My Life In Fandom: The Macross Franchise Confirms a Global Expansion

There's a new Josh Strife Hayes video on bad MMOs, which you can find here, but that's not today's topic. There isn't a new Geek Gab either. Rather, we're going back to Japan to talk more Macross news. This streamed live yesterday as part of Bandai's Tamashi Nations 2021 series, and yes this is in English; it opens with the Master of Ceremonies speaking in both Japanese and English, and then transitions to live translation through the cermoninal part. (The merch shilling in the back half of the stream is Japanese only.)

Let's get right to the big news: Global release of new and archival Macross media and merchandise.

That's right, Sony making Harmony Gold bend the knee has finally paid off and as I expected allowing some Robotech co-branding is meaningless in the big picture.

I cannot over-emphasize the importance of having this block lifted. It means that Macross is about to surge outside of Japan, due to reach co-equal popularity with Gundam, Mazinger, and Getter Robo now that it's able to freely reach the rest of the world.

And, for the merchandise and physical media collectors, it will mean cheaper prices due to reduced or eliminated need to import; those Valkyries could easily drop by up to half price in total, including shipping and handling, simply by being able to order from an in-country location instead of from a Japanese outlet that has to ship overseas.

It also opens the door for overseas live events, either in person--imagine being able to see Walkure playing at a theater or arena near you--or (more likely) being able to watch a live Japanese performance legally (as the Macross Plus event is likely a testbed for). That means that there is now the possibility to buy a ticket to the next Delta or Frontier live concert, hit up the nearby theater, and rock out with other local fans complete with the possibility for remote participation.

And if it works for this, then it opens the door for others to piggyback on that achievement; imagine being able to remotely attend Animelo Summer Live and watch all your favorite anisong artists just like you could in Japan. These events would, of course, would grow to include on-site availability of related merchandise to take home with you after the fact--posters, CDs, etc.--as well as promotions for artist fansites, official media channels, etc.

Yes, I imagine you'll be able to go to a Macross concert remotely, buy a Limited Edition Commemorative Valkyrie on site, and that ticket allows you to download/stream a legal digital copy after the fact sooner than later.

And that's just with what's current in the franchise library. They're not done yet; they just released a new Delta movie and I expect that Shoji Kawamori has something new in the works.

They took the time to spell out why the Macross franchise works and has its enduring appeal: Variable Fighters (which tracks to Courage), Love Stories (which tracks to Devotion), and Music (which tracks to Beauty). People worldwide respond to tales of Valor and Devotion in pursuit of Beauty, and that's what every Macross franchise entry nails with differing emphasis, even if some mixes of those elements prove far more popular (SDF Macross/DYRL & Frontier) over others.

All you'd need to do is add Faith and you have a winning formula for a Superversive mecha series, but that's for another post.

I am thrilled that my long-dreamed wish of Macross going global on its own terms is being fulfilled, and I can't wait to see what comes next.