Graham

The Bandai 1/65 scale VF-19 Fire Valk (Basara's Valk) and the VF-19S (Emerald Force - Docker's Valk) are extremely badly proportioned and have limited articulation. However, I quite like the Bandai VF-17S and VF-17D Stealth Valkyrie toys. While the proportions are a little chuncky, they are extremely durable toys and have a reasonable amount of articulation (espcially if you modify the knees). They also have a surprising amount of detail, with nearly every panel line faithfully copied from the lineart. The only area really lacking in detail is the terrible landing gear, which are little more than fold down plastic tabs. Even after all these years, they are still among my favorite Macross toys. Can't wait to see what Bandai or Yamato do with the VF-171. Graham

I think it is deliberate that the school X-Gear shares similarities with the military X-Gear as (while not confirmed yet), Alto's school seems to be some sort of training academy where SMS recruit their new pilots from, so it makes sense for the students train on a version of the X-Gear similar to what they will use when or if they graduate to become SMS pilots. Graham

Watched the Shinsen sub of ep# 1of Pailsen Files last night. While the combat is nice and realistic, the CG really looks like PS2 cut scene standard....bah! Graham

This is all just different personal opinions, but I’m 180 degrees to you, in that I found the Frontier characters very likeable and relatable and not at all generic. I can’t wait to find out more about them and what happens to them. My only criticism would be that as others have pointed out some of the character animation was a little inconsistent, but still acceptable IMO. Graham

Starting a separate pinned thread for the Frontier manga. Please discuss it there. Graham

This topic contains scans of the complete chapter # 2 of the Shonen Ace - Macross Frontier manga, including a translated version in English, thanks to MWers ackem and Steve. Note. This was originally the thread for all Macross Frontier manga, but I decided to split the manga threads by chapter and prune some of the posts to tidy things up. Graham

I dunno, I don't find Alto especially broody or angsty so far. He doesn't like being told he looks like a girl, but what normal guy would. Apart from that he seems fairly normal. He's obviously passionate about flying and really wants to fly Valks, which is a good thing. Graham

I really don’t get why you think Frontier is departing from its real robot roots? So far, to me at least, Frontier seems closer to original Macross and DYRL than any of the other sequels. But going back to the whole ‘departing from the real robot roots’, so far neither the VF-25, VF-171 or Ghost have shown any super robot type qualities or abilities. About the only improved ability shown so far over previous generation Valks is a faster transformation time. The mecha in Macross Frontier are definitely not super robots in the classic sense, like Mazinger Z, Great Mazinger, Combattler V, Voltes V, Getter Robo etc. which are near indestructible, have many different super powerful attacks and pilots who shout the attack name while attacking, fight a different monster of the week and destroy it using the same finishing attack each and ever battle. No similarities with Macross Frontier at all. Neither are they what I term ‘Neo-Super Robots’, which would be shows like Wing Gundam & Gundam 00, where you have super robots with pseudo-real robot styling easily destroying legions of lower powered grunt-type military mecha. Does this sound like Macross Frontier? Not to me it doesn’t. To me, the mecha in Macross Frontier like most mecha in the Macross universe are the epitome of real robot design. About the only current anime I can think of that is more real would be the new Votoms OVA. Graham

I finally managed to snag a copy. While it's true it does cover the events in episode #1 and part of episode 2, events do not happen in exactly the same way as in the anime. In fact there are some significant differences. We get to see lots more of the VF-171 in 3 modes. There is some Ranka fan service. There is additional interaction between Alto and Sheryl during the concert. Gillian (the pilot of the white, red & black VF-25) suffers a different fate. Alto is not wearing his X-Gear when he takes over the VF-25 Quite a few other differences as well. Attached are the color introductory pages. I'll start scanning the actual manga tomorow. Graham

I'm pretty sure wolfx means the whole hour long special, not just the directors cut "Deculture" edition of episode 1. Graham

Well, I've drawn a blank. I just checked several hobby shops and Japanese department stores here and they were all sold out of the latest issue of Shonen Ace (released December 26 in Japan). This is the issue that has the 1st episode of the new Macross Frontier manga. Hopefully, somebody else here will be able to pick it up and scan the story. Pic of the cover attached for reference. Graham

Pretty cool. Graham

Things could get messy if Guld's eyballs pop.........in Eugimon's Omega Pants™. Graham

Ordered my R2 season 3 a few days ago from amazon.co.uk. If I'd have known it was already out, I would have ordered it earlier. For some reason, I'd only been checking amazon.com, thinking the US would get it sooner. Graham

Is that a Fold Booster in Eugimon's Omega Pants™, or is he just please to see me? Graham

Ha Ha....Nope! I personally prefer DYRL Valks. Don't understand why everybody keeps asking for a Max and Kakzaki TV 1A, they are so bland. I'll be happy if Yamato makes the following DYRL Valks: - VF-1A Hikaru Super Valk. VF-1S Hikaru Strike Valk. VF-1S Roy Strike Valk. VE-1 Elint Seeker. VT-1 Super Ostrich. VF-1A Max Super Valk. About the only TV Valks I'm interested in are the Hikaru VF-1J and the VF-1D. I've never been a big fan of Max & Millia's VF-1Js. Graham

Yamato engineers are worried that the YF-21 display stand may suffer from erectile disfunction...............................in Eugimon's Omega Pants™. Graham

Short answer UN Spacy is now New UN Spacy (NUNS) with a new logo. Graham

Still no sign of the new issue of Shonen Ace in the shops here yet. As soon as I can find it, I will scan the pages of the Frontier manga. Graham

So did anybody manage to download the Don't Be Late song from that site that is mentioned on the official Frontier site? Graham

Again this is all just personal opinion/taste, but I'm really liking the characters and character designs in Frontier and can't wait to find out more about them. Certainly I prefer the characters more than those in Frontier's contemporary, 'Gundam 00', which to me manage to combine utter blandness, with in some cases a really freaky look that takes the whole 'big-eyed' anime look to new extremes of ridiculousnes and makes the characters look like humans that have mated with Speilberg's ET. Graham

I'm really surprised by your negative comments about the 3D/2D integration, when this is one aspect of the show that has been highly praised by nearly every member here so far. Granted I'm not in the animation field and I suspect neither are most of our members, but from a layman's view it was great. Some shows such as GITS SAC I have found the integration realy jarring though. Likewise, I really don't get where you are coming from comparing the action scenes here with Super Robot anime? Common characteristics of Super Robot anime is that the mecha are nearly indestructable, super powerful and the pilots usually shout their attacks. So let's see how Macross Frontier stacks up to these criteria: - Nearly Indestructable: Well, we see the Ghosts, VF-171s and one of the VF-25s easily taken down by the bugs, so the mecha are far from indestructable. Super powerful: Again, nope. The Ghosts and VF-171s don't even manage to take out a single bug and the VF-25s only manage to take out a couple of Hammerhead bugs. The guns and missiles of the VFs seem mostly ineffective. Shouting Attacks: Nope, again doesn't happen here. IMHO, the action in Macross Frontier has a very strong real robot vibe, with tense and exciting action scenes. Graham

Hopefully, the missing VF-171 forearms will be added in time for when the 1st episode airs in April 2008. Another possible mecha animation error is in the asteroid field when Ozma transforms his Armored VF-25 from Gerwalk to battroid mode. You see him transform to battroid, but then the next frame he is back in Gerwalk mode again and transformingto battroid again! Graham

There seems to be an animation error with the VF-171 that Ozma first flies up next to. When we first see it shortly before Ozma arrives, it seems to be missing its forearms/vertical tails and instead has some sort of cylindrical object mounted in place of the forearms (see attached screen captures). Yet later on the forearms reappear! At first I thought it might be a new variant, but later on after Ozma finishes talking to the pilot, the forearms magically reappear. Graham

The official site has an update. Something about the song 'Don't Be Late' and the date 2007-12-30 and the time 9.00. Anybody care to translate? Graham