you have to admit it's not the greatest thing since Some Nights, it's a damn good and solid movie and you don't understand where the muted enthusiasm comes from.
Though perhaps there is some truth to that as while Footloose had a healthy run domestically, it was next to nonexistent overseas. Sure, May was really packed and blockbuster season was beginning, not to mention Japan was going gaga over Macross. But still, not even $2 million outside of North America? Sure, it was a really American centric story like National Lampoon's Vacation that would be hard to find relatable, but you thought there was some universal values in the overall plot that would strike a chord with people, and MTV was a major global phenomenon. Weird.
At the very least, Footloose had made a strong profit so it was an overall box office success. Plus, sort of similar to Blade Runner it became a cult classic where it really exploded on home video. Most people who watched in theaters were eager to get a personal copy, and from movie nights it managed to reach the audience who missed out on its theatrical run and leave a strong impact. Thus, Footloose despite its low theatrical presence, became another quintessential 80s movie and became timeless and intimate with teens and college adults down the line.
Thus began the start of your Degrees of History with Kevin Bacon.
Huh, a rare* moment where we make considerably less at the box office then in real life (44 vs 80 million). Not that it's bad mind you it's still a chunk of change and a good movie.
Budget: $5,000,000 Domestic: $81,601,166 International: $32,345,262
Total Gross: $113,946,428
VHS: $88,002,451
Even though it had been two years, even though there had been the debut of two more Gundam Series, and even though more Mecha Anime had been released, there was no denying that Macross as a franchise and series had yet to die out or be forgotten in this current climate. Where the current trend of the TV game was that unless you become an outstanding piece of media that managed to last for years, and form not only a series but also a toy line and a devoted fan base.
Macross, the series that'd only had a single series run as well as toy line two years ago was still kept alive by their devoted fans, who still regularly wrote letters, held small conventions between their homes, and went to 'Comic-Con' dressed as their favorite characters of the series, most as Rick Hunter or Max Sterling, though there are quite a few that go as Roy Fokker or Commander Gloval as well.
Lin Minmei and Lisa Hayes were the favorite for women of course.
It had become something of a surprise for you, as though you had enjoyed the show and the series, seeing it as one of those stories that had something beyond the technical aspects. it also had passion, a beautiful rendered world, an excellent story with well-developed and complex characters that grow over time due to the circumstances around them, along with a love triangle that, while perhaps a bit too long, it still managed to keep you on the edge, wondering just who will end up with who. And if that wasn't your cup of tea, the amazing space battles and intrigue would keep you stuck to the screen nonetheless.
It was more than enough for Shōji to begin the next stage of his plan.
He'd not been idle either; working on some of the anime projects, concluding ZZ Gundam as Tomino's assistant as before, brainstorming new ideas with Noboru for the second part for the Macross Saga, including a story that would follow the descendent of Max and Miriya as she protects the Earth from a new alien menace. Working with Hannah-Barbera in giving at least some advice on how to handle the new Transformers series to debut as well.
Yet in the end, it could not be denied that he was still drawn to Macross, and the idea that would not go away no matter how much he tried; making a full-length movie of the series.
To think it all started with a simple prank, making you think that they truly wanted to make a more adult oriented version of the series. In a way you understand their reasoning, since for all that you'd been pushing animation forwards, the offerings for Anime movies had been slim pickings, with only Sword of the Stranger getting a Theatre debut. Heck, there was even proof that Anime could thrive on films, Japan alone made sure to put in not only live action but Anime related to TV as well. And if Castle of Cagliostro was anything to go by, it would be successful as well.
What did make you doubt was the direction that Shōji wanted to take the movie on. Not as an addition to the already existing Canon, but instead an entire reconstruction of it, taking the entire story, condensing it, and making it essentially 'What if Macross had been a movie', or to paraphrase him "The real Macross is there. If told as a TV series then it's organized in one way. If told as a movie, then it's organized in another way". It was a bit hard to understand when you first heard it, but it was intriguing nonetheless. It would supposedly have all the broad strokes, all the different enemies and plot points, but set in a world that nonetheless had to be different for all of it to work.
And darn it, you wanted to see it done just with that explanation alone.
When you gave the green light you expected him to go directly to work on the animation, but though that aspect was important for the future movie, what Shōji did instead was to get an immediate flight to Japan and speak with the man in charge of the music and songs, Kentarō Haneda. You could not understand why at first, since while the songs in the original series had been important and catchy, you did not think that focusing on them from the start was that crucial.
You were shown the error of your ways on the next few weeks, when the news of the movie entering production was leaked, and thousands of fans of the show made their opinions know about the music.
In the end, the TV Show had not only helped in expand the Mecha genre among the fans, but it had also introduced the new 'J-Pop' music genre to America. You'd heard some of it occasionally, but apparently it had gone beyond your expectations when thousands of letters began flooding the company demanding to know whether the same composer and the same singer would appear in the film. Mari Iijima, the singer for many of the songs had developed a following in America that, while not on the level of the local music artists, still made her well known, along with her album sells being profitable as well.
To this there were voices among them hat wanted her to be the one to voice the character of Minmei, an insurance perhaps that they would be able to hear her voice once more. Shōji tapped into that energy to then push forth his ultimate gamble; make the movie with subtitles and Japanese 'Voice Actors', not only for Minmei but for all the rest of the characters as well. It was something that left you in a quandary because for all that you loved the style; you were not sure if the audience would be willing to go and see such a movie. Mike was opposed to it, thinking that there would be a drop in sales and tickets.
Yet in the end, you had trusted Shōji before when it came to Macross, so you decided to trust him once more when it came to the film.
And the results were something beyond your wildest dreams when it came to the film. The TV series had not skimmed on the more nuanced topics, or the poignant scenes, making sure to highlight both the darkness of the war and the effects on the characters, as well as the hope that could come in the end, as well as the more lighter tones when it came to romance and interactions between friends. Yet Shōji did not feel it was enough, for he wanted something darker, something that would push at the buttons of the audience, and would move the fans' emotions whenever they saw this movie.
This is the only explanation you can give when you see what he did with the entire Canon, as everything seemed to change visually; the Macross looks different, the Veritechs look different, the Mechas look different, heck even the Zentrandi look different. No longer just taller men with different colors, they are now more alien and inhuman looking, with greener shades that bring to mind some fish and marine life effects and looks. Heck, many of them seem to be genetically modified when you see one that has a bulbous head that pulses at all time. Heck, their scenes with the Microns and the main characters give them a presence and pressure when showing their titanic forms, looming over their smaller and frailer forms, really emphasizing just the kind of threat that they are.
But damn it if it doesn't look amazing as well! It's all so detailed and beautiful to look, with Noboru clearly given wild rein to bring about every small detail for the ships movements and design, while Shōji, having learned from his previous experiences, decided to push forth on the characters and polishing their design, making them sharper and just making them more gorgeous than one would expect, especially the eyes, who look more sparkly and deep. They just make the entire design shine all the brighter, you could swear that they are more expressive and fit with their new designs, enhancing the entire look of the characters.
It's all so... beautiful to look at, not only with the characters but with the prerendered backgrounds that, in your opinion, could have come out of a Don Bluth or Miyazaki film; so detailed, full of life, and outright beautiful to look at, feeling part of a whole new world that just pushes you to explore and see what else there is, what kind of magic or new sights there are to explore. Seeing it all being made, you could not help but wonder just what else could there be, feeling in your chest a desire to live there for a moment to see it all happen.
The power of animation, it always astounds when you see it for yourself.
But aside from the meticulous backgrounds and animations there are also the small details that push the film even further from the original; like the fact that the Zentrandi now have their own language, or how both the Zentrandi and the Meltrandi are their own factions. Other changes like how the Macross is a Meltrandi Gun Destroyer, which was the reason why the Zentrandi began attacking is an amazing way to adapt their fight without going into the entire background of a mysterious ship appearing on Earth and looking for their technology. Then there's the issue of Protoculture, and its role in the entire conflict, becoming not so much as a power source, or new technology, but instead a "weapon more powerful that could ever be imagined" and reworked into literally the culture of a society that knows more than just war and conflict.
In many ways, it's a great way to expand the rest of the elements that were left dangling in the series, all condensed in a two-hour film. Many of the scenes deal with the actions and consequences with the war between the Zentrandi, the Microns and the Meltrandi, at many times working in a more in-depth explanation for both the Zentrandi and the Meltrandi, putting it right there along with the Microns forgotten history. It's not the full detailed account that one would expect, but it's something that perfectly fits nonetheless, and it becomes an important plot point for the climax at the end.
As for the story, when you first saw what they were planning to tell, as well as how to do it, well... there was no other word for it, you felt excited for the very beginning! The story starting in Medias Res with the Macross and the Zentrandi already in the middle of battle, the animation so perfect and fluid as both sides face each other on a cinematic screening. The introduction of Rick, Roy and Lisa both perfect and expository, fitting for the environment and situation they're in and highlighting their core characteristics, and all within the first minutes of the film as well.
From there the events follow the old Canon with some slight adjustments; Minmei is already a famous star and idol (and the songs still are amazing. Shōji was right in getting Iijima to work as VA as well as to keep the songs as they were) when she is rescued by rick, and their stay inside the ship while waiting for rescue does end up with both of them developing feelings for each other. The entire sequence when both of them explore the city of Macross in secret afterwards was both endearing and cute in a way that highlights the highs of a first love.
Many in the audience agreed, mostly the female fans and audience, who had come for the promise of a romantic tale, yet you did not feel any kind of disappointment from the male audience either, too enthralled by seeing their idol and the previous battle as well.
Their later capture by the Zentrandi is one of the more high tension and beautifully crafted animation sequences as well, with actual changes in the backgrounds and environment being detailed during the fight. And the later confrontation with the leaders where the idea of Protoculture and their origins is expounded on may seem like exposition, but it's one that fits perfectly during the conversation, and the later death and sacrifice of Roy Fokker to allow both Rick and Lisa to escape will remain as one of the most impactful and tear inducing moments of the entire movie.
Yet it will not be the only one.
It is a marvel how much emotion there is in every moment and scene of the entire film, with highs and lows at every turn, not letting the grip it has in your, or the audience and fans, hearts; the introduction of Miriya as an amazing pilot that manages to take down an entire squadron of Zentrandi, Rick and Lisa finding themselves on Earth and discovering it with no human life, all having been destroyed by the Zentrandi beforehand. The discussions between the Zentrandi about Protoculture and the effects it has on them, it all melds perfectly together.
Sure, it may feel a bit rushed at first, especially for those who have seen the series beforehand, and yet it still feels fresh nonetheless, with all the core elements of the series still intact if in a different form; the scenes between Rick and Lisa are especially emotive, their relationship and care for each other being well defined and developed, with their eventually ending up together feeling earned and fitting for all that they have gone through until they were finally found by the Macross. Which then perfectly segways into the fight between Max and Miriya, one of the most beautifully detailed fights in the movie, highlighting their skill, as well as how they eventually would come to fall in love with each other.
But the great climax of the film come to the final two moments in it; the final clash between the love triangle and the final battle between Dolza Zar and the Macross forces; the former is more explosive than what was shown in the series, with Minmei running in tears as Rick choses Lisa, but then having to look after her as the battle begins in order to have her sing to help in the battle. Not only that, it's a song that Lisa managed to find in the Protoculture ruins on Earth. It's a moment filled with heartbreak, pain, yet also understanding and empathy between both sides, as they have to learn to move on and gather the courage to do what is right.
All while in the background there is a war going on, as forces from the Zentrandi, the Meltrandi and the Microns all clash against each other in one of the more fluid, spectacular battles in space ever animated. The detail between each of the ships, the characters, and the missiles flying all over is an entire smorgasbord of violence and action that had the adrenalin pumping on everyone watching the film. The audience could barely keep to their seats as they watched it all unfold; the fans themselves could be heard screaming and cheering through it all.
And then the entire room was silent as it happened, the moment when the entire movie shifted into something greater than all its parts, the moment the final sequence of scenes were shown, when the conflict comes to a climax, not because of fighting, not because of the hero coming forward...
It all began with a song.
Lin Minmei begins to sing, and despite having heard all the previous songs composed by Haneda, despite having heard Iijima sing over and over again during the film... this song hits directly to the heart as everyone in the cinema just remained quiet, entranced by it all. Not that the film stops either, as while the song plays everyone can see the rest of the fight, and how that simple song changes the tides; Breetai switches sides as he understands now how Protoculture must be protected, not used as a weapon, the Meltrandi, led by MIriya and Max join the Microns as an unlikely alliance now face Dolza Zar in a final climactic fight.
It is one of the most drop dead gorgeous and action-packed scenes in all of the mecha genre. The animation is fluid, and you have to admit, though at times looks like a music video, this works on so many levels that you are compelled to watch it again and again when you have the time.
It all concludes however when Rick, having fought and infiltrated the entire Zentrandi Fleet, manages to get where Dolza Zar is, and just unloads everything into him as the final notes of the song play, destroying him and his Main Ship, leaving the surviving allies victorious as they celebrate, and Lisa revealing how the song was just a simple love song.
Its name: Do You Remember Love?
And with that, it's over. One of the most beautiful, brutal, and amazing animated movies that you've seen. An entire series compressed into a couple of hours, including all the feelings as they could barely be contained as well. It was an incredibly fun film, a redesign of everything that the series had done before; the animation, the uniforms, the characters and antagonists. The story got a dramatic reinterpretation, and it was rushed from beginning to end
And the audience loved it all! From beginning to end, since the movie was first released to its final run, legions of fans were already camping outside, hoping to be the first to see the new experience promised by Shōji, and feeling fulfilled as they left. Word of mouth managed to get as many non-fans to see the film, with everyone feeling excited at the combination of high action battles in space, and a romance story for the ages with the amazing script and animation. Sure, some of the characters themselves may have some reduced roles, but everyone understood very well who was the main character in the film at the very least.
For all who saw it, whether they were fans or not, this was the quintessential Macross experience. Even the Voice Actors being Japanese did not dampen the enthusiasm or enjoyment of the film, but rather enhanced it! You knew that If this had been done just the decade prior you'd be lucky to have broken even a million when it came to profits, yet this new generation, the one who had now been exposed to Manga, Anime, and Japan's culture were so engrossed in it that they were hungry for any new experience that came from said nation.
And the fans themselves loved to hear Mari Iijima as well, her voice and her songs alone were some of the biggest draws for the film. You're sure she has just made the entire audience her fans for life when you consider the amount of sales that skyrocketed after the film's debut. Heck, there is news about her doing a tour in America if things continue to go as good as they have. For the rest of the Voice actors, well, they may not have become as iconic as Mari, but they have managed to gain a dedicated following for their future works if they ever manage to get another Anime released. In Japan though, well, that's a different story.
Japan went nuts for the film; lines waiting on every theater, fans dressing as their favorite characters, the tickets were sold out for the first weeks and even then continuing for months afterwards. There's no other way to say it, the country loved the entire film, and loved that it had managed to get such an important mark in American culture. Names like Shōji Kawamori and Noboru Ishiguro are now household names for everyone who understand and loves animation, seeing them as the pinnacle, only topped by Tomino. Gundam fans are still resistant, claiming that their show is better, while at the same time writing and asking for Sunrise or DreamWorks to release a Gundam film as well.
Not only that, but out of the entire $30 million earned in the international market, half of it came from Japan alone, with many going to see the movie just to hear the music and songs once more. And with how this has catapulted Iijima into the international stage, there are now many other singers, both new and old, who are clamoring to be included in future projects as well. You don't think that you'll be short in Voice Acting when it comes to the future.
But with all the good news, with all the resurgence in toy sales, as well as the fan's excitement growing when told about the upcoming development in the Macross saga for the future, there always have to be the bad news and their doomsayers. It was not so bad this time around, what with the critics being more on your side than not, but many also descrying what they saw as just a "rush job" and an "unnecessary work that just undoes what came before it". There were still other critics who managed to find the underlying message of peace and cooperation that is universal when it comes to the series, even praising the love story within as one for the ages. Yet you should have expected that your greatest critic would come from the land that was also your greatest supporter.
Hayao Miyazaki did not like the movie at all, and was not shy about letting it know.
He hated the setting, he hated the violence, he hated the war and destruction it brought, and he hated that the entire country of Japan was loving and praising such a movie. Heck, in one interview he went on an entire diatribe when the interviewer mentioned how the graphics and animation was on par with his works. You did not think that anyone could scold and display such anger without raising one's voice, yet Miyazaki made that man feel like a child at the end of it all, excoriating his intelligence and taste overall.
You understood what Tomino had told you on how he despised the very idea of war and violence, and how his films seemed to show his inner thoughts and feelings on the subject, so at some level you perhaps expected this.
Only to then discover that perhaps it was a bit more personal than expected when Sunrise employees explained the entire situation; just a couple of months back, Miyazaki and his group of animators had released their own movie in Japan, the result of nearly a year of work, countless hours of development, and working tirelessly in order to finally have Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind released. A movie that was being hailed as one of the best movies made, a critics darling, and getting a distribution deal with Disney for just this month.
Only for your film to come out, the very antithesis of everything he stood for, and smash it right out of the field.
Yeah, being livid is not that hard to understand at this point. There is even a small rumor that he's making his own studio if only to show you up, thought that is just silly at this point... right?
Right?
...
Moving on, the movie became a hit in both the domestic and international market, enough to justify a VHS run, one that while not to the level of Cult Classic, still garnered enough to for all fans to get at the very least one of them. And for them, Shōji prepared a special surprise for them.
A final epilogue to the series.
When working on the film, Shōji had also worked on the aftermath of the battle, what would happen in the end, and though he had been convinced that adding such would only take away from the final battle and conclusion of the film, there was nothing stopping him from adding it to the VHS, and with yours and Mike's blessing (who went right to work involving the addition into the marketing plans) the VHS soon included what he called the Epilogue of the entire series; "Angel Space", the farewell concert of Lin Minmei two years after the final battle, in front of Microns, Zentrandi and Meltrandi alike.
The song alone would have made any fans' day, but it's what comes after that elevates it to art; seeing what has happened to everyone, Minmei walking through the concert hall a day after and reminiscing on her life, meeting Rick and Lisa as they all prepare to leave Earth in order to expand and spread humanity to the stars, and the flashbacks to when they first started, comparing them to where they are now. It's a final and beautiful farewell to the fans, but one that is both poignant and hopeful, one that expresses the feeling of moving on, yet never forgetting what they experienced before.
It's the perfect goodbye that every fan would wish for.
And goddamn it, now you're being asked when the next installment in the saga is coming out. Fans really always ask for more in the end, don't they?
You looked at the things and the script that was honestly crap. They wanted you to be too much like Carson, funny, and witty instead of what you were. Honest and true to yourself.
But at least you could refuse. God, you remembered when everything was hell. you were honestly… happy that everything happened the way it did. you still thanked god every day that Carrie found Bruce instead of some other fool… and you were able to seeyour grand children every day and so that everything could be happy again.
You weren't after the fame anymore with your career. You had almost everything you wanted, save for maybe an oscar, but honestly… Carrie winning was something you were going to be happy about for the rest of your life. She deserved it far more than you were. And deserved everything that she had for her happiness.
You had long since given up on your own happiness after Eddie and Karl ruined your life and nearly ruined your family.
But all things considered… you were able to get out of this life… out of the need to be a star and be content with your life.
You just wished some of your other friends from back in the day were able to… be there. To see that this cesspit of Hollywood could truly change with some good men there to finally be able to see it.
The people who deserved so much more than the shit they were forced through… those that lost their lives to Hollywood chasing a dream.
You looked at the phone and prepared to call.
But than you stopped.
Because honestly… you didnt' want to now.
But there was an idea that you saw when you were watching TV, and some old friends. "Betty… It's Debbie. I have a favor from NBC… i heard you need some work, and I have an idea."
AN: I rolled for something happening.
And well... read some context... you will see what it may be.
It was kind of expected that Hayao Miyazaki wouldn't like the movie but to be so vocal about it was (at least to me). Well, they say there's no such thing as bad publicity. But if Ghibli's going to be up and running soon then we're going to have to keep our anime game up at the very least.
But there was an idea that you saw when you were watching TV, and some old friends. "Betty… It's Debbie. I have a favor from NBC… i heard you need some work, and I have an idea."
