Robocultured: The Discerning Fan?
Commentary:
This is the final post to end the Robotech April Bitch Fest 2008, designed to take a sometimes humorous, sometimes serious, sometimes sarcastic look at the Robotech establishment. Some of you may or may not agree with what I say, and to me that is completely understandable.
I was listening to an episode of Chris Meadow's Space Station Liberty, the official Harmony Gold podcast, and some of the episodes of that show bored me to tears, despite guest appearances by none other than Harmony Gold Creative Director Tommy Yune.
It’s really a shame because Chris Meadows was ‘great’, back when he was interviewing Robotech personalities left and right. Most of the later episodes have devolved into routine “press releases” of Harmony Gold merchandise.
Some of Space Station Liberty’s (SSL) episodes are filled with so much dead air (in other words, moments of uncomfortable silence) that it’ll make you cringe in your seat. These instances really damage Mr. Meadows’ credibility as a credible host. Come on Chris, try to at least inject some content on your show. Make an effort to find people and topics!
Dead air or no dead air, listening to these pimp-my-merchandise SSL sessions never yield anything new or exciting. Tommy’s still pretty evasive with just about everything thrown at him, repeating what most fans knew from the press released from the official site. It’s even sadder that when Tommy Yune realizes there’s nothing good worth talking about, he’d bring up the Live Action Movie that most people know he’s not even supposed to talk about in public! What can I say? This is the ONLY project that fans get excited about these days.
Why pray tell, did I bring this show and this particular episode up?
Y’see, a man named Philip came on the show - one of the few casual fans that got into the franchise fairly recently. While I try to respect people's opinions as much as possible, I found this person going a tad too far in his adoration of Tommy Yune's efforts.
While its understandable how how some folks don’t fanboy rantings seriously, when the guy started praising Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles as the franchise's equivalent to Starwars: The Empire Strikes Back, I think we’re going to have a bit of a problem. Funny that even Tommy Yune was taken aback by this ridiculous notion!
Continue listening to the show and prepare to hear ol’ Philip lavish praise upon praise to Tommy Yune and his work. I really don’t mean to slam this guy’s opinion but come on… I’m aware that the film has some good points, but my point is that to have these types of "Yes" fans surround Tommy just won’t do the franchise any good. And before you confine this spiel as a form of "Fan Entitlement”, do not forget that fans are consumers, and yet as fans of this form of entertainment, don’t we deserve better? Is that too much to ask??
The rationalization would naturally be that you can’t please everybody – but I think this excuses has been evoked far too many times for every Robotech release. One might wonder whether the franchise is worth anything anymore... I mean, if they aren’t going to be bothered making an affordable product that everyone could enjoy, why bother?
Case in point, while the Blu-Ray version of Shadow Chronicles isn’t a bad idea. But to attach 20 minutes of so-called “Never-Before-Seen Special Features”, including outtakes and “new” deleted scenes, and slap a hefty $40 price tag seems almost insulting, especially to those that may have purchased the previous “Special Edition” DVD.
Another example of this weirdness was seen on the Palladium Books forums, the publisher of the Robotech Role Playing Game. Someone was asking whether the recent Role-playing book was worth buying, and you know the response he got?
Now either we’re lucky that Robotech fans are getting younger, or we’ve crossed the line where the fandom is so desperate for new stuff that its “members” will buy pieces of cow dung with the Robotech name attached to it without asking questions. That’s never a good sign.
Final thoughts:
I believe that most fans are well past the point of ‘We should be thankful to Tommy Yune that he’s keeping Robotech alive argument’. As a Robotech fan, expecting something better is NOT a bad thing! Make your thoughts known. Go!!
This is the final post to end the Robotech April Bitch Fest 2008, designed to take a sometimes humorous, sometimes serious, sometimes sarcastic look at the Robotech establishment. Some of you may or may not agree with what I say, and to me that is completely understandable.
I was listening to an episode of Chris Meadow's Space Station Liberty, the official Harmony Gold podcast, and some of the episodes of that show bored me to tears, despite guest appearances by none other than Harmony Gold Creative Director Tommy Yune.
It’s really a shame because Chris Meadows was ‘great’, back when he was interviewing Robotech personalities left and right. Most of the later episodes have devolved into routine “press releases” of Harmony Gold merchandise.
Some of Space Station Liberty’s (SSL) episodes are filled with so much dead air (in other words, moments of uncomfortable silence) that it’ll make you cringe in your seat. These instances really damage Mr. Meadows’ credibility as a credible host. Come on Chris, try to at least inject some content on your show. Make an effort to find people and topics!
Dead air or no dead air, listening to these pimp-my-merchandise SSL sessions never yield anything new or exciting. Tommy’s still pretty evasive with just about everything thrown at him, repeating what most fans knew from the press released from the official site. It’s even sadder that when Tommy Yune realizes there’s nothing good worth talking about, he’d bring up the Live Action Movie that most people know he’s not even supposed to talk about in public! What can I say? This is the ONLY project that fans get excited about these days.
For the sake of the rest of this post, please listen to the two episodes held on:
4/23/2008 "Attack of the Impromptu Show"
http://www.talkshoe.com/talkshoe/web/talkCast.jsp?masterId=5988&cmd=tc
4/23/2008 "Attack of the Impromptu Show"
http://www.talkshoe.com/talkshoe/web/talkCast.jsp?masterId=5988&cmd=tc
Why pray tell, did I bring this show and this particular episode up?
Y’see, a man named Philip came on the show - one of the few casual fans that got into the franchise fairly recently. While I try to respect people's opinions as much as possible, I found this person going a tad too far in his adoration of Tommy Yune's efforts.
While its understandable how how some folks don’t fanboy rantings seriously, when the guy started praising Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles as the franchise's equivalent to Starwars: The Empire Strikes Back, I think we’re going to have a bit of a problem. Funny that even Tommy Yune was taken aback by this ridiculous notion!
Continue listening to the show and prepare to hear ol’ Philip lavish praise upon praise to Tommy Yune and his work. I really don’t mean to slam this guy’s opinion but come on… I’m aware that the film has some good points, but my point is that to have these types of "Yes" fans surround Tommy just won’t do the franchise any good. And before you confine this spiel as a form of "Fan Entitlement”, do not forget that fans are consumers, and yet as fans of this form of entertainment, don’t we deserve better? Is that too much to ask??
The rationalization would naturally be that you can’t please everybody – but I think this excuses has been evoked far too many times for every Robotech release. One might wonder whether the franchise is worth anything anymore... I mean, if they aren’t going to be bothered making an affordable product that everyone could enjoy, why bother?
Case in point, while the Blu-Ray version of Shadow Chronicles isn’t a bad idea. But to attach 20 minutes of so-called “Never-Before-Seen Special Features”, including outtakes and “new” deleted scenes, and slap a hefty $40 price tag seems almost insulting, especially to those that may have purchased the previous “Special Edition” DVD.
Another example of this weirdness was seen on the Palladium Books forums, the publisher of the Robotech Role Playing Game. Someone was asking whether the recent Role-playing book was worth buying, and you know the response he got?
"Regardless of whether the book is good or bad, it is the duty of every Robotech fan to buy it"
Now either we’re lucky that Robotech fans are getting younger, or we’ve crossed the line where the fandom is so desperate for new stuff that its “members” will buy pieces of cow dung with the Robotech name attached to it without asking questions. That’s never a good sign.
Final thoughts:
I believe that most fans are well past the point of ‘We should be thankful to Tommy Yune that he’s keeping Robotech alive argument’. As a Robotech fan, expecting something better is NOT a bad thing! Make your thoughts known. Go!!
But I must say it is a lousy comeback, and I used to think it was better than nothing but now I disagree with myself. The movie was trying to do too many things at one time, for one trying to continue where it left off, second trying to start a new story with new characters, and third, trying to appeal to todays audience. The animation was clean and good, but the combination of CG just made it stupid. If they wanted CG they should of just done the entire thing in that style, at least it would look the same and not wonky.
But like you say, slap robotech on some cow dung and the hardcore fans lap it up. They're just too excited over the movie, because robotech did make a comeback, and since one man was behind it (even though that's not true) they praise him, and act like it's the best thing since sliced bread.
To put it bluntly, Mr. Yune has got an inflated ego, and the more praise he gets, the bigger it's going to become. I for one cannot stand people with large egos, I try to avoid them the best I can, but people like that are everywhere, especially on deviantart. And sadly, I see no difference between those artists and Steve Yune.
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There's no use forcing oneself to endure something unpleasant unless there's some big reward or higher reasoning behind it. Right now, Robotech is unpleasant to be around. The fandom is retarded, the personalities involved in official works are egotistical and generally false-faced, and whatever non-official fan-works exist are of such a lackluster quality that there is no reason to pay attention. I don't blame anyone who doesn't want to stay in the Robotech circle right now because, hell, life is short and there are better things to do. (Comment this)
One can almost smell the discontent from some fans about the Robotech franchise. Of course, one is welcome to be optimistic, but for a franchise that prides itself of having its very own CREATIVE DIRECTOR casually show up on a weekly podcast and yet nothing ever changes. One wonders if he really is there just to inflate his own ego and make himself look "good" while others grumble in his wake.
Ah but Lynn, but this does not discourage you from working on your projects, yes? I've been looking at your Atlantech for a while, and I'm gonna write up something about it here once I take a closer look at it. You're really one of the bright spots of this "take take take!" fandom.
while I have admired your Atlantech work, and would hope to (Comment this)
I don't know Ad--I mean, Anonymous. That would be something to talk about wouldn't it? Why do fans like me, or you (well, I know why YOU stay) or Justy, or Evan, or whoever stay on this franchise?
The official stuff is lackluster, not to mention few and far between, and we've got a fandom that would rather you spend your time begging Tommy for new stuff rather than create themselves... I don't know. Definitely a controversial topic I myself am not willing to type, unless I attach a "seal of insanity" or something.
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Chris does a good job with what he has but yeah, the shows that are live do prove that Chris should stick to his day job for survival. But give the guy a break too. He does the community a great service and brings people together. Tommy shouldnt go on only to just push the newest version of Shadow Chronicles Version 3.0 or whatever and I wish he would answer some of his critics. But it is more than what has happened in the past twenty years. It can get better still. Lets not all pop the suicide pills just yet.
We could have all been watching C. Macek's Robotech 3000.
-Fremen72
P.S. Keep up the great work Medmap Guy! (Comment this)
Chris is okay, but his latest episodes lack effort. And like any long-standing show he needs a new gimmick, or a guest host, or something.
Anyway, R:TSC? vs. RT3K? Well, I guess... so...
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What do you think, Medmapguy? (Comment this)
Anyway, most level headed fans of any franchise or genre, when faced with the creator or director of their favorite franchise, wouldn’t lambast their work right at their face. It’s out of respect, and obviously, and Philip sounded like a new enough fan. I would assume he didn’t know about the politics behind Robotech and the way it treats its fandom.
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