RIP Carl Macek

Sad news today for American anime fans. Anime News Network is reporting that Carl Macek has passed away on Saturday due to a heart attack.

Mr. Macek is best known, of course, for producing the 1980s hit Robotech – an English dubbed and edited compilation of three seemingly unrelated Japanese anime series: The Super Dimension Fortress Macross, The Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross, and Genesis Climber Mospeada. Many an American anime fan started down the path of fandom thanks to this show — myself included.

Besides his involvement in Robotech, Macek and his company Streamline Pictures was also involved with quite a few other anime titles, including Captain Harlock and Queen Millennia (released as “Captain Harlock and the Queen of a Thousand Years”) all the way to more recent projects including Bleach and Naruto. Unfortunately his involvement with the American anime fandom was not without its share of controversy, but even his detractors would be hard pressed to deny him his legacy I think.

Mr. Macek, you will be missed.

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