>>10613053Harmony Gold got the license for Robotech, which at the time was held by Revell to import anime robot model kits and they wanted to make an IP to help sell it. The first iteration was a comic book that has nothing to do with anything else. Then Harmony Gold got a license from Tastunoko Studios to adapt Macross, Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross, and MOSPEADA and that became the Robotech IP. Then Revell bailed out and HG became the primary license holder of the shit for these series outside of Japan (this is important).
Hasbro got caught up in it because they sublicensed the original Jetfire from a Japanese license holder and redecorated it. This ran afoul of HG's license and so litigation ensued. Everyone was an asshole so Hasbro lost the valkyrie Jetfire but HG lost the ability to have their VF toy transform.
Then Battledroids came along, and got fucked for using the term droid. Then they got fucked again for using models and illustrations that ran afoul of HG's primary license from Tatsunoko (FASA had sublicensed them from a toy import company that may never have had the right to sublicense in the first place). Litigation ensued, everyone was an asshole.
All that shit sorted out, the only bone of contention left was between HG and Big West, because BOTH were primary license holders from Tatsunoko. These were the only two licensees that ever really mattered. After many years, they finally sorted their shit out so they could save money by teaming up to produce things each could then market under their respective logo. Thus Robotech and Macross are still separate properties, but for toy production are now treated as one joint property.
HG were assholes about it all, this is true, but that's the only thing they did wrong. The issuance of licenses and sublicenses without oversight (or even authorization) was the real trouble. Because HG got it straight from Tats, they had the strongest claim outside Big West.
