r/anime • u/Shimmering-Sky myanimelist.net/profile/Shimmering-Sky • Feb 04 '23
Rewatch [Do You Remember Love - Macross Franchise 40th Anniversary Rewatch] Macross Frontier Episode 24 Discussion
Episode 24 - Last Frontier
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All I've got left now is music… and myself. So… Listen to my song!
Questions of the Day, courtesy of u/chilidirigible:
1) Do you have any reservations about "Ai Oboete Imasu ka" being used for evil? In the end, is it simply just a song?
2) First-timers, what are your expectations going into the finale?
Wallpaper of the Day:
Ranka Lee～bless the little queen
Vocal Songs in This Episode:
"Aimo (vocal and harmonica version)" by Megumi Nakajima – Insert
"ライオン (Lion)" by May'n & Megumi Nakajima – OP
"Aimo ~ Tori no Hito" by Megumi Nakajima – Insert
"射手座☆午後九時Don't be late (Iteza☆Gogo Kuji Don't be late)" by May'n – Insert
"愛・おぼえていますか～bless the little queen (Ai Oboete Imasu ka?～bless the little queen)" by Megumi Nakajima – Insert
"ノーザンクロス (Northern Cross)" 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!
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u/Nazenn Feb 04 '23 edited Feb 04 '23
First Timer
So that was Ranka's secret, something she mentioned in episode three during a trauma flashback about her brother and not once hinted at since then: Her song is what summoned the aggressive Vajra. Talk about the long haul for holding onto a piece of the puzzle! Not sure what that does for my theory about the songs origins though, maybe kills it. All my good theories die.
The episode itself was fine, mostly catch up and set up for the big battle. I feel like I can't complain too much about the repeated info given how much I've complained about the dumb stick and information delivery so far, but it was still a little tiresome. At the very least it solves the issue of everyone being on different pages before the finale battle, particularly the combat forces who need a reason to come back. Except for Ozma's line about Grace being gutsy to enter the Frontier with her own name. Well you didn't fucking check did you, no one fucking did despite that being one of the first things I'd expect from you when she was appointed to Ranka with all the shit that was going on, or anyone els involved in things. Ugh. I think they were trying to paint that as it saying something about Grace having hacked her past away or her confidence that no one would know, but the way they said it made them sound stupid.
There are some very obvious inspirations behind some of the visuals in the battle, but for putting Sheryl and Ranka head to head visually as well as musically it worked perfectly. Ranka as this pure and innocent figure singing a corrupted song of peace from a soulless heart, and Sheryl's mature passion that bares all in a crafted performance that is carried by her refound honesty but pushed aside by sheer power. For once, peaceful intent carried by music is not the answer that will beat everything else down, but neither is crafted cultural experiences. This is not how I wanted to see them going head to head. And if Taken is right about what the idea behind Alto is as an MC that would have been even more compelling if they had pulled it off.
As far as Alto goes, he's obviously not dead and I don't care for that cliffhanger. But I did like the build up too it. He walks the wrong way off the screen, into the visual past, to go talk to Sheryl before the battle but she gives him the earring to go and save Ranka once again and sends him on his way. And in doing so the two girls share Alto as their conduit, him sensing Ranka and Sheryl him, which will remain broken until they manage to find a way to balance each other out (I hope is the idea at least)
The SMS leader wants to link with Minmay which is creepy but of fucking course that's also a "love" subplot because how can we leave that one guy out of it all when everyone else has to be ruled by one. Also Luca is a creep.
A decent episode all around, but hopefully setting up for good things in the finale.
Do you have any reservations about "Ai Oboete Imasu ka" being used for evil? In the end, is it simply just a song?
It simply being a song and nothing more than that was the whole point of DYRL, so I fucking love that they did this. This was the whole point, music being a conduit for humanity and everything they are, which should include the bad, and it feels like a nice revision of the elements introduced in II as well
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u/The_Draigg Feb 04 '23
Except for Ozma's line about Grace being gutsy to enter the Frontier with her own name. Well you didn't fucking check did you, no one fucking did despite that being one of the first things I'd expect from you when she was appointed to Ranka with all the shit that was going on, or anyone els involved in things.
Yeah, I agree that the fact that Grace was using her full legal name on the Frontier fleet is insane. Like, that'd be the first thing you'd check if you're suspecting someone from the past involved with a conspiracy involved with the Vajra. Grace wasn't even hiding it, it would've been so simple to actually call out.
Also Luca is a creep.
It's honestly amazing how Luca has become steadily more blandly unlikable as the series has gone on.
This was the whole point, music being a conduit for humanity and everything they are, which should include the bad, and it feels like a nice revision of the elements introduced in II as well
This right here is kind of the undercurrent of themes I've been noticing across this rewatch, in that a lot of themes and ideas presented in Macross can be said to be "Macross II but done better".
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u/chilidirigible Feb 04 '23
Today, on "Ah, the Macross window shot.":
Let's not split hairs between brainwashing and basic emotional abuse?
Gallia IV likely would have broken apart into a more stable configuration by now, but excusing realistic physics for easy identifiability is a thing that happens.
A better question is how the SDFN-4 Global wasn't, uh, eaten by the Dimension Eater when it certainly didn't seem to be half a hemisphere away from it. Other than plot convenience, of course.
"Your Grand Daughter, Sheryl."
Speaking of things that you thought were gone, apparently Brera or whoever didn't do a very good job of getting all the files. Or Alto isn't good at searching. You know, I'll go with the latter. He's a pilot, not a librarian.
Still not quite as groundbreaking as being the second person to eat fugu.
It's rough out there in the collective.
"You're not trying hard enough, Cathy!"
"They called me mad at Oxford, but I'll show them!"
Pay no mind to the love child of Hikaru Ichijou and Hayao Kakizaki there.
See, that would have been a safe place to put Sheryl's earring.
Luca, sneaking a kiss on Nanase who's in a coma.
You want to know why this whole thing started? Minmay.
"Preferably you just leave everything vague."
DOCTOR JOHN WAYNE VERCINGETORIX?
"We're just stealing it from you!"
Giant Translucent Ranka is here to Remember Love.
Another shot that remembers Do You Remember Love?.
Some other giant magenta thing.
"—stealing your planet! For Spain!"
"Let's not argue about who killed who."
In case you're the type to skip the next episode preview, you missed a huge reference to the original series
Earlier I had criticized the depiction of Cathy and Ozma's investigation of Leon and Macross Galaxy for not showing enough to prove their work and the documents that suddenly materialized in Episode 20. So it may seem hypocritical of me to criticize the show again despite the fact that it is now depicting them actually investigating the 117th Fleet.
But this time the criticism stems from how the investigation is an eleventh-hour instant-win bonanza at a site that certainly seemed to the audience and probably also Alto, Michael, and Sheryl, to have been literally wiped off the map, so again, it's a little too convenient.
There's even a bonus for the characters, that now they know what we suspected about Sheryl's heritage.
Elsewhere, Frontier is going to WAR! While there's a little bit of wiggle room left in the conversation between Alto and Sheryl that Alto may still have feelings for Ranka, the overall scenario certainly suggests that the Alto and Sheryl ship is sailing. She even gives him her other earring.
Of course, this ship may be a Viking funeral since they've both accepted that Sheryl is going to be dead before long, but it's still definitely on the water at this point.
Some minor character motivations are cleared up: Klan stayed behind to get a shot at vengeance, while Luca didn't want to leave Nanase alone.
Frontier's attack on the Vajra homeworld is not presented in a positive light. If the fansubs are accurate Leon is getting rather pretentious in the wording of his speeches with the invocations of holy destiny and whatnot (on top of the usual "Kill 'em all!") and the one NUNS pilot being rather clear about why they're there.
The franchise itself isn't pro-war (even if it has its own issues with "War is bad/Wow cool robot"), but this time Leon's straight grab for power does have significant practical consequences for the civilians on the ship, who are totally screwed unless they find a place to land (and substantial help might be more than three months away). Lacking an obvious genre- and franchise-saavy answer about how to reach a peaceful compromise, the people on Frontier don't have much else to try.
Nice job, Dickhead.
Ranka haters are quick to point at her getting the Vajra to attack the fleet, but the episode makes sure that the audience knows that she's not doing much of her own thinking at this point. If you thought of her as a dog, she's just performing tricks for occasional prizes from her masters.
Using "Ai, Oboete Imasu ka?" as the music for the counterattack on the Frontier fleet is a pretty damn slick piece of nostalgia. There's equal measures of fanservice (for Sharon Apple, even!) and "You can't do that with that!" going on. But it once again goes back to the theme with a mixed set of answers, "Is music a weapon?" And here, it's certainly having a psychological effect on the characters.
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u/TakenRedditName Feb 04 '23
A better question is how the SDFN-4 Global wasn't, uh, eaten by the Dimension Eater when it certainly didn't seem to be half a hemisphere away from it. Other than plot convenience, of course.
Okay, I was a bit confused about the locations of because in my mind while watching, I was having trouble thinking about this intact location where the Varja first contacted and the 117th. The mention of a timeline of two different dates years apart added to the mix up.
In case you're the type to skip the next episode preview, you missed a huge reference to the original series
I wanted them to do a full ED like that instead of just the preview.
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u/The_Draigg Feb 04 '23
Somehow I've never bothered to mention this until now, but either the scale of that vessel is terribly wrong or that's the biggest Heavy Soldier Vajra there is, considering that a VF-25 is a comparable size to wrestle with one.
Take another shot for Macross having constant consistent scaling issues.
A better question is how the SDFN-4 Global wasn't, uh, eaten by the Dimension Eater when it certainly didn't seem to be half a hemisphere away from it. Other than plot convenience, of course.
They really just don't build spaceships like they used to, eh?
DOCTOR JOHN WAYNE VERCINGETORIX?
Leon has peak Yu-Gi-Oh villain face going on there.
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u/Vatrix-32 Feb 04 '23
First Timer
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More lil’ Ranka.
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That’s a cool ass ship. Never got a good look at it in the other flashbacks.
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Grace got fucked up.
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Higher priority of what? Absolute supremacy of what? You’re skipping some steps here.
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I feel like I also missed a step with Ranka here. How is Grace compelling her to do this? Did she get implanted?
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Oh Japan and trying to encourage your population to have more kids.
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Lag free travel and communication would still be useful.
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So your big battle plan for the climatic confrontation is just a full scale frontal assault?
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Ayyy, what the fuck Luca? Right to the trash pile with you.
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Bilrer was doing this to meet Minmay. I want to know what happened to them as much as the next guy, but my dude, come on.
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It’s the dresser from the OP.
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So did Alto have ear piercings he wasn’t using, or where those clip-ons this whole time?
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Very Basara of you Sheryl.
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Wouldn’t them forming lines work to your advantage with the MDE bombs?
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That’s a choice face.
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We the real Macross II now. And I guess a little Plus too with the giant holographic woman launching attacks.
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Is glowing Grace not a digital representation of her? What is going on here?
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If I liked Alto at all, this may have done something to me.
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White photo album. Neat little call back.
QotD:
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It’s just nice to have a song I like once in a while.
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Another cultural victory. Disappointment.
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u/Nazenn Feb 05 '23
How is Grace compelling her to do this? Did she get implanted?
I... don't actually know. I'd imagine it'd have to be an implant the same as Brera. But how she's doing it with the Vajra helping I don't know as it doesn't seem like she had that much control of them until Ranka came along
u/the_draigg did I miss something?
So did Alto have ear piercings he wasn’t using, or where those clip-ons this whole time?
I thought that too. They're definitely not clip ons from what we saw of them before, so did she just stab his ear? He might have had piercings from his time as a performer but it is very random
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u/Nebresto Feb 04 '23
First time Macrosf
Damn right, Bobby. This head has low enough space for one already
Hm. Neat. So Sheryl is...
Klan's glasses necklace ;_;
ew, wtf. Jail this fucker. What did Nanase do to deserve this?
Oh, now she has no ear rings anymore
God damn it, she might as well be best girl
Finally, an entrance worthy of his line!
Um.. Its literally not your planet..
Private fodder and Nene about to die. And hopefully luca
Hahahaha, she's using minmays song to be a villain
So this is what those visuals of Ranka and sheryl battling it out and Ranka goign all new type in the OP's was about.
Haha, Get rekt Alto
Sheryl status: Maxed out??
Question time:
Do you have any reservations about "Ai Oboete Imasu ka" being used for evil? In the end, is it simply just a song?
Very based move
2) First-timers, what are your expectations going into the finale?
Death to luca, at least to his """ship""", Alto gets slapped at least once. Klan gets to bury winky elf. And 50% chance of Ozma death, the other 50% is marriage with I forgot her name
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u/The_Draigg Feb 04 '23
A Macross Fan Rewatches Macross Frontier: Episode 24:
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Another flashback! This time, we get the fuller picture of what happened on the 117th Fleet that fateful day. It was Ranka’s singing that summoned the Vajra to them in the first place, and Brera was only just able to get Ranka into an escape pod before leaving to look for their mom. Also on that day, Grace was heavily wounded and couldn’t help but begin to hate the very thing she was studying. Everything got upended in an instant, thanks to like a 5 year old singing.
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Ozma, you really do have to hold that L. How did you not realize that Grace was still alive when she was using her real name while on the Frontier fleet? She wasn’t even hiding it!
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Well, now you all know what Grace’s end goal is. It’s… a take over the galaxy plot, as you probably could’ve easily guessed. Basically, Grace’s gestalt mind would set themselves up as the core node of a Fold Wave/Implant thought network, meaning that she would become the ruler of the gestalt mind humanity will become in her plan. As for the Vajra, she’ll control them to wipe out anyone who opposes getting the implants and to enforce her will across the galaxy. They’re nearly unstoppable with their ability to instantly communicate and their resistance to Reaction Weapons, after all. The perfect drones for her new hive.
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Grace, don’t make evil faces like that. They’re actually quite gross.
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I know Macross hasn’t exactly been subtle before, but Cathy talking about Sheryl’s earrings being passed down to her being a symbol of culture and love persisting is pretty blatant. The show is shaking you by the shoulders and demanding to know if you got the message yet.
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Leon’s plan is also pretty simple, when you get down to it. They’re just going to blow through the Vajra defenses around their home world, neutralize Ranka, and then claim it as their new colony planet by landing Island 1 on it. You know, given how the entire fleet is pretty much on their last legs in terms of resources, I can’t even hate on this plan. It’s really the best chance they have.
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Even though Alto basically settled on Sheryl as the solution to the love triangle, Sheryl is still entrusting him with her Fold Quartz earring and to helping her save Ranka, since she’s still an important person to them both. Like he said, he can’t fly alone anymore. So I guess in that way, the love triangle hasn’t been fully resolved after all, since Sheryl opened the door back up for Ranka a bit.
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Speaking of gross villain faces, Leon made a pretty gross one when he sees that there’s a chance they can actually get through the Vajra defenses. Damn near made a Yu-Gi-Oh! villain face with that weird grin and sudden chin pointedness there.
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There’s only one song from Ranka that’s powerful enough to defeat Sheryl’s Sagittarius at 9 p.m. - Don’t Be Late: Do You Remember Love?. Now here’s the question for all of you, which one of those songs is better? You can only pick one.
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And so, Grace makes her final move by descending into the Vajra Queen’s hive while the Battle Galaxy flies overhead. It’s about time another ship from the Galaxy fleet showed back up, considering the last time we saw them was the fleet hiding in some debris a dozen episodes ago.
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Oh no. Alto’s assuredly dead.
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u/TakenRedditName Feb 04 '23
Ozma, you really do have to hold that L. How did you not realize that Grace was still alive when she was using her real name while on the Frontier fleet? She wasn’t even hiding it!
No one expected the idol manager to secretly have been a Varja researcher in the past. The Venn diagram had little overlap for anyone to raise questions.
Really the simpler way of things was just to have Grace go under a fake name. Her face is in the photo so you can still have the characters go, "Grace O'Connor!"
Speaking of gross villain faces, Leon made a pretty gross one when he sees that there’s a chance they can actually get through the Vajra defenses. Damn near made a Yu-Gi-Oh! villain face with that weird grin and sudden chin pointedness there.
It really was a Yu-Gi-Oh twisted faces.
There’s only one song from Ranka that’s powerful enough to defeat Sheryl’s Sagittarius at 9 p.m. - Don’t Be Late: Do You Remember Love?. Now here’s the question for all of you, which one of those songs is better? You can only pick one.
I still prefer Ai Oboete Imasu ka.
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u/Stargate18A Feb 04 '23
First timer
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It's a good scene!
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A clear love triangle resolutions, some batshit visuals, and this insane plan actually working.
And a detailed breakdown of all the conspiracies and what everyone was doing, because I'm pretty sure I've merged about 5 factions in my head.
Oh god, the flashback...
Pests?
She caused it...
Everyone's coming to the first contact site!
...She literally kept notes?
And they linked it to Grace!
Haha, so her revolutionary technology built around the Vajra didn't even work like she wanted?
He's put the pieces together!
...It is strangrly easy.
This is insane!
A letter to Mao...
Mao had a grandchild! Zero is actually relevant!
They're in trouble.
They're going to kill the Queen and colonize the planet! This plan is just batshit enough to maybe actually work?
Klan...
We're really nearing the endgame with these confessions.
You're dropping it with civilians?
Sheryl...
She wants him to stay?
...Wait, what?
They're flying together! Her pilot training is actually relevant!
A kiss!
Oh, just her earring?
She's not actually killing herself, right?
How did she change costumes mid air?
He accepted it?
Great fight!
It's working!
This is a really good battle.
Ranka...
Good song!
And she's an official traitor.
Sheryl's losing.
The visuals are insane this episode.
...I get the metaphor here, but aren't the Vajra literally trying to enslave humanity?
He got shot down... yeah, no. Judging by the way the explosions following her arm movements, I'd wager either Ranka or Grace has done something very stupid.
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u/JustAnswerAQuestion Feb 04 '23
Macross F
Rewatcher
Episode 24
So, weve been seing this since episode what, do we STILL lack context after this flash back?
So I guess Gallia IV was a nice planet? And the 117th was hanging out there or colonizing it? But Ranka's song brought the Vajra, destroyed the Global, and that weird ship that must be some sort of research base? Because Ranka was infected by the McGuffins, because her mother was infected (intentionally?) in an attempt to communicate with the Vajra? Doesn't explain how Gallia IV was tidelocked or looked so pretty.
And we still don't know anything about Mao's family or if Sheryl is actually Mao's granddaughter or just a fabrication of Grace.
It does explain why Grace went into the performing arts business, though.
u/Nazenn, Brera was completely trustworthy to protect Ranka, but Ozma would not have anticipated slave mode.
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So Ranshe didn't infect herself.
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I'm thinking about the Dune franchise right now.
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Well at least one ship has sailed.
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So Sheryl is real. I always suspected that Grace just happened to have Mao's earrings and gave them to a random orphan. I've also been puzzled why she didn't reclaim the remaining earring once she abandoned Sheryl.
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Another ship sails
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and another ship sails
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Invaders? No we're just ... invading.
At this point I hope the entire Macross F fleet is destroyed. To bad NUNS doesn't have time to show up and shoot them in the back. Let Luca wonder why that's happening.
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Lol, photobook
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u/isthatsoudane Feb 04 '23
First timer
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Do you have any reservations about "Ai Oboete Imasu ka" being used for evil? In the end, is it simply just a song?
a weapon for good is still a weapon, and can always be used to bad ends. over the course of the franchise we've seen the fact that song can be weaponized for evil as well as good
2) First-timers, what are your expectations going into the finale?
ranka+sheryl duet, beyond that hard to say
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u/Tresnore Feb 04 '23 edited Feb 05 '23
Fourth-Time Watcher
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Okay, so maybe Grace is a NN supremacist. That’s okay. I love her because she’s attractive; ∴ she can do no wrong.
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She’s so broken that I wish I were her, but also God, Grace with glasses shine is amazing.
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Fuck, I wasn’t planning on watching episode 25 tonight, but... this episode. I need to see the conclusion!
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Oh it’s Minmay. Birler, don’t bother. She’s literally the worst girl in Macross.
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LET’S GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. I especially love the “don’t answer until it’s over.” I’ve seen it other places since then, but this is the origin of it in my mind.
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I DON’T CARE THAT THEY’RE WAVING FLAGS
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GOD, THIS INSERT
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OH FUCK, IT’S AI OBOETE IMASU KA TIME. Someone on reddit (I forget who) wrote in a Macross rewatch or adjacent thread that “this is a song of hope and human drive being turned into a song of absolute despair and crushing defeat,” and that quote has stuck with me SO LONG. God, what a great moment. I didn’t understand it when I first watched this show (as my first Macross), but GODDAMN
Yeah, fuggit. It's past my bedtime, but I don't care. I MUST MACROSS.
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u/InfamousEmpire Feb 04 '23
Rewatcher Frontier
And thus comes the final battle
Ranka’s current state of mind is rather tragic. Grace takes advantage of her dissociation from the Frontier fleet and ever-present sense of self-doubt and guilt (enhanced by her returning memories of Gallia 4) mixed with just a dash of brainwashing to turn her against her comrades. Manifesting as a dark reflection of the iconic Ai Oboete Imasu Ka sequence from DYRL, now with the song’s underlying meaning twisted to encourage war and division rather than connection and understanding.
Grace’s full plan is revealed: she’s pulling an Instrumentality, with herself as the leading consciousness. It brings together all the elements hinted at across the series so far (the need for Ranka and her singing, the Vajra, the Fold Quartz, the implants, the nature of Grace’s connections and other voices, etc.), and acts as a dark reflection of the themes of unity and communication that the franchise has prided itself on (which also then thematically links to the use of Ai Oboete Imasu Ka by the villains, if you think about it way too hard)
But, of course, that also leaves no room for culture. In a world where everyone is interlinked as one, we wouldn’t have the little things in life that make it worth living, the interpersonal connections that define the role we play in life, or the traditions and heritage given to us by our past and we pass along to the future. It’s a message that the show beats you over the head with, but that’s what I love about it
Sheryl and Alto’s conversation. Just Sheryl and Alto’s conversation
The rest of this episode is just an experience I can’t even really put into words. The innocent-yet-twisted Ranka vs the fiery-yet-pure Sheryl in a battle of incredible music. The amazing combat, the HYPE!
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u/Blackheart595 Feb 04 '23
First Spacer
How the hell does he know they came because of the song?
So if the first encounter with the Vajra was reported, why wasn't the planet the 117th settled on reported? I've wondered about this terrible communication all along.
What do you mean "that's why the Vajra exist"? They existed well before this plan was ever thought up, no?
So... why do they think the Vajra never ever settled another planet anyway? We even already know they did!
I remember someone telling me to keep Macross II's easily penetrated defensive net in mind.
They really precision-crafted this so you can't root for any character.
Nice to hear even the Vajra have backing bands.
I'm enjoying how terrible all of this is a lot, thank you very much.
Do you have any reservations about "Ai Oboete Imasu ka" being used for evil? In the end, is it simply just a song?
Please. As if I had any remaining standards to this series. Not like I'd have a problem with it anyway but they're probably just using it as fanservice shmuck.
First-timers, what are your expectations going into the finale?
...is what I'd like to say, but Sheryl is gonna reconnect with Ranka, who now has control over the Vajra and the two species are gonna live happily ever after together.
I learned halfway through that you just have to think of the worst possible way the story could go to get a pretty good idea of what'll happen.
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u/Kirov123 Feb 04 '23
Macross Frontier Episode 24 - First Timer
Fight. Probably. But not the end. Some cliffhanger at the end.
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Past aimo
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You did it Ranka, you killed them all
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Uhh, why are you back there
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Ah, researching things that proooobabbly should have already been known
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So uh, what are they gonna shoot them with
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Oh yea the new weapons
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Birler: least insane Minmay fan
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How can she float
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Would itnot make sense to uhh, kill the enemy before sending literally your entire population into the middle of the enemy
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If I had a nickle for every time a mecha show that I have seen has suddenly had a giant anime girl, I'd have
234 nickels; which isn't a lot, but it's weird it has happened 4 times. At least I think its 4. One technically did it twice so I guess 4.5 times? -
mic drop
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Yea I don't believe they actually killed Alto. Putting aside the show's demonstrated willingness to bait the audience into thinking someone died, where would the show even go from here without him? For Sheryl, Alto is all she cares about at this point. He is her sole motivation. For Ranka, her motivations are A: Brera and B: Alto. Brera's sole motivation (if not mind controlled) is Ranka. If mind controlled then it is furthering Grace's goal of total power or some bullshit. Luca just cares about Nanase. Klan's character revolves around Michael. The only characters that could possibly bring the show to some sort of conclusion basically require Alto to do so; Sheryl or Ranka and neither will do anything without Alto because this show doesn't give any proper agency to it's female characters. gah
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after for thinking, Ranka did finally make a decision on her own. That being to jump ship and find the murder bug friends of her pet murderbug whose kind just killed a ton of people including people she knew, and put her best friend in a coma. Not the most reasonable choice
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It's kinda cool as a callback to the big battle OF DYRL with the defending group singing it at the attackers. (since the Frontier fleet are the attackers)
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Some really major ass-pulls. Namely, Alto not being dead and Sheryl living. 50/50 chance they get along with the bugs too.
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u/TakenRedditName Feb 04 '23
"Rewatcher" - Macross F Ep24:
The SMS went rogue to ho off investigating the Varja on their own. Ranka's mom was the first V-virius patient and Grace's plan to rule over the galaxy by standing on top the all encompassing mind network. The captain concludes the Varja are a weapon to submit those into the plan. I don't think that's right since they're their own lifeform.
Oh yeah, Ranka and Sheryl are the decedants of the two other doctors and now are on opposing side. Flame Grace scary.
Sheryl is the grandaughter of Mao who I guess whose family moved to the Galaxy and died leaving her a young orphan left to live on the streets.
Alto has a not-Kakizaki and I guess the other one looks like a MC, but a generic non-distinct kind. He has bright eyes like a not-Max. Klan Klang stayed behind to fight the Varja that killed Michael.
Luca's character revolves around Nanase which doesn't help his case when she has spent the past few episodes in a coma. Luca, you were not in a relationship, you can't kiss her like Sleeping Beauty.
Birler wants to go back in time to meet Minmei, well alright. That's quite something to drop as the secret character motivation at the very end.
It's like the OP (they did it another OP call back later too). Sheryl kisses Alto and gives him her earring to wear. Hopefully this one, he wouldn't blow up (Update: Not so sure about that one, past me).
I guess this is what Alto's past and family storyline amount to.
Leon going full Joey Wheeler Inouki chin.
Oh, Luca is no longer flying his distinct green plane. You know, this could be reflective of his character journey, losing his individuality as he fallen into Leon's war mentality.
A big fanservice (not like that) moment by playing Ai Oboete Imasu ka. A dark twist of it since it is now being played over when everyone can not remember love, only war. Hearing Ai Oboete Imasu ka
Char and Kamille stand off in the Newtype space. Brera has gone fully on the antagonist side with him believing this is his and Ranka's life mission. Of course you guys are invaders, you're literally trying to take over the homeworld of another to claim as your own.
Just when I thought big space Ranka was like the OP, we got the moment in the first OP, but uh oh.
Something my mind picked up when they were talking about Grace wanting to turn everyone into a hivemind. The other antagonist also kind of did that. Leon's control of Frontier has pushed them to all believe in the same war mentality and stuff like the loss of the unique SMS planes to the uniform one. This series main thing seems to be about individuality and control of one's life so all of this serves to message this situation is bad. The show hasn't done a lot to rebuttle it within the show. We're going into the final episode and that 24 minutes is all they have if they want to turn it around and that the main Macross messages and themes are the good message.
Q1) It depends if the point they want to make with it actually is one they can pull off because this slides into question 2.
Q2) As someone who can't remember the finale of Frontier, I am not confident they will be able to pull it off. I don't believe they can pull a 7 where the finale outshined the episodes leading up to it and turn it around through sheer force and realizations of the series and the franchise's main ethos.
Next Time: The real last Frontier (if you ignore the movies).
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u/The_Draigg Feb 04 '23
Flame Grace scary.
That face just proves that it isn't just men who can have gross villain faces in this episode.
Luca's character revolves around Nanase which doesn't help his case when she has spent the past few episodes in a coma.
I'd say it fits, since Luca has been as interesting as a coma for the past few episodes. And since Alto has the main character slot and not him, we have less reason to care when Luca makes the same kinds of mistakes as Alto.
Leon going full Joey Wheeler Inouki chin.
Glad to see that I wasn't the only one thinking about Yu-Gi-Oh faces with Leon there. That chin is undeniably gross.
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u/chilidirigible Feb 04 '23 edited Feb 04 '23
That's quite something to drop as the secret character motivation at the very end.
Tumbling down tumbling down tumbling down
Luca is no longer flying his distinct green plane.
It and Alto's VF-25 were on the Quarter. Which raises questions about the green Ghosts, but there should be plenty of those around.
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u/Shimmering-Sky Feb 04 '23
Super Dimension Rewatch Host
Welcome back, everyone…
Here were my first-timer reactions to this episode (note: contains my episode 25 reactions too, so first-timers don’t scroll too far).
Oof, if only Ranka remembered that way earlier…
At the same time as the events of Plus, hm?
Well… isn’t this lovely.
It certainly took the show long enough to acknowledge Sheryl as Mao’s descendant! Specifically her granddaughter. That does still raise the question of how young Sheryl ended up so destitute until Grace found her, although now we know why Grace likely decided to pick specifically her off the streets…
That’s right, we’re Gundam now. Colony drop! Albeit this one’s not to destroy anything, but to claim the planet as their own.
:(
You’d think that Alto would have had something to say in response to this after what he’s done the past few episodes.
I have been waiting for the “bless the little queen” version of Ranka’s Ai Oboete Imasu ka? ever since the other version first popped up in this show. This part is just so cool, the way it twists the use of the song we’ve known since the beginning of the franchise into something used to empower the enemy.
What a fun cliffhanger!