Robotech is an 85-episode adaptation of three different Japanese anime science fiction television series, The Super Dimension Fortress Macross, The Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross and Genesis Climber Mospeada, under the direction of Carl Macek. Robotech was originally aired in syndication starting in 1984 and has been seen in North America, Australia, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Europe, and Russia. Within the combined and edited story, Robotechnology refers to the scientific advances discovered in an alien starship that crashed on a South Pacific island. With this technology, Earth developed giant robotic machines (many of which were capable of transforming into vehicles) to fight three successive extraterrestrial invasions.