Macross Frontier Episode 2 Talkback Thread *READ 1st Post*

[Duke Togo]

Something to keep in mind. These creatures were drawn to the singing. Don't expect some Basara spiritia effect. There was a direct link with spiritia and the enemy they were fighting in Macross 7. Music worked against the Zentradi because Earth culture shocked them. That's it, no magic involved. I don't think spiritia has anything to do with what's going on in Frontier.

[RichterX]

Finished watching episode 2, wow

Sheryl wrote her message in french, does this indicate a link with the Mayan as their song was in French?

Song energy or spiritia definitely seems to play a role again here.

Wonder if Ozma will become sempai for Alto as Roy was for Hikaru... I don\'t see him giving him advise on how to tap some tail if one of them is hi sister.

seems they have several endings or the first one was especial for the first episode or they notice that fans didn\'t like the ending music...

Edited April 11, 2008 by RichterX

[sketchley]

There were some questions raised that have already been answered in the first few pages in the spoiler tagged posts...

My guess on the changed endings is that the deadline caught up with them before they were finished, and they had to go with a temp one. Though, if next episodes ending is changed again... then it's just advertisements to sell more Macross F CDs!

Edited April 11, 2008 by sketchley

[Gubaba]

Finished watching episode 2, wow

Sheryl wrote her message in french, does this indicate a link with the Mayan as their song was in French?

Song energy or spiritia definitely seems to play a role again here.

Wonder if Ozma will become sempai for Alto as Roy was for Hikaru... I don't see him giving him advise on how to tap some tail if one of them is hi sister.

1. I think you may be overanalyzing Sheryl's message...I think French just suits her personality...and her beret.

2. I wouldn't rule out Spiritia, but it's still too early to tell, I think.

3. It seems more like Bright Noa and Amuro than Roy and Hikaru!

[Heron]

Holy Raz! That was frakking awesome!

[Gubaba]

Everyone liked it? Is this really still Macrossworld...? Where are the nattering nabobs of negativism?

[Duke Togo]

Song energy or spiritia definitely seems to play a role again here.

Which again, makes no sense. Spiritia was linked to the Protodeviln. This isn't Macross 7. And the Varja were drawn TO the singing. If anything, this is something Protoculture related, as seen in Macross Zero.

[MisaForever]

59% grr

[Noyhauser]

The Episode was pretty good, but I'm slightly worried that this series may become a bit too clichéd on previous series, like how gundam has become... I hope it goes in its own directions. That said its great to have another series and I'm loving it. I also want to laugh at HG and Robotech fans too, for how badly they have been shafted.

As we thought the NUNS definitly had prior contact with the Varja. Of course question remains : what they HECK they are ?

Not sure if your point requires a spoiler, but I'm sticking with my Digital Mission VFX-2 connection... that the Vindirance/Critical Path Corporation must have also encountered them in some form about 10 years before.

Also I didn't catch it well because my japanese is mediocre, but it looks like the source of Alto's "princess" comments might have something to do with his family's past as a Kabuki troop. His appearance and personal effects seem to back that up, as was the flashback in the first episode when he meets Sheryl the first time. Maybe someone more fluent can give us a better idea of what was said.

Edited April 11, 2008 by Noyhauser

[Project Phoenix]

Everyone liked it? Is this really still Macrossworld...? Where are the nattering nabobs of negativism?

Please...don't encourage them...

[Jasonc]

I'm not going to completely analyze this since I'm sure everyone is doing that now, but damn!!! What a strong opening so far. With references to what has worked in Macross, it's proving to be all it set out to be and then some so far. I'm gonna watch it another 3 or 4 times now. I rate that ep. a 9 out of 10. When I get good subs, it could very well be a 10. Nice work.

[Sumdumgai]

Translation of what Sheryl wrote:

"Sorry Grace. I've gone out. I'll be back for work. Kisses!"

"Désolée Grace. Je suis sortie. Je reviens pour le boulot. Bisous!"

I like the VF-25 versions we've seen so far. Command, sniper, recon, and CFs.

[Duke Togo]

Also I didn't catch it well because my japanese is mediocre, but it looks like the source of Alto's "princess" comments might have something to do with his family's past as a Kabuki troop. His appearance and personal effects seem to back that up, as was the flashback in the first episode when he meets Sheryl the first time. Maybe someone more fluent can give us a better idea of what was said.

Not a spoiler, and that is indeed why they call him "princess". You'll notice him dressed up in all of his feminine glory in the OP animation.

[MisaForever]

O.M.F.G.

That's about all I can say for now. REALLY awesome!!!!!

[sketchley]

I think one of the things I like best about Macross F is that the main baddie (the red Vajra) requires more than one hit to destroy. It's nice to see teamwork and tactics returning. Of course, I do hope that we get to see a human side to the Vajra. Being the "faceless alien enemy" is ok for the first couple of episodes... but after that?

That commonet about VF-X2's Vinderance having met the Vajra is intriguing. I wonder how closely they'll be tying VF-X2 to Macross F?

[MacrossCN]

Q-R RAW is out.

Chinese translation Ver is out.

HOHOOOOOHOHO

[grss1982]

VF-25 with

a combat knife, another with a sniper rifle, and one that is of the AWACS variety??? NOW all you need to do is add thermo-optic camouflage to those VF and we have a macross version of FMP.

Anyways....

what happened in the knife fight between Skull Leader and the Red Bug? Did Skull Leader draw blood (literally) from the alien?

[ackem]

Not a spoiler, and that is indeed why they call him "princess". You'll notice him dressed up in all of his feminine glory in the OP animation.

This was actually the first question in this month's Frontier section in Newtype.

Q: Since Michel calls Alto "Princess Alto the Eternal Number 2", he really is a girl, right?

A: They are classmates, but Michel is ranked higher. Alto is skilled, but he doesn't practice. Princess Alto is used to make fun of him since Alto's from a family who plays female Kabuki roles. Michel saw him on stage when they were children and thought "What a pretty girl" then said "oh it's you" got closer...it seems (laugh).

[Sergorn]

Which again, makes no sense. Spiritia was linked to the Protodeviln. This isn't Macross 7. And the Varja were drawn TO the singing. If anything, this is something Protoculture related, as seen in Macross Zero.

I'm not sure about that.

Spiritia just

is. I mean yeah, the Protodevilin were *feeding* on Spiritia but just because they aren't here to do that anymore, doesn't me that people don't have Spiritia anymore, or that Spiritia doesn't have other connections with the Protoculture. Eck... Macross Zero certainly seemed to have plently of Anima Spiritia floating around and it didn't need the Protodevilin for that. So that stills strikes me a possiiblité for Macross Frontier

-Sergorn

[Duke Togo]

VF-25 with

a combat knife, another with a sniper rifle, and one that is of the AWACS variety??? NOW all you need to do is add thermo-optic camouflage to those VF and we have a macross version of FMP.

Anyways....

what happened in the knife fight between Skull Leader and the Red Bug? Did Skull Leader draw blood (literally) from the alien?

And blue blood, at that!

[grss1982]

Ozuma also quit the military and seems to have a rocky relationship with Cathy because of it.

So.....

does that mean there the new Roy-Claudia pair? I'm asking since Sheryl-Alto-Ranka are the supposed triangle in this series.

@Duke Togo:

Blue Blood??? What does that mean??? Anyways where was the Red Bug knifed/stabbed at? Torso? Leg? Neck?

I have got to watch this episode!!!!!

Edited April 11, 2008 by grss1982

[Duke Togo]

I just realized what Sheryl lost that she is going nuts about... her left earing. (thanks, Zin

)

Edited April 11, 2008 by Duke Togo

[sketchley]

Rewatching it, and...

Just before the middle CM, Ranka says to Alto (what I think is) "I'm a quarter Zentraedi."

A few moments later, the military aide to the president says something about (as expected/suspected? about the Vajra) a voice (didn't catch the rest of the statment.)

[Duke Togo]

@grss1982: The neck

[Duke Togo]

Just before the middle CM, Ranka says to Alto (what I think is) "I'm a quarter Zentraedi."

Yeah, I caught that, I was waiting for someone (who speaks the language) to confirm that.

[Zinjo]

OMFG!!

Am I the only one who feels like the episodes are too short?!

Last time I felt like that was the first two seasons of BSG...

Those battle scenes in the city were fantastic! Well choreographed, exciting, intense. Very nice work.

If the Varja are connected to some sort of PC remnant, then finding an Animaspiritia is very important to their defence (assuming they still believe the PD are malevolent and there is no reason for them not to if they are indeed in "hiding"). Don't forget it was these type of people who defeated the most formidable foes to the PC.

After seeing the PPB knife, I take back all my comments about it as an eva rip off, ours is better...

It appears that Luca is flying a VF-25E (Elint Seeker) and Michel is flying the VF-25A if the heads are any indicator.

I wasn't aware that the Mayan songs were in French, that strengthens the tie between Sheryl and Mao.

So far, I agree with SK, that this is the best Macross yet!

[MisaForever]

Anyone else notice that Mikhail (Michael, whatever) wasn't wearing glasses when in the Valkyrie?

[ce25254]

Just finished watching. I'm hooked. The last scene was great. Maybe just too much Nodame or something but the romantic angle gets me interested just as much as the mecha these days, even if I expect it to be the same old story :-)

Also surprisingly the Q-R DivX plays OK on my old dual G4...!

[Zinjo]

I just realized what Sheryl lost that she is going nuts about... her necklace.

Her left ear ring. She lost it during the concert, when she fell.

So far we don't know its significance, but we do know it's important to her.

[Duke Togo]

Er, that too! Thanks, Zin.

[sketchley]

I think I figured out the SMS base - at roughly 19:30, you can see the external park dome (that Sheryl and Ranka are heading to/talking in) on the left, with the center and right being the SMS base. At the bottom of the frame are two yellow glowy holographic projections - what the VFs follow when they launch? There's also a rather big ship hidden under the blanket. At first I thought it was a pair of Bolognese Frigates, but on closer inspection, there's a definite SDF-1 Macross feel to the two "hands" and partially visible carrier launch deck. Perhaps this is the untransformed "Battle 25" that we see in the opening credits?

[ce25254]

It was a great tribute to Hikaru's rescue of Minmay, also, IMO. With the added bonus of falling up, instead of falling down...

[ce25254]

I know there were some comments about some freezed-frame shots ( >_> ) but come on, If there's anything on TV (or OVA for that matter) that competes with what Satelight is doing, please point it out to me, the editing was a lot better than the broadcast of EP1, the pacing was excellent, the chase was awesome! really blown away so far, I hope they keep this level of quality through the whole thing

"Some comments"... that was me. Yeah, I thought this episode played well. The scene with the car on the highway was distracting for me, but otherwise it was great.

I was thinking about how for live action movies, the goal of CG is to make it look more real. For animation, the goal isn't necessarily realism. The goal in both scenarios is to blend in with the audience's expectations for the medium.

I am not complaining about it, though... the Valks and battle scenes look amazing. (I also liked Macross Zero a lot.)

[azrael]

This was actually the first question in this month's Frontier section in Newtype.

Q: Since Michel calls Alto "Princess Alto the Eternal Number 2", he really is a girl, right?

A: They are classmates, but Michel is ranked higher. Alto is skilled, but he doesn't practice. Princess Alto is used to make fun of him since Alto's from a family who plays female Kabuki roles. Michel saw him on stage when they were children and thought "What a pretty girl" then said "oh it's you" got closer...it seems (laugh).

I can imagine that. Mikhail decides to hit on Alto-hime and Alto comes back with a fist, "I'm a guy dumbass!"

[Zinjo]

I think I figured out the SMS base - at roughly 19:30, you can see the external park dome (that Sheryl and Ranka are heading to/talking in) on the left, with the center and right being the SMS base. At the bottom of the frame are two yellow glowy holographic projections - what the VFs follow when they launch? There's also a rather big ship hidden under the blanket. At first I thought it was a pair of Bolognese Frigates, but on closer inspection, there's a definite SDF-1 Macross feel to the two "hands" and partially visible carrier launch deck. Perhaps this is the untransformed "Battle 25" that we see in the opening credits?

Could be, or it could also simply be a drydock repair depot for capital ships. It could also be refit components for the existing Macross 25 carrier. However, with a city ship that is 15km long you could fit several New Macross Carriers in it.

If it is indeed the latest model of the Macross Class Carrier then I suspect those are no so much "hands" as the two spires we see coming off the back of the Attacker/Battle 25 at the end of the openning credits, since the arms don't look anything like that. It would also be a clever easter egg for the series.