REVIEW: Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles

Monday, Feb. 12 2007 | Author: Michael

20 years ago, a little animated series called Robotech entered the homes of American Children, and completely changed their lives forever. We were introduced to Anime…to a more sophisticated animated offering, and Robotech paved the way for every Anime that has hit these shores since.

Robotech itself was a combination of 3 animated series from Japan, with a story that weaved through three generations of characters. I was only 5 when Robotech started, and I loved the Macross Saga. It came on at a strange time where I lived, though, and I rarely got a chance to see the other series.

I will never forget Robotech and Voltron for introducing me to Anime, but I haven’t watched Robotech in years…and I don’t watch much anime. I didn’t get the DVDs when they were released (due to a serious lack of funds) so when I saw Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles on the shelf I was actually kind of surprised at how much I was drawn to watching it.

After a little deliberation, I picked it up and took it home…

The Movie

The movie picks up during the last two episodes of the Original Robotech series, and shows us the ending of the show from a new perspective. From there we are introduced to some familiar characters, and handful of new additions as well. I hesitate to get too much into the plot because (a) it’s complicated, and (b) I don’t want to spoil the thing for you.

Let’s just say that there is a resolution to the original series, and the movie sets up a new adventure of which this is clearly only the first chapter. That was probably the most interesting thing about this to me. I expected an 88 minute sequel to Robotech…but that is in NO WAY what I got. Instead, I got the pilot episode of an animated series I am drooling at the mouth to see on television.

I have read that some people felt the animation was a mixed bag. The combining of 3D Graphics and 2D Cell Animation can sometimes…well…not work…and when the movie first started, I was taken aback by it…but after a few minutes I forgot about the special effects, and was captivated by the epic nature of this movie.

…and I mean that…This thing is EPIC.

My only true complaint is that the ending felt rushed, and it seemed like it could have gone on for another hour without dragging.

The space battles alone are worth the price of admission, but by the time the movie was over, I was sad to see it go. I want more of this. If this series ever did make it to television, and was a success, it could do what the original Robotech did all over again.

The original Robotech introduced us to a more mature animated fair. This Robotech adventure could take fans of Battlestar Galactica, Firefly, Star Trek, and Stargate and bring them into the Robotech fold…and not everyone who is into Sci-Fi is into Anime. I’m not a huge Anime fan. There is much of that I just don’t enjoy watching, but this movie is truly American Anime…and it may be the first ever American Anime.

If you’re a fan of science fiction…ANY science fiction…you owe it to yourself to give this movie a shot. You won’t be disappointed.

Score: 8 out of 10

The Video

This DVD looks crystal clear on my 52 inch RCA HD rear projection set. One of the things that made the movie so stunning to me was the clarity of the picture, the contrast of the colors and the overall video quality. I’m not sure this disk could look any better than this.

Score: 9 out of 10

Audio

I’m always happy to see the choice between Surround and Stereo sound. In my bedroom I am always having to adjust the volume on Surround Sound only disks. With this one, however, everything sounds perfect on a stereo only television.

When you kick the 5.1 Dolby Digital in, though, you get a much better cinematic experience. I am no audiophile, so some might find flaws in the audio, but I was engrossed in the story, and the sound here really added to the experience

Score: 8 out of 10

Packaging and Extras

This, however, is where the disk falls flat. The packaging is nice, but the Special Features are limited to one making of featurette that, while informative, really isn’t as captivating as it could be. This was an opportunity to really catch new viewers up with a “The Story so far…” styled feature, but alas, there is none. The special features are bare bones, and this movie (and franchise) deserved more than that.

Now, here comes my biggest gripe with this DVD. When you pop the disk in, the first thing you see is a Dragonball Z trailer. No big deal, right? I’ll just bring up the menu…oh wait…no I won’t. It won’t work. Ok, I’ll just skip past it…oh wait…no I won’t. It won’t work. Ha! I’ve got it…i’ll fast forward through it…oh wait…NO I WON’T…because they DISABLED my ability to do that!!! ARRRGGHH!!!

I don’t want to watch this Dragonball Z trailer every time I pop this DVD in. That SUCKS. Do you hear me FUNIMATION?!?!??! THAT SUCKS! With a capital UCKS! Please…don’t EVER do this on a DVD again. It’s annoying, frustrating, and EXTREMELY irritating.

Ok…I’m calm.

Score: 3 out of 10

Final Score (not an Average): 8 out of 10