| Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles | |
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Film Poster |
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| Directed by | Tommy Yune Dong-Wook Lee Yeun-Sook Seo (co-director) |
| Produced by | Frank Agrama Alan Letz Jason Netter Ippei Kuri Kouki Narushima |
| Screenplay by | Ford Riley Frank Agrama |
| Story by | Thomas J. Bateman Steve Yun Tommy Yune |
| Music by | Scott Glasgow Ulpio Minucci (main theme) |
| Editing by | David W. Foster |
| Studio | Harmony Gold USA Dr. Movie Tatsunoko |
| Distributed by | FUNimation Entertainment |
| Release date(s) | August 25, 2006 New York) January 5, 2007 |
| Running time | 88 minutes |
| Country | United States South Korea Japan |
| Language | English |
Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles is the 2006 animated sequel to the 1985 Robotech television series. It was released on DVD on February 6, 2007.
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Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles is accessible to viewers who are not familiar with the Robotech universe, but because of the close interweaving of the TSC storyline with that of the original Robotech series, it may be difficult to fully appreciate all that is shown without prior knowledge. Those interested in a full background on the events in the Robotech universe may wish to refer to these sources:
13 years after the conquest of Earth by the Invid in the wake of the Second Robotech War, and after several interim attempts at relief that ended in failure, the combined fleet of the Robotech Expeditionary Force (REF) arrives in 2044 for a final showdown aimed at reclaiming the Earth. The events of the first half of The Shadow Chronicles tell the tale of this battle, overlapping with the events of the last episodes of the original Robotech series, 84 (Dark Finale) and 85 (Symphony of Light) but depicting the showdown from the vantage point of space rather than concentrating on the activities of the Earth-based resistance and REF ground forces.
From this vantage point, fans will recognize some familiar scenes, but details are added. The energy weapons of REF warships are shown to be synchro-cannons similar to the one showcased in Episode 83 (Reflex Point). The synchro-cannons, Protoculture-cloaking "shadow devices" used by the REF mecha, and untested doomsday Neutron-S missiles are all also revealed to have been gifted to the REF by the Haydonites, a race encountered by the Expeditionary Force during the events that have transpired on the other side of the galaxy in the time since it first departed Earth decades earlier. We also meet Marcus Rush, brother of Scott Bernard's fiancee Marlene who died in the Mars Division offensive, and Maia Sterling, the "other sister of Max and Mirya" who years earlier greeted her sister Dana in a Protoculture induced vision seen in Episode 60 (Catastrophe) and now serves as Commander of the famous Skull Squadron.
The battle goes largely as we saw it depicted the first time, albeit in more detail: initial success by technologically advanced and heavily armed Robotech mecha quickly leads to realization that there are far more Invid—literally many millions—than the General Staff envisioned. While fighting rages in space and on Earth, the Invid simulagent Ariel (who had joined Scott Bernard's resistance group and come to the Regess' hive complex of Reflex Point with her friends) pleads with the Regess to spare humanity and surrender Earth. General Reinhardt, temporarily in command of the fleet onboard SDF-4 Izumo pending arrival of Admiral Rick Hunter and the SDF-3, begins to contemplate the implications of defeat and reflects on his orders that he is to destroy Earth with the Neutron-S missiles if it is the only alternative to an Invid victory. A subsequent series of events leads to Vince Grant and his ship the Icarus discovering the fate of the SDF-3 and returning with a damaged ship called the Deukalion and a warning from Admiral Hunter that the Neutron-S missiles must not be used. Alas, it is too late: Reinhardt has already given the order, and they cannot be recalled.
Fortunately for the people of Earth, the Regess has had a change of heart. As she watches the battle unfold and sees the Neutron-S missiles launched, the Regess is reminded of the endless ruin that has plagued her race. She speaks of the malignant spirit of the Robotech Masters, of the "Children of the Shadow," and of a conflict that will rage from generation to generation, none of which is what she wants. She therefore determines to leave, recalling all Invid to Reflex Point and turning the hive cluster itself into a phoenix of trascendant Protoculture energy on which the race abandons the Earth. These events mimic the final moments of Symphony of Light, but they clarify an important point: while the departing Invid vortex does disintegrate the threatening Neutron-S missiles, it spares the surviving ships of the depleted REF fleet.
In the wake of its "victory" over the Invid, the Expeditionary Force is in no position to celebrate, much less attempt to restore security to Earth. Most of its remaining ships withdraw to Space Station Liberty for repairs. We learn that the fleet has sufficient Protoculture for perhaps as little as one year of continued full-scope operations.
The Icarus arrives at Moon Base ALUCE, where Louie Nichols (formerly of Dana Sterling's 15th Alpha Tactical Armored Corps and a veteran of the Second Robotech War, find the only surviving crew member of the Deukalion to be Janice Em, an android that uses a holographic overlay to appear as a young woman. She reveals that she is a combination of Human and Haydonite technology, built as an emissary for the two races. Ariel, who demonstrates previously unseen powers to teleport herself to ALUCE from the surface of the Earth, informs Scott Bernard of her vision that the "Children of the Shadow" plan to attack the REF. Reinhardt and Grant watch the conversation on a monitor but draw the wrong conclusions: they suspect Scott of being a traitor and have him arrested for interrogation.
In a short time, their mistake is made clear. When ALUCE loses contact with Space Station Liberty, Louie realizes that same signal jamming communications is one he saw on the Icarus when it went in search of the SDF-3. Grant takes the Icarus to the Station and takes Scott, Ariel, Louie, Janice and the Skull Squadron with him.
They arrive to find a situation out of control. Space Station Liberty is under heavy attack by unfamiliar alien craft, and it swiftly becomes clear that the seemingly wonderous "gifts" of the Haydonites were as much a part of an elaborate trap as they were an equalizer for the assault on Reflex Point. Synchro-cannons overload; shadow devices lock down control systems. Everywhere, the ships of the Expeditionary Force are reduced to targets, and within minutes of arrival, Louie has a shocking assessment of the losses: 89% of those ships that survived the fight over Reflex Point, implying losses into the tens of thousands. The Haydonites are the "Children of the Shadow."
Unable to restore communications, Grant cannot warn the remaining ships; they are left to fight a hopeless battle. Suspecting that Janice may be aligned with the Haydonites, Grant arrests her, while the Skull Squadron heads to Liberty in search of stockpiled mecha that may not have been upgraded with the trojan-horse Haydonite technology. Grant's ship follows; the Icarus is shadow-equipped and untrustworthy. Louie identifies a single earlier-generation Robotech vessel based on the Space Station, the colony ship Ark Angel, and Grant orders all personnel to evacuate to the ship. Meanwhile, the Skull Squadron pilots race to equip themselves with earlier-version Alpha fighters and engage the Haydonites to buy time while Louie works to get the reflex furnace of the Ark Angel operational. An encounter with Haydonite soldiers seeking to retrieve Janice reveals that the goal of the Haydonites is to retrieve the protoculture matrix onboard the SDF-3; before dying, one tells Grant that "all those who embrace protoculture are doomed."
Rehabilitated by the changing fortunes, Scott Bernard accompanies Vince in a ride on Cyclones through the Space Station, seeking out those few Neutron-S missiles that were not brought to bear in the earlier assault. They cannot move them, but they realize that if they can detonate one, they may be able to destroy the attacking alien force along with Space Station Liberty. Maia, Marcus, and the other Skull pilots continue to fight their desperate battle. In a moment before his own death, Marcus sees a while light and has a vision of his sister Marlene, who tells him that "it is not his time to die" and that she "will always be with him." Marcus wakes aboard the Ark Angel with Ariel by his side. The ship has just completed a space fold, escaping the blast of the Neutron-S missile that has destroyed the Haydonite fleet. Ariel reveals that she used her teleportation power to save him despite his hatred of the Invid; Marcus is left at a loss for words.
As the Ark Angel flies over Earth's surface, Reinhardt gives Grant his new orders: he and those onboard the Ark Angel must go in search of the SDF-3. Maia and Marcus console each other over the friends and family they have lost as well as those missing aboard the SDF-3. While Scott and Ariel share a kiss, Louie reassures a confused and uncertain Janice that "We will win", a sentiment that she picks up in ethereal song as the ship departs from Earth orbit.
Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles premiered at the Cannes Film Market on May 22, 2006 in the Grey One Theatre to an audience of distribution representatives.[1] A number of independent film festivals screened the film during the summer and fall.[2] It was awarded Best Animated Sci-Fi Feature at the International Horror and Sci-Fi Film Festival, although it was the first and only animated film ever shown in this Arizonan festival's three-year history.[3]
Harmony Gold and Funimation Entertainment released Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles on DVD on February 6, 2007.[4] A 2-disc collector's edition with additional features was announced by FUNimation at Anime Expo 2007 and released on DVD November 20, 2007.[5] The Blu-ray version was released on September 4, 2008.
Madman Entertainment in Australia was the first international distributor to license and release Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles. The film was released on Region 4 DVD on March 14, 2007.[6]
Revelation Films released the film in the United Kingdom on July 23, 2007.
Guangdong Qianhe Audio & Video released the single-disc Standard Edition in the People's Republic of China on August 20, 2007 and the 2-disc Collector's Edition on May 1, 2008.
The musical score was composed by Scott Glasgow, and was recorded with the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra. However, budgetary issues resulted in synthesized elements being mixed into a number of the cues, particularly four of the tracks in the film, and one of the tracks on the soundtrack CD ("Dogfight").[7][8] Chase Masterson sang the parts for her robotic character Janice. Melissa Kaplan, the lead singer of the band Universal Hall Pass, vocalized some of the background music.[9]
Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles has received mixed reception from fans and critics. Justin Sevakis of the Anime News Network gave it an overall rating of C-, commenting that while the movie had good music, it suffered from mediocre animation, a cliché story and a host of forgettable characters.[10] Slop Reilly of Ain't It Cool News gave it a 1 out of 5 stars, citing a poor screenplay, weak character development and unnatural character design and animation.[11]
On the positive side, Tasha Robinson of the Sci Fi Channel's Sci Fi Weekly gave it a B,[12] while Jeffrey Kauffman of DVDTalk recommended it.[13]
On February 27, 2007 at the New York Comic Con, Shadow Chronicles director Tommy Yune said, "Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles has been doing good business at retail, and we are currently in production on the sequel."[14] Later that same day, Yune mentioned that the sequel will be a feature movie.[15] The title of the sequel has been revealed as Robotech: Shadow Rising, and the film was expected to be released within two years of the time of the announcement, earliest.[16][17] However subsequent announcements in mid-2008 have made it clear that little-or-no progress has been made on the film, and it has been indefinitely postponed, pending developments with the live-action film.[18][19]
It was later revealed that the two year estimate was a misunderstanding, by fans. While the two-year date was stated, by Yune, to be possible, it was never intended to be an actual release date. However, fans erroneously took it to be an actual release date. Subsequently, this caused a great deal of confusion within the Robotech fan base. Later, fans were further confused when another member of HG's staff stated the "animation was on hiatus." Many fans took that to mean the show had been postponed, when this was not the case. HG later corrected this misunderstandings by appearing on Space Station Liberty, a Talk Show Call In Live Pod Cast dedicated to Robotech. HG's staff explained the error with the "estimated release date". HG also explained that "hiatus" was an industry term meant to say that the animation was on hold while other parts of the production process caught up to it. In this case, scripting, story boarding, and other parts of the production process are continuing. However, as the animation has gotten ahead of the rest of production, the animators have nothing to animate until they get the next bit of the story from HG's staff writers. At this point in time, no firm release date has ever been given for "Robotech: The Shadow Rising," but an estimated release date was reported to be forth coming.[20]
At Anime Expo 2009, Kevin McKeever and Yune confirmed that Robotech: Shadow Rising has been put off indefinitely since Warner Bros. Pictures is now actively developing a big-budget Robotech live-action feature film. Akiva Goldsman (Starsky & Hutch, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, I Am Legend), and Jason Netter (Wanted) have been hired as producers and Tobey Maguire is also attached to the film. Several screenwriters, including Lawrence Kasdan, Alfred Gough, and Miles Millar, have also joined the project. Details about the plot of the movie are still very limited, but conceptually, it will likely be a "re-imagining", rather than a story that is a direct sequel or prequel, or one that is set at some point within Robotech's established chronology.[21]
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