Jump to content

sketchley

Members
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    7387

  • Joined

  • Last visited

 Content Type 

Everything posted by sketchley

  1. sketchley
    If memory serves, that Mobile Fortress had successfully made a space fold to Earth, and was in the process of attacking Earth when it was stopped (in or near orbit). However, the events depicted in Digital Mission VF-X are a bit of a grey area. Official chronologies acknowledge that the Milky Dolls were kidnapped and the VF-X unit were involved in their rescue (the setting at the start of the game) ... and then nothing else is mentioned about it! It's almost like Kawamori-san doesn't know how to incorporate it, or has selectively forgotten the conclusion of the game! Our only recourse is to revert to Kawamori-san's standard answer about the differences between the Macross series: what we're seeing is an in-universe fictionalization of real events. So, what was depicted as the Mobile Fortress may just have been another Beginhill Training Ship used as a stand-in (like the Mobile Fortress in the in-universe production of DYRL) and the real enemy ship was something else, and the attack on Earth may not have been as large in scale as the game suggests that it was. Assuming that the game events happened as depicted, the Mobile Fortress was decrepit: it was abandoned and buried on a planet for eons, had only been recently rediscovered by Lost Zentradi (from the Bodoru Main Fleet), who had recently reactivated it (as official sources state that those ships have a self-repair function, the restoration of the ship is a given, but the question on the pace and extent of those repairs remains). As those Zentradi appeared to be more focused on developing and producing enhanced versions of the Zentradi pods (the so-called 'Stealth' variant), the state of that Mobile Fortress after the conclusion of the game is questionable at best.
  2. sketchley
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macross_FB_7:_Ore_no_Uta_o_Kike! (the link at the bottom to the WayBackMachine is especially nostalgic! ) That particular line was from an interview with Kawamori-san in Great Mechanics. I don't think Chiba-san has been involved with Delta (or Frontier, for that matter). There's nothing in the most recent publications with it (Great Mechanics, etc.) GM says it's exactly the same as the one used by SMS (equipped with a Fold Wave System, painted blue.) The only 'difference' (if we can call it that), is that it also indicates that Max's piloting skill can fully pull out, or utilize the YF-29's capabilities. The Macross Large Analysis (マクロス大解剖) mook states that it's equipped with EX-Gear and a Fold Wave System, and that Max is able to pull out it's capabilities to the maximum limit. In other words, aside from being painted blue and Max using it to it's full potential (a subtle dig on Aruto???), it's unchanged from the prototype seen in the 2nd Frontier movie. ... it's maddening how little detail is published on Valkyries recently. Remember when we complained how the stuff on the Frontier Valkyries was 'spartan'? (^_^;)
  3. sketchley
    Wasn't that a movie? (it was theatrically released first, no?) Well, there's him, and everyone else. That everyone else not only includes the production staff, but also the viewers. We've seen on more than one occasion* Kawamori-san changing his vision to make it easier for the (casual) viewer to easily differentiate between not only protagonists and antagonists, but also the main and sub protagonists. And not everyone on the production staff will have his experiences and interests.** In short, his creative decisions all boil down to what he can do (within sponsors' limits) and what he perceives he can do (the viewers' limits). The perception one is a doozy, as he may be self-editing too harshly. Kawamori-san may already know the limits of PMCs, but his self-editing may have resulted in "It's Macross, PMCs exist, and they can do those things." Perhaps that 'ignored epiphany' was also a wink at (or a kind of lampshading for) the viewers who are more aware of the real world realities of PMCs? * E.g.: the VF-19 being replaced by the VF-171 as the main VF in MF. ** there have been times when Kawamori-san has almost appeared obsessive in providing a logical reason for transforming fighter jets to exist in a Macross show. Yet I'm sure the majority of staff members just shrug there shoulders and say "It's Macross, OF COURSE there are Valkyries." (E.g.: the dancing Valkyries at the start of Delta to justify their in-universe existence). Arguably he's done that since M7. However, I think your spot-on with the freedom it gives them to write the characters.
  4. sketchley
    Well, that may have been true a decade or two ago. However, when was the last Macross OVA released? Speaking of the market in general (not only Macross), I sense that in the past few years there has been a tangible shift away from rental shops offering physical media to streaming, etc. (it might seem quaint to people overseas, but that's Japan for you). So, the traditional primary sponsors of OVAs may be correspondingly shifting away to streaming entities (Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, etc.) So, I guess the question changes to: are they willing to sponsor a Macross series? Well, two things to keep in mind: hero mecha is what sells (in Japan) people in Japan (the primary market) generally don't pay attention to that kind of news, so PMCs are still gimmicky here The second point loops back to my earlier question: has Kawamori-san bored with PMCs? So far he's giving us the cream of the crop (SMS) and their antithesis (Chaos). Where could he go with them next? Personally, I think he likes to use PMCs as they're a convenient story-writing way to get around government bureaucracy (par for the course in Japan... :roll: ) and turn it into something he's more familiar with (corporate bureaucracy)*, as well as an excuse to give the protagonists unique hero mecha that's visually distinct from what the regular soldiers use. * as Steven King says: write what you know about Very true. I suspect that's one of the main reasons why the protagonists switched to the VF-31AX Kairos Plus in the 2nd Delta movie. Oh, I've never seen closeups of their heads before. They're neat.
  5. sketchley
    If he were interested in it, I think Kawamori-san would have done it by now. However, just as we can see with the YF-30 and its spawn, he tends to go for the next thing, and the next derivative (with a tendency to add on more and more greebles each iteration). I think some better questions to ask would be: Will the sponsors (*cough* Bandai *cough*) be willing to invest in a show that will essentially be perceived as 'milking the mold' and may not see as much merchandise sales as a completely new hero Valkyrie would? And will we be seeing more derivatives of the YF-30 in a new series, or has Kawamori-san already tired of it? (as the debut of the Sv-303 and the recycling of the VF-31A in the latest production seems to suggest) That said, I'd be interested in a show where the VF-24 appears, too.
  6. sketchley
    Actually, I believe that 'leak' was from Great Mechanics G 2021 Winter. 😉
  7. sketchley
    One thing to keep in mind about Earth's orbital defences, is that what we're shown is the orbital defences, as well as the escort fleet of at least one Super Long Range Emigrant Fleet parked in orbit prior to launch. As Osamu destroyed orbital satellites and avoided the defensive satellites, I think it's safe to assume that most of the ships we saw were parked and uncrewed (more or less). As another planet was shown to have defensive satellites in the same era*, it's logical to presume that Eden also has its fair share of defensive satellites. Eden is also indicated as the departure point of at least one Emigrant Fleet, so it's also likely to have a bunch of escort warships parked in orbit from time to time. * Planet Vulcan, if memory serves, in the VF-X2 game (while set a few years later in-universe, it was produced and released around the same time as Macross Plus: Game Edition was).
  8. sketchley
    Couldn't they be both? (Or where is it mentioned that only refit types have big guns?) For example, the ARMD (DYRL version) are part of the main gun system in Macross II.
  9. sketchley
    They could be the Macross Frontier equivalent of brand goods. There are plenty of real world examples of shoes and handbags that cost as much as a car. ;)
  10. sketchley
    Adding to this: the mecha producing ones are the smaller ones (tens of kilometres in size), the ones for ships are larger (hundreds of kilometres). It's a heck of a lot easier to a) capture, b) move, and c) conceal the smaller ones than the larger ones (never mind the production line's resource costs).
  11. sketchley
    I've noticed that in their past reviews: it's like a meeting with no one in the driver's seat, and they're always going off on tangents. Not saying it's not informative, but lots of other things to do, you know?
  12. sketchley
    Yes. Even despite the politics (is that the right word for it?), it's odd that they didn't invite the creator.
  13. sketchley
    Not officially. However, the Zentradi dojinshi has this to say: "Kirutora Keruēru class Planetary Assault Landing Ship (...) The ship's primary use is to be the sortie mothership of an assault drop operation on a planet where the enemy is, using atmospheric descent boats. Be that as it may, it is rather unusual for the Zentrādi Forces or the Supervision Forces—both of which always mobilize in fleets in outer space—to be on a planet's surface. Because there is no concept of "making things" in both armed forces, they also don't conduct base construction, either. When a fleet descends and deploys on a planet, it is mostly to conceal themselves or to use the planet as a "shield", and only the "terrain" is used. Moreover, given that most of the time such tactical actions appear if the fleet is cornered, the Kirutora Keruēru should have been necessary only in limited situations. However, the Kirutora Keruēru's extraordinary robustness and great carrying capacity have given it a variety of other uses. (...)
  14. sketchley
    This echoes some of my sentiments about the sequel Star Wars trilogy. And we all know how that turned out. Maybe it's for the best if the company is making a business decision to not make any more 'Matrix' films?
  15. sketchley
    The 'Powers of 10' from the BBC also does a good job at helping visualize the scale of space.
  16. sketchley
    Great Mechanics G 2021 Winter states that the Sv-303 is "equipped with 6 Ghosts" (in Battroid: 2 on each leg nacelle, 1 on each back/wing nacelle). As they are comparable* in size and shape to the LD-262S Lilldraken on the Sv-262, it gives us a starting point to inferring the Sv-303's size. * I'd like to say EXACTLY the same, but with their confusing colouring and the small image sizes, it's hard to say for sure. EDIT: images courtesy https://www.mahq.net/mecha/macross/delta-movies/sv-303.htm without Ghosts: with ghosts (the pinky-purple lined parts on the lower legs, as well as all the extra fins and flight surfaces. The 2 Ghosts on the back nacelles not visible in the image):
  17. sketchley
    In brief: the same as humans. Caveat: Zentradi are genetically designed super-soldiers. So, their age spans would be at the maximum levels. Possibly longer due to those modifications. And as others have pointed out, aging also appears to be delayed as well—nobody wants enfeebled soldiers after all. Perhaps when the Zentradi naturally die, it's a rapid degradation, as their bodies are designed to operate at peak levels, and they just burn out?
  18. sketchley
    Re: cloning in the Macross universe Long story short, don't ask! Seriously, I don't think the creators have worked the mechanics of it out, either. On the one hand, in SDFM they pretty much say that the Zentradi are exactly the same as humans. However, they also imply that military operations take decades from start to finish—sometimes dozens of decades—yet we never see an old-aged Zentradi (aside from Buritai and Exsedore, who are arguably 'middle aged'). I don't want to think about the implications of that in the Macross universe (all signs point to euthanasia at a young age). On the other hand, Robotech (or the Palladium Books interpretation of it) indicated that the masses of soldiers are put into stasis when they're not needed... Nevertheless, one thing to keep in mind is that the genetic cause of aging (telomerase) wasn't known at the time SDFM was created, so cloning yourself a younger body is a viable option. Not to mention that cloning involves Over Technology, so it's possible that even if we factor in telomerase-based aging, there's a workaround. However, it doesn't explain why Buritai never restored his ruined eye... maybe the cloning process copies you 'as-is', and doesn't rely on genetics? (as illogical as that sounds, remember that we're talking about Macross with its Over Technology handwavium.)
  19. sketchley
    I think I may have been around the same age at the time. However, early on I noticed one of the brothers was subjectively 'better' at drawing the things I liked (I think it was the mecha/battles). Later... well, giving them the benefit of the doubt, I think that they could see the writing was on the wall about the cancellation of the series. Nevertheless, I really liked some of the creative directions they took. Like the 'Black Death Destroyer" Invid variants they introduced and the side-story one-shot comic set on the Karbarran homeworld.
  20. sketchley
    http://sdfyodogawa.mywebcommunity.org/Stats/Statistics.php As a list, it's as complete as I've been able to make it up to Macross Delta. Off the top of my head, the only things that are missing are the stuff from Macross II, as well as that combiner enemy mecha from the Macross M3 video game.
  21. sketchley
    Stealth Kerukaria [Quel-Quallie] Reconnaissance Pod The other new Zentrādi mecha in Macross Digital Mission VF-X are officially called (stuff in square brackets [ ] is, apparently, the nickname or common name): Gurāji Kai [aka Stealth Glaug] Fighter Pod Kai [aka Stealth Fighter Pod] Rigādo Kai [aka Stealth Regult]
  22. sketchley
    Good advice all around. One other trick I've seen some people on this site use is to photograph outdoors in natural sunlight. It may be seasonally limited in your neck of the woods, but depending on where you live, you could also exploit the outdoors for some interesting backgrounds.
  23. sketchley
    Expanding on this, the ships (specifically the Battle class) are described as each being composed of "several separate ships". However, that could also be translated as "several separate hulls". While it makes less sense to have just a leg section zooming around space, we do see such things as the forearm Gunship and Carrier Ship operating on their own. Nevertheless, as it was a feature adopted from the Supervision Forces, it's not too big of a stretch for humans to convert the separate and distinct airtight hulls into the system Azrael describes.
  24. sketchley
    Well I agree that some of it is 'lost in translation', some of the terms you've add are... 'added in translation'. Here's the Japanese definition: かんさつ【監察】《名・ス他》 情況を見届けて察知すること。特に、視察し監督すること。 DeepL: To observe and perceive the situation. In particular, to observe and supervise. Google: Seeing and detecting the situation. In particular, inspect and supervise. Eijiro, on the other hand, results in this: https://eow.alc.co.jp/search?q=監察 (TLDR: things like medical examiner, personnel inspector, Justice Inspector, administrative audit/inspection/supervision, Federal Observer, etc.) Nevertheless, I've always interpreted it as referring to the group (of soldiers) that were assigned (by the Protoculture) with 'watching over' the experiments that resulted in the Protodevilun, rather than vice-versa.
  25. sketchley
    Agreed. As one astronomer put it: when two galaxies collide and merge*, NONE of the stars inside them hit each other because the distance between each star is sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo vast. So, yeah, it's blind (bad) luck that they ever encounter each other. * literally forcing themselves through each other before making a u-turn to slam back together in one big mess!
×
×
  • Create New...