As Zero Draws to a Close.....a Question or 10.

[Mechamaniac]

Well, 4 of the 5 planned episodes of Zero have been released now, and I can't help but feeling that they are leaving ALOT to be resolved in the last 30 minute episode due out this fall.

I know I will be missing some, but here are the storylines they have to draw shut within 30 minutes....

• WTF the AIFOS is....
  
• WTF is up with Mao, Sara, and the Mayans...
  
• Focker vs Ivanov
  
• Nora vs. Shin
  
• WTF happened to Edgar?
  
• WTF is up with Focker and Aries?
  
• Now that Focker and Shin are flightless, will there be a VF-1X making an appearance??
  
• How did they survive the island being firebombed?
  

And that's not counting the expected fan service....

• Will the ASS-1 make an apperance?
  
• Any other characters from SDF Macross?
  
• Will they wrap up the Anti-UN conflict?
  

Like I said, I know I am missing some, but those are what is on the top of my head this morning....

I for one, think they will be hard pressed to adequately answer all of these questions in one more episode.

I wonder if they are planning anything afterwards?, are they extending the OVA?, do they plan a movie?, another OVA?

[Anubis]

I think it'll be rather hastilly wrapped up, with no big explanations on the background of the AIPHOS.

They may make a mention of Sara and Mao being actually decscended from a protoculture person (or persons) that had come and stayed on that island with the Mayans. That's about all I expect from there. Probably at the same time as the AIPHOS is dealt with. It was already starting up at the end of Ep 4, so it won't be too long before it gets into that. The burning of the forest and Mao's subsequent reaction will probably set it off.

The Asuka is too beat up to accept new birds, so I still say the Prometheus shows up with Skull's new VF-1's. They then transfer over to the other ship.

There is no way the Anti-UN comflict will be resolved, just this particular skirmish. It went on long before this story, and will continue for some time after still.

I don't know what the the AIPHOS is going to do, but I don't think it's going to go around destroying everything, though it's going to do something.

The shot from ep 1 of the great kadun setting the island the island ablaze might have been Sara's foretelling of the FAE strike. I thought it was supposed to be the AIPHOS at first until I saw the bombs in ep 4.

If the AIPHOS sends out some kind of signal before it is destroyed (or takes off leaving everyone "WTF happened") then everyone may realize that something bigger is on the way, bringing some of the ASS-1's cousins. They may be rather tempted to go tell their superiors to get the peace process rolling. "Unite or fall" basically. DD may prove to be a voice of reason. He doesn't seem particularly evil, just fighting on his side, and abusing his apprentice. Nora on the other hand has shown more of an evil streak. Nora will definately be killed by Shin I think. DD depends on the what happens with the AIPHOS. DD had an edge against the VF-0, but against a VF-1 him and Roy would probably be on even ground. Shin will just kick Nora's ass.

Edgar I get the feeling is going to die. Shin and Sara may find him mortally wounded in the jungle. This will give Shin the final push to whoop Nora. That and SOMEONE dies in every Macross series. Shin may die somehow as well.

Don't know what they are doing with Aires, but we already know Roy's tendencies before he settled into his long-term relationship with Claudia. Old flame temproarily sparked. These two obviously wanted something more with each other, but their paths took them apart. They'll relaize this probably. I also think they will have Roy and Claudia meet (first time, or again) resulting from Edgar's death, with him and Shin going to tell her about Edgar, maybe have a the meeting at a small funeral scene. The rest they'll leave alone.

As for surviving the FAE, I think the "protective sphere" will be coming into play again, since they didn't mention it after they landed in the trees. I kinda would have said how the hell did we survive that but shin left that question alone.

There won't be much actual detail put into things, but hopefully they will wrap things off decently. This show could easily have been stratched to 12 episodes. Just don't expect for many in depth answers. We've probably got most of ou character development already. Just the Sara/Shin, Aires/Roy things to tie off loosely.

I would love to see an SDF-1 epilogue, but I don't know if there will be time left. Maybe during the credits.

[Capt Hungry]

I'm gonna have to watch ep 1 again to see Sara's vision.

I will be curious to see what happens. I agree with Andy, there is a lot to still wrap up. I do feel like we will see the Aiphos rip it's way out of the Asuka though. It does seem like the head and the body will be re-united somehow.

[EXO]

Maybe there will be a movie to follow. I can't see them possibly wrapping up all the storylines in one last episode. I'm almost positive that everyone ('cept Keith) will be disapponted by the storyline, but not by the action.

[bandit29]

I can't see all the loose ends in Macross Zero being wrapped up in 30 minutes or so... Sure they could rush it altogether but that would kinda suck.

Maybe the last episode will be 45 minutes to an hour? Another episode?

[Anubis]

At least expanding it to 6 or 7 episodes would be nice indeed. Would give a lot more room to tidy things up.

They can squeeze most of what they need to in the last half hour, but it will feel very rushed. Even making the last episode 45 minutes would help.

I agree, the AIPHOS is going to year a hole out of the Asuka to get out before rejoining with the head. What's after that is the question.

It's safe to say it will happen early in the episode, due to Mao's reaction to the FAE strike. It's wings are already forming after all, and it's powering up. This will leave the suka in even worse shape, really needing the arrival of another carrier, this one with the badly needed VF-1's. End battle ensues.

If Macross tradition holds true, then DD and Roy may have to work together in some fashion by the end.

Shin will still end up kicking Nora's ass.

[CoryHolmes]

Shin may die somehow as well.

Oh, don't tease us

Although this isn't saying anything new, I've been singularly unimpressed with Macross Zero. The writing and pacing is off, the direction shoddy at times, the fight coerography leaving much to be desired... Though they had one less episode to work with, Macross Plus was simply much better than Zero ever will be.

I fail to see how 30 more minutes of story can come close to wrapping up all the loose threads that Kawamori and Co. have left us with. And if they do try to wrap them up, it'll all be done in such a rushed and hurried fashion that it'll make for a poor ending to the story.

I strongly suspect we're working our way towards a Deus Ex Machina ending to the story, where everything will be wrapped up in the last five minutes.

[Agent ONE]

That was the biggest iritation of the 4th installment... Nothing was answered, just more questions introduced.

[eugimon]

isn't this how mac plus went? all confusing and what not till the very end?

even if it didn't... this seems to be the trend with anime now-a-days... like blue submarine #6... last exile... any of the limited run series/OAV's... they just sum everything up in the last exile or two and elave a whole bunch of stuff all vague and confusing.

oh well.

[lebhead]

That was the biggest iritation of the 4th installment... Nothing was answered, just more questions introduced.

yeah, i hear you on that one. i mean... i think Macross Zero would be fine - if it were 10 episodes!

i really hope they can satisfy me. not necessarily answer ALL questions - but at least the important ones that should be answered. i just think there isn't enough time.

[valkyrietestpilot]

great thread andy!!!

i was just discussing this w/ someone else in the other ep4 thread.i hope there is a movie after the ova.that would be my wish

[TheLoneWolf]

Knowing Kawamori, by series end we'll know more about the Megaroad-01 than AIPHOS.

There is just way too much crap to explain in 30 minutes, especially when Macross finales tend to weigh more on the action side. I'm also waiting for the Macross to make it's appearence. I mean, how could you call it a Macross series without a "Macross"?

[Knight26]

I like the signal idea from the Aphos. If memory serves in the first episode of the original SDF Macross Exodore and Breetai (sp?) mention a signal originating from Earth that they tracked there. That could possibly be how they find the Earth to begin with, maybe those two will have a brief cameo where they pick up the signal? hmmm

[Keith]

I wouldn't doubt that the final episode could push 40 minutes to an hour. Kawamori hasn't let us down yet with an ending, why would he start now?

[CoryHolmes]

i hope there is a movie after the ova.that would be my wish

There shouldn't be any need for a movie. An OVA story should be complete unto itself, presenting and answering all the questions it intends to. If a show needs a movie to explain a few things, then that's a failure on the part of that show.

[UN Spacy]

I wouldn't doubt that the final episode could push 40 minutes to an hour. Kawamori hasn't let us down yet with an ending, why would he start now?

True. I wouldn't be too worried.

Do you guys know what were the running times of the Macross Plus OAV's?

[Oihan]

I'm think episode 5 will probably disappoint. It'll end everything up...but it won't answer all the questions. Then I think Kawamori will surprise us with a 6th episode that will answer the rest of the unanswered questions. Tis what I'm thinking....I dunno what makes me say that.....just something that popped in my head.

[Keith]

Well, I suppose there could be an inbetweener between Zero & Macross TV. Technically they wouldn't have to call it Zero if it doesn't have the VF-0.

[Graham]

Although this isn't saying anything new, I've been singularly unimpressed with Macross Zero. The writing and pacing is off, the direction shoddy at times, the fight coerography leaving much to be desired... Though they had one less episode to work with, Macross Plus was simply much better than Zero ever will be.

Gotta disagree with you there. I think the fight choreography in Macross Zero is absolutely breathtaking, even better than in Macross Plus and truly shows how Valks would be used in combat.

I'm loving Macross Zero, but also hope the last episode is extended to 45 - 60 minutes to tie up all the loose ends and hopefully show lots more mecha combat.

Graham

[Radd]

I gotta mostly agree with Graham. For the most part, all of the animation has been spectacular for the entire OVA. Even all of my old friends from art school, who majored in animation, have been impressed with what we've seen. So, whenever someone knocks either the 2D or the 3D in the show completely, I wince. There are snippets of less than spectacular animation here and there, but overall the animation has been better than Plus, despite the almost universal approval it's animation gets.

I am happy with the characters, though it seems several forumers never shook off Shin's initial impression of the cold, emotionless, stereotypical lone wold anime hero...even though he shook that stereotype off fairly early into the first episode.

I do worry about how all of this is going to end. There's been a lot of buildup so far and I'm wondering how Kawamori intends to resolve it all in a single episode. I think it can be done, and done well at that, but will they? I am looking forward to finding out.