VFTF1

My love of Macross comes across in a different way...for instance - here's a typical conversation between me and my girlfriend: GF: Uff. What a hard day at work. Today we had to send two new editions to print, and our computer systems broke down again, and my assitent editor is pregnant and had to leave early and I STILL don't have a secretary and I have to help my daughter with her homework...how was your day? ME: Well, my internet connection is slowing down again, so I couldn't do any work again, but thankfully my Macross Frontier download was completed, so I got to see episode 14. GF: Err...so anyways, remember my friend Jill? She's just gotten back from an exciting vacation in India - she met a guy there who knew six languages and was a believer in the karma and spent the day talking to her about religion and finding inner peace. ME: Well, last episode on Macross Frontier, Ranka flew out to save Alto on this planet full of uncultured Zentrans and Alto once again had to face his past... GF: Urr...so...anyways, I've made you some sandwiches for dinner - here...how does that taste? ME: MMmm (smacks her butt) You'll make a good wife! I seriously have no clue why my girlfriend still loves me All I do is watch Macross and buy toys Oh - and sing Nekki Bassara songs VFTF1

Oh that would be me VFTF1

Yeeeaaah. Way to delegate responsibility to Dimensional Eater Extension Cord Grace.... Anyways - I generally have the same attitude towards women as the Captain of the Macross Quarter - I really liked how, after tasting the sushi, he said "you'd make a good wife" to Monica - and by all indications she would make a good wife. Bottom line: Sheryl is too high strung and doesn't have any of the humility which a woman ought to have. Ranka has TOO MUCH humility, which makes her look weak - but as she matures, she will learn that her humility and soft spoken nature are her greatest weapon. Sheryl draws the attention of the tumults and will always have hords of guys running round after her. But this strategy does not work with Alto who, despite his numerous faults, is certainly a gentleman with a sense of honor - not a lame shallow casanova. Ranka will always win over men who are looking for true love and friendship; Sheryl will always win over people who are looking for a poll dancer. Someone mentioned here that Ranka shares the natural feminitity of Misa Hayes - despite Ranka being "younger" - it is true - she is more mature insofar as she has all the great traits of a true lady; she just hasn't learned how to use them yet. Sheryl is a troubled, lonely woman - she is the type that might be tamable...but I doubt it. VFTF1

What mistake? VFTF1

Ok. I finally figured it out. Grace is engineering the Vajra-Human war in order to insure Honey/Sheryl a place in history greater than Lyn Minmey - and record sales to boot. Think about it. The more intense the war and hatred, the more need there will be for a Lyn Minmey type songstress and the more easy will it later be to control the various fleets. It's all a conspiracy geered towards raising Sheryl's ratings. A big elaborate PR gamble. Now - you might be wondering why, if Grace is in on this with Honey/Sheryl - does Grace give Sheryl pills that make her sick? Ah! Now, all we know for sure is that the words "Witch Craft" are written on the pills - so they are certainly an insidious brew - but not to make her sick...no!...These pills are necessary so that Sheryl does not revert back to looking like Honey! This also goes to explain Sheryl's growing jealousy for Ranka, who keeps muscling in on his man... In fact - the only one who can stop Sheryl/Honey is Bobby - but he has conventiently never gotten much exposure to Sheryl/Honey - an in episode 10 he was too busy focusing on Ranka to take not of Honey/Sheryl's true nature... Anyways - episode 14 has convinced me that record sales are Grace's true motive. VFTF1

No no. I like the Monkeys. I don't like the Beatles because they aren't as cool as the group that ripped them off VFTF1

I just now noticed that there is a difference between the Beatles and the Beetles... Beat Beat...Beat - Beatles as in they got a great beat? Wow. Dag. How could I have missed that? All the same, I never liked the Beatles, and whenever anyone mentioned them I keep thinking "Hey hey we're the Monkeys! People say we monkey around!".... even though....Beatles...and the Monkeys are totally different... I also heard little, but I can see how you might think Beetle. VFTF1

Well - so much for Mikhail impressing Sheryl enough to win her over from Alto VFTF1

I don't see the point of another season just for the sake of continuing the story. Better wait 5 years for a new OVA or a new series. I like the fact that Macross is not a "commercial enterprise" in the strict strict sense of the word; Transformers, for all its' shortcomings, was actually worsened by Armada/Energon/Unicron - and in a sense the notion that a new show had to be out every year ultimately weakened and destroyed the plotline (say what you want about how frail the G1 plotline was, BW managed to actually make a coherent whole out of it and take things to a higher level)... I don't want to see Macross rushed. Plus - you have to think that they at least pre-planned the plot here and so I can't see them saying "yikes! we need 12 more episodes on the fly!" No no... Also - the toy/model line will not coincide with the series anyways; so whatever - and they can go on and on for years without another season. Look at the Yammies - they are going strong even though DYRL and Macross Plus are long past. VFTF1

Gee - you must be a big time Macross Fan if you're that into it! As a side note: I have been tempted for a long time to note that logic would dictate that, given the title of this thread, the MWordler who started it would do all he could to avoid it VFTF1

Even I know the answer to this one! Giant Tuna Head = Take a trip on Super Dimmensional Fortress Macross (Maguro in Japanese is Tuna Sushi, Macross sounds a lot like Maguro-cross) VFTF1

I think we need a new thread where we poll whether or not a thread like this will be closed sooner or later? VFTF1

Ok, just watched this episode. My thoughts: 1. This is a far better dramatic rendition of an action episode than episode 7 was. I think one of the reasons for this is that they weren't ready to actually have anything significant HAPPEN, plot wise, in episode 7. Galaxy was attacked, so Frontier came to their "rescue" - and really, other than the tension between Alto and Sheryl, and a bit of Ranka being worried, you didn't have as much raw danger and "plot thread resolution" going on - largely because they were still building up the characters. In this respect, given episode 14, episode 7 is EVEN WEAKER. But I digress (as usual!)... 2. Luca. I hope he's ok. We don't see his fate - but he is a brave boy; he saved Sheryl's life; and probably Mikeal's as well...oh...wait! Where the heck is Mikeal?! For all intents and purposes - he seems to be a fatality. If Mikeal is dead, I will be surprised - he is the last person I would expect to be killed - but sometimes a situation is greater than any person's particular skills. Soldiers who got chopped down on D-Day weren't killed based on their lack of skill - it is often times the nature of mass warfare to dilute any sense of "honorable sorties against the enemy" or a "dual of skills" - and be all about random chance. The Pixie dying seems somewhat gratuitous - in fact; it seems almost indicative of the writers being...afraid?...to kill of any of the main cast as such? Anyways - back to Luca - this was really his episode. He asked Nana on a date, even if he didn't quite put it that way, and he's mustering up the courage to reveal his feelings to her. He acted bravely; and sortied very well - IMO. 3. Interesting to find out that Canalia does indeed have a kid... I wrote earlier that she is probably soft spoken because she has a private life and doesn't need to be flirty and friendly and go out "with the gang" - I hope this is the case; that the kid lives on Frontier with Dad...and not that the kid was killed long ago in a tragic attack which compelled Canalia to join SMS (I just don't like the idea that EVERYONE has to have some traumatic terrible past which brought them to where they are now - can't some characters have a fairly normal and happy life? Look at Max from SDF M TV - all of the terrible things happening didn't stop him getting married and having a family).... 4. Ozma - just when you thought Ozma had become a cool guy he goes back to being a dork. Maybe it was in jest; the whole "Fail and I'll kill you" thing - but it was just unnecessary really. It was just as unnecessary as punching the guy. I guess I'm making too big a deal about it - Roy did tell Hikaru at one point "I don't care if you die; just make sure nothing happens to the girl!" - but every time Roy delivered a line like that, he laughed, smiled and spoke in a voice full of brotherly warmth. Ozma sounds like some really pissed off Japanese guy who wants to roast your nutts on an open fire...I don't know the language - but just listening to the tone that Roy Fokker spoke in and comparing it to Ozma... 5. Speaking of tone.... I think the voice acting is at times TOO melodramatic. SDF M TV didn't have people screaming all the time and there was far less of this pathos going around. EVERYTHING is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. EVERY WORD IS EXTREMELY EMOTIONAL. I think they could do a better job toning done the "YAAAARRRometer".... I understand LUCA being melodramatic - he's a little kid; for someone like him - this is as big as it gets. He has every right to be melodramatic in his love to Nana, in his fighting...everything... But Alto...Alto just overdoes it. 6. Someone mentioned "feeling" for the Vajra - how one couldn't help but feel for the Vajra in this episode... well... I didn't feel for them. In fact, I felt that Frontier finally got its' just deserts; finally got a chance to pummel the Vajra. The NUNS especially - I was pleasently surprised by them. In fact - let me stop a moment to discuss NUNS. I can imagine a wonderful sidelines fanfic for Frontier - dealing with NUNS. You start out with a bunch of loser; demoralized, lower class unambitious dregs who joined the army for money, job security, free food, cool mecha, or plain dumb stupidity. These guys are treated as cannon fodder by the higher ups - easily replacable low lifes. They are poorly paid, ill equiped and sent out on the front lines to confront the Vajra. Now - trace their development to the culmination which is episode 14 - where suddenly NUNS takes charge; and I don't mean Leon and El Presidente - I mean the VF-171 cannon fodders who suddenly fight effectively and with gusto. I would love to imagine to myself the kind of evolution in thinking that the events of the past 14 episodes had brought about amongst the ranks of NUNS grunts to make them fight like this. It would make a great story. 7. Grace "lived" - or is she really just a computer program and they created a new body for her? 8. Did the Vajra queen take on a more anthropomorphic form and start singing to Ranka as an attempt to communicate with her? 9.Hmm...what else is there to say? I don't like cliff hangers of this sort. What is the fate of Luca? Of Mikhael? And how does Brera Stern expect to explain his past actions; not always beneficial to Frontier - or at least STRANGE? 10. Sheryl. Well - Sheryl...tried to fly. Good. Sheryl is a tough cookie. Sheryl ... is clearly ...hmm...tough. She doesn't give up. In this episode; she was sidelined, shot down, unsung... but she just doesn't quit. overall, a fantastic episode. TERRIBLE if taken as a stand alone - because it would probably come across as way too melodramatic ...but as a kind of culmination of numerous plotthreads - it's great. After these events - things will have to be different. Luca (if he lived) will confess his love to Nana (hoping!), Mikael.... I think he's dead. Really. I just don't see him in a hospital saying "gee that hurt" - we had that with Ozma - but this is entirely different. Mikael looked dead when Sheryl tried to wake him; and the fighter exploding couldn't have helped matters much. If he were still alive; he was clearly profusely bleeding. If he survived the fighter explosion and was tossed into space - I really can't see how he would have been rescued; or by whom, or in what state for that matter. And was the Zendradi Pixie who was killed the same one that Alto tagged during training? VFTF1

Hmm...interesting thread. Alto is an enigma; although to be fair at least we get some glimpses of his past and even meet his dad, and see how he is respected by that one dude who took his place and convinced his sick dad to offer Alto forgiveness and a return to the Family... Compare this to Hikaru - all we got about his folks was what we gleemed from that little exchange between him and Roy in episode 1...nothing more. Macross Plus is also sparse with familial revelations about Dyson and Guld - while Frontier follows in the footsteps of Zero, where Shin's childhood was fairly well described. But it's hard for me to say anything about Alto. So I'll wait for people to post more. VFTF1

Actually, I had initially hoped that beyond Cathy, Leon and El Presidente, we would see some NUNS pilots who had more to say than "Aaaaahhh!!!" or "Y-y-yokai!" But this far into the series it's obvious that NUNS are to Macross: Frontier what Destroid Pilots were to SDF M - they are just there; but they are not going to be the focus of the group. Inserting some more fleshed out NUNS characters now would be akin to Episode 15 of SDF M TV suddenly deciding to just not show any progression of Hikaru and the gang and switched to "The Adventures of Monster 3"... can't see it working. VFTF1

What can I say? I love my girlfriend - but she is not French....no one can be perfect VFTF1

Well - you're certainly extremely polite; since I'm sure anyone with sub-basic brainwaves could pick out a million faults in what I wrote Anyways - I vote Ranka for all the reasons given in my broken French VFTF1

Je ne suis pas une femme; mais j'aime plus Ranka au commencement de Macross: Frontier. Avec tout les nouve episodes, j'aime plus Ranka...plus plus! Je n'aime pas Sheryl dans le premiere parceque je pence que elle est tres elite. Le fact que elle est une "sex bomb" n'as pas pour moi le significance, parceque les sex bombs son bon pour la sex, mais non pour le heureux vie avec une femme et une homme. Le premiere fois quand j'aime Sheryl et en the 6 episode; parceque elle as ete tres demure dans cette episode; tres natural et normal. J'aime plus aussie Sheryl dans le 8 episode; parceque j'aime plus les comedie Mais en general, je pense que Ranka et tres sexy mais elle as des autre benefit: 1) beaucoup d'autentique amour pour la vie et pour Alto, 2) elle et le super magnifique chauntesse - plus super que Sheryl, 3) elle et plus femminine que Sheryl... Uff...mon Francais et tres mal Je pense que dans la fin de serial, Alto retrouve son amour pour Ranka. Je vote pour Ranka. VFTF1

I would like to step back for a moment and ask about something based on DYRL. One of the most significant differences between SDF M TV and DYRl (in my opinion), is that while the power of song, love and culture in SDF M TV were generally shown through various instances, and no one song was "significant" (even during the battle with Boldoza, Minmey switched between Love Drifts away and Shao Pai Lon), in DYRL, we had Misa decoding the ancient Protoculture song which proved absolutely key in the final battle, and which seems to have had some grander significance than Minmey's other songs. I bring this up because, up to this point, the Macross Saga has given us three noteworthy clues about the Protocultures plans for humanity: 1. That they travel the stars and cease fighting (Macross Zero) 2. The song Do You Remember Love which is specifically a Protoculture song and shows that they seem to believe that Love is natural in sentient species; and forgotten only through social, unnatural society which creates conventions and routines often contrary to the natural inclination of the heart; and these routines must be overcome by the power of music and song. (DYRL) 3. That the Protoculture are "waiting" for a symbol of peace amongst the species (Mylene, who was part Zendradi, part human) - such a symbol was, for instance, MISSING in Macross Zero (Macross 7) Now - with Ranka being part Vajra; we seem to have a symbol of the possibility for peace between radically biologically different species. But I wonder - what is this song of Ranka's - Aimo? It's not the "song of the Earth" --- is it anothe ancient Protoculture song? Will we learn what the significance of music and song was within Protoculture society? We have learned about the general significance and power of music and song in Macross viz humans - but presumambly everything Dr. Chiba discovered the Protoculture knew long before. If the Vajra are indeed biological weapons produced by humans - they are in that sense reminiscent of the EVIL that the Protoculture themselves produced. Brera and Grace, on the other hands, are a kind of varient of the Zendradi. The Zendradi were genetically manipulated beings created for warfare. Cyborgs like Grace and Brera are similarly "created" by humans to serve malign purposes that it might be difficult to get otherwise morally conscious people to perform. The distinct difference here is that humans - the "bad guy humans" at least, in contradistinction (presumably) to the "bad guy" Protoculture who may have brought about all of the strife that brought the Protoculture to ruin, know full well about the power of song - and I get the feeling that by mainpulating and trying to control Ranka and Sheryl, they are trying to gain the power of song as yet another military weapon rather than risk having their budding dreams destroyed by song. Do you think the Protoculture had a similar problem? Were there those amongst them who tried to make song a weapon for evil? VFTF1

Sorry. Shakespeare doesn't cut it either. Aside from Caesar, and maybe Macbeth, most of Shakespeare pales in comparisson to Macross - Frontier included. I personally don't understand why traditional "high" literature is always thrown around as being somehow "superior" to "pop culture" just by virtue of predating popculture. All of the most powerful elements of Shakespearian drama are present in Macross - in fact, I remind everyone that initially the SDF-1 was supposed to be called the Macbeth. However, Macross goes far beyond Shakespeare because of placing the "Shakespearian drama" into a context that itself speaks in ways Shakespeare couldn't, having been so focused on universalizing his presentation of the perpetuity of human nature in spit of context. Macross is not afraid to be "stuck in time" and doesn't attempt to escape into the realm of the abstract. Shakespeare is weak precisely because he is lasting - Macross is fleeting; which, like the best of things in life - heck, including life itself - makes it all the more sweet! VFTF1

Well, one got the inclination the Vajra were sentient judging by their reaction to Ranka's song in episode 5. What can I say. I love Macross. VFTF1

Sooo....you're into corpses? Cool. Cool. VFTF1

Has there ever been a meltran who WASN'T smoking hot? VFTF1

Well...watched this finally. Lunar subs. My thoughts: 1. Wow! Diamond Crevise just started playing on my computer as I sat down to write this! How appropriate 2. Err... actually really number one in terms of thoughts... : The pace has suddenly switched gears into lightspeed! Sure, Leon hinted that the planet was "important," but episode 12 seemed to be more of a nostalgic romp and one really had no clue things would develop as they did. Albeit; I guess sending the 33rd Marines there WAS, as some pointed out, meant to lure the singers to the planet. And now it's obvious that Grace has been poisoning Sheryl, hoping she'd collapse and therefore necessitating the coming of Ranka - although, to be perfectly honest...it all went a little bit TOO according to plan! I mean - things just fell so perfectly into place that it's strange. 3. So, Leon is a total stooge; a spy, a double agent serving not his President, but his puppet masters. And Cathy is a complete and under idiot. She is the stupidest character in this entire series. Sorry to say it so harshly - but how could she NOT have noticed Leon was a stooge? I mean; she sleeps with the guy, dates the guy, is on personal terms with the guy - and she doesn't ever at all - not once - suspect that something is wrong? And honestly, I don't think her recent "loss of interest" in Leon has anything to do with suspicions - it was rather because of Ozma being wounded in episode 3 - she suddenly felt a pang of emotion and upon seeing him next time...and again and again - that emotion remained. So she kind of edges off of Leon because her emotions for Ozma are still there - not because she's become suspicious of Leon. She has failed in her role as a military officer, as a daughter and as a woman. She sleeps with a creep, who steals and lies and decieves her government, she treats her exboyfriend who is a cool guy like dirt AND she doesn't do anything but throw up during the battle with the Vajra. Cathy is a beautiful, but ultimately totally weak woman who would make a good housewife - but she clearly can't handle her life as it is now. Ok - maybe she's not an idiot; maybe she's a victim of circumstance... 4. Speaking of idiots and victims of circumstance...Sheryl...so "smart," so "sly," such a gifted "manipulator" - and she gets totally pawned by Grace. Happens to the best of us I guess. 5. Speaking of Grace - her "entrence" as a double agent was certainly abrupt and totally "unexpected" - very sudden. Sure, some hints and theories came up earlier - but here she just breaks out into demon mode. But...did she "die?" Or was she folded away along with the planet? And where did they fold to? My guess: They are out to FINALLY FIND THE PROTOCULTURE AND TAKE THEIR TECHNOLOGY. 6. Alto ONLY NOW realized how Ranka felt?! Jeeeeeez! To quote the bridge bunnies from SDF M TV "He's a little dense?" .... 7. Mikhael and Sheryl?? Anybody going for it!? I am! The two work perfectly together! Sure, Mikheal is just a womanizer and a flirt, so it's not that he's hitting on Sheryl as such - just on "another girl" - still - it's fun to watch! In fact - I now believe that Mikhael had an ulterior motive for proding Alto to open himself up to Ranka... what a sly fox! He was just waiting to move in on Sheryl Somebody should finally sic Klan Klan on this dude 8. Err...so...where is this Journal of Gloval? Talk about throwing a curve ball! I interpret this episode as the end of the mild "character building" and "getting to know everybody" segment of the series and the beginning of a focus on larger plot points. A pity - as I liked the former; albeit the latter is necessary and fun. Did anyone catch the Ivanov homage in Alto's lines spoken to Brera Stern during their dogfight? Not only that - but a Shin Homage with the Cobra Maneuver! Cooool! Things are picking up! Let's see where it goes! The Aliens homage was - thankfully - limited to egg crapping - which is fine. I was afraid that we'd get a full on Aliens thing going; but they didn't do that in episode 7, and thankfully didn't do that here. Macross homages are one thing - those make sense - but "ripping off" of other franchises I don't like - I want my Macross fairly unique. But ok - one egg crapper does not a ruinous event make. Bomba! VFTF1

The more perfect looking the VF-1A....the more I HATE that head design!! While the OA head design is pure joy, I have always hated the 1A head design. It's just so...boxy....bleh... But I don't have a Hikaru 1A...just the 1J...hmm.... VFTF1