VFTF1 Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 (edited) Shinsei Industries sent out the YF-24 Evolution plans to each fleet. To my mind, that means the YF-24 Evolution is done the prototype stage and is obviously ready for mass production. You don't disseminate fighter plans among your entire military for a fighter that is not yet finalized. The addition of the "V" would be a mere formality at that point. Going a step further into speculation, it is especially telling of the YF-24 Evolution time frame that both the Macross Galaxy and Macross Frontier fleets had time to study the YF-24 at length. These fleets then had time to design entirely new fighters, which went into limited mass production prior to 2059. I'd tend to think that for all this to jive, VF-24 Evolutions have already been flying in active service for several years when the events of the Macross Frontier series begin in 2059. Mr. March - because I respect you and the work you've done for the Macross fandom sooooo very much, I've written up this mock interview with Shoji Kawamori just for you. Hope you enjoy it: -------------- Mr. March (MW): Can you please tell us a bit more about the ellusive QF-3000E Ghost fighter? Things like what its' armanents are, or at least when we can expect that information to be declassified? Shoji Kawamorii: I-i-it's...I...you...umm....I think such information was...lost during the Space War I...when the Earth was...annihilated... Mr. March: But ARMD-01 alone held 78 SF-A3 Lancer II space fighters and 270 QF-3000E Ghost fighters... one would think therefore that, using DYRL as a reference here, that in spite of damage suffered by Earth, these fighters were actually in use during encounters with the Zendradi forces as the SDF-1 proceeded back to Earth. But ok - I have a different question... Shoji Kawamorii (has a George Bush I moment and looks at his clock): .... Mr. March: Inquiring minds want to know about the fixed Mauler RÖV-20 anti-aircraft laser cannon, firing 6,000 pulses per minute that Orguss Valkyrie use... now, at 6,000 pulses per minute... Shoji Kawamorii: You know...those were meant as an injoke... Mr. March: Naturally, from a literary standpoint yes. Nevertheless, since they appear at DVD time index 0:16:18, they are canon - or should we rather see them as anomolies like Macross II? Shoji Kawamorii: Well, they are cannon, unlike Macross II, but their canonicity is not meant to be taken so seriously... Mr. March: I see. Because I was wondering about how they were armed with the Mauler RÖV-20 anti-aircraft laser, and yet the Boquomouxy Quel-Quallie has 2 x double-barrelled long-range electron particle beam guns (mounted forward on main fuselage). I imagine that if the two went up against one another, we would have a beam gun verses a laser cannon - what is the per minute rate of discharge for the Quel-Quallie vs. that of the Orguss Valkyrie and what is the main difference between "beams" and "lasers" - and if they are different, then are "laser beams" a combination of both? Who would win? Shoji Kawamorii: I...you...I think the Orguss...because it is geared towards combat and has a tank mode in addition to the standard fighter/gerwalk/battroid modes... Mr. March: Well, this would be a logical presumption, but then you have the Quel-Quallie confronting the VF-1J with GBP-1S, where we conveniently ALSO find it armed with...2 x Fixed Mauler RÖV-20 anti-aircraft laser cannons, firing 6,000 pulses per minute each! Now I found that particularly fascinating! And thus my inquiry about the Mauler. You see, Hikaru Ichijo was not really able to defeated the Boquomouxy Quel-Quallie despite these armaments - so I wondered whether the distinction between beams and lasers had any bearing here? Shoji Kawamorii: I...well..the...um...Orguss has a tank mode so... Mr. March: Surely a tank mode wouldn't do it much good in space? Shoji Kawamorii: Hey...that Sheryl - she's cute isn't she? I wonder who you love more?...Sheryl or Ran--.... Mr. March: Moving on, I wanted to inuqire about 1 x triple barreled fixed rear rapid-fire laser gun placement (mounted starboard side rear fuselage in Fighter/GERWALK modes, starboard side front torso in Battroid mode on the General Galaxy/Messer-Varauta Fz-109F Elgerzorene. Now - given how this armament changes placement depending on what mode the fighter is in - could it be fired in a 360 circle while the fighter is transforming? You know - a kind of "super transformation rapid fire attack?" Shoji Kawamorii: That is an interesting question. I think it would be dangerous for a valkyrie to fire any weapon mid-transformation... Mr. March: Potentially, yes, but given the special hard point stations for external SAP on standard VF-2SS Valkyrie II, they were capable of firing missiles mid-transformation, so... Shoji Kawamorii: But Macross II isn't canonn...so... Mr. March: Well, alternative universe. Speaking of which, given Vajra fold technology, would it be possible to reach alternative universes using such technology? Could the Proto-Devilin have come from such an alternative universe? Shoji Kawamorii: It...is possible...however...very difficult to theorize such things... Mr. March: Right. One last question before you go. Who was behind the development of the 2.4 GGV class Flemenmik thermonuclear converter ? Shoji Kawamorii: The...2.4...you say...the ...Flemenmik...er...yes...well...oh...that's a long story...and I wouldn't want to give away anything about the next Macross saga...say, how about that Sheryl? She's a cutie isn't she? Who do you love more? Sheryl or Ran-- Mr. March: Does that mean the 7721242921th Zentradi Fully-automated Weapons Factory, Development and Production will feature prominently in the next series? Shoji Kawamorii: I personally like Ranka. You know...she is so cute. Don't you think? Mr. March: ... ------------------------------------------------------- Pete Edited February 25, 2009 by VFTF1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eugimon Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 shjoi Kawamori: The wizard did it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr March Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 I distinctly remember someone (Gubaba? Azrael?) mentioning that the YF-24 Evolution had been made into a VF-24; with no further information (such as name, capability changes/improvements, whatever.) It might have been on the VF-25 Chronicle Sheet. Yeah, I seem to be recalling something like that. Hmmmn. I believed the fact that the "production" version of the YF-24 seems to be the VF-25, indicated the YF-24 never went beyond prototype stage, and the VF-24 was skipped. Just like the YF-17 became the F-18 with no production F-17. The changes from YF-24 to VF-25 are similar. Not sure. The YF-19 became the VF-19 Excalibur, while the YF-21 became the VF-22 Sturmvogel II. So it's not a set pattern. Based on the official trivia released so far, the VF-25 Messiah is not the production model of the YF-24. It's clearly stated as an independently developed class, just like the VF-27 Lucifer. They are both only loosely based off the YF-24 Evolution. Mr. March - because I respect you and the work you've done for the Macross fandom sooooo very much, I've written up this mock interview with Shoji Kawamori just for you. Hope you enjoy it: Pete I'd not be likely to ask geek questions of Kawamori in an interview. As a film geek first, I'd bore the audience with production and story questions. I'd want to know budgets and time frames, themes and styles, mise-en-scène and leitmotifs, and why I think Kawamori is secretly a Sergio Leone fan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
azrael Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 I distinctly remember someone (Gubaba? Azrael?) mentioning that the YF-24 Evolution had been made into a VF-24; with no further information (such as name, capability changes/improvements, whatever.) It might have been on the VF-25 Chronicle Sheet. It was a typo in Gubaba's writeup (which was later corrected). It should have read YF-24 Evolution. (Typo found) http://www.macrossworld.com/mwf/index.php?...st&p=699320 (response) http://www.macrossworld.com/mwf/index.php?...st&p=699450 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akt_m Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 Fascinating read, thanks for posting that. Wouldn't it be nice to see what a VF-24 looked like.... Maybe something like this, which is a VF-25 with delta wings... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edwin3060 Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 Not sure. The YF-19 became the VF-19 Excalibur, while the YF-21 became the VF-22 Sturmvogel II. So it's not a set pattern. Based on the official trivia released so far, the VF-25 Messiah is not the production model of the YF-24. It's clearly stated as an independently developed class, just like the VF-27 Lucifer. They are both only loosely based off the YF-24 Evolution. I'd agree with David's explanation---given that SK is a fighter otaku, it is very probable that the explanation for why the YF-19 became the VF-19 and the YF-21 became the VF-22 is similar to why the YF-16 became the F-16 and the YF-17 became the F-18--- because the YF-17 lost, it was extensively reworked with many new design features and thus had a new designation. Similarly, the extensive changes from the YF-21 to the VF-22 could have warranted the change in designation. I'd still really like to see the VF-24 though (or Bandai's YF-24 1/100 toy). I've had a weakness for delta wings ever since I laid eyes on the VF-0D . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OmegaD3k Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 Interesting read. Wow he directed his first movie at 24? Makes me feel old... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zinjo Posted February 25, 2009 Author Share Posted February 25, 2009 Interesting read. Wow he directed his first movie at 24? Makes me feel old... Co-directed if I recall correctly. He directed the dogfight sequences in the series as well as DYRL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garou Kuroryuu Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 Co-directed if I recall correctly. He directed the dogfight sequences in the series as well as DYRL. Still feeling old after the explanation Surely a very interesting read for any hardcore Macross fan. thanks, Zinjo! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zinjo Posted February 25, 2009 Author Share Posted February 25, 2009 With respect to the VF-24. It is entirely possible that smaller fleets such as ones with SDFN Macross Class ships may have production capabilities, but may not have R&D facilities to customize their fighters, thus would only be able to produce VF-24's as per downloaded specs. Bigger fleets like the NMC fleets are better capable of fighter customization. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dreamweaver13 Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 I'm a bit late in reading this thread, nevertheless... COOL interview! lots of theories confirmed and clarified. it's always good to here it from the Creator. thanks for posting this Zinjo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
REbirth Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 It's just sad that there's not a "next issue" like this line stated: - There was still lots to talk about, but the contents were so in depth that we couldn’t fit them into this issue. To be continued in the next issue. Oh well, unless the "next issue" is about Macross idols and love triangles and stuff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prime Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 Just sponsoring the Frontier fleet makes you think how filthy rich Richard Bilrer is. Macross Galaxy is corporation composed of executives. Bilrer does it like a philantrophist. Which is mind boggling his ultimate motive for Macross Frontier's course is to find Minmay.That connection, which I think I missed when watching the show, helps tie the overall story together so much better for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zinjo Posted February 27, 2009 Author Share Posted February 27, 2009 It's just sad that there's not a "next issue" like this line stated: Oh well, unless the "next issue" is about Macross idols and love triangles and stuff I think the "next issue" was to cover Macross Zero and other shows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharky Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 It's also funny how Kawamori doesn't always remember everything he creates, which is a good reminder of the true nature of the writing process for all the overly-nitpicking fans I suppose Kawamori never created a Macross bible of sorts as a guide to follow when writing stories about the Macross universe. Isn't there a Star Trek bible that writers use as a reference when writing Star Trek stories? Sounds like Macross would benefit from this sort of writing aid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sketchley Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 I suppose Kawamori never created a Macross bible of sorts as a guide to follow when writing stories about the Macross universe. Isn't there a Star Trek bible that writers use as a reference when writing Star Trek stories? Sounds like Macross would benefit from this sort of writing aid. I believe such a bible exists for each individual series (the animators need reference pictures, and the story writers need character notes and plot outlines.) But for all the diverse series as a whole? Doubtful, especially since Kawamori-san and the other staff involve move onto another project virtually right after the current project has been finished. Though, this does raise a question: is there a member of the staff that checks continuity? We all know that animation mistakes slip through, but are there grosser errors that are flagged and changed while their is still time? (Like the character designer of MF was also assigned the job of confirming that the contractors were animating the characters correctly.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedWolf Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 I believe such a bible exists for each individual series (the animators need reference pictures, and the story writers need character notes and plot outlines.) But for all the diverse series as a whole? Doubtful, especially since Kawamori-san and the other staff involve move onto another project virtually right after the current project has been finished. Though, this does raise a question: is there a member of the staff that checks continuity? We all know that animation mistakes slip through, but are there grosser errors that are flagged and changed while their is still time? (Like the character designer of MF was also assigned the job of confirming that the contractors were animating the characters correctly.) Heh. Reminds me of the multiple Prometheus and Daedalus on Earth's orbit not to mention that rear flap missile rack. Bibles and manuals aren't the be all in animation production. The VF-14 for example. We got the Macross 7 Plus version and the Macross M3 version both as far as we can tell canon. But add to the ambiguity of the so called no line art VA-14. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr March Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 I suppose Kawamori never created a Macross bible of sorts as a guide to follow when writing stories about the Macross universe. Isn't there a Star Trek bible that writers use as a reference when writing Star Trek stories? Sounds like Macross would benefit from this sort of writing aid. Keeping in mind that no person, Kawamori or otherwise, can be expected to remember everything Macross over a 25 year period, the way Kawamori and Co. have run Macross continuity to date suggests they do not use any sort of "franchise guide" to Macross. Macross as a franchise appears to be largely re-imagined and/or re-interpreted with each new production. That's not to say there is no continuity at all, since there clearly is some, but it's obvious story and theme are given priority over continuity. It's true that science fiction shows often use story bibles, but most are not as extensive as one would think (with exceptions for shows like Trek or BSG-2004). They are mostly used in a multiple writer environment and act as a primer to maintain continuity. Since Kawamori is largely responsible for the entire creative direction of the Macross series, an overall "franchise bible" is likely viewed as superfluous to him. Personally, I'm fine with Macross continuity as is. I wouldn't want Macross to follow any written-in-stone bible, especially since it's much easier to write better stories without chaining the creative staff to some kind of dogmatic set of rules. So long as the Macross technology itself remains within reasonable limits (no invincible, time-traveling variable fighters), the last thing I want to see is some Trek-like rulebook governing what can or can't be done in Macross. The only thing that bothers me about Macross continuity is the lack of statistics for the mecha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edwin3060 Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 Unfortunately it also means that Macross will most likely die off with SK, with any productions made after his retirement etc probably being just money spinners for companies like Bandai ala Macross II. That's not to say that they will be bad (Macross II was certainly fine, and has a loyal following of fans), but Macross fans who live that long would be tremendously lucky (to the point of insane odds), if Macross continued with its compelling storylines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkReaper Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 As far as I know SK only laid down rough guidelines for the writers, at least until MacF. And even then someone else took over mid-season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
azrael Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 Unfortunately it also means that Macross will most likely die off with SK, with any productions made after his retirement etc probably being just money spinners for companies like Bandai ala Macross II. That's not to say that they will be bad (Macross II was certainly fine, and has a loyal following of fans), but Macross fans who live that long would be tremendously lucky (to the point of insane odds), if Macross continued with its compelling storylines. Nah, we'll just have SK-purists vs. the AC nuts. Just. Like. Gundam. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zinjo Posted March 2, 2009 Author Share Posted March 2, 2009 (edited) As far as I know SK only laid down rough guidelines for the writers, at least until MacF. And even then someone else took over mid-season. Kawamori only writes episode outlines and has written few scripts (Macross Plus, Cowboy Bebop and his Genius Party contribution, I can't recall any more off hand...). As for Frontier all scripts still were funneled through him for final approval, with the exception of the Sheryl arc, which was trusted to an old friend who wrote it (the best part of the series character stories IMO). Edited March 2, 2009 by Zinjo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zinjo Posted February 2, 2010 Author Share Posted February 2, 2010 (edited) According to the publisher, the second part of the interview went on about his non-Macross projects and his world views. The admins response lead me to another article with the character designers of Frontier which is posted below. Otona Anime Volume 10 contains and interview with character designers Risa Ebata and Yuuichi Takahashi for Macross Frontier. The interview is titled, "The Character Designers Reveal the Hidden Story Behind the Creation of the Characters". According to the interview, one of the charms of Macross Frontier are the character designs, which are both new and nostalgic at the same time. Risa Ebata was in charge of characters in their teens (Sheryl, Ranka, Alto) while Yuuichi Takahashi was in charge of the adult characters (Ozma, Cathy). The first question was of their first impressions of Macross Frontier. Takahashi said that he didn't remember anymore and deferred to Ebata. Ebata said that she was just a beginner and was really nervous since it was a Macross series, but she wanted to do something specifically for Frontier while maintaining the "Macross" feel. She was also surprised to hear about a school campus and thought, "Does this mean a Valkyrie walking in carrying a bento?" The director had told Ebata that he wanted an atmosphere that was both serious and funny. Later on in the design process she was told not to have too many unnecessary lines in her drawings since it was animation, the lines have to be easy to move and understand. The questions then proceeded to the various characters and Ebata was asked about any particular points she had when designing the three main characters. Ebata responded that she first focused on Sheryl's costumes and clothing to express her assertiveness. Second was about the eyelashes, getting the correct balance for Ranka was difficult. Another thing was about the moving hair. Alto was difficult because people had to know his hair was in motion even with a helmet on. Takahashi then commented about Ebata's diverse character designs and how he thought only she could have come up with these designs since he felt a little overwhelmed when he had to not only think about the characters' expressions and facial features, but also what they wore. Ebata added that Sheryl's costumes were more revealing and felt more artificial while Ranka's had a more natural and mainstream feel to them. The next question had to do with any real life person that came to mine when they heard the word "Idol". Only Ebata responded by saying that there was no one in particular although she had seen some CD and DVD covers in the stores. She added that some of her personal likes were Freddy Mercury and The Alan Parsons Project though they couldn't really be used for references. Next, the designers were asked if they were a Sheryl fan or a Ranka fan. Ebata claimed she was a Sheryl fan but was worried that her support may waiver. Takahashi was a Ranka fan only because she was easy to draw. Takahashi was then asked about any particular points when designing the soldiers and adult characters. He responded by saying that he was careful about balance and made sure that any expressions or features matched those of Ebata's. Ebata added that she had learned a lot about giving a character personality because you could tell what type of personality a Takahashi designed character had by just one look. Takahashi finished by saying that they both mutually made adjustments to their characters' details. The designers were then asked which characters they grew fond of besides the three main characters. Ebata was first to respond saying she liked Gilliam, though she didn't do the design for him. She was saddened that he died so easily. Takahashi enjoyed drawing Bobby, but not the harder to draw Cathy. When asked about their future work plans, Takahashi would not comment while Ebata would like to try her hand a historic site or land mine removal, but that had nothing to do with anime. The interviewer closed by saying that those things required an eye for detail. Ebata then said she loved doing fine work and that she would like to try something like stop motion animation, after getting in shape. She likes gearing herself up for her next job. Risa Ebata Profile: Started out in the video game industry working under the pen name of Ehime Mikan. As a character designer, worked on titles such as Super Heavy God Gravion Zwei and Prism Ark. Was on the animation team for titles such as Cyberteam In Akihabara, Nana, and Gaiking. Yuuichi Takahashi Profile: Born in 1976. As Animation Director, worked on titles such as R.O.D – The TV – , Aquarion, and Noein – To Your Other Self. source: Otona Anime Mook Volume #9 According to Hobby Link Japan: "Otona (Japanese for "Adult") Anime is a mook published by Yosensha that features in-depth interviews with staff and cast of various anime series that are popular with adults." You can order the mook directly from their site. Edited February 2, 2010 by Zinjo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zinjo Posted February 2, 2010 Author Share Posted February 2, 2010 November 13, 2008 Short interview about the Macross F movie with Kawamori: Presepe.jp held a special interview with Kawamori Shōji on the topic of the upcoming Macross Frontier Movie and his latest project "Basquash". This interview took place at the Tokyo International Film Festival 2008 which hosted a special event to celebrate Kawamori's world vision. Here are the highlights from the interview: - He is asked about his new project, "Basquash". His response, "There's not much I can say at the moment, but it's about basketball and other alpha sports that are played by giant robots. Since I consider Macross F to be an orthodox project, I wanted to do something that was completely the opposite, something that has no rules and would break conventional wisdom." - He is asked if he was ever glad that he tried something because it was suggested by fans of Macross F and other series. He responds, "Yes, when I created the first Macross, there wasn't any kind of community like the internet which allowed me to get feedback from the fans, so it took me a really long time to gather feedback and other information. I would desperately gather and send out information. But now, with the net, I get feedback from all over and I can also meet with those people live. It's creating something in real time. Compared to making movies, making a TV series utilizes this to the utmost. I really enjoy receiving feedback while I'm in the middle of creating something." - He's asked about his feelings about the Macross F live tour. His response, "For Macross F, it was really a gamble since there are challenging areas for the two singers and since Sheryl and others had stated that she was #1 in the galaxy. Despite that, I think that the combination of Kanno's music and May'n's singing had really persuasive powers. Nakajima Megumi, who was chosen at the audition, has a singing voice as Ranka that is completely different than Sheryl's. I think both singers were able to combine their voices and still be able to express the diversity in their singing styles. It was such a great feeling when they performed duets together. Although I enjoyed it when they sang individually, it was really a different feeling when they sang together." - He's asked if he would like to do another Macross series for the 30th anniversary if he had a new story. Kawamori says that he probably would if he had inspiration for a new story. - He's asked what type of vision did he have for the Macross F movie. He states that he still can't say much, but he wanted the audience to have a "personal experience" through the big screen where they could feel the songs and battles. - He's asked if there is a possibility that he could write more stories that happen after the last episode. He basically states that it would be difficult but not out of the question. (Yay!!) source: Presepe.jp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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