Macross Δ (Delta) Movie Gekijō no Walkūre (Passionate Walkure)

[kajnrig]

1 hour ago, Mommar said:

Boy, they sure dedicated a lot of time to those four girls in towels...

All the review I need. BUY BUY BUY

(No but seriously, reading the spoilers, I'm glad they at least frontload it all instead of killing the momentum of the story to waste time on it. Ideally they'd work it into the story better... or get rid of it entirely, if necessary.)

20 minutes ago, Mommar said:

 

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I'd say the movie either needed to be split into two or made into three hours to prevent all of the disjointed and quick jumps but I honestly don't know what they would pad that time with, the series was already light on material.  They'd have to make up new stuff and I'm not sure these writers have the chops.

Isn't there a second movie in the works? Or am I misremembering that, maybe even pulling it out of thin air?

[Mommar]

The second movie will be two hours all of reused footage of them sitting around in prison.

[Zx31]

Mine showed up at 9AM yesterday. Really enjoyed it even though the first half is a bit slow in parts. I think the changes make sense and were executed well for being mostly reused animation.

[Seto Kaiba]

10 hours ago, kajnrig said:

Isn't there a second movie in the works? Or am I misremembering that, maybe even pulling it out of thin air?

AFAIK it's one-and-done... Passionate Walkure compresses the events of the series into a single film, with the same general ending as the series.

[eXis10z]

Do you guys find it worth to dole out the cash for the blu-ray? I'm neutral to the tv series and 8k seems a bit steep for a movie coming out of a non-memorable tv series.

[Mommar]

1 hour ago, eXis10z said:

Do you guys find it worth to dole out the cash for the blu-ray? I'm neutral to the tv series and 8k seems a bit steep for a movie coming out of a non-memorable tv series.

Given the ludicrous cost of media from Japan I honestly don't think it's worth it.  Unless it's important to have every piece of Macross media in your collection or you badly need footage of the Armored Valks in action.

[azrael]

Yep. 'Don't feel so bad that I didn't pre-order. I'll grab it when I grab it.

[Saviant]

4 hours ago, eXis10z said:

Do you guys find it worth to dole out the cash for the blu-ray? I'm neutral to the tv series and 8k seems a bit steep for a movie coming out of a non-memorable tv series.

I brought it because I actually liked the series, and really liked the music and the girls, sure the series wasn't heavy on the combat but I personally didn't find that an issue.

[Sanity is Optional]

The movie was alright, in a disjointed popcorn-munching sense.

Certainly no DYRL, and the Frontier Movies were superior as well.

[Zx31]

I'd put it about on-par with the Frontier movies

[Seto Kaiba]

13 hours ago, eXis10z said:

Do you guys find it worth to dole out the cash for the blu-ray? I'm neutral to the tv series and 8k seems a bit steep for a movie coming out of a non-memorable tv series.

I'd like to watch it a second time before I render judgement on whether it was truly worth what I've paid for it... but what I will say is that, despite having gotten used to Japanese physical media costs, the only real factor motivating me to spring for the limited edition was that they've started limiting the mecha stats to the liner notes in what I consider the most erect of dick moves.

[David Hingtgen]

8 hours ago, Zx31 said:

I'd put it about on-par with the Frontier movies

Relatively, or absolute?  I loved Frontier, hated Delta.  I liked the first Frontier movie more than the second, but overall still prefer the series.  (though there are definitely some good scenes in each movie).  

[Zx31]

1 hour ago, David Hingtgen said:

Relatively, or absolute?

Well, take into account that while I very much enjoyed the Frontier Movies, the series was my least favorite Macross show. I think the Frontier movies are objectively better than the Delta movie, but as far as enjoyment they were close (as someone that enjoys Delta). If you didn't like Delta, then the movie most likely isn't going to do anything for you aside from the final battle to see the new Valk action.

Edited August 30, 2018 by Zx31

[David Hingtgen]

9 minutes ago, Zx31 said:

Well, take into account that while I very much enjoyed the Frontier Movies, the series was my least favorite Macross show. I think the Frontier movies are objectively better than the Delta movie, but as far as enjoyment they were close (as someone that enjoys Delta). If you didn't like Delta, then the movie most likely isn't going to do anything for you aside from the final battle to see the new Valk action.

Yeah, I'm thinking I'll just wait for a youtube clip of the last 5 mins...

[Mommar]

1 hour ago, David Hingtgen said:

Relatively, or absolute?  I loved Frontier, hated Delta.  I liked the first Frontier movie more than the second, but overall still prefer the series.  (though there are definitely some good scenes in each movie).  

I’m going to disagree with Zx31.  The two Frontier movies are eminently better than Delta and I didn’t like Frontier at all.

[Zx31]

That's what I said...

[Master Dex]

2 hours ago, Zx31 said:

That's what I said...

Well second time you did, first time you said on par.. that's not the same thing, lol.

 

I can't pass judgement since I can't see the movie yet but it sounds like it doesn't one up the show much and well... that's not the best news, lol. However it helped the franchise back in it's home and the future continues. That's all that matters to me right now.

(But even though I can't rate the Delta movie, the Frontier movies are amazing in my eyes with how well they told a redone story for their medium. I do prefer the overall story of the series but the movies just presented so damn well.)

[Zx31]

45 minutes ago, Master Dex said:

Well second time you did, first time you said on par.. that's not the same thing, lol.

Hence the clarification between personal relative enjoyment and objective rating. <shrug>

Whelp, tried to upload a bit of the final battle but Youtube has that locked down.

 

Edited August 31, 2018 by Zx31

[eXis10z]

13 hours ago, Seto Kaiba said:

I'd like to watch it a second time before I render judgement on whether it was truly worth what I've paid for it... but what I will say is that, despite having gotten used to Japanese physical media costs, the only real factor motivating me to spring for the limited edition was that they've started limiting the mecha stats to the liner notes in what I consider the most erect of dick moves.

 

22 hours ago, Saviant said:

I brought it because I actually liked the series, and really liked the music and the girls, sure the series wasn't heavy on the combat but I personally didn't find that an issue.

 

On 8/30/2018 at 11:55 AM, Mommar said:

Given the ludicrous cost of media from Japan I honestly don't think it's worth it.  Unless it's important to have every piece of Macross media in your collection or you badly need footage of the Armored Valks in action.

Thanks for all the replies. I'm still unsure to purchase it or not. I'll think it over the coming weekends.

[seti88]

What a boost to my day! Wow!

[Chronocidal]

Ugh.. I forgot what a pain blurays can actually be.. got my copy in the mail, and can't even watch it because my PS3 is packed up for moving, and PCs can't natively play the discs yet.  

Now I know why so many discs these days include the digital copy.

Edited August 31, 2018 by Chronocidal

[JB0]

Wait, Hayate and Mirage got good at some point?

...

Wait, Mirage is actually DOING something?

 

CLEARLY things changed wildly after I dropped Delta.

[Seto Kaiba]

9 hours ago, eXis10z said:

Thanks for all the replies. I'm still unsure to purchase it or not. I'll think it over the coming weekends.

After watching Passionate Walkure for the second time last night, I can say that at the very least I did come away from it feeling like the ¥8,800 I spent on the Blu-ray wasn't a waste.  "Money well spent" might be pushing it, though.

Macross Delta: Passionate Walkure doesn't really do anything new that would justify harsh criticism of the film... but, by the same token, it also doesn't do anything new that's particularly praiseworthy.  It's just a compilation movie for a series that suffered from bad writing.  If anything, the shorter runtime's a point in its favor since the faster pace doesn't give the audience a chance to dwell on the flaws that plagued Macross Delta's TV series.  It doesn't fix enough of the show's flaws to be truly great, but the movie is fun for what it is.  Hayate and Freyja are still a trip, which is nice, and Mirage is less of a bystander this time around.

That said, it doesn't really feel like Delta earned or particularly needed a movie... like it was done out of deference to tradition or a contractual obligation.

 

5 hours ago, JB0 said:

Wait, Hayate and Mirage got good at some point?

They got less bad.  "Good" might be stretching things a bit, given that both sides in Macross Delta are third-string scrubs who only look like big fish because the pond's so small.

 

Quote

Wait, Mirage is actually DOING something?

She did things before!  Like get vomited on... or yell a lot... or clean Q-Lulu's litterbox...

 

Edited August 31, 2018 by Seto Kaiba

[Mommar]

You do have to admit they did fix that final bsttle compared to the show.

[David Hingtgen]

Yup, I still want a white papal valkyrie...

[Chronocidal]

15 hours ago, Mommar said:

You do have to admit they did fix that final bsttle compared to the show.

Just finished watching a first run-through, and actually, I'd say the faster pace fixed a lot, just from the fact that a lot of the goofier and more hackneyed elements were left out.  Putting the Walkure history at the beginning was also a huge plus, since it allowed them to completely abandon the prison sequence from the original show.  Leaving out some of the subtext and exposition helped a ton, as well as removing the nonsense Berger character entirely, which simplified the conflict by basically removing an entire faction.  Also, battroid and gerwalk actually got some good usage!  

I can't say it was necessarily worth $80, but I definitely feel more satisfied with this than spending that same money on the series.  There are a lot of shortcuts taken that remove extraneous nonsense from the series, while basically hopscotching between the key plot points to tell the same story, and I think it comes out more cleanly overall.  The method of bringing everyone together for the finale was definitely an improvement.  The whole thing just felt a lot more streamlined, with a ton of baggage removed.

Edited September 1, 2018 by Chronocidal

[SuperHobo]

21 minutes ago, Chronocidal said:

Just finished watching a first run-through, and actually, I'd say the faster pace fixed a lot, just from the fact that a lot of the goofier and more hackneyed elements were left out.  Putting the Walkure history at the beginning was also a huge plus, since it allowed them to completely abandon the prison sequence from the original show.  Leaving out some of the subtext and exposition helped a ton, as well as removing the nonsense Berger character entirely, which simplified the conflict by basically removing an entire faction.  Also, battroid and gerwalk actually got some good usage!  

I can't say it was necessarily worth $80, but I definitely feel more satisfied with this than spending that same money on the series.  There are a lot of shortcuts taken that remove extraneous nonsense from the series, while basically hopscotching between the key plot points to tell the same story, and I think it comes out more cleanly overall.  The method of bringing everyone together for the finale was definitely an improvement.  The whole thing just felt a lot more streamlined, with a ton of baggage removed.

I also finished the movie and your assessment is spot on to how I feel about this movie. One of the biggest most positive changes for me was the gathering of the entire fleet to head to windemere in the climax of the movie as apposed to the TV series which just sent like part of Delta Platoon and one koenig monster? The CG concert was a little jarring at first, but it did look pretty smooth and my eyes were more welcoming to it after a little adjusting. Passionate Walkure is a fitting title and this movie did as advertised for me and I came out with more satisfaction than I did for the TV series. 

Edited September 1, 2018 by SuperHobo

[valhary]

Definitely I will wait for the new serie simply Delta is not for me 

Feel like I'm watching a Walkure music video too long and Macross is being used as advertising support

I really had hope the movie focus in the valks but once again how it happened in the serie are waste with scarcely a few secons in screen

[eXis10z]

On 8/31/2018 at 10:22 PM, Seto Kaiba said:

After watching Passionate Walkure for the second time last night, I can say that at the very least I did come away from it feeling like the ¥8,800 I spent on the Blu-ray wasn't a waste.  "Money well spent" might be pushing it, though.

Macross Delta: Passionate Walkure doesn't really do anything new that would justify harsh criticism of the film... but, by the same token, it also doesn't do anything new that's particularly praiseworthy.  It's just a compilation movie for a series that suffered from bad writing.  If anything, the shorter runtime's a point in its favor since the faster pace doesn't give the audience a chance to dwell on the flaws that plagued Macross Delta's TV series.  It doesn't fix enough of the show's flaws to be truly great, but the movie is fun for what it is.  Hayate and Freyja are still a trip, which is nice, and Mirage is less of a bystander this time around.

That said, it doesn't really feel like Delta earned or particularly needed a movie... like it was done out of deference to tradition or a contractual obligation.

Got it! Thanks for sharing!

[no3Ljm]

Spoiler

Felt like there's a lot of fondling for a Macross series. 

 

[Seto Kaiba]

2 minutes ago, no3Ljm said:

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Felt like there's a lot of fondling for a Macross series. 

 

If the Blu-ray extras are anything to go by, Macross Delta is leaning VERY heavily on the fanservice to make Walkure appeal to the audience as characters in lieu of all of the characterization the writers of the series couldn't be arsed to give them.

(Knowledge of Mikumo's true nature causes it to frequently veer into intensely creepy territory, as a three year old clone whose implanted knowledge doesn't cover proper social behavior Mikumo is a developmentally-disabled teenager who is being sexually exploited by Walkure and Lady M.)

[Zx31]

59 minutes ago, no3Ljm said:

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Felt like there's a lot of fondling for a Macross series. 

 

It's been around for a while, though I think Frontier was more egregious between Alto / Sheryl. Mylene in 7 also had a few questionable encounters with that kid flipping up her skirt and nearly getting raped (twice). None are great moments. I don't get the impression that Walkure is any more fan service than they did with Ranka, Sheryl, or Mylene.

[no3Ljm]

Thanks guys. Just so everyone knows I'm really not against it. I accept it for what it is. But sometimes there's just some scenes that doesn't need it. It really felt like they added so much. And by doing so, it just shows that there's no repercussions nor consequences whatsoever. Yeah, I guess it's just too much fanservice going on.

 

[Marzan]

Finally had time off so I could pop open my copy and play it. I was extremely excited as I always am when watching any new Macross. And you got to give it to the japanese, no one does packing of media like they do

My overall non spoiler thoughts are that the film version does an ok job of presenting the basic plot of the tv series in a two hour window. A greatest hits. I'm not sure how a person unfamiliar with the tv series will experience it though. The pacing flaws and story leading nowhere we had in the second half of the series are mercifully absent in the new compact package.

Alas, the characterization is still non-existant and some cast members have perhaps 4 or 5 lines throughout the course of the film (which mercifully limited the possibilities for the knights to say  "The wind.... something....something). The writing is meh at best. But then again Satelight has simply not delivered something with good writing in ages.

Is it worth the money? I don't know. In my case, more than anything, I want Big West to know that there is a market for English subtitled Macross outside Japan and hope that  by supporting their products, it becomes worth their while to put English language subtitles on their stuff. Hopefully the next iteration of Macross will be of a higher standard/level and we can buy it too.

[Zx31]

19 minutes ago, no3Ljm said:

But sometimes there's just some scenes that doesn't need it.

 

Agreed. Though there's so many different factors in how that stuff is presented that everyone can have wildly different opinions on it from show to show.