Sergorn

Well I certainly don't mind the VF-171. I *loved* the VF-17; and I think the VF-171 is just a great (Indeed I want more VF171 mecha porn please...). But I just got to wonder considered how the VF19 was supposed to be the next big thing and al -Sergorn

A big importnace ond character developments and relationship - and particuliarily a big enphasis on love triangle/stories, very strong thematics about the strength of human spirit/soul/feelings and how they can succeeds against all odds (whether it's against fate, machines, an evil AI songstress, of whacky protodeviilins), a very present theme of "survival" (and not just abotu the heroes), usually a coming of age story, sometime a very "ecologist" message about nature (which I thought existed in hier earlier works as well even if not to the same degree of its most recent stuf)), and often semi-mystical mumbo-jumbo. Of and of course : Mecha porn And of course they're just something about the feel of Kawamori's work, the atmosphere they convey, and they way they're directed that you just *know* he's behind it. I could watch an episode of Aquarion and just *knows* it's from Shoji Kawamori simply by the ways it feels and the directing. Eck they're the way the mechas moves in Kawamori's work that just... doesn't feel like anything else (and indeed I thought it was sorely lacking in Macross II), the first time I saw the Guymelefs move in Escaflowne I thought of Macross ; same with the Aquarion. And of course there's the atmosphere - his works tend to feel profundely romantic (in the artistic meaning of the word) as opposed the more grounded science-base stuff you can get in many other Sci-Fi works. Hell much like Star Wars, I'd argue that for all its Sci-Fi universe and elements - Macross feels more like Fantasy than Science-Fiction. But to put it another, Shoji Kawamori just has a way to create universe, stories, and characters, well stories - which in spite of their flaws (because of course there are flaws) - just manage to touch your heart and your soul in a way that very few in a way that only those great (and very few) artists can. IMO he's one of the most talented people to work in the anime industries, right up there with Hayao Miyazaki. -Sergorn

They'd need Gamlin in one of hem, for that not to happen That being said I find it somewhat suprising that the VF-171 would be the "common fighter". I would have expected the VF-19 to be the commin fighter at that time. -Sergorn

Escaflowne is the best anime ever made so Shôji can go and babble about mysticm and human condition as much as he wants as far as I'm concerned (and a side note Escaflowne is as old as Macross 7, and pretty much all his works had these kind of the thematics to different degrees, even the original Macross. Eck you could prettty much say that Escaflowne, Macross Plus and Macross 7 - were *all* about the same thing, just presented differently in a different context). I sure as hell want Kawamori to do Kawamori-stuff when he doe s a Macross series. Duh. -Sergorn

I vote for Mr. Bilrer -Sergorn

Yeah I agree. I mean I watch a lot of anime - and while there are a few exceptions, but pretty much all anime series will have some episodes that will look better than others - so that's why I'll hardly notice that kind of stuff, I'm used to it. Macross Frontier is no different in that respect... however I don't think I've ever seen such amount of nitpicking about that And I said I don't see any problem with the animation per se in episode 6, just the art. There are some shots that looks "meh" but then they don't look *awful* either (Max/Milia knife fight this is not). Actually I'd say how uneven it all is actually, because there are shots that looks gorgeous, followed by blatantly inferior ones. That's also why they kind of seems to stick out like sore thumb. -Sergorn

Yeah I assumed it was the Frontier in the OP, but now I wonder if that isn't supposed to be the Quarter. -Sergorn

I enjoyed Arjuna very much... I just felt the series should have longer. The end felt very abrupt. Aquarion I thought was an amazing series - that felt somewhat like a mix between Escaflowne (which is my N°1 series ever) and Macross in many aspects. I kinda wish the series had been more continuous and less episodic, but I thought it was one of the best mecha series of the last few years. -Sergorn

Yeah I agree - we've never seen any kind of reaction from the Vajra regardign Sheryl so far, while their interest in Ranka is pretty much obvious. -Sergorn

Honestly while I can respect your opinions, even If I don't agree with them - the part about how HG remained faithful made me go... "WTF ?" First time I saw Macross I was surprised by how different it was to Robotech. But to make a few points, Macross is different to Robotech in : - Music ; it might sound liek a detail but it means the feel and the atmosphere is very different. Macross has a more melancolic and even contemplative feel, while Robotech has a more militaristic feel. - Charaterization : Some characters really feel different from their Robotech counterparts ; most of Minmay who is a adorable girl in Macross, and a bitching little brat in Robotech. The love triangle is handled way differently, Robotech have Rick having feeling for Lisa out of nowhere from the Mars episodes (with almost a big confession of love when she leave for Earth), while in Macross it only really happens AFTER the War. - Dialogues : a lot of them are just plains differents. That's all. - Naration : Macross has basically no narrative, Robotech always has a narratie every 5 secondes saying pointless stuff - Protocultre : to each is own, but having the first original cultre of the universe changed to basically... Veritech fuel kinda changes a whole lot of stuff about -everything- - The phisolophy behind it : Macross has Minmay sing the very touching and antimilitarist "Ai Wa nagereru" during the final battle, Robotech has her singing "We Will Win" a very militarist and patriotic song. This more than anything else pretty much summarize how Robotech basically betrays everything Macross has always stands for... Admitingly sure, the main plotline between the two series is pretty much the same - but as they say : the devil is in the details, when you get into the details you can really see how Robotech is pretty much the devil-ish corrupted version of Macross. -Sergorn

I freaking love it, and I think it really could become the best Macross series ever. Admitingly sure, it could go wrond and end up being disspointed, we have 20 episodes left after all. But *shrugs* I have faith in Kawamori. He never dissapointed me before, so I have confidence Macross Frontier will major butt right up till the end -Sergorn

Finally saw the episode ! Well it was great (again !) I loved the lighter beginning... the manager begging Ozma... and the officiel Ranka fan-club ! Yatta ! As soon as the news of the attack on Galaxy breaks out though.... boy you sure can feel the tension growing. I wonder if there's some hidden past to Sheryl, here being an orphan and all...? Other than that the whole concert in parrallel to the SMS Task Force leaving Frontier, was just super. (Now I wonder if the "Macross Quarter" can transform too ? ) Beside that I don't what's the problem with animation - it seemed on par with the previouws episode to me. However yeah, there was some shot were the art was definitly subpart compared with the rest of the series. But great nonetheless ! Can't wait for the next episode ! It should be... explosive -Sergorn

Well yeah I see your point but I'm with Zinjo here. In my mind, Song Energy comes from Anima Spiritia - so I don't really see them as seperate. (Right if I follow that logic, that would mean that Mylene & al are also "Anima Spiritia" in a way - but that's how I would see it ; I wouldn't consider Anima Spiritia tu be a unique thing solely related to Basara, rather he was the only one at first with the willpower to harness it) -Sergorn

Sorry but I just don't see that. At -all-. Sure there are some scenes mimicking SDFM... but for the most they're just nice references, nothing more. There are FAR more differences between the original Macross and Frontier, than similar things. The characters are way different, the love triangle seems nothing like the one in the original series, the plot sure seems to be taking a different route, and you can't even begin to compare the Vajra to the Zentradi. Personnaly but I certainly see creativity in Macross Frontier - it's bringing new and unique stuff the Macross universe, while at the same time taking the best things from the previous series and binding them together in a unique style. Claiming that Frontier is just basically ripping of the original series.... you'll have to excuse me but nay, we must be watching a different Macross Frontier. -Sergorn

Well, Sheryl mention that Galaxy is using a "chemical-plant", in opposition the the "bio-plant" of the Frontier, and other Fleets. So it sounds to me it isn't exactly built around the same technology, and Galaxy being a "chemical type" doesn't have all these natural environments like seas and forest. -Sergorn

Yeah I agree. Spiritia in itself has no relation to the Protodevilins whatsoever and I think there is some confusion going on about all this. Spiritia is simply life energy, or rather spiritual energy I would say - it doesn't need any Protodevilin to exists or potentially have some use. The Protodevilins simply *feed* on Spiritia, just like Vampire would feed on blood. But blood don't need Vampires to exists Besides we already see some application of Anima Spiritia unrelated to the Protodevilin in The Galaxy is Calling Me, where song energy (which I would consider "formed" from Anima Spiritia) is used to grow plants. I definitly think there is a connection to Anima Spiritia in Macross Zero even if is not named as such - it makes sense IMO. As a matter of fact I do a couple of people who felt utterly confused by that whole "magical" stuff in Macross Zero, but just "got it" after seeing Macross 7. -Sergorn

Yeah as I said before, I think the whole fan service aspect is being blown out of proportion - it can get silly, but mostly it's just funny. And I mean seriously Frontier is clearly on the lower end of this kind of stuff - the latest Code Geass probably had more fan in its 20 mn than Frontier in all its episodes thus far. -Sergorn

Well I can't be sure, but at least didn't sse anything in this episode that didn't make any sense like that Ozma/Captain thing. To be fair though, I think some times the AiA subs sounds better, but at other the Gattai subs does (I thought the whole speech about Ranka's condition in episodes 3 made much more sense in the Gattai subs). -Sergorn

Gnu ? -Sergorn

Well just to say I'm really looking forward to MGS4 ! I'm a huge Metal Gear nut... (I played everything, I even completed the NES Metal Gear and Snake's Revenge - which to my surprise wasn't actually that bad) and I don't think there's any other game I've waited more than MGS4. Of course I've go full confidence that Hideo Kojima will deliver ! I actually plan to redo the the entire series in chronological order in preparation for Metal Gear Solid 4 : MGS3 -> MPO -> MG1 -> MG2 -> MGS:TS -> MGS2 And then I'll be ready for the final chapter As for Metal Gear Online I've been playing a bit and it's pretty fun. I must say I was somewhat underwhelmed at first but the more I play the more fun I have - and the latest added map from MGS4 just looks gorgeous, so does snake. I must the sneaking mission mode is awesome and it's exactly the kind of stuff I want from a online metal gear -Sergorn

Oh come on ! In SDFM the love triangle only get a *real* kickstart after the final battle with Bodolza And sure the Zentradi had a "human face", but at that point we barely know anything about them except that they were big giants. While Frontier certainly has a much faster pace than Macross 7 - it doesn't seemed slower than the original series to me. Very much comparable I would say. -Sergorn

I definitly love Macross Frontier. There's a good chance it'll become my favorite Macross Series if it goes on like this. -Sergorn

As I said before, Macross Plus and Macross Zero where rather serious, but they were OAVs series essentially held to original fans which had grown up. Macross Frontier aims to create a new generation of fans (like Macross 7 did), and thus it aimes a the younger anime crowd hence why it doesn't itself as seriously - just like the original SDFM and Macross 7 (and IMO, Plus and Zero probably were a tad TOO serious at times) -Sergorn

Well just saw episodes 5. I haven't read all the stuff you guys wrote, but that was great ! It's more character-centric and that's good. I love the chemistry between Sheryl and Alto. I wonder WTF is wrong with Ranka's school... being suspensed because she participated in Miss Macross ?! So as we suspected the Vajra seems to be some kind of biomechanical weapons controlled by something/someone else. Maybe it's a crazy thought, but I wonder if they couldn't be controlled by the "Power of Songs" ? Oh and of course Ranka-chan is still cute as ever and sings great ! DECULTURE ! -Sergorn

Yeah that's kinda how I felt as wel - that does seem consistent with the rest of the series as well. I mean - it's just like Alto : physically he's like the perfect typical bishonen hero... except that everyone in the series laught at him for looking like a girl Everytime I hear "Alto-hime" it feels like a slap in the face of every one of those "cool" bishone heroes -Sergorn