The MW rewatches M7 together Thread

[VFTF1]

So,

Recently I've come to the conclusion that it's been way too long since I watched Macross 7. Part of the reason for this is that I lost the file on my computer with Macross 7 on it when, sometime last year, my computer decided to get infected with a virus and basically die. Now, with the upcoming Bandai V100 VF-19 Kai, I've decided it seems like the perfect time to re-watch Macross 7.

But, because I remember our common adventure watching Macross Frontier together, where we watched about one episode per week and wrote our hearts out about what we liked and didn't like - I thought it would be best to adopt this same format for re-watching Macross 7.

Therefore - this thread is NOT meant to chronicle your general impressions of the series or be another "what do you think about M7?" general thread.

Instead, its' purpose to as follows:

Thread Guidelines

1. Once a week, please watch one episode of Macross 7. Naturally, we will all start with episode 1.

2. Post your impressions - what you liked and what you didn't like.

3. Since most of us have seen the entire series before, I'm sure lots of people (like me), will sometimes write about how certain things about a certain episode pertain to M7 in general, however (and this applies to me as well): please try to keep your post concentrated on the episode we are discussing/watching together. If we just watched episode 1, please try to focus just on episode 1's merits and demerits and not stray off too far into a general discussion of M7

4. The "once a week" rule isn't a firm one, but rather a rule of thumb. If a conversation seems to be petering out quicker - we can move on to watching the next episode.

5. For the benefit of people who enter the thread from eventually later pages please always write at the top of each post WHICH EPISODE WE ARE DISCUSSING. This will help avoid a mess being created, since unlike the MF discussion, we're not going to have a seperate thread for each episode. This whole thread will hopefully end up being a big chronicle of the various opinions about M7.

6. Agent One you are welcome to watch with us and tell us why it all stinks This generally goes for all anti-M7 people. This is your chance to relive the pain episode by episode and share it with us. Tell us what rubs you the wrong way.

I hope everyone has fun!

Below, I'll make the first post about Episode 1 - I invite people to watch the episode in your liesure and also post your impressions. We'll focus on Episode 1 until next Friday - unless the discussion seems to end a lot quicker - but we'll see!

----------

Pete

[VFTF1]

TOPIC OF DISCUSSION: EPISODE 1

Ok, I just watched this yesterday...and of course I kind of broke my own rules by watching episode 2 along with it... but I'll try to keep them seperated in my mind... and just focus on episode 1.... Here goes:

First and foremost: you know what? We have done a grave injustice to Nekki Bassara in many of our previous M7 related threads about him because we have bowed to those who lamment that he is a one dimmensional character; a cardboard character who is disintererested and aloof and only cares about his music and his "mission."

Perhaps that's the impression that 40-some odd episodes of M7 leaves, but watching JUST episode 1 - Bassara seems to be far more three dimmensional and down to earth and human....oh...wait ... I need to stop - because that's episode 2 speaking...

So scratch that and save it for later...

Ah! Ok - NOW I remember my impressions of episode 1...

Here we go again:

This episode reminded me of Macross Frontier - or rather, it was a pleasure to see just how much Macross 7 DID in fact influence Macross Frontier. From the architecture of the Colony ships (which is obvious, but still nice), to the sequenceing of the story.

You have a concert being prepared, you have the main character flying through the artificial sky of the colony dome (albeit on a parachute instead on EX-gear), you have aliens suddenly invade DURING the concert, and you have singing during the battle. Now, of course there is a difference insofar as Sheryl didn't jump into a valkyrie and head out into the fight, but the singing was choreographed with the battle, and later we learn that the Vajra were specifically drawn to the Frontier by her singing (in line with the paradoxical use of music in MF as compared to M7 where the Protodevilin are repelled by Bassara's singing).

This episode also shares the same faults as the first episode of Macross Frontier: namely it is a very introductory episode. It's hard to say that there's any character development - it's more a debute. Everybody gets shown in characteristic situations and the general plot gets set up.

Crap. I really want to talk about some parts of episode 2... but I can't do that yet

Um...anyways - I will say that I really think the sequence with Bassara flying off into battle was well done because it was drawn out, and as a viewer, you didn't know what was going to happen - and the hope was that the viewer would basically be staring at Bassara with the same wide eyed dumb founded expression as Mylene was making when looking at the monitor, seeing what he was doing.

Flying the VF-19 Kai through that hail of protodevilyn fire, you really didn't know - not even after he'd converted to battroid mode and started shooting...you really didn't expect that he'd fire speaker pods at the enemy and then sing to them.

That was a big surprise.

It's a surprise that is not easy to enjoy for us old time fans unless you're in the right frame of mind - which in some sense can make this episode boring becuase literally "nothing" happens except "the enemy shows up and Bassara goes to sing to them." Since this is the basic plot of the whole series - it's hard to call this episode very compelling.

But you need to step back and try to look at it as if you were seeing this for the very first time - then certainly this event would be enough to carry the whole episode and make it memorable.

Finally - a mention of Gamlin: in asmuch as some people didn't (and don't) like Bassara - at this stage of the show, I don't like Gamlin.

Forget everything you know about Gamlin from the series - just looking at episoe 1 - he looks like a hot blooded prick. He reminds me of Alto after Ozma and the crew of the Quarter rebelled against the government. Alto was just as stubborn and hot blooded - and both he and Gamlin had a tendency to holler out a similar sounding battle cry which I find particularly annoying. Needless to say, both he and Gamlin were also ON THE WRONG SIDE. Although in Alto's case - I think it's more justified because he stayed on Frontier to be with Sheryl... maybe the idiot just had an easier time of explaining it away as a hatred for the Vajra (although the "I'll kill Ranka" line was an extreme example of the depths of Alto's stupidity)... but I think deep down he really loved Sheryl and wanted to stay for her sake - to support her in a time of great need. He was just too much of a dweeb to explicitly admit to himself that that was his reason for staying.

Err...but I digress - my point here is only that at this stage of the show - Gamlin is set up as not a very interersting or compelling character unless you totally agree that the dude flying the red and yellow airplane in the middle of the battle is an annoyin moron. So, I guess in that sense Gamlin serves to give voice to the legions of M7 haters. He kind of incorporates that point of view into the show.

The bridge bunnies:

I hardly remember these girls because all of them seem to be sex dolls rather than having personalities like the original three from SDFM TV. However, seeing them again - I am by no means complaining. They are cute. But, even compared to Frontier Bridge Bunnies...they seem kind of devoid of personality. However, this might be on account of Exodol. Having Max and Exodol on the bridge kind of reduces the potential for the Bridge bunnies to do anything but look good and - as Sigourney Weaver put it in "Galaxy Quest" : "repeat the computer." They are basically there because it's cooler to have sexy babes saying "Squad B launched" rather than have Max listen to a computer say it.

Maybe they get more interesting as the series progresses - but I don't remember it..so hopefully later on I'll be pleasantly surprised.

Finally - the animation: you know... I could never stand the VF-17's animation because it just looks like a blob with no visible contures. Macross Frontier does a bit of a better job with this - although when they present the valkyrie in WHITE... it actually looks even WORSE (IMO) than it does in black, because while the contures are visible, they are not very appealling.

Although I do hope Bandai makes a VF-100 VF-17 Nightmare for Gamlin...

Anyways...so much for episode 1. As exciting as I hope this entire thread will get....I realize that episode 1 might be anti-climactic for many of us because the inclination is to move forward...

But let's try to stick with this episode a bit and see what we can dig out of it?

Pete

[Keith]

Man, I wish I had a shiny new remastered with awesome subtitles DVD version of Macross 7 to watch....someday

[Wes]

Naw d00d.

Naw.

[VFTF1]

Man, I wish I had a shiny new remastered with awesome subtitles DVD version of Macross 7 to watch....someday

Yeah, well - meanwhile you could rewatch the not so shiny but nonetheless existing subs

Naw d00d.

Naw.

Probably the best review of episode 1 I have read so far I will say it a million times - the passion of the anti-M7 crowd is so inspiring because it reminds me of Nekki Bassara and it's also a microcosm for the events of the series itself, wherein not just Gamlin, but the military - heck even MYLENE -doubts Bassara and doesn't believe in what he's doing.

It's almost as if the show creators anticipated that the crazy premise would divide people

Episode 1 already shows the fault lines forming.

Anyways - you all have until next Friday to bitch, moan or ignore this thread and Episode 1 After that, we will all enjoy watching episode 2 while drinking lemonade ;P

Pete

[Keith]

Don't think you understand, the only reason I haven't watched Macross 7 in years, is because of the god aweful FX set subtitles. In my younger years, I didn't mind such things, but as I get older, my tolerence for the oldschool HK subs has substancially diminished.

[VFTF1]

Hm... but I'm not watching HK oldschool dubs...or at least I don't think I am.

I'm watching M7 with translations done by some guy named Yuriko Watanabe, editing by Andy Brewer, Tod Perkins and Hiroaki Fukuda and the general subbing attributed to something called Axis Central Anime...

In any case - the quality of the picture is perfect. I can't comment on the quality of the translation, but given that I am able to engage in coversation about this show with other people - I THINK I'm watching basically the same thing as they are

Pete

[Renato]

Keith, stop complaining, these days you can just watch the show on Youtube with great subs!

Anyway, I have to commend VFTF1 for starting a potentially great thread. I remember back when the Animeigo SDF Mac sets were announced and everyone was really excited and planning to sit down and have a Macross marathon on live chat (back when MW had a chatroom), but that never materialised. And it WAS fun to talk about Frontier as it aired last year.

So yeah, great idea.

I have not seen the show in ages either and this week I won't have time (nor the rest of the month in fact), but I would like to participate here and there.

I would like to say, though, one episode a week.... how about two a week?

[Kelsain]

I would like to say, though, one episode a week.... how about two a week?

Yeah, we'll be here all year!!

It's a fun idea, though. I'm trying to think of plot lines that would have ignited a WTF-1 level of debate...

[VFTF1]

I have not seen the show in ages either and this week I won't have time (nor the rest of the month in fact), but I would like to participate here and there.

I would like to say, though, one episode a week.... how about two a week?

That's fine. I mean - the thread "rules" are not really rules as much as guidelines so the thread doesn't get too derailed or turn into ANOTHER general discussion of Macross 7.... because each episode actually contains a lot of meat.

And like I pointed out above - I noticed in our recent various M7 threads or whenever M7 was brought up, the main debate always went something like this "Yes, Bassara is one-dimensional but I love that dimmension!" or "Basara is one dimmensional and I hate that dimension" ... And as I rewatched episodes 1 and 2 - especially 2 - I reminded myself that actually NO - Basara is not a cardboard one dimmensional character. There's lots of nuance in there... It's just it gets lost because generally M7 has a powerful thrust in the form of Basara's relentless crusade... but if we go episode by episode...I think we'll start to rediscover the strength of the plot and character writing...

That said - sure...two a week is fine. But for now - why don't we see if anyone has anything substantial to contribute about episode 1?

If, after a few days, nobody has anything else to add about episode 1 - then yeah, we'll move to episode 2.

I think in general what should determine our pace is how much people have to say about an episode, how much debate there is/will be AND of course a reasonable allowance to give people a chance to catch up.

I'm going to be downloading more episodes tomorrow - and hey, I also want to watch more faster... but I'd rather not and hope people hop on board and give them a chance to comment.

The purpose here is to take it a little slow and give a fair viewing to the good, the bad and the Honey in Macross 7.

I'm trying to think of plot lines that would have ignited a WTF-1 level of debate...

Easy:

It is a big pyramid structure that comes out of the water on a certain planet wherein all the mysteries of the Protoculture reside... But I think we shouldn't get ahead of ourselves and talk about that thing until the episode comes up

Anybody have anything ANYTHING at all to say about episode 1?

Pete

Edited November 6, 2009 by VFTF1

[Valkyrie addict]

you will watch episode 1 for the next 11 episodes

[Gubaba]

Anybody have anything ANYTHING at all to say about episode 1?

Give me some time to get around to rewatching it...maybe this afternoon, or tomorrow, and then I'll join in.

[VFTF1]

you will watch episode 1 for the next 11 episodes

Heh This is a criticism that is also often heard about the first few episodes of the series - but already I plan on exploding it when we get around to episode 2.... which...I will do later - or try to do

But actually - it's good you bring this up. Because let's see whether this stereotype, which has also grown and kind of sunken into the general fan outlook just like the "one dimmensional Basaara character" stereotype actually holds up....

Give me some time to get around to rewatching it...maybe this afternoon, or tomorrow, and then I'll join in.

Don't worry Technically we shan't be watching episode 2 until next Friday...

Unless I wake up tomorrow and there are like 20 posts about episode 1 and it looks like we've said all there is to be said

But we'll see

Pete

[Sketch]

Man, I wish I had a shiny new remastered with awesome subtitles DVD version of Macross 7 to watch....someday

VIP is almost done releasing the remasters using Central Anime's scripts, and they are glorious looking.

Once the final batch is done it wouldn't take more than a day to download.

[Kelsain]

Give me some time to get around to rewatching it...maybe this afternoon, or tomorrow, and then I'll join in.

Yeah, I'm at work... uh, working...

[Rikyu]

I'll join in!!

In the night going to see the first episode again ^^

[Master Dex]

VIP is almost done releasing the remasters using Central Anime's scripts, and they are glorious looking.

Once the final batch is done it wouldn't take more than a day to download.

Wish I could do torrents through my school's network, but I cant. I think I'll be doing that download while I'm home for thanksgiving though. I'd love to have the remastered series now.

I'd also love to join in on this, but I haven't rewatched ep.1 yet so I'll come back when I have. Could be today, or tomorrow.

I'm too busy marathon listening to Re.Fire right now since I only just got it in the mail (****ing postal service), lol.

[Renato]

The only way I will find time to watch any of this anytime soon is in the form of a 3 or 4 episode mini-marathon while on the train with my PSP on Monday and Tuesday. So if I manage that, I will post my impressions after that. I'm actually really looking forward to it!

[VFTF1]

Man... I feel sorry for all you guys who are too busy We're in the midst of an economic depression -can't you be...I dunno...unemployed or at least get your hours cut or something?

In any case, today I'm gonna download more as soon as I get out of the gym (nod to A1 for inspiration!)... and I am looking forward to reading what everyone has to say about episode 1

Bomba!

Pete

[Gubaba]

Episode 1: Speaker Pod

First Appearances: Basara, Mylene, Ray, Veffidas, Max, Exsedol, Miho, Sally, the Flower Girl, Gamlin, Kinryu, Docker, Gigil, Geperunichi

Eyecatches: Mylene / Gamlin

Songs played: Seventh Moon, Planet Dance, My Friends, Tostugeki Loveheart

Watching the episode this evening, I was trying to remember what I thought about it the first time I saw it, back in 1996. Of course, at that time, I was watching it raw, and my Japanese wasn't terribly good, so there was a lot that I missed as far as dialogue went. I was also watching it on a copy of a VHS tape I rented from a Japanese video store.

This time, I'm also watching it raw, but it's the pristine and lovely remastered DVD version.

Just judging from episode 1, it really is kind of difficult to tell what's going on, and what the show is going to be about. Although it begins with a brief history of SDFM, once the show actually starts, it's clear we're in a very different world from either SDFM or Plus. A lot of the technology and a lot of the design work is quite unlike any of the previous series.

It starts with a bang, though...that first shot in the OP of Basara standing in City 7 as the camera quickly pulls out looks a little too "computer-y" these days, but is still rather stunning. In fact, a lot of the animation in this episode is of a relatively high quality.

As for the story, we've got the concert standing (pretty well-attended, actually, although the crowd noise sounds pretty sparse). We've got Max getting called to the bridge. We've got the alien attack. We've got Diamond Force launching, and then the first big battle, culminating with Basara flying out in his VF-19 to sing at the aliens, who break off the attack, much to his disappointment.

But the strange thing about it is that, for a show that is often criticized as being "kiddie," there is almost no explanation for any of this. We don't know who Basara is, why he has a VF-19, who the aliens are...nothing. The opening history lesson seems beside the point, explaining things that aren't relevant to what's going on in the show. It gives us the illusion that we will be gently acclimated to this new story, and then just plunges into everything as though we already know who everyone is and what's going on.

I have a lot of respect for stories like that, that just toss you into the river of the story and figure you'll learn to swim somehow. (Cowboy Bebop did it best, though.)

The spiritia-stealing scenes also come off as pretty creepy, mostly because we don't know what's happening. Pilots' life force is being drained, that much is clear, but that's about all, really. It's kind of strange...we go in expecting a normal space battle and get something that is unexpected, and kind of frightening instead.

The mecha animation is this episode is good, and the VF-17 especially seems to get a lot of love from the animators. It seems to be set up as the star Valk until the VF-19 appears and usurps its spot.

Just as the aliens are an enigma, so is Basara. Max knows who he is, but seems shocked that he's out of the battlefield. Exsedol assumes Basara is trying to be like Minmay, but that seems to be only a guess.

Diamond Force and the Macross 7 Bridge crew are the only ones with clear motives here...everyone else is somewhat mysterious.

The Flower Girl makes her first attempt to give Basara the flowers, and gets much closer to him than she often will in upcoming episodes. Too bad the flowers get ripped apart in the following blast...

Millia doesn't appear, nor is she mentioned by name. Max does have a phone conversation with "the Mayor," but that's it. We don't even hear her voice.

One thing I didn't like (that I'll probably continue to harp on as the series progresses) is how it rarely looks like Fire Bomber are ever actually PLAYING their instruments. At the end, when Basara is singing a capella, and Mylene joins in on bass, is the only bit where anyone actually appears to be performing a song, rather than just strumming the same note over and over again.

A few questions, some of them unanswerable: Why do the microphones look like ducks? Why does Gubaba sound like a kitten instend of the electronically-modified meeps that he would emit later in the show? During the attack, where are the blasts inside the ship coming from? What's the point of the tilt to the Diamond Force launching stands?

Anyway, a promising if puzzling start to the series.

[BadTroll]

electronically-modified meeps that he would emit later in the show?

I thought that was just when he was searching for Basara or Mylene.

[MacrossCN]

Why do the microphones look like ducks?

^^

[Master Dex]

Ok, just got around to watching ep.1. Granted I only first saw the show about a year and a half ago, but it still brings back memories to when I didn't really know where the story was going.

I remember when I first started watching this show I was someone who came it thinking I was going to hate it based on what I heard from other people. When I first saw the first episode, the music was a bit catchy by having just come up of several rather amazing episodes of Frontier, I was left disillusioned rather quickly.

Some time later after having watched the entire SDF Macross in it's original form (for the first time I might add, before it was just Robotech, man was I missing out). I decided I should keep going and try to watch the rest of Macross 7 and give it a chance. I watched the first episode again just to get back into what was going on. I was still left somewhat confused by a lot of things (mostly the stuff Gubaba mentioned). I wonder how an explosion in space can cause large gusts of wind inside the city when it is sealed by a dome (especially when explosions in vacuum create no shock wave due to lack of air). Gubaba is right, this will probably never be answered.

One thing that did get me though is, I could help me think that some of the songs, especially Totsugeki Love Heart (at the time I didn't know the names of any of them, I could name any Fire Bomber song today after 3 seconds of listening), was really catchy. I was liking the music. Maybe that is what kept me going and continued watching the show.

Fast forward to now and after seeing the whole thing I had to re-evaluate a lot of things. I've become a full fledged Fire Bomber/Yoshiki Fukuyama fan now, and loving that music really makes this show worthwhile (especially if you like Planet Dance, lol). I also now really do like this series. I hadn't seen episode one since the time when I didn't think I'd even like it at all. Watching this episode again after having gain a large appreciation for the series makes a huge difference! I really enjoyed seeing this again. The mystery of what Basara was going to be up to, when he shows up in a fight, shooting at everyone, only to reveal he is there to sing to the enemy (and anyone else willing to listen). Knowing what I know now the effort doesn't seem as crazy or pointless but then it was rather shocking. Seemed way more out there than anything I had seen in SDFM or even Frontier at the point of the show (which was only about half way through and didn't seem as far fetched to me then).

Also I have to agree with Pete, despite everything we say in the Gamlin appreciation thread if we ignore all that comes later, episode one Gamlin is a prick, lol.

This was a great idea I think to revisit this show in paced intervals instead of some marathon. I'll look forward to seeing the next one again, and examining what it is Pete says there that proves Basara is more three dimensional than many think (though I already believe it).

I only wish I could watch the show is pristine awesome quality. Without Torrent access until later this month though I'm stuck with watching the episodes on Veoh, which is how I saw the show the first time actually, lol.

[Gubaba]

One thing that did get me though is, I could help me think that some of the songs, especially Totsugeki Love Heart (at the time I didn't know the names of any of them, I could name any Fire Bomber song today after 3 seconds of listening), was really catchy. I was liking the music. Maybe that is what kept me going and continued watching the show.

Was I imagining things, or when Veffidas starts drumming after the attack begins, is she playing "1.2.3.4.5.6.7 Nights"?

[VFTF1]

TOPIC: EPISODE 1

Nice to hear people are watching episode 1 and enjoying it. I was going to comment on all of your comments, but I think I'll wait for more to show up and then try to attack several points at once

My ex-girlfriend suddenly called me and made me take her out to dinner during which she proceeded to tell me how much I suck and what a looser I am. Then I invited her to a movie, to which she said yes, but later changed her mind to no. When we parted, she told me that there was no way she could be with me and then kissed me goodnight (and it wasn't a peck on the cheek ;-) ) and went to clean her apartment.

I swear - I'm starting to think she's Minmey - NOT Misa. Misa would never be this flighty...

anyways.... it totally threw me off track...at least she called me AFTER I got out of the gym, otherwise I probably wouldn't have been able to work out.

Back to the gym tomorrow, and then after I finish my work out routine - I'll try to delve into all of these interesting comments - hopefully there'll be more.

Pete

[Master Dex]

Was I imagining things, or when Veffidas starts drumming after the attack begins, is she playing "1.2.3.4.5.6.7 Nights"?

Kind of yeah. However I've noticed when Veffidas starts drumming Planet Dance without any other instruments it doesn't quite sound like you'd expect.

Though come to think of it it would make more sense if she was drumming Totsugeki Love Heart.... hmm... Just what is she playing at?

[Gubaba]

Kind of yeah. However I've noticed when Veffidas starts drumming Planet Dance without any other instruments it doesn't quite sound like you'd expect.

Though come to think of it it would make more sense if she was drumming Totsugeki Love Heart.... hmm... Just what is she playing at?

Yeah...but i just listened to the opening of Planet dance, and it's not that. And it's not Tostugeki, either. Weird.

Oh, and I forgot to ask the most important question of all...WHO'S PLAYING THAT DAMN HARMONICA?

(And some wag shouts out, "Brera!"...)

[VFTF1]

I always thought the duck doubled as a harmonica for bassara...?

Pete

[Kelsain]

Oh, and I forgot to ask the most important question of all...WHO'S PLAYING THAT DAMN HARMONICA?

I've never liked harmonicas - even Blues Traveler... In Planet Dance, I always assumed Ray was playing it on his Keytar.

[Gubaba]

I've never liked harmonicas - even Blues Traveler... In Planet Dance, I always assumed Ray was playing it on his Keytar.

Sometimes I like them (Bob Dylan's early stuff, for example...but that's not really a harmoica, that's a harp ), but I think "Planet Dance" sounds a lot better without it.

And yeah, I always thought it was Ray, too...but there IS a synthesizer part on the song, and Ray's only playing with one hand (I know, I know...don't look too hard at stuff like that).

Maybe it's a prerecorded track...

[VFTF1]

Well... I'm such a cheater...I've watched up to episode 7 and it just shows what a long time it's been... it's so totally not true that the first few episodes are repetitive - the story does actually move forward...but... I'LL SHUT UP NOW AND TRY TO TALK ABOUT EPISODE 1

But the strange thing about it is that, for a show that is often criticized as being "kiddie," there is almost no explanation for any of this. We don't know who Basara is, why he has a VF-19, who the aliens are...nothing. The opening history lesson seems beside the point, explaining things that aren't relevant to what's going on in the show. It gives us the illusion that we will be gently acclimated to this new story, and then just plunges into everything as though we already know who everyone is and what's going on.

I have a lot of respect for stories like that, that just toss you into the river of the story and figure you'll learn to swim somehow. (Cowboy Bebop did it best, though.)

The idea of starting something en medias rex is indeed riske for an "animated" show, but then again - this is also how Macross Frontier started out. And I was just as "annoyed" by that beginning as I was by the first episode of Macross 7. But it's easy to forget or not know/realize that Macross 7 has 47 episodes (right?). That's A LOT of story time. There's going to be plenty of time to figure out what's going on, and in terms of backstory - that's what DYRL and SDFMTV are there for...

The spiritia-stealing scenes also come off as pretty creepy, mostly because we don't know what's happening. Pilots' life force is being drained, that much is clear, but that's about all, really. It's kind of strange...we go in expecting a normal space battle and get something that is unexpected, and kind of frightening instead.

The only complaint I have about the spiritia stealing scenes is the fact that the enemy uses the word "spiritia." Now - does this have any connotations to the Japanese ear? Because to the english ear - the word "spiritia" is so clearly close to "spirit" that UNFORTUNATELY it's actually easy to guess what's going on judging by the state of the victims of the attack. I mean - it was pretty much immediate in terms of how long it took me to realize that these enemies were somehow "sucking" the "spirit" out of people. It would have heightened the apprehension and mystery if, instead of calling it "spiritia" - there was some other term for it.

As for frightening - personally I find the vampires far more terrifying...not to get to ahead of myself... but the vampire infiltrators are more frightening because in a war - does it really matter in terms of the level of fear whether you're getting killed, maimed, shell shocked or having your life-spirit sucked out of you? All of these fates are frightening - however, that said - it is MYSTERIOUS - and certainly, just as Bassara's singing to the enemy is "strange" (aka mysterious) - so too is the sucking of spiritia. And I always love a good mystery.

One thing I didn't like (that I'll probably continue to harp on as the series progresses) is how it rarely looks like Fire Bomber are ever actually PLAYING their instruments.

Yeah, well... in this sense it was easier to animate Minmey singing than to animate Fire Bomber singing - given how much more complexity there is in playing instruments. I have always wondered about whether the notes Ray hits or the chords Bassara and Mylene hold actually correspond to the noises the instruments make. It seems only Veffidas gets some level of complexity in the animation of her drumming but..yes - you're right - this is a downer.

Certainly the level of choreography is no where NEAR Macross Frontier, which is really a stupendous feat in terms of the animation of the music scenes... everything from the dancing, to the gestures...it's all perfect and really really well done.

That said, it's not like Minmey's concerts were all that exciting either in terms of animation. I think anime with this kind of ...er...animation...is kind of like a moving manga. It still leaves much to the imagination and there's still a lot of manga-ism going on despite it being an anime and not a manga.

The Flower Girl makes her first attempt to give Basara the flowers, and gets much closer to him than she often will in upcoming episodes. Too bad the flowers get ripped apart in the following blast...

But on the plus side at least Mylene gets to see her panties for a split second We are only left to imagine... and speaking of the Flower Girl - she's easy to forget but ... I would love it if there was a Macross 7 novel about her...

Why do the microphones look like ducks? Why does Gubaba sound like a kitten instend of the electronically-modified meeps that he would emit later in the show? During the attack, where are the blasts inside the ship coming from? What's the point of the tilt to the Diamond Force launching stands?

Gubaba just hasn't found his voice yet in episode 1. The blasts are not from inside the ship - but are seen happening outside..at least that's what I thought. As for the tilt of the Diamond Force stands...I think it's a reflection of the lateral axis flux patterns on B-grade delta wi-fi attachment acceleration units. Didn't you know?

Failing that - we can ask Mr. March - he knows everything! And that is a great question for our more tech-head inclined members to ponder.

I wonder how an explosion in space can cause large gusts of wind inside the city when it is sealed by a dome (especially when explosions in vacuum create no shock wave due to lack of air). Gubaba is right, this will probably never be answered.

Hm. Clearly I must have a totally different viewing experience or way of viewing...my imagination just works differently.

I explain the gusts of wind as being caused not by explosions in space, but by the dome cracking where it is broken by missile fire, laser fire, falling valkyrie etc etc. I think we even see an enemy ship fall onto the city - although it's kind of vague... but certainly I totally don't believe that those are gusts of wind caused by explosions in space. The dome is cracking in select places due to the battle and the explosions come from inside the dome atmosphere.

Oh yeah - and I didn't address the microphones as "ducks"...

Well... a static micophone is put on a flying saucer and the whole thing happens to be collored yellow - and hey presto - it looks like a duck.

Me, I always wondered what the point of those bulbs on Bassara's concert uniform were all about. Can he press a button and create a disco light show all by himself? Or are those just decorations? Is this "in vogue" on Macross 7?

Oh - speaking of in vogue and style...

One interesting thing to consider is the architecture of Macross 7.

Given that Macross city on the SDF-1 was modeled on Tokyo of 1982, and Frontier was based on San Franscisco... M7's architecture is pretty zanny. If I'm not mistaken, they've got:

a) the tower of London

b) The Eifle Tower

c) An Egyptian Pyramid

And then a mixture of sci-fi buildings with redbrick townhouses (but the latter is episode two I guess...so I shouldn't mention it).

Anyways - the architecture is pretty generic on Macross 7 - it's as if the idea was right in terms of thinking that humans would want to reflect Earth culture and Earth history in the architecture of their space colonies, but it's kind of done without taste - it's like they took a tourist guide and stuck the 7 wonders of the world onto Macross 7 and...well... yeah...it looks generic.

Finally - the dome itself looks way lower than the dome in Frontier.

Anyways...I can't wait till we get to episode 2 - because episode 1 really is just a quick intro. From episode 2 onwards, the series runs like a soap opera.

I can remember that this is one of the things I totally loved about it. I remember when I first watched it, I had lots more work than I do now, and I would get up early in the morning, walk the dog, go to work, come back for lunch, go to work again...and usually be back from work at 10. That's when I'd walk the dog AGAIN and then finally...bliss. I would buy beer, order pizza and watch as much M7 as I could before passing out. And the next day, I couldn't wait until the evening because the story is just soooooooooooo soap operaish.

And maybe this is why people don't remember any of the particulars - there are just so many things going on while there's really only one over-riding theme to the show. So everybody remembers the theme; nobody remembers the particulars.

For instance: Dynasty.

I remember that Blake was loving, wise, stern and only ever really got pissed at his son's homosexual lover. Alexis was conniving. Chrystal was caring and protective of Blake. That one dude with the darker hair loved his mom more than his dad. But if you asked me to give you specific EXAMPLES of when these characters exhibited these traits - I couldn't. I don't remember. It's there - but I forgot where.

It's kind of the same with Macross 7. The progress of the show is so very episodic that eventually we just remember the culmination - the character that was built rather than the process of building.

God- I'm so breaking my own guidelines and rules. I really need to stop talking in general terms.

It's just...episode 1 really doesn't give us that much to discuss yet.

I mean - WOW! HUH!? He flew out in a red and yellow Valkyrie and sang to the enemy?!

We do get hints of what's going on - for example Ray being able to hack into Military computer terminals... although I wonder...did he hack or was it just because Max let him?

Anyways... I'll be going to sleep soon. Good stuff.

And it's only going to get better from here on out!

Pete

[Master Dex]

Gubaba just hasn't found his voice yet in episode 1. The blasts are not from inside the ship - but are seen happening outside..at least that's what I thought. As for the tilt of the Diamond Force stands...I think it's a reflection of the lateral axis flux patterns on B-grade delta wi-fi attachment acceleration units. Didn't you know?

Failing that - we can ask Mr. March - he knows everything! And that is a great question for our more tech-head inclined members to ponder.

Hm. Clearly I must have a totally different viewing experience or way of viewing...my imagination just works differently.

I explain the gusts of wind as being caused not by explosions in space, but by the dome cracking where it is broken by missile fire, laser fire, falling valkyrie etc etc. I think we even see an enemy ship fall onto the city - although it's kind of vague... but certainly I totally don't believe that those are gusts of wind caused by explosions in space. The dome is cracking in select places due to the battle and the explosions come from inside the dome atmosphere.

That was nice technobabble there (about the Diamond Force bit). I'd like to do a technobabble match someday, see how long we can go against each other.

As for the explosions... hmm... Well I just was letting myself suspend disbelief that somehow those explosions were causing shock waves for those people. Clearly that makes no sense but I never thought that it might be something else.

*puts on engineering hat because he feels oddly compelled to dwell on this when he shouldn't*

If we go by your idea, then hmm... well we have to assume the dome is made out of a durable material. Can't be glass that would be too fragile for space. Plastics wouldn't take much of a beating before giving either. I think we'd have to assume some type of transparent steel or aluminum, which we have yet to successfully create on a large scale, but in the age of M7 it is quite conceivable. I would have to hope the dome is rated against high kinetic energy impacts. I could do the equations to find the approximate kinetic energy of an impact collision of something the size of a valkyrie with a large surface like the dome... but it is the weekend and I don't feel like doing Dynamics homework right now, lol. It would depend on the velocity of the object anyway and that is only a guess for that at best. Assuming something like a valkyrie impacting our dome wouldn't cause a rupture resulting is explosive decompression, then it comes down to whether or not the impact would generate some type of internal shock wave off the dome wall that could generate the resultant wind. I have to admit I find such a thing highly unlikely. More likely I'd see a tremor induced from the impact, but it the mass of City 7 compared to the impacting mass might make it negligible.

I think no matter how we look at it, we need to be able to suspend our disbelief. Even if the dome was cracking due to such stresses I'd be more worried about explosive decompression which would cause the wind to go in the other direction, lol. So it really doesn't matter which it is, just that we don't dwell on it too much as we will never figure it out, lol.

I just remembered though that Frontier showed dome ruptures due to fire and impact. The kind of impacts there would certainly cause cracking and rupturing like what we saw in Frontier. Definitely a good idea Frontier had those emergency decompression shelters, I assume they are there in City 7 as well.

*takes off engineering hat and hides it thinking he might have talked too much again while trying to examine a pointless subject* ...

[Gubaba]

That was nice technobabble there (about the Diamond Force bit). I'd like to do a technobabble match someday, see how long we can go against each other.

VFTF1 is a great BS'er, of that there is no doubt. However, you're an engineer...so I'd put my money on you.

As for the explosions... hmm... Well I just was letting myself suspend disbelief that somehow those explosions were causing shock waves for those people. Clearly that makes no sense but I never thought that it might be something else.

*puts on engineering hat because he feels oddly compelled to dwell on this when he shouldn't*

If we go by your idea, then hmm... well we have to assume the dome is made out of a durable material. Can't be glass that would be too fragile for space. Plastics wouldn't take much of a beating before giving either. I think we'd have to assume some type of transparent steel or aluminum, which we have yet to successfully create on a large scale, but in the age of M7 it is quite conceivable. I would have to hope the dome is rated against high kinetic energy impacts. I could do the equations to find the approximate kinetic energy of an impact collision of something the size of a valkyrie with a large surface like the dome... but it is the weekend and I don't feel like doing Dynamics homework right now, lol. It would depend on the velocity of the object anyway and that is only a guess for that at best. Assuming something like a valkyrie impacting our dome wouldn't cause a rupture resulting is explosive decompression, then it comes down to whether or not the impact would generate some type of internal shock wave off the dome wall that could generate the resultant wind. I have to admit I find such a thing highly unlikely. More likely I'd see a tremor induced from the impact, but it the mass of City 7 compared to the impacting mass might make it negligible.

I think no matter how we look at it, we need to be able to suspend our disbelief. Even if the dome was cracking due to such stresses I'd be more worried about explosive decompression which would cause the wind to go in the other direction, lol. So it really doesn't matter which it is, just that we don't dwell on it too much as we will never figure it out, lol.

I just remembered though that Frontier showed dome ruptures due to fire and impact. The kind of impacts there would certainly cause cracking and rupturing like what we saw in Frontier. Definitely a good idea Frontier had those emergency decompression shelters, I assume they are there in City 7 as well.

*takes off engineering hat and hides it thinking he might have talked too much again while trying to examine a pointless subject* ...

Um, yeah...the cracks-in-the-windows explanation doesn't really work for me, either. The whole scene kind of reminds me of the "Miss DJ" drama album, where Minmay is giving her radio show, and then the Zentradi attack...and suddenly the audio is filled with explosions, laser, and missile sound effects. And I always wondered...if she's inside the ship, how come she can hear battle sounds? It would've been better there, I think to put a lot of muffled rumbles in the audio instead. Likewise, in Mac7, having the ship lurch violently might have gotten the point across just as well.

I kind of want to mention VFTF1's use of the term in medias res, because it's a term that I used when I first started composing my earlier post, but then discarded...I was going to address it, but it kind of slipped away from me.

Anyway, what I think is interesting is that the show DOESN'T begin in medias res. This is the aliens' first attack, this is Mylene's first concert, this is the first combat experience that the bridge bunnies and Diamond Force (except maybe Kinryu) have ever seen. It's very clearly the BEGINNING of the story...and yet, we see WHAT everyone does, but we have no idea WHY. That's kind of interesting, if not a little post-modern.

Interestingly, looking it up on Wikipedia, this episode was written by Sukehiro Tomita, who also wrote DYRL, Macross II, and a lot of episodes of the original SDFM.

[Renato]

EPISODE 1

I ended up watching this during breakfast this morning.

First of all, cosmetics: check out the opening. Notice it is different to the rest of the series in some scenes. It appears they were trying to hide the "guitar-stick" aspect of the Fire Valk and keep it a surprise until the last act of the episode. Also, there is a change in the very last scene: in the original VHS/LD/DVD releases, there is no "to be continued" at the end of this first episode, while the remasters have put it into the last couple of seconds, cutting out a few frames of animation.

Urgh... my arms are really tired from typing so I will be back later, sorry...

[Gubaba]

EPISODE 1

I ended up watching this during breakfast this morning.

First of all, cosmetics: check out the opening. Notice it is different to the rest of the series in some scenes. It appears they were trying to hide the "guitar-stick" aspect of the Fire Valk and keep it a surprise until the last act of the episode. Also, there is a change in the very last scene: in the original VHS/LD/DVD releases, there is no "to be continued" at the end of this first episode, while the remasters have put it into the last couple of seconds, cutting out a few frames of animation.

Urgh... my arms are really tired from typing so I will be back later, sorry...

I didn't realize that it didn't say "To be continued" on the earlier versions, but I did find it strange that the sound didn't cut out when it came up.

One of the things I always liked about Mac7 are the way the episodes end quite suddenly. I always thought that was a cool little touch.