The Newbie and Short Questions thread

[Bariaburu Faita]

I agree, they are too primitive at this point. But the seed has been planted, in 30 more years, they can advance to be exactly as shown in M2. Given the recent merchandise support for M2 I believe they are setting up the possibility for a rebooted M2 a couple decades down the line.

The Sv-262's Lilldraken drones? I can't say I agree... they're physically connected to the airframe of the Draken "mothership", and used like a Ghost Booster until ejected. That'd put them more in the same category as the VF-0's Raid configuration from the final episode of Macross Zero or (most closely) the VF-27γSP Super Lucifer from the Macross Frontier movies. The VF-27γSP had the ability to detach its QF-5100D Goblin II booster for independent operation in the same manner.

The VF-2SS Super Valkyrie II's bits are never connected to the airframe... they're launched separately, and aren't capable of being operated autonomously. By in large, they're bits in the Gundam sense except they're computer-controlled instead of controlled by psycommu (so sort of like the GN Fangs in Gundam 00). The VF-4ST Super Siren's funnels in the Macross II prequel video game (for PC Engine) Macross: Eternal Love Song did start out docked to the fighter, but they weren't autonomous either.

Edited March 24, 2016 by Bariaburu Faita

[anime52k8]

what merchandise support for MII?

[Bariaburu Faita]

about half a dozen Ishtar figures, 2 transforming VF2SS toys, art cards, buttons, clear files, etc,...

what merchandise support for MII?

[Zinjo]

about half a dozen Ishtar figures, 2 transforming VF2SS toys, art cards, buttons, clear files, etc,...

That's minor for any Macross title

Edited March 24, 2016 by Zinjo

[anime52k8]

also, technically we've only have 1 official VF-2SS toy, and it's kind of bad.

[Robowang]

RE: Soundtrack

EDIT: Got the help I needed. Thanks!

Edited March 25, 2016 by Robowang

[Seto Kaiba]

I agree, they are too primitive at this point. But the seed has been planted, in 30 more years, they can advance to be exactly as shown in M2. Given the recent merchandise support for M2 I believe they are setting up the possibility for a rebooted M2 a couple decades down the line.

Actually, I'd say the opposite is true... the Valkyrie II's Squire auto-attack bits are a good deal less advanced than the various drone fighters that can be controlled from, and operate in support of, Valkyries in Macross Frontier and Macross Delta. The Squires are bits that operate automatically in defense/support of a VF that serves as their mothership, but they're not capable of operating independently the way the main continuity's drones are. They're smaller, but their performance is lower and they have a lot less weaponry (no missiles). The VF-19 basically had disposable funnels (funnel missiles) already... they are WAY ahead of where the timeline of Macross II was WRT drone technology.

[Bariaburu Faita]

Considering that for the longest time M2 had zero product support, its a great improvement.

That's minor for any Macross title

[Bariaburu Faita]

I will have to trust your analysis on this one. But next time I get the chance I will ask Producer Kawamori if it was an actual M2 reference in MD. As long as he doesn't recognize me and run away screaming

Actually, I'd say the opposite is true... the Valkyrie II's Squire auto-attack bits are a good deal less advanced than the various drone fighters that can be controlled from, and operate in support of, Valkyries in Macross Frontier and Macross Delta. The Squires are bits that operate automatically in defense/support of a VF that serves as their mothership, but they're not capable of operating independently the way the main continuity's drones are. They're smaller, but their performance is lower and they have a lot less weaponry (no missiles). The VF-19 basically had disposable funnels (funnel missiles) already... they are WAY ahead of where the timeline of Macross II was WRT drone technology.

[Seto Kaiba]

I will have to trust your analysis on this one. But next time I get the chance I will ask Producer Kawamori if it was an actual M2 reference in MD. As long as he doesn't recognize me and run away screaming

I await the outcome of that with great interest... even if it is just a video of Kawamori making a mad dash for the nearest fire door.

[Valkyrie Driver]

So, I'm not trying to put spoilers out there, but I feel I need to ask this question: As I was watching the Delta prologue episode, I noticed a star map of the milky way, and it seems to have shown humanity moving in all directions from earth. It looks to me like as of Delta, humanity started moving into the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds. Is the setting for delta in the LMC? It would be really cool if it were, just as something different, you know?

[Nightbat]

Quick question guys

I currently own the "Anime Cartoon International" Boxset of the original SDF Macross (Yeah the one with the abysmal subbing)

Is there currently any better set available, or is it down to hunting on Ebay for the Animeigo (or similar) set?

[azrael]

So, I'm not trying to put spoilers out there, but I feel I need to ask this question: As I was watching the Delta prologue episode, I noticed a star map of the milky way, and it seems to have shown humanity moving in all directions from earth. It looks to me like as of Delta, humanity started moving into the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds. Is the setting for delta in the LMC? It would be really cool if it were, just as something different, you know?

Maybe? Kinda? The map is suppose to representative as opposed to a realistic map. The idea behind Delta is while most of the previous shows have focused going toward the galactic core, Delta is going as far away from the core as they can so we could probably expect some other stellar phenomenon.

...Is there currently any better set available, or is it down to hunting on Ebay for the Animeigo (or similar) set?

Your best bet is to look for these: http://robotechstore.myshopify.com/collections/videos/products/macross-dvd-mini-box-set-1

It's HG-rebranded Animeigo-translated sets. The other option is the ADV set.

[Nightbat]

Hmm,.. too bad they only have the first 12 eps
and I'm not too keen on granting HG my money

[Marzan]

Hmm,.. too bad they only have the first 12 eps

and I'm not too keen on granting HG my money

You end up giving them a bit of money anyway since they own the rights to SDFM anyways.

Where are you living? Or even better, do you own a regionfree DVD? Because then I can also recommend the Madman (Australian) release of Macross. It's the same remastered version as the R1 Animeigo version, just on six discs instead of nine.

[Nightbat]

Yea, I'm pretty much out of the loop on the whole rights debate (And I think it's no use to get started on it )

Australia isn't an option, Netherlands here

Edited March 28, 2016 by Nightbat

[Valkyrie Driver]

One more Delta question: Mirage Fallyna Jenius. So we have a female Zentradi character, with our favorite duo's name, my guess is that she's related. Big question is how? I mean doing thee math, the eldest daughter would be 39 at the time Mirage would have been born, making it possible that Mirage is a grand daughter, since M&M would be well into their 50's at that time, and well into their 70's by the time of delta.

At this point it's all speculation, since we have no official info at this time (at least not that I've seen), so any thoughts?

[anime52k8]

According to Tochiro, Kawamori himself stated that she's the daughter of Miranda Jenius, who was the 6th Jenius daughter. that's about as official as I need.

https://twitter.com/GwynCampbell/status/713596524341530624

#ThankYouTochiro #FreeTochiro

[ManhattanProject972]

According to Tochiro, Kawamori himself stated that she's the daughter of Miranda Jenius, who was the 6th Jenius daughter. that's about as official as I need.

https://twitter.com/GwynCampbell/status/713596524341530624

#ThankYouTochiro #FreeTochiro

So its Miranda, Damn I really thought it was one of the twins cause they share purpleish hair with Mirage. So the seemingly normal looking one in the Jenius family presumably hooked up with a Zolan and that gives us Mirage's ears. The Jenius family really gets around.

[Seto Kaiba]

So the seemingly normal looking one in the Jenius family presumably hooked up with a Zolan and that gives us Mirage's ears. The Jenius family really gets around.

Not necessarily... the character design aesthetic WRT ear shape as an indicator of species heritage lost some of its consistency in Macross Frontier. Prior to Frontier, the big Record of Lodoss War elf ears were a Zolans-only thing. That changed in the Frontier series, which gave Zentradi and part-Zentradi women (and only the women) a more subdued version of the elf ears instead of the Spock ears that were the standard from DYRL on for most Zentradi characters.

[Valkyrie Driver]

So its Miranda, Damn I really thought it was one of the twins cause they share purpleish hair with Mirage. So the seemingly normal looking one in the Jenius family presumably hooked up with a Zolan and that gives us Mirage's ears. The Jenius family really gets around.

I thought I read somewhere that Zolans were not genetically compatible with humans something about a different evolutionary track.

[Seto Kaiba]

I thought I read somewhere that Zolans were not genetically compatible with humans something about a different evolutionary track.

This was discussed in depth on the previous page... the short version being that a radio play overheard in Macross Dynamite 7's final episode has a line or two that suggests Humans and Zolans can't procreate because Humans don't have pouches (which, apparently, damn near everything on Zola does), but this may not have been accurate (or, in production terms, may no longer be accurate due to oversight or intent) given that Macross Frontier's Michael Blanc has a Zolan grandparent.

Edited March 29, 2016 by Seto Kaiba

[Valkyrie Driver]

This was discussed in depth on the previous page... the short version being that a radio play overheard in Macross Dynamite 7's final episode has a line or two that suggests Humans and Zolans can't procreate because Humans don't have pouches (which, apparently, damn near everything on Zola does), but this may not have been accurate (or, in production terms, may no longer be accurate due to oversight or intent) given that Macross Frontier's Michael Blanc has a Zolan grandparent.

Did not know that, where was that stated?

[Seto Kaiba]

Did not know that, where was that stated?

The Macross Frontier Official Fan Book, and I believe the novelization of the series also describes him as having Zolan ancestry.

Macross F 2059 Memories indicates that he has some Zentradi ancestry as well, which quite frankly means someone (or several someones) in his family really idolized Captain Kirk. "Cute alien girl, gotta get me some of that!"

[kajnrig]

A very quick question about the Bandai DX Chogokin toys: Do they have stated scales (ie 1/60), or are they all designed to a strict height/length specification?

[Scyla]

A very quick question about the Bandai DX Chogokin toys: Do they have stated scales (ie 1/60), or are they all designed to a strict height/length specification?

No they don't. But they are around 1/60ish. You can check out jenius' site (anymoon.com/blog/) for scale measurements and comparisons with the Yamato/Arcadia Valkyries:

That said they look good together but don't mix well with Yamato/Arcadia Valkyries. Also the DX Chogokin X Robot Damashii Koenig Monster doesn't scale with the DX Valkyries.

Edited March 29, 2016 by Scyla

[Valkyrie Driver]

Macross F 2059 Memories indicates that he has some Zentradi ancestry as well, which quite frankly means someone (or several someones) in his family really idolized Captain Kirk. "Cute alien girl, gotta get me some of that!"

So it's heresy then...

[Valkyrie Driver]

Did, the EX gear from Frontier not catch on? We haven't seen it in the VF-31 (yet?) or in the VF-171CF (that could just be an old model thing though...). Any thoughts?

[azrael]

Did, the EX gear from Frontier not catch on? We haven't seen it in the VF-31 (yet?) or in the VF-171CF (that could just be an old model thing though...). Any thoughts?

The VF-31 clearly uses EX-Gear. But I don't think we'll see it till later. Al Shahal's VF-171 are probably older block VF-171s or non-EX-Gear units.

[sketchley]

If memory serves, EX-Gear was only installed in the VF-171EX.

[Zinjo]

If memory serves, EX-Gear was only installed in the VF-171EX.

Considering the VF-171EX was built as a specific task force fighter against the Vajra, the need to upgrade other units would be pointless with the VF-31 air frame becoming available to the network's militaries, not to mention its only been a few years since the VF-25 & 29's were developed which also uses the system.

Though it is doubtful these 25 and 29 models are being mass produced in the quantities the earlier valk generations were. The colony fleets and worlds have grown in number, which allows various jurisdictions to pick and choose which fighters best suit their needs.

These valks are becoming like cars. Pretty soon a government will be able to outfit their defense forces with various models of valks depending on what models they want to use... At some point we may get a series where a defense force utliizes various fighter models in their battles, similar to what we saw in the M7 series.

Edited April 5, 2016 by Zinjo

[kajnrig]

These valks are becoming like cars. Pretty soon a government will be able to outfit their defense forces with various models of valks depending on what models they want to use... At some point we may get a series where a defense force utliizes various fighter models in their battles, similar to what we saw in the M7 series.

Once they develop the CGI models for them, I'm sure that'll be the case. Who knows, there might come a day when you see an inexplicable VF-0 flying around.

[kajnrig]

So I was watching some Mac30 gameplay videos:

The Super/Strike Packs were designed for space use only, right? I was comparing Mac30's gameplay to that of Robotech Battlecry (I consider it to be the best Macross game available, but then I haven't played any others), and in the above video Mac30 allows you to use Super/Strike Valkyries in atmosphere, whereas RBC doesn't.

And while we're at it, something else that popped up on my feed:

Edited April 8, 2016 by kajnrig

[Seto Kaiba]

Though it is doubtful these 25 and 29 models are being mass produced in the quantities the earlier valk generations were. The colony fleets and worlds have grown in number, which allows various jurisdictions to pick and choose which fighters best suit their needs.

These valks are becoming like cars. Pretty soon a government will be able to outfit their defense forces with various models of valks depending on what models they want to use...

Um... I'd have to say the reverse is probably true WRT production quantities.

Some fleets have gone to using nothing but Ghosts in their air forces, but the older generations of VF were not exactly made in huge numbers. They only built a little over 5,000 VF-1's, and 8,000 VF-4's. The typical 3rd Generation long-distance emigrant fleet had around 2,400 variable craft of different types in its (New) UN Forces garrison and those are the medium-sized fleets now. With upwards of 59 long-distance fleets and 100 short-distance fleets launched, we likely have upwards of 150,000 variable aircraft in service at any given time starting in the mid-2040's.

A 5th Generation VF that's been picked up by only a handful of fleets and/or planets as their next main fighter could easily push its production numbers past that of earlier-gen VFs. The one that's going to be all but impossible to top is the VF-171 Nightmare Plus... the last standard main fighter. There are probably 80-90,000 of those things kicking around the galaxy.

Arguably, the planetary governments have always had the authority to arm their defense forces however they wished (within the limits of restrictions on arms exports). That's what a lot of the single-digit VFs were explicitly for... to be low-cost VFs targeted specifically toward newly-established emigrant world governments with limited defense budgets. The Varauta system's defense forces chose to arm themselves with the VF-14 instead of the UN Spacy's chosen main fighter (the VF-11), which is how the Varauta Army ended up with the Fz-109s, and by Macross the Ride and Macross Frontier the emigrant fleets are developing their own local variants of existing VFs AND producing original VF designs for their own forces and selling those designs to other emigrant worlds.

Once they develop the CGI models for them, I'm sure that'll be the case. Who knows, there might come a day when you see an inexplicable VF-0 flying around.

... well, we've kind of already reached that point too.

It was in a serialized novel rather than an anime series, but one of the main characters of Macross the Ride gets an upgraded custom VF-0A as a mid-story upgrade. It's cobbled together out of an existing VF-0A airframe and an assortment of parts borrowed from the YF-25.

(Never mind the replica VF-0's used on Uroboros in Macross 30, that are equipped with reaction engines... so I guess they're technically replicas of a VF-0+ instead.)

So I was watching some Mac30 gameplay videos:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3gTXzsDRBgThe Super/Strike Packs were designed for space use only, right? I was comparing Mac30's gameplay to that of Robotech Battlecry (I consider it to be the best Macross game available, but then I haven't played any others), and in the above video Mac30 allows you to use Super/Strike Valkyries in atmosphere, whereas RBC doesn't.And while we're at it, something else that popped up on my feed:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Km45Nus0GJE

Yeah, barring a few exceptions where FAST pack models were developed with the specific goal of being operated in the atmosphere (e.g. the ones on the VF-11, VF-17, and VF-19 near the end of Macross 7) they're generally meant to be used in space only. However, since Macross 30's one and only space level is the supposed-to-lose fight at the very beginning of the game, that's kind of gone out the window for gameplay's sake so you can equip pretty much any FAST pack in atmosphere.

I remember that one of the many bugs in Robotech: Battlecry allowed you to keep the Super Pack for ground levels if you completed a space level without losing it.

[BChoinski]

So I was watching some Mac30 gameplay videos:

The Super/Strike Packs were designed for space use only, right? I was comparing Mac30's gameplay to that of Robotech Battlecry (I consider it to be the best Macross game available, but then I haven't played any others), and in the above video Mac30 allows you to use Super/Strike Valkyries in atmosphere, whereas RBC doesn't.

Man that looks cool. I wish there was an English version for US consoles.

Edited April 8, 2016 by BChoinski