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CARL MACEK, ROBOTECH CREATOR (1951-2010)
Cartoon Brew ^ | 2010.04.18 | Jerry Beck

Posted on 04/19/2010 12:12:08 AM PDT by B-Chan

Mutual friend Bob Cabeen has just informed me of the passing of my former business partner Carl Macek. Carl died of a heart attack on Saturday.

Among his many accomplishments Carl created Robotech, co-founded Spumco with John K. and co-founded Streamline Pictures (Akira, Fist of the North Star, Laputa, etc.) with me.

Carl began his career doing grassroots promotional work on sci-fi films such as Star Wars and Alien, and worked for numerous industry icons including Dino Di Laurentiis and Ivan Reitman. He wrote the book The Art of Heavy Metal (Animation for the Eighties) in 1981. In 1984, Macek began his long association with Japanese animation. He worked with Harmony Gold, U.S.A. to develop the groundbreaking anime series ROBOTECH that has been credited with igniting the anime movement in the US. After his stint at Harmony Gold, Macek moved on to work for D.I.C. and Bill Kroyer’s studio.

In 1988, Macek divided his time between forming Spumco with John K. and partnering with me to create Streamline Pictures. In 1990, after helping sell Ren & Stimpy to Nickelodeon, Macek parted with Spumco to develop Streamline Pictures full time. Streamline imported and dubbed anime features for US movie theaters, for television showings and home video for over a decade. One of his most enduring projects during this period was producing the original English-language dub of the Miyazaki classic My Neighbor Totoro.

In the late 1990’s, Macek returned to original animation production and was instrumental in developing several projects (Heavy Metal 2000 and Lady Death). Most recently, he has adapted, produced and directed English–language versions of Tomino’s classic 49-episode fantasy Aura Battler Dunbine. He also adapted numerous Japanese anime for the North American market including Naruto and Bleach.

Carl had been working on a slate of original projects as well, including War Eagles, a novel and screenplay inspired by Merian C. Cooper’s unproduced film treatment. Some of his recent science fiction short stories can be read at storyleap.com.

Carl had his critics. But one thing is certain: the popularity of anime in the North America would not be where it is today without Macek’s groundbreaking work on Robotech and his efforts on behalf of Streamline Pictures.


TOPICS: Japan; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events; US: California
KEYWORDS: akira; anime; macek; obituary; robotech
All of us who worked on ROBOTECH over the years owe him a debt of gratitude. May he rest in peace.
1 posted on 04/19/2010 12:12:09 AM PDT by B-Chan
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To: B-Chan

Godspeed.


2 posted on 04/19/2010 12:17:45 AM PDT by happinesswithoutpeace (1.416785(71) x 10^32)
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To: B-Chan

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVZyHDA9I6A


3 posted on 04/19/2010 12:18:46 AM PDT by happinesswithoutpeace (1.416785(71) x 10^32)
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To: happinesswithoutpeace

for those of you who watched robotech in LA, remember this;

kcop 13 at 4:30!


4 posted on 04/19/2010 12:20:05 AM PDT by echomike23
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To: happinesswithoutpeace

i recommend that movie (macross dyrl) to anyone, anime fan or not. the themes portrayed, were so well done.


5 posted on 04/19/2010 12:21:37 AM PDT by echomike23
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To: echomike23

^__^


6 posted on 04/19/2010 12:41:53 AM PDT by happinesswithoutpeace (1.416785(71) x 10^32)
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To: B-Chan

Needs moar reba west

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfwj2IVc4OI


7 posted on 04/19/2010 1:03:50 AM PDT by happinesswithoutpeace (1.416785(71) x 10^32)
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To: B-Chan

Robotech was my favorite cartoon as a kid (at least Macross was), and unknowingly the first anime that I ever watched. Sorry to hear about Carl Macek.


8 posted on 04/19/2010 1:10:52 AM PDT by thecabal (Destroy Progressivism)
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To: happinesswithoutpeace

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXDV5HLw4Bg


9 posted on 04/19/2010 1:19:22 AM PDT by happinesswithoutpeace (1.416785(71) x 10^32)
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To: happinesswithoutpeace

RIP.


10 posted on 04/19/2010 3:23:03 AM PDT by wally_bert (It's sheer elegance in its simplicity! - The Middleman)
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To: B-Chan

My condolences to Mr. Macek’s family. Just the other day I was commenting to a friend that I had seen the masterpiece Akira in the theater when it came out in the eighties. A movie that IMHO has had no rival in regards, to drawings, animation and story. I think I’ll watch it later today.


11 posted on 04/19/2010 3:43:51 AM PDT by FreeManWhoCan ("I like dogs better than I like most people.")
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To: FreeManWhoCan

I’ve had that sitting around for a while and haven’t gotten to rewatch it...you’re right, today sounds like an appropriate day.


12 posted on 04/19/2010 4:31:43 AM PDT by Fire_on_High (Trijicon, the scope of CRUSADERS!!)
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To: B-Chan

RIP.


13 posted on 04/19/2010 10:16:54 AM PDT by fieldmarshaldj (~"This is what happens when you find a stranger in the Amber Lamps !"~~)
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To: happinesswithoutpeace

http://www.youtube.com/user/ERIESZAYAKA#p/c/9A944FAD21CC67B2


14 posted on 04/19/2010 3:02:06 PM PDT by wally_bert (It's sheer elegance in its simplicity! - The Middleman)
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To: happinesswithoutpeace

I liked Yellow Dancer/Lancer’s tracks as well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvXTC7LeIMI&feature=related


15 posted on 04/19/2010 3:03:27 PM PDT by wally_bert (It's sheer elegance in its simplicity! - The Middleman)
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To: All

Has anyone heard much about the live-action Robotech movie (2012)???


16 posted on 09/12/2010 8:47:26 PM PDT by ak267
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