Renato Posted October 22, 2004 Posted October 22, 2004 (edited) Macross Zero, Final Chapter. NO SPOILERS (In my opinion..) Yeah, I'm making a new topic because the old one is... slightly pointless ("Two days till Macross Zero"??). So, anyway, I saw this last night. I thought I would share my opinions, whilst being careful not to give away any plot details (yeah, like there are any). This thread can then be used for people to give their "reviews". First of all, the first five or ten minutes or so are appalling. Everything is rushed, and a lot of things make no sense. The gap between the end of part 4 and the beginning of part 5 has been bridged very badly, and with dire animation, too. You'll see what I mean (and if you don't, I'll explain in detail later). Then, action time. Action scenes are good, Nora vs. Shin is done pretty well. The script is awful as always, though ("I don't have time to fight you right now!" -- does EVERY anime in recent years have to have this line of dialogue?? Is there a rule?? Like "You got one on your tail" of yesteryear..) The Bird Man -- You know, even until I saw this episode, I was thinking (hoping) that when Sara talks of the "song of destruction", she was talking metaphorically. Alas. So what show am I watching at this point? Well, it's a cross between Macross 7 and Macross Plus. I was thinking, "Hey this reminds me of M7" and "hey, this bit's like MPlus!" alternately. And the last seven minutes or so are the stupidest in Macross history. The most ridiculous part comes right before the climax and involves Mao talking to Shin and it reminds me of some disney or WB comedy cartoons. This is the stupidest and single most pathetic scene in Macross. The only more ridiculous scene I can think of is the flying bicycle in SDF, and that was a dream. Hey, perhaps Macross Zero 5 was a dream? Hehe, you're joking, right, Shoji? Let's have the real ending now, yes? What? Bastard!! The "ending".... Pfff... What the hell. Actually, I think I'm gonna stop here. The extra -- Nah, it was not like Macross Zero Zero, it was a gathering of four of the voice actors so they can talk about their experiences of playing the roles. In fact done in much the same way as the gathering of the original cast when they gathered and did a talk about SDF. This recording can be found on the SDF Soundtrack, Volume V, "Rhapsody in Love - Macross no Ai". Anyway, back to the Zero cast. Well, I'm sorry but these guys are a bunch of losers, in my opinion. The girl who plays Mao seems to have the IQ of a speck of dust, and I think I could feel the guy who played Shin almost lose his patience with her. Anyway, he was by far the most interesting of the lot (though that doesn't make him interesting per se), and it kind of cheered me up to hear him talking in Osaka dialect. I don't think it's a spoiler to mention one of the things he says which is of particular interest to Macross fans, but some people may disagree with me, so I'll leave it out for now. You're all gonna watch it, anyway. So, bottom line ----> Macross 0.5 gets a big "Bwa-haha-haha-ha!!" from me. Although I paid money to rent the bloody thing, so I guess the joke is on me. Curse you, Kawamori!! You are stripped of the title of "Froating Head"! You are banished from the land!! EDIT -> Added the "No spoilers" heading. Edited October 22, 2004 by Renato Quote
Macross_Fanboy Posted October 22, 2004 Posted October 22, 2004 Hmm, well, did you mean to throw me and everybody else off by using that smiley for the thread's name? Quote
moose Posted October 22, 2004 Posted October 22, 2004 ok i know its out there somebody post the bittorrent Quote
Renato Posted October 22, 2004 Author Posted October 22, 2004 Hmm, well, did you mean to throw me and everybody else off by using that smiley for the thread's name? Actually, there was no particular meaning in that smiley. Hehe, kinda like the show. I guess it IS fitting, after all! Quote
Macross_Fanboy Posted October 22, 2004 Posted October 22, 2004 Hmm, well, did you mean to throw me and everybody else off by using that smiley for the thread's name? Actually, there was no particular meaning in that smiley. Hehe, kinda like the show. I guess it IS fitting, after all! LOL! Well, I might have something else to say when I get to watch it. Quote
Ignacio Ocamica Posted October 22, 2004 Posted October 22, 2004 Tell me please about the Monster and it's claw Tell me I was dreaming when I saw the pics. Quote
valk1j Posted October 22, 2004 Posted October 22, 2004 I'll have to see it myself, but this doesn't look good. Quote
macplus Posted October 22, 2004 Posted October 22, 2004 Actually I 'm not especting much, the other 4 eps had it's good moments but the series is quite empty and actually didn't deliver anything, I'm happy that it was more militaristic than musical but if we summarize the whole thing nothing happened, not even the characters were developed, I guess it's time for Kawamori to retire of writting or making series and concentrate on his true natural talent, designing awesome mecha, I'm sure there are a lot of writters and directors that can bring back the Macross we all like, a new team helped by Kawamori would be a good touch. Quote
azrael Posted October 22, 2004 Posted October 22, 2004 Actually I 'm not especting much, the other 4 eps had it's good moments but the series is quite empty and actually didn't deliver anything, I'm happy that it was more militaristic than musical but if we summarize the whole thing nothing happened, not even the characters were developed, I guess it's time for Kawamori to retire of writting or making series and concentrate on his true natural talent, designing awesome mecha, I'm sure there are a lot of writters and directors that can bring back the Macross we all like, a new team helped by Kawamori would be a good touch. Kawamori is not one for making his characters develop overnight. Usually, the epiphany comes at the very end of the series. But hey, M0 is short. 5 30-minute episodes can't cover much ground. Not like a 13/26/50+ episode series. Quote
RedLion Posted October 22, 2004 Posted October 22, 2004 Oh well... I was hoping maybe Shin would really be Hikaro or some crazy twist like that! Quote
Major Johnathan Posted October 22, 2004 Posted October 22, 2004 Geez, it sounds brutal Renato... I only watched the first 3 episodes, the first was a little slow but I thought the 2nd and 3rd really picked it up a bit. I really like the scene with DD and Roy dogfighting in the Ravine and DD and Nora attacking the fleet. Well, do they ever show the VF-0B? I got the Hasegawa kit expecting to see it, and I'm told it's not even in vol. 4. Quote
Renato Posted October 22, 2004 Author Posted October 22, 2004 Tell me please about the Monster and it's claw Tell me I was dreaming when I saw the pics. Hey there, paisano. The Monster's claw is actually used to hook on to the platforms while it fires off its rounds so that the recoil doesn't shove it into the sea or something. OK, good thing about this episode -- We at last get to see that the UN Spacy and the Anti UN really are just as dirty as each other. This sorta goes back to what we were discussing in another thread, with regards to the Anti UN portrayed as "evil". As for the 0B -- Dunno. Shin flies an 0A in this episode (with the ghost/booster attached), but you already know that from the magazine scans. Quote
Renato Posted October 22, 2004 Author Posted October 22, 2004 I want to see a review done like this: http://homepage.mac.com/thansson/reviews/M...MacrossZero.htm Quote
Skull Leader Posted October 22, 2004 Posted October 22, 2004 lol, that's great! I really get a kick out of this internet-abbreviation stuff.... it's too damn funny (or as the younger generation would say: "It r0x0rs the phat one1111111") Quote
Keith Posted October 22, 2004 Posted October 22, 2004 No offense, but this review is entirely useless to me. If people didn't want spoilers, they wouldn't read these topics. Let's have an actual content review! Quote
UN Spacy Posted October 22, 2004 Posted October 22, 2004 I want to see a review done like this:http://homepage.mac.com/thansson/reviews/M...MacrossZero.htm Yup. That's the GREATEST drawing of Roy I've ever seen. Hahahaha. Quote
Anubis Posted October 22, 2004 Posted October 22, 2004 (edited) So no VF-1's or SDF-1 then after all? Love that review, especially when he calls Aires Ritsuko. Edited October 22, 2004 by Anubis Quote
Macross_Fanboy Posted October 22, 2004 Posted October 22, 2004 I want to see a review done like this:http://homepage.mac.com/thansson/reviews/M...MacrossZero.htm Yup. That's the GREATEST drawing of Roy I've ever seen. Hahahaha. Nastay. Quote
KingNor Posted October 22, 2004 Posted October 22, 2004 macross is teh rock cuz the MONSTER finaly has a real claw like a real MONSTER. r0x0r uR clawx0r Quote
Macross_Fanboy Posted October 22, 2004 Posted October 22, 2004 Let's make the "Craptacular Fanart" thread! Quote
Renato Posted October 22, 2004 Author Posted October 22, 2004 No offense, but this review is entirely useless to me. If people didn't want spoilers, they wouldn't read these topics. Let's have an actual content review! I don't remember calling this a "review". I just said I wanted to share my feelings after seeing it. If you want the dirty details, PM me. Quote
zeo-mare Posted October 22, 2004 Posted October 22, 2004 (edited) I am not to big on the new Monster design, the claw looks stupid, maybe if it was designed to look like a machanical claw instead of a real crab claw i have yet to see the entire series of Macross Zero, though i am really looking forward to it. Edited October 22, 2004 by zeo-mare Quote
Ido Posted October 22, 2004 Posted October 22, 2004 I am not to big on the new Monster design, the claw looks stupid, maybe if it was designed to look like a machanical claw instead of a real crab claw i have yet to see the entire series of Macross Zero, though i am really looking forward to it. WTF? Don't tell me you think that photoshopped grab claw as the real thing Quote
KingNor Posted October 22, 2004 Posted October 22, 2004 I am not to big on the new Monster design, the claw looks stupid, maybe if it was designed to look like a machanical claw instead of a real crab claw  i have yet to see the entire series of Macross Zero, though i am really looking forward to it. WTF? Don't tell me you think that photoshopped grab claw as the real thing let the man dream, crab claw monster to the rescue!! "It's for grabbing planes. And eating them." Quote
Syngyne Posted October 22, 2004 Posted October 22, 2004 This thread makes me think of this comic. Quote
zeo-mare Posted October 22, 2004 Posted October 22, 2004 i have not seen any of this series yet, I have seen this pic posted before, with a bunch of other screen shots i thought it was the real thing, I have heard alot of weird things about this series (a birdman?) and unfortunally have yet to see any of it. Well i am grateful it is not real, does anyone have any pics of the real Monster from the series? Doh.. feeling stupid today. thats what happens when you post things early in the morning Quote
zeo-mare Posted October 22, 2004 Posted October 22, 2004 This thread makes me think of this comic. Quote
Ido Posted October 22, 2004 Posted October 22, 2004 i have not seen any of this series yet, I have seen this pic posted before, with a bunch of other screen shots i thought it was the real thing, I have heard alot of weird things about this series (a birdman?) and unfortunally have yet to see any of it. Well i am grateful it is not real, does anyone have any pics of the real Monster from the series?Doh.. feeling stupid today. thats what happens when you post things early in the morning LOL The Monster in M0 seems to have an unfolding claw mechanism, you can see the real one here, the grab claw is just a joke. http://nanashino.macrossmecha.info/armarty...roid_prototype/ Courtesy of Nanashi in a previous treadh about M0 Nobody plan to customize the Yamato Koenig Monster with claws? it will be cool on it Quote
zeo-mare Posted October 22, 2004 Posted October 22, 2004 that is cool looking alot better than the crab claw Quote
Ignacio Ocamica Posted October 22, 2004 Posted October 22, 2004 Say hello to Monster Destroid Prototype aka "Mr. Tentacles" Seriously, I hope Ep 5 won't be a big dissapointment!! Quote
Agent ONE Posted October 22, 2004 Posted October 22, 2004 DO NOT POST SPOILERS IN THIS THREAD!!! Use this one for spoilers: http://www.macrossworld.com/mwf/index.php?showtopic=11498 Quote
Agent ONE Posted October 25, 2004 Posted October 25, 2004 Anyone care to do a non-spoiler review? Just say you liked it or not, or you could get more detailed. I am waiting to see it before I look at the spoiler thread. Should see it tomorow morning. Quote
ewilen Posted October 25, 2004 Posted October 25, 2004 Not sure if I liked it or not. I'm going to be vague and general here, to avoid even a hint of a spoiler. (If anyone wants to argue with my points, please don't use spoilers. Let's keep this thread spoiler-free at least for a while after the fansubs start to appear.) Also, I don't know Japanese or Chinese (there's a Chinese subbed version out there already). Some people have complained about the exposition early in the episode. I can see where they're coming from, and I agree the show "cheats" a little bit in terms of setting up certain dramatic expectations without really paying them off, but I don't think it's hard to understand what happened. The dogfight scenes are great. Super aviation-porn. I wasn't so keen on how the Monster was handled. See the Nanashi's Monster thread for more, but of course there will be spoilers. The "magical" stuff doesn't let up, which is no surprise. While I didn't mind that in principle (if Scanners is science fiction, not to mention Akira then so is M0), I thought the portrayal was out of control at some points. It was almost on the level of Princess Mononoke, whereas up to this point, it was only the level of, say, Laputa. Unfortunately, the end of the episode is really hard to interpret without understanding the dialog. On the basis of what's been said by people who do understand, I'm not too crazy about it. This might be partly due to my expectations from the rest of the Macross continuity (not just SDF/DYRL but M7 as well)--which is to say, if somone came at this without any knowledge of Macross, they might like it better. Once the subs come out, I'll rewatch the whole OAV...maybe it'll hang together better. Or as many have suggested, maybe there'll be a movie version which will offer a second take, and which will be more to my tastes. At the moment, it's a minor let-down. Quote
Renato Posted October 25, 2004 Author Posted October 25, 2004 (edited) Unfortunately, the end of the episode is really hard to interpret without understanding the dialog. Which part, in particular. There are very few instances where the dialogue is more substantial than "Im gonna get you!" EDIT- Just wanna let you know I am posting a fairly in-depth synopsis in the Spoiler thread. Edited October 25, 2004 by Renato Quote
ewilen Posted October 25, 2004 Posted October 25, 2004 Whatever parts, if any, that explain what is really going on, i.e., the big questions that everyone has been asking. Thanks for the synopsis, which filled in some points of confusion, but since you haven't gotten to the end yet, I'm still pretty much in the dark. Which isn't to say that the ending will be any clearer with a perfect translation. (In very broad terms, it's clear what's going on, and it will be familiar to anyone who's seen/read enough sci-fi, but at that level of abstraction it's pretty unsatisfying to a Macross fan.) In the meantime, I've tried over there to fill in what I remember from the ending, but I'm sure I'm leaving stuff out and misremembering other stuff. Quote
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