The History of Robotech

ROBOTECH

Stands as One of the Greatest

Anime Series of All Time

Robotech (1985) is an original story adapted with edited content and revised dialogue from the animation of three different mecha anime series:

1. The Super Dimension Fortress Macross (1982–1983)
2. Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross (1984)
3. Genesis Climber MOSPEADA (1983–1984)

Harmony Gold's cited reasoning for combining these unrelated series was its decision to market Macross for American weekday syndication television, which required a minimum of 65 episodes at the time (thirteen weeks at five episodes per week). Macross and the two other series each had fewer episodes than required, since they originally aired in Japan as weekly series. On some television stations, the syndicated run was preceded by the broadcast premiere of Codename: Robotech, a feature-length pilot. 

This combination resulted in a storyline that spans three generations, as mankind must fight three destructive 'Robotech Wars' in succession with various invading forces, each of which is motivated in one way or another by a desire for a powerful energy source called 'protoculture'. While each of the three animated series used for its footage informs its content, the Robotech storyline is distinct and separate from each of them.

• The First Robotech War (The Macross Saga) concerns humanity's discovery of a crashed alien ship and subsequent battle against a race of giant warriors called the Zentraedi, who have been sent to retrieve the ship for reasons unknown. In the course of this chapter, Earth is nearly annihilated, the Zentraedi are defeated, and humans gain knowledge of the energy source called protoculture. Humanity also learns of the Robotech Masters whose galactic empire the Zentraedi protected and patrolled.
• The Second Robotech War (The Masters) focuses on the arrival in Earth orbit of the Robotech Masters, who have come seeking what turns out to be the sole means in the universe of producing protoculture. Through a combination of mistrust and arrogance, their attempts at retrieving this meet with opposition from the humans and unleash a war that leaves the Masters defeated and Earth awash in the spores of a plant called the Flower of Life—the source of protoculture and a beacon to the mysterious Invid who scour the galaxy for its presence.
• The Third Robotech War (The New Generation) begins with the arrival on Earth of the Invid, who are lured by the Flower of Life and rapidly conquer the planet. References in the previous two chapters explain to viewers that many of the heroes of the First Robotech War had left Earth to seek out the Robotech Masters on a preemptive mission, and it is this Robotech Expeditionary Force that sends missions back from across the galaxy to attempt a liberation of their homeworld. The storyline follows one group of freedom fighters as they work their way towards the final battle with the Invid.

How Capt. MARVEL Should Have Ended

Yeah, this is how it should have ended.

Return to Jumanji

JUMANJI: The Next Level

In Jumanji: The Next Level, the gang is back but the game has changed. As they return to Jumanji to rescue one of their own, they discover that nothing is as they expect. The players will have to brave parts unknown and unexplored, from the arid deserts to the snowy mountains, in order to escape the world’s most dangerous game.

Only in theaters this Christmas!

Happy Fourth of July with Stranger Things

STRANGER THINGS: SEASON 3

The new season of Stranger Things is dropping today! Check out the best moments of Eleven and Mike’s relationship!

The Stranger Things cast and Jimmy Fallon pose as their characters' wax statues at Madame Tussauds in Times Square, shocking unsuspecting fans while they take photos.

Millie Bobby Brown, Finn Wolfhard, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Noah Schnapp and Sadie Sink dish on bonding over disobedience while filming Stranger Things, and they summarize Season 3 in one word.

Everyone knows that the upside down spits bars. Take a look back at the adventures of Eleven, Will, Steve, Jonathan, Lucas, Dustin, Mike, as their battle against the Mind Flayer takes musical form.

'Midway' Trailer

M  I  D  W  A  Y

In theaters November 8, 2019

Ed Skrein, Patrick Wilson, Luke Evans, Aaron Eckhart, Nick Jonas, Etsushi Toyokawa, Tadanobu Asano, Luke Kleintank, Jun Kunimura, Darren Criss, Keean Johnson, Alexander Ludwig, with Mandy Moore, Dennis Quaid and Woody Harrelson.

The Emotional and Historical Drama of "FUNAN"

F  U  N  A  N

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Cambodia, April 1975. Chou is a young woman whose everyday world is suddenly upended by the arrival of the Khmer Rouge regime. During the chaos of the forced exile from their home, Chou and her husband are separated from their 4-year-old son, who has been sent to an unknown location. As she navigates her new reality, working in the fields day and night under the careful watch of soldiers, and surviving the small indignities and harrowing realities of the increasingly grim work camps, Chou remains steadfast in her determination to reunite her family – even if it means risking everything. Winner of the top prizes at the Annecy Animation Festival and the Animation is Film Festival, Funan is a searing and remarkable debut from filmmaker Denis Do, who uses his own family history as inspiration for a thrilling story of love, loss and enduring hope in the most trying of times. Featuring the voices of Bérénice Bejo (The Artist) and Louis Garrel (The Dreamers).

Elizabeth Banks' CHARLIE'S ANGELS

CHARLIE'S ANGELS

Don’t judge a girl by her cover.

In Banks’ bold vision, Kristen Stewart, Naomi Scott, and Ella Balinska are working for the mysterious Charles Townsend, whose security and investigative agency has expanded internationally. With the world’s smartest, bravest, and most highly trained women all over the globe, there are now teams of Angels guided by multiple Bosleys taking on the toughest jobs everywhere. The screenplay is by Elizabeth Banks from a story by Evan Spiliotopoulos and David Auburn.

In theaters November 2019

Early pic of the new Spider-verse Sequel

SPIDER-MAN: SPIDER-VERSE

Last year's Best Movie, animated or otherwise, was Spider-Man: Into the Spider-verse. And like every great movie, there are calls for more just like that! The producers have gotten the wheels in motion for another adventure into the weird alternate realities of the Spider-verse. And they released the above pic just to get fans more excited... Beware Venom!

Prepare yourselves for July 2021

Eddie Izzard's "Death Star Canteen" sketch

VISITING THE DEATH STAR CANTEEN

Last weekend, I cracked a joke about the "Death Star Canteen" — an iconic geeky bit by the British comedian Eddie Izzard — to my 17-year-old son, and he stared at me blankly. Then I asked if he'd heard any of Izzard's jokes. Again, all he did was blink at me.

Then, when I did the math, I realized he was probably five years old when the "Death Star Canteen" went viral in the early days of YouTube. And, he was even younger when Eddie Izzard did the sketch in the first place.

I looked it up and showed him the LEGO version and I have to say, it still slays. So we end this week with a blast from the past, Eddie Izzard's "Death Star Canteen" sketch.

Sad Emotional Moments in Cartoons

Those Awkward Emotional

Moments in Cartoons

A majority of us watch cartoons to laugh and enjoy the show -- but sometimes these animations pull a huge swerve on us and leave us bawling while the end credits rolls. Cartoons on channels like Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, and Disney all have the ability to not only allow viewers to connect to the characters, but also make us feel strongly during tough times. While a majority of shows like The Loud House, Gravity Falls, or Phineas and Ferb are full of fun and zaniness, there are many episodes which left us reaching for the tissue box. Join us as we relive these moments and showcase some of the SADDEST things ever animated on TV. This includes animal deaths on shows like Rugrats and The Wild Thornberrys, a crazy story involving Woody Woodpecker, and a sad future by watching Phineas and Ferb. Go ahead and relive these sad and impactful moments from your childhood or discover them for the first time. After you’ve watched the clips, go back and watch the episodes in their entirety to see how everything builds up and creates a ton of emotional moments. Even quirky shows like Adventure Time have the ability to make viewers cry. Shows like Recess tackle the ideas of growing up, getting older, and accepting change. We often find ourselves bawling at episode where we get deep within characters like Helga from “Hey, Arnold”. Watch all of the clips and try not to cry when you see them one after another -- bringing all the feels in these epic moments!

SPIDER-MAN FAR FROM HOME - Stuff!

Here's a bunch of posters and featurettes for the upcoming Spider-Man movie: Far From Home.

Star Wars: Galaxy of Adventures

STAR WARS: Galaxy of Adventures

[Source: Syfy] Whether you've just returned from the Black Spire Outpost at Disneyland's Star Wars Land, are reading the latest Marvel Star Wars comic, or are just dreaming of December's Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, take a pause in your day to ingest this latest pair of Galaxy of Adventures animated shorts starring your favorite bounty hunter and smuggler, Boba Fett and Han Solo. These bite-sized Star Wars treats delivered fresh out of the Disney/Lucasfilm oven via the Star Wars Kids YouTube channel are aimed at a slightly younger Star Wars audience but are certainly entertaining to fans of all ages.

The first half-dozen Galaxy of Adventures toons debuted last fall and are crafted using remixed animated interpretations of classic Star Wars Saga sequences blended with authentic sound effects and screen dialogue by director Barry Kelly and Titmouse Animation. Weekly offerings are sprinkled across the online site and the official webpage at StarWarsKids.com and include Fun Facts clips educating us on the billion-dollar franchise's broad range of aliens, monsters, spaceships, and droids.

That notorious jet-packed bounty hunter Boba Fett starts us out in the first of two new animated amusements. Witness how this fierce Mandalorian warrior becomes the most feared assassin in the galaxy, blasting deadly missiles from his back, zooming in for the kill, encasing Han in carbonite, and piloting his wicked starship, the Slave I.

Guide to Evangelion on Netflix

Neon Genesis Evangelion

[Source: Syfy] Neon Genesis Evangelion, an anime created by Hideaki Anno, first aired on TV Tokyo from 1995 to 1996 and quickly became a sensation. But while it has influenced countless anime series since, the show has been largely inaccessible for American audiences over the last decade, save for some old DVD box sets and bootlegs, and its absence has been a painful one for fans. Now the show is finally streaming on Netflix, making for a landmark occasion that has a lot of viewers excited — and maybe a little bit confused. That's where we come in.

Read more...

New Trailer for Stranger Things 3

STRANGER THINGS 3

It’s 1985 in Hawkins, Indiana, and summer’s heating up. School’s out, there’s a brand new mall in town, and the Hawkins crew are on the cusp of adulthood. Romance blossoms and complicates the group’s dynamic, and they’ll have to figure out how to grow up without growing apart. Meanwhile, danger looms. When the town’s threatened by enemies old and new, Eleven and her friends are reminded that evil never ends; it evolves. Now they’ll have to band together to survive, and remember that friendship is always stronger than fear.   

All eight episodes of Stranger Things 3 stream on Netflix on July 4th, 2019.

Pennyworth (EPIX 2019 Series) Trailer

PENNYWORTH

The DC Origin Story of Alfred Pennyworth

From Warner Horizon Scripted Television, DC origin story Pennyworth is a ten-episode, one-hour drama series based on DC characters created by Bob Kane with Bill Finger. It follows Bruce Wayne’s legendary butler, Alfred Pennyworth (Jack Bannon), a former British SAS soldier who forms a security company and goes to work with Thomas Wayne (Ben Aldridge), Bruce’s billionaire father, in 1960’s London. Starring Jack Bannon, Paloma Faith, Ben Aldridge, Hainsley Lloyd Bennett, Ryan Fletcher, Jason Flemyng and Polly Walker.

Pennyworth – Coming Summer 2019 only on EPIX

Watch on EPIX. Get the channel or get the app: https://www.epix.com/get-epix

Fire Force - New Anime Series

F I R E   F O R C E

Year 198 of the Solar Era in Tokyo, special fire brigades are fighting against a phenomenon called spontaneous human combustion where humans beings are turned into living infernos called "Infernals" (焰ビト Homura Bito). While the Infernals are first generation cases of spontaneous human combustion, later generations possess the ability to manipulate flames while retaining human form. Shinra Kusakabe, a youth who gained the nickname Devil's Footprints for his ability to ignite his feet at will, joins the Special Fire Force Company 8 which is composed of other flames users as they work to extinguish any Infernals they encounter. As a faction that is creating Infernals appears, Shinra begins to find out the cause of a mysterious fire that killed his family 12 years earlier. 

The Best VR Games Of E3 2019

FUTURE VR GAMES REVEALED at E3

Here are the best VR games announced at E3 2019 or coming soon to Virtual Reality platforms. This is a mix of PCVR, Oculus Quest and PSVR titles from E3 2019 and more...

Anime Viewing Schedule for June 22, 2019

A N I M A T R I X   N E T W O R K
Saturday, June 22, 2018

Fountaindale Public Library

"Run! Our worst nightmare! Disco Spider-man!"

Fountaindale Public Library
300 W. Briarcliff Road
Bolingbrook, IL 60440
Board Room on Second Floor

From 11:15 AM to 5:00 PM

11:15 - 12:05   Golden Kamuy 7-8
12:05 - 12:55   Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba 5-6
12:55 - 1:25     Club Meeting / Announcements
1:25 - 2:15       Dororo 6-7
2:15 - 3:05       The Rising of the Shield Hero 5-6
3:05 - 4:45       MIRAI (Feature Presentation)

All anime presented are fan-subtitled unless otherwise noted.

 

Don't miss the exciting anime series: Dororo and Golden Kamuy

ANIME DESCRIPTIONS ARE BELOW

Do you remember the Banana Splits?

The beloved children's show is back... with a vengeance, a horrible, bloody vengeance.

The Original Banana Splits - childhood icons

The new evil version that's definitely not kid-friendly

THE BANANA SPLITS MOVIE

Starring Dani Kind, Finlay Wojtak-Hissong, and Romeo Carere. Coming to Blu-Ray/DVD this Summer and premiering on SYFY later this year. 
 

A boy named Harley and his family (brother Austin, mother Beth, and father Mitch) attends a taping of The Banana Splits TV show, which is supposed to be a fun-filled birthday for young Harley and business as usual for Rebecca, the producer of the series. But things take an unexpected turn -- and the body count quickly rises. Can Harley, his mom, and their new pals safely escape?

Next Club Meeting is June 22, 2019

 A N I M A T R I X   N E T W O R K

Things have changed. We'll be meeting at Fountaindale Library

in Bolingbrook. Strap in for a bumpy ride!

Fountaindale Public Library

300 W. Briarcliff Road

Bolingbrook, IL  60440

Board Room (2nd Floor)
 

Saturday, June 22, 2019

11:15 AM - 5:00 PM
 

Our next club meeting will be at the Fountaindale Public Library, 
Board Room (Second Floor), 
from 11:15 AM to 5:00 PM.

 

A Viewing Schedule will be posted soon.

 

Hope to see you all there!

(Click below for maps)

Lucas Reveals Why No Medal for Chewie

Not Every Hero Gets a Medal

It’s one of the Star Wars universe’s biggest mysteries. Why exactly was poor old Chewbacca the only hero not to receive a medal at the end of A New Hope? There have, of course, been various fan theories explaining the snub over the years. But it’s a statement that director George Lucas gave in 1977 that may settle the matter once and for all.

Ad Astra Trailer (2019)

A D   A S T R A

An astronaut travels to the outer edges of the solar system to find his father and unravel a mystery that threatens the survival of our planet. He uncovers secrets which challenge the nature of human existence and our place in the cosmos. Starring: Brad Pitt, Tommy Lee Jones, Donald Sutherland

US Release Date: September 20, 2019 

Nintendo at E3 2019 in 11 Minutes

NINTENDO at E3 2019

All the biggest announcements from Nintendo at E3 2019.

FROZEN 2 Trailer 2 (2019)

F R O Z E N   2

Anna, Elsa, Kristoff, and Olaf are going far into the forest to learn the truth about an ancient mystery of their kingdom. Frozen 2 (2019) is the new animation movie starring Idina Menzel, Kristen Bell and Josh Gad.

In theaters, November 22, 2019

Final Fantasy VII Remake - E3 2019 Trailer

FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE

The world has fallen under the control of the Shinra Electric Power Company, a shadowy corporation controlling the planet's very life force as mako energy. In the sprawling city of Midgar, an anti-Shinra organization calling themselves Avalanche have stepped up their resistance. Cloud Strife, a former member of Shinra's elite SOLDIER unit now turned mercenary, lends his aid to the group, unaware of the epic consequences that await him. 

A spectacular reimagining of one of the most visionary games ever, FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE rebuilds and expands the legendary RPG for today.

The Reward: Tales of Alethrion

THE FIRST HERO

The Tales of Alethrion proloque "The First Hero" is about Alethrion, whom the land is named after, and a lovely backpacker girl called Amerath. They are the original creators of the map which we see later in The Reward, carried by Vito and Wilhelm. It is the first tale that takes place long before many of the other episodes in the series which we hope to get funded through Kickstarter. 

THE REWARD

In the small village of Tohan, the young boy Wilhelm is wasting his life on everyday business. Suddenly a glorious hero rides by him. As the boy watches the knight in total admiration the hero accidentally drops a treasure map. Wilhelm picks it up, but sees that another boy, Vito, has also claimed the map. They rip the map into two pieces by accident and end up with one part each. With a half each, they are forced to travel after the treasure on an epic quest together, in hope of becoming as glorious as the hero...

TRAVELING DEITY

The gods create a demi god called Ruden with the purpose of stopping an evil rising inside of Alethrion (from "The First Hero"). Amerath, Alethrion's ex girlfriend, finds Ruden caught in a bottle amoung her former lover's old stuff. Ruden is hurt and can't get his magic to work, but is still determined to find and stop the evil inside of Alethrion. Amerath is not interested in that, but decides to take care of Ruden over a summer. During this period he is healing and restoring his magical abilities. They become friends and Ruden's mission becomes less important to him because of her. One day, Ruden has restored his powers but decides to stay with Amerath and enjoy life instead. This ends when Alethrion reaches and kills Ruden's creator, also resulting in the death of Ruden. Before he dies, Ruden passes on all of his magical abilities to Amerath. She now has the power of vision and sees her ex boyfriend's horrible new path. She decides to confront him and do what Ruden didn't manage to do in time.

Blind Mice - Short Film

Blind Mice

A con within a con.

Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order Gameplay

STAR WARS Jedi: Fallen Order

The Empire won’t stop until every Jedi is purged from the galaxy. As a young Padawan on the run, the odds are against you—but the Force is with you. Discover the Jedi abilities you must master to survive.

Farrah Rogue - Awakening - Short Film

Farrah Rogue - Awakening

In the Sci-Fi episodic "Farrah Rogue - Awakening" James Guard Studios premier heroine Farrah Rogue, an ex-actress gone bounty hunter and her companion Spidar, in their pursuit of scavenging the remains of the fallen corporation GARL (Galactic Aeronautical Research Laboratories) and their top secret research facilities scattered across the galaxy.

CGI Sci-Fi Animated Short Film: Farrah Rogue - Awakening Animated Short Film by James Guard Studios. Featured on CGMeetup https://www.cgmeetup.com/gallery 

Paranormal Spy Series on Starz

T H E   R O O K

 The first step toward Myfanwy’s future is uncovering her past.

The Rook tells the story of Myfanwy Thomas, a woman who wakes up in London with no memory of who she is and no explanation for the circle of dead bodies around her. When Myfanwy discovers she’s a high ranking official in Britain’s secret service for people with paranormal abilities, she’ll have to navigate the dangerous and complex world of the agency to uncover who wiped her memory and why.

The Rook gives us some X-espionage June 30 on Starz.

Wonder Woman's new costume

W O N D E R   W O M A N   1 9 8 4

“Wonder Woman 1984” director Patty Jenkins has released a photo of Gal Gadot in a new costume.

Remembering D-Day

75th Anniversary of D-Day

Thank you for the men who stormed those beaches on June 6th 1944.

We are forever in your debt.

"A Mighty Endeavor"

As dawn broke on June 6, 1944, German soldiers defending the French coast at Normandy beheld an awe-inspiring sight—the largest amphibious invasion force in history massed in the waters of the English Channel. The long-awaited invasion of northwest Europe was underway...

READ MORE

Onward We Go...

O N W A R D

Set in a suburban fantasy world, Disney and Pixar’s “Onward” introduces two teenage elf brothers who embark on an extraordinary quest to discover if there is still a little magic left out there. Pixar Animation Studios’ all-new original feature film is directed by Dan Scanlon and produced by Kori Rae—the team behind “Monsters University.” “Onward” releases in theaters on March 6, 2020.

Super Science Friends

SUPER SCIENCE FRIENDS

The Super Science Friends are a team of super-powered scientists led by Winston Churchill who travel through time fighting nazis, zombie cosmonauts, and all manner of sciencey villains! Episode 6 is done in anime-style.

Check out all full episodes!
Episode 1: The Phantom Premise https://youtu.be/GjKGWvdSamQ 
Episode 2: Electric Boogaloo https://youtu.be/dmWvb1UXiZY 
Episode 3: Nobel of the Ball https://youtu.be/OqddyhYb6zI 
Episode 4: Freudian Sleep https://youtu.be/6VBWwvJjdxc 
Episode 5: Are You There God? https://youtu.be/-WJlwMxvJA0 
Episode 6: Fullmetal Scientist https://youtu.be/Mx4bEHudvBg 
Super Science Friends Christmas https://youtu.be/QbB8CYZT0RU

Star Trek: Picard - Teaser

STAR TREK: PICARD

The end is only the beginning. Brace yourself for the new CBS All Access Original Series Star Trek: Picard, coming soon.

The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance [on Netflix]

The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance

The journey begins as darkness rises. Join three Gelfling heroes on an epic quest to save their world. The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance premieres August 30. In this prequel to the fantasy classic, three young Gelfling inspire a rebellion against the cruel Emperor when they discover a horrifying secret.

Live-action 1980's Dungeons & Dragons

Dungeons and Dragons and... Renault?

[Source: Syfy] Live-action remake fever has truly reached an all-time high. Everyone seems to be getting in on it, even car manufacturers. The 1980s cartoon Dungeons and Dragons may be gone, but it is a pop-culture icon in Brazil, where the series remains incredibly popular. So much so that the French car manufacturer Renault made a Hollywood-production-level live-action commercial that brought the cartoon characters to life.

The nearly two-minute-long commercial is complete with explosions, a magical bow shooting glowing arrows of energy, and, of course, dragons. It's a seriously faithful adaptation of the CBS TV series that ran for 27 episodes from 1983 to 1985. The animated series revolves around a group of friends who find themselves transported to the land of dungeons and dragons after an amusement park ride whisks them to another dimension.

It wouldn't be Dungeons and Dragons without, you know, dragons, and the commercial does not disappoint. The children's archnemesis and evil wizard Venger, along with his five-headed dragon Tiamat, chase the children all over the realm. Thankfully, the Dungeon Master shows up in the nick of time, in a Kwid Outsider no less. The children use the car to return themselves to the real world, though something else may have unknowingly hitched along for the ride.

The cartoon focuses on the friendship between the children and how they work together to find their way back home. Of course, they couldn't do it without their friend and mentor the Dungeon Master. The DM helps the children learn their new classes and weapons as they battle the forces of evil who wish to use their weapons to gain more power in the realm. The children frequently come to the aid of others on their quest to find a way home.

Dungeons and Dragons was a joint venture between the game's manufacturers, TSR, and Marvel Productions. The animated series was wildly popular and led its timeslot for two years. The series sadly met its demise before a final episode could be produced. The Emmy award-winning writer Michael Reaves, who wrote for the series, blogged about the final episode, entitled "Requiem." The episode would have tied up some loose narrative threads, like revealing the evil wizard Venger was actually the Dungeon Master's son. Yikes, talk about a complicated family relationship!