“Dedicated to all pioneers” reads the opening line to this Macross sidestory, and you can tell just from those words that this is a work with feeling behind it. Five years before 7th Colonization Fleet came under attack from a new enemy, the U.N. has begun testing on the next generation of Valkyrie variable fighter to replace the VF-11 Thunderbolt. Two designs are in competition with each other: Shinsei Industries YF-19, an updated but more conventional design, and General Galaxy’s YF-21, a highly advanced heavy fighter incorporating a wide variety of experimental systems. Chief among these is a direct telepathic link with its pilot that promises unheard of response times and situational awareness. Three old friends are brought together on the planet Eden by the Project Super Nova tests and by chance. Isamu Dyson, a fighter ace with a habit of disobeying orders and flying like a madman, and Guld Bowman, a test pilot for the YF-21, are reunited with Myung Fang Lone who is now an agent for a computer program ‘singer’. But the three apparently did not part under the best of circumstances and Isamu and Guld immediately start making their program rivalry personal while Myung seems to get caught in the middle. Trials for the two aircraft with their new pilots begin at New Edwards Air Base, a computer ‘singer’ named Sharon Apple arrives on the planet, and the YF-21′s brain-wave control system appears to be affecting its pilot. All in all we should be in for quite a ride.
Isamu, Myung, and Guld when they were younger on the planet Eden. Myung sings while Guld tries to launch Isamu on a homebuilt flying machine of questionable airworthiness.
Somehow it flies, though I’m not so sure about the landing. Isamu’s Hajime no Ippo outfit likely isn’t going to provide him with much protection.
Immediately after the flashback the time returns to 2040 where Isamu and his wingman are fighting against a flight of enemy Queadluun Rae.
His wingman lines up the shot only to have Isamu slide in front of him and steal the kill.
Isamu still showing off, scaring the hell out of his wingman but keeping him safe from their enemies, who outnumber them at least 3:1.
The bayonets on the gunpods were a cool touch. I also love to see the VF-11 get some love, in Macross 7 so far they’ve just been cannon fodder.
More of the Thunderbolt looking good in a very nicely animated dogfight.
Isamu’s piloting, while excellent, does not endear him to his superiors and after the mission he is standing before his displeased commanding officer. While at first he threatens Shin with a range of boring assignments, he seems to see the potential in the pilot and instead assigns him to New Edwards on Eden to be a test pilot for the YF-19 prototype. Needless to say he’s excited at the prospect of getting to pilot one of the newest, most advanced aircraft yet produced and sets off for his new assignment with enthusiasm. At New Edwards, named after the real life USAF base, a trial of the the YF-21 is already underway. Utilizing some sort of new variable geometry wings, the YF-21 is able to change and distort the shape of its fixed wings at the pilot’s mental command. Isamu arrives just in time to have the YF-21 blow right past his fighter before landing and reporting to the group of military officers and civilian personnel that run the program. His cocky attitude doesn’t make for the best first impression, but he doesn’t really put anyone off either until Guld arrives back from his flight. They sneer and yell at each other and Isamu even puts his fist through the glass tabletop when Grul questions his worthiness to be a test pilot. Over the next few days the two continue their activities separates, with Guld checking up on Isamu’s records and Isamu crashing the simulator pod, he’s just that good.
Very cool office. The scene also brings back memories of the Wing Commander games, when you’re ordered to report to the Squadron Commander’s office for reassignment, medals, or chewing out.
He’s certainly full of himself, cocky, and likes to get in the way, but he’s pretty likable. Reminds me a bit of Patrick Colasour pre-Kati.
Macross’s version of the Psy-Commu System. Or perhaps a better analogy would be the EXAM System from Gundam: Blue Destiny since I’m certain nothing good will come of this thing.
It’s very important to know your personnel’s bust and hip measurements. Kind of creepy, U.N. Spacy. Interesting that the measurements are in inches and pounds, guess they wanted to be very faithful to the US Air Force/Navy influence that Macross uses.
The two candidate fighters. I like that they gave them manufacturers, it adds a little bit of detail and realism, and they even took inspiration from General Dynamics (developer of the F-16 and F-111) for one of the names.
Judging by his service record the U.N. Spacy still has plenty of crises to keep it busy.
After crashing the simulator Isamu makes enough of an impression on one of the engineers working on the program, Lucy Macmillan, to go out on a date with her. Driving his 3x faster motorcycle like a maniac down the highway, the two reach the nearby city. They have a pretty good day out, and the computer program singer, which I guess we may as well call some sort of advanced vocaloid, Sharon arrives to a big reception despite being no more charismatic than one of those SEELE monoliths from Evangelion. Sharon’s manager, Myung, runs into Guld and the two get to talking up on Star Hill, an area with lots of windmills that looks like the place from the opening flashback. It seems like there is/was something between them romantically that didn’t end well, but the two don’t directly confront it. Guld asks her if she sings anymore, and she replies no, words that seem to come out with a masked sense of loss. Just as she’s singing the praises of Sharon Guld grabs her and hugs her, saying that she should forget what happened in the past and that he would help her forget. Just then Isamu and Lucy show up, and not to the warmest greeting by Guld. He picks Isamu up by the collar when he implies that Guld and Myung are a couple and a fight is only averted by her physically getting between the two of them. The competition between the two comes up again, with Guld vowing to not let Isamu have the new fighter program or Myung.
This OVA could only have more Top Gun influence/references if a Valkyrie took off parallel to them and “Danger Zone” started playing.
You think Kawamori likes San Francisco much? The hilly terrain, broad streets, and architecture is all over the Macross series.
Somewhere in the background, a monkey throws a bone into the air.
See how many horrible late 1980′s-early 1990′s mistakes of fashion you can find. Reminds me of when I played GTA: Vice City.
Setting up the mystery for us.
Seems like there’s more to their rivalry than the usual love triangle.
The next day the YF-21 has another test flight, and Isamu is piloting one of the chase aircraft, a VF-11 with booster attached. Things proceed smoothly through one test and into a second missile avoidance test, but when some of the dummy missiles lose track of Guld and start homing in on Isamu’s VF-11 he has to showboat and refuses to get hit by the harmless missiles. Instead he tries to outmaneuver them to show that he’s just as good of a pilot and drops one of his boosters as a decoy. It works, but he’s now unable to control his plane since the second booster was meant to work with the first to balance it. Just as Guld is about to finish off the last target drone Isamu drops his second booster into it, destroying it but enraging Guld so much that he loses control of his mental connection to the YF-21 as his anger brings back old memories. Isamu circles him on his descent, teasing him about who is the better pilot, until ordered to catch the falling variable fighter. He manages to catch and slow the YF-21, but a stray thought from Guld about how he could wreck Isamu and possibly kill him prompts the YF-21 to react, pushing the VF-11 to the ground and putting Isamu into a crash tumble. He manages to survive and is picked up by Guld, and another fight nearly breaks out back at base. It really was an accident and Guld casually mentions this, not that Isamu is likely to believe him.
Isamu just can’t let a chance to showoff pass him by.
Something serious obviously went down to sour their friendship, but at this point there’s too little information to jump to conclusions. Though I get the impression that jump to a conclusion is exactly what Guld did at the time.
Seeing the YF-21 in battroid form illustrates how much bulkier it is compared to the VF-11
He’s lucky he could walk away from that one.
Final Thoughts: – This show had me hooked right from that beautiful hand-drawn dogfight. As good as some of the best modern CG can look, I always enjoy well done hand-drawn battles more. It has details like textures and shadows that just haven’t been captured yet in CG. Plus it featured my favorite variable fighter since the original VF-1, the VF-11 Thunderbolt. In the first episodes of Macross 7 that I’ve watched so far it’s always just been cannon fodder, being destroyed in scores by the Protodeviln. But the design is among my favorites, I might even like it more than the VF-25.
- Despite my usual preferences for more serious characters I definitely like Isamu more than Guld. Isamu might be full of himself and more than a bit of a yahoo, but he doesn’t seem like a bad guy. He pulls his stunts but he took care of his wingman and rescued Guld when the time came. He was flirty with Lucy but didn’t act like a jackass on their date. Guld on the other hand is more serious, but he seems overly so and very stubborn to boot. He’s much more antagonistic than Isamu and has less control of his emotions despite trying to act cool.
- The whole Sharon Apple computer program thing is just beyond weird. Unless some beautiful android emerges from that big black box, then I might understand people’s infatuation with the virtual idol. It could be commentary on pop music though, since a computer program idol would be the ultimate in manufactured, artificial music. This remains to be seen, but maybe it’s an acknowledgement of how fake pop culture can be, even if it might serve some purpose. I also expect this AI singer to figure into the mental control system for the YF-21 somehow.
- Myung is kind of creeping me out visually. She seems like a good character and all, but her hairstyle and oddly drawn, thin, pointy nose is reminding me of Michael Jackson. And I am squarely from the generation that regarded him as a creepy, self-deformed pedophile, not as the king of pop.
- Music is great, as expected of a soundtrack put together by Yoko Kanno.
Special announcement: I am currently looking for a series to retroblog after I finish with Macross Plus, so if you have any suggestions feel free to make them. I’m looking for something non-mecha, pre-2000, and no longer than 52 episodes. While I could go with another mecha series, and I’d certainly enjoy it, I don’t want to only retroblog mecha series. So if you have any ideas go ahead and suggest them in the comments.
45 Comments
That moment when Sharon Box-type gets photographed and all those flashbulbs erupt — it’s a sinister feeling compared to that of Minmay’s moment in Macross Flashback: 2012 (the referenced material). It’s interesting to consider Sharon as a commentary on pop music, though Kanno went on and made a fair bit of not only pop, but outright commercial music herself.
It certainly makes me think about how a ‘ghost’ can inhabit a machine and make it more human, and this plays out musically too (fun to note that Kanno also did the OSTs of Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex). This was my first encounter with Kanno’s work, and I loved it at once.
When I first finished this show, I was at a total loss what to make of it. It made me hunt down DYRL? and try to remember the Macross of my childhood. It had been so long since I’ve seen Macross and DYRL that I’ve taken Robotech to be canon. Macross Plus suggested a continuity where Hikaru and Minmay are no longer involved, and I was very upset since I hadn’t let go of them yet.
Nonetheless, Isamu was an instant favorite, and the finale is one of my favorite moments in all anime.
Well, keeping with the military theme, I would suggest that you blog Now and Then, Here and There from 1999, and it’s only 13 episodes long. I would like to blog this series, but I won’t have a slot open for a long time, and I think that your coverage of the series would show anime fans what real post-apocalypse suffering is all about.
Be sure to watch the superior movie version of Plus.
Retroblogging?, why don’t you try Nadia: the Secret of Blue Water. Its been inspired by the book 20,000 leagues under the sea and was directed by the director of the new EVA movies(which are the shit compared the original). Furthermore, it only has 39 episodes and is quite old – made in 1989. It does not have a Gainax end. Or, try Kimagure Orange Road. I recall u having a poll months ago to which anime u should retroblog and it was between original Macross and Maison Ikkoku. However Maison Ikkoku has 96 episodes, 3 times longer than Macross. Kimagure Orange Road is similar to Maison Ikkoku but it only has 49 episodes so good luck making you choice.
Nice one. I used to watch “Nadia: the Secret of Blue Water” back in 5 or 6 grade i haven’t seen all Episodes since back then but it is a good Anime Series.
@ Ghostlightning
Ah, Flashback: 2012, I meant to watch that earlier and forgot. Maybe I’ll get to it tomorrow. The comment I made about Sharon as a commentary on pop music was just a thought that occurred to me, though it could be proved otherwise later on. Isamu is pretty cool so far, and a welcome break from 7′s Basara for me.
@ Animewriter
That’s a good idea. I’ve already seen Now and Then, Here and There, but it was several years ago back in high school. It might be fun to take another look at it and to blog about it, especially since I’ve learned a lot since then about conflict and post-conflict situations. Thanks for the suggestion
@ JELEINEN
I’ll have to see about getting my hands on it. It’s rare that a movie version is better, so it’s surprising to hear that the movie is actually better than the OVA. Will check it out.
@ Ovie
I’ve seen some of Nadia but it didn’t seem quite like my thing. Haha, yeah I remember putting Maison Ikkoku up for the vote, and it almost won, without realizing how damn long it is. Great show so far, but I’d be blogging it for years. Kimagure Orange Road sounds pretty interesting though, so I’m going to get that and check out the first episode or two to get a firsthand impression. Thanks for your suggestions!
“Immediately after the flashback the time returns to 2040 where Isamu and his wingman are fighting against a flight of enemy Queadluun Rae.”
Actually those are not Queadluuns. They are called Zentradi Battle Suits for the lack of a better term. Rebel Zentradi here has replaced the Anti-UN or became the new Anti-UN for the new UN Government. Here and in the games ,namely Macross M3, Macross VF-X and Macross VF-X2, they have developed their own mecha learning from the Humans how to build their own technology. As seen in Isamu’s record all is not peachy in the UN sphere of influence. There is terrorism,crime and insurrections along the colonies. (At very least wherever Isamu is stationed trouble is bound to happen. No wonder nobody wants him. He’s like a jinx.)
The big deal about Sharon Apple is not that she is a virtuoid but she is purported to be the first true sentient AI developed. Macross certainly has AI for those juice machines, sweeper and combat drones etc. but none before that was sentient.
I felt RDM watched Macross Plus due to some similar premises in Caprica. In Sharon the big red camera eye certainly screams Cylon.
On the BDI and BCS systems man were they bulky here. By the time of Macross 7 and Macross Frontier they refined it. The VF-22S has BDI and BCS which is why Max has his custom blue Blue Gazer. Milia has her red one but she doesn’t have the same helmet s Max, which is similar to Guld’s. The VF-25 and VF-27 have next generation versions of these systems. Oh Pixie Squad’s Queadluun Rea does have a BDI system. Millia had a hand in its development.
IIRC, the VF22 don’t have the BDS/BDI, only the traditionnal controls, and the Queadluun-Rhea is an ancient zentradi design, Millia had a hand on the development of the custom Queadlunn of Emilia.
Macross + is one of my favourite work in Macross, the macross verion of Top Gun.
Sharon Apple plays a big part in the plot of M+, but unfortunately she won’t mess with the YF-21 electronics, she’ll do something much, much better (hint: Luca made a reference about it in episode 25 of Frontier).
Guld don’t give a good impression at the start, but all will be forgiven at the end. His tendency to violence is due to him being half zentradi, which tend to give an innate urge for violence, only subsided by using special pills.
The YF-21 Sturmvogel (one of my favourite valkyrie) use two revolutionnary system : the BDS (Brain Direct interface System) which permit the pilot to control the fighter with his thought, interpreting the brainwaves of the pilot and converting them into commands (the system have integrated safeguard to avoid fragging fellow pilots or officers because of random or parasite thought). This system gives to the YF21 an unparalleled reaction time, but needs an extraordinary mental concentration of its pilot to really work to its full extent.
The second system is the BDI (Brain Direct Image system), where the pilot receive the images from the plane’s cameras directly into his brain and all the data relative to the fighter (radar, ammo, fuel, etc).
In fact, Brera’s VF27 use an improved BDS/BDI system, and the Ex-Gear use a simplified BDS to facilitate difficult/delicate maneuver for the VF25 pilots.
The YF21 is made using Zentradi technology, that’s why its battroid form looks like a Queadluun-Rau.
You should try Macross 7…
Isamu’s the archetypal fighter jockey that is loathed by ground pounders. He’s a handy pilot but he’s no leader by any stretch of the imagination, as good as he is his personal habit grate on my sailor sensibilities. He has no synergy with his mates and if they can’t respect him personal fall outs will express themselves in combat, if I had to work for him I’d make sure to make his life hard in kind. While the cast of Plus are adults they can be surprisingly petty. Isamu’s problem is one of arrogance he seems to go out of his way to make people hate him, Guld’s principle problem is that his Freudian slips find easy expression in his YF-21, but at least he is cognizant of the problem even if he maintains a persistent air of denial.
I liked Patrick better since he was able to be a team player and wasn’t a complete asshole like Isamu is. Also Patrick was sincere about his personal feelings, Isamu tried to play it like a tsudere.
So far the VF-25 took the top spot in my heart for coolest VF, it has a variety of strike packs and has the EX-Gear system…so it’s wondrously awesome complete package even if it is not as gorgeous as the YF-19.
Macross 7, =_=; u serious?
I like M+ but only for the mecha and dog fights. The 3 main characters, supposely adults, act like they’re from a high school drama. Myung plays the victim card at every opportunity even though she is in the best position to resolve the situation. The way all 3 act during the show just makes me rage.
I think after this, if you can get it, watch the movie edition . Supposedly that one has been declared by Kawamori to be the definitive version. It has extended footage of dogfights and cuts some of the filler.
On a side note, the YF-19 is definitely the most beautiful valkyrie ever designed. The long slender forward fuselage and forward swept wings makes it look a swan in flight. I hate what Basara did to it. The abomination known as the fire valkyrie is just wrong.
Blame Max actually he was behind Project M. Seven years after Macross 7 he sponsors the next generation of musical pilots.
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c111/ReddyRedWolf/Macross7thChordKonigMonster.jpg
Also look at who Isamu was acquainted with.
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c111/ReddyRedWolf/MacrossFrontierPlus.jpg
@ Ianis
At your and several others’ advice, I’m going to go look for the movie version. I guess I’ll see about the character personalities you mentioned, heh. The VF-19 isn’t bad, but I’m not really a fan of forward swept wings, aesthetically even. Like with the Flanker: I think the Su-27 and 37 are beautiful aircraft but the Su-47 just rubs me the wrong way.
@ ReddyRedWolf
Say it ain’t so!
+ 1 to that statement. I hate Basara’s Fire Valkyrie too. The paint job is ugly as hell and as Battroid it has a “Face” (who looks like it’s straight from a mid 80′s Power Rangers Mecha… Ewww) witch if never seen on any other Valkyrie in the view Macross Series i’ve seen so far.
The blue YF-19 the other Squads get in later M7 Episodes would look pretty decent (but for me still ain’t got sh*t on VF-1S or VF-0).
Sharon Apple’s popularity may make more sense after you see the first concert scene.
Macross Plus is an interesting part of the Macross canon; it’s probably the most sombre iteration of the franchise. There’s a constant undercurrent of emotional tension throughout most of the story, even in scenes where people are ostensibly being lighthearted. Without throwing out any spoilers, I think this tension is what makes the ending work so well.
On movie vs OVA: I wouldn’t say the movie is necessarily better; I think rather that they complement each other nicely. The movie does have some absolutely spectacular visuals that aren’t in the OVA, though they’re mainly at the end.
@Ianis: Yeah, they do act like teenagers, but in a way that might be the point – they’re stuck in the state they were in when they last met.
The school rooftop scene in Frontier where Ranka finds Alto and Sheryl is reminicent of Macross Plus. Ranka=Guld, Sheryl=Isamu, Alto=Myung. LOL
One thing the OVA has over the movie is the opening scene where Isamu faces the Zentradi Battle Suits. It shows rebel Zentradi being cultured yet yearning for battle or does not want to constrained by the current society has not been sitting on their technologica laurels. Besides the suit there are other mecha which rebel Zentradi deverloped. The Zentradi Variable Glaug, a Glaug that can turn to a fighter, Glaug and battroid mode accomdating a full sized Zentradi.(Macross M3) The Stealth Glaugs and Stealth Regulds, Stealth Gnerl and Stealth Quel-Quallie of Macross V-FX. The Feios Valkyrie appearing in both appears in Macross VF-X and Macross VF-X2. Also Black Raibow group’s Gjagravan Va Land Weapon in Macross VF-X 2. Think of it as a four legged destroid with tons of missile and a cutting beam weapon. Then there is the Zentradi Final Weapon of Macross M3 which is a combiner of three fighters in Macross M3.
@ Keith
I eat somber and tragedy up, so that’s encouraging to hear!
@ ReddyRedWolf
Haha, the Ai Ai Alto-hime phenomenon really has reversed everything!
I wish those Macross games had been released in the US. Know any good emulators? I haven’t had any luck getting one to work for me.
First time Macross Plus watcher? You’re definitely in for a treat – although from what I gather, Plus is the “least Macross” of all the various iterations of the franchise. I think that is what makes it such a strong entry though – it doesn’t really require an appreciation of the rest of the franchise and stands alone really well.
Looking back, the show was actually rather prophetic – the VF competition pitting the YF-21 and the YF-19 was directly drawn from the U.S.A.F. Advanced Tactical Fighter competion (which resulted in the more conventional F-22 Raptor beating out the more advanced but perhaps a bit too ahead-of-its-time YF-23 Black Widow).
Also, while robot singers in the vein of Sharon Apple are nowhere near mainstream yet, consider the popularity of recent trends such as Hatsune Miku of the Vocaloid series, who has been selling (big bucks, no less) enough CDs to put her on Japan’s Oricon charts.
If you’ve still got room for another air-to-air OVA after this one, I would humbly put forth a recommendation for Sentou Yousei Yukikaze (“Battle Fairy Yukikaze”) – it’s one of the few shows I’ve seen that can actually compete, and in some cases, outdo the Macross series in dogfighting segments.
Funny all that work and promotion for the AVFs and in the end the VF-171 was chosen as the mainline fighter.
speaking of prophetic, just like the F-35 is now going to be the main line fighter and with the F-22′s order being reduced cause it was too expensive
.
AVF winner was for the UNAF only, not the UNS (later NUNS). The fact that both prototypes emphasized advanced wing designs is testament to this (FSW on the 19 and the highly variable wing with multiple control surfaces as seen on he 21). It was only later on, when the VF-19S models were adopted by the UNS do we see a design that emphasizes space flight performance more (removal of forward canard wings, replaced by extra verniers).
Also, it seems that as of 2059, the colony fleets have a higher amount of autonomy, including choice of mainline fighter (as seen with Galaxy’s choice of the V-9s).
Off course, there’s also the real explanation for why they used the 171 instead of the 19, the latter was simply too cool and they feared that it would steal the show from the 25s.
@ Vendredi
Sounds good. There are always a few of the more Macross-y things that occasionally bug me, such as the superpowered role of music post-original series, so Plus ought to continue to be to my liking. The comparison with the ATF is very relevant, I remember when it was first taking place and I was rooting for the YF-23 since it was such an advanced, unconventional design. The F-22 is still amazing, but I’ll always love the YF-23.
I’ll check out Yukikaze for my own watching, but I’m trying not to stray too far from the retro in retroblogging (as I did in Macross Zero) so I probably won’t be blogging it. The series sounds very cool though, thanks
@ ReddyRedWolf, Square, and d3v
Good points about the real and fictional choices of mainline fighters. Funny that the producers purposefully chose a less cool looking fighter in Frontier despite the greater capabilities of the VF-19. Too bad about that, but as you point out cost could have been a plausible reason.
“This OVA could only have more Top Gun influence/references if a Valkyrie took off parallel to them and “Danger Zone” started playing.”
Speaking of Top Gun: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7f_kI5aREp8
Enjoy the video EO.
BTW, just like you I loved the first episode especially the VF-11 vs. Q-Rau battle. VF-11 Bayoneting Q-Rau = BADASS PILOT.
Be sure to retro-blog the superior version of M+ a.k.a. M+ OVA
That AMV is so good. I haven’t seen Top Gun in Years but it’s just made so good.
BTW, EO….No comments about the AWESOME cockpit of the YF-19?
I’ve always loved the cockpit shots of the YF-19 more than that of the YF-21.
Excellent video, hehe. Well timed, cut, and set to the classic/cheesy song. Haven’t seen cockpit shots of the YF-19 yet, I don’t think it appeared in the first episode except as a digital model and a simulator pod. Unless I just completely missed something.
K-ON!
heh
Ah, Macross Plus…it came out in the US at a time when I had more or less given up on anime in general (I was more into going to clubs at that point, and hanging out with rock bands at that point) and Macross in particular, since I had been disappointed by the first volume of Macross II and didn’t get around to seeing the rest of the series until much, much later.
Then Plus Episode 1 came out, and the guy who ran the comic book store / anime video rental shop near my place basically ordered me to rent it, saying that he’d give me my money back if I didn’t like it.
Needless to say, he kept my money…and got more, since I bought a copy of the video the next day.
I loved it from the get-go, but it wasn’t until Episode 3 came out that I got really hooked…and then it took EIGHT FRICKIN’ MONTHS for the final volume to be released. It was worth it, though.
As for what to do next…well, of course I’m going to suggest the Macross Plus Movie, and Flashback 2012, and all of Macross 7…but you might want to tackle (if you haven’t seen them already, which you may have) Cowboy Bebop (as the co-director, writer, and (of course) composer from Macross Plus all worked on it, so you got some continuity of mood) or Area 88 (three-part OVA from the ’80s about a mercenary air force in the Middle East in the late ’70s/early ’80s). If you want something COMPLETELY different, I’d suggest Serial Experiments Lain.
But, to be honest, what I personally would REALLY REALLY like to see you blog is Zambot 3.
For everyone here who liked macross+ and aviation in general check out this awesome documentry
http://www.hulu.com/watch/23356/nova-battle-of-the-x-planes
its almost like mac+ as it would happen in real life!
i forget to mention that it seems the 2 planes featured will be the last manned fighters that will be built, afterwards it will all be UAVs, just like mac+ plus lol.
Finally moving on to Plus, awesome!
Also, will you be covering the Movie Edition as well?
A little tech info, the carriers seen below the window floor of the commander’s office when he’s reassigning Isamu have actually never been properly identified. Originally, fans thought they were Guantanamo class stealth carrier’s but further observation refutes this. Same goes for the renegade Zentraedi battle suits which have no known official designation.
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c111/ReddyRedWolf/Macross/mysterycarrier2.jpg
There is also the mystery carrier model behind Isamu’s commander. Here’s an interesting tidbit the Guantanamo class also called an ARMD. DYRL styled ARMD ships are exclusively for SDFN designated Macross class ships, of which 12 SDFNs were built, meaning there are 26 DYRL styled ARMDs including those attached to the SDF-1 Macross as of Macross Flashback 2012.
Also the games has shown UN Spacy ships not usually seen in a emmigration fleet. Like Macross M3′s Algenicus which looks like a Zentradi design precurssor to Macross Frontier’s Stealth Cruisers. Then there is Macross Digital Mission VF-X’s small carrier Valhalla III which is no more than a 100 meters. Macross VF-X2 has the Saratoga II which is only called a Macross 13 Fleet Carrier. Macross 13 appears to be the designation for a special defense force around Earth and its nearby territories.
The Valhalla always did interest me with it’s unique way of launching planes. It feels so “submarine-ish,” I wonder if it was in any way inspired by WWII aircraft equipped subs like the French Surcoaf and the Japanese I-400 class?
I always thought the Yf-21 looked like Char Aznable’s Sazabi from CCA. Just needs more Funnels.
Looks like an old version of Gundam. Not really sure I like the art so I don’t know if i’ll ever check this one out.
@ rpd
LOL. As well as not being retro enough Crusader already covered it when it aired. I liked the show pretty well, I just don’t think it deserves the ridiculously huge base of rabid fans that it has.
@ Yot-chan
Already saw Cowboy Bebop, but as with the suggestion of Now and Then, Here and There I’ll take into consideration a revisiting of something I watched years ago. Just finished Area 88, but as much as I loved the planes (and Kitri <3), I wasn’t as impressed by the rest of it unfortunately. Perhaps Lain, I watched the first few episodes years ago and it seemed interesting. Zambot 3 is right out! lol. Thanks for the suggestions.
@ Ianis
Thanks for the link, looks really cool! But oh man, the X-32 was a fugly aircraft! The F-35 could have won on look alone. And I continue to laugh about all that ‘last manned fighter plane’ stuff, I believe the same was said during the YF-22/23 competition.
@ d3v and ReddyRedWolf
Thanks for the technical information. That’s really odd that they never went and gave official names and information to those ships.
@ JDMFLCL
Add a coat of red paint to it and the resemblance would be striking.
@ Darkskeleton
It reminded me of 0083 too, which I really enjoyed. The show looks promising, so don’t let the art deter you.
Personally, I believe the future will be a combination of smaller armed UAVs “slaved” to larger manned fighters that control the UAVs as well as act as “missile trucks,” providing long range missile support for the UAVs. Then again, it could be that I’ve just been playing too many old school shmups.
EO, what are you talking about? Zambot 3 is one of the greatest things ever to spring from the mind of man!
(Seriously, if you haven’t seen it, it’s a lot better than it looks. And it’s where Tomino got his reputation for viciousness.)
As for Area 88, if it had Kitri, it’s not the ’80s OVA, it’s the 2004 TV series, which was good…but not as good as I wanted it to be. The OVA is better, and I’m not just saying that because it’s all nostalgic an’ shit.
hehe if you look closely you can see that the YF-21 design is directly based on the real life YF-23.
just look at this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Northrop_YF-23_DFRC.jpg
i’ve read somewhere that the REAL reason the YF-19 was dropped from Frontier was because it was TOO COOL. Kawamori did not want it reduced to grunt suit status so the 17 was chosen to fill it instead.
remastered movied edition
http://www.bakabt.com/150076-macross-plus-movie-edition.html
True, he thought the VF-19 would steal the scene from the VF-25 so he made the V-171 instead.
I love this OVA. I am happy to see other people love the VF-11 Thunderbolt! The begining space battle was awsome. I wish Mr. Kawamori made a TV series of any of the conflicts that Isamu Dyson was apart of during the mid 2030′s
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[...] if you haven't already. Isamu will not disappoint. Check out ExecutiveOtaku's reviews of episodes One & Two. Be sure to check back for the final 2 episodes as well. Pictures used from [...]