Macross canon: what's real and what's fictional?

[nexxstrait]

So, now that FB7 is out, let's see what's really going on in the Macross universe. Kawamori is doing everything to treat the franchise as some meta show where the boundaries between (fictional) reality and "reconstructed" mith are really blurry. So let's analize each Macross production and see what is going on.

Be careful, the text contains SPOILERS

Macross TV (the Zentradi arrive and Earth is decimated, Roy dies, Macross rests on Earth)

Macross DYRL (fictional film - same story as the TV series, different perspective and designs, Roy dies)

Macross Flashback 2012 (Music clip, references both TV series and Movie, recaps the launch of Emigration project)

Macross II (alternate universe, could very well be just another TV show for what we know)

Macross Plus (could be the real thing, references M7 designs)

Macross Plus Movie (some alternate scenes makes us think that even Plus may just be a fictional retelling of real events)

Macross 7 & Movie (references Flashback, Plus, TV and DYRL - but, if we consider FB7, it could be a TV show)

Macross D7 (references M7, introduces Zolans)

Macross 0 (classified incident, facts disclosed in 2059, could be a movie. There's Roy)

Macross Frontier (references TV, DYRL, Plus, 2012, 7, D7 and 0. Michael dies, Alto is safe)

Macross Frontier Movies (more or less the same story as TV Frontier BUT Michael lives, Brera dies, Alto vanishes)

Macross FB7 (references Frontier Movies, M7 events are referenced as a TV show)

To sum up the facts:

ASS1 crash lands on Earth (TV), humankind developes VFs and has a fist contact with protoculture but the incident becomes classified until 2059 (0). The Zentradi and Meltradi arrive - we still don't know for sure if they fight each other or mix up somehow - and First Interstellar War begins. Earth is decimated but Macross and her crew and citizens survive (except for Roy Fokker) with the help of Minmay and her songs. Some Zentradi side with humans (TV) and the UN Spacy begins a space colonization plan, launched in 2012 (Flashback). In 2040 there's the Sharon Apple incident (Plus), in 2045 something happens to the Macross 7 fleet, but the problem is solved with an unspecified aid by the music of Fire Bomber (M7). Basara leaves the fleet in 2046 to become a space wanderer, his whereabouts are unknown (D7). in 2059, after a change from UN Spacy to New UN Spacy (refrence to VFX2) the M25 fleet encounters an alien race, M21 tries a political coup but is stopped and the Frontier Fleet somehow survives and settles on the Vajira planet (Frontier era).

Did I miss something?

So, which of the series we all loved (to varied degrees) is the "real" thing? From what we know, I dare to say... none

Edited October 25, 2012 by nexxstrait

[anime52k8]

technically, everything in macross is fictional, being a science fiction franchise. It's probably best to not worry too much about canon, and just go with whatever's happening in the particular piece of media you're viewing at the time. That seems to be SK's way of looking at things, and that's probably for the best.

[nexxstrait]

technically, everything in macross is fictional, being a science fiction franchise.

Well, ok, that's obvious. I was just talking about internal coherence of the fictional story, and that seems to blur even more with every new production that comes out. I don't mean to criticise this fact, as I love things as they are now (that's part of what makes the Macross universe so unique after all).

[anime52k8]

Well, ok, that's obvious. I was just talking about internal coherence of the fictional story, and that seems to blur even more with every new production that comes out. I don't mean to criticise this fact, as I love things as they are now (that's part of what makes the Macross universe so unique after all).

I like to think of it this way: every piece of media ever produced in Macross (TV, movies, OVA's, print media, etc.) is equally canon until they disagree with one another, at which point you just go with what ever version of events you like best.

[Astralith]

It's like asking what's canon in Robin Hood or the many long run comic book series.

I tried wrapping my head around the whole Gundam series and nearly slipped into a coma. The cool thing about a meta series (I like that phrase) is that when inconsistencies crop up (as in Star Wars, Star Trek...) it's easier to just wave off.

I would very much like a more defining SDF Macross (mini)series however, as long as the mecha doesn't change. Maybe Richard Bilrer can tell us the true story ;-)

[Hoptimus]

Yes Macross is becoming like Gundam where the different shows and continuity will bump heads.

Try to get too into that and enjoy it. I think when Macross Zero came out I knew that continuity was not as important as telling stories that Studio Nue finds interesting. I myself did not care for Macross Zero.

[azrael]

Just adding to what's been said,

Don't nit-pick the details. As long as you walk away with the overall story of what happened, that's all you'll need.

Example: Macross Plus takes place during the Super Nova competition, which tested the next generation of variable fighter. During that period, a popular AI singing idol name Sharon Apple, went rogue and took over an entire city and the UN military.

The summary applies to both the OAV series and the movie and that's all you'll need. Watching any Macross like watching movies and drama shows about World War II, Vietnam, Afghanistan, etc. Is that how it happened? Not really. But they got the basic idea.

[jvmacross]

SDFM TV = real

Macross F = real

Everything else is either an in-universe dramatization in the form of a movie, mini-series, or TV show....

The Birdman movie in Macross F was a reboot!!!

[sketchley]

Did I miss something?

Been there, done that: http://www.macrossworld.com/mwf/index.php?showtopic=34738

(admittedly, it hasn't been updated in a while, but... while FB7 expands on the underlying lack of synthesis, it doesn't really add to it.)

[VF5SS]

I think Chie Kajiura has the best take on what is real

[Zinjo]

Just adding to what's been said,

Don't nit-pick the details. As long as you walk away with the overall story of what happened, that's all you'll need.

Example: Macross Plus takes place during the Super Nova competition, which tested the next generation of variable fighter. During that period, a popular AI singing idol name Sharon Apple, went rogue and took over an entire city and the UN military.

The summary applies to both the OAV series and the movie and that's all you'll need. Watching any Macross like watching movies and drama shows about World War II, Vietnam, Afghanistan, etc. Is that how it happened? Not really. But they got the basic idea.

What he said...

There is no definitive history of the Macross universe and probably won't be so long as Kawamori is in charge. I personally like that fact.

Each story can expand upon an aspect of the over all universe. The idea that song energy might be related to fold waves makes the idea more palatable to me as opposed to some inexplicable magical force .

[TehPW]

are you buying macross-related merchantdise or buying Macross related DVD's? pretty much that's the only question thats important if you own the IP...

[Marzan]

What he said...

There is no definitive history of the Macross universe and probably won't be so long as Kawamori is in charge. I personally like that fact.

Each story can expand upon an aspect of the over all universe. The idea that song energy might be related to fold waves makes the idea more palatable to me as opposed to some inexplicable magical force .

I agree with you. In a way, this also helps Kawamori and his collaborators at Studio Nue when dreaming up a new story. They are not straightjacketed by a continuity that needs to be followed. Just build on the existing universe.