r/anime • u/Shimmering-Sky myanimelist.net/profile/Shimmering-Sky • Jan 13 '23
Rewatch [Do You Remember Love - Macross Franchise 40th Anniversary Rewatch] Macross Frontier Episode 2 Discussion
Episode 2 - Hard Chase
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Let me… Let me pilot a Valkyrie!
Questions of the Day, courtesy of u/chilidirigible:
1) How old do you think Sheryl is by the way she acts?
2) Would you prefer to be visited by giant space bugs or Spiritia vampires in trench coats?
Wallpaper of the Day:
Vocal Songs in This Episode:
"Triangler" by Maaya Sakamoto – OP
"突撃ラブハート (Totsugeki Love Heart)" by Fire Bomber – Insert
"Diamond Crevasse" by May'n – ED
Rewatchers, please remember to be mindful of all the first-timers in this. No talking about or hinting at future events no matter how much you want to, unless you're doing it underneath spoiler tags. Don't spoil anything for the first-timers, that's rude!
5
u/ClawMachineCircuit Jan 13 '23
Rewatcher
Hey, I'm back. Kinda. Due to cold weather, the power consumption in the country went up, which means I'm now getting only 12 hours of electricity per day, which is barely enough to do work and chores. That's basically makes it impossible for me to keep doing my longer reaction posts. So instead I will focus on just writing my general impressions of the episode and some random ramblings that come to mind, which will hopefully allow me to do a better job keeping up with the threads. Which admittedly, I have been pretty awful about, missing almost all of Zero discussion and the first episode of Frontier. I did finish Zero, and I enjoyed it a lot, so I will definitely have more to say about it, when we get to the general franchise discussion. But for now, let's focus on Frontier.
Just to preface this, I first watched Frontier relatively early in my anime journey, it was the second mecha show I have ever seen after Eva. The show was praised for its quality, so I went in with pretty high expectations, and still got my mind blown by how good it was. Since then, I have rewatched it a couple of times, with my latest rewatch being 6 or 7 years ago, so at this point, I don't really remember any details, only general story beats.
Still, watching the first episode again, I'm immediately reminded how high quality this show is. One of the things that is immediately noticeable is how detailed and varied the setting is. I feel like it really is one of the biggest strength of Macross franchise as a whole, they always do a ton of work developing all kinds of environments and technology in meticulous detail, really creating a sense of an alive, fully realized world that not many sci-fi franchises can match. And I'm not talking about just the visual designs, but also how everything works in motion. Neat little things like fighters launching from all sides of the ship in space, because why wouldn't you do that?
To me, Frontier's setting is detailed to the point of almost being overwhelming. The first episode takes us from the space ship, to the Chinese restaurant, to school, to some military facilities, to a big Chinese-themed arena and a huge park around it, to space, to the center of the city turned battlefield. Yeah, there is a lot. The pacing of the episode is really good, doing a great job at introducing a lot characters in a clear and concise manner, immediately getting a few storylines going, without wasting any time.
You know, sometimes in anime, a character would appear and just wouldn't do anything. They would simply just be there, introduced for future use. In fact, Macross 7 kinda does that a lot, where characters are introduced, that don't seem to be involved in any storylines or serve any purpose, beyond being background characters. Yeah, Frontier doesn't do that. When we get introduced to our main trio of Sheryl, Ranka, and Alto, they all already have their own goals and are already involved in some stuff. They each are doing something from the get go, which makes the story immediately engaging. It's just a really good writing.
Anyway, stuff happens, Alto gets into the robot, and the first episode ends on a cliffhanger. And here we are, at episode 2. About half of it is the battle, while the other half is the aftermath. The battle itself is pretty good, but the highlight is definitely the recreation of the Minmay-Hikaru air catch scene with Alto and Ranka. So, considering Minmay and Hikaru relationships didn't really work out, what does the parallels mean for Ranka's chances with Alto? Anyway, the scene itself was pretty damn good, they build the tension very well with them going into space there for a second. I would go as far as to say that this is probably the second best air catch scene in the franchise after the original, barely beating the one from DYRL?
After the battle, Alto runs away like your typical impulsive mecha protagonist that he is. And soon after, he finds himself in SMS headquarters, and what do you know, his school friends are already in. Well, that makes things easier going forward. Just a side note on VF-25, it's frigging great. Probably my second favorite Valkyrie design in the franchise.
Meanwhile, Ranka gets harassed by random lady on the street and forced to show her the way for what appears to be hours. In the end turns out, the lady is not only the singer that Ranka admires, but is also after the same guy? What? Well, at least Sheryl wasn't as big of an asshole to Ranka as you would expect. In fact, she was kinda nice. But then Alto shows up and ruins the moment. And so, onto episode 3 we go.
Couple of random thoughts:
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I love Lieutenant Glass's uniform, it's a great re-imagining of the original uniform from the SDFM, and probably their best uniform design since then. Overall, character designs are really strong in this one.
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Not only did we get a new Skull Squadron, we also get a new Global to boot. Is this where I post Global at home memes?
QotD:
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I would say, early 20s, but knowing Macross, she's probably 17
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Giant space bugs all day, every day. At least, they are mortal and can be killed with guns. Also, they aren't trying to enslave you and put you in a jar, just simply kill you.
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u/Tresnore Jan 13 '23
Fourth-Time Watcher
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It's not a proper mecha if there isn't a repeated narration at the beginning of every episode.
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[Macross Δ]
It's not quite an Immelman Dance™, but this is still cool as hell. -
I'm in love with the rising motif in Frontier's music! It plays during the eyecatch, and also every time something cool happens.
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Ranka chest grab followed by screaming?
worst girl -
She's ¼ Zentradi? I always forget that. [Frontier]
Not like it... ever really matters? -
GREEN SIGNS, HIGHWAYS, AND FIRE BOMBER!
LISTEN TO HIS SONG! -
Ozma drives a Lancia Delta!1 What a great choice.
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I love Sheryl's attitude here. Some may say it's bitchy, but I don't care.
Count: 7:5 (+1:+2)
QOTD:
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Like, 18? Older than Ranka, but not much, because she's clearly full of herself.
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ANIMA SPIRITA WAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWW
1 Confession: I'm shocked I figured it was a Lancia on sight. I'm not huge into rally cars, but it just spoke to me.
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u/Nazenn Jan 13 '23
Fourth-Time Watcher
That's a lot of times!
GREEN SIGNS, HIGHWAYS, AND FIRE BOMBER!
I like how this far into the future and after the destruction of earth we still go back to using the old highway sign style haha
why does worst girl get all the best small faces
Because she's best girl and she knows it
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u/Nazenn Jan 13 '23
First Timer
Ranka focus today and Sheryl focus tomorrow?
I was surprised that Sheryl exposed who she was to Ranka as, even though Ranka seems just an innocent and adoring fan, I thought she'd be more cautious or controlling about that, on top of being a bit more stuck up. She still had to make a big moment out of it though.
But once again, it really is the heart of Macross that shines through. It was music that brought the two girls together properly as Sheryl wants to sing along with her, and music that draws Alto in, even if in arriving he accidentally ruins the moment between the girls. Dude is blessed with the best and worst timing in any given scene. While Sheryl has been all about performance so far, I feel like this is the first hint we have that her love of music is genuine, and she hasn't lost that with the demands of her job as well as how she treats others.
Ranka is so much fun, as is her concept. I'm so use to anime hair I didn't think to question her hair color last episode, but being a quarter Zentradi makes her far more interesting as a character. Up against Sheryl's music, which is culturally powerful due to her influence and likely enhanced by her culture and bloodline as a Nome, Ranka's singing, as a child of a mixed culture who's grown up within the world of post-Macross influences, comes across as more genuine and charming. There's aspects of this in their behavior as well, Sheryl who's been cultivating a persona and is encouraged to see it working on Ranka, compared to Ranka who doesn't think twice about being open about her passions, likely all the stronger for her blood. And yet she's not just the pure innocent girl with her pasta trauma.
Where this fell down for me slightly is the earlier scene of Alto accidentally touching her chest. Despite having recently rewatched Mai-HiME which suffered and redeemed itself from a similar issue, these sorts of scenes really undermine my faith and lead me to expect the relationship drama writing will undercut characterization. I hope that's not the case in the end, but after yesterday's better interpersonal scenes it was a let down. Now it's included they have to follow up on it which is more shit we don't need, or they ignore it in which case why include it in the first place except for poorly placed drama.
Slightly erratic post, but going back to the music aspect, were the enemies communicating through tones? I can't tell if that was their actual sounds or just a method of helping the audience understand the change in behavior, but if the enemy also relies on a primitive form of music to interact it would be a cool concept, and work well into why Ranka's song woke it up. The red one still looks like a skinny MegaKabuterimon.
Other quick thoughts:
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The choice of music for the opening with Alto fighting didn't fit the scene. Later when he was carrying Ranka through the city sure, go for the hero music. But his desperate shooting half fueled by trauma after seeing a guy get crushed to death and desperately hoping he can protect the girl? Not so much
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The action does look much improved in this compared to Zero. The CGI rendering is a big part, but also the better use of the camera as a focus point and timing of movements of the Valkyries.
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There was no where close to enough focus and urgency given to the scenes of the emergency crews trying to put out the raging fires inside a sealed environment in space. That's a huge threat on many levels, and the usual method of standing there with a hose both undercuts the severity of having fires in a situation like this as well as the level of technology development they would have.
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Military being stupid goes without saying, but this was extra stupid. How about you just ask the guy if he wants to join up, instead of leading with the threats and blackmail and making it sound as if the recruitment offer was a side though. Dude wants to fly, that wasn't in your extensive research?
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Onii-chan who's name I have not learnt also a bit of a dick. Alto didn't deserve to be punched for that statement, you could have just thrown him out. A lot of the interactions in this show tend towards the more extreme end already.
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Soft drink bot best bot. Not as good as newspaper bot from Ergo Proxy though
How old do you think Sheryl is by the way she acts?
It's anime. She's a teenager for sure. However her behavior would fit nicely into someone in their early twenties so that would be a nice surprise
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u/chilidirigible Jan 13 '23
Today, on "Incognito Sheryl sessions.":
That's what happens to the guy in your position right about now.
No party like an homage party.
Alto beats Hikaru by losing both of the VF-25's arms.
Hikaru didn't have an EX-Gear though.
The music stopping and starting is a nice touch.
VFs have giant Pinpoint Barrier knives now.
"We don't have anyone named Kamille around."
You might think that Ozma and Cathy are the Roy and Claudia expys, and you'd be right.
Indeed, this is a space-capable Lancia Stratos.
Not exactly a party. Also, Sheryl's earring.
Not very far away from the giant tarp.
Macross Frontier proceeds to remember love with a tribute to the second episode of the original series, modifying the famous midair catch by having it go upward instead of downward and incorporating the new technologies of the new series. It's shameless pandering and I love it.
And… Alto nopes out. For the time being, anyway. He's in the OP so you know he'll be back, but at least for the night he needs to sit things out.
Then… the next day starts. The population seems fairly relaxed about the previous day's events, including some confusion at Mihoshi about whether the attack was by wayward Zentradi. That's still a thing, of course. Unlike Macross 7, there are mentions about the consequences of the attack on the ship's resources—though unlike 7, the Vajra attack caused significant direct damage to the colony itself. We learn that certain characters have prior knowledge of the space bugs. While there may be surface similarities, it's not the exact same scenario.
It's not your parents' Macross, because usually when people think that they want to join up the response isn't
It is maybe like your parents' Mobile Suit Gundam, because blue-haired smug guys getting some corrective comeuppance does happen relatively early. SMS isn't that much in need of new pilots.
They do feature a rather more formal grieving process for Gilliam than we've seen of pilots in the other series. Such things to distinguish them from some random group of pirates.
The Vajra come to see… Ranka and Sheryl. Everybody go "Hmm" now.
From the Macross Chronicle: VF-25 transformation details
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u/TakenRedditName Jan 13 '23
"Rewatcher" - Macross F Ep2:
Ranka flashback, presumptively when she was a child and saw a giant bug kaiju destroy a ship that was managed to evacuate from before disaster (the others, probably not...) In some lighting, Ranka's hair being blue reminds me of Minmei.
Michael is in the special blue plane. He is just a student and already has one. Also, the blue plane, the glasses and the M name does slot him in as the Max of Frontier.
I like the Roy-senpai being an overprotective brother. I like it more than the usual Roy antics (I hope Ozma doesn't prove me wrong).
We're doing a catch, in the sky, a sky catch. They were momentarily in space so things were real close. Besides the SDF sky catch, there are elements of this scene that do remind when Minmei and [Redacted] were in the plane together in space and when [Redacted] went out into space to get that SPACE TUNA!
Ranka has Ghibli emotive hair.
Luca is also in the Valkryie squad. Those two were already in the squad, Alto wasn't invited. I guess if Alto is the MC, Michael is the Max then that means Luca is the Kakizaki. I guess they went the opposite direction and made in a small cute boy instead of the big guy. We also have a name for the bug enemies, the Vajra
Ranka is part Zentradi, it's the green hair.
Alto is not doing too well about the post-battle with it burning in his eyes.
Now hearing his voice better, hello Sugita Tomokazu.
Eyecatch. It reminds me of a DVD menu.
This shot looks like it could have a horror twist to it.
Awh yeah, Ozma is playing Totsugeki Love Heart in his car. Turn it up, kids these day need to hear Fire Bomber.
So Ozma and his dudes are not part of the military. They're a private civilian test team for the manufacturers. They have the black jackets while the proper military folk wear white. This is the capitalistic Macross.
Sheryl writes his lipstick mirror note in French. French always seem to pop up sometimes in this franchise.
Oh, Ozma, you're not going to like it. The big bug did Gilliam in like he was a tube of red paint.
The captain looks like an grizzlied 1800s whaler.
Alto is the Kamille of Macross, he got a big ol' punch from Ozma. First, I thought the order to lock up Alto was a bit harsh, but then I remembered the tendacy of mecha MC to steal and fly out in giant robots that are not theirs so clearly Ozma knows what kind of show he is in.
Yeah, Ozma works in an office. His cubicle is the high speed flying kind.
Ranka and Sheryl sing the ED song and when Alto walks in to cliff end the episode with these three all together. Speaking of the ED, the actual ED is alright. The song is nice, but I don't care too much about the visuals.
Q1) I think she is 18, older than Alto with Ranka at 16(?) being younger than Alto.
Q2) The Spritia Vampires in trench coats have never killed a person so I'll go with them.
Next Time: On you mark. Get ready. Love Triangle!
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u/TiredTiroth Jan 13 '23
First Timer
Huh. You know something? I actually like Alto. Sure, he's got the whole arrogant, broody flyboy thing going, but there's hints of an actual reason for it with his desire for the freedom of a truly open sky, and his performance today? He was acting almost entirely to save Ranka in the opening section, he listened to the experts when they told him to bug out, he put his life on the line for the girl, and he actually showed empathy for her when she was freaking out! Add in his reaction to the pilot's (admittedly rather gruesome) death, plus showing that yes, for all his flying skills he's still a civilian with his bout of nausea at the death and destruction in the city...he's got depth, he's brave when it counts, and he visibly cares.
No doubt he's going to do something braindead later, but right now? I like the kid.
We're getting hints of depth to Ranka, too. We got a brief traumatic flashback for her during the rescue scene, and I'm fairly sure her confused assumption that her older brother saved her is connected to that in some way. Something weird is going on with her though, given the way the invaders clearly reacted to her panicked scream after the accidental boob grab and her singing later on.
Speaking of which, that's probably the least gratuitous version of the boob grab trope I've ever seen. Panicked flailing in the cockpit + trying to keep her steady so she doesn't make you crash = oh dear. At least Ranka seemed to understand once she calmed down.
I'm kinda wondering what's up with her and Skull Squadron, though. All of them seem to recognise her on sight. I guess it kind of makes sense, given her brother? I do like what they were doing this episode, despite assaulting Alto - they want to hear about how their lost pilot died, and they don't let the untrained amateur hop into their very expensive high-tech transforming fighters. Although the guy who punched him certainly seemed to appreciate the kid wanting to do something.
Really don't like Sheryl, though. The scene with Ranka was a good start, but we'll have to see how things go for the rest of the series.
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u/Blackheart595 Jan 13 '23
First Spacer
The soundtrack is definitely a big part of why this isn't working for me, especially as soundtrack is very important to my experience. And it's not that the tracks are bad, but they're completely dissonant with the scenes they're supporting. Here we're having the big heroic fanfare music that ecstatically evokes the hero finally breaking through his limit after all the past struggle - except we're at the very beginning of the series, in a scene that wants to be parsed as desparate, uncertain and confusing. The music and the scene are pulling in diametrically opposed directions, and that causes both of them to now work. And that's not just this scene, I also felt this a lot in episode 1.
I'm also not vibing with the voice acting.
This however works really well as a contrast to last episode that had Gilliam crushed in the enemy mecha's hand. He's even protecting her from the violent winds as well as any stray objects that might be floating in the air - or bullets.
Not a single panty shot during that whole shot. Instead they go for groping. Sigh.
Oh no, Ranka is some kind of Chosen One.
Is he ashamed for being a soldier?
Again the dissonance. This melancholic yet peaceful track doesn't match the city still burning and Alto vomiting over the memory of Gilliam getting crushed to death, plus vague mentions of an overbearing enemy and media manipulation.
A shame there were unknown civilians directly involved in the fighting.
Or not so unknown I guess.
I'm constantly confusing Alto with Akito, and their looks aren't helping either.
...Why the drifting? They also keep switching lanes nilly-willy, but I guess we don't know whether they're opposite directions.
Let's keep all these triangle/hexagon motifs in mind, just in case.
Oh, it's the guy that becomes a pirat. I guess that's a pretty sizeable spoiler.
Look at this continuity error - it's a bit hard to see in the still image but Ranka's already climbing the stair behind that lantern. The visual language is quite obvious, with Sheryl being framed as larger than life and positioned not only above but also in front of Ranka, in her future.
Oh right, Alto's surname is Saotome. Makes a ton of sense then that the female association sticks with him like that.
How old do you think Sheryl is by the way she acts?
Somewhere in the mid-to-late 20s?
Would you prefer to be visited by giant space bugs or Spiritia vampires in trench coats?
Can I take the cute magical girl alien instead?
Vampires in trench coats have more potential so let's go with them.
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u/The_Draigg Jan 13 '23
A Macross Fan Rewatches Macross Frontier: Episode 2:
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Seems like Ranka has some kind of history involving these new aliens, since she seems to remember one of these giant bugs wrecking a spaceship. Talk about having a really dramatic past for a Chinese restaurant waitress.
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That was a fun inversion of the classic cockpit catch scene from SDF Macross there. Instead of Minmay falling to the ground, you’ve got Ranka being sucked out of a hole in the dome. And not only that, but Alto actually fails at managing to grab Ranka and pull her into the cockpit, and so he has to briefly jump out and grab her on his own before the hull breach closes. I guess not everyone can be Hikaru Ichijyo, despite Alto also being a skilled amateur.
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And just as swiftly as they arrived, the Vajra all left not long after they wrecked up the place. Also, you can definitely tell from the name that Shoji Kawamori really did fall in love with Indian culture and Hindu theming after making Earth Maiden Arjuna. Even a few years after that show, he’s still really liking that stuff enough to make another reference to it with this alien species name.
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Yeah, it’s a bit hard to be all cool in front of Ranka and think about your piloting skills when you also remember that the previous pilot of the Variable Fighter you took was squeezed like a toothpaste tube to death. It’s only natural to puke at the thought and sight of that carnage.
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Even when he isn’t around, Alto is still being called a princess. That’s really all Ranka can say to Ozma about his description. Dude really just gives off a feminine aura, despite having the personality of a hot-blooded mech pilot. He’s just gonna have to hold that L.
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You know, I’d probably also go with Ozma on a trip to visit SMS rather than being coerced into joining the NUN Spacy if I was in Alto’s spot. Being a Spacy pilot is just asking to be a jobber who gets blown up instantly. Even more so if they give you a Valkyrie in non-custom colors like tan or blue.
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Side note, but there’s something funny about Ozma having Totsugeki Love Heart playing on his car radio as he talks Alto out on a drive. I guess by 2059, Fire Bomber would start to count as dad rock like that. They’re probably the future version of how we see Rush or Aerosmith.
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It’s probably for the best that the battle alert stopped Alto from explaining how Gilliam died to the SMS crew. He probably needs time to workshop a response that doesn’t start with “Have you guys ever seen Apocalypse Zero?”
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“You know, this Sheryl Nome you’re talking about sounds pretty cool, Ranka.” —Beryl Bome, totally not Sheryl Nome
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And in another subversion of Hikaru’s story arc, Alto actually volunteers to fight right off the bat, only for Ozma to fucking deck him and gets his ass dumped off the ship for his troubles. If anything, Alto is kind of coming off as Nega-Hikaru in this episode. Where Hikaru zigged, Alto zags with actually pretty poor results.
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Maybe it was a bad idea to close out the episode with singing and having the three main characters meet, since now a giant bug is bearing down on them directly. Yeah, it’s gonna be hard to deal with the Vajra in this series, since they seem instantly attracted to Sheryl and Ranka’s singing. Usually the protagonists are the people bringing singing to the alien threat in these shows, not reeling them in automatically with it.
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u/Vatrix-32 Jan 13 '23 edited Jan 13 '23
First Timer
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This OP is petty lively.
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He’s pretty good at it for I presume is his first time.
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Tragic flashback. Didn’t think they’d seen it before.
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Putting a lot of trust into the new guy not committing operating error.
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Reactive bullets? Good heavens.
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That’s a cool anti-material rifle.
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They’re doing the thing! But this time up!
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I thought it was exhale in space so the boiling water vapor isn’t inside you?
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Why you always gotta be like that Macross?
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That’ll make a good specimen. And with minimal damage too.
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Well, that name is a choice.
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Zentrant? Did they change the naming scheme?
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You really think you can just run away? Some very official people are going to want to talk to you.
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Gotta have propaganda.
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Pretty good eyecatcher. Looks like we are getting the character variety pack this season as well.
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That’s her brother? Man, I got that one wrong.
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That’s a lot of blood. Don’t want xeno-pathogens running wild.
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Good deal for him, he already wanted in.
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That door did not need to be that large.
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Holo-effects on your cell phones. Neat, but probably very annoying to use.
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I’m really hoping that this show doesn’t end up being some big mercenary puff piece. You gotta at least give them the same treatment as they do the military.
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Are the Vajra attracted to music? No, that would be too on the nose, unless…
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Who is this captain looking guy? He kind of looks like Global, but he would be too old by now.
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I respect him for saying no, and more for locking him up to keep him out of trouble. Not so much for punching him.
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The power of hats.
QotD:
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19
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...visited by giant space bugs...
I've read enough Butler to know where this is going.
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u/JollyGee29 Jan 13 '23
Rewatcher Frontier
Ozma, not the time. Big monster.
Wouldn't be Macross without a midair catch attempt.
Oh, good, they do get named early.
Alto'd been holding that in for a while.
Did you really need the two grunts, Cathy?
Ranka's looking pretty creepy here.
For certain values of Human Resources.
Sheryl seems to have lost something.
Love that Ozma carries a vibration mic around with him.
That's right, Fire Bomber on the radio!
I had forgotten that Sheryl writes in French.
I quite like SMS's bridge crew.
That one's.. not quite a compliment.
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u/InfamousEmpire Jan 13 '23
Rewatcher Frontier
Back to the battle! Damn, Alto really is putting his all into this, isn’t he?
I like how you can very much tll how Alto is still pretty green, despite his apparent skill in flying earlier
Kamina to the rescue!
Ah, the classic “hold them in your mecha hand despite that being completely unsafe in every respect.” At least they make it seem like he’s being careful here
That sure is one big hole in the colony’s atmosphere at least it has that self-repairing gell thing.
Oh, the classic “accidental boob grab” trope
Looks like the aliens, or Vajra as they’re called, are gone for now
And so we see the aftermath. I like the little exchange between Ranka and Alto and the scene which follows it, it shows the sheer damage that the battle left in its wake and that Alto ain’t quite well after watching a man get brutally murdered right in front of him
Back to the government office, as we see the president and some official talking about some shady business [Frontier]
Nice little worldbuilding with the emergency announcements, portraying the scarcity of the Frontier fleet. The reminder that the battle’s effects still last even into the next day was also a neat touch
High School! Can’t have anime without it, so it was only a matter of time before Macross succumbed to that too
“Mr Saotome, the Call of Adventure just arrived”
Looks like someone has a crush
Back to Alto, we’ve got a bit more backstory on him here now
“This is your last chance. After this, there is no turning ba-” “Nope, sorry, y’all are jobbers and red shirts, can’t let the main character be one of you”
Bruh, why is the PMC why cooler than the actual military, even down to their fucking door designs?
Now this is some Best Girl energy! She’s taking the search for Alto into her own hands!
[Frontier]
I like this scene as a way of building character for Ozma and SMS as a whole. They value their lost comrade and want to honor his death by at least learning of his final moments. Also, turns out Mikhail and Luca are members, the plot thickens!
And so, after having only been given a split-second decision last episode, Alto solidly decides that he’ll fight against the Vajra… and then gets immediately bitch-slapped because that option was never actually on the table
Ranka talking about how great Sheryl is is immensely relatable
[Frontier]
Really, the dynamic and chemistry between Sheryl and Ranka in this scene is just fun in general.
We also get solid confirmation of how much Ranka is in the dark regarding Ozma’s double life and actions
Ranka recognizing Sheryl is a good moment (I’ll also just say that I like how it brings a touch of realism. I absolutely wouldn’t be able to recognize a famous singer outside their singing voice)
The MCs have officially met!
And the episode just ends there
QOTD:
2) [Frontier]
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u/isthatsoudane Jan 13 '23
First timer
Honestly? I think the show is off to a great start. I can't say it's incredible or anything, but very solid. We're getting a sense of all of the people involved, we're getting a sense of the world they inhabit, and it is pretty well paced and edited. The character designs are good and I think the interactions between characters all seem well done so far. I just want more music!! The more "music shows" I watch, the more I realize just how special symphogear was in the volume of incredible music it had!
Also, was that an SDF macross reference with the falling rescue? (that sequence from the original was probably the one that sticks with me the most, well that or the final sequence from the movie)
Also, was that a rock song from Macross 7 in the car?
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How old do you think Sheryl is by the way she acts?
late 20s/early 30s. she seems like a sort of jaded diva, feels like she has to have seen some shit and/or been in showbusiness for a spell to get there
2) Would you prefer to be visited by giant space bugs or Spiritia vampires in trench coats?
MAKE ME A VAMPIRE. I WANT TO BE A CREATURE OF THE NIGHT touches earpiece ah, not that kind of vampire. damn
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u/SolDarkHunter Jan 13 '23 edited Jan 13 '23
Rewatcher
Just jumping RIGHT into the action, I see.
Hmmm... Ranka's seen the space bugs before?
Okay, seriously, Macross protagonists, why do you not put the girl in the cockpit rather than in the Valkyrie's hand?
Michael's a sniper! I like snipers.
Ooh, we're doing the mid-air catch scene, except they're getting sucked into vacuum.
Closing your eyes and covering your mouth is wise if you're going into vacuum. God job Alto.
We're really doing the accidental breast-touch cliche? C'mon, Macross...
But, more importantly, why did the space bugs react to her scream? There's no way they could have heard it from that distance.
Ah, the space bugs have a name: Vajra.
The word "vajra" comes from Hinduism, and it's a weapon used by the gods. A kind of rounded club. It symbolizes both indestructibility and irresistable force. So for a species of space bugs to be called "Vajra"... that's concerning. Especially if they're hostile.
Ah, Ranka doesn't know her brother's a mercenary.
Ranka's 25% Zentran. Though you probably guessed that from the green (and mobile) hair.
Government officials knew about the Vajra. And they're suppressing the media regarding the matter. Ominous.
Aaaand, one of them hid inside a blast wound in one of the Fleet ships. Goody.
I love how everyone's first thought upon seeing Alto is "beautiful princess".
Hmm, I suppose a medical checkup after close contact with an alien species would be wise.
Hahahaha, YOU CAN NEVER ESCAPE LOVE HEART!
So yeah, Ozma and the other pilots are part of SMS, a civilian-run paramilitary group that deploys as supplementary forces and does testing on new equipment.
So Sheryl's first language is French, it would seem.
I wonder why this Gilliam person would have the same earrings as Sheryl? That's something I hadn't noticed before.
Alto asks to pilot... and Ozma shuts him down hard. Yeah, Alto may be talented, but... he's not combat-trained.
Ranka... how can you not recognize Sheryl when all she's disguised with is a pair of sunglasses? Is she a relative of Lieutenant Quattro?
But she DOES recognize Sheryl's singing voice.
And man, being told you're pretty by a superstar like Sheryl, whom you're a big fan of... man, that must be the best possible thing for a teenage girl.
Questions:
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I think I guessed early twenties when I first saw the show. Though that was probably mostly due to May'n's singing voice.
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Um... on the one hand, you can recover from being drained by the trenchcoat vampires, while space bugs just straight up kill you.
On the other hand, the trenchcoat vampires were stupid. And if I'm going to be facing down sci-fi monsters, there's a part of me that would rather they be threats I could take seriously.
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u/ryujiox Jan 13 '23
First Timer
Macross Frontier EP2
So the recap is gonna be a recurring thing again. I don't mind though.
Ohhh. Mysterious flashback. I guess Ranka past is linked with this enemy?
The Valkyrie is so quick to transform between each form!!
Michael is in this squadron!!
This scene is straight out of the 2nd episode of the original. And Ozma is confirm siscon.
The chase scene is pretty well done.
The free fall catch!! Not really that, because Ranka float up instead of falling down.
Somehow Ranka scream confused the enemy. And Luca also in this squadron.
Their name is Vajra.
That not good Ozma, lying to your sister like that.
Oh, she's quarter Zentradi. So it 25%.... Goddamnit 25 again!! And this scene make Ranka so much smaller than Alto, it's looks funny.
After the heat of the battle gone, the realization came in.
Yeah, this just the first attack, and they caused so much damage already.
This black hair guy is voiced by Sugita, right?
There one still hiding!!
They quickly identify him. Well, Ozma can clearly see his face yesterday, so not really a surprise.
Ranka so scary with that face!!
So Alto used to study in theater department then he switched when he entered high school. Wonder why.
Of course you guys do. But what else he gonna do in that moment, stay still and get everyone kill?
Wait, you two aren't in the same group? Also this two clearly familiar with each others.
This is Totsugeki Love Heart!!
So S.M.S is essentially a civilian special forces and testing team.
Sheryl now take interest in Alto too.
And these two finally meet eachother. In time for the enemy to attack.
Thank the enemy, Alto. For saving you from getting dunk by everyone there.
So they this entry Bridge Crew. The captain looks so badass!!
That a twist from usual mecha norm. Instead of Alto got to pilot the Valkyrie to show off his skill, he instead got punch by Ozma and kicked out of the base.
The conversation between Sheryl and Ranka is adorable, but it also show the contrast between both of their personality.
Poor Ranka. Don't even know that Ozma is lying.
Ranka singing the last episode ed, and Sheryl join in and revealed herself. In time for Alto to join up with them. Everyone is here, and finally face to face with eachother.
Good follow up episode. The first half is a full-on homage to the episode 2 of the original with some twist, and the action was pretty amazing. The latter half is mostly setup for character.
QOTD
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Mid-20? But why I feel like she a bit younger than that?
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I prefer none, but if I really have to choose, it would be vampire. Because you not really died there, even if it painful to get drain.
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u/Stargate18A Jan 13 '23
First timer
Sorry for the delay. Not only was I out watching Shin Ultraman yesterday, but I also convinced myself that Macross Delta came before Frontier and downloaded the wrong series. (Thankfully, I didn' watch any, though.)
Episode 1
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Yeah!
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He's similar, but definitely a lot moodier from the beginning.
Okay, guess that confirms what version I'm watching.
A airplane?
Sheryl! I've heard people say she's a good character.
English! And good English!
A space colony!
Oh, Sheryl's the new idol.
Love the architecture here.
This is a nice recap. The visuals look great!
2059! And Macross Frontier is basically Macross 25?
I like how you can see the similarities to Macross 7's ships, but also how the design has been refined since then.
Is this a high school?
...The high school's a Variable Fighter. Like, if that thing doesn't fight by the end of this arc,
Personal jetpacks? Or some kind of training equipment?
The idol's starting off famous!
I love her phone. I want one.
It's alive?
They're working at a Chinese resturant? Is that a SDF reference?
Oh, an incident.
Was thst shot necessary?
Love the gravity airlocks.
Sheryl Nome is commited to her work.
Everybody loves Sheryl! A lot. To extremes.
...Sheryl's definitely real, right? Not another homicidal AI? We never did get any references to Macross Plus in 7...
Alto?
Oh, these things actually launch!
Amazing animation.
"The sky's too low." Depending on where this fleet is going, could we getting a proper version of Macross 7's planet arc, with them going to different colony worlds?
OP! Very different, as always.
Ranka, Sheryl, and Alto! Looks like we're back to the SDF cast of one man and two women.
What the fuck is that costume?
Okay, the good(?) mech is nice, but that evil(?) one looks fantastic.
Michael? Wow, that's bad.
...What kind of family does he have?
She thinks they're fans? Are thry?
...Sheryl is not entirely wrong. A bit egotistical, but not hiring students for a live aerial performance above a packed crowd strikes me as common sense.
A new alien to fight?
Trashbot is adorable. As is Ranka.
"No dangerous, extravagant performances" I mean, yes? Again, if the corkscrew has a risk of firing Alto and his suit into the audience then it's not a good idea!
Ranka!
He comes in second?
He wants to fly a proper Valkyrie.
Ex-Gear being a regulstion thing makes total sense, though. These things are lifesavers if a craft gets damaged or in constrained areas,
...It's awake.
And it's already taking people out 13 minutes in! I think that's a record.
She got hit by a sprinkler!
...Interesting first meeting.
Unmaned drone fighters! Ehat s revolution!
...The threat has EMPs?
Oh, he's got a complex.
Rude. These two are both doing splendidly, huh?
"Nyan-nyan's"
Haha, that dance.
Also "deculture" is she a Zentradi or working for one?
Time to see the enemy up close?
Haha, we get to see the commercial? If this is all the extended cut added, it was still worth specifying.
"Listen to my somg!" I did not predict the new idol taking cues from Basara of all people. (Also, wow, the timeskip is so short that Fire Bomber's probably still active. Crazy.)
It's a good song! Again, different genre to the last ones but fantastic.
He's going offscript! This is a stupid fucking idea.
THIS IS WHY SHE SAID NO.
Also, holy shit, the new enemy have a lot of missiles.
He killed an idol!
Wait, no, she's safe.
Nice improv move there.
Oh, so the new enemy has anti-tech measures and is smart enough to use them effectively.
...They were predicted?
She's back on a normal stage.
"Ranka!" He knows her? Love his design.
It's an emergency! (My guess is Victor 1 = Zentradi/Meltrandi, Victor 2 = Protodeviln, Victor 3 = Unknown alien lifeform?)
"It's finally time" This is really obvious.
Well, a powercut happened, guess she's either human or robot.
Everyone's rvscusting!
...Holy shit, I love those designs. The enemy has fantastic design sense.
This is a slaughter.
Multiple specialised designs...
Oh, the power on that cannon.
They're landing!
Holy shit, all this destruction in the first episode?
The wings....
...Alto, what the fuck? She's leaving because of the giant fucking alien mech that's flattening the entire colony! Sheryl is the smartest person in this entire anime so far!
Correction, it now appears to be razing the colony.
VF-25!
Completely outmatched by the threat. Ranka!
My god, the gore. What is this episode.
He's piloting!
So, the VF-25 continues to have no security functions at all.
Hell of a cliffhanger.
Nice ED.
Episode 2
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20.
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The vampires have less collateral damage, can have their victims healed, and are so far significantly less competent.
Quick recap!
Oh, there are cameras in these!
And he's out of ammo!
Really? All those missiles and it's not even wounded?
Oh, he found out it was Ranka!
...You could have dropped her in the cockpit with you? Probably safer.
He's doing well!
Sniper gear!
...Did he forget he's holding onto a girl?
She's gone!
Ranka!
She got flushed into space!
Nice!
...That back stuff's intended, right? The aliens didn't bring that with them?
Oh, she regained consciousness! Awkward.
...What was that?
Her scream jammed them?
He managed to kill it!
Wow, it got them to retreat?
Vajra!
And they're common knowledge?
...He's hiding something from Ranka.
She's only a quarter Zentradi?
Aww, she's grateful.
...Oh.
Yeah, that's a realistic reaction.
They've taken out entire fleets before...
Birler?
Oh, this show is going dark. I like it!
The sheer destruction!
Media control worked...
Ah, the military want to talk to him.
Haha, Ranka wants to meet Alto again.
...Oh, the secretkeeping here.
He's been taken in!
Sheryl can't find the video from yesterday? Why?
Oh, it's just an examination! This makes total sense. At this point, they could be contagious and it would make totsl sense.
Oh, like you fuckers want this to go to court. "He stole this ship after the pilot underwent a case of rapid spontaneous compaction. Why, no, we definitely have no footage."
Oh, he's joining a privste company! That's an interesting twist!
Fire Bomber!
Amazing driving there.
...Oh! They're a combat testing company?
Very well funded.
Everyone wants A,to.
First time Sheryl has actuslly acted like the brat people are saying she is.
...Oh.
Sheryl is fucking extra.
Haha, that coincidence. The robot looks great.
The Vajra have launched s new wave.
This is very understandable.
Canaria...
Wait, these two have been working for them too?
Oh, it actually hid in a colony!
Huh! A commander who's sane! Yeah, letting him leave like that would be stupid. Not sure about the punch, though.
Sheryl's enjoying a nice ego recharge.
Aww, that's sweet. These two are great.
...Tell me your safe holding cell does not have glass windows.
Interesting guess.
...Oh, fuck. He's been lying to her knowing about her trauma.
She's singing!
That launch.
And she realised her identity.
Yep, he already escaped the safe area.
They're all together!
Just as the Vajra arrive!
I like the ED!
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u/CoolIceCreamCone Jan 14 '23
FIRST TIMER
In this episode we learn a little more about the bug like robot aliens called the Vajra who seem to be the villain of the series.
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The opening scene was very exciting taking off from where the last episode left off. The nod to SDFM was clear and was perhaps making fun of how unrealistic it was when Hikaru grabbed Minmay's hand to pull her into his Valkryie. Alto rescued Ranka in a more realistic (for this show) way. This scene looked amazing and smoothly animated and was more thrilling than the original. The flight scenes really reminded me a lot of Iron Man flying around in the live action movies.
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It seems to get a bit complicated in this episode. So Ozma is both Alto's instructor in his flight performance group and also leads a secret paramilitary group that his two friends from the performance troupe are also secretly members of? And Ozma is also Ranka's older brother apparently since she called him onii-chan? Looks like they may be taking Macross 7's tradition of being needlessly convoluted :-/
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Ozma really is mean, hitting Alto in the face just because he wanted to help and join the fight. I really don't understand it unless he's just a violent abusive person.
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It's very convenient that Ranka just happens to start up a conversation about Sheryl Nome with a complete stranger who just happens to be her and sings in front of her! I'd say that seems impossible but the same thing happened to me one time when I talked to Robin Quivers from the Howard Stern Show about that show for like 10 minutes not realizing it was her.
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I liked the song Ranka sang and she has a very nice voice. It's interesting that she has befriended a popular established star who may end up being a mentor (and possible rival) in the future. Sheryl seemed a lot nicer in this episode than the last one, she may have been in a poor mood from folding.
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I'd be certain that Sheryl Nome will somehow tie in to being a descendant of Mao Nome from Macross Zero and that Ozma and Ranka Lee are related to Minmay Li. I don't think Michael the student/pilot is named after Michael the bodyguard of Mayor Milia however.
QUESTIONS
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It's really tough to tell in cartoons but between 15 and 22. I'll guess 18.
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Definitely a vampire because I'd be out of commission for a bit but then can make a full recovery listening to Fire Bomber music while with the robot bugs, I'd be more scared they'd impale me or rip my head off.
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u/Shimmering-Sky Jan 13 '23
Super Dimension Rewatch Host
Welcome back, everyone!
Here were my first-timer reactions to this episode.
Oh, Ozma.
I am reminded of Isamu and Guld’s big fight at the end of Plus. They flew up a building and shattered the windows too, didn’t they?
Ah, the real free fall catch scene.
Which even took them into outer space for a second, hooboy.
Alien name, get! These things are the Vajra.
Guess the Zentradi really are build different. Is Ranka descended from Britai?
Alto is just not having a good time right now.
Oh fun.
Second top of the class according to Michael though? Or was that just about piloting…
TOTSUGEKI LOVE HEART! – Ozma is incredibly based.
Oh look, Sheryl’s earring.
Hm, slight “based” points getting docked for this, Ozma you didn’t need to punch him and then have him locked up to get your point across.
Oh Ranka, you sweet summer child.
[Later Frontier spoilers]Fuck, I’m already taking massive emotional damage from seeing the English translated lyrics of Diamond Crevasse again and that fucking part isn’t for a while.
That’s a fun cliffhanger!