I know Robotech has something to do with giant robot suits. I've heard of something called "The Macross Saga," but aside from that, my awareness of the property is limited to a perception that it's typical anime fare. So it occurred to me that this "Who's Who" type one-shot might actually be of interest to one such as myself -- the uninitiated. But after reading it, I find I know little more than I did before. For a "sourcebook," it's remarkably low on information.
An alien ship's crash-landing on Earth has brought the various warring governments of the world together, and a united, global government -- and an accompanying peace -- has arisen as a result. But there are those who oppose this unity and the advent of a global economy, and they fight against this evolved form of planetary government. The United Nations of Earth has developed amazing technology, and among it is a powerful weapon valled Veritech.
This book introduces to some major players in the world of Robotech. It's clear that the story isn't just about big robots doing battle in space, but that it examines society and how it might adapt to a new age of peace. But this sourcebook never really explores how these various characters fit into that story. At best, each character profile includes only one or two paragraphs of information, and it's just not enough to shed light on the concept.
One thing is clear from the visuals provided by the various artists in this book: Robotech is about a lot more than just big robot-suits... at least from a visual standpoint. The 1940s and current pop-culture clearly play a part in the overall visual style of the property. Overall, though, the artwork here left me rather cold. Few pieces seemed to have any real life or spark to them. The bulk of the art does what it's meant to, I suppose, and that's to have the characters pose for what is essentially their school pictures. The pieces that really do stand out -- like Jason Pearson's and Tommy Lee Edwards's -- are those in which the characters seem to be actually doing something, other than standing against a principally blank blackground.
Die-hard fans of Robotech aren't going to glean any hidden nuggets of information from this book, and the book does little to invite new readers into the socio-political science fiction world. So I have to ask... at what audience is this sourcebook aimed?
