Macross: Do You Remember Love? -- First Official U.S. Theatrical Screening

The film that defined the Macross franchise gets its first official US theatrical run since its original release. Not the streaming version. A theater, the original print, and an audience that knows every frame.

The film itself is a theatrical retelling of the original Super Dimension Fortress Macross television series, condensed into a feature-length experience that blends mecha warfare, a love triangle, and the premise that music can end a galactic war. Directed by Noboru Ishiguro and Shoji Kawamori, the film is considered a benchmark of 1980s anime production. Its space battle sequences and character animation set standards that influenced a generation of animators. The soundtrack -- particularly Mari Iijima's original performances of Do You Remember Love? and My Boyfriend Is a Pilot -- became foundational texts of anime music culture.

Worth it? Who it's for: If you have watched any Macross series, listened to Mari Iijima, or know what Valkyrie fighters are, this screening is for you -- and for the next 40 years, it will be one of those events you either attended or missed. Classic anime collector culture prizes theatrical screenings of foundational films above almost any contemporary release because of the rarity. This is a once-in-a-lifetime screening, not a revival. It is the first official time. The Novo is a 2,300-seat venue; tickets are limited.

What to know before you go: The screening is Sunday July 5, 2026 at noon at The Novo by Microsoft, 800 W Olympic Blvd, Los Angeles. This is adjacent to Anime Expo 2026 (July 2-5 at LACC), making it a natural anchor for AX attendees. A BIGWEST Macross panel precedes the screening at Anime Expo (July 2, 1 PM, Room 511ABC at LACC). The Novo is walkable from the Convention Center. Buy tickets well in advance -- the collector community for this film is global, not local, and demand will exceed venue capacity.

The Macross: Do You Remember Love? theatrical screening is the kind of event the anime community has waited for longer than most of its members have been alive. When licensing barriers fall, they sometimes fall for a single moment. This is that moment. July 5, 2026, The Novo, Los Angeles.