AllMovie

This feature-length animated film, dubbed in English, has been compiled using footage from the popular Japanese science fiction television series, Macross. In this respect, it is similar to Robotech: The Movie, a 90-minute feature that was compiled from the American version of Macross. The two films are distinct, because the American program was heavily edited for television. However, they both tell very much the same story. A vast spaceship, its origins a mystery, crash lands on Earth. Ten years later, the scientists of Earth's governments are able to launch the ship, now called Macross. This event triggers a devastating attack by an alien race of giants called the Zentraedi and starts a war that will continue for years to come. In addition to the plotline, another common element is the melodrama that occurs when the story turns its focus towards the emotional lives of the young crew members and passengers onboard Macross. Nevertheless, there are some minor plot differences, and the English dubbing of the Robotech translation has been heavily criticized by fans. As a result, many American devotees of the Macross and Robotech milieu actually prefer the Japanese Macross. Although this version is also dubbed in English, it is closer to the original than the American edition.