In the United States, few anime franchises have experienced as much turbulent history as the legendary mecha series, Macross. For many years, this iconic show has been caught up in 80s business deals, legal disputes, and rights issues. However, for fans of mech anime, most of the franchise is now set to stream online after a long period of being unavailable. The series boasts some of the most intricate behind-the-scenes drama in the world of anime. This saga started when an American company named Harmony Gold used the original Super Dimension Fortress Macross as the basis for Robotech, a re-edited version of three separate anime series combined into one show. Due to the use of Macross in Robotech, Harmony Gold claims ownership of the brand’s name and characters from that original series, outside Japan.
In the 80s, the method used in contract negotiations by Japanese owners of the Macross franchise prevented them from exporting any sequels abroad. This sparked dissatisfaction among fans, who accused Harmony Gold of monopolizing the brand. The entire anime community was taken aback when Harmony Gold, along with Big West and Studio, announced in 2021 that they had reached a new agreement, allowing global distribution of Macross sequels and films. After almost four years, several shows from this franchise will be available on Hulu starting January 13.
The Long Road to Get Macross to the United States
2021 brought a surprising revelation to the anime community, as many followers and professionals doubted that the franchise extending beyond the original SDF Macross and Robotech would ever reach North America. However, the parties concerned assured fans in 2021 that the Macross sequels would now be accessible for streaming, with physical copies also available for purchase. Later on, companies like AnimEigo and RightStuf confirmed plans to release physical versions of several shows within the franchise, such as Macross II, Macross 7, Macross Frontier, and Macross Delta.
Over the past four years, there has been little to no advancement with Macross in North America. Although fans finally received Macross Plus in 2021 when it was released in theaters, everything else came to a halt. Most Macross shows are not available on streaming platforms, and most physical releases have been delayed. The acquisition of RightStuf by Sony and its integration into the Crunchyroll Store has left the planned releases for the Macross series uncertain. However, Macross Plus eventually received a full Blu-Ray release.
In 2024, Disney announced that the Macross shows would be streaming on their platform. However, these shows are currently only accessible via Disney services outside the U.S. Disney has mentioned they plan to bring the series stateside, but for now, things seem uncertain. Excitingly, it was found that Hulu had preliminary images for the series, hinting at its potential arrival there. Since Disney holds a significant stake in Hulu, it’s likely where many of their non-Disney branded properties reside.
List of Macross Shows Coming to Hulu
While not every Macross series will be streaming on Hulu, quite a significant number of them will. The following is the comprehensive list that jskenda uncovered on Blue Skies’ social media: [the list]
- The Super Dimension Fortress Macross: Flash Back 2012
- The Super Dimension Fortress Macross II: Lovers, Again
- Macross Plus
- Macross Plus Movie Edition
- Macross Delta
- Macross Delta: Passionate Walküre (Macross Delta the Movie: Passionate Walkūre)
- Macross Delta: Zettai LIVE!!!!!!
- Macross Zero
- Macross 7
- Macross Dynamite 7
- Macross 7: The Galaxy is Calling Me!
- Macross Fb7 Listen to My Song!
- Macross Frontier
- Macross Frontier: The False Songstress
- Macross Frontier: The Wings of Farewell
- Macross Frontier: Labyrinth of Time
The initial “SDF Macross” series faces complications with copyright issues because Harmony Gold holds all character rights. Similarly, the highly-regarded movie, “Do You Remember Love,” cannot be legally shown in America. However, luckily, many sequels and spin-offs are available for streaming on Hulu, allowing fans to watch most of the series legally online. Fingers crossed that soon we’ll see physical releases of the franchise become available for purchase by fans as well.
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2025-01-12 00:11