Robotech was one of the most formative Japanese animes in terms of introducing Western audiences to the art form. Its legacy continues to be felt, and its presence at New York Comic Con reinforced that. It’s pretty clear that Robotech is here to stay and is moving on to bigger platforms.
For starters, we got a reaffirmation of the feature film project that is moving forward. Sony Pictures is producing and James Wan is attached to direct. Wan himself has said that he grew up watching Robotech and wants to honor the characters and world that he knows. That means focusing on the Macross Saga when it comes to developing the story. That should make fans very happy. And the best way to show the studios that fans are still interested in making Robotech into a feature film is to watch Robotech on streaming. Netflix, Amazon Instant, and Crackle have all 85 episodes of the original Robotech available to watch. Amazon has a bit of an edge thanks to them having both the broadcast and Japanese versions available.
And it’s obvious that Harmony Gold, the company that distributes Robotech, really wants the franchise to branch out into other platforms. Both video games and new animated series were discussed, and it was confirmed that five different video game ideas have been pitched to Sony. Whether or not anything will come of that is yet to be seen. And, it was reiterated that if the fans want more animated Robotech shows, they need to watch the available shows on streaming.
It’s amazing to see the longevity of this property. Its importance in anime history is undeniable and it has shaped tons of fans into who they are today. Hopefully, the ball will get rolling on a Robotech movie sooner rather than later and a new generation of fans can discover the series.