I started re-watching Robotech as part of our in-home Covid Comicon. There is a lot that transpires in that show and for the most part, it is groundbreaking. Still, other stuff just doesn’t hold up. Going back after all these years was eye opening.
Let’s start with the implicit LGBTQ relationships. There are no spoilers here, but there is at least one implied relationship. Add to that the interracial relationship featured by mid season and you have yourself a show that pushes the boundaries.
That is not always a good thing. The female love interest (I hesitate to call her a protagonist as she always feels secondary in terms of quality of storytelling) has a very gratuitous nude scene and it is made clear both before and after that she is supposed to be a 16 year old girl.
Going beyond the ick factor, there are all sorts of odd patriarchal undertones throughout. None of these were challenged by me, and it felt very much like how anime still goes. I have to acknowledge that being a man and being nostalgic about the material did influence my thinking and understanding.
That is all I have the mind for so far.