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Column by Scott Green
On Cartoon Brew, Jerry Beck has reported that his Streamline Pictures co-founder Carl Macek passed Saturday of a heart attack at age 58. Macek may be best known for localizing Tatsunoko sci-fi The Super Dimension Fortress Macross, The Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross, and Genesis Climber MOSPEADA as the perennially popular Robotech. Also at Harmony Gold, he localized Captain Harlock and the Queen of a Thousand Years. His and Beck's Streamline pictures imported Akira, Hayao Miyazaki's Lupin III: Castle of Cagliostro and Laputa, Barefoot Gen, Lensman, Robot Carnival, Doomed Megalopolis, Fist of the North Star, Twilight of the Cockroaches, Crying Freeman and Wicked City. He also produced the original English language dub of Miyazaki's My Neighbor Totoro. More recent work included the dub on ADV's release 80's fantasy/sci-fi Aura Battler Dunbine and their Lady Death original production, as well as script work on Naruto and Bleach for Viz. Macek had his detractors, but his significance in shaping the history of anime in North America is undeniable. He was truly a key figure in popularizing the medium. An extensive interview from last October can be heard on ANNCast
