So kill it before it even gets off the ground! That seems to be the general consensus, as readers kick the new project before it even sees the light of day. Plus more on BG 2000 and the Final Fantasy

August 17, 1999

Tobor is willing to appear on Space Ghost. Even as a prop. "We're young, rich, and full of sugar -- what do we do? Let's go crazy Broadway style!" Today we're talking mainly about cartoons (Robotech 3000 and a bit of Final Fantasy and Voltron and so on). Now for my money, there's one truly great cartoon, and that's The Simpsons of course, which should be obvious to all, as I've sprinkled Simpsons quotes liberally through these pages again today� but that's not really sci-fi. Futurama is, but it's still kind of new, feeling it's way around� Space Ghost is another great show. I can't get enough of it, but unfortunately it seems like I never get to see it. Someone needs to loan me a tape or something. I wish the Cartoon Network would show more of the old cartoons, you know like Voltron, Dungeons & Dragons, etc. There're tons of old classics -- some of which admittedly are only entertaining for their camp value -- but rather than showing the 1966 episodes of Sub-Mariner or The Mighty Thor, the network showers time and money on all these semi-lame Ren & Stimpy rip-offs. --Tobor

Robotech 3000 Oh my God. It's bad enough the anime I love is a hack job, they're going to dirty the name of the franchise even more by making a completely three-dimensional version. I am disgusted. Please kill these people. Akelexre

That's not nice; murder is not the answer when you're disappointed in a cartoon. If it were, we'd all be hunting the makers of the Dungeons & Dragons cartoon through the street for sport. I have a better solution, and it doesn't involve felonies: it's called the Voluntary Human Extinction Movement, and who knows, it could be applicable in cases like these. --Tobor

I think a new Robotech series is a terrific idea, making it CG is not such a good idea... I've seen the new Voltron series. I watched it for a little while but lost interest because the CG had taken away the charm, the variety that made me love the old series. I love Dragon Ball Z, the Cartoon Network got me hooked. Yes, Robotech looks dated, but that doesn't make it less cool. I cared about Rick Hunter because he was just a stunt pilot that got caught up in a war completely by accident, then he proved himself quite the warrior. By the end, I was almost rooting for Rick and Lisa to get together (as silly as that sounds), because I found Min Mae really quite annoying. I also like the woman who did Lisa's voice for the US cartoon. Making the ships CG is fine, but trying to do human characters in CG is a terrible mistake. How can I email and voice my opinion to them? Guardian99

You can find an email address on the company's home page. But let's not abuse this with a bunch of inflammatory hate mail, folks; people are more apt to listen to polite letters. Like this one: --Tobor

Hey guys! First off just to let you know this is my first time in your site and I love it! (Didn't know IGN had a Sci-fi section) Anywayz about Robotech. Ah, Robotech I loved that series! It was so futuristic, it was Sci-fi, it was Anime! I am a major Anime freak! If there's any Anime fan out there all of them must say Robotech is one of the best, or was I should say. So America is trying to duplicate a Anime again, eh? They can try but I doubt it'll come close to what Japan has come up with and 3-D? Transformers: Beast Wars is okay but I doubt the story line is going to better by any means. Why do I say this? If you look at DBZ and Sailor Moon they are better than most U.S. Animation shows! But they kinda suck too because of the US censorship and all that stuff. Heck! I mean we have seen so far 2 Dragonballs over here! In Japan they're already starting the 4th! And Sailor Moon is all over in Japan! We haven't even seen the movies over here! (At least I don't think, I may be wrong) Don't get me wrong the US rules, just not in the Animation area. So I doubt its attempt to remake an old Anime is wrong. Especially since there already is a continuation in Japan which they haven't shown here: Macross II and the Movie: Macross Plus. So my advice, if you want more Robotech get an import or fansub [homemade English translations of Japanese language tapes -- editor]. By the way be warned that in the uncensored Robotech there are some situations that would not be for kids. The US has goods reasons why they censored all these Animes. So this is my "two cents"! Thanks for taking time to read! I'll write again if there's anything else that I like or that just ticks me off! Bye! An Anime and IGN fan, Rommel Degracia

Welcome aboard Rommel, and please keep your dangerous columns of attacking tanks away from my adamantium torso. --Tobor

Who cares about Robotech 3000? The real news is that Animeigo will be releasing the Macross series we all loved as kids on DVD, uncensored, unhacked and I think subtitled. The dubbed voices I don't think will be used, due to the way the series was released in America. Check out: www.animeigo.com and www.animeondvd.com for more info. And keep up the anime news! Max Well, if they could in any way, make it as kewl as Reboot, or Transformers, I say YES! But I'm sorry, Voltron 3rd Dimension, I couldn't even finish watching a whole episode... if it is good, I hope they don't hold back either, Robotech was so out there, people died, war was terrible, peoples lives were not all peachy keen. It was a cartoon, but it was portrayed realistically. Tim That's right, Netter Digital animates the new "Voltron", and they do a damn good job, too! With realistic visuals so life-like you think you can reach out and touch them, and ingenious directing that creates a you-are-there feel in its presentation, I don't know what you're babying about! But, if it's the fact that Netter retained the asinine writing of the original "Voltron" of the '80s, then, yes, apprehension is justifiable. Let's face it: Despite a moving plot and intriguing twists and racing battle sequences and, uh, the kick-ass transforming mecha, it didn't quite suffer from an overload of talented writing. The dialog just plain sucked. And the characters did suffer from the cardboard syndrome. And the animation was clearly a mix between what the talented animators of the original series from which "Robotech" was derived created, the stuff the cheap animation house that Harmony Gold used to slop the story together came up with, and the silkily fluid animation of the "Macross" movie from 1984, "Macross: Do You Remember Love?".... I'm expected to finish this off with something appropriately profound. Well, how about this? Hey, Netter! Pay attention to what your doing! Besides, "Sentinels" was a piece of crap. Here's hoping.... Unhinged

Sheesh, nobody's expected to finish off their letter with something appropriately profound. If they were, I'd be reading nothing but quotations from The Simpsons all day long: "They drove a dump truck full of money up to my house! I'm not made of stone!" --Tobor

Robotech was a terrific show with the new touches and great story line a show needs. I think it's pretty cool that a new series is coming out but, well, not happy about it being computer animated. Computers can't compare to the drawings of the show artists. What also ticks me off is that it may take place in the year 3000. If this is true, there is a lot of changes to be made. The human race must have had a lot of advancements in technology, so it can't be too similar to the original series. There would be different characters and everything. It would be so different that the series wouldn't even connect to the old show. I suggest the staff of the new show to reconsider a lot of things. A Robotech Fan, BJ Germaine More on Battlestar Galactica I heard about this article at Cinescape.com, and had to come check it out. Having read it, I beg anyone reading to find some way of stopping Moyer. The guy is without a clue with his Galactica concepts. Walking Vipers? What the hell was he smoking then (especially since the Galactica, and especially the Pegasus, obviously DO NOT have the resources to develop this)? Bragging about Wing Commander's FX? What version of the film did he see? The one I saw had absolutely crap FX, and was the absolute worst movie I have ever seen (Hell, I'll watch Leonard Part 6 again before I ever even glance at Wing Commander again). Not only that, but WHEN did Richard Hatch ever claim that HE had the rights to Galactica? Oh, that would be NEVER. Hatch has claimed that UNIVERSAL STUDIOS has the rights to Galactica (and Universal Studios ALSO claims this), but he never once claimed that he himself had the rights. Personally I think Moyer is a fool moving on without Hatch since Hatch obviously know what the FANS (see Moyer, they are the ones who will pay to see the film, look what happened when you ALIENATED the WC fan base) want out of a new Galactica (check out Hatch's wonderful books to see his vision). Personally, and as a huge Galactica fan this hurts me to say it, I hope that the Moyer Galactica crash and burns just like his Wing Commander. Either that, or I hope he gets smart enough to have Richard Hatch work on the story because from what Moyer has described so far, it sounds like crap. On the bright side, if Moyer's Galactica turns out like his Wing Commander, we may never have to see one of his movies get a theatrical release again. Sincerely, Christopher Nickerson I am a fan of the revival effort for Battlestar Galactica! I've tried to remain objective in my support to the efforts of Richard Hatch and the Moyer/Larson teams. But this interview has completely changed my opinion of the Moyer/Larson team! I saw the trailer Richard Hatch had at the San Diego ComicCon. Which was an absolutely, outstanding piece of work, hands down! I have read the press releases by both teams and the articles by various news agencies. The Moyer/Larson team seems interested in making a quick buck while Hatch and his team are out listening to the fans of Battlestar Galactica and science fiction in general. After this article and seeing the trailer Mr. Hatch has been showing, I support Richard Hatch and his efforts for a revival. Not Moyer/Larson who haven't been listening to the sci-fi fans, or the BG fans! Samurai Elf Todd Moyer has got to be joking. Wing Commander was one of the worse movies ever. If there is a movie studio out there that wants to waste money on a Todd Moyer/Glen Larson collaboration let them. They'll be bigger fools for it. My money and everyone else's money should be on Richard Hatch. I like his ideas and if he is not involved with A BG 2000 project then neither am I. Cleveland Encelladus here. Just a brief note concerning your article. My loyal minions were in attendance at DragonCon in Atlanta and met with Richard Hatch and Jack Stauffer in addition to screening the as-yet unfinished promotional trailer. You can locate that original article and the review at the following web address: http://members.aol.com/moviecrypt/battle.html With this in mind, allow me to clarify a few things that have gone unsaid. There is a Hollywood-level danger factor with these two productions racing head to head. Richard Hatch is promoting his trailer to generate the interest needed to get the direct cinematic rights from Universal. If Hatch's production works, it will kill any chance of a "Wing Commander" throw away that Glen Larson may produce and exploit. But Larson DOES have "separation rights," meaning he can legally produce spin-offs like "Galactica 1980." Is the picture getting any clearer yet? Further evidence can be attributed to Larson's plot focus on the Pegasus, not Galactica. According to Hatch, no one, Larson included, showed any interest in a Galactica revival until he started asking around. Whoever gets to the finish line first stands the best chance of getting the first dollar and killing the other's chances. The question the fans have to ask is this: who do we trust? The original cast and a furthering of the original storyline and concepts, like "Star Trek II: the Wrath of Khan," or a completely different production and storyline featuring only glimpses of the original cast, such as "Lost in Space"? We don't yet know who'll make the better movie, but we are sure of which one we'd rather see. Give Richard Hatch your support. Here's his site if you want to find out who to help: www.richardhatch.com From your undead friends at www.moviecrypt.com! Encelladus

I'm supposed to be the one who sticks URLs in willy-nilly! Anyway, thanks for the input. --Tobor

Duchovny on the Docket Aside from the great writing that the X-Files has been blessed with over the years, David Duchovny can be seen as one of the major factors in the show's success. (Actually, I think Scully is most responsible, but that's beside the point.) Sure, give him another 25 mil. That just means that the 25 mil will be in the pocket of a good actor instead of a roomful of #$%* suits. Brad White Maybe he is right, Fox could be trying to rip him off. Some actors get typecast and it is the kiss of death for any other work outside of the show that made them famous. Duchovny may want to get off a sinking ship before it is too late. I like X files but it seems like time is running out for the series, too bad I will miss it. Shows like this have a short shelf life. X-Files has had a run longer than most but maybe its time to say goodbye after this season. In my opinion Fox has put out some great shows and they let them go, such as "Millennium", "Married with Children", "Space Above and Beyond" and "The Visitor". Aaron

How long was Married with Children on the air? It was on for years and years. Sheesh, what more do you want? --Tobor

Final Fantasy You guys were quite correct, this movie is the most impressive piece of rendering I've ever seen. I've followed this project when it was just a rumor a while back. Knowing that Square creates great storylines with its FF series [of videogames], I'm willing to wait for this movie for as long is it takes to perfect it. If I had to choose (this might anger some Star Wars fans) I'd wait for this movie before star wars: Episode 2. I'm very excited about this movie. Q Wow it looks really cool in fact it looks real. Now that's my point, I think it would be easier to hire people? Right.... No I see it 10 years down the road people are no longer in movies just their talking and screaming and what ever, then 10 years go by then that will be done by computers. Oh yeah, I saw the FF movie in a dream and boy was it good well up to the point I turned in to a fish. PS you should talk about will we become slaves to computer or will me make a new race or will computer do all the work and we just sit around and have fun... Jonathan

Huh? --Tobor

F.A.K.K. 2 Hey, I just finished reading the article of HV2 (that looks like a disease) and I noticed that you said a comic book adaptation was being drawn by Simon Bisley, and I'm sure that's true, but there was already a special issue of Heavy Metal that basically comics the movie (already done, just in case I managed to garble my language) penned by Simon B. based on the 14th draft of the script, so, while there is another comic coming out, there is at least one already done.(oh and the reason that I am sending this to you is that I don't know where I should actually send it) High Shaman

MOVIES: Final Fantasy Fantastic - (8.17.99)

MOVIES: Matrix Musings - (8.17.99)

MOVIES/COMICS: Spawn Moves On - (8.17.99)

MOVIES: McKellan Gets Physical - (8.17.99)

MOVIES: Zombie-Fest '99 - (8.17.99)

MOVIES: Mel May Do Mad Max 4 - (8.17.99)

ANIME/TV: Gundam Live Action Stays True - (8.17.99)

MOVIES: X-Men Update - (8.17.99)