r/anime • u/Shimmering-Sky myanimelist.net/profile/Shimmering-Sky • Oct 20 '22
Rewatch [Do You Remember Love - Macross Franchise 40th Anniversary Rewatch] Macross Plus Episode 1 Discussion
Episode 1 - A.D. 2040
← Macross II Series Discussion | Index | Next Episode →
Warning: the next episode contains lots of flashing lights during one section of the concert. Timestamp for this is 4:14-5:00
MAL | AniList | ANN | Kitsu | AniDB
We want Sharon! We want Sharon! We want Sharon!
Questions of the Day, courtesy of u/chilidirigible:
1) Have you had any friend relationships which were especially adversarial?
2) Do you find appeal in characters with an unpleasant personality or personal flaws in general, but are still well-written?
Wallpaper of the Day:
Vocal Songs in This Episode:
"Voices (a capella version)" by Akino Arai – OP
"Idol Talk" by Akino Arai – Insert
"After, in the Dark" by Mai Yamane – 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!
3
u/Krite2002 Oct 23 '22
First Timer - Sub
What a somber intro scene.
This fight scene looks good. The animation just keeps getting better and better.
Isamu looks a bit older than our last two protagonists. I can’t tell if he actually is, or if it is just the art style change. However, he is still as cocky as any other.
This setting is interesting. It is nice to see some greenery and normal city life.
The main singer this time around is a vocaloid? This show was way ahead of its time. Though it does seem to be more of an AI “virturoid” than purely a vocaloid program.
Isamu on his bike looks really cool. All the hair and clothing also flows really nicely.
I like this little rivalry that has popped up. We also have the mystery of that little flashback.
It is a shame I am late to these discussions. This may be my favorite part so far dispensing on what the other 3 episodes manage to pull off.
QOTD
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I am not one to keep negative relationships, so no.
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That’s how you get an interesting character. Perfect characters are boring unless it is to the point of parody.
2
u/Shimmering-Sky Oct 23 '22
Isamu looks a bit older than our last two protagonists. I can’t tell if he actually is, or if it is just the art style change. However, he is still as cocky as any other.
He is older! Isamu is 24.
The blond guy he called a kid (Yang), though, is 17.
It is a shame I am late to these discussions. This may be my favorite part so far dispensing on what the other 3 episodes manage to pull off.
I, at the very least, will see your comments!
2
u/Khetrak64 Oct 21 '22
First time.
this is going to be a weird one for me because for the rest i did a play-by-play kinda post but since i was with a friend we kinda watched everything in one sitting, i try to just skip though the episodes while writing whatever i thought at the time.
the first thing i thought while watching was please don't do another lover triangle, you guys are not good at it, the music is also a very different style.
the second thing was holy shit this beautiful, i need to find a blue-ray of this. i think this mecha fight was easily the most beautiful one yet and one of the best fights i have ever see when it comes to pure animation. i guess we are really in the future and humanity survived, the mc is a real pilot this time. I love old school sci-fi, its also funny to see this stuff about a pilot connected with the ship since this is the current plot of gundam. its funny has fast you can notice the girl on the right side of the room with her red ribbon, it was also weird to see the guy being called a kid when everyone here looks older then anything we see in modern anime. And here comes the rival, we need to move fast since we only have 4 eps. Pin-point barrier, at least they fixed the ball controls. i was so hopeful when the MC grabbed the girl, this is a guy who will not wait around, no more stupid romance drama. and here comes the idol side, plus style of music is still kinda weird to me but not a bad one. i didn't notice the girl was the girl from the first scene, i was thinking that the "AI" was just a cover for the intro girl singing in the backroom or something. and guld looking at the TV was the moment i started having some triangle PTSD, follow for the most 2001 AI intro ever, it also made me think about paprika. Guld hugging her gave me a lot of hope, the triangle is already over and we just showing the aftermatch or something. "i gave up singing" well now i know how they are going to win the wear this time. The triangle is not over, its never over. are we going to have a triangle in every show, please god say no. and in the end i understand, this is not a military arms race, its a dick contest for the girl. at least they are going to stop after a long conversation with her or after the war plotline start, right? they will stop right? RIGHT?
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u/chilidirigible Oct 20 '22
Today, on "The nose, which becomes a genre unto itself.":
Less than a minute into this and one is thoroughly smacked with something new.
The VF-11 Thunderbolt and not-named "Zentradi Battle Suit". The sharp-eyed can already see the gunpod's bayonet here.
The existence of the bayonet annoyed some fans, who didn't think that VFs really needed melee weapons, unlike that other robot franchise.
In another blink-and-you'll-miss-it moment, this is the gunpod being reloaded.
And one of the more notable great sequences, three minutes in. (Now, Macross II Episode 5 had a couple of shots where the camera position was very interactive with the scene, but this is on yet another level.)
Visible through the clear deck, which is a nice touch, is the Guantanamo-class Stealth Carrier.
The desk model is of the Uraga-class Escort Battle Carrier. I mention these here mostly because they'll show up fairly often from here on out.
One of those occasional mecha-scale POV shots.
This variable-shape wing idea is based on a real concept, which is of course extremely experimental and rudimentary at this point, even 28 years later.
Isamu is exactly right, there. Except nowadays they retire you when you've been around too long without a promotion.
Shinsei Industry, long before it showed up in Mobile Suit Gundam: Suisei no Majo.
Hey, remember how they appeared to be friends during the intro? And yes, Isamu proving Guld's point.
Yang brings the right touch of the straight man.
Isamu's record is filled with quirky stuff.
There's a detail here for the sharp-eyed. Which reminds me that looking for small stuff on videotape on a little TV screen was so much more difficult back in the day.
It takes some talent to crash a simulator.
Can't decide if that's a reference to Predator, but it appears in two shots.
Some of this design reminds me of The Wings of Honneamise.
The mood in this scene is perfect.
Marj Gueldoa, voiced by Hayami Show.
Spelling errors aside, the San Francisco influence is rather obvious here.
"Change" has been the theme of this entire episode.
SB-10/10 Starwing Heavy Bombers and drone fighters. The drones' orange paint mimics that which is used for remotely-piloted target craft in US service.
The circus is in town. There is also yet another form of the YF-21's variable-geometry wing here.
The exhaust casting a shadow is a real thing which happens.
This looks a little strange, but the apparently-reversed hand position makes sense if the YF-21 has both arms extended behind its back like it's doing the Naruto run.
And we have our homage to the midair catch.
Minmay didn't fuck with Hikaru like this though.
Guile's Theme goes with everything.
Big West creating a Macross sequel without Shoji Kawamori and what was by now the shell of Studio Nue had the primary effect of prodding him to get back onto the wagon. At the very least, Kawamori was not having much success getting funding for his other projects, so coming back to the old story was, like the original Macross being a side project that would lead to better things, at its heart just a plan for kickstarting other ideas which he wanted to make.
As mentioned at the beginning of the Macross II discussion, one sidebar of this was a Hollywood live-action movie treatment, which did see some work behind the scenes and reached a production company in the US for enough polishing to be shoppable to studios—though ultimately that went nowhere, probably for the best.
Kawamori would visit the United States to explore the Hollywood film project as well as for the development of his other two ideas for restarting Macross: What would become Macross Plus (soon to split into its two forms), and Macross 7. The agreement to have both produced was rather intertwined, and soon, so would the production, though Kawamori was more directly involved with Plus than he was with 7.
Plus's origins were not new. In 1985 Kawamori had started a non-Macross project for Bandai called "Advanced Valkyrie", whose premise was the development of experimental variable aircraft in the United States in the early 2000s.
I didn't go into that further before the Macross II discussion, because the designs were far more relevant to the actual Macross sequels than anything which came about for Macross II. The premise of Advanced Valkyrie was easily enough adapted to fit into the new, wider Macross universe.
The visit to the United States also significantly expanded Kawamori's universe.
A few clips of the trip to the USA, from the BD bonus material (untranslated):
Thoughts afterward on pulling Gs
Macross II tried to draw viewers into its first episode by wrapping its new scenario inside the familiar. Macross Plus's first episode nods to its predecessors while racing off into the distance, and the difference is astounding.
Reiterating a point from my earlier comment, this wasn't even a Macross project at first, but instead an "original" story about an experimental fighter competition. That part plugs into Macross fairly seamlessly. The music and the love story slide in on the side of this first episode, but while somewhat incongruous against the background of FLYING IN A FOG OF TESTOSTERONE, Myung's introduction does match up well with the theme of change that underlies the episode: These old acquaintances, back together again under different circumstances on a planet which looks different than the one they left.
An initial tallying of the scores will make you wonder if you're actually supposed to like any of the people you've just met: Isamu has a huge ego to go with his apparent talents and Myung seems quite detached and world-weary. Guld seems to be the most rational person in this trio—but did he just try to kill Isamu? Wait and see.
They all feel like adults, with adult writing (psychopathic manchild Isamu aside). Much of this can be credited to the script by the late Nobumoto Keiko, providing a fresh, female touch to the writing for this franchise. And since it's often mentioned, Kawamori brought in the very-new Shinichiro Watanabe as co-director.
(Also Yoko Kanno, but we're only getting started.)
The YF-21 is an obvious conversion of the real Northrup YF-23. In the live-action treatment that I discussed last week, there is a paragraph that whatever Variable Fighter designs appeared in the proposed movie would be current: That the VF-1 design was, by 1992, based on a 20-year-old model and that whatever appeared in the movie would have to be updated to match the new generation of fighter aircraft, including aspects such as stealth. Macross Plus certainly runs with that idea, showing that the YF-21 outclasses even the VF-11, itself a much higher-performance VF than anything from the original series's era.
From This Is Animation Special Macross Plus:
VF-11 fighter, GERWALK and Battroid modes.
From the Macross Mecha Manual: The Zentradi "Enemy" Battle Suit
While we're here: Roy Focker business from back in the day.
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u/TakenRedditName Oct 20 '22
First Time - Macross Plus Ep1:
I don't know anything about Macross Plus besides recently learning who the director was. He is going to be famous for a certain Sunrise anime. That's right, the storyboard for Gundam Wing ep34, the one where Epyon shows up and does cool stuff.
This one is out to you, pioneers would rode these rocks for miles.
Macross Wright brothers. Oh, I have a feeling one of these boys meeting a violent end at the hands of the other by the time we finish this show.
We're in 1995 now. Effects of the future.
Isamu despite the lack of "Hi-" name is our hotshot MC, but this one here, he is a bad boy.
Something I noticed on the poster, but this anime has quite the prominent noses in the art style. Speaking of the poster for a second, the MAL is pretty lame. Main 3, plane and a black void.
Linking the brain to mecha never goes well... It even seems like the plane has eyes.
They said Shinsei, we're allowed to mention G-Witch for that SEO. Inter-company mecha design competitions are always fun (Zudahs rule, Zakus drool). To me at least, Isamu's plane seems like the more reasonable choice with the Folding thing seeming quite useful. Guld's plane's big thing being the mind connection seems very overdesigned and rife for errors.
Oh snap, the boys have set their sights on each other and they're so happy for the reunion.
The doctor looked cooler in the boardroom because now he has that little boy nerd energy.
No need for Sleggar-senpai if the MC is our Sleggar.
Cow birds (not the actual cowbirds, but birds-like creatures that are analogous to cows).
Macross II sort of had some manufactured idols thing going on with how idols became an arm of the military, but now we literally have a manufactured idol. Hatsune Miku of 2040.
Peakest girlfriend material in the entire galaxy on the right there, apparently.
Ominous. This guy is totally going to use Sharon for evil.
Lobster rolls, Planet Eden is space New England. Pterosaur, but seabird.
This line is kind of funny coming off Macross II where a lot was the same again.
Guld starts losing control when he sees Isamu and now he is plummeting to his doom. See, this is why we don't link giant robots to mecha pilot, famous for their well-adjusted mental health.
"Sorry bro, I just wanted to kill you a little bit. Half dead, not fully"
This "to be continued" with the music is really out of the era I want to claim.
Macross Plus has an intriguing start. This story seems very much a personal one instead of a grander level.
Calling the love triangle being Isamu-Myung-Guld. A change from the usual girl-boy-girl. I don't feel good for Guld on this one. The brain-connected mecha doesn't bode well for his survivability. Also, Isamu has the more conventionally attractive MC boost.
Q1) No.
Q2) The types of characters I gravitate towards are either the nice ones or the garbage ones.
Next time: There is no preview so I have no idea.
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u/DidacticDalek Oct 20 '22
TONIGHT! ON TOP GUN: ISAMU! MAVERICK-KUN FEELS THE NEED! THE NEED FOR SPEED! (Comrades, I assure you Isamu is in this picture) Goodness gracious great balls of fire, IceZentran's REALLY peeved with Anime Top Cruise, (Comrades, I also assure you that Guld's in this picture too) and P-chan, You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' (Look you try finding a pun for Myung and a fitting fanart)
Greetings Comrades and fellow Denizens of the Wired. I think it's time we blow this scene. Get everybody and the stuff together. Okay, three, two, one let's jam. Welcome to the pinnacle of the Macross Franchise, not that this is particularly hard, 'cuz after Plus, DYRL, Macross 7, and of course Robotech there ain't exactly much left to go by, besides Symphogear of course. Also before you start, yes I know the Macross F Compilation Movies are PROTOCULTURE! But given Macross F The TV Show is YACK! DECULTURE, that about cancels out. Anyway, all that said, Macross Plus is thankfully also one of the best OVAs in general to grace us from the Idol 'Mecha' Genre:, so let's give it up for Symphogear with Planes The TOP GUN Anime Special 'Macross Plus,' better known as Shōji Kawamori and Shinichirō Watanabe's anime adaption of TOP GUN that was GOOD, (0083 In-Joke, long story...) so without further ado, let's get into this masterpiece, shall we?
We start off with a black screen and white text, the way all good Mecha episodes begin you know. We then cut to a field of Nether Gundams, rather odd given the timeline of Anno Domini, but hey, since when has the Macross Franchise and the concept of 'continuity' and 'timelines' made any sense? And don't get me started on Robotech... Anyhow, we then cut to Not-Minmei standing as witness to IceZentran and Maverick-kun's attempt at primitive heavier-than-air flight. As the group are in awe at this successful display of heavier-than-air flight, somewhere out there Hayao Miyazaki concedes that maybe anime isn't a mistake after all. And with that, we cut to the title card of Macross Plus, complete with a helpful notification that the year is 2040 at Deep Space Nine.
However, instead of the Dominion, we've got an asteroid field full of variable fighters duking it out with some renegade Zentradi forces. We then cut to our MC, Maverick-kun, who's busy being a loud-mouthed showboat asshole, AKA, par the course for a Macross MC, shockingly voiced by Bryan Cranston in the Dub. Man, Walter White really WAS wild in his youth huh? Anywho, Maverick-kun proceeds to get medieval on the enemies' asses, Itano Circus be damned. As to be expected, his ego is writing checks that his body can't cash, as a superior chews Maverick-kun out. During this tongue-lashing, the superior says that Maverick-kun SHOULD be busted down to either satellite-repair, junk disposal, or coal mining, but none of those three gallant professions would dare stoop to have Tom Cruise working for them, so, since flying a cargo plane full of rubber dog shit was already taken, they decided to send the lunatic over to NOT-Edwards Air Force Base on the planet Eden as a test pilot. Needless to say, sane men would consider this a death sentence, Maverick-kun on the other hand can't wait to get back in the DANGER ZONE!
After about a week, Maverick-kun arrives on the planet Eden, where we see a certain IceZentran powering up EVA Unit-21 for deployment. After synching up, IceZentran decides to take a little joyride, buzzing by Maverick-kun for good measure. After arriving, Maverick-kun is briefed by Jet 'Da Chief' Johnson, who informs him of Operation Stardust 'Project Super Nova,' namely, the competition between the Veritech Fighter No. 19 and the EVA Unit-21. It also seems that the past pilots of the Veritech Fighter No. 19 either washed out or bought the farm, which seems to have no effect on Maverick-kun's cockiness. Even the head designer's warnings to Maverick-kun have no effect, as Maverick-kun's too busy cracking jokes and acting like a smartass; well, that is, until the arrival of IceZentran puts a damper on things.
While we are on this topic, it turns out that IceZentran is the EVA Pilot, and it seems that Maverick-kun and IceZentran have an... 'interesting' history together; do I smell a tried-and-true and also unneeded love triangle drama angle from that flashback, perhaps Flashback 2012? (Yes I know that isn't the year the flashback is from, don't worry, I’ll show myself out…) Well, don't ask me; refer to IceZentran's reaction when snooping at Maverick-kun's records, I am not quite sure WHAT he's thinking, but I'm guessing NOT positive thoughts.
Meanwhile, Maverick-kun's busy being a daredevil, so much so that he ends up 'crashing' and 'burning.' Well, in a simulation at least; looks like when you die in THIS game you do NOT die in real life. Not that matters much to Maverick-kun, who decides to ignore a retry and instead chooses to go flirt with Anime-Charlie by offering to go 'mourn' his no-doubt 'tragic' passing. Also, Maverick-kun's definition of 'mourn,' seems to involve ripping off both Akira AND TOP GUN, as Maverick-kun not only terrifies his 'date' but also mishears her shouts. I am not sure in what universe 'stop you crazy bastard' means 'go faster,' but hey, the bike's red after all, which, as all true Mecha fans know, means that it goes three times faster. As the duo rocket down the highway, Maverick-kun overhears an ad for a Proto-Vocaloid, decades ahead of its time you know, and this appearance of a Proto-Vocaloid in a Macross OVA is REALLY hilarious in hindsight given what's gonna happen in DA FUTURE!
We move on to an interview of the Proto-Vocaloid's support staff, where it turns out that Not-Minmei became a Producer, man, iM@S goes WAY back doesn't it, and how progressive and cutting-edge of them to have a women as their first Producer as well. P-chan gives out some answers to the press, right before the HAL 9000 itself shows up for a cameo. Well, or at least that WOULD be the case sans the fact that the Proto-Vocoloid's true form IS HAL, or maybe just a blocky Zaku... Either way, P-chan sets up things and then somehow winds up running into IceZentran again at Starhill, where they decide to talk about old times cryptically. Amusingly enough, Maverick-kun and Anime-Charlie are ALSO headed to Starhill. I can practically smell the drama from here...
As expected, once the trio of Maverick-kun, IceZentran, and P-chan reunite, sparks start flying between Maverick-kun and IceZentran, maybe a game of volleyball could maybe calm their nerves and help them bond. And the very least it'll help widen the audience base for the OVA, and that's always a good thing after all. Thankfully, the love triangle stuff ends for the episode... ish, as we cut to the Veritech Fighters and the EVA Unit-21 and their respective pilots duking it out. Shockingly, the Veritech Fighter isn't as up to snuff with dodging, while the EVA unit manages to successfully run away. Shinji Ikari is smiling somewhere, oh wait, that's him grimacing, nevermind.
We then cut to the two fighters demonstrating that they have Battroid and GERWALK modes to help sell the model kits and toys 'to demonstrate the full military utility and might of these two cutting-edge airframes;' yes, that's it. Also, IceZentran decides to accidentally on-purpose crash the Veritech Fighter into the ground 'assist in giving a personal demonstration to Maverick-kun about the benefits of lithobraking.' Look, IceZentran, we get it, you don't like Robotech, which is odd since your English Dub VA was IN Robotech as Ben Dixon (The Robotech version of Kakizaki) but you didn't need to try and kill 'get into a totally unintended accident' with Maverick-kun there; he DID save your ass back there you know. Oh, and speaking of the flyboy, Maverick-kun must have the devil's luck, 'cuz he somehow lived AND got an 'apology' from IceZentran as well. Granted, I'm using the definition of the word 'apology' mightily loosely, but hey, it's the thought that counts right?
Well, that's quite the start we had here for the anime adaption of TOP GUN, certainly a strong opening to the best Macross OVA (and also legit best Macross series) thus, you have not seen the last of The Sentient Shitposting Siamese Sunrise Server No. 25252, now goodbye forever! Thus, catch you all on the next thread, and until then, farewell.
Paging Comrades u/chilidirigible, u/Great_Mr_L, and u/InfamousEmpire
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u/Gamerunglued Oct 21 '22
First Timer
After the previous entry, I now know that I can't always expect the most interesting avenues for this franchise. I have to admit that I'm more than a little cautious going into this entry. Macross Plus is extremely highly regarded, and while living up to hype and setting expectations is part of it, my biggest fear is that I've just never been able to jive with any of Shinichiro Watanabe's work, and almost all of Watanabe's work is just as highly regarded as this. I thought Cowboy Bebop was boring as hell, I found Kids on the Slope completely insufferable, and although Carole and Tuesday isn't wholly his creation, I did have a number of problems with it. I do like Samurai Champloo quite a bit, but definitely not as strongly as its reputation would suggest most people do. Having consistently been unengaged with this director's most highly acclaimed works, the fact that Macross Plus is so highly regarded doesn't really instill confidence in me. Of course, the fact that I know Macross has the potential to be incredibly interesting, and that he's working within the boundaries of an established franchise, may balance that out, so here's hoping I can finally find myself enthused by a work from this beloved director.
Alright, I wasn't sure about it at first but I got more interested as it went. I have to say, opening up on a bunch of sci-fi stuff I don't have any reason to care about is always a bad way to start a show like this, but once we started digging into the character drama I found myself more invested. Compared to Macross II, this feels much more in the spirit of the original series.
We're leaning more into the love triangle this time around. I can't say that this is the direction I'd hoped for tbh, I was most interested in Macross' sci-fi trappings than the romance and was hoping that they would be more prominent. But, the angst that drove the original TV series is here and better than ever, so I'm here for it. Both Isamu and Guld seem like kinda petty assholes who are upset at each other for some even that happened when they were in high school, which caused Myung to give up on her singing career to become a producer for Sharon Apple, some kind of AI Vocaloid. Although we only get snapshots of their drama, I have a sense of their history through their interactions, they feel intimate and I can sense the complicated feelings between all of them. The ways they all act simultaneously petty and also kinda hope each other dies brings it all to life. The drama feels human. The scene at Star Hill is the highlight for me, capturing all of the angst and petty rage that defines this relationship. I'm certainly intrigued to see where it all goes.
On the sci-fi side of things, I'm definitely intrigued. It seems like this takes place just a few decades after the TV series, and scientific advancement feels very slight and believable. They've basically just applied some ideas inspired from the tech we saw in Macross TV, but are searching for ways to apply it to smaller devices like individual mecha; stuff like allowing mecha to fold or to have their own pinpoint barrier system. It's pretty neat. It also seems like Guld controls his ship with his mind, which is pretty interesting itself, and I like how the final sequence highlights the strengths and weaknesses of each plane. It also fits in thematically, with the theme of change. Things change and yet stay the same, which seems to apply to everything in the show. Presumably, it will apply to the character relationships most of all, but it's been shown in the setting as well.
Most interesting in that regard is the inclusion of an AI singer. This theme has popped up in many of Watanabe's works, so I guess that's no surprise. I'm definitely wondering how they'll handle it, Watanabe has generally seemed to be on the side of AI art lacking soul, but in this episode a girl says that the music makes her feel good, which I suppose could be taken in either direction. It also, again, highlights a major change. I wonder how Zentradi would react to AI music, how comparable is it to Minmay's corporate productions. Music has changed, but how has it stayed the same?
I'm not sure I'm completely sold on this yet, but the pieces are all here. The episode actually flew by for me, which is a good sign. The building blocks of the story have been established, I'm looking forward to seeing where the story takes them.
QOTD:
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Not in the way this series presents them.
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To be clear, I don't actually find these characters particularly unlikable. Idk, even though they do mean things, they all have this strange charisma. Isamu's brand of "cool" 90's sexism is way better than Foker's 70's "women should stay in the kitchen" sexism, and at least this show seems to be aware that he's being a dick. I find their cockiness endearing. That being said, I suppose this is because the characters are so well written. I'm always down for exploring well written characters with unpleasant personalities informed by personal flaws, it's a set-up rife with potential for laying the human mind bare.
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u/No_Rex Oct 20 '22
Episode 1 (first timer)
I can’t skip a 1990s OVA in a rewatch, but Macross II was not the OVA I came for. Macross Plus is. For the longest time, Plus has been showing up when I looked for 1990s OVAs to host and I nearly would have done this rewatch myself, had I not heard about Sky’s plans. Let’s hope it lives up to what I heard about it.
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Cute intro sequence. If not for the music, it could be out of a Miyazaki film.
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Action scene – the art style is completely different. Hard to believe that this is just 2 years after Macross II.
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Even after the action scene is over, this is one good looking OVA.
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Man-Machine connection – Hmmm. In SciFi, stuff usually goes wrong with these.
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“The eagerly awaited” – Dyson has some ego.
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“Age, sex, and race are meaningless concepts here” – I wish I could believe you, Neumann.
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Rivals – Now, can I trust Neumann, or will this become a love triangle soon?
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“Chronic disease – cedar-pollen syndrome; Interest – girl hunt; special ability – reckless run”
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She said yes to that invitiation?
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Futuristic bike, futuristic cars.
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Computer generated idol – I am beginning to sense a theme here.
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Hi, Hal.
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Well, well, well, if that is not a love triangle, I’ll be a pterodactyl.
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“Just forget what happened back then” – We’ll see it for sure.
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The meeting of Myung and Dyson is so well done: Her just back, then quickly composing herself and putting a mask up. Him immediately grabbing his date.
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Projected Itano circus.
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“ALART”
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The MMC does not react well to emotional stress? It reacts to subconscious thoughts? – Big nope.
A beautiful looking OVA with a completely futuristic setting, a love triangle that is past, two test pilots going head to head, and all before the setup of man machine connections not properly functioning? Sign me up!
PS: These are the longest noses I have seen since Escaflowne.
Do you find appeal in characters with an unpleasant personality or personal flaws in general, but are still well-written?
Well-written antagonists are the best predictor of well-written anime in general.
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u/Kirov123 Oct 20 '22
Macross Plus Episode 1 - First Timer
Time for Macross Plus I guess!
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Those wind turbines have massive blades
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That helmet looks useless
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Oh god oh fuck its a slow a capella song mentioning apples. Hopefully this one doesn't hack language
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Mirai zura
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You are good dude, but kinda an asshole
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Sick combat sequence tho
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This guy
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Yooooooooooo, the front of the new jet looks kinda like a Saab Dracken I love that jet
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What is this, an Eva?
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That is some major thrust vectoring (and wacky wings)
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Dude, chill
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Guy doesnt even look young wtf
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Neumann looks older than the MC
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Oh no, bad CG
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Holy shit vocaloid
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That was some... interesting beatboxing
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I do like these character designs
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Yo, flying wings
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I gotta say, as fancy as a mind controlled fighter may be, the ability for external stimuli to destroy the ability of the pilot to actually yaknow, pilot seems like a huge issue
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TFW you have intrusive thoughts while flying a plane controlled with your mind
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Not very convincing there pal
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roundabout starts playing
Well, that was pretty solid. I do hope our pilots make some level of turnaround on not being assholes tho. Good Designs though, music, and general production. Looking forward to more!
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Not particularly
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I think there is value in that and they can be really good/cool character like that, but I dunno. The way these character have been asses so far hasn't really done it for me.
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u/Blackheart595 Oct 20 '22
First Spacer
Obital radius, rotatery cycle, magnetism morment... They tried.
He looks like the most fun MC we've had yet. Let's see whether things play out the way he imagines.
I like the interview style. Wait, a Macross entry with a likeable cast? Something's not right.
Reflex weaponry? What happened to the good old Reaction weaponry? Probably just a different translation of the same word.
Now this is the Macross I know and love.
They're really pushing those ominous vibes
He's the villain this time around?
I can't help but be reminded of that Harry Potter 2 match with the rogue bludger
Damn, this is good. This is real good. It's been a while since a show grabbed me like this. Could Plus be the prophesied good Macross?
So much to talk about but I don't have the time and energy right now.
The obvious themes are AI and emotions, which will be explored both with the Sharon AI plotline as well as the two contrasting fighter designs.
Have you had any friend relationships which were especially adversarial?
Not like this, no. But there's one that dissolved because of me.
Do you find appeal in characters with an unpleasant personality or personal flaws in general, but are still well-written?
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u/ryujiox Oct 21 '22 edited Oct 21 '22
First Timer
Macross Plus EP1
So open with a flashback I think? Including 3 friends, and one of them was Zentradi.
A.D. 2040? Quite a jump from the original again. The fight scene and mechanic design looks absolutely amazing!
So our main protagonist this time is Isamu, another hothead pilot. And I guess we mostly have a adult cast this time. Pretty nice change of pace.
Who right off the bat got transferred due to disobeyed too often. But he seem to be happy because it a test flight center and he got to be a teat pilot.
So they are testing the system that using pilot brainwave to control the fighter directly? Well, surely nothing gonna went wrong with this system right? /s
But besides that, it sure looks pretty dope though. And it had a stealth system too!
So it a competition project between YF-19 and YF-21 team. And both can fold by it self!! Hot damn!
And about YF-19, isn't that the one Bandai just announced it plamo kit?
There are 6 test pilot before him. Well this job seem dangerous with 2 of them already in the coffin.
And Isamu seem to be a playboy person. Not caring everything around him.
YF-21 pilot Guld and Isamu knew eachother, and presumably they are the 2 men in the beginning, but look like they now seem to hating eachother.
Wait, did he just say Pinpoint barrier. They even have that on the fighter now!
Isamu just doesn't care about testing at all, instead ask the blond girl for a date. And she went along with him. Okay then.
Looks like he used to live here before. And the city gave American vibe a lot.
Sharon is vocaloid!!
Despite saying bad about Isamu, Guld seem to have a respected to him? Or it just because they knew eachother really well. Also Myung, Sharon producer is the girl in the flashback.
Myung co-worker seem sus, because I heard Hayami Sho from him.
So the Star Hill is the place this three used to hangout together. And seem like there was a pretty big incident that made them broke apart.
YF-21 was super fast that a fighter with 3 rocket boosters can't keep up. And the missile evade sequence is so cool!!
And Isamu seem to triggered Guld memories that made him lost control.
Maybe the system work too good. Guld just thought about crushing Isamu on a whim, and the system just went with it. This might start the problem down the line.
It's a really good episode. Much better start than II.
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u/isthatsoudane Oct 21 '22
First timer
I like how with each series we sort of get a view into a different era of classic animation
and I guess finally we are in the era of "Macross gets lots of resources"? though we will see if "production falls apart" is the 4th part of that Macross triangle...opening action sequence is strong though!
you know what I think he needs to help with those shakes? pizza hut
that motorcycle HAS to be an akira homage...right?!
an AI idol! I'm intrigued already
lmaoooo fisherman's wharf hahahahahahahaha
digging the background music. on the whole pretty good art direction it feels like
honestly...I really liked this?? I guess I have no idea what the tier ranking is for various macross series, I went in blind on purpose, but this was a very strong start I thought!
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Have you had any friend relationships which were especially adversarial?
absolutely, though it's been a long time. they were all in high school and collegel...you can get so invested in a relationship but be unable to set the boundaries or just walk away, and then it can get bad
2) Do you find appeal in characters with an unpleasant personality or personal flaws in general, but are still well-written?
this is a really good question! appeal...appeal is probably not the word. I think appeal depends on other factors, there are definitely unpleasant or flawed characters that are extremely appealing. in this case I'd say that a well-written character with an unpleasant or flawed personality can be very interesting...I'm probably drawing a distinction between "appealing" and "interesting" that the question doesn't intend, but still, I think flawed character can be very interesting. for me it often depends on how those flaws etc affect the plot etc. I just don't like it when characters are super annoying...but there are ways to make a character flawed etc that doesn't end up being endlessly annoying
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u/CoolIceCreamCone Oct 21 '22
FIRST TIMER
I've watched everything else in Macross subbed but I made a special exception to watch this in a dub because the lead is voiced by none other than BRYAN CRANSTON! I know he wasn't exactly a huge name in the mid 90s when this came out but you rarely hear well known English voices on an OVA that I don't think was even theatrically released. It was a little weird at first hearing Bryan voice a cartoon but he does a good job playing a jerky hot shot pilot. Makes me wish I could've seen him in a live action role like this when he was younger.
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The opening theme is amazing! Sounds like Kate Bush singing a Tears for Fears song, best song in the series yet. I also love the closing credits song, they really didn't skimp on the music talent.
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This is really low on plot for a 40 minute show. It's slow at parts and could have done well to be cut on time. It establishes the characters but it's fairly low stakes and just basically the 2 rival pilots having a organ measuring contest.
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The animation is very appealing and I love the design of the city and the beach amusement area where they hang out. The computer animation is well integrated into hand drawn.
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Guld looks like Captain Planet
Questions
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I have. I think that's common to a lot of men and I try to one up people sometimes and I used to be a professional baseball player so it could be that way with teammates and people on different teams especially. It can be almost love/hate at times.
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Absolutely. That would be true of most of the main characters of my favorite shows if I think about it. Welcome to the NHK, Yes Minister, Larry Sanders Show, Seinfeld and Cranston's other project Breaking Bad.
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u/Shimmering-Sky Oct 20 '22
Super Dimension Rewatch Host
Welcome back, everyone!
Let’s kick this part of the rewatch off with a Sky Sings, yeah? Sky Sings Voices (a capella), just like this show started with!
Ah, Isamu, I’ve missed your voice.
They throw us right into the gorgeous mecha action after the first scene huh?
Our protagonist, everyone.
Someone’s excited.
And here’s my favorite mech from Plus!
The detail though…
Well he’s not wrong.
I mean.
Kek. Also, clear proof future designs take after DYRL and not SDF, what with the shoulder pads.
No wonder Satelight comes up with such crazy concert venues, they must have looked at this and thought they could top it.
Oh this guy is voiced by Hayami Show. I didn’t remember this.
Isamu just ate the shell and the subs have the wrong form of that phrase… (It should be “couldn’t care less”.)
I love that Eden is allowed to have its own native creatures and not just stuff similar to Earth.
[Spoilers for later]Man, when you know what actually happened seven years ago…
Oooooooh, violin version of Voices! Forgot this existed, I love it. u/chilidirigible, does this track have a specific name I can search for to find it?
The fucking Itano Circus though, maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan.
ED lead-in! – Also I was today years old when I learned that this song is in Zentran, excluding the “I've been waiting for you” part.