Robotech was released WAAAY back in 1985 and was sucha different cartoon to see on the regular cartoon line up of Smurfs, GI. Joe, Thundercats, that many don't remember it. Even though it was a mainstream series on regular T.V. for two years. There are many reasons why it wasn't as popular as the other mentioned shows: and one of them wasn't because it was foreign-produced. Transformers was produced in Japan, animated in Korea, and then shipped over here. The first would be the number of episodes. In those days, a show had to have at 65 weekly episodes to be considered for air-time in the U.S. Robotech had just over 80 episodes, total. That includes the First through Third Robotech Wars, MOSPAEDA, and the Invid Invasion, which ended the series. If the Sentinels had been produced past three episodes, that would have significantly increased it's longevity. Second was the idea of an actual WAR in the series. Unlike most of it's competeing shows, the wars in Robotech had a lasting effect on the characters in the show. Many of it's main characters like Roy Fokker and his girlfriend, Claudia, were killed off. This was a completely new thing in cartoons and many parents complained since when you saw Roy fly in just before his death, there was blood in his cockpit. That was left in the American release and considered taboo.

However, before you think I'm dwelling on the bad, let's look at the good. We;ll start off with Roy and his girlfriend, Caludia. First of all, you'll notice that Roy is blonde, blue-eyed, and has a GERMAN last name. Claudia is black. This was a big complaint amongst parents that a cartoon advocated interracial relationships, in the 80s! I didn't think anything of it at 6 years old and I still don't. It was sad to see Roy and later, Caludia get killed because they were important and you liked them. The Japanese producers saw nothing wrong with this. Not to metion, it was one of the first animes to feature a not only international, but a multi-racial cast. It dealt with more adult themes and the affects war has on people and their relationships. WOW! All this in a kid's cartoon. Then there was the marriage of Max Sterling and Miriya. Another thing you NEVER saw in American cartoons was this subject brought up even in joking. Not to mention between two people so obviously different.

Finally, the international effect it had. The Veritech fighters, if you look at them, are modified F-14 Tomcats. The Japanese, to this day, buy that plane from us for their carriers. Then the crew. Admiral Gloval was Russian, that would NEVER have happened in the 80s and he commanded a crew of Americans, Phillipinos, French, German (Roy), etc. It was this air of international cooperation because of the SDF-1's comming, that sparked some outrage since the cold war was still on and everyone was being xenophobic (which, by definition, doesn't mean you hate aliens, you hate anyone not from your country, town, etc.). However, it can be considered one of the ways people opened up to the idea of cooperation between America and it's chief rival, the Soviet Union. That's right, hook'em on the idea when their young;). It was a great idea now that I look back.

All-in-all, Robotech had a farther-reaching effect than most give it credit for. Interractial relationships, the horrid effects of war, personal relationships between adults, the death of major charcters. All this and it was presented in a way that kids could understand for the most part. Which reinforces my belief that kids know more than parents give them credit for.

What do you all think?