Why Macross Hasn't Come to the USA in 20 Years

Patrick explains why, thanks to an American company called Harmony Gold, we haven't seen any Macross in the United States for over 20 years.

~~~

~~~
Listen to our podcast here:

[OhnoAnime]

A small update:
As of August 16th 2017, Harmony Gold has apparently filed a civil suit against Tatsunoko Productions in California district court. So far there's no word on why, but there's a chance this could get fairly interesting down the line. Stay tuned, I guess!

[Oplix]

Macross was the most incredible thing I seen when I was a little boy in Russia. I remember being around 3 years old seeing Macross the first time and I was enthralled in the visuals.

[VascusGaming]

If Harmony Gold went up in flames suddenly, my cheers could be heard clear across the Pacific.

Its one of the most painfully annoying things as a huge fan of Macross here in the West, honestly, I hope this does get more publicity for every fan's sake.

[DUARTE]

I had no idea they were that corrupt. I haven't watched Robotech/Macross since I was a kid but without new content coming in (after the books and comic books ended/were cancelled), I thought the franchise just faded away. I recently just rewatched the HG version on Netflix and all these old feelings for this amazing franchise are resurfaced. Now that I know the truth about them, I'm grabbing the torches and pitchforks. And ordering me some Japanese Blu-Rays.
Harmony Gold must be destroyed.

[LatitudeSky]

2020 update: the original IS here airing subbed on Pluto TV. It's the same as the version on Amazon Prime. Southern Cross and Mospeada are also there uncut and subbed. HOW is FilmRise, who bought the master license from Harmony Gold and FilmRise has a very different idea of what to do with what they now own, namely put everything on TV and let people see it. Here. Have Macross complete with Minmay's shower scenes. It's not yet a total cure for Harmony Gold's BS but it's a major step in the right direction.

[Arksword]

Harmony Gold is at it again, suing Battletech stuff again. They always make loving mecha as a western fan so hard.

[thearticulategrunt]

If there is a Harmony Gold stamp on anything, I walk away. Not a penny to support them.

[synapticflow]

When you start your video off with a city pop song you already have my heart. Instant sub!

[abealih]

Song in the background called After 5 Clash by Toshiki Kadomatsu.

[manco]

I'm starting to lean towards Harmony Gold being a money laundering/criminal outfit. Otherwise, why would they not come to some agreement already?

[tungstenwall]

Not a Robotech fan

Still hate Harmony Gold for screwing with Battletech!

[kproductions]

About a decade or so ago, ADV Films (back when they still existed, but that's another story) released an English version of Macross based on its original form, not the Robotech rewrite. I had gone to AnimeExpo and actually had the chance to speak to the ADR Director Matt Greenfield (I still wanna call him Hyuga, to this very day, LOL). I had asked him about the Macross movie "Do You Remember Love" and if they had plans to dub that one too, and he told me plainly that not only would it be impossible due to how Harmony Gold has a death grip on the copyrights (it was already a nightmare to do the series itself, legally), but because of all that Harmony Gold has done, Japan has basically forbidden any Western English dubs of the movie. That is when I gave up on HG entirely.

[sgt_sundr]

I wouldn't have known about anime or Macross if not for Robotech. That being said, Macross is by far one of my favorite animes and it makes me sick that HG has gone this far to protect something that otherwise could be making them money. I also grew up playing Battletech. Pheonix Hawk was and still is one of my favorite mechs. I was glad to see a revamp in the Project Pheonix book but went many years just living on tech readouts that were old and falling apart just to have it. Robotech was the reason I got into battletech.

I hope some how they collapse in the near future. That way we can see both a good Robotech reboot or continuation and still get Macross.

[Bttry]

The three parties signed an agreement in April 2021 to bring Macross worldwide.

[cypheir]

It makes me gag when people pronounce it "Mick-ross" like its irish or something... "Mack-ross" please.

[christophercarrasco]

So I was reading more into Tatsunko extending the Harmony Gold's license on this article site, and I found this neat little comment that I think was worth reposting:

"Not a Lawyer but, I read the article and it seems to be promising. It states that “In 2017 the upholding of the license agreement made it clear Big West still owns those 41 characters designs and Tatsunoko owns the commercial rights to the Macross series.” so it looks to me like Tatsunoko made it clear to HG that they (Tatsunoko) owns Macross with BIG WEST owning the character designs. So HG still gets the commercial release rights in US but ONLY to the original Macross series which is repackaged as Robotech. IF I’m right in my assumptions HG got smacked down HARD! Rumor has it that Tatsunoko and BIG WEST were pissed at HG for basically claiming that they owned Macross and everything in Robotech so they would’ve clarified the original agreement which WASN’T written on a napkin (how dumb do HG think we are?) so that HG wasn’t crapping all over the ACTUAL copyright holders. I just hope that people start bringing Macross into the west now, I want Zero, Seven, Frontier and Delta subbed in HD on Blu-Ray NOW!"

Maybe Harmony Gold will in fact make subs after all?

[DokoGaTV]

Awesome video. Interviewed Shoji Kawamori a while back during Macross Frontier (great guy). I hope this all gets settled so they can officially release in the US.

[KronnangDunn]

HG renewed thei contract with Tatsunoko in 2019 past the original 2021 expiration date, but Frank Agrama is 90 years old. I think that as soon as he dies his descendants will sell the rights....

[lizparker]

I love all the citypop songs used in the background of this video!

[Demobot]

From what I have learned Harmony Gold was contracted to bring Macross to a world wide audience. Harmony Gold didn't buy the rights to anything.