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PLEASE NOTE: Michael D's is currently in READ ONLY MODE. Anything submitted will simply not be written to the database.
Lots of stuff is still broken, but at least reviews can now be looked up and read.
Robotech-Protoculture Collection (Special Features) (1985)

Robotech-Protoculture Collection (Special Features) (1985)

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Released 8-Nov-2007

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Details At A Glance

General Extras
Category Anime Main Menu Audio
Rating Rated G
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


Video Audio
Pan & Scan/Full Frame Full Frame English Dolby Digital 2.0 (192Kb/s)
Widescreen Aspect Ratio None
16x9 Enhancement No
Video Format 576i (PAL)
Original Aspect Ratio 1.33:1 Miscellaneous
Jacket Pictures No
Subtitles None Smoking No
Annoying Product Placement No
Action In or After Credits No

NOTE: The Profanity Filter is ON. Turn it off here.

Plot Synopsis

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.

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Transfer Quality

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

Extras

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.

R4 vs R1

NOTE: To view non-R4 releases, your equipment needs to be multi-zone compatible and usually also NTSC compatible.

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

Summary

 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).

Ratings (out of 5)

Video
Audio
Extras
Plot
Overall

© Vanessa Appassamy (Biography)
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
Review Equipment
DVDOPPO DV-980H, using HDMI output
DisplayPanasonic PT-AE 700. Calibrated with THX Optimizer. This display device is 16x9 capable. This display device has a maximum native resolution of 1080p.
Audio DecoderBuilt in to amplifier/receiver. Calibrated with THX Optimizer.
AmplificationYamaha DSP-A595a - 5.1 DTS
Speakers(Front) DB Dynamics Polaris AC688F loudspeakers,(Centre) DB Dynamics Polaris Mk3 Model CC030,(Rear) Polaris Mk3 Model SSD425,(Subwoofer) Jensen JPS12

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