Macross Δ (Delta) - Mission 9 - READ 1st POST

[hachi]

Subs are late. My nephew was pissed that I was watching the episode without subtitles.

Decent episode overall. Nothing much to say, except that Kaname is quickly becoming my favorite character in the show bar none. Still hoping for a May-December Kaname/Arad pairing by show's end, or they trio up with Messer, or nothing happens at all. Though I just noticed in the opening Chuck's sister(?) checking out Messer from afar same as in the show. Maybe something will happen with that. The main trio are still fun, can still go in any direction and I'd be fine with it.

I like Kaname/Messer. Something should happen because right now Arad/Kaname/Messer triangle looks more interesting and it could be developed faster.

[Graham]

Yeah, still no subs

Damn, will have to watch GoT instead of Delta.

[Fly'n Brian]

Yeah, still no subs

GG said they were on another trip and subs would be delayed this week.

[hachi]

Since I can't sleep, here's my understanding of the conversation between Messer and Freyja. Can't guarantee 100% correctness though...

Freyja: Guriguriiiiiiiiiiiiiii!!!!

Messer: You're so noisy.

F: Messer!

M: What happened?

F: Nothing really. I'm just so embarassed I couldn't bear it.

M: Is that so? ...Winderemereans are supposed to live until 30. Are you worried about the future?

F: I haven't thought about the future. I've got my hands full with the present, what happens after I can't think about it.

M: Got your hands full with the present, huh? Maybe that's alright.

That's what got Messer smiling...

[kalvasflam]

Since I can't sleep, here's my understanding of the conversation between Messer and Freyja. Can't guarantee 100% correctness though...

Freyja: Guriguriiiiiiiiiiiiiii!!!!

Messer: You're so noisy.

F: Messer!

M: What happened?

F: Nothing really. I'm just so embarassed I couldn't bear it.

M: Is that so? ...Winderemereans are supposed to live until 30. Are you worried about the future?

F: I haven't thought about the future. I've got my hands full with the present, what happens after I can't think about it.

M: Got your hands full with the present, huh? Maybe that's alright.

That's what got Messer smiling...

That's the thing about Freyja's character, she is not quite as self absorbed as the way Minmay or Ranka, that's not quite the right thing to say, and I can't quite put my finger on it, but Frejya's character is different, although she exhibits the same traits as Ranka, for example wanting to be like Sheryl, or being very self focused. But she wants to improve herself.

I wouldn't mind hearing Freyja doing Ikenai borderline, I know that's Mikumo's signature song, but it would be interesting. It would be like Ranka doing Diamond Crevasse or Iteza Gogo Kuji Don't be late.

Edited May 30, 2016 by kalvasflam

[Zinjo]

Yeah, still no subs

Damn, will have to watch GoT instead of Delta.

Wow you truly "suffer" for the cause....

Not sure if the carrier was missing or if it was in shadow. Loved the VF-31A action.

It seems this episode establishes that so far there is not cure for the Var, Messer has been dealing with it for a while now.

We do need a principal character death to create real peril for our intrepid heroes, but who?

Edited May 30, 2016 by Zinjo

[kajnrig]

I like Kaname/Messer. Something should happen because right now Arad/Kaname/Messer triangle looks more interesting and it could be developed faster.

Definitely more interesting. I just find Messer to be kind of a boring character so far. The "perpetually broody" archetype has never struck my fancy; even just a little bit of levity would go a long way towards making him more bearable. My favorite "broody" characters (Cloud and Vincent from FFVII) are also capable of cracking dumb jokes, whereas the worst ones (Lightning from FFXIII) are mopey to the point of self-absorption.

His backstory makes him a bit more understandable (if not empathetic), but I'm waiting for that moment where he cracks even a small smile and there's not a big deal made about it. I hate that kind of storytelling even more than I hate that archetype.

[sh9000]

Hayate is too cool for helmets.

[Graham]

Finally, the animation error this time was very bad, so glaring, I caught it without even looking. Wish they do a better job.

What animation error?

You mean

the other carrier being missing from the Elysion? i don't think that was an animation error, I think it was away on a mission, which hopefully will be revealed later

[kalvasflam]

What animation error?

You mean

the other carrier being missing from the Elysion? i don't think that was an animation error, I think it was away on a mission, which hopefully will be revealed later

A few that I thought I saw:

The ongoing change between Drakens with and without Little Drakens. The most obvious example being Keith's. You saw in some sequences he has the little buggers, and in others he doesn't.

On the carrier side, the fact it was missing wasn't an error, what was an error was that literally the junction where they connect looks like it's just cut off with nothing else inside, and you just saw the mountains behind it.

The quality of the animation in some sequences are down, and I am not sure if I'm the only one who noticed, but Bogue animation keeps getting reused.

Finally, I'm kind of getting sick of the Messer/Keith dogfight sequence, it's pretty much the same friggin pattern since episode one. They either layer in different backgrounds or rotate the frames. I don't think I necessarily saw this much reused sequence in Frontier.

Edited May 31, 2016 by kalvasflam

[Graham]

Hmmm............I'll have to rewatch the dogfight tonight and pay attention to the Lil' Drakkens.

But yeah, somebody is gonna have to die soon, or there's no real feeling of danger in the dogfights.

Most combats so far seem to be just Lil' Drakkens getting destroyed or Alto Hayate getting his forearms shot up.

Excluding the cannon fodder VF-171s and VF-31As getting destroyed, we've only had Hayate shot down once in a VF-171, which doesn't really count as he wasn't trained then and Bogue getting shot down once by Hayate. Oh and that unnamed Aerial Knight getting wasted by Hayate.

[kalvasflam]

I think they need to really put a sense of danger in the series. Need may be a Mirage shot down and rescue episode. And the guys hunting her on the ground better not be the Knights. But I suppose we are too late into the series for that.

They do need to advance the storyline though, I liked the character development here, but hopefully we get to the situation of the sector soon.

[starla]

Yeah, still no subs

Damn, will have to watch GoT instead of Delta.

hang in there, guys!!!

hahahahah, even the subbers have no love for Messer

[abbadon]

Subs are out!

[SuperHobo]

A few that I thought I saw:

The ongoing change between Drakens with and without Little Drakens. The most obvious example being Keith's. You saw in some sequences he has the little buggers, and in others he doesn't.

On the carrier side, the fact it was missing wasn't an error, what was an error was that literally the junction where they connect looks like it's just cut off with nothing else inside, and you just saw the mountains behind it.

The quality of the animation in some sequences are down, and I am not sure if I'm the only one who noticed, but Bogue animation keeps getting reused.

Finally, I'm kind of getting sick of the Messer/Keith dogfight sequence, it's pretty much the same friggin pattern since episode one. They either layer in different backgrounds or rotate the frames. I don't think I necessarily saw this much reused sequence in Frontier.

While I haven't seen ep 9 yet, for eight straight episodes they have been pretty good about not reusing animation. I've recently rewatched frontier and there is ALOT of reused valkyrie and vajra footage in there, especially in the second half of the show. If a little reused animation appears in Delta I'm okay with it as long as it's not the same exact frame. As long as it never reaches M7 levels of recycled animation were still good.

[UN Spacy]

AHA! Called it a month ago...the other carrier IS the Hemera.

But it's a little odd

during the 13:30 mark it's still attached to then Elysion. Then 1.5 minutes later the Hemera's GONE?!

Was this a continuity mess up here?

[Graham]

AHA! Called it a month ago...the other carrier IS the Hemera.

Where did you spot the name of the other carrier?

[UN Spacy]

Where did you spot the name of the other carrier?

Captain Johnson calls it out shortly after the air raid alerts go off.

[Einherjar]

Querule sure likes them iMercats.

[kuyaaids]

Captain Johnson calls it out shortly after the air raid alerts go off.

Well that clears things up as to where it went

[Product9]

Is it just me, or does Messer have, like, Turbovar?

Now that we've gotten a little more backstory on the guy, it makes a lot more sense how quick he has been to kill var infected pilots. He knows from first hand experience that it would be better to get shot down than have to live with murdering innocents because he was being mind controlled.

Pretty fun episode overall, though I feel like the dogfights are WAY too fast to be believable at this point. It's like since Frontier, Macross has been in this weird power creep competition with Gundam, where each iteration has to be fasterer and more strongerer to be competitive as a mecha anime. It's lame, and they really should go back to using reality as their baseline like they did back in Plus.

Anyway, I'm still loving the series and enjoyed the episode all the way through, but I think the small character moment between Messer and Freyja at the end was the part I enjoyed the most.

[Marzan]

Hit the 24 hour mark so spoiler are off.

I'm liking Kaname and Freyja more and more as the series goes on. And as much as I dislike Bogue, I actually want the smug young Knights to get shot down first. At least Bogue gets humilliated every episode.

I'm hoping for something serious to occur to up the ante. The whole "the wind may blow here" when they scanned the ruins was pretty ominous so I'm guessing something will happen there soon.

[guyxxed]

Pretty fun episode overall, though I feel like the dogfights are WAY too fast to be believable at this point. It's like since Frontier, Macross has been in this weird power creep competition with Gundam, where each iteration has to be fasterer and more strongerer to be competitive as a mecha anime. It's lame, and they really should go back to using reality as their baseline like they did back in Plus.

I'm definitely with you on this. I think Macross overall does a better job than most, but I agree that the dogfight scenes are way too fast. Far too hyperkinetic for believability. One thing I appreciated in Zero was that the action pretty much happened at real world speeds. I don't mind some Rule of Cool physics bending, but I do want to be able to follow the action without having to review ot frame by frame.

Or, maybe I'm just old. Damn kids...

[hachi]

I really liked the part where Kaname is calling out to Messer (I assume she's the one doing that). I'm looking forward to the next episode to hear more of Kaname singing.

[RedWolf]

Frak just to show how serious Var is it wiped out an entire colony on Alfheim. This was two years ago and Messer was there.

As stated in the 2nd Forbes interview of Shoji Kawamori Fold Bacteria has spread after the Vajra left. How this happened isn't explained in the anime but the prequel manga may have answers. At least it isn't killing its hosts like Ranshe and Sheryl was. The Vajra may have done something so won't kill humans and related races. Perhaps it is meant to facilitate communication once the Sub-Protoculture races leave the Milky Way and meet the Vajra again. Unfortunately it has been taken advantaged of by Windermere to facilitate terrorist acts.

We probably have to take account Galactic Whales a fold capable species have bacteria on them. A vaccine was developed to allow off worlders to live on Zola. Otherwise it is pretty deadly unless treated early with disinfectant or you take a bath at the Whale graveyard hotspring at Catsnake forest.

Protoculture ruins typically has energy shafts reaching to the planet's core. This in line with Macross 7 where in Rax the Protoculture ruins raised itself from deep underground from a volcanic island.

For Walkure it is a hit and miss activating them. Depending on circumstances. If Basara was there he can probably activate them himself with his status as Anima Spiritia.

Mirage is concerned being Var'ed as she doesn't have Fold Receptors. Uh Mirage you have family that have Fold Receptors. Your grandparents , Max and Milia, and aunt Mylene didn't manifest them at first but after continuous exposure to Basara singing they eventually had it as well. Your aunt Emilia? Also a powerful Fold Receptor that don't need tech and is more in line with a the legend of a Wind Singer.

The common denominator is that they learn to sing themselves instead of just listening to Basara.

And this is where Roid is mistaken in saying the ruins being just rocks without Wind Singers? Humans has Wind Singers it is just they don't call them that. Among the Mayans they are known as Shrine Maidens. Among modern Humans they are legendary Songstresses mostly, Basara a legendary Rock Star called by the Protodevlin and Protoculture as Anima Spiritia. Though I suppose Roid already knows that and lied to Keith so that he wont do anything rash. Rocks floating responding to Sara's song in Macross Zero.

On the triangle front Freyja became jealous due to a rumor by bridge bunnies and when it was cleared up was relieved. This lead her to meeting Messer at the beach. This'll be an odd friendship I think.

[PrimumMobile]

I'm already seeing Bogue as the Knight to question his beliefs and maybe switch sides when Herman bites it. BoguexFreyja soon. Would like KENN to sing.

Edited May 31, 2016 by PrimumMobile

[Bub]

Frak just to show how serious Var is it wiped out an entire colony on Alfheim. This was two years ago and Messer was there.

As stated in the 2nd Forbes interview of Shoji Kawamori Fold Bacteria has spread after the Vajra left. How this happened isn't explained in the anime but the prequel manga may have answers. At least it isn't killing its hosts like Ranshe and Sheryl was. The Vajra may have done something so won't kill humans and related races. Perhaps it is meant to facilitate communication once the Sub-Protoculture races leave the Milky Way and meet the Vajra again. Unfortunately it has been taken advantaged of by Windermere to facilitate terrorist acts.

We probably have to take account Galactic Whales a fold capable species have bacteria on them. A vaccine was developed to allow off worlders to live on Zola. Otherwise it is pretty deadly unless treated early with disinfectant or you take a bath at the Whale graveyard hotspring at Catsnake forest.

Protoculture ruins typically has energy shafts reaching to the planet's core. This in line with Macross 7 where in Rax the Protoculture ruins raised itself from deep underground from a volcanic island.

For Walkure it is a hit and miss activating them. Depending on circumstances. If Basara was there he can probably activate them himself with his status as Anima Spiritia.

Mirage is concerned being Var'ed as she doesn't have Fold Receptors. Uh Mirage you have family that have Fold Receptors. Your grandparents , Max and Milia, and aunt Mylene didn't manifest them at first but after continuous exposure to Basara singing they eventually had it as well. Your aunt Emilia? Also a powerful Fold Receptor that don't need tech and is more in line with a the legend of a Wind Singer.

The common denominator is that they learn to sing themselves instead of just listening to Basara.

And this is where Roid is mistaken in saying the ruins being just rocks without Wind Singers? Humans has Wind Singers it is just they don't call them that. Among the Mayans they are known as Shrine Maidens. Among modern Humans they are legendary Songstresses mostly, Basara a legendary Rock Star called by the Protodevlin and Protoculture as Anima Spiritia. Though I suppose Roid already knows that and lied to Keith so that he wont do anything rash. Rocks floating responding to Sara's song in Macross Zero.

On the triangle front Freyja became jealous due to a rumor by bridge bunnies and when it was cleared up was relieved. This lead her to meeting Messer at the beach. This'll be an odd friendship I think.

Check out her rune during these sequences. Heheh.

[azrael]

I'm liking Kaname and Freyja more and more as the series goes on. And as much as I dislike Bogue, I actually want the smug young Knights to get shot down first. At least Bogue gets humilliated every episode.

Freyja is definitely more likeable at this point in the series than Ranka was by this time in Frontier. Kaname is described as the "big sister" according to her bio as Arad is described as the "older brother"-type. You really do get that feeling from the 2. I like the two characterizations in this show. As for Bogue, I don't really want him to die right now. Humiliated, get his ass whooped, slapped around, anything. I just want to see that smug-look wiped off his face. Repeatedly.

I'm hoping for something serious to occur to up the ante. The whole "the wind may blow here" when they scanned the ruins was pretty ominous so I'm guessing something will happen there soon.

Still to early for any deaths on Delta or Walkure. I still think Herman's death flag is blowing strong. Felt that from the first episode.

As I mentioned earlier, unless they do something new with Keith v. Messer, their dogfights are getting boring now. There are 2 other modes they could fight it out in.

[guyxxed]

Agreed, there's almost zero tension in the battle scenes at this point because not a single one of the battles has had any real consequence to the plot or the characters. Hayate killing a redshirt is the closest we've come, everything else just feels like a game of tag. They need to establish some stakes very soon.

That said, I really liked the camera work in the dogfight scenes this episode. The clouds were interersting and I Bogue's run up to attack Walkure where he skimmed the water before popping up over the Island was very nicely done.

[crazysteve]

Yeah Bogue's attempts at targeting Walkure are the only excitement during battles for me. Keith seems to be too in love with Messer at this point to kill him and none of the other Knights have been shown to be much of a threat to anyone. For all their vaunted superhuman physical abilities and superior airframes they still haven't proven to be much of a match for Delta's plain ol' human scum pilots.

[kalvasflam]

I really like it how Mikumo says; "listen to my song, then you'll be fine. Yes, that means you need to buy all the tracks on my latest album, the platinum edition, and go to the live concerts. I'm like a drug that can suppress the symptoms, and make sure you don't relapse. Pay me, pay me, pay me, or you'll get VAR. MUHAHAHAHA."

I think somehow an evil laughter would fit Mikumo very well.

And Bogue is just frigging hilarious, for someone so blood thirsty, it seems like he really need some grunts to beat up on, otherwise, he can't seem to take out anyone. He definitely need a kill. And he needs to get cultured. He apparently has had zero exposure to music. How many times has he tried to blow up the Walkure now? It's like a running theme with him, he fires a bunch of missiles, and he gets stopped somehow and is forced to runaway.

I'm actually not sure if at this point, he can even take Hayate when Hayate isn't resonating. May be he needs Herman to corner someone for him to shoot down.

When they say: "Branch," is that the Aerial Knight's ship?

Edited May 31, 2016 by kalvasflam

[Zinjo]

Freyja is definitely more likeable at this point in the series than Ranka was by this time in Frontier. Kaname is described as the "big sister" according to her bio as Arad is described as the "older brother"-type. You really do get that feeling from the 2. I like the two characterizations in this show. As for Bogue, I don't really want him to die right now. Humiliated, get his ass whooped, slapped around, anything. I just want to see that smug-look wiped off his face. Repeatedly.

Still to early for any deaths on Delta or Walkure. I still think Herman's death flag is blowing strong. Felt that from the first episode.

As I mentioned earlier, unless they do something new with Keith v. Messer, their dogfights are getting boring now. There are 2 other modes they could fight it out in.

I get the sense Bogue is getting set up for a major change of heart. If his mentor gets fragged by Keith maybe, particularly after a confession of doubts in the cause, it may turn him.

I have to agree regarding the Messer / Keith dog fights. The Roy / DD dogfights in Zero were epic! In that OVA, SK showcased all the Valk modes in combat and it was amazing!

BTW, where are all the Drakkens we saw on Windemere?

Edited May 31, 2016 by Zinjo

[This Confuses Gamlin]

none of the other Knights have been shown to be much of a threat to anyone

They're hardly ever on screen, the blame for which I would direct toward each episode wasting several seconds of air time on Keith and Messer calling each other out before going into a scissors duel offscreen for the entire rest of the dogfight, followed by a scene where Bogue ignores everything else so that he can try to kill Walkure.

"What are we going to do tonight, Bogue?"

"The same thing we do every night, Master! Try to kill Walkure!"

[Zinjo]

I really like it how Mikumo says; "listen to my song, then you'll be fine.

So... capitalist Basara?

[azrael]

I get the sense Bogue is getting set up for a major change of heart. If his mentor gets fragged by Keith maybe, particularly after a confession of doubts in the cause, it may turn him.

That would be a real left-turn for Bogue and I don't get that sense from where they're going right now (maybe later, at the end???). Herman's character doesn't to give off that feeling that he would die by Keith. The feeling I get from Herman is, "I've lived a good (short) life. I'm ready to die." Same with the other "old" guy.

The Roy / DD dogfights in Zero were epic! In that OVA, SK showcased all the Valk modes in combat and it was amazing!

Keep in mind, we weren't seeing Roy v. DD flying scissor patterns every week.