Renato

You're in the wrong thread. I hear this often, too. But I want to know WHY? I agree. I think it adds depth and a relatability to the show. Especially when you bring in the parental relationships as well. They're not heroes, they are just kids. And they behave like believable kids, as far as I can tell.

Why do so many people hate the human characters in this show? I like them just fine.

The attachment piece that comes with the 19kai is pointless anyway because you can't display the valk on the stand and have that piece attached at the same time anyway. And that landing gear BS is just a breakage or two waiting to happen.

I don't think that will be a problem. The reason the YF-19 gunpod is so small on the toy is because it has to sit behind the "gullet" in Fighter mode. The new VF-19kai has fixed that area entirely and also made the launcherpod able to bend slightly to "wrap" around that area, so I should think there will be no size issue with the new gunpod. However, their promise that it will also incorporate some cool new unrevealed feature is intriguing... Unless it's just the magazine removal again. EDIT -- Maybe they've found a way to store a spare magazine inside the shield, like in Mac Plus? Dunno if the 19S can do that, but you never know.

I did read it, that is why I said I understand your reasoning. It is not my reasoning, though, because I believe that, like I've mentioned in previous posts here, having other options (like the option of shooting) and not using it, rather, being true to your belief system and engaging an enemy without counterattack is one example of Basara's heroism. And you yourself mentioned you accept my (and Gubaba's et al) views when you said: So I won't repeat any more. I get it. I think we hold different values. Although M7 is a long series and those "Kamikaze/no-other-options rescues" are quite plentiful, even by your definition. Episode 5, when Basara rescues the biker chicks by shooting a missile? It went against his beliefs, which is why he was upset afterwards, but you must have thought it was heroic, yes? So did the biker girls. The point is that Basara did not, and the show is trying to gradually build up on why not. Therefore, I think you are stuck on the mindset that is prevalent within the first few episodes of M7 and cannot and will not see past this. That's OK, it just means the show is not for you. But I personally admire the show for structuring itself that way, I think it's quite subtly clever and unique. Yeah, it would be a long and boring show with no point or originality. The whole reason for the show's length is its intention to very gradually change the mindsets of the characters around Basara, and where possible, that of the viewers, too.

So... There are literally no words I can use to continue this argument now. You got me, dude, you win. "You're thinking too much about the meaning of the words I am using." Hmm. I gotta tell you, that's original and foolproof. I'll have to try that next time I'm having a discussion with someone. Well, I think I do, and so I understand the reasons why you do not like Basara. I do not share those reasons, and that's part of why I do like him.

I tried, but you didn't accept it. That's why I failed. Shall I "try again" then, as the song goes? Here are the "rescues" I listed, in response to your statement that he never rescued any maiden in distress: I said episode 28 and you correctly pointed out that there was no heroic rescue in that episode. I was wrong. I apologize. I was thinking of the scene where Basara had lost his voice and stopped Mylene from being eaten by Glavil by holding his jaws open. That was not episode 28, I looked it up and it was actually 27, "Rainbow song energy". 28 was the one with the soundboosters, I don't remember that one so well. Anyway, I wanted to point out this scene at around 19:16 -- http://www.veoh.com/watch/v19316239F7332G2K OK. I also mentioned another one where he rescues Mylene and a bunch of other civilians in the episode where City 7 gets separated from Battle 7, which was either #12 or 13, again, I cannot remember which right now, I'M SORRY. But it's there. You made no response, other than "that's not heroic" -- though I'm not sure if you're referring specifically to the episode in question or not. Want another? Fine, what about the one in episode #11 "Minmay Video" where he rescues Mylene from the creepy date-rape guy, and a vampire, all at once? I got plenty more where that came from. I dunno, man, I've got rebuttals being thrown at you very which way, but I guess if you keep ignoring/brushing them off without much critique because the rescues were NOT SUICIDAL ENOUGH, then, I guess we're not speaking the same language, therefore I lose. I am willing to admit failure in this case. Shame we cannot seem to communicate. And I think you are talking about My Little Pony in a couple of posts. OK, that's nice, but shall we talk about Macross 7, please? Yeah, this seems to be a worrisome tendency in many fandoms....

I think in the year 2011, all mecha is minor.

There are few maidens in need of rescuing in Mac 7, I think Mylene is a very strong independent female character. Having said that, she was grabbed and almost eaten in episode 28. Basara rescued her. In episode 12 (or 13?) she was kidnapped. Basara rescued her. Watch the show, man. No, he did not destroy the enemy. That's kind of the point, actually -- to undermine the senseless mutual destructive cycle of battle... I don't know what you are talking about in your last paragraph because of all the acronyms which I cannot really be bothered to look up right now, sorry.

But Basara kamikazes into battle every episode...

I agree with all of this, I think we have pretty much the same opinions on the character and show.

Well, he doesn't even have a face, so... But yeah, point taken. VF-X Pilot and Basara forever.

This one is beautiful: "Spy grand strategy" Still trying to work out "Boots" and "Travel Reviews", though.. Stumped!

OK let's. Hikaru: "OMIGOD two girls are in love with me and I can't decide, I hope that one of those girls can maneuver the SDF-1 skillfully enough to penetrate the alien fortress while the other one sings a song to confuse them into immobility while I plunge uselessly into the Earth. Hope they make a movie about me where I look cooler." Isamu: "Argh, this computer is in love with me, my ex-girlfriend is going out with my ex-best-friend whom for some reason we cannot remind is a rapist, maybe if I plunge uselessly into the ground my ex-girlfriend will revive me with her song so I can blow up the mainframe". Shin: "I *think* two girls are in love with me... Oh no, it's the anti-UN! Thank god Roy is here! OK, time to....PLUNGE USELESSLY INTO THE SEA! WHEEEE!" Alto: "OMIGOD two girls are in love with me. Er... I wish I was a pilot, for no reason. Oh, I am now, good. Doesn't matter, 'cos those two girls seem to be doing well in taking care of the alien threat by themselves. Ho-hum..." Hibiki: "I'm a conspiracy theorist". Somehow, I don't see a bunch of heroism or even usefulness coming from any male protagonist in this franchise, except for Basara.

I'm the same, I don't support Apple's products, but there's no denying that this man was intelligent and charismatic. RIP.

Lord of the Rings?

Nice. The actual title for this movie in Japan is "Angel Wars", by the way...

8000yen, what the hell are they thinking?? I thought this was a figma or something.

Very good!

My radio station sometimes has cool quizzes like this. They machine translate the lyrics of songs into nonsensical Japanese and you have to guess what song it is. I correctly guessed a truly mangled version of "Eye of the Tiger" by Survivor, but didn't manage to call in to win the prize, as usual. OK I've got one. "Die eagerly"

I'm actually really good at these. "To Kill a Mockingbird".

Jeeesus...

This is a good post. Too bad this show and its lead character will forever remain controversial until the perceived unquestionable truths in question change in world consensus... But perhaps that's what makes it interesting, at least to me.

Keith, you have forgotten an entire story arc. He set out on a journey to find the reason for why he sings, that much is clear. He had already been thinking about it for several episodes, when eventually the UN Spacy captured Sivil and she managed to escape not because of his singing (though it was hinted that it MAY have started to have an effect), but because Gigil accidentally switched on the Spiritia expulsion beam of his Valk when he got shot, which happened to hit Sivil's sphere. When he noticed he had failed to awaken Sivil after hundreds of attempts, he set off on a journey to find himself. He refused to sing for several episodes after that, even when the Protodeviln were right in his face because he wanted to "test" the effects of his song. The episode where he actually lost his voice completely was an earlier one, the one where they introduced the Song Energy convertors, and he got it back in the same episode. Here is the episode where the pressure that had been building finally gets to Basara and he decides to leave for a while. http://www.veoh.com/watch/v193168963wHRPh5p At the 2:50 mark -- In response to Ray asking him what was troubling him, Basara responds: "How to put this... I had never considered the reason for why I sing. But I think I'm close to finding the answer now. I think that's it. I want to make sure." Ray: "I'm looking forward to it." Basara: "Well, see ya". At the 19:30 mark -- Sivil awakes and escapes not because of Basara's song, but rather as a combined effect of his song and Spiritia beam from Gigil's mecha. Basara still has no proof that his song has any effect whatsoever on anything, and so he set out to find that out. Finding Sivil may have been part of the reason for his leaving, but it was not the main one.

I don't know but I never, ever saw a single VF-29 for sale in any shop, except once in a second-hand store at a considerable mark-up. It seems Bandai produces the very least they need to, charges the very most they can, then makes everything else a web exclusive. They've gotten very good at being cost-effective and eliminating waste that way. Not that that helps our situation any, though. The Hi-Metals are gathering dust on store shelves everywhere, meanwhile. No wonder Bandai made Skull Squadron entirely web-exclusive.