VF-15 Banshee

I'm baaaaaaaaack!! And I even come bearing gifts, specifically I started working on my Macross 30 adaption fic again, which I believe I started before I knew there was an actual novelization of the game. However, there is no translation available for that so I decided that I'll keep going with mine since I plan to make a few changes such as including characters and VFs that were left out of the game. Chapters 1-3 plus the prologue and interlude have been updated and hopefully I can do some new chapters pretty soon. Check out the story here: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9536944/1/Macross-30-Voices-Across-The-Galaxy

Eventually. SUPER DIMENSION FORTRESS MACROSS: DO YOU REMEMBER LOVE? (1984) Iconic Scene: A lot, just look at the following photos. Quotable Quotes: "Just a simple love song that was popular in an alien city 10,000 years ago." Best Character: Hard to say, everyone's pretty much their best self in this movie. I think I'll go with Hikaru because he doesn't devolve into an @$$hole in the movie. Best Death: Lots but the one I like is a few photos over where the zentradi guy comes out of his pod to try and fight Max and Max just blasts him right in the face. Poor guy. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MACROSS: FLASHBACK 2012 Iconic Scene: Again, a whole series of them. Quotable Quotes: None really, since this is a music video. Best Character: Minmay, I would say, because she finally seems to have gotten it all together and everyone gets their happy endings. colonthree emoticon Best Death: Not applicable It's now late 2012 in the Macross timeline and the last bit of the story is about to wrap up. The Macross itself has been refitted and looks more like its movie counterpart and the colony ship which Captain Global spoke of is ready to launch into the new frontier. And so these characters and places we've come to know, exit the stage. And now... we move on to Macross II and oh boy that's going to be fun. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MACROSS II: LOVERS AGAIN EPISODE 1: FIRST CONTACT Iconic Scene: Faerie Squadron pilots Saori, Ami and Natasha, minus their leader Sylvie. Quotable Quotes: Do you think Earth has the best culture? ZOINKS. You don't even know the meaning of the word. Best Character: Dennis Lone. Too bad he had to die right in the first episode. Best Death: Again, Dennis. So, fast-forward to 1992, 10 years after the debut of the original series, 8 years from DYRL, and about 4.5 years after Flashback 2012. Big West, the company that sponsors all of the Macross productions wanted a new sequel but Kawamori and many of the other Macross alumni didn't really want to get involved. BW went ahead anyway and thanks to a combination of not really knowing what they wanted out of this besides "a new Macross" and the fact that real robot genre had atrophied somewhat by the 90s led to it not being very popular in Japan... although it ended up having a measure of success in the USA probably due to a certain adaptation. I chose this particular picture because the Faerie Squadron pilots are, as far as I know, the only human female pilots that have names and screentime in all of Macross. There might be a character in the VF-X games but I'll have to check that. And even then, if you strictly by the animated productions then yes, they are. ------------------------------- MACROSS II: LOVERS AGAIN EPISODE 2: ISHTAR Iconic Scene: Ishtar discovers the Alus... which was actually the Macross? I guess? Certainly doesn't jive with later lore Quotable Quotes: Rather abrupt! Best Character: Ishtar because most of the rest of the characters are still a bit annoying and Hibiki's both creepy and still jerky. Best Death: Nobody really. Maybe the Zentradi that Feff punched but that's iffy. Not much to say about this episode that won't get said... well, I'll just say elsewhere. One thing to note is that this episode apes several elements of the 1953 movie Roman Holiday, starring Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn. An odd choice to say the least. ---------------------------------------- MACROSS II: LOVERS AGAIN EPISODE 3: FESTIVAL Iconic Scene: The reveal of the Metal Siren... the fugliest Valkyrie in all of Macross. Quotable Quotes: Take me to the moon, Hibiki! I'm sure I'll learn a lot! Best Character: Wendy Rider, just because this is the only time that she ever gets any real screen time. The characters in this are just too bland for anything else. Best Death: Again, nobody notable. Noticing a pattern here? A large part of the episode revolves around the Lunar Festival but it ends up not being something particularly memorable or exciting. Not as flashy as Minmay's concert in DYRL, not surreal like Sharon or energetic like Sheryl and Ranka's shows. Wendy Rider is basically just... there. It probably didn't help that the first major Idol Boom was over by '92 and they already had Hiroko Kasahara doing Ishtar. Also the Metal Siren is introduced here and the best way I can describe it is that it's much more of a jumbled mish-mash of jagged lines and car fenders than many Gundams are accused of being. ---------------------------------------- MACROSS II: LOVERS AGAIN EPISODE 4: MARDUK DISORDER Iconic Scene: Ingues The Dingus Quotable Quotes: No one will ever know my shame... that I dared to love above my station. Best Character: Sylvie because Ishtar gets to be Princess Peach in this episode and Hibiki is just sort of along for the ride as it were. Sylvie is the take-charge character this time around. Best Death: Poor Lady Elenshe. If only you had listened to Ishtar and gone with her. It's kind of odd that the dub for this show sounds better when they're speaking the Marduk language. By the way, did you know that Lord Feff was voiced in Japanese by Toru Furuya aka Amuro Ray? ------------------------------------------- MACROSS II: LOVERS AGAIN EPISODE 5: STATION BREAK Iconic Scene: The warship class known as the Macross Cannon. Quotable Quotes: We must not allow the enemy to get past the defence fleet! Best Character: It's very hard to say. Not many of the characters get a standout moment here and that's because the story feels like it was getting on a good pace up through episode 4 but now has to rush to a conclusion because the next episode is the last. It's definitely not Major Nexx, that's for damn sure. I guess I'll say it's the commander of the defense fleet. I don't even know if he has a name. He tried his damnedest to hold back the Marduk lines but even with the Macross Cannon ships on his side, he just couldn't do it and went out in a blaze of glory. Best Death: The crew of the flagship Gloria. -------------------------------------------------------- MACROSS II: LOVERS AGAIN EPISODE 6: SING ALONG Iconic Scene: Just like the Enterprise in Star Trek III, the Macross in this series suffers an end that is not quite as awesome as you'd like it to be. Quotable Quotes: MACROSS! Take off! Best Character: Ishtar for bringing peace not only to her people but to Earth as well. Best Death: I'd say Ingues but that would imply he is a character worth caring about. Which he isn't. ------------------------------------------ You've probably also noticed from the FB album but I've posted a bunch of screenshots and thoughts from Macross Delta episodes 0.89 and 1-4. On to Macross Plus!!

For visual reference, Miranda Jenius is, I'm pretty sure, the one with twin-tails

Considering that kawamori and Tenjin said that episode two is going to be very different than episode 1, I shouldn't count on that.

As long as there's no, "you're both my wings" crap...

Actually I'm assuming it's a her because the actor for Heinz the 2nd is doing Kudelia Aina Bernstein over on Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans.

I had this gem passed along by Tochiro, fresh from Newtype: Looks like the other part of the VF-31's CWS is something else. :3 It seems to me that it's a beam gunpod

I'm kinda surprised you guys haven't posted this yet. Tochiro found that Delta finally has a broadcast date

5th column? Anyway, I think it's been made pretty obvious that the Var Syndrome is an integral part of the plot.

I think Mikumo might just be Best Girl...?

Perhaps just yet-to-be-introduced characters?

I got into one of those arguments once on a forum. A dozen people all going back and forth and not one of them could agree on a strict definition of Real Robot other than "probably the 08th MS Team."

https://youtu.be/6YMPAH67f4o

It's possible, one of the weapon packs for the YF-30 was supposed to be a beam cannon of some sort.

According to Hayate's pay slip here, the date is April 20, 2067. Hmm, wonder if that's the real-life air date since they already said it'd air in April?

Yeah but something tells me we won't be seeing much of the 31A.

Can't really tell what differences there are between the Delta squad Valks. Maybe they've gone back to SDFM and the biggest difference are head units and some internals? Container Weapon System differences perhaps?

Given that Hayate, Freyja and Mirage are given a lot of prominence in this picture, just like how Sheryl, Ranka and Alto were, I think we can say this will be the love triangle?

EPISODE 22: LOVE CONCERT Iconic Scene: Did she have some head trauma? Nope, just animation trauma. Quotable Quotes: There he is! No doubt about it, that's the ace who beat me! Best Character: Kaifun for getting konked on the head by a stage light. Pity it didn't kill him. Best Death: All the poor buggers that likely get killed as the Zentradi start blowing up the city. The thing that stood out to me the most about this episode was that this was the first of many, many stupid things that Kaifun will do. Since we're talking fiction I have no compunctions against saying that I kinda hope lots of people got their stupid selves killed listening to him. Oh who am I kidding, he'd just blame it on the military. ****** EPISODE 23: DROP OUT Iconic Scene: Hikaru and Misa have a moment in the Nyan Nyan Cafe. Quotable Quotes: Who knows? War is the only thing our enemy knows, right? But we'll put an end to it someday. Best Character: Misa, for just being awesome this time around. Best Death: Nobody notable. There's hope now in the form of the Zentradi defectors... and that Misa has FINALLY given up on that douche-nozzle Kaifun... even though she did that back in episode 16... whatever. ***** EPISODE 24: GOOD-BYE GIRL Iconic Scene: Not a duck. Quotable Quotes: Shammy! Launch the Booby Duck! Best Character: Hikaru because not only does he fly the Super Valkyrie but he seems to finally be getting it that he and Misa have something much more tangible than emotional stress after being trapped for two weeks. Best Death: Again, the poor Zentradi that messed with Max and his new VF-1J The beloved Super Valkyrie makes its debut and Hikaru now has another woman walk out of his life, sort of. At least he sort of seems to be getting that he has a thing with Misa. ***** And so the second third of the series ends. This is where the series really came into its own with a unique story that took the real robot concepts made famous by Mobile Suit Gundam and puts their own twist on it. The only negative would be the appearance of Kaifun. As I said before, if he was designed to be hated, they succeeded in SPADES. ***** EPISODE 25: VIRGIN ROAD Iconic Scene: Ya think ya got enough cake there? Quotable Quotes: Our love is strong enough to conquer all that!! Best Character: Global for his speech that starts out sounding like a blistering indictment against aliens... and then becomes a call for peace so much better than Kaifuns bawling. Best Death: Nobody notable The various problems with this episode have been elaborated on at length by Richard Clark, so I'll just say that I really am not surprised Max and Milia have problems in their marriage in Macross 7 considering how "whirlwind" their romance is here. ***** EPISODE 26: MESSENGER ICONIC SCENE: The Macross and about 1,200 of Britai and Laplamiz's ships against 4,790,260 ships of the Bodol Main Fleet. Brown Trousers on standby. QUOTABLE QUOTES: "What is the function of that flimsy garment? [lingerie] BEST CHARACTER: Exedol, especially for his gloriously awful attempt at My Boyfriend Is A Pilot. BEST DEATH: The Quamzin squad schmucks that Britai has to shoot down because Quamzin is himself a schmuck. smile emoticon So here's where all the threads come together and we get the deep breath before the plunge. I'm going to elaborate about this elsewhere so I'm just going to mention that I love Exedol here, especially when he tries to do his Minmay impression. And just because it gives me perverse pleasure, I'd also like to comment here on how much of a douche he is. Even when presented with the oppurtunity to work out a peaceful resolution to this conflict, he acts like a petulant child, likely because the military is in charge of this. He even immediately goes into one of his rants and thankfully Global tells him to SHUT UP. Seriously, why was this guy never ironically killed off? ***** EPISODE 27: LOVE DRIFTS AWAY Iconic Scene: Quite a few really. Just see the following photos. Quotable Quotes: The entire surface! It's been annihilated! Best Character: Hikaru for finally giving up on Minmay... for now at least. Best Death: Bodolza, of course.

It's on the Macross Compendium, I believe

I'll give it a shot but my voice isn't the greatest, ya know?

Hmmm... Var Syndrome. Takes people over and makes them commit violent acts. Varauta, mind-controlled warriors of the Protodeviln. Coincidence?

Do you mean the 25th or Tuesday?

EPISODE 21: MICRO-COSMOS Iconic Scene: THIS IS THE LEGENDARY POWER!! Quotable Quotes: Did you guys do stuff like that [kissing] with Minmay?! Best Character: Hard to call in this one, Nobody really stands out. Maybe I'll say it's the three spies again, for blatantly lying about making out with Minmay. grin emoticon Best Death: Again, no actual deaths except for maybe the death of the imaginary relationship Hikaru had with Minmay. Another link in the chain leading to what would have been the finale. Minmay and Kaifun's movie Shao-Pai-Long premieres... and somehow Britai and Exedol are able to watch it? What the heck? Last i checked, movies, especially in the 1980s, weren't broadcast. Maybe they are doing it on this occasion so all the crew of the Macross can see the premiere even if they're not actually there? Hikaru can't stomach the sight of Kaifun getting his incest on and runs into Misa (literally) and they get to have another moment. Given that Macross The First retconned in references to the Vajra, I'm actually not surprised that Britai and Exedol can believe that the miclones have the power supposedly demonstrated in the movie. They'll pass this along to Bodolza and it'll lead to his decision to attack Earth. Incidentally, Shao Pai Long is my least favorite Minmay song, initially because it simply had something to do with Kaifun but now... I dunno I can't really point to anything specific, I just don't like it as much as some of her other songs like Silver Moon, Red Moon and My Boyfriend is a Pilot.

EPISODE 20: PARADISE LOST Iconic Scene: What is this? A rummage sale for ANTS?! Quotable Quotes: I guess we're Macrossians now? Best Character: Loli, Conda and Warera for being the secret purveyors of culture. smile emoticon Best Death: None in this episode, as I recall And another good build to the plot here. After the last episode where the characters are beat down with the hopelessness of their situation, it begins to spread to the civilians as well but they take a more optomistic view of it. With the Zentradi, Loli, Conda and Warera have begun the Heralds of Culture, spreading among the fleet. Global has to break the news to the Macross's civilian population and his heartfelt speech helps to deflect some of the anger that might come his way and the way of the military crew as well as Minmay's speech and song, probably more on Minmay's part more than Global. Incidentally, the scene where Kaifun pats Global on the back... considering his attitude before now, after and during the after war arc makes me consider this action to be wholly out of character. Must have been a hiccup on the part of the writers' minds or somesuch. wink emoticon Also, I wonder what the different colored stripes on the three spies' uniforms mean? Likely nothing as you can see more than a dozen and a half variations on the UN Spacy uniform on just the Macross.