Carl Macek (1951-2010)

[MHopcroft]

Anime News Network reports that Carl Macek, the anime impresario whose popular and controversial Robotech helped launch the anime movement in North America, has passed away after a heart attack.

Macek was a controversial figure among anime fans, but the impact of what he did can hardly be overestimated. Not only did he introduce the anime medium to a generation who would become the backbone of American fandom, but he broke all the rules for syndicated "children's television" of his era. There is a famous story when station managers he
was trying to syndicate Robotech two screened the episode "Pine Salad" and asked Macek how he would resurrect Roy Fokker. His answer of course was that he wouldn't: Fokker was dead and he would stay dead. Because this was war, and war makes people die. He wasn't going to sugarcoat or nerf it.

[Mr Silmero]

Man, Robotech was the first anime where I watched it as a YOUNG kid and went "wait...this seems odd. Does not seem like a normal cartoon" and I was right, it was ANIME in one of its earliest American forms. I even bought Robotech NOVELS when i was like...8. Man those things were hardcore long.


Anyways- what a loss, if this guy was not around I may have not become a weaboo or it would have taken much longer. I never knew of the guy- but I will miss him.

[Admin]

So sads