Robotech - Protoculture Collection | 
| Director: Robert V. Barron
Actors: Rebecca Forstadt, Eddie Frierson, Jean-claude Ballard, J. Jay Smith, Mary Cobb
Studio: Adv Films
List Price: $129.98
Buy New: $69.69
You Save: $60.29 (46%)
New (24) Used (9) from $64.99
Rating:  58 reviews
Sales Rank: 9848
Format: Animated, Box Set, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, Dvd-video, Ntsc
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Dubbed)
Rating: Unrated
Region: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Number Of Items: 21
Running Time: 2125 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1
Dimensions (in): 7.6 x 5.7 x 4.2
MPN: DRT/BX100
ISBN: 1413914586
UPC: 702727153129
EAN: 9781413914580
ASIN: B000B5IOY8
Theatrical Release Date: March 6, 1985
Release Date: November 8, 2005
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: New in shrinkwrap, licensed release! I stand behind all of my items, all are new, factory sealed, and guaranteed.
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Product Description
A massive alien battle cruiser crash lands on Earth in the midst of a bloody global war. With the possibility of a more perilous threat looming the human race puts aside their differences and collectively undertakes the arduous task of rebuilding the spacecraft redubbed the SDF-1 to defend the Earth should its extraterrestrial masters come to reclaim it. Eventually the alien Zentraedi invade Earth to collect the SDF-1 and the technology it contains forcing the inexperienced crew including hotshot pilot Rick Hunter and his war hero mentor Roy Fokker to launch the battle cruiser into war a war that will cross generations stretch across the farthest reaches of the universe and turn ordinary soldiers into extraordinary heroes.System Requirements:7 extras discs are included with loads of special features including Codename: Robotech and Robotech: The Sentinels Running Time: 2575 MinFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: ANIMATION/ADULT SWIM Rating: PG UPC: 702727153129 Manufacturer No: DRT/BX100
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| Customer Reviews: Read 53 more reviews...
 I got'cher "protoculture" right here, pally... December 1, 2005
Zagnorch (Terra, Sol System)
126 out of 161 found this review helpful
Like my fellow reviewers, I too am highly frustrated at ADV/Harmony Gold's seemingly incessant re-releases of the Robotech series on DVD. All this particular offering is, is the entire Robotech Remastered collection that they released throughout 2004 combined with the "Elements of Robotechnology" bonus platters that came with the initial DVD releases of the show, tossed into a storage box that takes up a fraction of the shelf space that the previous releases did. It's yet another example of what I call the Dreaded DVD Double-Dip ploy (read about this annoying phenomenon at www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/guides/guide-display/-/3CVFIEG84F2PF ).
But the messed-up part is, this is not likely to be the "ultimate" or "definitive" Robotech DVD box set that ADV/Harmony Gold will be putting out. After discovering that ADV had secured the video distribution rights for the original Super Dimensional Fortess Macross show (the first volume can be pre-ordered at www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000C1VAWO), it's an even-money bet that somewhere down the road they'll combine it and the remastered Robotech version of each Macross eppie into an "all-in-one" DVD release similar to the "Perfect Collection" VHS series HG put out a decade ago. You know, a little something for both the Robotech fanatic AND the anime purist.
And since ADV also has the distribution rights for the original Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross (AKA The Robotech Masters) and Genesis Climber Mospeada (AKA Invid Invasion) shows, they'll likely do a "Perfect Collection" deal on those as well. Then comes the coup de grace: they'll put all three shows together into one big honkin' mega-set, complete with the "Elements" bonus discs with even more extra features and supplemental material, and topped off with the "Perfect Soundtrack CD set(www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00000E8ES). And probably one of those oh-so-cute super-deformed Veri-- errr, Valkyrie mini-bots too, who knows.
Needless to say, I recommend you hold off on buying this umpteenth rerelease of the Robotech series, and wait `til they put out the "Ultimate-Definitive-Super-Tricked-Out-All-in-One-Perfect-Collection-With-All-The-Trimmings-and-yes-this-really-will-be-the-ultimate-and-definitive-DVD-release-of-the-show-we-really-really-REALLY-mean-it-this-time" version. Which will probably be out just in time for the 2006 holiday shopping rush... if you're fortunate.
Until that day...
...`Late
 The penultimate Robotech collection December 20, 2005
Christopher E. Meadows (Springfield, MO United States)
54 out of 56 found this review helpful
When Robotech burst onto the American TV scene in the early 1980s, everyone was stunned. This was a wonderfully serious dramatic story, an epic saga about a war spanning generations. People fought, people died--bad decisions had consequences. And the story actually continued from episode to episode, rather than each one being a different story--for children's TV, that was unheard-of!
Of course, we all know now that it was really assembled from three entirely unrelated anime series, but that still doesn't change what Carl Macek accomplished. He created a sweeping story greater than the sum of its parts, a story that we Robotech fans can still enjoy today.
I have not yet seen this series in its entirety, having as I do only the first set of remastered DVDs that are included within this one. However, from watching those episodes, I can say that the sound and video quality is nothing short of amazing. If you have a 5.1 speaker system, you are going to want to use this set as a demonstrator; during the battle sequences, the explosions occur all around you. When the SDF-1 zooms low overhead in the first part of the first episode, you feel like you should duck and cover.
Of course, the remastering isn't without its niggling little annoyances. The opening credits are changed from the credits we remember and love, focusing more on footage from the particular series that you're watching. Some of the new sound effects or the new sound mix are not as good as the ones we remember from our youth. But for all of that, this is still the best that Robotech has ever looked and sounded. Plus, for the first time ever, it now comes bundled with the seven extras DVDs from the Legacy Collection, which include things like The Sentinels, the Codename: Robotech feature movie, and more other stuff than you can shake a stick at.
I do feel the pain of those people who are upset at ADV's "double-dipping," especially given that ADV originally said that a remastered Robotech would be impossible to make, but there is a reason for it. At the time they made that claim, they honestly had no expectation of ever being able to find the original audio elements that they would need to put a new version together. As far as they knew, everything had been destroyed in a flood. However, a year or so later those old elements were discovered and restored after all, and Harmony Gold and ADV felt that fans would probably rather have a remastered version than not.
Despite what others have said, I feel this is likely to be THE penultimate Robotech collection; I just can't think of anything else they can do to the show that they have not already done. Remastered audio and video, check. Extras DVDs, check. Bundle them together, check. That's it, they're done.
There simply isn't any way they could include the original source material on the same discs as Robotech. This isn't a simple matter of a show being redubbed "straight," where they could slap the original voice track onto the same footage. Robotech was edited in large and small ways (especially the Southern Cross segment, which had episodes chopped up and reassembled (including one episode put together entirely from scratch) and the order switched around), so the footage simply does not correspond to the original audio any longer. And there's not room to put those on the same discs as Robotech. In order to put the original shows in, they'd have to include them separately, as was done on the abortive "Perfect Edition" VHS series a while back--and in order to do that they'd have to add still more discs to the set. And why bother? You could go ahead and buy the original sets separately and be just as well-off.
If you've been lucky or prudent enough to hold off on purchasing a Robotech set until now, this is the one you might as well get.
My God, How many Different Ways Are they Gonna Package This? November 2, 2005
Hyper (San Mateo, CA United States)
23 out of 30 found this review helpful
Robotech is simply one of the original and best animes to be imported from Japan to the States in the mid-80s. With an amazing storyline, enthralling characters, and a great musical score to go with it. While it is one of the best animes to come out in the 80s, the animation appears to be pretty dated by today's standard. It is, after all, over 20 years old now. But even so, it stands up fairly well.
For those new to Robotech, here's a brief history: Robotech is actually a compilation of three completely separate Japanese cartoons mashed together and marketed in the U.S. as three separate generations.
Here's a brief history of the different packages that Robotech has come out on, so you know your options:
- First came the "Legacy Collection", Robotech was released ith a 3-DVD package, 2 of the DVDs contained 6 episodes each, and the 3rd DVD was an "extras DVD. There were 7 of these sets at $40 each (all prices from Amazon, of course).
- Second, they repackaged the above by removing the extra DVDs, thus creating the "Complete Collection." These were split by generations. The Macross Saga = 1st Gen ($63), Robotech Masters = 2nd Gen ($40), New Generation = 3rd Generation ($35).
- Then came the "Remastered" DVDs, which was supposed to contain extras and better sound and video quality at the cost of $26 per set, 7 sets total (Sets 1-3 = 1st Gen, 4-5 = 2nd Gen, 6-7 = 3rd Gen).
And finally, we now have this particular DVD edition, which is the complete "Remastered" collection with all three generations combined.
I have to say Harmony Gold's really pissing me off with the way they sold the DVDs. First, they come out with the "original" 3-DVD packs with an extra DVD packaged for every 2 6-episode DVDs. Then they package these original DVDs together by generation. THEN, they announce "Remastered" DVDs only a year or so later which includes supposedly improved sounds and video quality. I personally don't know because I didn't bother spending another couple $100s buying the Remastered version after spending as much on the original. Personally, I also mostly enjoyed the First Generation and thus would only get the DVD for that, so this package with all three Generations is not of much value to me.
If you've never watched Robotech before, I'd recommend just buying the First Generation on DVD. If the 1st Generation isn't to your liking, you probably won't like the other two.
If you like that, then get the 2nd and then the 3rd Generation. Of course, given that the complete cost of this package is only $20 more than just buying the 1st Generation set, it might make sense to just buy this box set. Personally, I own the original "Legacy Collection" DVDs and don't plan on "upgrading" to these DVDs. If I was to by any more Robotech-related DVDs, I would actually buy the "Macross Set", which contains the original Japanese cartoon Macross that Robotech is based off of. At least there, I'd feel like I'm paying for something that's worth my money rather than DVDs that I already own, but somehow repackaged.
Although Robotech is great and all, I don't see much value in buying these again since I already own the original DVDs. The 5-stars is obviously for the Robotech Series and not for this package.
 The Test of Time---Passed! June 15, 2007
Kendal B. Hunter (Provo, UT United States)
11 out of 11 found this review helpful
C. S. Lewis said, "When I was ten, I read fairy tales in secret and would have been ashamed if I had been found doing so. Now that I am fifty, I read them openly. When I became a man, I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up."
This fits me perfectly. I saw the anime back in the 80's, not only fell in love, but was also converted to the power of art. As usual, in the process of time I moved on and moved up in the world. On lark, I got these DVDs for Christmas.
What a surprise! I relived and more importantly re-experienced what I felt as a teenager. Of course there are flaws, sometimes having to do with the nature of anime, the nature of animation, and also the contorted history of the franchise. ("Big Brother" and "Little Brother" should be "Pops" and "Squirt"; the classic "Old Sourpuss" should be "Old Battleaxe") Yet, it is a good series. As the Bard said, "Piece out our imperfections with your thoughts."
So, to the product:
MACROSS: (TV-14)
This is the heart and soul of Robotech, and the best overall of the three. The theme of "relationships within the framework of war" leads me to call this "War and Peace 1999." There are mentoring relationships, inter-species relationships, and the weird love polygon of Minmei-Rick-Lisa-Karl-Lisa-Kyle-Minmei.
Favorite episodes are #11, the "I'd rather do it with you" kiss, #21, Max and Miriya playing the video game, and #35, The plastered Lisa Hayes singing "Miss Macross."ROBOTECH: 20th Anniversary Soundtrack
ROBOTECH II (Extras disc 3). This short focuses on Maj. Gen Hunter and Fleet Admiral Hayes. The animation was done by a different company, so the designs mirror "Battle of the Planets." This abortive project's full story is found in the out-of-print Sentinels (Robotech Omnibus)
SOUTHERN CROSS: (TV-MA)
This series is energetic, but a bit choppy--pay close attention to the narrative which compensates for compressing the information. However, I think this is the weakest of the three series. We see a lot of Dana (sometimes too much), but the other members of the 15 ATACs seldom rise above shadow-puppets. Louis is the brains, Angelo is the antagonist, Leonard is Dolza, jr. The only person with personality is Sean Philips. He was Dana's superior, but when he is busted to buck private, he holds no grudges.
Although this has the weakest characterizations, it paradoxically, has the central character in the saga, Zor. All of the events of every anime, film, novel, and aborted project revolve around what he did by discovering Protoculture and robbing the Invid of the flower of life are due to this atlas. Sadly, we see so little of the majestic side of this man. As McKinney wrote "Just what the Robotech Masters had planned for Zor Prime after he'd let them to the Protoculture matrix is, and forever shall be, open to speculation."Robotech: The Masters Saga: The Southern Cross (Robotech)
The AHEM scenes with Dana explain my TV-MA rating. I'm puzzled over their inclusion. Aside from titillation, they serve no purpose. These scenes are obviously forced, silly, and, from an editor's point of view, not only useless, but a drag on the action. By confusing D(i)ana, the chaste huntress, with the love-goddess Venus, they ignore the sharp-fanged lesson that Diana's hounds taught peeping-tom Acteon. Metamorphoses (Penguin Classics)
If this is being "puritan," remember that the root of puritan is "pure." We should demand that our art be pure in the same way that we demand our food be pure, since art is food for the soul.
ROBOTECH: THE MOVIE (Extras disc 5) Inasmuch as this product is supposed to be the be-all, end-all of Robotech, should have been included. We just get the trailer and character sheets. What a gyp.
NEXT GENERATION: (TV-14)
Overall, this is my favorite of the three. It has a killer (pun intended) beginning. Like Southern Cross, this has stronger individual episodes, and also handles the ensemble cast better than the other two series. They devote full episodes to the backgrounds of the various charters. In fact, many of the episodes remind me of Mission: Impossible - The Complete First TV Season with each person having a small part to play in the overall events.
The stand-alone episodes are like the old, old TV show Ark II: The Complete Series or The White Mountains, about a fellowship going around writing wrongs and riding off into the sunset.
The best episode is 65, "Curtain Call." In fact, if I wanted to convert anyone to Robotech, I'd show them this one.
You also need to buy Robotech - The Shadow Chronicles Movie. It is not a stand-alone movie, but Episode 86.
Personally, I enjoy the novels, and there is a crying need to republish all 21 in seven 3-in-1 omnibi.
PARENTAL ADVISORY: This is not the "edited for television" version. Episodes 4, 33, 38, 39, 43, 46, 48, 51, 72, 73, 80) all have about 5-second female AHEM scenes. The Southern Cross has so many, I rate it a TV-MA. Billed as "the special extended version," there is nothing special about the reintegrated AHEM scenes, and they are certainly over-extending our patience. Moreover, scenes that do not convey distinct information are not advancing the plot. Remember the slime massage from Star Trek Enterprise - The Complete First Season? Furthermore, they present a purchasing barrier. I will not be buying copies of this DVD collection for my nephews.
No serious complaints March 1, 2006
Cammila Albertson
9 out of 9 found this review helpful
Reviewers who complain that this collection is not complete because it lacks a Japanese audio track or because it does not include all the "original" footage are not entirely correct. The three seasons of Robotech (subtitled Robotech: Macross Saga, Robotech: The Masters, and Robotech: New Generation) were edited from three entirely separate TV series to create a story that is in many ways totally unique. The script for Robotech as a stand-alone series was never written in Japanese--it was a product of American writers who were tasked to create one syndication length series from three unrelated single season Japanese series. If you want to see the series that were rewritten, reedited, and redubbed to create Robotech, then by all means, pursue original, uncut releases of Super Dimension Fortress Macross, Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross, and Genesis Climber Mospeada--but don't expect them to tell the Robotech story.
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