Robotech II: The Sentinels

I enjoyed this "movie", actually the start of an incomplete series supposed to span 65 episodes. A diehard Robotech fan, I couldn't get enough of this tape, which kept the original voices of the Robotech TV series while recreating the feel of the series even with new animators. Sadly, the story is very incomplete, since all it takes is the first 4 episodes of what would have been a series. Having read the (complete) robotech books, I know that the Sentinels are a group of aliens the SDF-3 is supposed to meet early in the Robotech II story, but despite the "Sentinels" present in the name of the movie, you don't even get a glimpse of them! I hope, probably in vain, eventually someone will pick up and finish the series.

i first saw these on sci-fi awhile back. i had no idea this was anime at the time, but it ruled. the story is awesome, the characters are awesome, the alpha fighters are awesome, and the motocycles are awesome! whew!! lol. anyway, if you've seen the lame south cross series, this series clears up all the confusion heard at the end about the ivid and such. if you like the previous robotech series, see this.

Wanting to continue milking the cash cow, Harmony Gold decided to make a sequel. This instalment in the "Robotech epic" was essentially a patchwork of specifically made footage (done by a Korean studio under Tatsunoko's supervision) and existing animation. The character designs were based on those of Macross, as the main characters were Rick Hunter, Lisa Hayes, Max Sterling, Breetai, Miriya etc. Did I say "based"? These new designs were americanised, looking like the worst moments of Hanna-Barbera. The uniforms were, to put it bluntly, disturbing. The storyline was even worse than that of the initial Robotech. The voice acting was as bad as you can imagine - don't forget it's a Harmony Gold production after all - and, of course, Reba West kept torturing our ears with her "singing". That the direction makes Ed Wood seem like Francis Ford Coppola goes without saying.

Only three episodes were finished. They fared poorly, ratings-wise, so the main financer, Matchbox (the toy and model manufacturer that now is a part of the Revell/Monogram consortium) bailed out. Tatsunoko did too. So, without funding and with appalling ratings, Robotech II: The Sentinels died the early death it deserved. Even Robotech fans find it an atrocity. If Robotech is a waste of time, Robotech II: The Sentinels is a waste of shelf space in video stores.

Look elsewhere and don't buy the hype of Harmony Gold, which desperately tries to revive interest in its pathetic products, in an attempt to cash in on the worldwide resurgence of interest in Macross.

An incomplete story. Only one real storyline gets completed. Its the soap opera type storyline that usually accompanied the action in the TV series. The action storyline never actually get completed. I guess thats because its only the first 3 episodes of a TV series put together and labeled a movie. I grew up watching Robotech on television. It was by far my favorite of all cartoons. Maybe it influenced my decision to pursue an education and career in mechanical engineering. Apart from that I was always intrigued by airplanes. In any case if I had seen this "movie" in my youth I would have been sadly disappointed by the fact that the action was left unresolved. So I guess I'm saying that if you primarily enjoyed the soap opera style love stories that took place in the series you might like this "movie", but otherwise don't waste your time.

Regardless of what some say, The Sentinels is a great continuation to the Robotech TV series. From Rem and Cabel's Robotechnology/Protoculture discussion's, to Rick and Lisa's Wedding and the final battle on Tirol between the Regent's forces and the remaining Bioroids. The Sentinels Movie remains to me a great start to the series that should have been. (Thank God for the Novels and Comics) I still continually watch this Film as much as the rest of the series. I find this and The Robotech Masters the best parts of Robotech. I hope Harmony Gold will at some point finish it with a bunch of OVA movies like the upcoming Shadow Chronicles.