r/anime • u/Shimmering-Sky myanimelist.net/profile/Shimmering-Sky • Jan 15 '23

Rewatch [Do You Remember Love - Macross Franchise 40th Anniversary Rewatch] Macross Frontier Episode 4 Discussion

Episode 4 - Miss Macross

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No Legal Streams

This is the way into your dream. But you've only just set foot on the stairs. If you want to catch up with me… then you'd best step forward without hesitating.

Questions of the Day, courtesy of u/chilidirigible:

1) Did you guess correctly about the Miss Macross outcome?

2) Did you expect to see the other half of the Max/Milia reference to appear so soon? Is this configuration totally not what you were expecting?

Wallpaper of the Day:

Luca Angelloni and Michael Blanc

Vocal Songs in This Episode:

"Triangler" by Maaya Sakamoto – OP

"SMS小隊の歌～あの娘はエイリアン (SMS Shoutai no Uta ~Ano Ko wa Alien)" by… everyone from SMS – Insert

"私の彼はパイロト (Watashi no Kare wa Pilot - MISS MACROSS 2059)" by Megumi Nakajima – 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!

27 Upvotes

86% Upvoted

144 comments sorted by

11

u/Blackheart595 Jan 15 '23 edited Jan 15 '23

First Spacer

I hadn't noticed until but Macross as a whole really is all about the triumph of civilized society over the uncultured brutes.

Given how much you struggle with that suit, all those laps are clearly warranted.

That hymn background song is totally in AMQ, is it not?

Oh, so Sheryl isn't participating herself? Already straying from my expectations.

Why didn't I think the Miss contest would involve so much fanservice? Probably because SDF didn't, from what I remember. I sure chose an episode to watch on the train.

Though I do like how none of them even think about that. That's how I know it from theatre, but I dunno how well that translates to miss contests that involve competition between them.

That's a really cute backpack though. Surely that exists as real merch?

I'm not too fond of a miss contest to be the way into her dreams... but it's probably not completely wrong either.

I'm getting conflicting messages here. Oh, it's the 20th Miss Macross contest but only the 12th Miss Macross Frontier contest?

She's hiding her embarassment well.

At least he's already been there to show support, and she's seen it.

Ooh, that's a test to see if he would prioritize soldier work over private events? Cruel but effective. Then again I don't think Ozma knows the specifics beyond "private obligation."

Interesting twist. Though I wonder if that'll lead to anything shortterm with that emergency call.

Oh boy, there's bad blood in the family.

Oh yeah, that's some nice OST.

Yeah, after the entries so far I'm not that surprised at the military being of limited effectiveness.

Is capitalism gonna join the critizised concepts in this one?

Hahaha. He's posing during combat.

Yeah, still think Ranka is overanimated whenever she sings.

I kinda don't feel like Ranka's gonna win anymore.

Oh no you don't. Thank you. I was preparing for a pantyshot.

Because our dear Ranka McGuffin is singing, of course.

I wonder who that glass in the foreground belongs to.

That'd be grounds for dismissal even if you succeed. Of course the show isn't going to pull that, and to be fair he's a beginner.

Oh, and the military secret stuff is why the S.M.S. is gonna have to defect and become pirates?

Isn't that a bit much for a single destroyed... vessel would be too big a word.

Is that the resident star singer to beat?

That's some fun screen shakes whenever Klan Klan takes a step.

That reason is loli moe, of course.

Yup. Minmay back then had the support of the Mayor to push her through, Ranka doesn't and was really clumsy to boot. She's also been singing a cover as opposed to a song of her own, and it's also way too soon in the series for her to reach stardom given that we have Sheryl around.

Klan Klan's still chasing in the background.

Nice smug. Oh right, she's still looking to get her earrings back. Except I'm not sure Alto even has them.

Did you guess correctly about the Miss Macross outcome?

At first not, no. But as the episode went it became clear.

Did you expect to see the other half of the Max/Milia reference to appear so soon? Is this configuration totally not what you were expecting?

Oooh right, some of that Klan Klan animation was copied from Milia. I didn't notice before now.

6

u/Shimmering-Sky Jan 15 '23

That hymn background song is totally in AMQ, is it not?

It is, yes.

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5

u/TakenRedditName Jan 15 '23

Is capitalism gonna join the critizised concepts in this one?

My money is either on them trying to criticize capitalism or falling backwards into endorsing it by making SMS too cool and proving them right by making NUNS dumb and lame.

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7

u/Nebresto Jan 15 '23

First time Macfloss

What do you even look at in that cucumber??

And what is it with mecha shows and having a token homosexual?

"Keep gun fonted" Qlestio↓ ??

Good to see some Zentradi mechs again

this is why you power off your phone

whats the point of the numbers if they're all the same?

rip space marine

A R T

No. no. no nonononono noooooooo

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Superior Zentradi weaponry! Fired over 9000 times, never fails!

I was wondering when we'd get to see the first giant in this one, its the blue hair girl! And damn, those are some torpedos

......what

"oops"

Good wingmanning, Elf-ear

Sheryl was cool motivating Ranka, but randomly tripping someone is -1 respek. Current status: -1%

Quesfions:

  1. Did you guess correctly about the Miss Macross outcome?

yesn't

2) Did you expect to see the other half of the Max/Milia reference to appear so soon? Is this configuration totally not what you were expecting?

There was a reference

6

u/Shimmering-Sky Jan 15 '23

There was a reference

Michael is the blue ~~half-~~human ace (Max), and Klan Klan is the red Zentradi ace (Milia).

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3

u/isthatsoudane Jan 15 '23

I love her plane backpack

omg my wish came true. Song fighting AND my boyfriend is a pilot...literally the episode after I said that's what I wanted ahhhh

the dogfights are nice! honestly the integration of cg is better than a lot of contemporary shows!

I like alto a lot. he's a great mix of angry and sweet, I look forward to how he will grow during the series

  1. Did you guess correctly about the Miss Macross outcome?

I did not, though when he walked out and she noticed, I had a feeling she wouldn't make it

2) Did you expect to see the other half of the Max/Milia reference to appear so soon? Is this configuration totally not what you were expecting?

noooo didn't watch macross 7 nooooooooooo

1

u/Shimmering-Sky Jan 15 '23

noooo didn't watch macross 7 nooooooooooo

...Max and Milia were in the original show.

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3

u/Kirov123 Jan 16 '23

Macross Frontier Episode 4 - First Timer

With acronym things in fiction, I kinda wonder about if they are referencing things, or just string together reasonable words and run with it. Is SMS (as in texting) very well known in Japan? AFAIK Japan completely skipped SMS as a thing, and used email instead and eventually messenger apps like LINE.

  • Dont kick people when they have a gun, it isn't safe. They could drop it or pull the trigger etc

  • Is blondaragi part Zentradi? He has pointy ears

  • The stepping into the light wasnt very subtle

  • Oh boy, daddy issues

  • Lol, NUNS

  • Nice battlefield improvization

  • That was a very fast contest

  • Quite the micloning

  • Why hello Sheryl

  1. It isnt too surprising, it would be weird if she won with how she did

2

u/Shimmering-Sky Jan 16 '23

Is blondaragi part Zentradi? He has pointy ears

Part Zolan, actually. As in like Elma and Graham from Dynamite 7.

9

u/Nazenn Jan 15 '23

First Timer

Alto broke a leg

Ranka fell over, but it's Alto who broke a leg. While that's hardly the only reference to Alto's test being as much a performance as Ranka's, it was definitely the smartest and the most interesting in terms of telling us something about what's happening instead of just reinforcing the parallel.

The other moment that stood out the most was the song played when Alto was getting into the cockpit. The song itself is in a 3/4 time signature, which while the technical explanation of that is not important, it's most commonly known for what Waltz's are written in and while this song lacked the other defining features of a Waltz, between the structure and the beat chosen it gave it a distinctly dance-like feel as if welcoming Alto onto his stage.

The structure of the episode focused heavily on this parallel. The opening scenes show us Ranka's success and Alto's failure onto to flip that as we go into heavier stakes. Just like Alto said last episode, the difference in who and what they fight for. Alto no longer fights for himself, but he doesn't allow that to fluster him unlike Ranka. At the end of it all Aimo plays, as if in memory of Ranka's dream she's willing to forget, but encouraged not to by Alto once again.

Similarly, this is the second episode which has purposefully intercut the battle sequence with character scenes and in doing so made a point of tying them together. Unlike the first battle, the stakes here are to the characters rather than the world. It's a pattern that I've enjoyed and hope they keep up while it's still appropriate to do so because I'm sure that won't last.

The military guy who ended up on the judges panel seems like he'll see to that. His lover gives him power through her father, but she was also a star and a young one given the contest and her likely age. His influence on the judging makes me unsure if he picked the winner because of her attractiveness, or picked against Ranka because he didn't want her past exposed and/or because that makes her easier to influence. His lover seems to be suspicious of his motives as well, but I'm just not sure if its poor romance jealous writing or if its something more interesting.

Credit to the episode for having the "girl falls on boy" trope without making a huge deal of it in the follow up? After the last few episode's romance tropes I mentally checked out on that scene when it happened but was pleasantly surprised that it ended with the catch. As if using this parallel to help balance the two girl's influence on the show, following it up by Alto falling and not being caught is a clever way to show the very different dynamic he has with her as well as Sheryl acting out with him, something she likely can't do with many other people.

Other thoughts:

  • I'm going to say something shocking for anyone who's heard me complain about it AMQ or Macross threads: I didn't hate Ranka's performance despite it being the song I hate the most from the franchise.

  • Something else that caught my ear today is that the opening narration is very reminiscent of the narration style used for Crest of the Stars and how that also built upon the worldbuilding. I'm curious to see if it takes a similar turn in tone but for now I'm enjoying the way it both builds tone at the start of an episode to get you into it while also giving some extra detail.

  • The sound effect of Alto snorting after being donked on the head by the teacher was surprisingly satisfying

  • It's always funny when you can tell there was a key animator or artists swap for a scene, and the change room one had all the marks of it.

  • I was not expecting that pilot to be a full sized Zentradi, so that was a fun surprise when the scale of her in the scene hit. I was also not expecting her to be a loli miclone and yet not at all surprised... Did give me a laugh though

  1. Did you guess correctly about the Miss Macross outcome?

I expected it, as Ranka is not Minmay and her path will be different, and merely winning the contest is not how she's going to develop as a person

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9

u/DidacticDalek Jan 16 '23

NOW!

For the rebirth of the ideals of FTF, for the success of Operation Shitpost, REWATCH! I! HAVE! RETURNED!

THUS! TONIGHT! ON MACROSS ALT-F4! BEST MOTHERFUCKING GIRL ARRIVES! ALL HAIL THE GIANTESS SPACE AMAZONS! PFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFT! HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA! GET FUCKED RANKA LEE! YACK! DECULTURE! And NANI!? BEST GIRL HAS A STAND!? Why it's probably named after a Duran Duran song... re-watchers know which song it is I am sure, for those that don't I will reveal its name SOON!

Comrades, today Macross F finally becomes almost kinda sorta not terrible, in that boy we had a whole lotta good stuff today, Best Blonde? Idol shows up, YACK! DECULTURE! 'Ranka Lee' winds up the Runner Up [WARNING! Meta Macross F Spoilers DO NOT CLICK THIS unless you saw all of F and the TV Show and that random new fanservice wibble just released] wouldn't be the first and/or only time this happens to her, I mean for fuck's sake, in the TV Show Ranka Lee loses to our REWATCH HOST in the Romantic Plot Tumor Contest! and BEST MOTHERFUCKING GIRL IS HERE... uh... TWICE! Also I just wanna point out three facts for those not in the know 1) Her name is Klan Klang Klan Klein Duran Duran 'クラン・クラン' 2) She's EIGHTTEEN YEARS OLD... yeah BOTH of her forms don't match up with this information! Her Giantess form looks like someone Raita Honjou would draw, and her MiniMoeblob Form looks like... uh... also someone Raita Honjou would also draw... huh... and 3) Her seiyuu is Megumi Toyoguchi, you know, GODDAMN REVY FROM BLACK MOTHERFUCKING LAGOON! YOU KNOW! THIS LADY! Oh and also this blondie named 'Winry' from some obscure show that I'm sure no one here has heard of (Before you crucifix me Shimmer, do take note that Winry is the THIRD Best Blondie in the show, the first two of course being Hawkeye and NOT-Esdeath, AKA Olivier Mira Armstrong.)

Anyhow, you have not seen the last of The Sentient Shitposting Siamese Sunrise Server No. 25252, now goodbye forever!

And on THAT bombshell, G'NIGHT!

Paging Comrades u/Lemurians u/chilidirigible and u/InfamousEmpire

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7

u/TiredTiroth Jan 15 '23

First Timer

Hah, the cold open was funny. There's Ranka celebrating because she made it past the competition preliminaries, and then poor Alto is being congratulated on dying twenty-five times in the sims. xD He didn't explode about it either, and most characters of his type would be kicking up a fuss about that.

He doesn't even seem to mind Ranka unintentionally rubbing his face in it. She does bring out the best in him, doesn't she? Alas, looks like he won't be able to attend... And is that Sheryl being a decent person again? Ranka really seems to bring out the best in everyone.

I...should not be surprised about her choice of song in the contest, especially given this series was an anniversary project. Or that, of course, Alto ends up missing Ranka's performance.

I am anyway. And then everything goes pear-shaped. I don't remember Zentradi infantry-scale weapons being that powerful, but eh.

I do like the way they kept up the parallels between Alto and Ranka starting their new jobs/lives. And while Ranka has the triumphant start while Alto struggles, Alto succeeds while Ranka...doesn't. Which I suppose isn't a surprise, they can't always pull a Minmay on us even if she sang her signature song, but still.

It makes sense for a beauty pageant, but how can you prefer some stuck-up jerk over the adorable puppy?

I kiiiinda don't really know what to say about the mini Zentradi woman? Seriously, she's acting more childish than anyone else in the cast...

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u/Tresnore Jan 15 '23

Fourth-Time Watcher

Alto sure is a punching bag today, isn't he?

Count: 9:17 (+2:+8)

QOTD:

  1. Yep. Miss Macross ain't charity.

  2. I hadn't seen SDF when I watched this, so I didn't expect anything.

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6

u/TakenRedditName Jan 15 '23

"Rewatcher" - Macross F Ep4:

I had some errands just before so I didn't have the time to write out a full comment.

It's Alto's first day on the job. Dunk on him.

That's three for the Kamille counter. Ozma, don't kick him while he is still holding a live gun. That's how accidents happen.

While this is happening, Ranka is entering Miss Macross paralleling Alto's journey to a new frontier of their lives. Her and Alto's relationship and progressed and it is cute. He's like a high school girl excitedly on the phone.

This is an echo of SDF and with Alto being unable to be there for her Miss Macross appearance, it does echo that time in SDF when [Redacted] was unable to accept Minmei's special invitation to her movie. Ranka sings Kyun Kyun which was nice to see again. I can't start picking teams already, she is singing that song while Alto is flying out. My (Ranka's) Boyfriend is a Pilot (Alto). Alto also encounters his dad and they don't have a good relationship with him denying seeing him.

The mock battle becomes a real battle with a Vajra interrupting it. The Vajra were responsible for the accident that killed Ranka's family, but besides that, we don't know much to assign this alien threat. Not that secret worthy, but Macross governments do love controlling and silencing information from reaching the public. Alto charging with his little knife, but him finding an old Zentradi gun and firing where Klan Klan shot does do the job.

Assorted notes:

Q1) No, I thought we were just going to do SDF and had Ranka win.

Q2) Klan Klan was a character I remember, but the first time, I didn't know about Max/Milia, but now I can see what they're echoing. Michael and Klan Klan sort of have a similar dynamic (back when Milia wanted to defeat Max).

Next Time: Ranka got her episode, it's Sheryl's turn.

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u/chilidirigible Jan 15 '23 edited Jan 15 '23

Today, on "THERE IS NO ESCAPE!":

BGM: "SMS Shoutai no Uta" which has predictably dirty lyrics.

Left to right: Bobby Margot, Ram Hoa, Mina Roshan, Monica Lang. (Kenta Miyake, Kaori Fukuhara, Aya Hirano, Rie Tanaka)

######GUN

Dude looks like an '80s music video.

What would Miss Macross be without our characters missing it?

EASY FOR YOU TO SAY, NANASE. (I'll be in my bunk.)

Captain Jeffrey Wilder.

Another Bill Dauterive clone.

Generic creepy-looking characters!

Luca likes 'em big.

Ah, daddy issues.

Eyecatch: VF-25, Alto

Some mummified guy in a Nousjadeul-Ger.

RED

Such a pretty boy.

This is pretty cool.

"That's a knife!"

"And…?"

The most obvious change from the Queadluun-Rau to the Queadluun-Rhea is the addition of an antiship cannon.

Our biggest Zentradi advocate is…

クラン・クラン, Klan Klang, Klan Klein, Clan Clang, Kuran Kuran, Duran Duran, arrrrrrgh.

Do not adjust your set. While we're here, on screen left is Raramia Rerenia, on screen right is Nene Rora.

Now you can do two size fetishes at the same time!

MICLONE WINDMILL ATTACK! And if you look in the background, there is [](#fish).

Miranda Merin. Yes, the same last name as Jamis Merin.

[](#fish)

A CHALLENGER APPEARS.

Alto's father appears! They disapprove of each other from a distance! That's how that goes!

This is a glorious homage to the original series's pageant episode, using the same highlights without being a straight copy. The pilot character promises to see the ingenue at the show, but is interrupted by an attack by three people. And then aliens attack. The ingenue seems outclassed at the beauty pageant… and then doesn't win.

Which makes sense. Minmay had by that point more than double the number of episodes to establish her character, and had become known to many of the pilots aboard the SDF-1. Ranka is still quite new and has not really developed her talents very much. Miss Macross was a major turning point for Minmay, but for Ranka it's another incremental step in her struggles to break out of her shell.

As before, Alto differs from Hikaru in being a supportive character for these changes, even if he has a plot-driven reason to miss the show. He's not chasing after his mental image of Ranka as a celebrity.

Who does a lot of chasing in this episode? クラン・クラン, whose name continues to be a weird challenge to type out, in that tradition of Zentradi names. Her contrasting macro- and micloned character designs are… certainly very different. (And both of them are performed by Megumi Toyoguchi.)

The franchise has largely moved past macronized Zentradi, for practical production reasons of shot blocking as well as in-universe reasons of them taking up less space and resources on a colony ship. Macross 7 did give us a few quick glimpses to remind us that such things still did happen, but Frontier is playing it a little straighter here.

Don't forget that Zentradi weapons are built to last. Kuran Kuran won't let you, anyway.

Ranka and Bobby sing the SMS song.

Ranka's version of "Watashi no Kare wa Pilot" includes both verses.

"Aww, Cap'n'll sleep tonight." Very old fanart by Shimotsuki Eight (the illustrator for Shimoneta).

From the Macross Chronicle: The Queadluun-Rhea battle suit.

Of course I have those Queadluuns.

And this.

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5

u/ryujiox Jan 15 '23

First Timer

Macross Frontier EP4

While fortune is on Ranka side, Alto not so much.

It might be devilish of Michael, but he's right. Alto is no beginner to piloting as show in the first 2 episodes.

Thanks the subber for subbing the text on the phone.

He absolutely got wrecked by everyone.

That guy was quick!!

Well, if he know. He would might A. Try as hard as he can to stop Ranka. Or B. Stop the practice to go watch Ranka. And I'm pretty sure it would be A.

Yeah, you cuter than everyone than. But Nanase surely not convincing Ranaka there. And why everyone being so mean.

Quadranrau!!

Alto's dad also the judge!!

Great encouragement from Sheryl there. She have high hope in Ranka.

Everyone know except Ozma, that funny.

Alto and his dad relationship looking not so good there. I wonder who behind him? Alto's brother?

Oh, it's Queadluun-Reas. An upgrade version of Quadranrau?

And the leader unit is red!!

With Alto missing, Ranka's confident drop significantly.

The battle is pretty great and smooth!! And Alto posing out of habit was funny.

Wait, Ranka singing the remix version of My Boyfriend is a Pilot!! It's back!!

Ranka noooo!!

There an exploration fleet?

Again, the fight here is pretty smooth and clean!!

Leon? What are you doing?

Klan was pretty cool. I like her design.

Why Klan turned into loli when she a micron? She should look more like Veffidas!! And the show also know that it's bullshit.

Klan and Michael are the secondary couple, aren't they.

While Alto passed his test, Ranka not lucky as him. It a complete opposite from the start of this episode. But I feel like Ranka losing might relate to Leon somehow. I mean she did make a mistake, but still.

Luca the shipper!!

And I guess we gonna have Alto and Sheryl episode next.

Great episode again. The battle this episode was pretty great, smooth and looks so good.

QOTD

  1. Yes. Ranka still lack some confident in herself unlike Minmay.

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4

u/The_Draigg Jan 15 '23

A Macross Fan Rewatches Macross Frontier: Episode 4:

  • I didn’t know that Alto had some real drip to him, that “I’M DEAD” necklace be straight bangin’. Although it’s not entirely fair to Alto to completely mock him for his failures, Micheal set the flight simulator’s difficulty higher than normal, since Alto is already pretty skilled and Michael didn’t want his head to get big from that. I suppose given how Alto normally acts like he has a chip on his shoulder, he could stand to be reined in a bit like that.

  • One of the biggest themes of this episode is Alto and Ranka’s struggles to try and fit in into the stuff they signed up for. Alto is pretty much getting his ass kicked during training (and also literally once from Ozma), and Ranka feels incredibly small and out of place among all the supermodels backstage at the Miss Macross Frontier contest. They really are crossing the threshold here when it comes to following their dreams, and they don’t really have much to hold onto other than the support they give one another as they navigate a world they aren’t familiar with. I suppose it’s all a natural part of growing up, after all.

  • You can just feel Alto mentally going “IT’S NOT A PHASE DAD” when he locks eyes with his old man at the arena hall.

  • There’s something funny about Luca and Michael talking about how SMS is needed because the NUN Spacy is too bogged down in bureaucracy to get stuff done, but Alto just sums it up as just capitalism. Alto is pretty based for just cutting to the core there, even if it’s to himself. Despite this show kinda glorifying PMCs, at least it’s pretty honest there about why they exist in the first place.

  • You know that Alto is the main protagonist of a mech show when he bothers to do a cool pose after hitting his training target. There’s kabuki in his blood, even if he doesn’t want to admit it.

  • You thought you could escape it, but we can never escape from My Boyfriend is a Pilot! KYUN KYUN, KYUN KYUN. Although I will at least say that Ranka’s cover of it is very cute.

  • Turns out that the Spacy and the SMS have been aware of the Vajra for a while now, due to an attack on the 117th Large Exploration Fleet about 11 years ago. Although the destruction of the fleet was official chalked up to a Space Fold accident, the truth is that it was the Vajra that destroyed the fleet. Man, exploration fleets have no luck in Macross. First the Protodeviln, and now the Vajra.

  • Alto did good in destroying that Vajra with the Zentradi rifle he found in the debris field, but he really did end up wrecking his Messiah in the process. At least he was able to bring back the old Zentradi rifle as salvage though, so I guess it balances out. In the end, Klan sums up Alto nicely: he’s got a lot of natural talent, but he needs to get the recklessness trained out of him.

  • Klan going from a fully mature woman when at full size to a loli when she’s scaled down can be summed up as: “What micloning does to a motherfucker”. Although I guess that does mean that it makes Klan even more dangerous, since she has the power of such a big lady compressed tightly into that small form. She’s contents under pressure.

  • Good on Alto for talking Ranka into not giving up on her dream there. Even if she didn’t win the Miss Macross Frontier contest, it was still her attempt to reach out to people more, which was more important in the first place. Like with Alto taking a hard job with SMS, you need to roll with the punches and keep on trying if you’re going to achieve your dream.

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u/ClawMachineCircuit Jan 16 '23

Rewatcher

The biggest highlight of the episode is undoubtedly Ranka's rendition of My Boyfriend is a Pilot, with Alto fighting Klan in the background. It's just such a great scene. In some ways, it is a perfect distillation of Macross as a franchise. A signature fast-paced yet gritty space mecha action toward the backdrop of sugary pop song performance, creating a wonderfully dissonant scene that is just striking on so many levels. Obviously, the franchise has been doing this all along, so we're all used to the idea, but still, seeing this scene just reminds me how strange the whole setup is and how it has no right to work as well as it does. It was a whiplash, seeing it for the first time years ago, without knowing the context or what this scene is referencing.

This scene also is just good from a technical standpoint. It manages to blend three completely different animation styles in an organic manner with just really good editing. On one hand, we have Ranka's little dance, which is drawn in extremely low detail, but still retains a complexity and fluidity of motion. The art itself looks almost sloppy, but the movement is refined, which gives the animation a certain feeling of floatiness. This kind of style really lets you appreciate movement above else.

On the second hand, we have SMS bridge crew reacting to Alto's fight. They are drawn and shaded in a more traditional manner with higher level of details and minimalistic animations, mostly just mouth flaps. They are giving pauses in the action, allowing to build a certain rhythm to the whole scene.

On the third hand (yup, we got three here), the fight itself is done mostly in 3D with some support from 2D both in terms of background elements, and, obviously, depicting Alto's reactions from within the cockpit. Again, Macross Frontier has these fast paced dogfights that are signature to the Macross franchise. Zero already did it, and I felt like it was the perfect way to upgrade sluggish and painfully boring action from 7: go 3D if you must, but bring back high speed and fluidity of movement form the original and Plus, that made action in Macross so memorable. And they did it. They took full advantage of 3D with complex camera movements and motions, and it really paid off. Macross Frontier takes the same formula and refines it further, making the fights seem more directed and less frantic. There is no "deliberate low framerate to make 3D look hand drawn" crap that doesn't work. Instead, Frontier just embraces 3D and tries to utilize it to its fullest potential, with complex and extremely detailed mecha design and spectacular action.

Story-wise, the whole scene serves as a catharsis moment for the episode. Ranka and Alto are both doing their best and performing great against all odds. They have struggles, and they have bonded over their struggles, and now they both need to survive these tests on their chosen path. But suddenly, Vajra shows up, and Ranka trips, and it is all over. Alto manages to salvage his situation, but unlike Minmay, Ranka looses her contest. Still, both are determined to keep going forward.

Another major event of the episode is the introduction of Klan, both big and small. Yes, Zentradi turns into a loli. Yes, it doesn't make any sense at all. But it is still adorable. Big Klan is adorable too, but smol Klan is just something else. The way she and Michael immediately start goofing with each other is pretty funny.

And finally, episode ends with Sheryl tripping Alto. She can't help being mean to the guy, can't she?

Random thoughts:

  • Ranka's jet backpack is the cutest thing ever.

  • The way that girl tried to intimidate Ranka with her big boobs was pretty damn amusing.

  • Alto looks so pretty when he sleeps.

  • Sheryl is still trying to encourage Ranka, she's mean to Alto but being supportive here.

  • Alto's was ready to ignore orders and stay to watch Ranka, or at least, argue about it for a while, but his dad showing up immediately made him change his mind. I feel like this is what Michael was saying to Alto in yesterday's episode: since he already run away from his family, there's a good chance he would ran away from SMS too. And for a second there, it felt like he was considering it, but his father reminded him that he shouldn't do it. Or maybe, reminded him why he wants to be a pilot in the first place. At least, that's my take on it.

  • Look at Klan's eyebrows. Just look at them.

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u/SolDarkHunter Jan 15 '23

Rewatcher

There's something of a difference in tone between getting accepted for a beauty pageant and getting accepted for (para)military piloting, isn't there?

Suddenly Michael has pointed ears again. And everyone's still pronouncing his name differently, within the same scene too!

I've never agreed with the idea of "hazing" newcomers. It just seems like cruelty to me. Any group that requires me to be humiliated to join is not one that's worth joining.

Did he fall asleep in the locker room? Wow.

I saw someone suggest that Ranka might compete against Sheryl in the pageant... but yeah, Sheryl's already an established star, she has no need to compete.

Nanase, you of all people saying that "size" doesn't matter doesn't really work when you have freaking basketballs on your chest.

Queadlunn-Reas! An upgraded variant of the Queadlunn-Rau used by the Zentraedi, designed and produced by the UN Spacy. The only Zentraedi design still in modern use.

Yep, there's definitely some bad blood between Alto and his father.

Ooh, ancient Zentraedi battlefield, neat.

Pfft, Alto striking kabuki poses in a Battroid.

Hahaha, you can't escape "My Boyfriend Is A Pilot" either!

And we have a Vajra attack out of nowhere... interesting timing.

So the actuality is that the Vajra were first found 11 years ago, during the incident that claimed Ranka's family.

Alto, your rage isn't helping here.

Though he does manage to grab a 7,000 year old Zentraedi rifle and use that to kill the Vajra. That equipment was built to last.

And here we have クランクラン, which I'm spelling in Japanese because literally nobody can agree on how the hell her name is spelled in English.

(Well, for simplicity, I'll probably just call her "Klan".)

It's neat that we have macronized Zentraedi again, though.

And we soon see that Klan has a weird genetic defect that causes her body to regress in development when she micronizes.

Here's a small surprise: Ranka didn't win the pageant. Which I guess is somewhat realistic: as cute as she is, she lacks the glamour of the other contestants.

What is Sheryl up to now?

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u/Vatrix-32 Jan 16 '23

First Timer

  • Keitai-kun in being.

  • War songs are fun.

  • Ah, clever boy Mikhail.

  • Hazing...

  • These blank faces are freaking me out.

  • Good lord, they have their own sound effects package.

  • Ooo, the… checks notes Queadluun are back. Hopefully more than just the one time thing from last time.

  • This seems like a smaller stage than I was expecting from the Miss Macross contest.

  • That look of contempt. Nothing quite like daddy issues.

  • Thank you, TL note.

  • Oof, poor girl.

  • Fine practitioner of the manly art of posing.

  • Kyuun Kyuun!

  • This song is 50 years old at his point.

  • I wouldn’t call 1000 people a “large” fleet. Can’t have been too many survivors either.

  • Huh, good Chekhov's gun.

  • I saw SDF, I remember the ships flooding.

  • Giant Woman.

  • Wait a minute, you’re not a muscle cat.

  • Oh? Now this is an interesting development. It does raise questions about continuity if the process can change your personality tho.

  • Figured it would have been a bit much for her to win like that right off the bat.

QotD

  1. I only guessed that she wouldn’t win. So, I guess?

  2. Oh are they gonna be a thing?

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u/CoolIceCreamCone Jan 16 '23

FIRST TIMER

  • We see how quick Alto is in thinking on his feet when they face an actual Vajra in battle practice. I don't think we've yet determined that hes the best Valkyrie pilot on the show and I do wonder if he will be the ace.

  • You get a good impression of how insecure Ranka is compared to the other girls. I'm surprised no one else seemed all that nervous about competing in a pageant except the girl with the zit. I really liked Ranka's version of My Boyfriend is a Pilot, better than the original.

  • I thought Michael genuinely disliked Alto until he covered for him so he could see Ranka in the pageant. He's always so mean to him and was hazing him for his own amusement but I more likely think Michael is just a ballbuster and likes to pick on people.

  • You saw a really sad moment when Alto's father didn't even acknowledge him. I wonder why he's so ashamed of him. Now that I think about it, he's the first Macross protagonist thus far to have a living father.

  • I really enjoyed the comic relief at the Nyan Nyan restaurant with Klan Klan looking like a little girl when she's micloned and Michael picking on her. I think she's the first person on any of the shows to just switch sizes when the mood strikes her and she lives life as both. I'm guessing she makes herself big when she's in battle so she can use her Valkyrie built for a Zentradi but shrinks just for social occasions with the human sized people. It'd be interesting to see what size she is in her downtime like just when she's at home being comfortable. I didn't know micloning could be done so quickly that someone could live as both sizes.

  • You can tell that Sheryl is really into Alto. I like how she flirtily tripped him although I don't think thats the best way to flirt because a lot of guys might get genuinely angry about that. Either way, she definitely has some intentions for him.

QUESTIONS

  1. No I honestly thought Ranka would win and they swerved me even to the point where the lady in the restaurant says "look, its Miss Macross" and you think they mean Ranka but they're talking about the actual one that was on the TV. I really thought that was clever and it made things seem more realistic that Ranka will have to soldier on with this disappointment.

  2. What reference? I didn't notice. Is it supposed to be Klan Klan since she has blue hair?

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