Whats the next macross series?

[Vepariga]

what ever it is,ill love it regardless. I would like to see some renegade zentradi tho,i find the zents a fun and thrilling watch,like the zent ep in frontier was great, but also id like to see a serious toned series,no love triangles,a pop star that songs are great and can be heard but not a main character,(maybe like wendy ryder, or Eve from megazone 23,similar fashion) , more blood,characters that are deep and make you feel for them,wondering whats going on in there minds,tough decisions to make that endanger lives either way,something gripping and hard hitting at times. and valk scenes that kick serious ass. and i wouldn't mind seeing a series without a fortress,like plus,but more character driven.

Edited July 29, 2009 by Vepariga

[Gubaba]

I've seen a lot of people asking for a "darker, grittier" Macross...I'm guessing that by that people were talking about something akin to Plus and Zero?

[Vepariga]

after thinking abit about it, i would just love to see a new series that gave me the same feeling as the first SDF series, the characters were alot more real and as the viewer you cared for what they did at times,something like this but leave the love triangle out of it.

[Retracting Head Ter Ter]

Darker and grittier like Votoms or Gundam's War in the Pocket.

Would like to see grittier mecha fights. E.g. no masses of cannon fodder to blow up by the hero's valk. Each enemy mecha should be a dangerous and tough encounter.

[Rbstr]

I also think that whatever the next Macross story is, it will be something completely unexpected. When the news starts leaking out, most of us will look at it and think, "Well, THAT'S not what I wanted!" And it may turn out to be something really great.

Or not. You never know.

Basquash just introduced some giants/zentradi...so it may be this has already come to pass.

[Freiflug88]

I've seen a lot of people asking for a "darker, grittier" Macross...I'm guessing that by that people were talking about something akin to Plus and Zero?

I actually want a darker Macross that is kinda of like the original SDF meets Freespace. I want to see a Battle Macross with an experimental intergalactic fold drive end up stranded in the middle of another Galaxy against a new powerful alien race that can not be reasoned with or singed to. In order to survive and return home the Macross crew will have to resort to raiding enemy supplies and utilizing space gurellia tactics while hiding in a Space Nebula.

[Vic Mancini]

I'll go a step further and say that if it ever did happen, the eagerly awaiting fans would find it didn't match their expectations anyway. I'll call the absence a good thing on that count.

That is signature worthy. Soooo true.

I've seen a lot of people asking for a "darker, grittier" Macross...I'm guessing that by that people were talking about something akin to Plus and Zero?

Yes. Those are my two favs. But I'd like to see a Macross even more "grown-up" than those. Something with a mature/complex GiTS type vibe. I want something for the adults fans.

I also want to see a singing idol that is outside of the Love triangle and be a supporting main charter for once. The "celebrity is overrated I just want a normal relationship" plot is getting too cliche for me. I say have the singing idol be the dead charater for once, their spirit and music can live on.

Great idea.

[Ghost Train]

Harem: Love Octangle

Eroge: hmm, nope, let's not go there.

You are standing in the bridge.

1. Talk about the weather.

2. Invite her to eat pineapple cake

3. Invite the whole bridge crew for pineapple cake!

[Ignacio Ocamica]

I've seen a lot of people asking for a "darker, grittier" Macross...I'm guessing that by that people were talking about something akin to Plus and Zero?

Exactly!!! And it doesn't mean it should only appeal to older fans, young audiences can appreciate a mature perspective too!!

[VFTF1]

I wouldn't mind "dark and gritty" if it was like a Bogart movie or a Phillip Marlow/Raymond Chandler Detective/crime novel - only set in the Macross universe. That's fine.

I'm not overly thrilled at the idea of revisiting Hikaru, Misa and Minmey - although... I dunno...

But for sure I think we need more Bassara. In fact - maybe they could do Macross: Crossover (like the concert) - and feature all of the singers coming together and forming a Super-Dimmensional Sound Armada?

I dunno...

More than anything I actually hope they don't make any more Macross too soon. I think that the fact that this series has always been SLOW in the making is good. A good idea needs time to be nurtured and grow and be thought about. I don't want to see Macross turned into a yearly re-boot cartoon like Transformers.

Pete

[Bri]

I've seen a lot of people asking for a "darker, grittier" Macross...I'm guessing that by that people were talking about something akin to Plus and Zero?

Yes. Those are my two favs. But I'd like to see a Macross even more "grown-up" than those. Something with a mature/complex GiTS type vibe. I want something for the adults fans.

Honestly, I don't equate dark and gritty with mature, more often then not it makes the project juvenile instead of mature. However GiTS is an example of it done right with good characterisation and interesting exploration of the overlap between mind and machine.

Macross Plus is an example where it went wrong, it suffers from a bad plot and unlikable characters. I'm aware that a lot of fans love this series but it's not more or less mature then SDFM or Frontier just more grim.

Zero had a lot of potential, but Kawamori is unfortunately not Miyazaki. Zero lacks the elegance of Princess Mononoke or My Neighbor Totoro in exploring the effects of humans on the environment.

Still I can imagine a number of situations where dark and gritty could work in Macross. For example a political thriller investigating the inner workings of the UN government and UN Spacy. Or a coming of age story that explores the Zentradi being awakened from their child soldier mental state and their integration in human society. Maybe a civil war on a colonyship that threatens the mission or focus on a grunt squadron whithout hero pilots. Still for it to remain Macross the anime would still need the classic elements of music, romance and valkyries.

[Vic Mancini]

Macross Plus is an example where it went wrong, it suffers from a bad plot and unlikable characters. I'm aware that a lot of fans love this series but it's not more or less mature then SDFM or Frontier just more grim.

First of all, "unlikable characters"? Ouch. Isamu Dyson is my hero.

Secondly, I would say Plus and Zero are absolutely more mature than Frontier. You don't see anyone chasing runaway panties in Plus or proud Zentradi warriors being micronized into spazzy kawaii children flailing their arms in cartoonish temper tantrums because the object of their affection won't pay attention to them.

Don't get me wrong, I've actually come to love Frontier quite a lot, but it's definitely aimed at a less mature audience than Plus and Zero are.

[Killer Robot]

Honestly, I don't equate dark and gritty with mature, more often then not it makes the project juvenile instead of mature. However GiTS is an example of it done right with good characterisation and interesting exploration of the overlap between mind and machine.

Macross Plus is an example where it went wrong, it suffers from a bad plot and unlikable characters. I'm aware that a lot of fans love this series but it's not more or less mature then SDFM or Frontier just more grim.

Zero had a lot of potential, but Kawamori is unfortunately not Miyazaki. Zero lacks the elegance of Princess Mononoke or My Neighbor Totoro in exploring the effects of humans on the environment.

Still I can imagine a number of situations where dark and gritty could work in Macross. For example a political thriller investigating the inner workings of the UN government and UN Spacy. Or a coming of age story that explores the Zentradi being awakened from their child soldier mental state and their integration in human society. Maybe a civil war on a colonyship that threatens the mission or focus on a grunt squadron whithout hero pilots. Still for it to remain Macross the anime would still need the classic elements of music, romance and valkyries.

I'd call dark and gritty the literary equivalent of alcoholic beverages. Not for being intoxicating, but because while they're something ostensibly for adults and that many adults enjoy, they're not all adults consume and the people most excited by them tend to be adolescents and young adults who are half in it for a "grown up" thrill from the cheapest and strongest stuff at hand.

That said, serious Macross takes are welcome in my book, but I agree totally with the last point that you're still going to need music, romance, and enemies that aren't entirely unreasonable monsters - the central themes of Macross stories always come down to the idea that war may be in the nature of humanity but communication, love, and culture allow us to aspire to more than a grim battle for survival.

For that matter, I can't be the only person who found the second half of Frontier pretty grim. While I've certainly seen worse, and while the first half of the show had plenty of light-hearted antics, there was hardly a moment between episode 15 and the final scene that wasn't a constant stream of people in physical and emotional torment.

[Bri]

I'd call dark and gritty the literary equivalent of alcoholic beverages. Not for being intoxicating, but because while they're something ostensibly for adults and that many adults enjoy, they're not all adults consume and the people most excited by them tend to be adolescents and young adults who are half in it for a "grown up" thrill from the cheapest and strongest stuff at hand.

That's a very good analogy and you put it in to words far better then I would be able to.

First of all, "unlikable characters"? Ouch. Isamu Dyson is my hero.

Secondly, I would say Plus and Zero are absolutely more mature than Frontier. You don't see anyone chasing runaway panties in Plus or proud Zentradi warriors being micronized into spazzy kawaii children flailing their arms in cartoonish temper tantrums because the object of their affection won't pay attention to them.

Don't get me wrong, I've actually come to love Frontier quite a lot, but it's definitely aimed at a less mature audience than Plus and Zero are.

I'm not out to bash Plus, it has it's fair share of good points, especially in areas of mechanical and military realism, it's just far from my favourite Macross. Elements like fanservice and moe characters in Frontier are window dressing, a signs of the times. Frontier's romance part is influenced by all the slice of life/moe shows of the last few years. Same as Plus carries a lot of cyberpunk of the early 90s and SDFM with the space operas of the 80s. In terms of character development and story complexity there is little difference.

Edited July 29, 2009 by Bri

[Freiflug88]

You are standing in the bridge.

1. Talk about the weather.

2. Invite her to eat pineapple cake

3. Invite the whole bridge crew for pineapple cake!

This looks just like the halfway point of Bible Black...

I just gotta to unlock and choose the hidden option to get to the best ending!

4. Order the whole bridge crew to quit gawking and SHOOT THAT ENEMY SHIP DOWN NOW!!!

Exactly!!! And it doesn't mean it should only appeal to older fans, young audiences can appreciate a mature perspective too!!

I know! Everyone of all ages appreciated seeing Sara's naked body and Lucy's butt check from the mature perspectives of Shin and Isamu in Zero and Plus. It was so immature of BW to cut the lights off on us and show us only tuna buns even on the DVD and Bluray.

I wouldn't mind "dark and gritty" if it was like a Bogart movie or a Phillip Marlow/Raymond Chandler Detective/crime novel - only set in the Macross universe. That's fine.

I'm not overly thrilled at the idea of revisiting Hikaru, Misa and Minmey - although... I dunno...

But for sure I think we need more Bassara. In fact - maybe they could do Macross: Crossover (like the concert) - and feature all of the singers coming together and forming a Super-Dimmensional Sound Armada?

I don't know about you, but I would would be thrilled about revisiting those three. If Big West would only make a quick remake of DYRL in Fontier's style, rename "Love in the Battlecity Megaroad" or something, and then have it ready and waiting for worldwide theatrical release on the same day as the Live Action Robotech movie.

I agree on the Macross Concert idea. I won't die until I have see Basara, Sheryl, and Minmay merge into a Macross with a pair of giant speakers on its shoulders and sing!

Still I can imagine a number of situations where dark and gritty could work in Macross. For example a political thriller investigating the inner workings of the UN government and UN Spacy. Or a coming of age story that explores the Zentradi being awakened from their child soldier mental state and their integration in human society. Maybe a civil war on a colonyship that threatens the mission or focus on a grunt squadron whithout hero pilots. Still for it to remain Macross the anime would still need the classic elements of music, romance and valkyries.

Grunt squadron idea I like. Political thrillers are the last thing I want to see in Macross. SDF Macross did a good job of tying political issues into the main plot that dealt directly with the main trio. In recent works like Zero and Frontier though I felt like they added a lot of needless background politics and conspiracies to satisfy Kawamori's apparent need to bash the military and only robbed what little screen time both series had to develop their characters and plot.

Edited July 29, 2009 by Freiflug88

[Duke Togo]

Macross Plus is an example where it went wrong

Macross Plus got it completely right. On all levels. The franchise has been almost completely lacking in maturity and intelligence since it came out.

[Vic Mancini]

I'm not out to bash Plus, it has it's fair share of good points, especially in areas of mechanical and military realism, it's just far from my favourite Macross. Elements like fanservice and moe characters in Frontier are window dressing, a signs of the times. Frontier's romance part is influenced by all the slice of life/moe shows of the last few years. Same as Plus carries a lot of cyberpunk of the early 90s and SDFM with the space operas of the 80s. In terms of character development and story complexity there is little difference.

Fair enough, but I don't think good character development is related to how mature something is. You can have great character development in a Harry Potter movie or a Pixar film. At the end of the day it's still less mature subject matter than say...(off the top of my head)...Children of Men. Even if the character development in CoM is not as deep.

[BeyondTheGrave]

I dunno. I think I need to compile all the awesome ideas into one post.

I would like to see macross get nitty and gritty but not too gritty. Ex: not Full Metal Alchemist

OMGYou fused your daughter with dog You Sick Monster.

type of stuff. More toward GITS or Appleseed.

[Gubaba]

Darker and grittier like Votoms or Gundam's War in the Pocket.

Would like to see grittier mecha fights. E.g. no masses of cannon fodder to blow up by the hero's valk. Each enemy mecha should be a dangerous and tough encounter.

I don't think we'll ever see that. Maybe something on the level of Plus, but not more.

I could be wrong, though. Who knows? Probably not even Kawamori at this point.

[BeyondTheGrave]

Idea:

Takes place XX years after frontier,the planet has been colonized

Same faces from frontier

Luca now head of lai industries married Nanase.

Ozma & Caty married -Ozma Commander of Battle frontier.

Alto Head of sms who'd he pick idk and idc

Sheyrl-Happy

Ranka- happy

Klan - happy found love with another and etc.

But they wouldn't be in it. As main characters at least.

Since there is peace The main pastime is ValKyrie racing. It'd probably have almost like a IGPX feeling to it.

You meet the pop idol who is also a valk pilot ( for the basara effect)but no one knows it.Several episodes of this and character development . . The planet is Attacked and..

A darker Macross that is kinda of like the original SDF meets Freespace. I want to see a Battle Macross with an experimental intergalactic fold drive end up stranded in the middle of another Galaxy against a new powerful alien race that can not be reasoned with or singed to. In order to survive and return home the Macross crew will have to resort to raiding enemy supplies and utilizing space gurellia tactics while hiding in a Space Nebula.

It wouldn't be Battle frontier but another city. Each city would have its own macross class battleship in order to continue the voyage to through out the galaxy. but this city wasn't ready yet. everything experimental.

Battlestar Galactica situation results and they try to re join the fleet

Then its time go down the Appleseed / GITS route... the New UN SPACY has done some very bad things. this comes out and a Coup d'état happens government is over thown.

Now what would be neat is if used some elements of Alex Ross' Marvels. follow the events of what has/ is unfolding through the eyes of just an average everyday person or a Grunt/ cannon fodder.

The pop idol would have to decide between singing or fighting. and so on and so forth.

All or most of the character would be adults. Technology would be along the lines of Macross plus.

Yes Nudity. Tasteful nudity like silhouettes and shadows in the correct places.

No Code Geass table-kun situations.

Solo fight scenes where it's one guy vs. 50 enemy will he come back idk.

this is all just one big idea that will probably never happen.

[Vifam7]

What I want is a realistic war story. A Macross "Band of Brothers" so to speak. Or perhaps even something like Gundam's MS Igloo series.

Yes, darker and grittier. But not too much of the melodrama. I don't want one of those stories where every character seems to have emotional problems and is seen brooding, whining, shouting, wailing every other episode. And none of this Evangelion-like psychoanalytical mumbo jumbo.

Edited July 30, 2009 by Vifam7

[Alex]

What i'd like to see the most is a smaller, more initmate story a la Plus.

Someone mentioned a "Western". Not a bad idea. You need a love-triangle in there somewhere, singing.

I had once heard a storyline (most likely a fan-fic) in which a small UN Spacy colony holds the reigns of a small Zentraedi military unit who are sent into the most dangerous and viscious situations. In their "down-time" they are pacified by a singer who is believed by the Zentradi on the outpost to be the reincarnation of the lost idol Minmay. Can't remember the story exactly, but someone kidnaps the singer, hoping the Zentradi will go beserk for some reason, leaving the hero to deal with controlling/fighting off the increasingly rebellious Zents and finding that the recordings of the singer are having increasingly decreased effect.

If someone knows where that story comes from, post a link coz I really enjoyed it.

I'd prefer a smaller story like this. less of a galactic war and more of a border dispute sort of thing.

Edited July 30, 2009 by Alex

[thegunny]

Not another "I-want-more-Hikaru/Minmay/Misa"-thread....

+1

[dreamweaver13]

Shoji, i'd just like a double-serving of all my favorite genres in one new series please?

A love triangle with music, set in a western. With new VFs. with wandering samurai. and zombies.

Edited July 30, 2009 by dreamweaver13

[Alex]

Borrowing from the recent Star Trek remake-

Hikaru, Misa and Minmei travel back in time through a black hole. By doing so, they disrupt the space/time continuum and create a parallel universe in which all panty-chasing, bust-bouncing, fan-service-worshipping shenanigans never occur. Thus, Frontier is a mature, watchable show, hailed as a fine return to form by Kawamori, both commercially AND critically.

Like that would ever happen.

Edited July 30, 2009 by Alex

[taksraven]

Not another "I-want-more-Hikaru/Minmay/Misa"-thread....

We did it last year anyway....

http://www.macrossworld.com/mwf/index.php?...ture+of+macross

Put simply, the future is the movie and who knows what after that......

Taksraven

[Ghost Train]

Borrowing from the recent Star Trek remake-

Hikaru, Misa and Minmei travel back in time through a black hole. By doing so, they disrupt the space/time continuum and create a parallel universe in which all panty-chasing, bust-bouncing, fan-service-worshipping shenanigans never occur. Thus, Frontier is a mature, watchable show, hailed as a fine return to form by Kawamori, both commercially AND critically.

Like that would ever happen.

Well, a valkyrie could mysteriously crash into Mao Nome's village... thus the Galaxy Fairy never came to be, horray!

[VFTF1]

in which all panty-chasing, bust-bouncing, fan-service-worshipping shenanigans never occur.

I agree! That stupid Superdimmensional Fortress Macross with its' Minmei shower scene, Hikaru grabbing Misa's butt, Misa and the bridge bunnies checking out Panties and thinking Hikaru is a pervert, close up shots of Minmei's sexy legs while she is singing, Warera wearing a dress, and all that other stuff is just so juvenille!

Things should be gritty, like in Robotech.

Pete

[mitch]

I also prefer the grittier take on the Macross universe as seen in 'Plus and 'Zero. Something I thought would be neat to do would be having a series of 6 or so mini-episodes, maybe only 15 mins run-time each, that are independent stories that fill in some gaps in the Macross (like the Animatrix or Gotham Knight animations for example). You could have episodes that focus on Destroid crews, civilians rebuilding after Space War 1 and preparing to set off to colonize other worlds, a full episode of insane dog-fights, an aspiring singer's 1st show, stuff like that.

Also, what I really hope they do is a Flashback 2059 where they take a selection of Ranka's and Sheryl's songs and animate a concert for them or do animated music videos (and ALL NEW animation this time if you don't mind!). The Music of Macross F is justification enough for this surely!

[Gubaba]

Also, what I really hope they do is a Flashback 2059 where they take a selection of Ranka's and Sheryl's songs and animate a concert for them or do animated music videos (and ALL NEW animation this time if you don't mind!). The Music of Macross F is justification enough for this surely!

Yes! Yes! Yes!

Hell, I wouldn't even care if they DIDN'T use all-new animation...now matter what, it'd be great.

[Mr March]

I don't really have any pressing wishes for another Macross series right away. The Macross Frontier movie and all the publications are enough to keep my fandom entertained for a few years.

However, on the issue of "Flashback 2012" in relation to Macross, I find it really rather surprising that more short features like Flashback 2012 haven't been produced. Macross, almost more than any other anime, seems tailor made for music videos and AV short films. It can be argued that in some respects most of the Macross anime productions are basically extended music videos anyway. So it seems strange that Big West would not seize advantage of the attraction of creating things like that. Especially during the down-time between major Macross productions, seems like an obvious way to maintain/generate Macross interest.

[Zinjo]

Not another "I-want-more-Hikaru/Minmay/Misa"-thread....

I wouldn't mind seeing them again if BigWest decided to do SDFM again based on Mikimoto's manga. It would offer them the opportunity to clean up a few of the story threads that were initially rushed and clearly differentiate the anime from the Tatsunoko animation.

Otherwise, I'd like to see stories taking place among the Galaxy Network worlds. What was the

Delta War"? Cross genre OVAs or series'. The discovery of the PD by the Megaroad 13 would make a great scary show, if handled correctly.

The universe is so vast, limiting the stories to space operas with kick ass music will eventually stagnate the franchise.

[Zinjo]

Things should be gritty, like in Robotech.

Pete

Umm, I hope you are kidding...

[Ghost Train]

I'm all for a Macross Plus II OVA/Movie. Of course that title would be too easy and obvious, so they should name it something avan garde like "Macross +2 " They could set it a few years before Frontier on New Eden, and pit the YF-24 prototype vs some other badass valkyrie. Same concept, same "grittiness", but different characters, now with 21st century CG!

Maybe Isamu & Myung make a cameo.

Edited August 3, 2009 by Ghost Train

[Zinjo]

I'm all for a Macross Plus II OVA/Movie. Of course that title would be too easy and obvious, so they should name it something avan garde like "Macross +2 " They could set it a few years before Frontier on New Eden, and pit the YF-24 prototype vs some other badass valkyrie. Same concept, same "grittiness", but different characters, now with 21st century CG!

Maybe Isamu & Myung make a cameo.

With all due respect, I'd rather not see "Transformers 2" in the Macross universe...