Love Triangles Over Done In Macross?

[SpacyAce2012]

I'm merely curious as to what others think on this matter. So sound off!

There has pretty much been one in every series put out so far.

To summarize:

1-Macross Zero. Shin Kudo, Sara Nome, Mao Nome.

Granted. The triangle wasn't as obvious. But it was there. Sorta tragic how it was sorted out in the end, but a beautiful ending all together.

2-SDF Macross/DYRL. Mr. Hikaru "I'm a Dumb Ass" Ichijyo, Misa Hayase, and Lynn "All About Me" Minmay. The most famous in Macross history. Pretty much solved by the time Flashback 2012 rolled around, with no lingering bad blood between Misa and Minmay......strange. At least Ichijyo finally grew up and went with better girl.

3- Macross Plus. Isamu Dyson, Guld Bowman, Myung Lone. Another tragic ending for a love triangle. But far more heroic in nature. Sometimes the price of redemption is the ultimate price.

4-Macross 7/M7 Dynamite. Mylene Jenius, Basara Nekki, Gamlin Kizaki. This was one that was never resolved, much to my disatisfaction. Pity too. All of that air time dealing with it and Gamlin didn't get the girl.That sucks.

Of course, the Movie didn't touch on it. Only thing it did was reinforce the fact that giant chicks, with giant boobs, dig Basara. And that Pedro was the luckiest kid in the Macross universe.

5-Macross II. Hibiki Kanzaki, Silvie Geena, Ishtar. Strange way of dealing with this love triangle. There is obvious attraction between Kanzaki and Geena in one scene at the beginning of the series (the confrontation in Culture Park between the two). But it seems to manifest itself as rivalry. And of course, Ishtar comes into the picture. Over time, both begin to respect each other and see different sides to each other's personalities. Then, that latent attraction just abruptly comes out on the bridge of the Macross, much to Ishtar's dismay. Kinda felt sorry for the girl.

Then again, maybe not. Kanzaki-sama went from being Jerry Springer to Basara Nekki over the course of the series. Just without the fist-fights (not counting Silvie knocking him on his ass) and rock music.

It's also interesting to note that in the best known Macross Manga, M7 Thrash, that there seems to be one. I haven't read the entire thing, so I don't know the details.

So it would seem that this is an "essential" formula for a Macross production, considering you see it all of the time. Any one-on-one love interests that exist in a particular story seems to get shoved into the background. Examples would be Roy Focker's relationships, Max and Millia's rocky marriage, D.D. Ivanov and Nora Polyansky, and the story behind Ray and Akkiko's relationship.

So, for a change, I would like to see the love triangle plot element left out of the next Macross production. Not to say that there is anything wrong with them. But.....come on. One in every series? It tends to get old, in my opinion. What's wrong with exploring budding love between just two characters, as a major plot element, for a change?

So folks, what's your opinions on this subject?

Edited December 3, 2006 by SpacyAce2012

[eugimon]

I gotta agree with you. While I think the writers manage to incorporate the love triangle well into the stories, I think it's about time where we can see a different type of story instead of retreading the love triangle over and over again.

[JB0]

2-SDF Macross/DYRL. Mr. Hikaru "I'm a Dumb Ass" Ichijyo, Misa Hayase, and Lynn "All About Me" Minmay. The most famous in Macross history. Pretty much solved by Flashback 2012, with no lingering bad blood between Misa and Minmay......strange. At least Ichijyo finally grew up and went with better girl.

...

So folks, what's your opinions on this subject?

That 2012 added nothing. The love triangle was cleanly finished at the end of the series.

...

Actually, had Hikaru not suddenly regressed past the majority of his character development, it would've been finished at the showdown with the Bodol Fleet.

[SpacyAce2012]

That 2012 added nothing. The love triangle was cleanly finished at the end of the series.

Sorry for the misunderstanding. That's what I meant to get across. I went back and edited the post for clarity.

[azrael]

Unfortunately, love triangles are very much a part of Macross...

[eugimon]

Unfortunately, love triangles are very much a part of Macross...

I think one of the reasons why gundam has such a larger fan base than macross is that they seem more willing to pursue different types of stories while macross seem intent on trying to recapture SDF.

[nachoted]

so far every macross product have a love triangle, some very well executed others not so much The larger series(sdf and M7) for some period the triangle expand to a cuadrangular(sorry but the english word for a 4 sided poligon escapes me right now). dont forget that always macross has been a "drama" about the characters and how the enviroment affects their life, thankfully the sorroundings are valkyries, space and war.

sory for my english it isnt my native tongue

[kensei]

Unfortunately, love triangles are very much a part of Macross...

I think if you take away the love triangles, you pretty well take away an essence of Macross. I've accepted it as part of it. Don't mind if it was bad. Cause there's other stuff: war, military politics, and mecha.

[Roy Focker]

Okay big shocker Macross isn't just show off robots.

It's a love story with character who just happen to fly robots.

[connor99]

Okay big shocker Macross isn't just show off robots.

It's a love story with character who just happen to fly robots.

I don't think SPACEYACE2012's against love stories/love triangles per se in MACROSS. I think his/her point is why can't it be anything else but a love story/triangle. I have to agree that this particular angle in any story gives drama, but why can't it be more of a war or military angle like KENSEI posted. I for one would like to see the story focus more on this.

[sketchley]

Aren't the three essential elements of any show that make it Macross:

1) anti-war message

2) love triangle

3) music

???

I think looking at the music is more interesting. (As they all (or mostly all) have orchestral music, it isn't being included.)

SDF:M, DYRL, Flashback 2012: Macross does J-pop

Macross Plus: Macross does techno/industrial

Macross 7: Macross does rock

Macross Zero: Macross does opera

[Sevket_Erhat]

I really don't like these love triangles but they are bound to happen in future macross series too

[Skullsixx]

I couldn't agree with you more. Hopefully the next one would center around 1 or 2 individuals as main characters and some sort of battle or struggle involving kick ass mecha. I wouldn't mind dropping the music thing too!

[Oihan]

Just as some of you say Macross isn't Macross without Shoji Kawamori; Macross isn't Macross without the love triangles.

[Roy Focker]

But it always be a love triangle. Love stories always have conflict and typically that conflict is often a love triangle. If it isn't another person than it is an some other symbol for something. Say the next story is about a pilot and his girl friend. In that case his valkyrie is the third party.

[eugimon]

But it always be a love triangle. Love stories always have conflict and typically that conflict is often a love triangle. If it isn't another person than it is an some other symbol for something. Say the next story is about a pilot and his girl friend. In that case his valkyrie is the third party.

that's fine. make the third party something different, like the war is keeping them apart, or whatever... but mix it up a little.

[thegunny]

I couldn't agree with you more. Hopefully the next one would center around 1 or 2 individuals as main characters and some sort of battle or struggle involving kick ass mecha. I wouldn't mind dropping the music thing too!

Just curious to know what attracts you to Macross if you don't like love triangles and music

Macross is love triangles and music

[Roy Focker]

I know that answer!

Duh the Mecha porn fights with the hidden homosexual themes. Look at Macross Plus two strong male Valkyrie pilots shooting each other with their gun pods? They aren't interested in that mushy stuff with Myung more waving gun pod at other pilots is for them.

[Macross73]

Just curious to know what attracts you to Macross if you don't like love triangles and music

Macross is love triangles and music

I like the Mecha and the battles.

[myk]

3 is a magical number in Macross. The modes of the VF, the Macross itself, the love triangles, the major forces (Zentran, Meltran, Human) and.....the three bridge bunnies?

[sketchley]

the major forces (Zentran, Meltran, Human)

Don't you mean: human, Zentraedi, and Supervision Army?

[op4_delta]

I know that answer!

Duh the Mecha porn fights with the hidden homosexual themes. Look at Macross Plus two strong male Valkyrie pilots shooting each other with their gun pods? They aren't interested in that mushy stuff with Myung more waving gun pod at other pilots is for them.

Then I guess Macross Plus is indeed the Top Gun of Macross, it has the homoerotic stuff.

[bandit29]

The love triangle has been overdone. It's another cheap attempt at melodrama that anime seems to love so much.

[SpacyAce2012]

I'm not against love stories in Macross,per se. In fact, every epic/heroic adventure story needs one as a plot element (the level that it influences the story should vary for the sake of a little variety).

My point is on how the love story is handled. In every series, the love story exists in the form of a love triangle.

What's wrong with a simple old fashioned "boy meets girl" story? What's wrong with watching the relationship grow just between those two characters? To see how such a relationship develops when influenced by events taking place in the story? The conflicts? The ups and downs before resolution? Or maybe that love get tragically cut short by death, making for a good tear-jerker (just the thing to draw in more hopeless romantics into the fanbase ).

An effective love story doesn't always have to involve a three way (no pun intended ) conflict between love interests. I see nothing wrong with love triangles, it's just that they are overdone. It's time from something a little different on the romance side of things.

Kawamori and Crew always do something a little different with each new series. Why not with the classic love story? One very easy way is to let the one-on-one relationship take center stage for a change, instead of being shoved into the background.

[Skullsixx]

Just curious to know what attracts you to Macross if you don't like love triangles and music

Macross is love triangles and music

I am not against love traingles or music either, but what does attracts me first and foremost is obviously the mecha and the warfare. I think what we have seen so far for the most part has been great. I just agree with one of the last posts where they mentioned mixing it up a bit. Hell, the Star Wars prequels didn't have some bizarre love triangle ex. Luke, Leia, Han.

Edited December 4, 2006 by Skullsixx

[wldr]

I'm not against love stories in Macross,per se. In fact, every epic/heroic adventure story needs one as a plot element (the level that it influences the story should vary for the sake of a little variety).

My point is on how the love story is handled. In every series, the love story exists in the form of a love triangle.

What's wrong with a simple old fashioned "boy meets girl" story? What's wrong with watching the relationship grow just between those two characters? To see how such a relationship develops when influenced by events taking place in the story? The conflicts? The ups and downs before resolution? Or maybe that love get tragically cut short by death, making for a good tear-jerker (just the thing to draw in more hopeless romantics into the fanbase ).

An effective love story doesn't always have to involve a three way (no pun intended ) conflict between love interests. I see nothing wrong with love triangles, it's just that they are overdone. It's time from something a little different on the romance side of things.

Kawamori and Crew always do something a little different with each new series. Why not with the classic love story? One very easy way is to let the one-on-one relationship take center stage for a change, instead of being shoved into the background.

Good point SpaceyAce, and well said as well. The love story angle is good for character development, but I agree that a new angle from the now "typical" love triangle is needed to change things up a bit. Also I believe you may be right that if it's done right it might drawn in more fans, and that can't possably be anything but good for Macross.

[Skullsixx]

Good point SpaceyAce, and well said as well. The love story angle is good for character development, but I agree that a new angle from the now "typical" love triangle is needed to change things up a bit. Also I believe you may be right that if it's done right it might drawn in more fans, and that can't possably be anything but good for Macross.

EXACTLY!!!

[thegunny]

Hell, the Star Wars prequels didn't have some bizarre love triangle ex. Luke, Leia, Han.

Nothing like keeping it in the family

[UN Spacy]

How about the next series features....(QUE THE DRUM ROLL PLEASE)

.....all love triangle with three women.

I'd buy that for a dollar!

[op4_delta]

.....all love triangle with three women.

You read my mind.

[justvinnie]

I'm so tired of Macross stories about variable fighters and military backdrops.

vinnie

[SpacyAce2012]

I'm so tired of Macross stories about variable fighters and military backdrops.

vinnie

Well, Macross 7 Dynamite didn't have war or the military as a backdrop.

The Zolanite forces were essentially cops/customs agents/game wardens (we call 'em "Possum Sheriffs" around these parts). The bad guys were poachers, not some invading military force.

The only real military elements in that series were Gamlin, and the stolen United Nations gear in the gun runner's inventory.

[Roy Focker]

I agree with you.

Love and music?

transforming combat jets?

How over done are those things in Macross we need something new.

[lord_breetai]

But it always be a love triangle. Love stories always have conflict and typically that conflict is often a love triangle. If it isn't another person than it is an some other symbol for something. Say the next story is about a pilot and his girl friend. In that case his valkyrie is the third party.

But this already is a very present theme in macross... "I love you, you love me. But he's in love with his plane instead of me." I feel Hikaru would have ended up with Minmnay (and I personally think she is the better girl although she had a lot of growing up to do thorugh the series) had their worlds not clashed so much... In the very end of the series when Misa asks if Hikaru was going to go after her, Hikaru says Minmay couldn't be a with a person like him. And Minmay pretty much said several times it was the army or her, (funny considering she was the one who was trying to convince him to sign up earlier)... you really get this sense that Minmay was his great love, but he knew that their careers would keep them apart and that Minmay couldn't take waiting to see if he'd come back safely, where as Misa was in the same situation and understood loss a lot better.

And I would say it shows up in the other Macrosses as well particulary plus...

It's not something I get tired of really.

[wldr]

If another love triangle is in the cards, why not have a different outcome. Like all three ending up together.

A menage a trois, now that would make things interesting.