SpeakerPODcast EP.128 – Listen to our Shoegaze!

Macross Crossover Live 2019, the biggest Macross event of the year – or perhaps of the last 7 years – has happened and… well, we’re all still recovering from it to be honest.

The original SpeakerPODcast Crew and some special guests (and a cat with wine) reunite to discuss who sang what, confuse Macross 30 lyrics, and debate Megumi’s skirt twirling incident.

Is Ishtar BACK? (Photo property of animatetimes.com)

SpeakerPODcast EP.127 – Ultimate Macross Poll

The Crossover Live is almost upon us, but the SpeakerPODcast Crew takes a moment out to reflect on the results of NHK’s Ultimate Macross Poll first.

Whose favorite characters made it? Whose didn’t? And what hints did the broadcast hold about the future of the franchise? Tune in to find out!

…Before listening though, you might want to check out our Ultimate Macross Poll writeup.

Urusei Yatsura Cafe

To commemorate the 40th anniversary of Rumiko Takahashi’s Urusei Yatsura manga, a collaboration cafe was held at Ikebukuro Parco Department Store from January 11 to March 31, 2019. Much like the Ranma 1/2 Cafe held at the same location in 2018, the Urusei Yatsura Cafe offered patrons themed food and beverages while surrounded by their favorite characters and watching the openings and endings to the animated series on monitors and projector screens. While the collaboration menu was not quite as inspired as the Ranma 1/2 one was, it was still rather unique (Cherry pancakes, anyone?) and fun for fans and casual diners alike.

A message board on the premises was full of messages and sketches from fans – as well as one from Rumiko Takahashi herself. “Lum the Forever” indeed 🙂

NHK’s Ultimate Macross Poll

(Photo from the Ultimate Macross Poll Official Website)

What is Macross to you?

“It’s something that surpasses time and space. It’s like music or passion or love, surpassing time and space in search of their true potential. Something like that.”
-Shoji Kawamori, Ultimate Macross Poll

On Saturday, May 4th, NHK BS Premium broadcast the results of its Ultimate Macross Poll.

Held over a period of two months, from March 1, the Ultimate Macross Poll received 254,131 entries, tabulating votes and comments from over a quarter million fans in four categories to decide the most popular songs, characters, mecha and overall series from the Macross franchise.

While the resulting 3.5 hour long tv special was structured around the unveiling of the poll results in these categories, it was much more than mere vote tallies – it was a celebration of all things Macross, gave the fans a voice, provided a snapshot of the current state of the franchise and dropped some interesting hints about what the future might hold.