Sergorn

D'oh ! I guess that's what happens when watching it in SD with tired eyes in the middle in the night I didn't even notice there was somethign written on the picture -Sergorn

Actually I think you do have a point here - somewhat unware of the productions history of Macross series would probably think Macross II takes place later in the same universe. But... *shrugs* that's not really relevant in the end, I think it makes sense to have Macross II set "aside" because the original creators were not involved. And you know in the end I think I like it best that Macross II remains its own entity, rather than having it totally retcon in order to shoehorn it into the NUE continuity. -Sergorn

But they're not attracted by song are they ? The reason they're affected by Ranka's singing (and later Sheryl's) is because they both emit faint fold waves when singing due to the fact that they are infected by Vajra bacterias. There's no indication that the Vajra would be attracted to "normal" singing. -Sergorn

I was under the impression that the reason the conflict started between Frontier and the Vajra was because Grace and the Galaxy lead them there... It's possible there are not actually the kind to go look FOR conflict. -Sergorn

Oh. My bad then. Damn english ! Honestly, Episodes 23 and 24 really left me with the impression that it was Ranka and not Sheryl... and that while Alto cares about Sheryl he really was with her out of compassion rather than love. -Sergorn

If felt more lie "You (reffering to both)" IMO -Sergorn

More like a sucky season -Sergorn

Yeah, and it's not just the CG that's impressive... it's also the directing : the way the shots are composed, the way the camera moves.... it's directed that is more akin to what you see in live action films and that you usually don't see in anime (ans especially not in a TV series). Andi t's only possible through such extensive use of CG. Zero was directed the same way... but that was an OAV. I've only such impressive directing in Kawamori animes thus far - and I watch a lot of anime. He's really pushing the use of CG to new bounds. -Sergorn

Huh no they don't. They just said Mao had a grand-daughter. It's heavily|/b] implied it's Sheryl of course, but it's never stated *explicitily*... which is my point really, it doesn't *need* to be stated explicitily for something to be true (even if there are a lot of people on the internet who can't seem to accept anything as fact if they're not beating on the head with it ) -Sergorn

Well they never said that Sheryl was Mao's grand-daughter either... It's safe to assume she is though. Not eveything need to be "spit out" to be true. When Grace says that the Protoculture tried to mimic the Vajra.. and the series shows us the AFOS, whos appareance so happens to be somewhat reminiscent of the Vajra Queen... well usually 2+2 = 4 As for the Bird Human being from the Prototuculture... heh ? I'm not sure what you mean here - I thought that was pretty much a fact since Zero, and they also used image of the Bird Human when mentionning the Protocultre in one of the earleir episodes intros. -Sergorn

I'd certainly welcome a remigination ala DYRL/Escaflowne/Aquation (even if I'm not too fond of Escaflowne's movie, it was interesting). I'd definitly enjoy some sort of continuation... but something beter than Dynamite 7. Please. A compilation movie. Meh. That'd actually be disspointing on Kawamori's part.....Yeah you might consider Macross Plus a compilation Movie, but we know that it was actually made to create a version closer to original script and vision of the story... which is not quite the same thing. Of course it might still be fun.. but there is so much that could be done with Frontier that'd it's be underwhelming. And for some reason I'm just really dreading a compilation movie here (But well I guess the success of Frontier to they point they DO a movie might leads to another series soon... or not considering the timeframe between 7 and Frontier :/) -Sergorn

Geez. I was coming to post that. Ever since the first teaser of Macross Frontier (with the blonde Cathy ), I thought there was to be some connexion between the Vajra and the Bird Humain in some way because there seemed to be some similarities. I was right. You must have missed the part where they explained than the Bird Human was essentially the Protoculture mimicking the Vajra. It might seem an off hand comment... but that sounds quite important to me, and it certainly have some implications regarding the importance of the Vajra in the Macross universe as a whole. -Sergorn

Well... I guess I'll try to write some more general impressions of the seires now. In short I think the series was nothing short of amazing in pretty much every aspect. Visually and technically, it's definitly one the best anime TV series I've seen... Hell it's probably the most impressive I've seen since Holy Genesis Aquarion... and it's not a conicidence. The 3D/CG justs blows anything else that exist out of the water... it remained top notch for the entire series, and the fact that we could have something that pretty much looks as good as Macross Zero on a weekly basis in a outstanding accomplishment. In terme of 2D art and animation (characters I mean since the background were always great looking), it was more uneven sure... but I think the complains sometime border on nitpicking. Most of the episodes were very well done. Some episodes didn't look as good.... but even in these cases none of them looked consistently bad, they just had some poor shot here and there - and that kind of "glitch" happens in every series. Though while 2D art wasn't necesserilly THE best... for the most part it was very well done. And combined with the mindblowing CG, that's just undoubtably one of the most impressive series of these last few years... Hell I'd probably rank it as one of the most imrpessive TV anime - Period. I thought the characters were great. I liked Alto... but Sheryl and Ranka really were the highlight of the show. They're both very well developped and they're well handled within the Story and evolved. I like that esentially they all get their annoying moments... and theire touching, loving moments. There are times I was rooting for Ranka, others for Sheryl... I think the love Triangloe was very well developped and handled, and even if it doesn't get a proper resolution, I'd argue it is the best triangle we got in the entire franchise. The secondary characters were really nice, and they pretty much all had their moment, event when they didn't get much screen time. Wheter it's Nanase, Michel, Luca, Billy, the Bridge Bunnies, Ozma... you get just enough to care about them. In that respect it probably was closer to the original seriesn and even though there a couple character which I wished had been more developped (the Quarter commander, Mr Bilrer...) it was really neat (I think one of my complain with Macross 7 is that oustide Gamlin most of the non Fire Bomber character didn't get a lot of development or use) I think the story was just awesome. It looked at first the series might just feel like a rehash considering the similarities... but in the end it wasn't the case, adn the similarities where more to give a kicks to fans or pay hommage... Indeed in the end Macross Frontier just did basically what I want and expect from a Kawamori-directed Macross : It did something *different* while at the same time mainteining everything that made Macross.... Macross. The Vajra in the end was a interesting and great menace - and as far Macross goes was really original. I mean the antagonist in Macross always had a "human face" wether it was the Zentradi, the Protodeviling, or even Sharon Apple... here we just have a seemingly mindless menace, while the real threat is manipulating behind the scene, hidden even from the mains characters until the last episodes. It was original for the franchise, and very well handled - and it gives a rather unique feel to Frontier. And I liked the tie to Zero... even though it was barely explained in the final episode and does leave some unexplained question, I liked it because it somewhat link Frontier to Zero, in the same way that Protedeviling were linked to the Protoculture and the story of the original series; Seeing Mao as an old lady, really was a nice touch as well. You know I see some people on some other forums complaining that Frontier was just a rehash of the original series. I just don't get it. While it was reminiscient at times, I think it was more different than it, and IMO it's as much a "rehash" as Macross 7 was. Other than that I thought the cast was very good as far as I could tell, and the music was awesome, as usual with Yoko Kanno (and it times reminiscent of Macross Plus - whichi is nice). I loved May'n songs for Sheryl... Ranka's songs were nice, but they just didn't convey the same excitement for me. Regrets ? Well not really a regret but I had one complain I wish the series had a few more episodes, I would have liked the whole SMS as Pirate extended just for kicks, and a bit more of Bilrer though. But most importantly I would have liked t osee more of the 117th Fleet (and more Mao ! Mao-chan damn !). A whole flashback episode focusing on what happened then could have been a nice touch. But in any case I thought it was a worthy addition to the Macross universe, and certainly of the best mecha series I've seen. (And truste me, I've seen a LOT). While it has its sahre of flaws, it's certainl no more or less than the other Macross productions. I don't when/if we'll see another Macross series - but I hope it will remain just as good. -Serorn

I always got the impression that they tried to go for some sort of highly stylised look for the whole Brera/Hydra fight. It wouldn't be the first time Kawamori did something like this (Aquarion had an *entire* episode made to look ugly)... but yeah I though the result here was kinda crappy. That being I'm not voting in the poll... it'd be like chosing between my own children. :-P Also I've only seen most of the episode once, so I'd definitly have to see the whole series a couple more time before even remotly trying to rank it with the other series.... But I digress... I'll say I just love Macross Frontier as much as the other Macross series TV or OAVs alike. It had some flaws yeah, but so did SDFM, Macross Zero, Macross Plus, Macross Zero... I'll just this was IMO everything I wanted for a new Macross series. -Sergorn

I liked what Alto say to Sheryl and Ranka "You're my wings both of you", meaning they're both very important to him Of course we all know the answer to this : ménage à trois ! -Sergorn

Bilrer still remains quite myterious in the end... in the end we don't really know what he is after beside wanting to create an "instant-fold" network. Maybe that's all there is to it, but there seemed to be something more behind all that. Maybe he intented to use this fold network to look for the Megaroad 01 and Minmay *_* (Ok or not, let's not go down that road:D) -Sergorn

Wow I just saw Episode 25 and my that was one hell of an ending ! I don't know have time to look at the 27 pages of discussion but well I thought it was perfect... it ended up tying up things pretty and IMO didn't felt rushed like the final episode of Macross Zero. The final battle amazing in every aspect with lots of singing Yeah ! SMS coming to the rescue was just awesome The shot of the Vajra opening over Macross City I was like OMFG !! And and DEADLUS ATTACK FOR THE WIN ! Yeah Macross Quarter !!! So in the end there WAS indeed a connexion between the Vajra and the AFOS (told ya ), though I guess it's pretty much the other way around most of us thought. I guess we can assume the Vajra is some sort of ancient race unrelated of the Protoculture, which the Protoculture know of enough to base the "Bird Human" on it; but without ever making an ennemy of them or something. There were some need DYRL moments in that one too - I loved ALto saluting in his VF-25, and him shooting Grace felt reminiscent of Hikaru shooting Bodolza ! Yeah ! It leaves some unanswered stuff (what's the deal with Bilrer and Minmay ? ) and the Love Triangle isn't resolved. But I didn't mind. Awww well that was a amazing conclusion to an amazing series. Now let's bring on the movie, and let's hope we won't have to wait too much for a new Macross series -Sergorn

Unless it's just a compilation film

AFAIK the movie is pretty much the two OAVs back to back. There was also an humourous short film shown with it. -Sergorn

While it's true that nothing denies it.... nothing implies it either. Eck just from watching the series it feels like the UN Spacy in Macross II is basically Earth and that's it - and that Earth has basically been sitting on its collective butt even since the end of the War, merely using the "Minmay Attack" whenever a Zentradi fleet comes by. I'm not sure why it seems such a big deal to have it canon (or not) - there are two discting continuity that works well, as long as you enjoyr it, who cares -Sergorn

Hey thanks for the chronologye What are Macross 2036 and Eternal Love Song though ? Videogames ? -Sergorn

Of course we all know the Vajra are actually servants of the Children of the Shadows. -Sergorn

If Shoji goes on to make a Macross Frontier movie.... I'd hope he'd go the same way than DYRL, Escaflowne and Aquarion.... Compilation movies feel usually pointless. -Sergorn

I'll do as I do every week since episode 3 or 4 - impatiently wait for the first subs to show up. Of course that means I miss most of the discussions but eck :/ Honestly watching it wihtout any understanding of Japanese would be spoiling it to me - I prefere to discover both picture and dialogue at the same time -Sergorn

Hell... he's been playing with Macross Zero references for the whole series. Now the question is wether or not the ending will reveal some deeper connexion. I also thought the "Queen" looked a lot like the Bird Human... -Sergorn