Search - Robotech - Counter Strike (Vol. 12) on DVD

The Quest for Reflex Point and More Revelations

Mr. JKW | Honolulu, Hawai'i | 03/17/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Robotech: Counter Strike, contains Episodes 68 - 73 of the ultra-intense third story arc (The New Generation) in the classic, ground-breaking, epic Americanized anime series from the 80s, Robotech.For the uninitiated, Robotech was the most popular of the Americanized Japanese anime series to hit American TV waves during the 1970s and 1980s (along with Star Blazers, Voltron, Transor Z, etc.) Known for its cutting edge animation, high-tech battle scenes, futuristic weapons (planes, tanks, motorcyles that transform into robots), cool alien invaders, and realistic and compelling storylines, Robotech swept an entire generation and helped put Japanese Anime forever on the map of American pop culture.THE STORY:Several years after the events of the Robotech Masters saga, the deadly alien menace known as the Invid, attracted by the dispersal of the Flower of Life and Protoculture, have conquered the Earth, subjugating mankind to its rule. Out of these ashes rises a resistance movement of Robotech freedom fighters committed to reclaiming the home world and vanquishing the Invid conquerors...Thought by many to be the best of the three Robotech story arcs, these stories provide a great look into a Post-Apocalyptic earth full of colonies of survivors and their alien tormentors. The constant battles for survival of the heroes show the true intensity and drama of this series. Overall, the action and drama are very compelling.This volume features the continuing saga of the New Generation as the fighters continue on their treacherous trek to Reflex Point and learn more about their deadly enemies, the Invid!!!THE EPISODES:Here's a rundown of the episodes featured on this DVD:Episode 68 - Eulogy: Scott and his Freedom Fighters arrive in a soldier town where Robotech soldiers enjoy a peaceful, laid back lifestyle. Here Scott meets up with one of his idols, Colonel Jonathan Wolfe, a hero of the Robotech Wars. Like in other towns though not all is as it seems here, and Colonel Wolfe is not the same person that Scott remembers...Episode 69 - The Genesis Pit: Robotech meets Jurassic Park!! Scott, Rand and Annie stumble into an underground cavern full of prehistoric creatures, revealing to them the Invid's diabolical plans for genetic evolution!!!Episode 70 - Enter Marlene: The heroes journey to Point K, an advance base for the REF and (to Scott's horror) stumble across the remains of a vast REF armada. While searching through the ruins, the gang finds and salvages more weapons (including the Beta Fighter) and gain a new member, the mysterious amnesiac girl whom they dub "Marlene" -- who in herself, is not what she seems to be...Episode 71 - The Secret Route: A look into Lancer's past as the gang meets up with a woman from his past while battling a crooked politician as they pass through a town on their trek to Reflex Point. Plus, has Annie FINALLY found her man???Episode 72 - The Fortress: To get to Reflex Point the gang must first get past a near invulnerable Invid mountain fortress. Can Rand and Annie knock out the Invid sensors to give the gang a fighting chance? Plus, more revelations about the Invid.Episode 73 - Sandstorms: Tensions start to run high between some of the gang forcing Rand out into a raging Sandstorm which knocks him into a pit of the Invid's Flower of Life, sending him into a hallucinatory dreamworld where he continues to learn more about the Invid's intentions while shedding some of his feelings for Scott, Marlene and the others.Incidentally, these volumes DO NOT have special DVD features (aside from trailer ads for other anime series coming out on DVD from ADV). Not to fear though. If you purchase the boxed set collections, each boxed set collection will come with an "Extra: Elements of Robotechnology" DVD special which will contain all the DVD special features you could want: interviews, trailers, commercial spots, specs, etc... So by all means, get the boxed set if you are planning on buying.THE VERDICT:Many feel that the New Generation story arc is by far the best out of all three of the Robotech story arcs, including the Macross Saga, and with good reason. The ultra-cool mecha and the ULTRA-INTENSE action as Scott Bernard's band of fighters literally run and fight for their lives against the Invid is compelling and dramatic and contains all the action you could look for, with less emphasis on the love stories that the previous arcs had.If you've never seen Robotech, simply put YOU MUST. The action and the drama are compelling, clearly showing why Robotech became a pop culture icon. It is the series that forever put Japanese anime on the map in the US. If you did grow up with Robotech, give these a watch again. They're great for a trip down memory lane. You can't lose!!!Highest Recommendation"