Zinjo

Yeah all post DYRL shows tend to take their design cues for the movie than the series. Though Mac II is based mostly on DYRL and the PC Engine games like Macross 2036, that were available at the time.

Probably the Auto Attack Bits are their "military designation" while Squires is a "nickname", similar to how SK describes the "Star Mirage" as the nickname for the VF-5000. "Squire" isn't an official name for the equipment, but used just the same and interchangeably with AAB. I like the name "Hounds" or "Auto Attack Dogs" better than "Squires" but that's just my idea, not series canon.

Don't care too much for those designs myself, but that is purely subjective aesthetics on my part.

Well that is a departure from the intial lettering system established in SDFM, however SK has already stated he isn't into inflexibly strict adherence to established continuity with respect to Macross projects. Considering he introduced the "B" version in Macross Zero which was also a two seater.

Well the "D" is a two seater ECM configured fighter while the "B" is the two seater bomber type of attack fighter IRC, though I could be wrong about the "B".

Yeah, your GERWALK is much more pallatable than SK's... (that should get a few combustable comments from the Kawamori minions... )

Wow, the spear actually looks better on the Valk II, but i'd rather see it mounted on the under side like the classic gunpod. But that's me...

No prob... And no, the AAB are the canon names for them, they are listed that way in the "This is Animation" book. I always imagined them to have AI control with the sophistication of a trained dog. They were capable of independant self defense and attack, but totally under the command of the pilot, unlike the X-9 Ghost. However, not being able to read Japanese, I don't know what their control was, if it was ever mentioned.

No prob... And no, the AAB are the canon names for them, they are listed that way in the "This is Animation" book. I always imagined them to have AI control with the sophistication of a trained dog. They were capable of independant self defense and attack, but totally under the command of the pilot, unlike the X-9 Ghost. However, not being able to read Japanese, I don't know what their control was, if it was ever mentioned.

Is that the "T" or "B". "D" version...? Typically the Trainers are brightly painted in orange and tan colors...

Unfortunately the AAB's for the VF-SS SAP system were barely even shown and many a Valkyrie II found an untimely end during the battles. As Grebo said the MS was the only uber fighter in the show and I too found it too lame (with the exception of the Pinpoint Barrier Lance concept). As for the other ships, you could use this scan and pluck whatever ships you like out.... They are fairly detailed and look pretty good blured out in the background. http://members.shaw.ca/zinjo3/Index/Pics/F...road_escort.jpg

We also saw that the bio engineered AFOS had a limited AI, but required a pilot to be fully functional.

That sir, is an assumption. There is no displayed proof there are technicians aboard. Let's remember that the Zenteadi were created by the protoculture and a race capable of bio engineering a race of giants could conceivably create an army of automated machines who do the "parts replacement". If said machines break down it is also conceivable that they would be replaced at either a factory or at Bodolza's base. Assuming there would have to be a technician class because "we" have them is presumtive at best. It is also presumtive to assume that the Zent soldier was incapable of running sensor equipment and the like. For all we know, all could have such skill and simply rotated into the duty on a set schedule. There is no concrete evidence such a "class" exists outside of assumptions. I believe you are mistaken. The spies were transported to the Macross by Millia the best pilot in Lap Lamis' fleet, aka the best chance the spies had of getting aboard. Lap Lamis was put in charge of the armada by Breetai while he went back to report to Bodolza, she commanded Zentrans, but her ship was not crewed by them. They did fight within the same forces, but did not serve aboard the same ships. That was forbidden. That is why the Zentrans who first encountered cohabitating males and females were so shocked.

It's actually an anthology series with the new Studio 4C including some heavy hitters in anime like Shinichiro Watanabe, Hideki Futamura, Shinosuke Harada Shoji Kawamori, etc.... SK's contribution is called "Space-Time Wars". Whether it will be a Macross story or not, is unclear, but the few bits of available art suggests it won't be. It appears to be along the lines of anthologies like Robot Carnival, Animatrix, etc... but more ambitious as each "episode" appears to be longer than 10 or 15 minutes. Each episode is described as a "movie" so I am not sure whether that means each gets 2 hours or less... Sounds fairly exciting! The list of contributors are: “10 leading Japanese Animation creators of today come together to offer a stunning visual feast of cutting edge imagery and artistry. 10 geniuses, 10 completely new works. In production NOW!†Dimension Bomb Dir: Koji Morimoto Twilight World Dir: Shinichiro Watanabe Nayorani Dir: Mahiro Maeda Space-Time Wars Dir: Shoji Kawamori Dream Machine Dir: Masaaki Yuasa Genius Party Dir: Atsuko Fukushima Moondrive Dir: Kazuto Nakazawa Touni Dir: Tadashi Hiramatsu Limitcycle Dir: Hideki Futamura “Wanwa†the Puppy Dir: Shinosuke Harada *Information contained herein, including titles and content are subject to change.

Although another series or movie from SK in the Macross universe is doubtful for the 25th anniversary as SK is currently working on the "Genius Party" series.

I'm not saying it's an original premise, I am saying the stories are similar in much more than just a generalized way. Only SK knows if one actually influenced the other, and frankly I don't care if TG did influence the story of Mac Plus. I enjoy Mac Plus on it's own merits, not because it shares similar themes and elements to another film.

IMO the best mode for the VF-17 was the battroid. All other modes just didn't impress me... Initially I hated it entirely unltil I saw Millia's red one, THAT sold me on the Battroid VF-17

True, it was a germ of an idea at that time. However, SK had sworn off making sequels to Macross for reasons only he knows until 1992/93. The comparison is similar to how Escanflowne was compared to Evangelion eventhough they were developed completely independanty from one another. 1995 Interview Though in this 2002 interview his pilgrimages tend to help explain his penchant for metaphysics in his more recent series'... 2002 Interview Well let's see, the hotshot pilot's main competition for the "prize" is a comparably skilled pilot who is much less wreckless and very critical of the hotshot. The hotshot's love interest is a civilian, and the whole climax turns out to be a dogfight that requires both pilots to work together to win... Sounds similar to me... Could SK have been influenced by Top Gun in the final story? Possibly, but there are definite similarities, whether deliberate or not...

Actually I read that Top Gun was how SK described Super Nova, it was never conceived as a Macross project initially. Doubtful, Kawamori wanted nothing to do with Macross when Mac II was being produced and was shopping his Super Nova project around at the time. When he started working on Mac Plus, Mikimoto was doing the character designs for Mac 7, and if I remember correctly, he isn't the fasted artist, so expecting him to do character designs for both shows was asking a lot!

This Book also has the line art you seek, as well as Varuta and the other ships of the New Macross Fleets...

He's done it with other VF's, but I dont' recall which...

It does deserve praise, SK did a great job adapting his original non-macross story into Plus. I do agree with Grebo that it does mark a distinct departure by SK to pit VF's vs VF's as opposed to non-variable alien craft. It may simply be that Japanese fan interest is prone to that type of action.

Umm, Top Gun = 1986 Macross Plus = 1994 Exactly how does it predate Top Gun? Particlularly considering SK wanted nothing to do with Macross or variable aircraft for nearly a decade after SDFM...

The irony of it, is that SK used some design elements from this Fugly design in the ultra cool looking SV-51! The head, and broken off nose cone in the main body to name a couple.

I will dare to be different. Since the ship is supposed to be a submersible vessel, I'd suggest going with the blue on the main part of the hull (similar to submarines) and with the grey on the ramp hatch at the front (white is too visible underwater).