Today Bushiroad published new information about the upcoming anime-inspired shoot 'em up Macross: Shooting Insight.
Specifically, we learn about simulated battles that will let you challenge rivals from various series to unlock "Macross Memories" in the game. Below you can find the full list shared on the official Twitter account.
Simulated Battles: Experience match-ups that can't be found anywhere else! Hone your skills to become a top pilot! Train for combat by competing against rivals and enemy ace pilots in "Simulated Battles."
Selectable Opponents:
- Nora Polyansky & SV-51 y
- Guld Goa Bowman & YF-21
- Gigil & Fz-1 09F
- Brera Sterne & VF-27 y
- Messer lhlefeld & VF-31F
- Keith Aero Windermere & Sv-262Hs
Play the Simulated Battles to unlock "Macross Memories" from the various series featured in the game.
Unfortunately, there is a small problem that in my excitement for this game I had not noticed before. The Japanese version of the tweet also includes Maximilian Jenius piloting a VF-1S. That is completely missing from the English version. The same omissions extend to all details about content from the original Macross in all the other tweets.
The Japanese version of the tweets also mentions that that content comes from the 1984 movie "Macross: Do You Remember Love?" While nothing has been said officially, it's possible that the licensing issues that have been plaguing the series may still be rearing their ugly head and English-speaking users may end up missing out on content.
Unfortunately, the deal between Bigwest and Harmony Gold still assigns the exclusive rights for the characters included in the original Macross series in the Western market to the latter, which may be the cause of this omission. We have reached out to Bushiroad for a clarification on the topic, and we'll keep you informed if we receive a reply.
Macross: Shooting Insight doesn't have a release date just yet, but it's coming for PS5, PS4, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam. You can read more information about the game in our previous article.
If you're unfamiliar with Macross, it's one of the most famous and beloved sci-fi and mecha anime franchises of all time, debuted in Japan in 1982 from the genius of Studio Nue and Shoji Kawamori (who recently did the mecha design for Marvelous' Daemon Ex Machina). It focuses on the struggle of humanity to find its place in space with the help of powerful variable fighters that can transform between three different stages: mech, fighter jet, and a hybrid between the two known as Gerwalk. The uniting power of song is another relevant theme of the franchise.
Since its inception, the IP has sparked plenty of sequels and additional releases on other media. The latest TV series, Macross Delta, aired in 2016, followed by two theatrical movies.
Unfortunately, the original Super Dimension Fortress Macross TV series was licensed in the West by American television production company Harmony Gold, which completely distorted it and mixed it up with the basically unrelated series Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross and Genesis Climber Mospeada, creating the unsightly Frankenstein monster known at Robotech.
The murky licensing situation prevented most Western fans from enjoying a proper localization of the Macross franchise until recently, with Harmony Gold blocking most attempts to correct its misdeeds. That partly changed recently, as rights owner Bigwest finally announced a deal that unlocked the possibility of releasing most of the popular franchise on the global market, with plans including anime, games, toys, and more. Macross: Shooting Insight appears to be one of the first fruits of that deal, but it appears that we might not be completely in the clear just yet.
