robotech

"Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles" (2006) is a feature-length animated sequel to the traditional Robotech storyline, overlapping briefly with the concluding events of the New Generation chapter while revealing several previously unknown details about the Robotech Expeditionary Force (REF) and its interactions with a mysterious race known as the Haydonites. Characters from all three chapters of Robotech appear along with others intended to have been introduced during the never-completed Sentinels saga.

Plot

The events of the Shadow Chronicles begin with the arrival of the main REF fleet in lunar orbit and the launch of its assault on Reflex Point. These are events that took place during the last few episodes of the New Generation saga, but here they are told from the perspective of characters who are based on the fleet.

Vince Grant takes the REF ship Icarus and a crew that includes former 15th ATAC Corporal Louie Nichols to search for the SDF-3, who has taken too long reuniting with the rest of the fleet. Upon arriving, they find the battle fortress in a decaying position relative to a newly formed Black hole, and learn from Admiral Rick Hunter that the singularity formed from the test-firing of a Neutron-S missile, and the crew of the Icarus is forced to abandon the SDF-3 when a massive armada of unknown origin arrives. The Icarus returns too late to prevent the order from General Reinhart that launches the missiles at Earth. The Invid Regess, however, recognizes these weapons and determines to leave Earth with all of her children, destroying the missiles as she goes as a final gift to her daughter, the Invid Princess-turned-humanoid Ariel.

Following the departure of the Invid as previously seen in Symphony of Light, the remnants of the REF fleet withdraw from Earth's orbit and rendezvous at Space Station Liberty (which survived the invasion) for repairs and to plan their next moves. The fleet is low on protoculture, which it cannot produce without the SDF-3 (which we know from Symphony of Light did not arrive with the rest of the fleet). At this point, Scott Bernard arrives from Earth to report in and reunites with Marcus Rush, Marlene's brother.

Ariel, who was left on Earth when the Invid Regess left, is told via telepathic communication that the "Children of Shadows" are coming to destroy humanity as they did the Invid before them, causing Ariel to turn into energy to reunite with Scott in Moon base ALUCE. Ariel, disguised as a REF member, finds Scott and he's told of the danger humanity is. However, before more could be divulged, Marcus sees Ariel using her powers and immediately deduces she's an Invid, Marcus, who had until this point seen Scott as a close friend, attacks Scott and manages to take him down, leading to Scott being arrested and interrogated. In the interrogation room, Scott attempts to explain the situation but is immediately distrusted by the REF command because of his involvement with Ariel.

In the course of events that follow, we learn that the synchro cannon, the protoculture-cloaking shadow device, and the Neutron-S missile were all technologies given to the Expeditionary Force by a race called the Haydonites, ostensibly part of the Sentinels alliance that fought to free its member planets from the Invid after the latter's conquest of Tirol. Shortly thereafter, mysterious invaders materialize in the vicinity of Space Station Liberty and attack the REF fleet with sleek fighter craft backed by similar-looking warships unfamiliar to the Expeditionary Force. The subsequent battle goes very badly as it becomes apparent that the use of synchro cannons results in system failure among both REF ships and mecha; Louis estimates fleet losses at 89%, Vince tells Louie to order the survivors to retreat to the station.

Recognizing that efforts to confront the invaders, who are identified by Ariel as the Haydonites, who destroyed the Invid civilization in the past, Vince Grant abandons the Icarus and brings a number of REF troops and pilots along with his crew to the Ark Angel, which was not retrofitted with the Haydonite technologies and also contains mecha that was not altered. Through a combination of planning and luck, and along with the help of Marcus and Maia Sterling, Scott and Vince lure the Haydonite fleet into close proximity of Space Station Liberty and set off one of the Neutron-S missiles, destroying the attackers.

The victory is both bittersweet and pyrrhic: having already sustained extremely heavy losses in the battle with the Invid, including Marcus's wingman and best friend Alex Romero, the remnants of the Expeditionary Force have now been reduced to a further tenth of what was their surviving strength. The heroes realize that their only hope lies with the SDF-3, and they set off on the Ark Angel to attempt to rescue the damaged battle fortress.

Memorable quotes

Cast

Crew

Producers

Music

Film Editing

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director

Art Department

Sound Department

Visual Effects

Camera and Electrical Department

Animation Department

Editorial Department

Music Department

Other

Special Thanks

Animation Style

The "Shadow Chronicles" uses a combination of computer-generated imaging (CGI) and traditional cell-shading. Mecha, warships, and large-scale environments are rendered by computer. To keep consistency with the feel of the main Robotech series, however, Harmony Gold intentionally made use of cell shading to create faces and features. The result is impressive and reasonably familiar if not entirely consistent with the original footage.

Inconsistencies

It had been more than two decades since the debut of Robotech (and longer since the rendering of the Japanese source material combined to make the series) when the Shadow Chronicles was released in 2006, and taking that into account, considerable effort was made to keep the events of the new film reasonably consistent with those of the New Generation storyline.

Nonetheless, there were several notable examples in which the new footage differed from the original, including the following:

Vince Grant Info Shadow Chronic

Background information

The film was inspired by Carl Macek's ideas for a Robotech sequel set after the events of the original show. Concepts such as the Haydonites betraying humanity, the Ark Angel ship, and a team that includes Scott Bernard, Louie Nichols and Vince Grant searching for the SDF-3. Some of these ideas were also used in the novel End of the Circle which was the ending of the novels' continuity.

Originally, the film was not going to show the ground battle during the Battle of Reflex Point. However, due to the plot relevance of both Scott and Ariel, it was decided to include it in a way that wouldn't contradict the events portrayed during the Robotech TV show. However, many felt that the conversation between Ariel and the Regess was too important to the plot to omit, leading to the version portrayed in the film that omits the Robotech Rebels, Sera and Corg.

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