American Anime Producer/Distributor Carl Macek: Hero or Villain?

[The Doctor]

With the upcoming new Robotech series "Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles", and to remember the roots of the anime craze in the U.S., it is perhaps appropriate to have this discussion.

In the 1980's, Harmony Gold hired a man named Carl Macek, who at the time (according to my sources) was an art collector who loved anime, to handle the distribution of an anime series HG had just gotten the distribution rights to in the U.S.: Super Dimension Fortress Macross.

He agreed and was passionate about the project. Harmony Gold wanted to release the series on U.S. television, but at the time, the networks had a rule that you had to have a minimum 30 (or 50?) episodes in order to be considered, and Macross only had 26. So, if memory serves me right, Carl looked at the library of anime HG had the rights to distribute for, and they had two other anime series: Army of the Southern Cross and Genesis Climber Mospeada. Carl watched all three series without the sound on, and inspiration struck him that he could tie all three together and more than meet the 50 episode requirement (when all was said and done, Robotech was 86 episodes long).

So, Carl went about working on the storyline and production matters to tie up all the loose ends and create the series "Robotech." Robotech went on to become the most popular animated series at the time, and created large interest in this new art form known as anime. Macek proceeded from there to work on Captain Harlock, another anime series, and eventually started his own production company called "Streamline Pictures" which brought the much vaunted anime "Akira" to the U.S., which added fuel to the starting fire.

Carl, however, has been demonized by many American anime fans for his changing the dialogue and story of many anime before distribution, in the name of improving it so it makes sense to the American public.

Few can deny though that Carl Macek is largely a key figure in launching the anime craze in the United States. Taking into account his contribution to the fan craze, and the criticisms of his style, is Carl Macek a hero or a villain to the anime genre?

Carl Macek, after the failure of the limited release (in Texas only) of Robotech The Movie, left Harmony Gold and is currently Director of Developing New Series for ADV Films. Mr. Macek's association with Robotech ended after the failed attempt by Harmony Gold in producing Robotech 3000, the company's 2nd attempt to create a sequel to the Robotech series. Mr. Macek is quoted as being uninvolved in the production of the upcoming Robotech series.

[mitsuki lover]

I have never seen Robotech and have only read one of the novels based on it.
Overall I would have to say presented with the reality of American tv at the time
Macek had to do what he had to to get the series on.Since most anime these days
runs on cable and since cable,unlike broadcast tv,allows the airing of series in their
original length it is obvious that if Macek had been trying to get Macross on American tv today he would not have the same difficulties.
Also it seems to me that he didn't do anything any different from what any other
American producer does with anime in making it more viable to a North American
audience.

[The Doctor]

Very many hardcore anime fans disagree Mistuki lover. Today many demand that American distributors keep their hands off the story and be true to the original spirit.

Personally, I'm thankful for how Mr. Macek developed Robotech and stayed true to his passion to bring anime to the U.S., but that's on a anime lovers only perspective and not a Biblical perspective. Biblically I have problems with Mr. Macek.

[The Last Bard]

Why do you have problems "Biblically" with Macek?
I'm just wondering because I've never heard of him, just Robotech.

[CDLviking]

I don't know about the other two series, but I've always been impressed by how intact the Macross Saga was left for what they were trying to do. Stayed almost entirely true to the story except on a few points.

[mitsuki lover]

What do everyone think about McKinney's novelizations of the Robotech saga?

[That Dude]

I believe that Macek did a good thing in popularizing anime out here in the states. I don't really like that he changed the stories but if you think of it a lot of the otaku's who get mad at him for it might not even be anime fans without what he did. And as for Mckinney's Robotech novels I love them. There quite a bit better than the anime in my opinion and are just a fun read.

[rocklobster]

If you ask me the real villain in anime distribution is 4Kids, with Dic being a close second.

[That Dude]

I'd have to agree with you there RL. But let's not allow this to become a flame thread over it k?

[termyt]

Macek is neither hero nor villain. He simply did as he felt he had to do in order to open the US to anime. His role in anime becoming mainstream in the US can not be downplayed, although it would have happened anyway, eventually.

A true hero would have found a way to bring anime to the US without making changes to it. A true villain would have mercilessly altered anime with no thought other than profit. Neither of those is true of Macek.

He's just a man who made his vision of an anime enriched West come true. I thank him for that, but I also regret the many changes he made to the anime he brought over. Not only Robotech, but also Castle of Cagliostro, Fist of the North Star, and a bunch of other Streamline releases.

One can argue very well the changes made to the Robotech shows because of the requirements of US TV, but there's no real excuse for the changes to some of the others that were direct to video releases never meant for TV.

[heero yuy 95]

He's a hero, if you ask me. I wasn't too fond of the second and third segments of Robotech, but I own every episode of the Macross saga on dvd and it is definitely one of my favorite animes of all time. He also played a huge role in anime's popularity in the U.S. today. Another thing i find impressive about his record, he managed to make SDF Macross, a legendary anime, suitable for both kids and adults by editing it without butchering it. I mean, imagine if 4kids got their grubby hands on Macross! they'd probably replace all the guns on the valkeries and battlepods with magic wands, edit out all the action, and make all of minmei's songs crappy rap-music! by then the series would probably be down to about ten or so episodes. lol.

[Arnobius]

American cartoons required a minimum of 65 episodes (13 weeks of episodes at 5 episodes a week), while in Japan, shows ran once a week. Hence the reason for the combining of shows.


However, it is ironic that if it weren't for Macek and DiC introducing Robotech and Sailor Moon respectively, there wouldn't have been an anime movement for purists like me to get worked up over how they handled the shows back then

[battletech]

I have never seen Robotech and have only read one of the novels based on it.
Overall I would have to say presented with the reality of American tv at the time
Macek had to do what he had to to get the series on.Since most anime these days
runs on cable and since cable,unlike broadcast tv,allows the airing of series in their
original length it is obvious that if Macek had been trying to get Macross on American tv today he would not have the same difficulties.
Also it seems to me that he didn't do anything any different from what any other
American producer does with anime in making it more viable to a North American
audience.

I agree on every point. In the begining the only way to get anime on American T.V. was to change it.

[tripperdan99]

Something to show maybe the "Change of landscape" on anime coming to the states, for years Studio Ghibli & Hayao Miyazaki would not allow any licensing of their products stateside. When Disney approached Miyazaki-san they brought to the table two conditions that caught Studio Ghibli's attention: 1. they wanted ALL the works 2. No editing or cutting of the stories In fact when Disney began the dub sessions, Miyazaki-san sent Disney a gift, it was a large sword with the tag on it "NO CUT"

For us "dub'ers" we like it uncut, unedited and NO DISCO GUNS!! Considering the enviroment that Macek was in, he did what was needed to get this going and bring his product to market. Heck, we can't watch the American cartoons unedited! Remember Johnny Quest? The original was cool and straight forward (remember the frogmen in the swamp and Reese with the sniper rifle taking them out?), now it's so cut you can't follow the story line.

Even recently with Gundam SEED (and Destiny) the editing was horrible. And with Naruto and now Bleach being licensed and coming to US, I shutter to think what will end up on the cutting floor.

IMHO, raw washed through a fansub group (and then unedited DVD's licensed later) will be the only way to go for still a number of years. Maybe oneday a REAL anime channel will be marketable.

td99

[mitsuki lover]

Since I made the post that was qouted I have read all but two of the Robotech novels that are avaible at our library.

[creed4]

I don't mind that he edited Macorss and etc. It started the revolution.

Though today, I see no reason for them not to give us an uncut DVD.

[Chosen Raven]

As for as Robotech is concerned, I loved it. It would have been nice if he was able to keep it true to the original material, but he wasn't able to do that. However, he does not have that excuse for his later dubs. Doing one really good thing doesn't mean it's okay to do a bunch of bad things.

[mitsuki lover]

How close are the Jack McKinney novels to the dub?