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You are never getting that G1 Jetfire reissue, ever. For those unaware, while almost everything to do with Transformers is owned by Hasbro/Takara Tomy, the designs for the Jetfire toy is not, nor is the use of that specific Macross design appearing in media. Outside of Japan, that design is owned by Harmony Gold, a media holding company that is dealing more with real estate at the moment.

They have sued Hasbro on occasion before all in relation to Hasbro (or Hasbro license holders) releasing Jetfire products. Their contract was going to be finished in 2021 so nobody knew what would happen after that. Well, now we do, thanks to an article by Den of Geek who posted the following announcement:

HOLLYWOOD, CA, July 5 – Harmony Gold USA, Inc. announced today that it has reached an agreement with the Japanese anime studio, Tatsunoko Productions, Co., to extend the worldwide, co-copyright ownership and exclusive management, excluding Japan, for its landmark anime series Robotech (including Macross, Southern Cross and Mospeada). This agreement was achieved after a lengthy negotiation and allows Harmony Gold to continue to exploit the animated Robotech franchise well into the future.

Tommy Yune, President of Animation at Harmony Gold, had the following to say:

“It’s an extension of all the current agreements [that were made public in 2017]. It’s a renewal but actually it’s an extension for lack of a better term. We renewed but we decided as part of our renewal to extend the agreement.”

“Harmony Gold and Tatsunko [have been] partners in this whole thing. For future product that we’re working on, the IP is going to be jointly shared by both companies.”

Frank Agrama, Chairman of Harmony Gold added, "Over the past 35 years we have been blessed to work with our friends at Tatsunoko on developing one the world’s greatest entertainment franchises. With our extension we look forward to the next 35 years of working with Tatsunoko and world class business partners on Robotech.”

Since Harmony Gold has solidified their claim to the Robotech/Macross IP, that at least means that there is no ambiguity in the long term ownership of the brand helping their partnership with Sony for a Robotech film.

I don't need words for this, the article explains itself.

Besides, cussing isn't allowed here anyway

Also, a former friend of mine told me that Sony backed out of the whole project like three months ago. Apparently he got the info from a Sony contact.

Awww come on!! Booo!! Pox on their throats!

Great, that mean Macross is never coming over here legally. **** you, Harmony Gold!

Screw you, Harmony Gold!

-Sincerely, Eveyone with good reason to hate you.

Good. Now let's get that sequel to Shadow Chronicles finished

Wireless_Phantom wrote:

Ultra Markus wrote:Good. Now let's get that sequel to Shadow Chronicles finished

You are probably the only person happy about this.

all i want them to do is finish that sequel

On the plus side Sony is still interested in a Robotech movie. Also if you want Macross product there are many, many more options out there than say 15 years ago.

Sony is not interested at all anymore. See the only thing HG just did, was extend their right to use the SDFM tv series, Mospeda, and Southern Cross. However they can NOT make new Macross stories based on the likeness of the Japanese versions. So making a movie where Rick Hunter looks anything like Hikaru is out of the question.

Not only that, but they are not allowed to change any bit of the original story line of Macross, as the characters, story and trademarks all belong to BigWest. Tats is just the owner of the Distro rights to the SDFM series from the 80's. Any logical big studio will want more freedom with story and characters. They wont get it.

IMO this is just Tommy Yune trying to hold on to his job which he has done poorly for over a decade. On top of that pissing off any Robotech / Macross fan in North America who's collection habits soley rely on buying Bandai and Arcadia goods from Japanese shops. We all know the Stateside merch has been flimsy garbage from Toynami and now kidslogic which is still Poor quality compared to Bandai.

Long live the irrelevant real estate company that somehow still is legally allowed to copyright the name Macross in North America, even though they Absolutely do not have permission from Big West to claim it. HG has been a **** company from the start, that attempt to Sue Hasbro over the "red, white and black Jet" was just the low level scumtastic lawyery crap they like to pull.

Stormtalon wrote:Why do I get a 4Kids vibe from Harmony Gold? Do you guys have a plan for Robotech? And no, suing Hasbro every time there is a red and white jet is not a plan.

Yeah they can’t do that anymore, the last time they tried it was dismissed with extreme prejudice meaning Hasbro is allowed to make Jetfires that look like the original figure and they’re not allowed to take it to court again.

Skritz wrote:Great, that means Macross is never coming over here legally. **** you, Harmony Gold!

Pretty much. Oh well, I guess instead of investing money in legit releases I can continue to watch unlicensed fansubs of Macross 7, Frontier, and all the others online. Their Loss. I mean I don't even see how HG has the money for this, they haven't produced anything Robotech related to generate revenue in well over a decade.

Sure that Shadow Chronicles film was pretty good, but like a dozen other false starts, there was never any follow through, and there never will be. When they falsely advertised Love Live Alive as a *New Robotech Movie*, I knew they were a trash company, and never looked back.

Well this is disappointing but not unsurprising I guess, having real estate means HG has had a lot of money to throw around to keep the rights. You'd think they would have to show proof that they are actively doing more with them then just a comic and a movie that's been in development hell long enough that they wanted a young Toby maguire as Rick. I don't blame Sony backing out, I can't see a robotech movie being anything but a flop. Which is sad, I'd love more live action mecha movies... Just hope the new gundam one isn't a mess like G-Saviour

The Robotech/Macross franchise has a HUGE potential.

I still wait for a major to let it exploit. Who knows how long it will take...

Yay! 35 more years of IP squatting and lying to/misleading the fanbase!

Kyleor wrote:Yay! 35 more years of IP squatting and lying to/misleading the fanbase!

Other than the current Robotech comic book from Titan and Titan doing some omnibuses/archives of the comics from every other publisher which has held the rights over the years (which includes Comico, Eternity/Malibu, Academy Press, Antarctic, and Wildstorm/DC), some legal headaches for other companies besides Hasbro, what has HG done with the rights? A movie that has been in development hell for over a decade and a pair of animated movies that were at best average? And screw over anime fans and collectors for decades with their legal BS.

What does sucks for me is that I really wanted an officially licensed remaster on Blu-Ray of Macross Plus OVA and the Movie versions and of Macross II: The Movie (and I wouldn't say no to the original 6 part OVA version of Macross II either) and those sweet YF-19 and YF-21 toys that Harmony Gold stopped from being released through Diamond all those years ago.

This means I will have to hunt down a Japanese retailer to get a 1/48 Chogokin Macross Valkyrie...bummer.

Harmony Gold has no other projects but Robotech/Macross license. Sad just sad.

RodimalToyota wrote:Sony is not interested at all anymore. See the only thing HG just did, was extend their right to use the SDFM tv series, Mospeda, and Southern Cross. However they can NOT make new Macross stories based on the likeness of the Japanese versions. So making a movie where Rick Hunter looks anything like Hikaru is out of the question.

Not only that, but they are not allowed to change any bit of the original story line of Macross, as the characters, story and trademarks all belong to BigWest. Tats is just the owner of the Distro rights to the SDFM series from the 80's. Any logical big studio will want more freedom with story and characters. They wont get it.

This right here, is the crux of the whole damn thing. Basically, HG only has a glorified distribution of old material rights. Making new content is extremely tricky. The new comic is doing it, but they've had to engage in some extremely creative liberties to do it.

HG once had a chance to work with Big West and Bandai, but instead of going to the table in good faith, they wanted to just be given the rights, with no profit sharing. Those bridges are burned but good. This 'renewal' just means Macross is dead to America.


**** you, Harmony Gold. **** you all the way to hell.

Randomhero wrote:

Stormtalon wrote:Why do I get a 4Kids vibe from Harmony Gold? Do you guys have a plan for Robotech? And no, suing Hasbro every time there is a red and white jet is not a plan.

Yeah they can’t do that anymore, the last time they tried it was dismissed with extreme prejudice meaning Hasbro is allowed to make Jetfires that look like the original figure and they’re not allowed to take it to court again.

The hilarious thing about that is that the hill Harmony Gold decided to die on wasn't even a transforming Transformers toy, but rather a recolored modern G.I. Joe Skystriker with a few extra bits - a toy whose original version predates both the Transformers and Robotech brands. I was not surprised the suit was dismissed with prejudice.

In any case, Siege Jetfire is sufficient to suit my Jetfire toy needs for the foreseeable future.

The fact Kyoto Animation burnt down just yesterday and Harmony Gold continues to exist and own the rights to Macross is proof there is no justice in this world.

F**k Harmony Gold.