Robotech-Protoculture Collection (1985)

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This latest Robotech release is titled the Protoculture Collection.

The boxset is subtitled “Remastered and Fully Featured: The Ultimate Robotech.”

Such a statement will remain controversial for fans for two reasons:

Firstly this boxset repackages the Robotech 20th Anniversary DVD Collection (Remastered & Extended) which was released by Madman in June 2005 with an RRP of $119.95. This release was a barebones boxset of the series with remastered picture and newly recorded sound effects and the episodes were restored with newly found footage. The new footage was composed of new opening/ending sequences, footage which was initially cut for time and eye catch sequences.

Secondly the seven extras discs included in the Protoculture Collection are derived from the initial DVD release of Robotech: The Legacy Collection by Madman in 2002/2003. This initial release spreads 21 discs over 7 boxsets which had a RRP of $39.95 each. The episodes in this release were not remastered but include the episodes as they were originally broadcast.

Thus the Protoculture Collection does not include any new content but rather a complicated decision for fans, particularly those who own just the Anniversary DVD Collection and want to obtain the special features discs.

The Madman Robotech: Protoculture Collection is identical to the 2005 R1 ADV Films Robotech: The Protoculture Collection, although the artwork is different.

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Robotech: 20th Anniversary Remastered Extended Edition (1985)

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General		Extras
Category	Anime	Main Menu Audio
Rating
Year Of Production	1985
Running Time	2004:05
RSDL / Flipper	Dual Layered Multi Disc Set (14)	Cast & Crew
Start Up	Programme
Region Coding	4	Directed By	Fuminori Kizaki
Studio Distributor	Harmony Gold Madman Entertainment	Starring	Samuel L. Jackson Kelly Hu Ron Perlman
Case	Custom Packaging
RPI	$119.95	Music	RZA Kendra Carter Jamie Simone

Robotech: Remastered and Extended is a re-release of all three seasons of the Robotech animation series. The 85 episodes in this boxset have been digitally remastered, include a remixed English Dolby Digital 5.1 audio soundtrack and include new footage. The new footage was composed of new opening/ending sequences, footage which was initially cut for time and eye catch sequences.

For the many fans who purchased the Legacy Collection this set sounded like a great upgrade, however this version of the show is not without its controversies. Essentially this version of Robotech feels very different from how the fans remember the original television show.

Produced by Harmony Gold USA in association with Tatsunoko Productions, Robotech was a series created by editing the content and revising the dialogue from the animation of three different mecha anime series: The Super Dimension Fortress Macross, Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross and Genesis Climber Mospeada. Due to this unconventional way of creating a television animation series, Robotech exists uniquely between traditional Japanese anime and American storytelling.

Producer Carl Macek was responsible for overseeing the complex process of developing a storyline from the existing anime series’ within nine months.

The Robotech storyline spans three generations and depict mankind’s fight in three Robotech Wars-

The Macross Saga (2009-2011): The conflict between the earth-based Robotech Defence Force and the alien Zentraedi.

The Robotech Masters (2029-2030): The conflict between the earth-based Army of the Southern Cross and the alien Robotech Masters.

The New Generation (2031-2044): The returning Robotech Expeditionary Force liberate the occupied Earth from the alien Invid.

Video

Eighty-Five remastered episodes of the animation series are spread over 14 Dual-layer DVDs.

Each disc contains six episodes except for Disc 11 which contains seven episodes.

The twenty-two minute episodes look a lot brighter, colourful and cleaner in comparison to the original material.

However due to the age of the source material, film grain, scratches and pixelation artefacts are still evident.

Telecine wobble is also evident on many occasions.

The question of compression has been an issue for fans – particularly with 6 or 7 episodes to a disc. The transfer has been encoded at an average bit-rate of 7.20 Mbps and is somewhat consistent. The MPEG compression artefacts are very mild.

Overall this is a solid transfer with good colour definition and average sharpness and black levels.

There are no subtitles available.

Video Ratings Summary

Sharpness
Shadow Detail
Colour
Grain/Pixelization
Film-To-Video Artefacts
Film Artefacts
Overall

Audio

There is only an English 5.1 Dolby Digital soundtrack available.

This newly remastered soundtrack is not without its controversies, for some the new sound design is overly loud. The dialogue is notably mixed lower then the new sound effects and overall the experience may lack subtlety for some viewers.

The new sound effects fill the rears while the dialogue is firmly located at the front of the soundstage. In some scenes the viewer may feel the dialogue is drowned out, especially with the heightened score and whiz-bang sound effects, but the new design is particularly inviting during the action battle sequences.

There is no evidence of distortion or sound drop-outs; the only issue is some fans dislike this new sound mix.

It’s not particularly bad, some scenes do gain more energy from the visceral sound mix but it is not how the fans remember the animated television show.

The original mono soundtrack would have been a welcome addition to the release.

Audio Ratings Summary

Dialogue
Audio Sync
Clicks/Pops/Dropouts
Surround Channel Use
Subwoofer
Overall

Main Menu Audio

The main menu is a clean design of a still image of a character and the theme music looped in the background. The episodes can either be viewed in a play all option or individually. The menus are not 16x9 enhanced.

This release is identical to the ADV Films (R1) Robotech: Remastered (Extended Edition) release in terms of content, however the artwork is different and the R1 includes various trailers. Also the 85 episodes in the R1 edition were released over 7 boxsets priced at $39.95 (US Dollars).

Robotech: Remastered and Extended is not without it’s share of controversies.

The picture is markedly better but the sound design may be considered overly loud for some.

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Audio
Extras
Plot
Overall

Robotech-Protoculture Collection (Special Features) (1985)

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General		Extras
Category	Anime	Main Menu Audio
Rating
Year Of Production	1985
Running Time	375:40
RSDL / Flipper	No/No Multi Disc Set (7)	Cast & Crew
Start Up	Menu
Region Coding	1,2,3,4,5	Directed By	Fuminori Kizaki
Studio Distributor	Harmony Gold Madman Entertainment	Starring	Samuel L. Jackson Kelly Hu Ron Perlman
Case	Custom Packaging
RPI	Box	Music	RZA Kendra Carter Jamie Simone

The seven extras discs included in the Protoculture Collection are derived from the initial DVD release of Robotech: The Legacy Collection by Madman in 2002/2003.

DISC 1-Macross Saga One:

Codename Robotech (73:56)

-A feature length pilot presented in Full Frame and English Dolby Digital 2.0.

-Optional Audio Commentary with Carl Macek who details the history of the Japanese television show and how it was adapted for the American market.

Animation Model Sheets

-A selection of character designs in different stages.

International Clips

-A 2 minute clip which can be viewed in English, French, Spanish, Portuguese and Italian.

DISC 2-Macross Saga Two:

Galaxy to the Stars (1:31)

-A vintage promotional video of the official Robotech Fan Convention.

Toy Commercials

-Twelve vintage toy commercials presented in Full Frame and English Dolby Digital 2.0.

Character Bios

-Information about the twelve characters.

International Clips

-Two short clips which can be viewed in English, French, Spanish, Portuguese and Italian.

Animation Model Sheets

-A selection of character designs in different stages.

Comic Book Covers

-37 comic cover stills.

Point of View (14:30)

-A vintage television show featuring an interview with Carl Macek.

Video Game Footage (1:43)

DISC 3-Extras: The Sentinels:

Robotech II: The Sentinels (75:25)

-Presented in Full Frame and English Dolby Digital 2.0.

-Optional Audio Commentary with Carl Macek who explains the concepts of Robotech.

Animation Model Sheets

-A selection of character designs and mechas in different stages.

Character Bios

-Information about the thirteen Sentinel characters.

Series Sales Reel (10:20)

-Unfinished scenes composed for the 1987 Toy Fair.

International Clips

-Two short clips which can be viewed in English, French, Spanish, Portuguese and Italian.

DISC 4-Masters One:

Original Openings and Closings

-The openings and closings of the original Japanese series Macross, Southern Cross, Genesis Climber: Mospeda and Robotech.

Animation Model Sheets

- A selection of character designs and mechas, armies of the Southern Cross and backgrounds in different stages.

Gallery of Masters Comic Book Covers

-24 comic cover stills.

International Clips

-Two short clips which can be viewed in English, French, Spanish, Portuguese and Italian.

DISC 5-Masters Two:

Macross Pilot (25:08)

-Presented in Full Frame and English Dolby Digital 2.0.

Pre-Production Art

-Sentinels character designs and unproduced Southern Cross designs.

Robotech-The Movie: Supplements

- The Trailer, Music Video and Animatic.

International Clips

-Two short clips which can be viewed in English, French, Spanish, Portuguese and Italian.

DISC 6-The New Generation 1

Genesis Climber: Mospeada (Unaired Pilot) (21:23)

-Presented in Full Frame and English Dolby Digital 2.0.

Pre-Production Art

-A selection of character designs in different stages.

Prototype Toy Presentation (42:49)

-A presentation from the 1986 Toy Fair.

Promotional Videos (9:13)

-A selection of the television advertising of the toys and animation series directed at boys and girls.

Gallery of Comic Book Covers

-25 comic cover stills.

International Clips

-Two short clips which can be viewed in English, French, Spanish, Portuguese and Italian.

DISC 7-The New Generation 2

Deleted Scenes

-Deleted scenes from Macross, Southern Cross and Mospeada in the original Japanese language without English subtitles.

Merchandise Gallery

-A large selection of toy, doll line fashion, clothing, food and game advertising and more.

Video Games Old and New

-Clips from the Robotech: Crystal Dreams videogame and the TDK 2002 Robotech: Battlecry Mediactive videogame.

International Clips

-Two short clips which can be viewed in English, French, Spanish, Portuguese and Italian.

Easter Eggs

- Pepsi/Robotech Advert and Robotech Advert.

Video

All the footage on the extras discs are from the mid 1980s and as such the source material contains film grain, scratches and assorted artefacts.

Each disc is single layered and single-sided.

All footage appears in the original Full Frame aspect ratio.

While the footage may appear washed-out, especially on the pilot episodes of the series, the inclusion of such an assortment of supplements is welcomed.

Video Ratings Summary

Sharpness
Shadow Detail
Colour
Grain/Pixelization
Film-To-Video Artefacts
Film Artefacts
Overall

Audio

The audio track for the supplement footage is basic Dolby Digital 2.0 (192 Kb/s).

The dialogue and commentaries did not incur any obvious sound errors.

There was no surround or LFE use.

Audio Ratings Summary

Dialogue
Audio Sync
Clicks/Pops/Dropouts
Surround Channel Use
Subwoofer
Overall

Main Menu Audio

The main menu is a clean design of a still image of a character and the theme music looped in the background. All the extra features are easily accessed. The menus are not 16x9 enhanced.

The extra feature content is identical to that on the R1 ADV Films Robotech: Remastered boxset.

 An excellent collection of extra feature content for Robotech enthusiasts.

The presentation of the supplements is appropriate and well themed.

Unfortunately the extra feature discs are not available as a stand alone boxset - which is a shame, particularly for those who purchased the barebones Robotech 20th Anniversary DVD Collection (Remastered & Extended).

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Audio
Extras
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