I wasn't sure how I would react to this movie follow-up to the Robotech saga that I loved so much when I was a kid. I was even skeptical as I started the DVD, but soon all that slipped away and I started enjoying it. Something about that theme music that really takes you back.It was really nice to see the Robotech mecha and ships get a fancy computer animated upgrade while keeping the characters hand-drawn. It's also good to have the original voices back for several characters, especially Scott Bernard and Rick Hunter.The story in the movie starts near the end of the last episode of the original series with the REF trying liberate Earth from the Invid occupation. A few details are added this time to make way for a new enemy, we meet new characters and a couple characters stories are changed from the stories set forth in the Robotech novels.***MINOR CHARACTER SPOILERS AHEAD***The android Janice was introduced in the Sentinels novels as having been constructed by Dr. Lang before the Expeditionary force left Earth after the 1st Robotech War, in this movie she was partly constructed by the Haydonites.We are also introduced to Maia Sterling, who must be a daughter of Max and Miriya. In the Sentinel novels Miriya has another daughter named Aurora, but she would be a lot younger than Maia, and there's no other mention of them having a child.***END SPOILERS***It somewhat ignores events that happen in the novel The End of the Circle, which I wasn't real happy about since I'm a big fan of the novels. I know in Star Trek and Star Wars novels aren't considered official cannon, but with Robotech there is only 1 series of novels, and it directly follows the animated series, where as the Star Wars and Trek novels are all over the place.I know it's tough to revisit a beloved property 20 years later and please all the fans, but I think they did really well with this. If you loved the cartoons, you should enjoy this. I hope they are able to make another one of these that's also good.

Perhaps Tommy Yune is trying too hard, but to me, it seems he and his team hasn't done quite enough.It is refreshing to see Americans doing Japanese style CG-cell mix anime. There is little to complain about their first attempt at this, although there are plenty of room for improvements.For those who criticize this movie as being lame, you obviously have not seen the Robotech series from the 80s. So shame on you to make such a comment.But having said that, despite a huge budget and 20 years of over-selling the series, there is surprisingly little character depths. In fact I would go as far to say it expects the audience to be knowledgeable in the backgrounds of the characters.The animation is satisfactory. I can find few faults. The only obvious disappointments, for me at least, are the way the starships exploded. A simple fireball covering each portion of the units is all, no breaking apart or little details like debris and sharpnels. Another would be the lack of detailed transformation of the fan-favorite Cyclones.Anyway, in my humble opinion, this movie could have done well with another 15-30 minutes to emphasize on the characters' personalities.

Robotech is always about characters as much as the mecha battles. Some people complain about the CGI Battles, but having watched it a couple times, I'll say that I was happy with the mecha and their transformations.Some will say it totally revised history from Symphony of Light (final episode of New Generation). The question becomes, was the Regess really 'there' entirely, in one place or another? Or just as much as she needed to be? If the latter, she could easily be having the same kind of discussion with Ariel as she was having with the others at the time.Which is point three. Characterization from the old show, and new directions for chars. Ariel in particular was fantastic! They recaptured her when Scott left to find the SDF-3 perfectly, clothes and all, right from Symphony of Light. And even if people complain about 'boobs' in later parts , I thought the character looked fine. Fascinating new direction, as well. (Though Ariel is not, and should not be treated, as a Star Trek transporter. :p) The animation changed, yes. After the early stages, Ariel did look a bit different, Bernard all the way. But they were still recognizable as themselves.For continuity, no matter how you regard it as 'canon', reading The Sentinels book series from Del Ray is VERY recommended, at least by me. That allowed for much more perspective on the 'Children of the Shadow' among other things.Some I've heard elsewhere complained about the changed premise of when the Regis left. That they turned her from the 'great evil' into someone who saved the Earth. She still did a lot of bad stuff, it makes sense that she saved it for her 'daughter'.I saw someone scream about it starting after Invid Invasion and having some of the same stuff. Well, news flash: ALL THE MECHA IN INVID INVASION WERE FROM THE REF RETAKING ATTEMPTS. Unless they somehow switched mecha overnight, those are the ones that'll still be there, not hovertanks, or elderly Macross Valkyries. The older VF series is totally outmoded by that point, and the Hovertanks mentioned in novels/RPG were only there for Wolff. And he was taken out of the picture long before.Even the anti-alien prejudice is there in the right spots, though a little rushed at points. Maia should have said "half-Zentraedi" instead of "half-alien", but that's a nitpick. Love the scene with Marcus meeting Ariel and finding out what she is. My only nitpick about being 'rushed' is how suddenly people seem to go from lack of trust to right in the heart of the sensitive spot. Though they did try to explain it enough. Ariel and Janice with bridge spots on the Ark Angel... Wow.All the nods to the old show were right. The SDF-3's situation made /some/ sense, though it was a terrible military decision to send along a weapon that hadn't been field tested, then field test it when it might get used before the test.The SDF-3 certainly isn't like the Sentinels RPG artwork, but meh. No complaint. The ships all looked good. Especially the Invid Clams in the Reflex Point battle! Seeing that in CGI was FANTASTIC! While 2D and 3D animation didn't always blend 'perfectly', it was pretty easy to get used to it. The storyline absorbed me enough to not notice after a while. Beware Trojans bearing gifts! Heehee.The sequel is already in production, reportedly. This movie has done deservedly well on DVD (I'm buying the 2 disk set in November when it comes out), so they're justified in making more. The next one I'm hoping will satisfy some of the complainers more, if they pick up where this one left off. They're going after the SDF-3. And all the people that the complaints come about not seeing.

Wow. What an incredible cliché after cliché... You wait for 20 years and all you get is a complete rehash oh every SCI-FI cliché in the book...Yet again the earth is fighting nasty aliens, with one dimensional forgettable characters...Only this time the awesome(robotech) music score is not here. It is replaced with easily forgettable Star Wars alike score...And on Top of that, we have the so advertized CGI. O dear that is THE worst CGI ever seen on film. I simply cannot find a comparable title.What you will see is one cgi flaw after another, badly animated mecha,( almost not moving), Massive perfectly aligned fleets, moving all at the same speed..., horrible out of sync explosions..The 2d characters were somewhat decent. They could use some more animation, but they look quite good.. Too bad all they have is their looks...Over all a major desapointment. Most certainly not worth the money...