 During production, Big West entered into a partnership with Tatsunoko to assist in the production of the series in a deal where it acquired the license to distribute the show worldwide (i.e., outside Japan), as well as earning some royalties to the merchandise.Tatsunoko then sub-licensed "Macross" to Harmony Gold USA in 1984.In 2002, the Tokyo District Court ruled that Big West/Studio Nue is the sole owner of the original character and mecha designs for the first series,
while that same court ruled in 2003 that Tatsunoko owned the production rights to the first series.