Title: The Rising Tide of 'Macross' Threatens to Overtake 'Gundam's' Reign
In the current era, Macross' popularity and influence on international Gundam fanbases are worth revisiting, given its extensive availability on Hulu.
Back in the 80s, Macross and Gundam had quite distinct paths. Gundam struggled after its TV series flopped, saved only by a movie and model kit trilogy. Meanwhile, Macross seized the real robot craze by storm, boasting impressive mecha design by Shoji Kawamori and Kazutaka Miyatake, transformable toys, and a hefty dose of music.
Closer in design to real robots than super robots, Gundam was a blend of samurai and military aesthetics, selling model kits as its primary purpose. Conversely, Macross featured more grounded mecha designs and music abundance, making it a cultural darling far ahead of Gundam. The VF-1 Valkyrie's F-14 Tomcat inspiration and affiliation with the Diaclone and Microman toy crazes further expanded its reach.
Fast forward to the present, and Gundam first found a foothold in the west 10-15 years back, often limited to off-beat series outside of the Universal Century timeline. In contrast, Macross arrived in the West in the mid-80s as Robotech and BattleTech, integrating better with US culture due to its aviation-inspired mecha designs.
Recently, Macross has seen renewed interest due to streaming availability and greater merchandise offerings. On the other hand, licensing ownership and regional restrictions hinder its widespread dissemination.
With Macross now streamable on Hulu, its following might surge again, challenging Gundam' supremacy outside of Asia. However, Bandai's lack of enthusiasm for Macross merchanising and the original series' confinement to Japan are challenges to overcome.
Discussions surrounding the edited version of Macross Dynamite 7 have sparked discourse among fans about anime distribution, censorship, and licensing issues. Regardless, the next few years promise intriguing developments in the international mecha anime scene, shattering any perception of Gundam's dominance in the field.
- The impressive mecha designs in Macross, such as the VF-1 Valkyrie, gained popularity due to its F-14 Tomcat inspiration and ties to the Diaclone and Microman toy crazes.
- The inclusion of Macross in the West as Robotech and BattleTech allowed it to integrate better with US culture, contrary to Gundam's limited presence with off-beat series.
- In the current era, the popularity of Gundam among international fanbases is being reevaluated in light of Macross' extensive availability on streaming platforms like Hulu.
- The growing interest in Macross, fueled by streaming availability and increased merchandise offerings, poses a challenge to Gundam's dominance outside of Asia.
- Historically, Gundam and Macross had different paths, with Gundam initially struggling and Macross becoming a cultural phenomenon due to its real-robot design and music abundance.
