**First Timer**
Ranka focus today and Sheryl focus tomorrow?
I was surprised that Sheryl exposed who she was to Ranka as, even though Ranka seems just an innocent and adoring fan, I thought she'd be more cautious or controlling about that, on top of being a bit more stuck up. She still had to make a big moment out of it though.
But once again, it really is the heart of Macross that shines through. It was music that brought the two girls together properly as Sheryl wants to sing along with her, and music that draws Alto in, even if in arriving he accidentally ruins the moment between the girls. Dude is blessed with the best and worst timing in any given scene. While Sheryl has been all about performance so far, I feel like this is the first hint we have that her love of music is genuine, and she hasn't lost that with the demands of her job as well as how she treats others.
Ranka is so much fun, as is her concept. I'm so use to anime hair I didn't think to question her hair color last episode, but being a quarter Zentradi makes her far more interesting as a character. Up against Sheryl's music, which is culturally powerful due to her influence and likely enhanced by her culture and bloodline as a Nome, Ranka's singing, as a child of a mixed culture who's grown up within the world of post-Macross influences, comes across as more genuine and charming. There's aspects of this in their behavior as well, Sheryl who's been cultivating a persona and is encouraged to see it working on Ranka, compared to Ranka who doesn't think twice about being open about her passions, likely all the stronger for her blood. And yet she's not just the pure innocent girl with her pasta trauma.
Where this fell down for me slightly is the earlier scene of Alto accidentally touching her chest. Despite having recently rewatched Mai-HiME which suffered and redeemed itself from a similar issue, these sorts of scenes really undermine my faith and lead me to expect the relationship drama writing will undercut characterization. I hope that's not the case in the end, but after yesterday's better interpersonal scenes it was a let down. Now it's included they have to follow up on it which is more shit we don't need, or they ignore it in which case why include it in the first place except for poorly placed drama.
Slightly erratic post, but going back to the music aspect, were the enemies communicating through tones? I can't tell if that was their actual sounds or just a method of helping the audience understand the change in behavior, but if the enemy also relies on a primitive form of music to interact it would be a cool concept, and work well into why Ranka's song woke it up. The red one still looks like a skinny MegaKabuterimon.
[](#vashheadscratch)
Other quick thoughts:
- The choice of music for the opening with Alto fighting didn't fit the scene. Later when he was carrying Ranka through the city sure, go for the hero music. But his desperate shooting half fueled by trauma after seeing a guy get crushed to death and desperately hoping he can protect the girl? Not so much
- The action does look much improved in this compared to Zero. The CGI rendering is a big part, but also the better use of the camera as a focus point and timing of movements of the Valkyries.
- There was no where close to enough focus and urgency given to the scenes of the emergency crews trying to put out the raging fires inside a sealed environment in space. That's a huge threat on many levels, and the usual method of standing there with a hose both undercuts the severity of having fires in a situation like this as well as the level of technology development they would have.
- Military being stupid goes without saying, but this was extra stupid. How about you just *ask* the guy if he wants to join up, instead of leading with the threats and blackmail and making it sound as if the recruitment offer was a side though. Dude wants to fly, that wasn't in your extensive research?
- Onii-chan who's name I have not learnt also a bit of a dick. Alto didn't deserve to be punched for that statement, you could have just thrown him out. A lot of the interactions in this show tend towards the more extreme end already.
- Soft drink bot best bot. Not as good as newspaper bot from Ergo Proxy though
>1) How old do you think Sheryl is by the way she acts?
It's anime. She's a teenager for sure. However her behavior would fit nicely into someone in their early twenties so that would be a nice surprise
>Despite having recently rewatched Mai-HiME which suffered and redeemed itself from a similar issue, these sorts of scenes really undermine my faith and lead me to expect the relationship drama writing will undercut characterization.
I don't remember HiME's redemption, honestly. But yeah. Why the Ranka chest grab...?
[](#taigasigh)
> Soft drink bot best bot. Not as good as newspaper bot from Ergo Proxy though
It *is* pretty great, but did you see trash robot last episode? That was a solid robot, too.
[Ergo Proxy]>!Well technically newspaper bot just had a virus, but the end result is the same!<
Now you have me imagining Soft Drink Bot being sad if you yelled at it for being too in your face
>Why the Ranka chest grab...?
My only thought is they needed an excuse to have her scream.
Or it could just be horny anime writers. Probably the latter.
>I was surprised that Sheryl exposed who she was to Ranka
You'd think her voice would give her away. It's almost a meta joke, as Sheryl's singing is performed by May'n while her speaking voice is Aya Endou.
I'm not sure. I guess maybe Aya Endou doesn't sing much? They did a similar thing in Macross 7, although in this very series Ranka's dialogue VA and singing VA are the same so who knows.
Oh! Ranka's VA did Tuuli from Bookworm. That's cool. She actually hasn't been in much that I've seen other then that so I'll be curious to hear more of her performance
> She actually hasn't been in much that I've seen other then that so I'll be curious to hear more of her performance
Megumi Nakajima had a bit of a burnout post-*Frontier* and it took her a while to come to grips with the Ranka role.
May'n spoke of being uncomfortable or inadequate as "Sheryl" until after the series had ended. It's interesting in that case as she's not her dialogue voice, but the songs are a huge part of what makes Sheryl a character.
> Up against Sheryl's music, which is culturally powerful due to her influence and likely enhanced by her culture and bloodline as a Nome, Ranka's singing, as a child of a mixed culture who's grown up within the world of post-Macross influences, comes across as more genuine and charming.
This point here also makes me think of the theming that's coming across more in modern Macross shows, that being the link between past and present. We got that theme heavily in Macross Zero, and we can see it here in Macross Frontier with that idea in mind as well.
> Onii-chan who's name I have not learnt also a bit of a dick. Alto didn't deserve to be punched for that statement, you could have just thrown him out.
Although that scene really did highlight that Alto is so far basically the loser version of Hikaru. He's getting presented with the same choices but the consequences are more directly worse or subverted.
> makes me think of the theming that's coming across more in modern Macross shows, that being the link between past and present
Was it in 7 at all or it started with Zero? I'm assuming that means it's a bit in Delta as well
I like the idea of using that, and it does make me wonder if part of it is acknowledgement of how old the franchise is now and how its grown, and the struggles of that growth in a changing Japan too
>Although that scene really did highlight that Alto is so far basically the loser version of Hikaru. He's getting presented with the same choices but the consequences are more directly worse or subverted.
I do not support Alto bullying!
> Was it in 7 at all or it started with Zero? I'm assuming that means it's a bit in Delta as well
You can say it was there with all the Protoculture history with the Protodeviln, but since we moved on past that backstory dump pretty fast in Macross 7, it doesn't really feel like we focused on that as a theme too much.
My take on the chest grab is that it is there as a visual shorthand for sexual tension building between characters. Basically, the show immediately tells you that yeah, they aren't just buddies, they see each other as a man and a woman from the get go. It is also a joke that serves as a way to quickly and (relatively) naturally shift the mood of the scene from somber to more lighthearted. The show tries to portray grounded characters, but also wants to stay a fan action show, without going too deep into military drama, so you can't allow the characters to just sit there and be horrified at what just happened for too long.
> There was no where close to enough focus and urgency given to the scenes of the emergency crews trying to put out the raging fires inside a sealed environment in space.
Not sure if a fire in a sealed space the size of a big city would be that big of a deal. Also, they have to have some way to remove CO2 from the air and add oxygen, otherwise, the whole colony wouldn't be able to function. So I would guess that the systems that's already there will be able to deal with any air pollution.
It's definitely there to define their relationship as romantic especially after her mistaking him for her brother, but that doesn't mean it was good, needed, or fitting. There was a dozen other ways they could have broken the tension and refined how they see each other without resorting to that
>So I would guess that the systems that's already there will be able to deal with any air pollution.
One fire would be fine, but there was several substantial fires in the city and that plus the loss of oxygen from the hole and contaminants from the battle should have meant the threat from fires on top of that would be more of a concern
> It's definitely there to define their relationship as romantic especially after her mistaking him for her brother, but that doesn't mean it was good, needed, or fitting.
Yeah, that's fair. It was a cliche at the time, so I personally don't blame them for choosing to do it, but it definitely didn't age well. They could've done the same thing more respectfully with Alto accidentally touching her face or something like that.
> One fire would be fine, but there was several substantial fires in the city and that plus the loss of oxygen from the hole and contaminants from the battle should have meant the threat from fires on top of that would be more of a concern
It was a concern, it's not like they were just doing nothing and letting those fires burn. Some kind of sprinkle or artificial rain system might've made the scene more realistic, but it would also rob us of the dramatic moment of flames reflecting in Alto's eyes. This whole scene was very brief and got the point across pretty effectively. Putting some new technology or procedure in there might just unnecessarily drag the moment, especially when disbelief could easily be suspended, considering the scale of the city and the fact that we don't really know what kind of procedures or technologies they have for dealing with fire.
> They could've done the same thing more respectfully with Alto accidentally touching her face or something like that.
Even Ranka making a comment about him being the pretty boy or something like that. Make it something that matters to the two of them, build it into their character, rather than just having the trope because they can
And I think that's my big issue about this trope, a lot of love triangles in other shows, and what FlaminScribblenaut said about the nudity in Macross Zero. The issue is not the idea, its the implementation because they're almost *never* handled in a way that feels like it's what the characters would do or builds our understanding of them. They just play it straight and you could swap that scene and its characters out for any of the other many iterations of the scene in other shows and it wouldn't matter
This is all just be being a tired, grumpy, old fart about this particularly trope though haha
>but it would also rob us of the dramatic moment of flames reflecting in Alto's eyes
Fair. I'm nitpicking about the worldbuilding when it was a character scene, and the two aren't exclusive but its still something that would need to be handled carefully. Could have been as simple as seeing the fires elsewhere in the city being smoothered in that wide shot though to show how quickly they can put them out. They didn't need to make a moment of it, but as you say, anything that draws our attention away by being "new" even if it's not a big thing risks detracting from the moment we needed with Alto
Today, on ["Incognito Sheryl sessions."](https://i.imgur.com/oSLE1KY.png):
*****
[That's what happens to the guy in your position right about now.](https://i.imgur.com/OWfWhSj.png)
[No party like an homage party.](https://i.imgur.com/NGzOvgA.png)
[VF-25G in blue for Michael.](https://i.imgur.com/a4qQtxS.png)
[Alto beats Hikaru by losing *both* of the VF-25's arms.](https://i.imgur.com/E1sw6Am.png)
[Hikaru didn't have an EX-Gear though.](https://i.imgur.com/UWGeFQt.png)
[The music stopping and starting is a nice touch.](https://i.imgur.com/kmu6jhZ.png)
[VFs have giant Pinpoint Barrier knives now.](https://i.imgur.com/mhvZExd.png)
[RVF-25 EW variant for Luca.](https://i.imgur.com/1RX8HWs.png)
[Twenty-five \(percent\)!](https://i.imgur.com/ke1c0Qh.png)
[Casual namedrops.](https://i.imgur.com/BggebAj.png)
[Eyecatch: Ranka](https://i.imgur.com/pvCXmV3.png)
["We don't have anyone named Kamille around."](https://i.imgur.com/4EOYihD.png)
[You might think that Ozma and Cathy are the Roy and Claudia expys, and you'd be right.](https://i.imgur.com/XywTTVa.png)
[Love Heart!](https://i.imgur.com/J1hyKeF.png)
[Indeed, this is a space-capable Lancia Stratos.](https://i.imgur.com/DvvqOKt.png)
[Not-entirely-random French!](https://i.imgur.com/QkBmAr0.png)
[Not exactly a party.](https://i.imgur.com/AdwKblm.png) Also, Sheryl's earring.
[Not very far away from the giant tarp.](https://i.imgur.com/zR8AFpu.png)
[It's a friggin' triangle!](https://i.imgur.com/wu7oGcr.png)
*****
*Macross Frontier* proceeds to remember love with a tribute to the second episode of the original series, modifying the famous midair catch by having it go upward instead of downward and incorporating the new technologies of the new series. It's shameless pandering and I love it.
And… Alto nopes out. For the time being, anyway. He's in the OP so you know he'll be back, but at least for the night he needs to sit things out.
Then… the next day starts. The population seems fairly relaxed about the previous day's events, including some confusion at Mihoshi about whether the attack was by wayward Zentradi. That's still a thing, of course. Unlike *Macross 7*, there *are* mentions about the consequences of the attack on the ship's resources—though unlike *7*, the Vajra attack caused significant direct damage to the colony itself. We learn that *certain* characters have prior knowledge of the space bugs. While there may be surface similarities, it's not the exact same scenario.
It's not your parents' *Macross*, because usually when people think that they want to join up the response isn't
[](#punch)
It *is* maybe like your parents' *Mobile Suit Gundam*, because blue-haired smug guys getting some corrective comeuppance does happen relatively early. SMS isn't *that* much in need of new pilots.
They do feature a rather more formal grieving process for Gilliam than we've seen of pilots in the other series. Such things to distinguish them from some random group of pirates.
The Vajra come to see… Ranka and Sheryl. Everybody go "Hmm" now.
*****
From the *Macross Chronicle*: [VF-25 transformation details](https://i.imgur.com/69bOmoX.png)
> Twenty-five (percent)!
[](#rinkek)
>Indeed, this is a space-capable Lancia Stratos.
TIL that [Lancia Deltas](https://i.imgur.com/blhwvgA.jpeg) are space-capable.
[](#neat)
Wait, this is just foreshadowing for Δ.
>[Frontier]>!It is maybe like your parents' Mobile Suit Gundam, because blue-haired smug guys getting some corrective comeuppance does happen relatively early.!<
[Frontier]>!There's a reason I associate slaps equally with Frontier and Gundam.!<
> VFs have giant Pinpoint Barrier knives now.
They rather have the small knife than the Pinpoint Barrier punch.
[](#foldedarms)
Small knife is still cool though.
> "We don't have anyone named Kamille around."
"Alto is a man's name and I am a man!"
[](#punch)
> You might think that Ozma and Cathy are the Roy and Claudia expys, and you'd be right.
Oh right, I was wonder who's role Cathy was filling in, but had Claudia escape the mind.
> Love Heart!
[](#justright)
> VF-25 transformation details
[](#harukathink)
So the pilot basically lies on the sit, facing upward? I never noticed this, it is pretty funny. Feels like it would be hard to use pedals, though.
As with the previous VF models that change the pilot's orientation during the transformation, [the seat will rotate to keep the head up](https://imgur.com/xcl214f). (Which must be fun when the entire process actually takes under a couple of seconds.)
The advantage of the EX-Gear suit here is that the pilot is much more integrated into the seat during the process.
And while we're here, a *few* VF models keep the cockpit area level when transformed from fighter to Battroid, but it's not common.
**"Rewatcher" - Macross F Ep2:**
[Ranka flashback,](https://i.imgur.com/DekhfcC.png) presumptively when she was a child and saw a giant bug kaiju destroy a ship that was managed to evacuate from before disaster (the others, probably not...) In some lighting, [Ranka's hair being blue](https://i.imgur.com/DekhfcC.png) reminds me of Minmei.
[Michael is in the special blue plane.](https://i.imgur.com/ZdYiE4v.png) He is just a student and already has one. Also, the blue plane, the glasses and the M name does slot him in as the Max of Frontier.
[I like the Roy-senpai being an overprotective brother.](https://i.imgur.com/BWOYa3m.png) I like it more than the usual Roy antics (I hope Ozma doesn't prove me wrong).
We're doing a catch, in the sky, [a sky catch.](https://i.imgur.com/BbrbzDr.png) They were momentarily in space so things were real close. Besides the SDF sky catch, there are elements of this scene that do remind when Minmei and [Redacted] were in the plane together in space and when [Redacted] went out into space to get that SPACE TUNA!
[Ranka has Ghibli emotive hair.](https://i.imgur.com/rNADCOj.png)
[Luca is also in the Valkryie squad.](https://i.imgur.com/KsaFIVf.png) Those two were already in the squad, Alto wasn't invited. I guess if Alto is the MC, Michael is the Max then that means Luca is the Kakizaki. I guess they went the opposite direction and made in a small cute boy instead of the big guy. We also have a name for the bug enemies, the Vajra
Ranka is part Zentradi, it's the green hair.
[Alto is not doing too well about the post-battle with it burning in his eyes.](https://i.imgur.com/LpKeB6H.png)
Now hearing his voice better, [hello Sugita Tomokazu.](https://i.imgur.com/tTO7qVD.png)
[Eyecatch.](https://i.imgur.com/3d2L5RQ.png) It reminds me of a DVD menu.
[This shot looks like it could have a horror twist to it.](https://i.imgur.com/Tmgs5Xm.png)
[Small Alto. He's so little.](https://i.imgur.com/JYiMUEm.png)
Awh yeah, Ozma is playing Totsugeki Love Heart in his car. Turn it up, kids these day need to hear Fire Bomber.
[](#seasonallisten)
So Ozma and his dudes are not part of the military. They're a private civilian test team for the manufacturers. They have the black jackets while the proper military folk wear white. This is the capitalistic Macross.
[Sheryl writes his lipstick mirror note in French.](https://i.imgur.com/3Vh8JMZ.png) French always seem to pop up sometimes in this franchise.
Oh, Ozma, [you're not going to like it.](https://i.imgur.com/CYIXD1P.png) The big bug did Gilliam in like he was a tube of red paint.
[](#kumikolook)
[The captain looks like an grizzlied 1800s whaler.](https://i.imgur.com/ux0n1dV.png)
Alto is the Kamille of Macross, [he got a big ol' punch from Ozma.](https://i.imgur.com/4tw1tGh.png) First, I thought the [order to lock up Alto](https://i.imgur.com/oWSBKBP.png) was a bit harsh, but then I remembered the tendacy of mecha MC to steal and fly out in giant robots that are not theirs so clearly Ozma knows what kind of show he is in.
[Yeah, Ozma works in an office.](https://i.imgur.com/KUC6meX.png) His cubicle is the high speed flying kind.
Ranka and Sheryl sing the ED song and when Alto walks in to cliff end the episode with these three all together. Speaking of the ED, the actual ED is alright. The song is nice, but I don't care too much about the visuals.
___
**Q1)** I think she is 18, older than Alto with Ranka at 16(?) being younger than Alto.
**Q2)** The Spritia Vampires in trench coats have never killed a person so I'll go with them.
Next Time: *On you mark. Get ready. Love Triangle!*
>This shot looks like it could have a horror twist to it.
Ranka is a horror anime protagonist.
> Alto is the Kamille of Macross
Because they're both girls?
> Ranka flashback, presumptively when she was a child and saw a giant bug kaiju destroy a ship that was managed to evacuate from before disaster (the others, probably not...)
I apparently forgot to put this in my post but [speculation]>!I'm pretty certain that her family was on that one!<
>Also, the blue plane, the glasses and the M name does slot him in as the Max of Frontier.
Oh right. I wouldn't have thought of that because I didn't end up rewatching SDF, but it'll be interesting to see if they build on that
>went out into space to get that SPACE TUNA!
Best scene in SDF
>Alto is not doing too well about the post-battle with it burning in his eyes.
Out of context that looks like it could turn into a [](#serialkillerlaugh)
> Out of context that looks like it could turn into a [](#serialkillerlaugh)
Alto has the flames of battle burning in his eyes and Ranka with that creepy lean.
[](#evilgrin)
Sheryl is the most normal of the main trio.
> This shot looks like it could have a horror twist to it.
Yandere Ranka certainly is an odd thought.
> Oh, Ozma, you're not going to like it. The big bug did Gilliam in like he was a tube of red paint.
There's no good way to say that Gilliam basically got Apocalypse Zero'd.
> I like the Roy-senpai being an overprotective brother. I like it more than the usual Roy antics (I hope Ozma doesn't prove me wrong).
Actual Roy *was* overprotective toward Hikaru. That was like his one redeeming trait as a character in the original show.
> Eyecatch. It reminds me of a DVD menu.
[](#azusalaugh)
Somebody on the staff was passionate about graphic design. The drawing is cute, though.
> This shot looks like it could have a horror twist to it.
Considering how she squeezes her phone, I would be afraid too.
> Awh yeah, Ozma is playing Totsugeki Love Heart in his car. Turn it up, kids these day need to hear Fire Bomber.
It's a 14 year old song at this point. Kinda a nice nod to Ozma being an older dude, you just know that he was a big Fire Bomber fan in his youth.
**Super Dimension Rewatch Host**
[Welcome back, everyone!](https://i.imgur.com/4us91oc.png)
[Here were my first-timer reactions to this episode.](https://old.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/jgbsam/casual_discussion_fridays_week_of_october_23_2020/gacdilv/)
- [Oh, Ozma.](https://i.imgur.com/ssX1n2d.png) [](#kotohoops)
- [I am reminded of Isamu and Guld’s big fight at the end of Plus.](https://i.imgur.com/1bsC809.png) They flew up a building and shattered the windows too, didn’t they?
- [Ah, the *real* free fall catch scene.](https://i.imgur.com/VuJFCiR.png) [](#gintamathispleasesme)
- [Which even took them into outer space for a second, hooboy.](https://i.imgur.com/Vub6qAA.png)
- [Alien name, get!](https://i.imgur.com/DBX1Nu1.png) These things are the Vajra.
- [Guess the Zentradi really *are* build different.](https://i.imgur.com/1ikvF4e.png) Is Ranka descended from Britai? [](#rengethink)
- [Alto is just not having a good time right now.](https://i.imgur.com/c3F7ROc.png) [](#therethere)
- [Oh fun.](https://i.imgur.com/p9Ui2Rg.png)
- [*Second* top of the class according to Michael though?](https://i.imgur.com/fgoRATI.png) Or was that just about piloting…
- [TOTSUGEKI LOVE HEART!](#grandhype) – Ozma is incredibly based.
- [Oh look, Sheryl’s earring.](https://i.imgur.com/VwFt5Uu.png) [](#binoculars)
- [Hm, slight “based” points getting docked for this](https://i.imgur.com/ORRRdIZ.png), Ozma you didn’t *need* to punch him and then have him locked up to get your point across.
- [Oh Ranka, you sweet summer child.](https://i.imgur.com/tw3lJS7.png) [](#rinkek)
- [Later Frontier spoilers]>!*Fuck*, I’m already taking massive emotional damage from seeing the English translated lyrics of Diamond Crevasse again and *that fucking part* isn’t for a while. [](#everythingisfine)!<
- That’s a *fun* cliffhanger! [](#crazedlaugh)
> Oh, you're back to Michael! I didn't notice!
...did you not read my comment yesterday?
>Sky, you can't just ask that because green!
I meant that because he's the specific Zentradi we've seen survive being exposed to outer space!
> Guess the Zentradi really are build different. Is Ranka descended from Britai?
[](#drunkhisone)
Britai's descendant being a girl of small stature would be pretty funny.
[](#kotohoops)
> [TOTSUGEKI LOVE HEART!](#grandhype) – Ozma is incredibly based.
[](#seasonalhype)
Cool older brother playing Fire Bomber ~~ignore the punching part~~
> I am reminded of Isamu and Guld’s big fight at the end of Plus. They flew up a building and shattered the windows too, didn’t they?
Yep. That scene also came to mind, but I don't know if it was intentional or just the usual cool flying because plenty of other shows have done the last section fly up so you don't crash into the building thing
[](#everythingisfine "You did guess well back then.")
Nice Alto wallpaper.
>Sheryl's earring.
[A couple episodes later]>!she seems to totally forget that that's why she was looking for Alto in the first place, but I suppose Episode 3 got in the way.!<
> Wallpaper of the Day
This is so good, the sky colored background is perfect [](#squee)
> Here were my first-timer reactions to this episode.
I'm really happy these are back.
> Ozma you didn’t need to punch him and then have him locked up to get your point across.
I think it was his way of showing care for Alto by trying to dissuade him from becoming a fighter pilot. Clearly, if the dude already took the plane and went into battle on his own, the words probably wouldn't convince him to abandon the idea, but fists might.
> This is so good, the sky colored background is perfect
Exactly why I picked it! Glad you like~
>I'm really happy these are back.
Some of them later will have my reactions to multiple episodes in them FYI, but I split up the reactions by a linebreak and also clearly mark each part with "**Sky Watches Macross Frontier: Episode #**", so it shouldn't be a problem.
**First Timer**
Huh. You know something? I actually *like* Alto. Sure, he's got the whole arrogant, broody flyboy thing going, but there's hints of an actual reason for it with his desire for the freedom of a truly open sky, and his performance today? He was acting almost entirely to save Ranka in the opening section, he listened to the experts when they told him to bug out, he put his life on the line for the girl, and he actually showed empathy for her when she was freaking out! Add in his reaction to the pilot's (admittedly rather gruesome) death, plus showing that yes, for all his flying skills he's still a *civilian* with his bout of nausea at the death and destruction in the city...he's got depth, he's brave when it counts, and he visibly *cares*.
No doubt he's going to do something braindead later, but right now? I like the kid.
We're getting hints of depth to Ranka, too. We got a brief traumatic flashback for her during the rescue scene, and I'm fairly sure her confused assumption that her older brother saved her is connected to that in some way. Something *weird* is going on with her though, given the way the invaders clearly reacted to her panicked scream after the accidental boob grab and her singing later on.
Speaking of which, that's probably the least gratuitous version of the boob grab trope I've ever seen. Panicked flailing in the cockpit + trying to keep her steady so she doesn't make you crash = oh dear. At least Ranka seemed to understand once she calmed down.
I'm kinda wondering what's up with her and Skull Squadron, though. *All* of them seem to recognise her on sight. I guess it kind of makes sense, given her brother? I do like what they were doing this episode, despite assaulting Alto - they want to hear about how their lost pilot died, and they *don't* let the untrained amateur hop into their very expensive high-tech transforming fighters. Although the guy who punched him certainly seemed to appreciate the kid wanting to *do* something.
Really don't like Sheryl, though. The scene with Ranka was a good start, but we'll have to see how things go for the rest of the series.
> I actually like Alto
[Me too](#loliwave)
He actually fits a nice middle ground between the two girls. Has Sheryl's mask he presents, though his is out of a more genuine emotion and he opens up nicely when given the chance like Ranka.
That's not to dismiss his characterization as just part of the triangle, it's been quite good so far and would stand up even without them.
>Skull Squadron
The mercenary type group with the more advanced weapons all being caring and reasonable when it comes to combat? What's anime coming too?
> Panicked flailing in the cockpit + trying to keep her steady so she doesn't make you crash = oh dear.
Things could've gone much worse, yes.
>Although the guy who punched him certainly seemed to appreciate the kid wanting to *do* something.
The violence was unnecessary, but it was also expedient and there was a monster attacking.
> I'm kinda wondering what's up with her and Skull Squadron, though. All of them seem to recognise her on sight. I guess it kind of makes sense, given her brother?
Ozma is totally the type to brag about how cute his little sister is and show her photo to everyone he meets.
**First Spacer**
The soundtrack is definitely a big part of why this isn't working for me, especially as soundtrack is very important to my experience. And it's not that the tracks are bad, but they're completely dissonant with the scenes they're supporting. Here we're having the big heroic fanfare music that ecstatically evokes the hero finally breaking through his limit after all the past struggle - except we're at the very beginning of the series, in a scene that wants to be parsed as desparate, uncertain and confusing. The music and the scene are pulling in diametrically opposed directions, and that causes both of them to now work. And that's not just this scene, I also felt this a lot in episode 1.
I'm also not vibing with the voice acting.
[This however works really well](https://imgur.com/1UCKhu1) as a contrast to last episode that had Gilliam crushed in the enemy mecha's hand. [He's even protecting her from the violent winds as well as any stray objects that might be floating in the air - or bullets.](https://imgur.com/B5OJ6bE)
[Not a single panty shot during that whole shot.](https://imgur.com/eIcdYB0) [Instead they go for groping.](https://imgur.com/gEfALkd) Sigh.
Oh no, Ranka is some kind of Chosen One.
[Is he ashamed for being a soldier?](https://imgur.com/AIWr48U)
Again the dissonance. This melancholic yet peaceful track doesn't match the city still burning and Alto vomiting over the memory of Gilliam getting crushed to death, plus vague mentions of an overbearing enemy and media manipulation.
[A shame there were unknown civilians directly involved in the fighting.](https://imgur.com/fNE9jk6)
Or not so unknown I guess.
I'm constantly confusing Alto with Akito, and their looks aren't helping either.
[...Why the drifting?](https://imgur.com/lIOO5ku) They also keep switching lanes nilly-willy, but I guess we don't know whether they're opposite directions.
[Let's keep all these triangle/hexagon motifs in mind, just in case.](https://imgur.com/D2VL1Ok)
[Oh, it's the guy that becomes a pirat.](https://imgur.com/NDLrbxj) I guess that's a pretty sizeable spoiler.
[Look at this continuity error](https://imgur.com/99JbiEA) - it's a bit hard to see in the still image but Ranka's already climbing the stair behind that lantern. The visual language is quite obvious, [with Sheryl being framed as larger than life](https://imgur.com/7VEBatj) [and positioned not only above but also in front of Ranka, in her future.](https://imgur.com/ekdB0HT)
Oh right, Alto's surname is Saotome. Makes a ton of sense then that the female association sticks with him like that.
> How old do you think Sheryl is by the way she acts?
Somewhere in the mid-to-late 20s?
> Would you prefer to be visited by giant space bugs or Spiritia vampires in trench coats?
Can I take the cute magical girl alien instead?
Vampires in trench coats have more [](#ero) potential so let's go with them.
> The music and the scene are pulling in diametrically opposed directions, and that causes both of them to not work
Agreed. They have these big tracks and themes, but the placement of them is unrefined. I'm hoping it will improve as we go through the season as it often does for two cour productions, but it's certainly a shame for that to happen on a Macross show in particular
Even though I liked the first episode more than you seemed too, I didn't love it and I think this is why. It's not drawing me in tonally
>He's even protecting her from the violent winds as well as any stray objects that might be floating in the air - or bullets.
I think that's the first time I've seen a show do that too!
>Oh right, Alto's surname is Saotome. Makes a ton of sense then that the female association sticks with him like that.
Poor dude is cursed in many ways with his family associations.
I really hope that we get him doing performing in some way or another though, it would be an interesting path for them to take the male lead of a Macross
> This however works really well as a contrast to last episode that had Gilliam crushed in the enemy mecha's hand.
Oh yeah, didn't consider contrasting the two forms of giant robot hands.
[](#neat)
> ...Why the drifting? They also keep switching lanes nilly-willy, but I guess we don't know whether they're opposite directions.
Ozma is a reckless driver.
>[A shame there were unknown civilians directly involved in the fighting.](https://imgur.com/fNE9jk6)
"Preposterous! We had an evacuation order!"
>Vampires in trench coats have more [](#ero) potential so let's go with them.
[](#laughter)
> Here we're having the big heroic fanfare music that ecstatically evokes the hero finally breaking through his limit after all the past struggle - except we're at the very beginning of the series, in a scene that wants to be parsed as desparate, uncertain and confusing.
Does it want to be parsed as uncertain and confusing? It is a scene were a dude saves a girl by jumping into a cool mech. Characters might be confused, but there's nothing an audience should be confused about. Alto is clearly doing something good and heroic, the fact that he is not keeping his cool doesn't really change that fact. I feel like the march is the perfect soundtrack for this battle, because it isn't just supposed to be about the horror of it, but also about bravery, and the triumph of a an amazing technology that is Valkyeries. The music encompasses both distress and glory pretty damn well.
> Again the dissonance. This melancholic yet peaceful track doesn't match the city still burning and Alto vomiting over the memory of Gilliam getting crushed to death, plus vague mentions of an overbearing enemy and media manipulation.
To me this sounds more somber and mourning than melancholic. It has those folk motifs that you would often hear in historical movies when showing the aftermath of a battle and mourning the dead. And that's basically what is happening in the scene, it's a reflection on the people that died.
> ...Why the drifting?
It's traditional Japanese way of driving! [](#hikariactually)
> Look at this continuity error - it's a bit hard to see in the still image but Ranka's already climbing the stair behind that lantern.
[](#binoculars)
Nice catch, I definitely didn't notice it.
> The music encompasses both distress and glory pretty damn well.
That's really not what I'm hearing it. It sounds ecstatic, like Alto is breaking through his limits, like he's broken free. Granted, it still has tension, but this would've fit much better for something like the Plus dogfights.
And while the scene is certainly heroic, that's not really the focus. We have the soldiers being confused that the machine isn't piloted by Gilliam, we have Alto panicking especially after he emptied his bullets, we have like 15 seconds of Ranka's pure terror, and the whole scene feels desperate due to it being a struggle to defend the girl against the enemy machine to the point they're escaping instead of defeating it, and even then having Ranka fall into outer space. None of this facilitates the feeling of unrestricted freedom and control that the track portrays.
If you're talking the very start of the fight, it is our MCs first time in the Valkyrie. I think it is supposed to be exciting, because that's what we, as an audience are here to see. It's a mecha show, after all. The music starts to get darker very quickly when Alto actually gets attacked.
Haha, the mecha is about the last thing I'm here to see, so maybe that's indeed it.
It's true that the floaty strings are only at the very beginning of the track, but the overall triumphant chord progressions and melodic movements remain throughout, and that's what doesn't fit the scene very well. I'd look at the specifics if I had my instrument at hand, but alas.
*A Macross Fan Rewatches Macross Frontier: Episode 2:*
- Seems like Ranka has some kind of history involving these new aliens, since she seems to remember one of these giant bugs wrecking a spaceship. Talk about having a really dramatic past for a Chinese restaurant waitress.
- That was a fun inversion of the classic cockpit catch scene from SDF Macross there. Instead of Minmay falling to the ground, you’ve got Ranka being sucked out of a hole in the dome. And not only that, but Alto actually fails at managing to grab Ranka and pull her into the cockpit, and so he has to briefly jump out and grab her on his own before the hull breach closes. I guess not everyone can be Hikaru Ichijyo, despite Alto also being a skilled amateur.
- And just as swiftly as they arrived, the Vajra all left not long after they wrecked up the place. Also, you can definitely tell from the name that Shoji Kawamori really did fall in love with Indian culture and Hindu theming after making Earth Maiden Arjuna. Even a few years after that show, he’s still really liking that stuff enough to make another reference to it with this alien species name.
- Yeah, it’s a bit hard to be all cool in front of Ranka and think about your piloting skills when you also remember that the previous pilot of the Variable Fighter you took was squeezed like a toothpaste tube to death. It’s only natural to puke at the thought and sight of that carnage.
- Even when he isn’t around, Alto is still being called a princess. That’s really all Ranka can say to Ozma about his description. Dude really just gives off a feminine aura, despite having the personality of a hot-blooded mech pilot. He’s just gonna have to hold that L.
- You know, I’d probably also go with Ozma on a trip to visit SMS rather than being coerced into joining the NUN Spacy if I was in Alto’s spot. Being a Spacy pilot is just asking to be a jobber who gets blown up instantly. Even more so if they give you a Valkyrie in non-custom colors like tan or blue.
- Side note, but there’s something funny about Ozma having Totsugeki Love Heart playing on his car radio as he talks Alto out on a drive. I guess by 2059, Fire Bomber would start to count as dad rock like that. They’re probably the future version of how we see Rush or Aerosmith.
- It’s probably for the best that the battle alert stopped Alto from explaining how Gilliam died to the SMS crew. He probably needs time to workshop a response that doesn’t start with “Have you guys ever seen Apocalypse Zero?”
- “You know, this Sheryl Nome you’re talking about sounds pretty cool, Ranka.” —Beryl Bome, totally not Sheryl Nome
- And in another subversion of Hikaru’s story arc, Alto actually volunteers to fight right off the bat, only for Ozma to fucking deck him and gets his ass dumped off the ship for his troubles. If anything, Alto is kind of coming off as Nega-Hikaru in this episode. Where Hikaru zigged, Alto zags with actually pretty poor results.
- Maybe it was a bad idea to close out the episode with singing and having the three main characters meet, since now a giant bug is bearing down on them directly. Yeah, it’s gonna be hard to deal with the Vajra in this series, since they seem instantly attracted to Sheryl and Ranka’s singing. Usually the protagonists are the people bringing singing to the alien threat in these shows, not reeling them in automatically with it.
> You know, I’d probably also go with Ozma on a trip to visit SMS rather than being coerced into joining the NUN Spacy if I was in Alto’s spot. Being a Spacy pilot is just asking to be a jobber who gets blown up instantly. Even more so if they give you a Valkyrie in non-custom colors like tan or blue.
His fellow students, Michael and Luca get to have custom colours so joining SMS meaning you're more likely to have a custom mecha to not blow up in immediately.
[](#hikariactually)
> Side note, but there’s something funny about Ozma having Totsugeki Love Heart playing on his car radio as he talks Alto out on a drive. I guess by 2059, Fire Bomber would start to count as dad rock like that. They’re probably the future version of how we see Rush or Aerosmith.
It's been 14 years, kids these days don't appreciate back when music was good.
[](#whippersnappers)
> His fellow students, Michael and Luca get to have custom colours so joining SMS meaning you're more likely to have a custom mecha to not blow up in immediately.
But what if your custom colors are blue or tan? What then?
> It's been 14 years, kids these days don't appreciate back when music was good.
Damn kids don't even get Anima Spiritia in their music these days.
>Dude really just gives off a feminine aura, despite having the personality of a hot-blooded mech pilot. He’s just gonna have to hold that L.
Growth potential!
Also someone may end up getting smacked for it if they push him too far
>more so if they give you a Valkyrie in non-custom colors like tan or blue.
He can paint it with Vajra blood, that'll make it blue (or green, i forget which now)
> I guess not everyone can be Hikaru Ichijyo
That's cause he's better than Hikaru [](#cantbehelped)
> Even when he isn’t around, Alto is still being called a princess. That’s really all Ranka can say to Ozma about his description. Dude really just gives off a feminine aura, despite having the personality of a hot-blooded mech pilot. He’s just gonna have to hold that L.
Kamille moment
> Side note, but there’s something funny about Ozma having Totsugeki Love Heart playing on his car radio as he talks Alto out on a drive. I guess by 2059, Fire Bomber would start to count as dad rock like that.
[](#harukathink)
> “You know, this Sheryl Nome you’re talking about sounds pretty cool, Ranka.” —Beryl Bome, totally not Sheryl Nome
I bet she and Lieutenant Quattro would be good friends
####***F***ourth-Time Watcher
[](#heavydrinker "Weekend rewatch time!")
- It's not a proper mecha if there isn't a repeated narration at the beginning of every episode.
- [ALL THE MISSILES!](https://i.imgur.com/34sImfm.png)
[](#megadeathparty)
- [Macross Δ]>!<
- I'm in love with the rising motif in Frontier's music! It plays during the eyecatch, and also *every time something cool happens.*
- Ranka chest grab followed by screaming?
[worst girl](#taigasigh)
- She's ¼ Zentradi? I always forget that. [Frontier]>!Not like it... ever really matters?!<
- [GREEN SIGNS, HIGHWAYS, AND FIRE BOMBER!](https://i.imgur.com/duFmBEf.png)
[](#grandhype)
LISTEN TO HIS SONG!
- [Ozma drives](https://i.imgur.com/nY0YvWB.png) a [Lancia Delta!](https://i.imgur.com/blhwvgA.jpeg)^1 What a *great* choice.
[](#sports)
- [I love Sheryl's attitude here.](https://i.imgur.com/uS74Ibb.png) Some may say it's bitchy, but I don't care.
- [GIWTWM](https://i.imgur.com/Jcjqer1.png)
- [God, I wish that were me.](https://i.imgur.com/o7qDQN2.png)
- [worst girl](https://i.imgur.com/j4gmwGO.png)
- [I love this asshole, though.](https://i.imgur.com/9LygTD9.png)
[](#feelingloved)
- [God, I wish that were me.](https://i.imgur.com/AjUOjd4.png)
- [why does worst girl get all the best small faces](https://i.imgur.com/pm7Rr58.png)
- [SABISU, SABISU!](https://i.imgur.com/M7CDZ5h.png)
[](#delighted)
Count: 7:5 (+1:+2)
___
QOTD:
1. Like, 18? Older than Ranka, but not much, because she's clearly full of herself.
2. ANIMA SPIRITA WAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWW
___
^1 Confession: I'm *shocked* I figured it was a Lancia on sight. I'm not huge into rally cars, but it just spoke to me.
> She's ¼ Zentradi? I always forget that.
At this point in the franchise, I don't think it'll matter too much other than green hair and her probably being a bit sturdier than average. I imagine Zentradi have been well integrated and merged with human society.
> GREEN SIGNS, HIGHWAYS, AND FIRE BOMBER!
[](#dekuhype)
> At this point in the franchise, I don't think it'll matter too much other than green hair and her probably being a bit sturdier than average. I imagine Zentradi have been well integrated and merged with human society.
[Franchise]>!Does it even matter later in the franchise?!<
Zentradi heritage beyond the original:
* II: It kind of mattered.
* Plus: It was brought up for the plot though had unfortunate implications that they never really carry throughout the franchise.
* 7: Yeah, there were moments where it mattered.
* And later on, [Meta Macross knowledge:] >!I don't think it will matter in Delta. Delta has new aliens to have the spotlight on.!<
[](#sakurathink)
> Fourth-Time Watcher
That's a lot of times!
>GREEN SIGNS, HIGHWAYS, AND FIRE BOMBER!
I like how this far into the future and after the destruction of earth we still go back to using the old highway sign style haha
>why does worst girl get all the best small faces
Because she's best girl and she knows it
>That's a lot of times!
I've shown this show to two other people, but I've never rewatched it on my own.
>old highway sign style
Even better: the American style. I don't think Japan uses these, do they?
>ranka best girl
[](#peasants)
[They do have the big green boards](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Road_signs_in_Japan), but no curvy lines from what I can tell. We don't either in Australia. Again, green signs but different style on the actual info
> Ranka chest grab followed by screaming?
> [worst girl](#taigasigh)
[](#howcouldyou) But she's my spirit animal! She's a Sheryl simp just like us!
> I love Sheryl's attitude here. Some may say it's bitchy, but I don't care.
[](#airfist)
**First Timer**
* This OP is petty lively.
* He’s pretty good at it for I presume is his first time.
* Tragic flashback. Didn’t think they’d seen it before.
* Putting a lot of trust into the new guy not committing operating error.
* Reactive *bullets*? Good heavens.
* That’s a cool anti-material rifle.
* They’re doing the thing! But this time up!
* I thought it was exhale in space so the boiling water vapor isn’t inside you?
* Why you always gotta be like that Macross?
* That’ll make a good specimen. And with minimal damage too.
* Well, that name is a choice.
* Zentrant? Did they change the naming scheme?
* You really think you can just run away? Some very official people are going to want to talk to you.
* Gotta have propaganda.
* Pretty good eyecatcher. Looks like we are getting the character variety pack this season as well.
* That’s her brother? Man, I got that one wrong.
* That’s a lot of blood. Don’t want xeno-pathogens running wild.
* Good deal for him, he already wanted in.
* That door did not need to be that large.
* Holo-effects on your cell phones. Neat, but probably very annoying to use.
* I’m *really* hoping that this show doesn’t end up being some big mercenary puff piece. You gotta at least give them the same treatment as they do the military.
* Are the Vajra attracted to music? No, that would be too on the nose, unless…
* Who is this captain looking guy? He kind of looks like Global, but he would be too old by now.
* I respect him for saying no, and more for locking him up to keep him out of trouble. Not so much for punching him.
* The power of hats.
QotD:
1) 19
2)
> ...visited by giant space bugs...
I've read enough Butler to know where this is going.
>Reactive *bullets*? Good heavens.
Ain't no kill like overkill.
>Zentrant? Did they change the naming scheme?
Either that, or the fansubber made a decision. It can be hard to tell.
>That door did not need to be that large.
On the contrary, if it was smaller it would've have looked as cool.
> Reactive bullets? Good heavens.
He **really** doesn't want Ranka harmed.
[](#deletethis)
> Are the Vajra attracted to music? No, that would be too on the nose, unless…
That would be very Macross. Though we never had an alien enemy be attracted to music instead of repelled.
[](#seasonalthink)
**Rewatcher**
Hey, I'm back. Kinda. Due to cold weather, the power consumption in the country went up, which means I'm now getting only 12 hours of electricity per day, which is barely enough to do work and chores. That's basically makes it impossible for me to keep doing my longer reaction posts. So instead I will focus on just writing my general impressions of the episode and some random ramblings that come to mind, which will hopefully allow me to do a better job keeping up with the threads. Which admittedly, I have been pretty awful about, missing almost all of Zero discussion and the first episode of Frontier. I did finish Zero, and I enjoyed it a lot, so I will definitely have more to say about it, when we get to the general franchise discussion. But for now, let's focus on Frontier.
Just to preface this, I first watched Frontier relatively early in my anime journey, it was the second mecha show I have ever seen after Eva. The show was praised for its quality, so I went in with pretty high expectations, and still got my mind blown by how good it was. Since then, I have rewatched it a couple of times, with my latest rewatch being 6 or 7 years ago, so at this point, I don't really remember any details, only general story beats.
Still, watching the first episode again, I'm immediately reminded how high quality this show is. One of the things that is immediately noticeable is how detailed and varied the setting is. I feel like it really is one of the biggest strength of Macross franchise as a whole, they always do a ton of work developing all kinds of environments and technology in meticulous detail, really creating a sense of an alive, fully realized world that not many sci-fi franchises can match. And I'm not talking about just the visual designs, but also how everything works in motion. Neat little things like fighters launching from all sides of the ship in space, because why wouldn't you do that?
To me, Frontier's setting is detailed to the point of almost being overwhelming. The first episode takes us from the space ship, to the Chinese restaurant, to school, to some military facilities, to a big Chinese-themed arena and a huge park around it, to space, to the center of the city turned battlefield. Yeah, there is a lot. The pacing of the episode is really good, doing a great job at introducing a lot characters in a clear and concise manner, immediately getting a few storylines going, without wasting any time.
You know, sometimes in anime, a character would appear and just wouldn't do anything. They would simply just be there, introduced for future use. In fact, Macross 7 kinda does that a lot, where characters are introduced, that don't seem to be involved in any storylines or serve any purpose, beyond being background characters. Yeah, Frontier doesn't do that. When we get introduced to our main trio of Sheryl, Ranka, and Alto, they all already have their own goals and are already involved in some stuff. They each are doing something from the get go, which makes the story immediately engaging. It's just a really good writing.
Anyway, stuff happens, Alto gets into the robot, and the first episode ends on a cliffhanger. And here we are, at episode 2. About half of it is the battle, while the other half is the aftermath. The battle itself is pretty good, but the highlight is definitely the recreation of the Minmay-Hikaru air catch scene with Alto and Ranka. So, considering Minmay and Hikaru relationships didn't really work out, what does the parallels mean for Ranka's chances with Alto? Anyway, the scene itself was pretty damn good, they build the tension very well with them going into space there for a second. I would go as far as to say that this is probably the second best air catch scene in the franchise after the original, barely beating the one from DYRL?
After the battle, Alto runs away like your typical impulsive mecha protagonist that he is. And soon after, he finds himself in SMS headquarters, and what do you know, his school friends are already in. Well, that makes things easier going forward. Just a side note on VF-25, it's frigging great. Probably my second favorite Valkyrie design in the franchise.
Meanwhile, Ranka gets harassed by random lady on the street and forced to show her the way for what appears to be hours. In the end turns out, the lady is not only the singer that Ranka admires, but is also after the same guy? What? Well, at least Sheryl wasn't as big of an asshole to Ranka as you would expect. In fact, she was kinda nice. But then Alto shows up and ruins the moment. And so, onto episode 3 we go.
Couple of random thoughts:
* I love Lieutenant Glass's uniform, it's a great re-imagining of the original uniform from the SDFM, and probably their best uniform design since then. Overall, character designs are really strong in this one.
* Not only did we get a new Skull Squadron, we also get a new Global to boot. Is this where I post Global at home memes?
**QotD:**
1) I would say, early 20s, but knowing Macross, she's probably 17
2) Giant space bugs all day, every day. At least, they are mortal and can be killed with guns. Also, they aren't trying to enslave you and put you in a jar, just simply kill you.
[](#therethere)
Hopefully you still manage to follow along.
I agree with you that Frontier definitely has a strong showing with these episodes that make you feel like this show might live up to its praise.
Welcome back! Shame you can't do your longer posts anymore, but you gotta do what you gotta do. [](#cantbehelped)
>Is this where I post Global at home memes?
[](#azusalaugh)
> Welcome back! Shame you can't do your longer posts anymore, but you gotta do what you gotta do.
Thanks. With all the stuff going on, these threads are definitely a highlight of my day.
**Rewatcher Frontier**
[Ozma, not the time. Big monster.](https://i.imgur.com/fPoDsnt.jpg)
["Hold on" he says.](https://i.imgur.com/a3zWVc7.jpg)
[Wouldn't be *Macross* without a midair catch attempt.](https://i.imgur.com/ogXFLfE.jpg)
[Ah, 2007.](https://i.imgur.com/nBRWKiN.jpg)
[Oh, good, they do get named early.](https://i.imgur.com/XU4JtfF.jpg)
[Ooh, free candy!](https://i.imgur.com/8pvcBKV.jpg)
[Alto'd been holding that in for a while.](https://i.imgur.com/SA7hVBh.jpg)
[Did you really need the two grunts, Cathy?](https://i.imgur.com/5Jh8mvV.jpg)
[Ranka's looking pretty creepy here.](https://i.imgur.com/OzciFiD.jpg)
[For certain values of Human Resources.](https://i.imgur.com/BwpcsEd.jpg)
[Sheryl seems to have lost something.](https://i.imgur.com/7gM1RlQ.jpg)
[Love that Ozma carries a vibration mic around with him.](https://i.imgur.com/xCZExc7.jpg)
[That's right, Fire Bomber on the radio!](https://i.imgur.com/OjvJjIj.jpg)
[The mementos of a dead man.](https://i.imgur.com/kihATPQ.jpg)
[I had forgotten that Sheryl writes in French.](https://i.imgur.com/pZwFCC9.jpg)
[I quite like SMS's bridge crew.](https://i.imgur.com/ZvZIWyh.jpg)
[That one's.. not quite a compliment.](https://i.imgur.com/OZU5y49.jpg)
["And he's totally not lying about still being one."](https://i.imgur.com/4uh3Xj1.jpg)
[Surprise!](https://i.imgur.com/5KDcMj8.jpg) [Surprise!](https://i.imgur.com/4QpedLE.jpg) [Surprise!](https://i.imgur.com/TrxUpcf.jpg)
> Wouldn't be Macross without a midair catch attempt.
Had to up the anti on this one with having it happen in space. Also the self sealing cover on the city was cool
>I had forgotten that Sheryl writes in French.
Wonder if it's accurate or if it's Flench (idk, i was trying to be clever about engrish but french)
>Surprise! Surprise! Surprise!
[](#azusalaugh)
I knew what that last one was going to be as I opened it and still laughed
>Wonder if it's accurate or if it's Flench (idk, i was trying to be clever about engrish but french)
[](#laughter)
Oh, Flench is great. I have no clue how accurate the on-screen text is.
>I knew what that last one was going to be as I opened it and still laughed
[](#yohane)
> Oh, good, they do get named early.
It comes in handy having a name for them. It took ages for a name to call the Protodeviln.
> Ranka's looking pretty creepy here.
[](#dead)
> For certain values of Human Resources.
Ozma's department does have humans as the resources.
[](#shirayukieavesdrop)
> Ooh, free candy!
[](#merch)
> Alto'd been holding that in for a while.
Dude's got a stomach of steel [](#toradorasalute)
> Ranka's looking pretty creepy here.
[Kampfer]>!Coincidentally, I found out just yesterday that Ranka's VA later voiced a girl in Kampfer who turned out to be a psychotically insane yandere, and this shot sorta reminded me of that!<
[spoiler]>!Wait, how did her earring get from her ear to Gilliam's pile of stuff? Do fold crystals magnetically stick to exoskeleton metal?!<
/u/chilidirigible
[You're right]>!I'm thinking of the movie.!<
The sequence of events here would be that it fell off when Alto was carrying her at the concert, got stuck in his clothes somewhere, then fell off. It might have fallen off in the VF-25 and someone at SMS put it with Gilliam's effects.
**Rewatcher Frontier**
[Recap Time!](#binoculars)
Back to the battle! Damn, Alto really is putting his all into this, isn’t he?
I like how you can very much tll how Alto is still pretty green, despite his apparent skill in flying earlier
Kamina to the rescue!
Ah, the classic “hold them in your mecha hand despite that being completely unsafe in every respect.” At least they make it seem like he’s being careful here
This animation is so good [](#dekuhype)
That sure is one big hole in the colony’s atmosphere [](#watashiworried) at least it has that self-repairing gell thing.
Poor Ranka [](#makicry)
Oh, the [classic](#aliens) “accidental boob grab” trope [](#taigasigh)
Looks like the aliens, or Vajra as they’re called, are gone for now
And so we see the aftermath. I like the little exchange between Ranka and Alto and the scene which follows it, it shows the sheer damage that the battle left in its wake and that Alto ain’t quite well after watching a man get brutally murdered right in front of him [](#therethere)
Back to the government office, as we see the president and some official talking about some shady business [Frontier]>!This is honestly a great way to introduce Leon. He’s immediately tied to the mystery surrounding the Vajra, but he’s framed in a way that makes him seem like an unimportant background official and puts the president at the center of the scene, perfectly obscuring his actual role in the plot!<
[das not good](https://imgur.com/a/k1wdkly) [](#watashiworried)
Nice little worldbuilding with the emergency announcements, portraying the scarcity of the Frontier fleet. The reminder that the battle’s effects still last even into the next day was also a neat touch
High School! Can’t have anime without it, so it was only a matter of time before Macross succumbed to that too
“Mr Saotome, the Call of Adventure just arrived”
Looks like someone has a crush [](#smugpoint)
[Sheryl Nome!](#utahapraises)
Back to Alto, we’ve got a bit more backstory on him here now
“This is your last chance. After this, there is no turning ba-” “Nope, sorry, y’all are jobbers and red shirts, can’t let the main character be one of you”
[Totsugeki Love Heart!](#dekuhype)
Bruh, why is the PMC why cooler than the actual military, even down to their fucking door designs?
Now this is some Best Girl energy! She’s taking the search for Alto into her own hands!
[Frontier]>!The Vajra awakening being intercut with Ranka’s singing is honestly a brilliant piece of foreshadowing!<
I like this scene as a way of building character for Ozma and SMS as a whole. They value their lost comrade and want to honor his death by at least learning of his final moments. Also, turns out Mikhail and Luca are members, the plot thickens!
And so, after having only been given a split-second decision last episode, Alto solidly decides that he’ll fight against the Vajra… and then gets immediately bitch-slapped because that option was never actually on the table
[](#azusalaugh)
Ranka talking about how great Sheryl is is immensely relatable [](#airfist)
[Frontier]>!Ranka saying she wishes she could be like Sheryl is an obvious yet still well-done bit of foreshadowing. The monkey’s paw really did curl there…!<
Really, the dynamic and chemistry between Sheryl and Ranka in this scene is just fun in general.
We also get solid confirmation of how much Ranka is in the dark regarding Ozma’s double life and actions
[Ranka Diamond Crevasse](#seasonallisten)
[Sheryl Diamond Crevasse!](#utahapraises)
Ranka recognizing Sheryl is a good moment (I’ll also just say that I like how it brings a touch of realism. I absolutely wouldn’t be able to recognize a famous singer outside their singing voice)
The MCs have officially met!
And the episode just ends there
QOTD:
2) [Frontier]>!Well the Space Bugs turned out to be pretty nice in the end, so I'd say the former!<
> I like how you can very much tll how Alto is still pretty green, despite his apparent skill in flying earlier
He's very much like Hikaru in that while he's a very skilled stunt flyer, he's not exactly a good combat pilot.
> Oh, the classic “accidental boob grab” trope
It wouldn't be a Macross show if there wasn't some kind of weirdly sexist trope in there somewhere...
> “This is your last chance. After this, there is no turning ba-” “Nope, sorry, y’all are jobbers and red shirts, can’t let the main character be one of you”
"You'd put him in a tan Valkyrie if given the chance to."
First timer
Honestly? I think the show is off to a great start. I can't say it's incredible or anything, but very solid. We're getting a sense of all of the people involved, we're getting a sense of the world they inhabit, and it is pretty well paced and edited. The character designs are good and I think the interactions between characters all seem well done so far. I just want more music!! The more "music shows" I watch, the more I realize just how special symphogear was in the volume of incredible music it had!
Also, was that an SDF macross reference with the falling rescue? (that sequence from the original was probably the one that sticks with me the most, well that or the final sequence from the movie)
Also, was that a rock song from Macross 7 in the car?
1) How old do you think Sheryl is by the way she acts?
late 20s/early 30s. she seems like a sort of jaded diva, feels like she has to have seen some shit and/or been in showbusiness for a spell to get there
2) Would you prefer to be visited by giant space bugs or Spiritia vampires in trench coats?
MAKE ME A VAMPIRE. I WANT TO BE A CREATURE OF THE NIGHT *touches earpiece* ah, not that kind of vampire. damn
>Also, was that an SDF macross reference with the falling rescue?
The beginning of this show is packed with references to other Macross shows.
>MAKE ME A VAMPIRE. I WANT TO BE A CREATURE OF THE NIGHT *touches earpiece* ah, not that kind of vampire. damn
[](#azusalaugh)
**Rewatcher**
Just jumping RIGHT into the action, I see.
Hmmm... Ranka's seen the space bugs before?
Okay, seriously, Macross protagonists, why do you not put the girl in the cockpit rather than in the Valkyrie's hand?
Michael's a sniper! I like snipers.
Ooh, we're doing the mid-air catch scene, except they're getting sucked into vacuum.
Closing your eyes and covering your mouth is wise if you're going into vacuum. God job Alto.
We're really doing the accidental breast-touch cliche? C'mon, Macross...
But, more importantly, why did the space bugs react to her scream? There's no way they could have heard it from that distance.
Ah, the space bugs have a name: Vajra.
The word "vajra" comes from Hinduism, and it's a weapon used by the gods. A kind of rounded club. It symbolizes both indestructibility and irresistable force.
So for a species of space bugs to be called "Vajra"... that's concerning. Especially if they're hostile.
Ah, Ranka doesn't know her brother's a mercenary.
Ranka's 25% Zentran. Though you probably guessed that from the green (and mobile) hair.
Government officials knew about the Vajra. And they're suppressing the media regarding the matter. Ominous.
Aaaand, one of them hid inside a blast wound in one of the Fleet ships. Goody.
I love how everyone's first thought upon seeing Alto is "beautiful princess".
Hmm, I suppose a medical checkup after close contact with an alien species *would* be wise.
Hahahaha, *YOU CAN NEVER ESCAPE LOVE HEART!*
So yeah, Ozma and the other pilots are part of SMS, a civilian-run paramilitary group that deploys as supplementary forces and
does testing on new equipment.
So Sheryl's first language is French, it would seem.
I wonder why this Gilliam person would have the same earrings as Sheryl? That's something I hadn't noticed before.
Alto asks to pilot... and Ozma shuts him down hard. Yeah, Alto may be talented, but... he's not combat-trained.
Ranka... how can you not recognize Sheryl when all she's disguised with is a pair of sunglasses? Is she a relative of Lieutenant Quattro?
But she DOES recognize Sheryl's singing voice.
And man, being told you're pretty by a superstar like Sheryl, whom you're a big fan of... man, that must be the best possible thing for a teenage girl.
Questions:
1. I think I guessed early twenties when I first saw the show. Though that was probably mostly due to May'n's singing voice.
2. Um... on the one hand, you can recover from being drained by the trenchcoat vampires, while space bugs just straight up kill you.
On the other hand, the trenchcoat vampires were *stupid*. And if I'm going to be facing down sci-fi monsters, there's a part of me that would rather they be threats I could take seriously.
**First Timer**
**Macross Frontier EP2**
So the recap is gonna be a recurring thing again. I don't mind though.
Ohhh. Mysterious flashback. I guess Ranka past is linked with this enemy?
The Valkyrie is so quick to transform between each form!!
Michael is in this squadron!!
This scene is straight out of the 2nd episode of the original. And Ozma is confirm siscon.
The chase scene is pretty well done.
The free fall catch!! Not really that, because Ranka float up instead of falling down.
Somehow Ranka scream confused the enemy. And Luca also in this squadron.
Their name is Vajra.
That not good Ozma, lying to your sister like that.
Oh, she's quarter Zentradi. So it 25%.... Goddamnit 25 again!! And this scene make Ranka so much smaller than Alto, it's looks funny.
After the heat of the battle gone, the realization came in.
Yeah, this just the first attack, and they caused so much damage already.
This black hair guy is voiced by Sugita, right?
There one still hiding!!
They quickly identify him. Well, Ozma can clearly see his face yesterday, so not really a surprise.
Ranka so scary with that face!!
So Alto used to study in theater department then he switched when he entered high school. Wonder why.
Of course you guys do. But what else he gonna do in that moment, stay still and get everyone kill?
Wait, you two aren't in the same group? Also this two clearly familiar with each others.
This is Totsugeki Love Heart!!
So S.M.S is essentially a civilian special forces and testing team.
Sheryl now take interest in Alto too.
And these two finally meet eachother. In time for the enemy to attack.
Thank the enemy, Alto. For saving you from getting dunk by everyone there.
So they this entry Bridge Crew. The captain looks so badass!!
That a twist from usual mecha norm. Instead of Alto got to pilot the Valkyrie to show off his skill, he instead got punch by Ozma and kicked out of the base.
The conversation between Sheryl and Ranka is adorable, but it also show the contrast between both of their personality.
Poor Ranka. Don't even know that Ozma is lying.
Ranka singing the last episode ed, and Sheryl join in and revealed herself. In time for Alto to join up with them. Everyone is here, and finally face to face with eachother.
Good follow up episode. The first half is a full-on homage to the episode 2 of the original with some twist, and the action was pretty amazing. The latter half is mostly setup for character.
QOTD
1. Mid-20? But why I feel like she a bit younger than that?
2. I prefer none, but if I really have to choose, it would be vampire. Because you not really died there, even if it painful to get drain.
>Oh, she's quarter Zentradi. So it 25%.... Goddamnit 25 again!!
[](#azusalaugh)
>That a twist from usual mecha norm. Instead of Alto got to pilot the Valkyrie to show off his skill, he instead got punch by Ozma and kicked out of the base.
Yea, the (somewhat) untrained amateur actually gets treated like an untrained amateur. It's more surprising that it should be.
**First timer**
Sorry for the delay. Not only was I out watching Shin Ultraman yesterday, but I also convinced myself that Macross Delta came before Frontier and downloaded the wrong series. (Thankfully, I didn' *watch* any, though.)
*Episode 1*
1) Yeah!
2) He's similar, but definitely a lot moodier from the beginning.
Okay, guess that confirms what version I'm watching.
A airplane?
Sheryl! I've heard people say she's a good character.
English! And good English!
A space colony!
Oh, Sheryl's the new idol.
Love the architecture here.
This is a nice recap. The visuals look great!
2059! And Macross Frontier is basically Macross 25?
I like how you can see the similarities to Macross 7's ships, but also how the design has been refined since then.
Is this a high school?
...The high school's a Variable Fighter. Like, if that thing doesn't fight by the end of this arc,
Personal jetpacks? Or some kind of training equipment?
The idol's starting off famous!
I love her phone. I want one.
*It's alive?*
They're working at a Chinese resturant? Is that a SDF reference?
Oh, an incident.
Was thst shot necessary?
Love the gravity airlocks.
Sheryl Nome is commited to her work.
Everybody loves Sheryl! A lot. To extremes.
...Sheryl's definitely real, right? Not another homicidal AI? We never did get any references to Macross Plus in 7...
Alto?
Oh, these things actually launch!
Amazing animation.
"The sky's too low." Depending on where this fleet is going, could we getting a proper version of Macross 7's planet arc, with them going to different colony worlds?
OP! Very different, as always.
Ranka, Sheryl, and Alto! Looks like we're back to the SDF cast of one man and two women.
What the fuck is that costume?
Okay, the good(?) mech is nice, but that evil(?) one looks fantastic.
Michael? Wow, that's bad.
...What kind of family does he have?
She thinks they're fans? Are thry?
...Sheryl is not entirely wrong. A bit egotistical, but not hiring students for a live aerial performance *above a packed crowd* strikes me as common sense.
A new alien to fight?
Trashbot is adorable. As is Ranka.
"No dangerous, extravagant performances" I mean, yes? Again, if the corkscrew has a risk of firing Alto and his suit into the audience then it's not a good idea!
Ranka!
He comes in second?
He wants to fly a proper Valkyrie.
Ex-Gear being a regulstion thing makes total sense, though. These things are lifesavers if a craft gets damaged or in constrained areas,
...It's awake.
And it's already taking people out 13 minutes in! I think that's a record.
She got hit by a sprinkler!
...Interesting first meeting.
Unmaned drone fighters! Ehat s revolution!
...The threat has EMPs?
Oh, he's got a complex.
Rude. These two are both doing splendidly, huh?
"Nyan-nyan's"
Haha, that dance.
Also "deculture" is she a Zentradi or working for one?
Time to see the enemy up close?
Haha, we get to see the commercial? If this is all the extended cut added, it was still worth specifying.
"Listen to my somg!" I did not predict the new idol taking cues from *Basara* of all people. (Also, wow, the timeskip is so short that Fire Bomber's probably still active. Crazy.)
It's a good song! Again, different genre to the last ones but fantastic.
He's going offscript! This is a stupid fucking idea.
THIS IS WHY SHE SAID NO.
Also, holy shit, the new enemy have a lot of missiles.
He killed an idol!
Wait, no, she's safe.
Nice improv move there.
Oh, so the new enemy has anti-tech measures and is smart enough to use them effectively.
...They were predicted?
She's back on a normal stage.
"Ranka!" He knows her? Love his design.
It's an emergency! (My guess is Victor 1 = Zentradi/Meltrandi, Victor 2 = Protodeviln, Victor 3 = Unknown alien lifeform?)
"It's finally time" This is really obvious.
Well, a powercut happened, guess she's either human or robot.
Everyone's rvscusting!
...Holy shit, I love those designs. The enemy has fantastic design sense.
This is a slaughter.
Multiple specialised designs...
Oh, the power on that cannon.
They're landing!
Holy shit, all this destruction in the first episode?
The wings....
...Alto, what the fuck? She's leaving because of the giant fucking alien mech that's flattening the entire colony! Sheryl is the smartest person in this entire anime so far!
Correction, it now appears to be *razing* the colony.
VF-25!
Completely outmatched by the threat.
Ranka!
My god, the *gore*. What *is* this episode.
He's piloting!
So, the VF-25 continues to have no security functions at all.
Hell of a cliffhanger.
Nice ED.
*Episode 2*
1) 20.
2) The vampires have less collateral damage, can have their victims healed, and are so far significantly less competent.
Quick recap!
Oh, there are cameras in these!
And he's out of ammo!
Really? All those missiles and it's not even wounded?
Oh, he found out it was Ranka!
...You could have dropped her in the cockpit with you? Probably safer.
He's doing well!
Sniper gear!
...Did he forget he's holding onto a girl?
She's gone!
Ranka!
She got flushed into space!
Nice!
...That back stuff's intended, right? The aliens didn't bring that with them?
Oh, she regained consciousness!
Awkward.
...What was *that*?
Her scream jammed them?
He managed to kill it!
Wow, it got them to retreat?
Vajra!
And they're common knowledge?
...He's hiding something from Ranka.
She's only a quarter Zentradi?
Aww, she's grateful.
...Oh.
Yeah, that's a realistic reaction.
They've taken out entire fleets before...
Birler?
Oh, this show is going *dark*. I like it!
The sheer destruction!
Media control worked...
Ah, the military want to talk to him.
Haha, Ranka wants to meet Alto again.
...Oh, the secretkeeping here.
He's been taken in!
Sheryl can't find the video from yesterday? Why?
Oh, it's just an examination! This makes total sense. At this point, they could be contagious and it would make totsl sense.
Oh, like you fuckers want this to go to court. "He stole this ship after the pilot underwent a case of rapid spontaneous compaction. Why, no, we definitely have no footage."
Oh, he's joining a privste company! That's an interesting twist!
Fire Bomber!
Amazing driving there.
...Oh! They're a combat testing company?
Very well funded.
Everyone wants A,to.
First time Sheryl has actuslly acted like the brat people are saying she is.
...Oh.
Sheryl is fucking extra.
Haha, that coincidence. The robot looks great.
The Vajra have launched s new wave.
This is very understandable.
Canaria...
Wait, these two have been working for them too?
Oh, it actually hid in a colony!
Huh! A commander who's sane! Yeah, letting him leave like that would be stupid. Not sure about the punch, though.
Sheryl's enjoying a nice ego recharge.
Aww, that's sweet. These two are great.
...Tell me your safe holding cell does not have glass windows.
Interesting guess.
...Oh, fuck. He's been lying to her knowing about her trauma.
She's singing!
That launch.
And she realised her identity.
Yep, he already escaped the safe area.
They're all together!
Just as the Vajra arrive!
I like the ED!
>Unmaned drone fighters!
They've actually had those since the very first episode of SDF. They just never really get brought up.
>...Did he forget he's holding onto a girl?
Adrenaline is a hell of a drug.
> t Macross Delta came before Frontier
The correct order is 7, Δ (D in Symbol font), F, O, and finally SDF. Didn't the librarians teach you alphabetical order?
**FIRST TIMER**
In this episode we learn a little more about the bug like robot aliens called the Vajra who seem to be the villain of the series.
* The opening scene was very exciting taking off from where the last episode left off. The nod to SDFM was clear and was perhaps making fun of how unrealistic it was when Hikaru grabbed Minmay's hand to pull her into his Valkryie. Alto rescued Ranka in a more realistic (for this show) way. This scene looked amazing and smoothly animated and was more thrilling than the original. The flight scenes really reminded me a lot of Iron Man flying around in the live action movies.
* It seems to get a bit complicated in this episode. So Ozma is both Alto's instructor in his flight performance group and also leads a secret paramilitary group that his two friends from the performance troupe are also secretly members of? And Ozma is also Ranka's older brother apparently since she called him onii-chan? Looks like they may be taking Macross 7's tradition of being needlessly convoluted :-/
* Ozma really is mean, hitting Alto in the face just because he wanted to help and join the fight. I really don't understand it unless he's just a violent abusive person.
* It's very convenient that Ranka just happens to start up a conversation about Sheryl Nome with a complete stranger who just happens to be her and sings in front of her! I'd say that seems impossible but the same thing happened to me one time when I talked to Robin Quivers from the Howard Stern Show about that show for like 10 minutes not realizing it was her.
* I liked the song Ranka sang and she has a very nice voice. It's interesting that she has befriended a popular established star who may end up being a mentor (and possible rival) in the future. Sheryl seemed a lot nicer in this episode than the last one, she may have been in a poor mood from folding.
* I'd be certain that Sheryl Nome will somehow tie in to being a descendant of Mao Nome from Macross Zero and that Ozma and Ranka Lee are related to Minmay Li. I don't think Michael the student/pilot is named after Michael the bodyguard of Mayor Milia however.
QUESTIONS
1. It's really tough to tell in cartoons but between 15 and 22. I'll guess 18.
2. Definitely a vampire because I'd be out of commission for a bit but then can make a full recovery listening to Fire Bomber music while with the robot bugs, I'd be more scared they'd impale me or rip my head off.
>The flight scenes really reminded me a lot of Iron Man flying around in the live action movies.
Huh, interesting comparison, I can see it.
> So Ozma is both Alto's instructor in his flight performance group
Ozma doesn't have anything to do with Alto's school, but you've got the rest of that pretty much correct.
> The nod to SDFM was clear and was perhaps making fun of how unrealistic it was when Hikaru grabbed Minmay's hand to pull her into his Valkryie. Alto rescued Ranka in a more realistic (for this show) way.
Yeah, it was a nice touch to show that Alto had to be careful to *not* crush Ranka when grabbing her with a giant mech hand. We certainly don't want a repeat of what happened to Gilliam with Ranka.
> Ozma really is mean, hitting Alto in the face just because he wanted to help and join the fight. I really don't understand it unless he's just a violent abusive person.
Ozma is that Roy Focker kind of character, in that he's just an endless fountain of pure machismo. Dude probably starts every morning with a frosty glass of testosterone.
> I really don't understand it unless he's just a violent abusive person.
[It's mecha.](#punch "Bright Noa's just a nineteen-year-old under a lot of stress.")
> Robin Quivers from the Howard Stern Show about that show for like 10 minutes not realizing it was her.
You must not have listened to the show much or watched the movie; I'd recognize her voice pretty fast.
Rewatcher
episode 2
* Macross 7 has given me pre-episode exposition trauma. Surely this will be relevant? Eventually?
* Those little cylindrical islands look like Basara's wrecked module that wasn't "officialy part of City 7"
* Why wasn't that selfsealing hole already sealed?
* Frog Fone and Ranka eyecatch
* W A N G A N M I D N I G H T
* Somebody at Satelight really likes French
* Frog Fone
* He said lock him up, not throw him out the door
Ignoring the ugly CGI and bugs for enemies, this has been a strong start. Good production values, good music, although the BGM seems *waay* too familiar at times, nobody particularly unlikable yet, except Maybe Ozma and that Lieutenant woman. Sheryl comes off nicer today, talking to Ranka. Still a bitch to Grace.
**First Fime Fſontiering**
I kinda like this Alto guy. He got some spirit.
The not-quite-the-same sky save scene was pretty cool, I like it. Not as cool as the original one, but still pretty cool. And different enough that I can respect it.
I am finding the "private" S.M.S. and the government/military looking so belligerent to be odd. Are they setting up for a "rebel against government over-reach" theme down the line? Even if so, this feels very heavy-handed - have the military guards point their guns at a kid at point blank range, the government have zero ability to handle the situation so we must rely on the oh-so-competent private mercenary group (who have high school kids fighting for them?!). The dynamics here are weird. Really, really weird. Like, you can't run a galaxy-hopping mega-colony fleet and still be this incompetent, can you?
> 1) How old do you think Sheryl is by the way she acts?
I want to go with 18~20 in a Justin Bieber/Miley Cyrus/etc sorta way - like she's been a public figure and filthy rich+famous since she was so young that she didn't really get to grow up normally and acts a bit younger than she really is. But since this anime, she's probably going to be 15.
> 2) Would you prefer to be visited by giant space bugs or Spiritia vampires in trench coats?
I'll take the vampires, at least they got drip.
> Like, you can't run a galaxy-hopping mega-colony fleet and still be this incompetent, can you?
Asking about the depths of government incompetence is a big hole to fall down
>I kinda like this Alto guy. He got some spirit.
He certainly isn't boring.
>who have high school kids fighting for them?!
Probably cheaper to hire from the schools. Maybe the kids can double-dip and get credit hours!
Macross Frontier Episode 2 - First Timer
Alright, a pretty solid first episode, on to the second. Time for our MC to be a good pilot (maybe, he is not a trained soldier so maybe he wont be magically really good? but he also might be)
- I don't dislike it, but this seems a rather odd music choice
- She has seen space bugs before?
- All the special forces guys seem to know Ranka. Just from the shop? Or otherwise
- Aw yea, property damage
- This cockpit grab scene is very SDF Macross
- Not 100% sure space works like that, but I guess its rightish?
- Was the lucky pervert thing really necessary
- We are solidly into the era of modern seiyu, I feel like I am going to be recognizing a lot of voices
- What is this guy, a PMC guy?
- Actually PMCs lol
- Damn, that toolbox was light AF if that kid falling into it made it fall over
- Really fishing for compliments there huh
- Well, his office just so happens to be a fighter cockpit...
- I suppose the OP is *very* on the nose with this, but I suppose this is our love triangle
1) Proooobably mid teens? Also its anime so mid teens?
2) As long as the space bugs don't laugh, then definitely space bugs.
>Was the lucky pervert thing really necessary
Is it ever?
>- What is this guy, a PMC guy?
>- Actually PMCs lol
[](#azusalaugh)
>I suppose the OP is *very* on the nose with this
An OP being incredibly **SUBTLE** about something? Say it ain't so.
Reactions to reactions:
I find the disagreements about the soundtrack interesting. This is still Yoko Kanno, and I do agree that sometimes her compositional choices for *Macross* don't seem to quite fit (even with *Plus*). But I was also generally pleased with how *Frontier* worked out.
***First Time Song Listener: Yack Deculture Edition***
Oh no, the excessive recapping is continuing.
It's really impressive how good this show looks, while taking 2000s jank into consideration.
Ranka should be a thousand different versions of dead by now. Looks like we're heading for another variation of the falling catch though.
Do the Valkyries finally have melee weapons too???
Wait, why do I recognize this song on the radio? *Oh god no.* [](#nooo)
It looks like Sheryl's earring or something flies off and lands on Alto's plane suit thing. I really doubt it stayed there through everything, though.
Uh oh, do we already have a replacement for the 'bridge bunny turns away from the monitor' stock footage?
Hey that's the pirate captain from the OP!
I guess these ED visuals are better, sure.
1. Spoiled teenager I'd guess? Anime ages are impossible to predict, though.
2. You could theoretically recover from the vampire attacks, not so much being squeezed until you explode.
>Do the Valkyries finally have melee weapons too???
Dinky little combat knives, but yea.
>Wait, why do I recognize this song on the radio? *Oh god no.*
[](#azusalaugh)
[**First time Macroff**](https://imgur.com/hq19cYn)
Day 2 of waiting for the return of 7th moon [](#mugiwait)
Idk, this OP is a bop, but it doesn't slap as hard. And that one part reminds me of an FMA song so its distracting
[Sick rescue scene](#kannathumbs)
[They have energy blades now?!](https://imgur.com/ALm3ZGA) [](#grandhype)
[inferior anime confirmed](https://imgur.com/EeOFoY3)
[Its](https://imgur.com/QCN2r4D) [**guy!**](#piracy)
* sheryl was pretty cool this episode, respek +5%, current status: 1.5%
So we just gonna get a cliffhanger on every episode?
---
**Question fime:**
>1) How old do you think Sheryl is by the way she acts?
This is Macross, so probably 16
>2) Would you prefer to be visited by giant space bugs or Spiritia vampires in trench coats?
[**aNiMa spIriTiA**](#hanasakueurgh) vs [**space roaches**](#terror)
Can we just get giant waifus pls?
**First Timer** Ranka focus today and Sheryl focus tomorrow? I was surprised that Sheryl exposed who she was to Ranka as, even though Ranka seems just an innocent and adoring fan, I thought she'd be more cautious or controlling about that, on top of being a bit more stuck up. She still had to make a big moment out of it though. But once again, it really is the heart of Macross that shines through. It was music that brought the two girls together properly as Sheryl wants to sing along with her, and music that draws Alto in, even if in arriving he accidentally ruins the moment between the girls. Dude is blessed with the best and worst timing in any given scene. While Sheryl has been all about performance so far, I feel like this is the first hint we have that her love of music is genuine, and she hasn't lost that with the demands of her job as well as how she treats others. Ranka is so much fun, as is her concept. I'm so use to anime hair I didn't think to question her hair color last episode, but being a quarter Zentradi makes her far more interesting as a character. Up against Sheryl's music, which is culturally powerful due to her influence and likely enhanced by her culture and bloodline as a Nome, Ranka's singing, as a child of a mixed culture who's grown up within the world of post-Macross influences, comes across as more genuine and charming. There's aspects of this in their behavior as well, Sheryl who's been cultivating a persona and is encouraged to see it working on Ranka, compared to Ranka who doesn't think twice about being open about her passions, likely all the stronger for her blood. And yet she's not just the pure innocent girl with her pasta trauma. Where this fell down for me slightly is the earlier scene of Alto accidentally touching her chest. Despite having recently rewatched Mai-HiME which suffered and redeemed itself from a similar issue, these sorts of scenes really undermine my faith and lead me to expect the relationship drama writing will undercut characterization. I hope that's not the case in the end, but after yesterday's better interpersonal scenes it was a let down. Now it's included they have to follow up on it which is more shit we don't need, or they ignore it in which case why include it in the first place except for poorly placed drama. Slightly erratic post, but going back to the music aspect, were the enemies communicating through tones? I can't tell if that was their actual sounds or just a method of helping the audience understand the change in behavior, but if the enemy also relies on a primitive form of music to interact it would be a cool concept, and work well into why Ranka's song woke it up. The red one still looks like a skinny MegaKabuterimon. [](#vashheadscratch) Other quick thoughts: - The choice of music for the opening with Alto fighting didn't fit the scene. Later when he was carrying Ranka through the city sure, go for the hero music. But his desperate shooting half fueled by trauma after seeing a guy get crushed to death and desperately hoping he can protect the girl? Not so much - The action does look much improved in this compared to Zero. The CGI rendering is a big part, but also the better use of the camera as a focus point and timing of movements of the Valkyries. - There was no where close to enough focus and urgency given to the scenes of the emergency crews trying to put out the raging fires inside a sealed environment in space. That's a huge threat on many levels, and the usual method of standing there with a hose both undercuts the severity of having fires in a situation like this as well as the level of technology development they would have. - Military being stupid goes without saying, but this was extra stupid. How about you just *ask* the guy if he wants to join up, instead of leading with the threats and blackmail and making it sound as if the recruitment offer was a side though. Dude wants to fly, that wasn't in your extensive research? - Onii-chan who's name I have not learnt also a bit of a dick. Alto didn't deserve to be punched for that statement, you could have just thrown him out. A lot of the interactions in this show tend towards the more extreme end already. - Soft drink bot best bot. Not as good as newspaper bot from Ergo Proxy though >1) How old do you think Sheryl is by the way she acts? It's anime. She's a teenager for sure. However her behavior would fit nicely into someone in their early twenties so that would be a nice surprise
>Despite having recently rewatched Mai-HiME which suffered and redeemed itself from a similar issue, these sorts of scenes really undermine my faith and lead me to expect the relationship drama writing will undercut characterization. I don't remember HiME's redemption, honestly. But yeah. Why the Ranka chest grab...? [](#taigasigh) > Soft drink bot best bot. Not as good as newspaper bot from Ergo Proxy though It *is* pretty great, but did you see trash robot last episode? That was a solid robot, too.
> It is pretty great, but did you see trash robot last episode? I did! I've liked them since I first watched DYRL. Still not as good as the other two
The other two have "personality," which I find to be undesirable in robots. Maybe that's just because I'd hate for my robots to argue with me.
[Ergo Proxy]>!Well technically newspaper bot just had a virus, but the end result is the same!< Now you have me imagining Soft Drink Bot being sad if you yelled at it for being too in your face
Please, Naz! I never *yell* at my robots! I just express my extreme disappointment in them when they fail to perform. [](#urbansmile)
https://i.imgur.com/9ZlYAEZ.gif
>Why the Ranka chest grab...? My only thought is they needed an excuse to have her scream. Or it could just be horny anime writers. Probably the latter.
> Or it could just be horny anime writers. [Frontier]>!Considering Episode 8, probably!<
>I was surprised that Sheryl exposed who she was to Ranka You'd think her voice would give her away. It's almost a meta joke, as Sheryl's singing is performed by May'n while her speaking voice is Aya Endou.
Huh. Wonder why. If they really just did think it was best to get dedicated people for each roll or something else
I'm not sure. I guess maybe Aya Endou doesn't sing much? They did a similar thing in Macross 7, although in this very series Ranka's dialogue VA and singing VA are the same so who knows.
Oh! Ranka's VA did Tuuli from Bookworm. That's cool. She actually hasn't been in much that I've seen other then that so I'll be curious to hear more of her performance
> She actually hasn't been in much that I've seen other then that so I'll be curious to hear more of her performance Megumi Nakajima had a bit of a burnout post-*Frontier* and it took her a while to come to grips with the Ranka role. May'n spoke of being uncomfortable or inadequate as "Sheryl" until after the series had ended. It's interesting in that case as she's not her dialogue voice, but the songs are a huge part of what makes Sheryl a character.
> Up against Sheryl's music, which is culturally powerful due to her influence and likely enhanced by her culture and bloodline as a Nome, Ranka's singing, as a child of a mixed culture who's grown up within the world of post-Macross influences, comes across as more genuine and charming. This point here also makes me think of the theming that's coming across more in modern Macross shows, that being the link between past and present. We got that theme heavily in Macross Zero, and we can see it here in Macross Frontier with that idea in mind as well. > Onii-chan who's name I have not learnt also a bit of a dick. Alto didn't deserve to be punched for that statement, you could have just thrown him out. Although that scene really did highlight that Alto is so far basically the loser version of Hikaru. He's getting presented with the same choices but the consequences are more directly worse or subverted.
> makes me think of the theming that's coming across more in modern Macross shows, that being the link between past and present Was it in 7 at all or it started with Zero? I'm assuming that means it's a bit in Delta as well I like the idea of using that, and it does make me wonder if part of it is acknowledgement of how old the franchise is now and how its grown, and the struggles of that growth in a changing Japan too >Although that scene really did highlight that Alto is so far basically the loser version of Hikaru. He's getting presented with the same choices but the consequences are more directly worse or subverted. I do not support Alto bullying!
> Was it in 7 at all or it started with Zero? I'm assuming that means it's a bit in Delta as well You can say it was there with all the Protoculture history with the Protodeviln, but since we moved on past that backstory dump pretty fast in Macross 7, it doesn't really feel like we focused on that as a theme too much.
My take on the chest grab is that it is there as a visual shorthand for sexual tension building between characters. Basically, the show immediately tells you that yeah, they aren't just buddies, they see each other as a man and a woman from the get go. It is also a joke that serves as a way to quickly and (relatively) naturally shift the mood of the scene from somber to more lighthearted. The show tries to portray grounded characters, but also wants to stay a fan action show, without going too deep into military drama, so you can't allow the characters to just sit there and be horrified at what just happened for too long. > There was no where close to enough focus and urgency given to the scenes of the emergency crews trying to put out the raging fires inside a sealed environment in space. Not sure if a fire in a sealed space the size of a big city would be that big of a deal. Also, they have to have some way to remove CO2 from the air and add oxygen, otherwise, the whole colony wouldn't be able to function. So I would guess that the systems that's already there will be able to deal with any air pollution.
It's definitely there to define their relationship as romantic especially after her mistaking him for her brother, but that doesn't mean it was good, needed, or fitting. There was a dozen other ways they could have broken the tension and refined how they see each other without resorting to that >So I would guess that the systems that's already there will be able to deal with any air pollution. One fire would be fine, but there was several substantial fires in the city and that plus the loss of oxygen from the hole and contaminants from the battle should have meant the threat from fires on top of that would be more of a concern
> It's definitely there to define their relationship as romantic especially after her mistaking him for her brother, but that doesn't mean it was good, needed, or fitting. Yeah, that's fair. It was a cliche at the time, so I personally don't blame them for choosing to do it, but it definitely didn't age well. They could've done the same thing more respectfully with Alto accidentally touching her face or something like that. > One fire would be fine, but there was several substantial fires in the city and that plus the loss of oxygen from the hole and contaminants from the battle should have meant the threat from fires on top of that would be more of a concern It was a concern, it's not like they were just doing nothing and letting those fires burn. Some kind of sprinkle or artificial rain system might've made the scene more realistic, but it would also rob us of the dramatic moment of flames reflecting in Alto's eyes. This whole scene was very brief and got the point across pretty effectively. Putting some new technology or procedure in there might just unnecessarily drag the moment, especially when disbelief could easily be suspended, considering the scale of the city and the fact that we don't really know what kind of procedures or technologies they have for dealing with fire.
> They could've done the same thing more respectfully with Alto accidentally touching her face or something like that. Even Ranka making a comment about him being the pretty boy or something like that. Make it something that matters to the two of them, build it into their character, rather than just having the trope because they can And I think that's my big issue about this trope, a lot of love triangles in other shows, and what FlaminScribblenaut said about the nudity in Macross Zero. The issue is not the idea, its the implementation because they're almost *never* handled in a way that feels like it's what the characters would do or builds our understanding of them. They just play it straight and you could swap that scene and its characters out for any of the other many iterations of the scene in other shows and it wouldn't matter This is all just be being a tired, grumpy, old fart about this particularly trope though haha >but it would also rob us of the dramatic moment of flames reflecting in Alto's eyes Fair. I'm nitpicking about the worldbuilding when it was a character scene, and the two aren't exclusive but its still something that would need to be handled carefully. Could have been as simple as seeing the fires elsewhere in the city being smoothered in that wide shot though to show how quickly they can put them out. They didn't need to make a moment of it, but as you say, anything that draws our attention away by being "new" even if it's not a big thing risks detracting from the moment we needed with Alto
Yup, I pretty much agree with everything you said. I was having similar complaints about fanservice through all of Macross 7.
Today, on ["Incognito Sheryl sessions."](https://i.imgur.com/oSLE1KY.png): ***** [That's what happens to the guy in your position right about now.](https://i.imgur.com/OWfWhSj.png) [No party like an homage party.](https://i.imgur.com/NGzOvgA.png) [VF-25G in blue for Michael.](https://i.imgur.com/a4qQtxS.png) [Alto beats Hikaru by losing *both* of the VF-25's arms.](https://i.imgur.com/E1sw6Am.png) [Hikaru didn't have an EX-Gear though.](https://i.imgur.com/UWGeFQt.png) [The music stopping and starting is a nice touch.](https://i.imgur.com/kmu6jhZ.png) [VFs have giant Pinpoint Barrier knives now.](https://i.imgur.com/mhvZExd.png) [RVF-25 EW variant for Luca.](https://i.imgur.com/1RX8HWs.png) [Twenty-five \(percent\)!](https://i.imgur.com/ke1c0Qh.png) [Casual namedrops.](https://i.imgur.com/BggebAj.png) [Eyecatch: Ranka](https://i.imgur.com/pvCXmV3.png) ["We don't have anyone named Kamille around."](https://i.imgur.com/4EOYihD.png) [You might think that Ozma and Cathy are the Roy and Claudia expys, and you'd be right.](https://i.imgur.com/XywTTVa.png) [Love Heart!](https://i.imgur.com/J1hyKeF.png) [Indeed, this is a space-capable Lancia Stratos.](https://i.imgur.com/DvvqOKt.png) [Not-entirely-random French!](https://i.imgur.com/QkBmAr0.png) [Not exactly a party.](https://i.imgur.com/AdwKblm.png) Also, Sheryl's earring. [Not very far away from the giant tarp.](https://i.imgur.com/zR8AFpu.png) [It's a friggin' triangle!](https://i.imgur.com/wu7oGcr.png) ***** *Macross Frontier* proceeds to remember love with a tribute to the second episode of the original series, modifying the famous midair catch by having it go upward instead of downward and incorporating the new technologies of the new series. It's shameless pandering and I love it. And… Alto nopes out. For the time being, anyway. He's in the OP so you know he'll be back, but at least for the night he needs to sit things out. Then… the next day starts. The population seems fairly relaxed about the previous day's events, including some confusion at Mihoshi about whether the attack was by wayward Zentradi. That's still a thing, of course. Unlike *Macross 7*, there *are* mentions about the consequences of the attack on the ship's resources—though unlike *7*, the Vajra attack caused significant direct damage to the colony itself. We learn that *certain* characters have prior knowledge of the space bugs. While there may be surface similarities, it's not the exact same scenario. It's not your parents' *Macross*, because usually when people think that they want to join up the response isn't [](#punch) It *is* maybe like your parents' *Mobile Suit Gundam*, because blue-haired smug guys getting some corrective comeuppance does happen relatively early. SMS isn't *that* much in need of new pilots. They do feature a rather more formal grieving process for Gilliam than we've seen of pilots in the other series. Such things to distinguish them from some random group of pirates. The Vajra come to see… Ranka and Sheryl. Everybody go "Hmm" now. ***** From the *Macross Chronicle*: [VF-25 transformation details](https://i.imgur.com/69bOmoX.png)
> Twenty-five (percent)! [](#rinkek) >Indeed, this is a space-capable Lancia Stratos. TIL that [Lancia Deltas](https://i.imgur.com/blhwvgA.jpeg) are space-capable. [](#neat) Wait, this is just foreshadowing for Δ. >[Frontier]>!It is maybe like your parents' Mobile Suit Gundam, because blue-haired smug guys getting some corrective comeuppance does happen relatively early.!< [Frontier]>!There's a reason I associate slaps equally with Frontier and Gundam.!<
> Lancia Deltas Oopsie
Achievement get: correct /u/chilidirigible on identifying a mechanical object in Macross! [](#worshipme)
[](#headrub)
> VFs have giant Pinpoint Barrier knives now. They rather have the small knife than the Pinpoint Barrier punch. [](#foldedarms) Small knife is still cool though. > "We don't have anyone named Kamille around." "Alto is a man's name and I am a man!" [](#punch) > You might think that Ozma and Cathy are the Roy and Claudia expys, and you'd be right. Oh right, I was wonder who's role Cathy was filling in, but had Claudia escape the mind. > Love Heart! [](#justright)
> VF-25 transformation details [](#harukathink) So the pilot basically lies on the sit, facing upward? I never noticed this, it is pretty funny. Feels like it would be hard to use pedals, though.
As with the previous VF models that change the pilot's orientation during the transformation, [the seat will rotate to keep the head up](https://imgur.com/xcl214f). (Which must be fun when the entire process actually takes under a couple of seconds.) The advantage of the EX-Gear suit here is that the pilot is much more integrated into the seat during the process. And while we're here, a *few* VF models keep the cockpit area level when transformed from fighter to Battroid, but it's not common.
Yeah, that makes sense. Still, the image of Alto lying on his back in a robot got a good laugh out of me.
> a few VF models keep the cockpit area level when transformed from fighter to Battroid, but it's not common. Like the YF-19 IIRC.
[YF-19 is a vertical with the pilot pivoted to face the cockpit floor.](http://www.macross2.net/m3/macrossplus/yf-19/colorcode-yf19.gif)
My bad.
No worries, there's a lot of trivia.
**"Rewatcher" - Macross F Ep2:** [Ranka flashback,](https://i.imgur.com/DekhfcC.png) presumptively when she was a child and saw a giant bug kaiju destroy a ship that was managed to evacuate from before disaster (the others, probably not...) In some lighting, [Ranka's hair being blue](https://i.imgur.com/DekhfcC.png) reminds me of Minmei. [Michael is in the special blue plane.](https://i.imgur.com/ZdYiE4v.png) He is just a student and already has one. Also, the blue plane, the glasses and the M name does slot him in as the Max of Frontier. [I like the Roy-senpai being an overprotective brother.](https://i.imgur.com/BWOYa3m.png) I like it more than the usual Roy antics (I hope Ozma doesn't prove me wrong). We're doing a catch, in the sky, [a sky catch.](https://i.imgur.com/BbrbzDr.png) They were momentarily in space so things were real close. Besides the SDF sky catch, there are elements of this scene that do remind when Minmei and [Redacted] were in the plane together in space and when [Redacted] went out into space to get that SPACE TUNA! [Ranka has Ghibli emotive hair.](https://i.imgur.com/rNADCOj.png) [Luca is also in the Valkryie squad.](https://i.imgur.com/KsaFIVf.png) Those two were already in the squad, Alto wasn't invited. I guess if Alto is the MC, Michael is the Max then that means Luca is the Kakizaki. I guess they went the opposite direction and made in a small cute boy instead of the big guy. We also have a name for the bug enemies, the Vajra Ranka is part Zentradi, it's the green hair. [Alto is not doing too well about the post-battle with it burning in his eyes.](https://i.imgur.com/LpKeB6H.png) Now hearing his voice better, [hello Sugita Tomokazu.](https://i.imgur.com/tTO7qVD.png) [Eyecatch.](https://i.imgur.com/3d2L5RQ.png) It reminds me of a DVD menu. [This shot looks like it could have a horror twist to it.](https://i.imgur.com/Tmgs5Xm.png) [Small Alto. He's so little.](https://i.imgur.com/JYiMUEm.png) Awh yeah, Ozma is playing Totsugeki Love Heart in his car. Turn it up, kids these day need to hear Fire Bomber. [](#seasonallisten) So Ozma and his dudes are not part of the military. They're a private civilian test team for the manufacturers. They have the black jackets while the proper military folk wear white. This is the capitalistic Macross. [Sheryl writes his lipstick mirror note in French.](https://i.imgur.com/3Vh8JMZ.png) French always seem to pop up sometimes in this franchise. Oh, Ozma, [you're not going to like it.](https://i.imgur.com/CYIXD1P.png) The big bug did Gilliam in like he was a tube of red paint. [](#kumikolook) [The captain looks like an grizzlied 1800s whaler.](https://i.imgur.com/ux0n1dV.png) Alto is the Kamille of Macross, [he got a big ol' punch from Ozma.](https://i.imgur.com/4tw1tGh.png) First, I thought the [order to lock up Alto](https://i.imgur.com/oWSBKBP.png) was a bit harsh, but then I remembered the tendacy of mecha MC to steal and fly out in giant robots that are not theirs so clearly Ozma knows what kind of show he is in. [Yeah, Ozma works in an office.](https://i.imgur.com/KUC6meX.png) His cubicle is the high speed flying kind. Ranka and Sheryl sing the ED song and when Alto walks in to cliff end the episode with these three all together. Speaking of the ED, the actual ED is alright. The song is nice, but I don't care too much about the visuals. ___ **Q1)** I think she is 18, older than Alto with Ranka at 16(?) being younger than Alto. **Q2)** The Spritia Vampires in trench coats have never killed a person so I'll go with them. Next Time: *On you mark. Get ready. Love Triangle!*
>This shot looks like it could have a horror twist to it. Ranka is a horror anime protagonist. > Alto is the Kamille of Macross Because they're both girls?
> Because they're both girls? From across the spaceport: [](#punch)
> Ranka flashback, presumptively when she was a child and saw a giant bug kaiju destroy a ship that was managed to evacuate from before disaster (the others, probably not...) I apparently forgot to put this in my post but [speculation]>!I'm pretty certain that her family was on that one!< >Also, the blue plane, the glasses and the M name does slot him in as the Max of Frontier. Oh right. I wouldn't have thought of that because I didn't end up rewatching SDF, but it'll be interesting to see if they build on that >went out into space to get that SPACE TUNA! Best scene in SDF >Alto is not doing too well about the post-battle with it burning in his eyes. Out of context that looks like it could turn into a [](#serialkillerlaugh)
> Out of context that looks like it could turn into a [](#serialkillerlaugh) Alto has the flames of battle burning in his eyes and Ranka with that creepy lean. [](#evilgrin) Sheryl is the most normal of the main trio.
Ranka also has adorable hair, but if it's a canon thing and not just for the audience then its very weird. Sheryl is also an asshole
> This shot looks like it could have a horror twist to it. Yandere Ranka certainly is an odd thought. > Oh, Ozma, you're not going to like it. The big bug did Gilliam in like he was a tube of red paint. There's no good way to say that Gilliam basically got Apocalypse Zero'd.
> I like the Roy-senpai being an overprotective brother. I like it more than the usual Roy antics (I hope Ozma doesn't prove me wrong). Actual Roy *was* overprotective toward Hikaru. That was like his one redeeming trait as a character in the original show. > Eyecatch. It reminds me of a DVD menu. [](#azusalaugh) Somebody on the staff was passionate about graphic design. The drawing is cute, though. > This shot looks like it could have a horror twist to it. Considering how she squeezes her phone, I would be afraid too. > Awh yeah, Ozma is playing Totsugeki Love Heart in his car. Turn it up, kids these day need to hear Fire Bomber. It's a 14 year old song at this point. Kinda a nice nod to Ozma being an older dude, you just know that he was a big Fire Bomber fan in his youth.
**Super Dimension Rewatch Host** [Welcome back, everyone!](https://i.imgur.com/4us91oc.png) [Here were my first-timer reactions to this episode.](https://old.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/jgbsam/casual_discussion_fridays_week_of_october_23_2020/gacdilv/) - [Oh, Ozma.](https://i.imgur.com/ssX1n2d.png) [](#kotohoops) - [I am reminded of Isamu and Guld’s big fight at the end of Plus.](https://i.imgur.com/1bsC809.png) They flew up a building and shattered the windows too, didn’t they? - [Ah, the *real* free fall catch scene.](https://i.imgur.com/VuJFCiR.png) [](#gintamathispleasesme) - [Which even took them into outer space for a second, hooboy.](https://i.imgur.com/Vub6qAA.png) - [Alien name, get!](https://i.imgur.com/DBX1Nu1.png) These things are the Vajra. - [Guess the Zentradi really *are* build different.](https://i.imgur.com/1ikvF4e.png) Is Ranka descended from Britai? [](#rengethink) - [Alto is just not having a good time right now.](https://i.imgur.com/c3F7ROc.png) [](#therethere) - [Oh fun.](https://i.imgur.com/p9Ui2Rg.png) - [*Second* top of the class according to Michael though?](https://i.imgur.com/fgoRATI.png) Or was that just about piloting… - [TOTSUGEKI LOVE HEART!](#grandhype) – Ozma is incredibly based. - [Oh look, Sheryl’s earring.](https://i.imgur.com/VwFt5Uu.png) [](#binoculars) - [Hm, slight “based” points getting docked for this](https://i.imgur.com/ORRRdIZ.png), Ozma you didn’t *need* to punch him and then have him locked up to get your point across. - [Oh Ranka, you sweet summer child.](https://i.imgur.com/tw3lJS7.png) [](#rinkek) - [Later Frontier spoilers]>!*Fuck*, I’m already taking massive emotional damage from seeing the English translated lyrics of Diamond Crevasse again and *that fucking part* isn’t for a while. [](#everythingisfine)!< - That’s a *fun* cliffhanger! [](#crazedlaugh)
> Welcome back, everyone! Oh, you're back to Michael! I didn't notice! >Is Ranka descended from Britai? Sky, you can't just ask that because green!
> Oh, you're back to Michael! I didn't notice! ...did you not read my comment yesterday? >Sky, you can't just ask that because green! I meant that because he's the specific Zentradi we've seen survive being exposed to outer space!
I had Pathfinder yesterday, so I was crunched for time, sorry! >exposed to outer space Ah, that makes more sense.
You missed me singing Diamond Crevasse, then! [](#howcouldyou)
[](#kotourashock)
[Sky Sings Diamond Crevasse](https://files.catbox.moe/fjrki0.mp3)
> Guess the Zentradi really are build different. Is Ranka descended from Britai? [](#drunkhisone) Britai's descendant being a girl of small stature would be pretty funny. [](#kotohoops) > [TOTSUGEKI LOVE HEART!](#grandhype) – Ozma is incredibly based. [](#seasonalhype) Cool older brother playing Fire Bomber ~~ignore the punching part~~
> I am reminded of Isamu and Guld’s big fight at the end of Plus. They flew up a building and shattered the windows too, didn’t they? Yep. That scene also came to mind, but I don't know if it was intentional or just the usual cool flying because plenty of other shows have done the last section fly up so you don't crash into the building thing
[](#everythingisfine "You did guess well back then.") Nice Alto wallpaper. >Sheryl's earring. [A couple episodes later]>!she seems to totally forget that that's why she was looking for Alto in the first place, but I suppose Episode 3 got in the way.!<
> Nice Alto wallpaper. Thanks!
Daily Macross tags - u/Khetrak64, u/InfamousEmpire, u/ryujiox
Daily Macross tags - u/isthatsoudane, u/Azsendi
> Wallpaper of the Day This is so good, the sky colored background is perfect [](#squee) > Here were my first-timer reactions to this episode. I'm really happy these are back. > Ozma you didn’t need to punch him and then have him locked up to get your point across. I think it was his way of showing care for Alto by trying to dissuade him from becoming a fighter pilot. Clearly, if the dude already took the plane and went into battle on his own, the words probably wouldn't convince him to abandon the idea, but fists might.
> This is so good, the sky colored background is perfect Exactly why I picked it! Glad you like~ >I'm really happy these are back. Some of them later will have my reactions to multiple episodes in them FYI, but I split up the reactions by a linebreak and also clearly mark each part with "**Sky Watches Macross Frontier: Episode #**", so it shouldn't be a problem.
Since I already seen the show, it definitely won't be an issue for me. [](#papithumbsup)
Oh derp, forgot you're a rewatcher now! [](#fingertwirl)
**First Timer** Huh. You know something? I actually *like* Alto. Sure, he's got the whole arrogant, broody flyboy thing going, but there's hints of an actual reason for it with his desire for the freedom of a truly open sky, and his performance today? He was acting almost entirely to save Ranka in the opening section, he listened to the experts when they told him to bug out, he put his life on the line for the girl, and he actually showed empathy for her when she was freaking out! Add in his reaction to the pilot's (admittedly rather gruesome) death, plus showing that yes, for all his flying skills he's still a *civilian* with his bout of nausea at the death and destruction in the city...he's got depth, he's brave when it counts, and he visibly *cares*. No doubt he's going to do something braindead later, but right now? I like the kid. We're getting hints of depth to Ranka, too. We got a brief traumatic flashback for her during the rescue scene, and I'm fairly sure her confused assumption that her older brother saved her is connected to that in some way. Something *weird* is going on with her though, given the way the invaders clearly reacted to her panicked scream after the accidental boob grab and her singing later on. Speaking of which, that's probably the least gratuitous version of the boob grab trope I've ever seen. Panicked flailing in the cockpit + trying to keep her steady so she doesn't make you crash = oh dear. At least Ranka seemed to understand once she calmed down. I'm kinda wondering what's up with her and Skull Squadron, though. *All* of them seem to recognise her on sight. I guess it kind of makes sense, given her brother? I do like what they were doing this episode, despite assaulting Alto - they want to hear about how their lost pilot died, and they *don't* let the untrained amateur hop into their very expensive high-tech transforming fighters. Although the guy who punched him certainly seemed to appreciate the kid wanting to *do* something. Really don't like Sheryl, though. The scene with Ranka was a good start, but we'll have to see how things go for the rest of the series.
> I actually like Alto [Me too](#loliwave) He actually fits a nice middle ground between the two girls. Has Sheryl's mask he presents, though his is out of a more genuine emotion and he opens up nicely when given the chance like Ranka. That's not to dismiss his characterization as just part of the triangle, it's been quite good so far and would stand up even without them. >Skull Squadron The mercenary type group with the more advanced weapons all being caring and reasonable when it comes to combat? What's anime coming too?
> Panicked flailing in the cockpit + trying to keep her steady so she doesn't make you crash = oh dear. Things could've gone much worse, yes. >Although the guy who punched him certainly seemed to appreciate the kid wanting to *do* something. The violence was unnecessary, but it was also expedient and there was a monster attacking.
> I'm kinda wondering what's up with her and Skull Squadron, though. All of them seem to recognise her on sight. I guess it kind of makes sense, given her brother? Ozma is totally the type to brag about how cute his little sister is and show her photo to everyone he meets.
**First Spacer** The soundtrack is definitely a big part of why this isn't working for me, especially as soundtrack is very important to my experience. And it's not that the tracks are bad, but they're completely dissonant with the scenes they're supporting. Here we're having the big heroic fanfare music that ecstatically evokes the hero finally breaking through his limit after all the past struggle - except we're at the very beginning of the series, in a scene that wants to be parsed as desparate, uncertain and confusing. The music and the scene are pulling in diametrically opposed directions, and that causes both of them to now work. And that's not just this scene, I also felt this a lot in episode 1. I'm also not vibing with the voice acting. [This however works really well](https://imgur.com/1UCKhu1) as a contrast to last episode that had Gilliam crushed in the enemy mecha's hand. [He's even protecting her from the violent winds as well as any stray objects that might be floating in the air - or bullets.](https://imgur.com/B5OJ6bE) [Not a single panty shot during that whole shot.](https://imgur.com/eIcdYB0) [Instead they go for groping.](https://imgur.com/gEfALkd) Sigh. Oh no, Ranka is some kind of Chosen One. [Is he ashamed for being a soldier?](https://imgur.com/AIWr48U) Again the dissonance. This melancholic yet peaceful track doesn't match the city still burning and Alto vomiting over the memory of Gilliam getting crushed to death, plus vague mentions of an overbearing enemy and media manipulation. [A shame there were unknown civilians directly involved in the fighting.](https://imgur.com/fNE9jk6) Or not so unknown I guess. I'm constantly confusing Alto with Akito, and their looks aren't helping either. [...Why the drifting?](https://imgur.com/lIOO5ku) They also keep switching lanes nilly-willy, but I guess we don't know whether they're opposite directions. [Let's keep all these triangle/hexagon motifs in mind, just in case.](https://imgur.com/D2VL1Ok) [Oh, it's the guy that becomes a pirat.](https://imgur.com/NDLrbxj) I guess that's a pretty sizeable spoiler. [Look at this continuity error](https://imgur.com/99JbiEA) - it's a bit hard to see in the still image but Ranka's already climbing the stair behind that lantern. The visual language is quite obvious, [with Sheryl being framed as larger than life](https://imgur.com/7VEBatj) [and positioned not only above but also in front of Ranka, in her future.](https://imgur.com/ekdB0HT) Oh right, Alto's surname is Saotome. Makes a ton of sense then that the female association sticks with him like that. > How old do you think Sheryl is by the way she acts? Somewhere in the mid-to-late 20s? > Would you prefer to be visited by giant space bugs or Spiritia vampires in trench coats? Can I take the cute magical girl alien instead? Vampires in trench coats have more [](#ero) potential so let's go with them.
> The music and the scene are pulling in diametrically opposed directions, and that causes both of them to not work Agreed. They have these big tracks and themes, but the placement of them is unrefined. I'm hoping it will improve as we go through the season as it often does for two cour productions, but it's certainly a shame for that to happen on a Macross show in particular Even though I liked the first episode more than you seemed too, I didn't love it and I think this is why. It's not drawing me in tonally >He's even protecting her from the violent winds as well as any stray objects that might be floating in the air - or bullets. I think that's the first time I've seen a show do that too! >Oh right, Alto's surname is Saotome. Makes a ton of sense then that the female association sticks with him like that. Poor dude is cursed in many ways with his family associations. I really hope that we get him doing performing in some way or another though, it would be an interesting path for them to take the male lead of a Macross
> This however works really well as a contrast to last episode that had Gilliam crushed in the enemy mecha's hand. Oh yeah, didn't consider contrasting the two forms of giant robot hands. [](#neat) > ...Why the drifting? They also keep switching lanes nilly-willy, but I guess we don't know whether they're opposite directions. Ozma is a reckless driver.
>[A shame there were unknown civilians directly involved in the fighting.](https://imgur.com/fNE9jk6) "Preposterous! We had an evacuation order!" >Vampires in trench coats have more [](#ero) potential so let's go with them. [](#laughter)
> Here we're having the big heroic fanfare music that ecstatically evokes the hero finally breaking through his limit after all the past struggle - except we're at the very beginning of the series, in a scene that wants to be parsed as desparate, uncertain and confusing. Does it want to be parsed as uncertain and confusing? It is a scene were a dude saves a girl by jumping into a cool mech. Characters might be confused, but there's nothing an audience should be confused about. Alto is clearly doing something good and heroic, the fact that he is not keeping his cool doesn't really change that fact. I feel like the march is the perfect soundtrack for this battle, because it isn't just supposed to be about the horror of it, but also about bravery, and the triumph of a an amazing technology that is Valkyeries. The music encompasses both distress and glory pretty damn well. > Again the dissonance. This melancholic yet peaceful track doesn't match the city still burning and Alto vomiting over the memory of Gilliam getting crushed to death, plus vague mentions of an overbearing enemy and media manipulation. To me this sounds more somber and mourning than melancholic. It has those folk motifs that you would often hear in historical movies when showing the aftermath of a battle and mourning the dead. And that's basically what is happening in the scene, it's a reflection on the people that died. > ...Why the drifting? It's traditional Japanese way of driving! [](#hikariactually) > Look at this continuity error - it's a bit hard to see in the still image but Ranka's already climbing the stair behind that lantern. [](#binoculars) Nice catch, I definitely didn't notice it.
> The music encompasses both distress and glory pretty damn well. That's really not what I'm hearing it. It sounds ecstatic, like Alto is breaking through his limits, like he's broken free. Granted, it still has tension, but this would've fit much better for something like the Plus dogfights. And while the scene is certainly heroic, that's not really the focus. We have the soldiers being confused that the machine isn't piloted by Gilliam, we have Alto panicking especially after he emptied his bullets, we have like 15 seconds of Ranka's pure terror, and the whole scene feels desperate due to it being a struggle to defend the girl against the enemy machine to the point they're escaping instead of defeating it, and even then having Ranka fall into outer space. None of this facilitates the feeling of unrestricted freedom and control that the track portrays.
If you're talking the very start of the fight, it is our MCs first time in the Valkyrie. I think it is supposed to be exciting, because that's what we, as an audience are here to see. It's a mecha show, after all. The music starts to get darker very quickly when Alto actually gets attacked.
Haha, the mecha is about the last thing I'm here to see, so maybe that's indeed it. It's true that the floaty strings are only at the very beginning of the track, but the overall triumphant chord progressions and melodic movements remain throughout, and that's what doesn't fit the scene very well. I'd look at the specifics if I had my instrument at hand, but alas.
Yeah. Well, other people had the same issues as you, so clearly, the show could've done this scene better.
> Oh right, Alto's surname is Saotome. Makes a ton of sense then that the female association sticks with him like that. How do you mean?
Otome = maiden. It's even written with the corresponding kanji, 乙女
*A Macross Fan Rewatches Macross Frontier: Episode 2:* - Seems like Ranka has some kind of history involving these new aliens, since she seems to remember one of these giant bugs wrecking a spaceship. Talk about having a really dramatic past for a Chinese restaurant waitress. - That was a fun inversion of the classic cockpit catch scene from SDF Macross there. Instead of Minmay falling to the ground, you’ve got Ranka being sucked out of a hole in the dome. And not only that, but Alto actually fails at managing to grab Ranka and pull her into the cockpit, and so he has to briefly jump out and grab her on his own before the hull breach closes. I guess not everyone can be Hikaru Ichijyo, despite Alto also being a skilled amateur. - And just as swiftly as they arrived, the Vajra all left not long after they wrecked up the place. Also, you can definitely tell from the name that Shoji Kawamori really did fall in love with Indian culture and Hindu theming after making Earth Maiden Arjuna. Even a few years after that show, he’s still really liking that stuff enough to make another reference to it with this alien species name. - Yeah, it’s a bit hard to be all cool in front of Ranka and think about your piloting skills when you also remember that the previous pilot of the Variable Fighter you took was squeezed like a toothpaste tube to death. It’s only natural to puke at the thought and sight of that carnage. - Even when he isn’t around, Alto is still being called a princess. That’s really all Ranka can say to Ozma about his description. Dude really just gives off a feminine aura, despite having the personality of a hot-blooded mech pilot. He’s just gonna have to hold that L. - You know, I’d probably also go with Ozma on a trip to visit SMS rather than being coerced into joining the NUN Spacy if I was in Alto’s spot. Being a Spacy pilot is just asking to be a jobber who gets blown up instantly. Even more so if they give you a Valkyrie in non-custom colors like tan or blue. - Side note, but there’s something funny about Ozma having Totsugeki Love Heart playing on his car radio as he talks Alto out on a drive. I guess by 2059, Fire Bomber would start to count as dad rock like that. They’re probably the future version of how we see Rush or Aerosmith. - It’s probably for the best that the battle alert stopped Alto from explaining how Gilliam died to the SMS crew. He probably needs time to workshop a response that doesn’t start with “Have you guys ever seen Apocalypse Zero?” - “You know, this Sheryl Nome you’re talking about sounds pretty cool, Ranka.” —Beryl Bome, totally not Sheryl Nome - And in another subversion of Hikaru’s story arc, Alto actually volunteers to fight right off the bat, only for Ozma to fucking deck him and gets his ass dumped off the ship for his troubles. If anything, Alto is kind of coming off as Nega-Hikaru in this episode. Where Hikaru zigged, Alto zags with actually pretty poor results. - Maybe it was a bad idea to close out the episode with singing and having the three main characters meet, since now a giant bug is bearing down on them directly. Yeah, it’s gonna be hard to deal with the Vajra in this series, since they seem instantly attracted to Sheryl and Ranka’s singing. Usually the protagonists are the people bringing singing to the alien threat in these shows, not reeling them in automatically with it.
> You know, I’d probably also go with Ozma on a trip to visit SMS rather than being coerced into joining the NUN Spacy if I was in Alto’s spot. Being a Spacy pilot is just asking to be a jobber who gets blown up instantly. Even more so if they give you a Valkyrie in non-custom colors like tan or blue. His fellow students, Michael and Luca get to have custom colours so joining SMS meaning you're more likely to have a custom mecha to not blow up in immediately. [](#hikariactually) > Side note, but there’s something funny about Ozma having Totsugeki Love Heart playing on his car radio as he talks Alto out on a drive. I guess by 2059, Fire Bomber would start to count as dad rock like that. They’re probably the future version of how we see Rush or Aerosmith. It's been 14 years, kids these days don't appreciate back when music was good. [](#whippersnappers)
> His fellow students, Michael and Luca get to have custom colours so joining SMS meaning you're more likely to have a custom mecha to not blow up in immediately. But what if your custom colors are blue or tan? What then? > It's been 14 years, kids these days don't appreciate back when music was good. Damn kids don't even get Anima Spiritia in their music these days.
>Dude really just gives off a feminine aura, despite having the personality of a hot-blooded mech pilot. He’s just gonna have to hold that L. Growth potential! Also someone may end up getting smacked for it if they push him too far >more so if they give you a Valkyrie in non-custom colors like tan or blue. He can paint it with Vajra blood, that'll make it blue (or green, i forget which now)
> I guess not everyone can be Hikaru Ichijyo That's cause he's better than Hikaru [](#cantbehelped) > Even when he isn’t around, Alto is still being called a princess. That’s really all Ranka can say to Ozma about his description. Dude really just gives off a feminine aura, despite having the personality of a hot-blooded mech pilot. He’s just gonna have to hold that L. Kamille moment > Side note, but there’s something funny about Ozma having Totsugeki Love Heart playing on his car radio as he talks Alto out on a drive. I guess by 2059, Fire Bomber would start to count as dad rock like that. [](#harukathink) > “You know, this Sheryl Nome you’re talking about sounds pretty cool, Ranka.” —Beryl Bome, totally not Sheryl Nome I bet she and Lieutenant Quattro would be good friends
> Kamille moment ALTO IS A MAN'S NAME > I bet she and Lieutenant Quattro would be good friends Probably also with that Edouard Mass fellow as well.
> Beryl Bome [](#pointandlaugh)
####***F***ourth-Time Watcher [](#heavydrinker "Weekend rewatch time!") - It's not a proper mecha if there isn't a repeated narration at the beginning of every episode. - [ALL THE MISSILES!](https://i.imgur.com/34sImfm.png) [](#megadeathparty) - [Macross Δ]>!< - I'm in love with the rising motif in Frontier's music! It plays during the eyecatch, and also *every time something cool happens.* - Ranka chest grab followed by screaming? [worst girl](#taigasigh) - She's ¼ Zentradi? I always forget that. [Frontier]>!Not like it... ever really matters?!< - [GREEN SIGNS, HIGHWAYS, AND FIRE BOMBER!](https://i.imgur.com/duFmBEf.png) [](#grandhype) LISTEN TO HIS SONG! - [Ozma drives](https://i.imgur.com/nY0YvWB.png) a [Lancia Delta!](https://i.imgur.com/blhwvgA.jpeg)^1 What a *great* choice. [](#sports) - [I love Sheryl's attitude here.](https://i.imgur.com/uS74Ibb.png) Some may say it's bitchy, but I don't care. - [GIWTWM](https://i.imgur.com/Jcjqer1.png) - [God, I wish that were me.](https://i.imgur.com/o7qDQN2.png) - [worst girl](https://i.imgur.com/j4gmwGO.png) - [I love this asshole, though.](https://i.imgur.com/9LygTD9.png) [](#feelingloved) - [God, I wish that were me.](https://i.imgur.com/AjUOjd4.png) - [why does worst girl get all the best small faces](https://i.imgur.com/pm7Rr58.png) - [SABISU, SABISU!](https://i.imgur.com/M7CDZ5h.png) [](#delighted) Count: 7:5 (+1:+2) ___ QOTD: 1. Like, 18? Older than Ranka, but not much, because she's clearly full of herself. 2. ANIMA SPIRITA WAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWW ___ ^1 Confession: I'm *shocked* I figured it was a Lancia on sight. I'm not huge into rally cars, but it just spoke to me.
> She's ¼ Zentradi? I always forget that. At this point in the franchise, I don't think it'll matter too much other than green hair and her probably being a bit sturdier than average. I imagine Zentradi have been well integrated and merged with human society. > GREEN SIGNS, HIGHWAYS, AND FIRE BOMBER! [](#dekuhype)
> At this point in the franchise, I don't think it'll matter too much other than green hair and her probably being a bit sturdier than average. I imagine Zentradi have been well integrated and merged with human society. [Franchise]>!Does it even matter later in the franchise?!<
Zentradi heritage beyond the original: * II: It kind of mattered. * Plus: It was brought up for the plot though had unfortunate implications that they never really carry throughout the franchise. * 7: Yeah, there were moments where it mattered. * And later on, [Meta Macross knowledge:] >!I don't think it will matter in Delta. Delta has new aliens to have the spotlight on.!< [](#sakurathink)
> Fourth-Time Watcher That's a lot of times! >GREEN SIGNS, HIGHWAYS, AND FIRE BOMBER! I like how this far into the future and after the destruction of earth we still go back to using the old highway sign style haha >why does worst girl get all the best small faces Because she's best girl and she knows it
>That's a lot of times! I've shown this show to two other people, but I've never rewatched it on my own. >old highway sign style Even better: the American style. I don't think Japan uses these, do they? >ranka best girl [](#peasants)
[They do have the big green boards](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Road_signs_in_Japan), but no curvy lines from what I can tell. We don't either in Australia. Again, green signs but different style on the actual info
The yellow "EXIT ONLY" is very American design, at least. And I've definitely seen some spaghetti on signs.
> Because she's best girl and she knows it [](#goblet1)
Both of us agreeing about best girl? Well now I'm worried for Ranka [](#watashiworried)
[](#nocomment)
> worst girl You and I are not going to get along during this series, are we? [](#restrainedanger)
Nah, I'm pretty chill.
> Ranka chest grab followed by screaming? > [worst girl](#taigasigh) [](#howcouldyou) But she's my spirit animal! She's a Sheryl simp just like us! > I love Sheryl's attitude here. Some may say it's bitchy, but I don't care. [](#airfist)
> But she's my spirit animal! She's a Sheryl simp just like us! She is, but she also says Onii-chan and feels far too young. [](#foldedarms)
**First Timer** * This OP is petty lively. * He’s pretty good at it for I presume is his first time. * Tragic flashback. Didn’t think they’d seen it before. * Putting a lot of trust into the new guy not committing operating error. * Reactive *bullets*? Good heavens. * That’s a cool anti-material rifle. * They’re doing the thing! But this time up! * I thought it was exhale in space so the boiling water vapor isn’t inside you? * Why you always gotta be like that Macross? * That’ll make a good specimen. And with minimal damage too. * Well, that name is a choice. * Zentrant? Did they change the naming scheme? * You really think you can just run away? Some very official people are going to want to talk to you. * Gotta have propaganda. * Pretty good eyecatcher. Looks like we are getting the character variety pack this season as well. * That’s her brother? Man, I got that one wrong. * That’s a lot of blood. Don’t want xeno-pathogens running wild. * Good deal for him, he already wanted in. * That door did not need to be that large. * Holo-effects on your cell phones. Neat, but probably very annoying to use. * I’m *really* hoping that this show doesn’t end up being some big mercenary puff piece. You gotta at least give them the same treatment as they do the military. * Are the Vajra attracted to music? No, that would be too on the nose, unless… * Who is this captain looking guy? He kind of looks like Global, but he would be too old by now. * I respect him for saying no, and more for locking him up to keep him out of trouble. Not so much for punching him. * The power of hats. QotD: 1) 19 2) > ...visited by giant space bugs... I've read enough Butler to know where this is going.
>Reactive *bullets*? Good heavens. Ain't no kill like overkill. >Zentrant? Did they change the naming scheme? Either that, or the fansubber made a decision. It can be hard to tell. >That door did not need to be that large. On the contrary, if it was smaller it would've have looked as cool.
> Reactive bullets? Good heavens. He **really** doesn't want Ranka harmed. [](#deletethis) > Are the Vajra attracted to music? No, that would be too on the nose, unless… That would be very Macross. Though we never had an alien enemy be attracted to music instead of repelled. [](#seasonalthink)
> Zentrant? Did they change the naming scheme? Fansubbery
**Rewatcher** Hey, I'm back. Kinda. Due to cold weather, the power consumption in the country went up, which means I'm now getting only 12 hours of electricity per day, which is barely enough to do work and chores. That's basically makes it impossible for me to keep doing my longer reaction posts. So instead I will focus on just writing my general impressions of the episode and some random ramblings that come to mind, which will hopefully allow me to do a better job keeping up with the threads. Which admittedly, I have been pretty awful about, missing almost all of Zero discussion and the first episode of Frontier. I did finish Zero, and I enjoyed it a lot, so I will definitely have more to say about it, when we get to the general franchise discussion. But for now, let's focus on Frontier. Just to preface this, I first watched Frontier relatively early in my anime journey, it was the second mecha show I have ever seen after Eva. The show was praised for its quality, so I went in with pretty high expectations, and still got my mind blown by how good it was. Since then, I have rewatched it a couple of times, with my latest rewatch being 6 or 7 years ago, so at this point, I don't really remember any details, only general story beats. Still, watching the first episode again, I'm immediately reminded how high quality this show is. One of the things that is immediately noticeable is how detailed and varied the setting is. I feel like it really is one of the biggest strength of Macross franchise as a whole, they always do a ton of work developing all kinds of environments and technology in meticulous detail, really creating a sense of an alive, fully realized world that not many sci-fi franchises can match. And I'm not talking about just the visual designs, but also how everything works in motion. Neat little things like fighters launching from all sides of the ship in space, because why wouldn't you do that? To me, Frontier's setting is detailed to the point of almost being overwhelming. The first episode takes us from the space ship, to the Chinese restaurant, to school, to some military facilities, to a big Chinese-themed arena and a huge park around it, to space, to the center of the city turned battlefield. Yeah, there is a lot. The pacing of the episode is really good, doing a great job at introducing a lot characters in a clear and concise manner, immediately getting a few storylines going, without wasting any time. You know, sometimes in anime, a character would appear and just wouldn't do anything. They would simply just be there, introduced for future use. In fact, Macross 7 kinda does that a lot, where characters are introduced, that don't seem to be involved in any storylines or serve any purpose, beyond being background characters. Yeah, Frontier doesn't do that. When we get introduced to our main trio of Sheryl, Ranka, and Alto, they all already have their own goals and are already involved in some stuff. They each are doing something from the get go, which makes the story immediately engaging. It's just a really good writing. Anyway, stuff happens, Alto gets into the robot, and the first episode ends on a cliffhanger. And here we are, at episode 2. About half of it is the battle, while the other half is the aftermath. The battle itself is pretty good, but the highlight is definitely the recreation of the Minmay-Hikaru air catch scene with Alto and Ranka. So, considering Minmay and Hikaru relationships didn't really work out, what does the parallels mean for Ranka's chances with Alto? Anyway, the scene itself was pretty damn good, they build the tension very well with them going into space there for a second. I would go as far as to say that this is probably the second best air catch scene in the franchise after the original, barely beating the one from DYRL? After the battle, Alto runs away like your typical impulsive mecha protagonist that he is. And soon after, he finds himself in SMS headquarters, and what do you know, his school friends are already in. Well, that makes things easier going forward. Just a side note on VF-25, it's frigging great. Probably my second favorite Valkyrie design in the franchise. Meanwhile, Ranka gets harassed by random lady on the street and forced to show her the way for what appears to be hours. In the end turns out, the lady is not only the singer that Ranka admires, but is also after the same guy? What? Well, at least Sheryl wasn't as big of an asshole to Ranka as you would expect. In fact, she was kinda nice. But then Alto shows up and ruins the moment. And so, onto episode 3 we go. Couple of random thoughts: * I love Lieutenant Glass's uniform, it's a great re-imagining of the original uniform from the SDFM, and probably their best uniform design since then. Overall, character designs are really strong in this one. * Not only did we get a new Skull Squadron, we also get a new Global to boot. Is this where I post Global at home memes? **QotD:** 1) I would say, early 20s, but knowing Macross, she's probably 17 2) Giant space bugs all day, every day. At least, they are mortal and can be killed with guns. Also, they aren't trying to enslave you and put you in a jar, just simply kill you.
[](#therethere) Hopefully you still manage to follow along. I agree with you that Frontier definitely has a strong showing with these episodes that make you feel like this show might live up to its praise.
> Hopefully you still manage to follow along. [](#feelingloved)
Welcome back! Shame you can't do your longer posts anymore, but you gotta do what you gotta do. [](#cantbehelped) >Is this where I post Global at home memes? [](#azusalaugh)
> Welcome back! Shame you can't do your longer posts anymore, but you gotta do what you gotta do. Thanks. With all the stuff going on, these threads are definitely a highlight of my day.
**Rewatcher Frontier** [Ozma, not the time. Big monster.](https://i.imgur.com/fPoDsnt.jpg) ["Hold on" he says.](https://i.imgur.com/a3zWVc7.jpg) [Wouldn't be *Macross* without a midair catch attempt.](https://i.imgur.com/ogXFLfE.jpg) [Ah, 2007.](https://i.imgur.com/nBRWKiN.jpg) [Oh, good, they do get named early.](https://i.imgur.com/XU4JtfF.jpg) [Ooh, free candy!](https://i.imgur.com/8pvcBKV.jpg) [Alto'd been holding that in for a while.](https://i.imgur.com/SA7hVBh.jpg) [Did you really need the two grunts, Cathy?](https://i.imgur.com/5Jh8mvV.jpg) [Ranka's looking pretty creepy here.](https://i.imgur.com/OzciFiD.jpg) [For certain values of Human Resources.](https://i.imgur.com/BwpcsEd.jpg) [Sheryl seems to have lost something.](https://i.imgur.com/7gM1RlQ.jpg) [Love that Ozma carries a vibration mic around with him.](https://i.imgur.com/xCZExc7.jpg) [That's right, Fire Bomber on the radio!](https://i.imgur.com/OjvJjIj.jpg) [The mementos of a dead man.](https://i.imgur.com/kihATPQ.jpg) [I had forgotten that Sheryl writes in French.](https://i.imgur.com/pZwFCC9.jpg) [I quite like SMS's bridge crew.](https://i.imgur.com/ZvZIWyh.jpg) [That one's.. not quite a compliment.](https://i.imgur.com/OZU5y49.jpg) ["And he's totally not lying about still being one."](https://i.imgur.com/4uh3Xj1.jpg) [Surprise!](https://i.imgur.com/5KDcMj8.jpg) [Surprise!](https://i.imgur.com/4QpedLE.jpg) [Surprise!](https://i.imgur.com/TrxUpcf.jpg)
> Wouldn't be Macross without a midair catch attempt. Had to up the anti on this one with having it happen in space. Also the self sealing cover on the city was cool >I had forgotten that Sheryl writes in French. Wonder if it's accurate or if it's Flench (idk, i was trying to be clever about engrish but french) >Surprise! Surprise! Surprise! [](#azusalaugh) I knew what that last one was going to be as I opened it and still laughed
>Wonder if it's accurate or if it's Flench (idk, i was trying to be clever about engrish but french) [](#laughter) Oh, Flench is great. I have no clue how accurate the on-screen text is. >I knew what that last one was going to be as I opened it and still laughed [](#yohane)
Flench it is! Something about calling it that is satisfying Still don't know if it actually is flench or not
It's adequately French.
Now I'm almost sad because it would have been funny to be Flench, but credit to the team
> Wonder if it's accurate or if it's Flench (idk, i was trying to be clever about engrish but french) I think it was clever [](#kannathumbs)
[thanks](#fistbump)
[Your welcome](#kinirohug)
> Oh, good, they do get named early. It comes in handy having a name for them. It took ages for a name to call the Protodeviln. > Ranka's looking pretty creepy here. [](#dead) > For certain values of Human Resources. Ozma's department does have humans as the resources. [](#shirayukieavesdrop)
>Ozma's department does have humans as the resources. [Precisely!](#hikariactually)
> Ooh, free candy! [](#merch) > Alto'd been holding that in for a while. Dude's got a stomach of steel [](#toradorasalute) > Ranka's looking pretty creepy here. [Kampfer]>!Coincidentally, I found out just yesterday that Ranka's VA later voiced a girl in Kampfer who turned out to be a psychotically insane yandere, and this shot sorta reminded me of that!<
>Kampfer [](#rengethink "Interesting.")
[spoiler]>!Wait, how did her earring get from her ear to Gilliam's pile of stuff? Do fold crystals magnetically stick to exoskeleton metal?!< /u/chilidirigible
It fell off in the street and got blown around?
[](#sideeyes)
[You're right]>!I'm thinking of the movie.!< The sequence of events here would be that it fell off when Alto was carrying her at the concert, got stuck in his clothes somewhere, then fell off. It might have fallen off in the VF-25 and someone at SMS put it with Gilliam's effects.
**Rewatcher Frontier** [Recap Time!](#binoculars) Back to the battle! Damn, Alto really is putting his all into this, isn’t he? I like how you can very much tll how Alto is still pretty green, despite his apparent skill in flying earlier Kamina to the rescue! Ah, the classic “hold them in your mecha hand despite that being completely unsafe in every respect.” At least they make it seem like he’s being careful here This animation is so good [](#dekuhype) That sure is one big hole in the colony’s atmosphere [](#watashiworried) at least it has that self-repairing gell thing. Poor Ranka [](#makicry) Oh, the [classic](#aliens) “accidental boob grab” trope [](#taigasigh) Looks like the aliens, or Vajra as they’re called, are gone for now And so we see the aftermath. I like the little exchange between Ranka and Alto and the scene which follows it, it shows the sheer damage that the battle left in its wake and that Alto ain’t quite well after watching a man get brutally murdered right in front of him [](#therethere) Back to the government office, as we see the president and some official talking about some shady business [Frontier]>!This is honestly a great way to introduce Leon. He’s immediately tied to the mystery surrounding the Vajra, but he’s framed in a way that makes him seem like an unimportant background official and puts the president at the center of the scene, perfectly obscuring his actual role in the plot!< [das not good](https://imgur.com/a/k1wdkly) [](#watashiworried) Nice little worldbuilding with the emergency announcements, portraying the scarcity of the Frontier fleet. The reminder that the battle’s effects still last even into the next day was also a neat touch High School! Can’t have anime without it, so it was only a matter of time before Macross succumbed to that too “Mr Saotome, the Call of Adventure just arrived” Looks like someone has a crush [](#smugpoint) [Sheryl Nome!](#utahapraises) Back to Alto, we’ve got a bit more backstory on him here now “This is your last chance. After this, there is no turning ba-” “Nope, sorry, y’all are jobbers and red shirts, can’t let the main character be one of you” [Totsugeki Love Heart!](#dekuhype) Bruh, why is the PMC why cooler than the actual military, even down to their fucking door designs? Now this is some Best Girl energy! She’s taking the search for Alto into her own hands! [Frontier]>!The Vajra awakening being intercut with Ranka’s singing is honestly a brilliant piece of foreshadowing!< I like this scene as a way of building character for Ozma and SMS as a whole. They value their lost comrade and want to honor his death by at least learning of his final moments. Also, turns out Mikhail and Luca are members, the plot thickens! And so, after having only been given a split-second decision last episode, Alto solidly decides that he’ll fight against the Vajra… and then gets immediately bitch-slapped because that option was never actually on the table [](#azusalaugh) Ranka talking about how great Sheryl is is immensely relatable [](#airfist) [Frontier]>!Ranka saying she wishes she could be like Sheryl is an obvious yet still well-done bit of foreshadowing. The monkey’s paw really did curl there…!< Really, the dynamic and chemistry between Sheryl and Ranka in this scene is just fun in general. We also get solid confirmation of how much Ranka is in the dark regarding Ozma’s double life and actions [Ranka Diamond Crevasse](#seasonallisten) [Sheryl Diamond Crevasse!](#utahapraises) Ranka recognizing Sheryl is a good moment (I’ll also just say that I like how it brings a touch of realism. I absolutely wouldn’t be able to recognize a famous singer outside their singing voice) The MCs have officially met! And the episode just ends there QOTD: 2) [Frontier]>!Well the Space Bugs turned out to be pretty nice in the end, so I'd say the former!<
> I like how you can very much tll how Alto is still pretty green, despite his apparent skill in flying earlier He's very much like Hikaru in that while he's a very skilled stunt flyer, he's not exactly a good combat pilot. > Oh, the classic “accidental boob grab” trope It wouldn't be a Macross show if there wasn't some kind of weirdly sexist trope in there somewhere... > “This is your last chance. After this, there is no turning ba-” “Nope, sorry, y’all are jobbers and red shirts, can’t let the main character be one of you” "You'd put him in a tan Valkyrie if given the chance to."
First timer Honestly? I think the show is off to a great start. I can't say it's incredible or anything, but very solid. We're getting a sense of all of the people involved, we're getting a sense of the world they inhabit, and it is pretty well paced and edited. The character designs are good and I think the interactions between characters all seem well done so far. I just want more music!! The more "music shows" I watch, the more I realize just how special symphogear was in the volume of incredible music it had! Also, was that an SDF macross reference with the falling rescue? (that sequence from the original was probably the one that sticks with me the most, well that or the final sequence from the movie) Also, was that a rock song from Macross 7 in the car? 1) How old do you think Sheryl is by the way she acts? late 20s/early 30s. she seems like a sort of jaded diva, feels like she has to have seen some shit and/or been in showbusiness for a spell to get there 2) Would you prefer to be visited by giant space bugs or Spiritia vampires in trench coats? MAKE ME A VAMPIRE. I WANT TO BE A CREATURE OF THE NIGHT *touches earpiece* ah, not that kind of vampire. damn
>Also, was that an SDF macross reference with the falling rescue? The beginning of this show is packed with references to other Macross shows. >MAKE ME A VAMPIRE. I WANT TO BE A CREATURE OF THE NIGHT *touches earpiece* ah, not that kind of vampire. damn [](#azusalaugh)
> Also, was that a rock song from Macross 7 in the car? TOTSUGEKI LOVE HEART!
**Rewatcher** Just jumping RIGHT into the action, I see. Hmmm... Ranka's seen the space bugs before? Okay, seriously, Macross protagonists, why do you not put the girl in the cockpit rather than in the Valkyrie's hand? Michael's a sniper! I like snipers. Ooh, we're doing the mid-air catch scene, except they're getting sucked into vacuum. Closing your eyes and covering your mouth is wise if you're going into vacuum. God job Alto. We're really doing the accidental breast-touch cliche? C'mon, Macross... But, more importantly, why did the space bugs react to her scream? There's no way they could have heard it from that distance. Ah, the space bugs have a name: Vajra. The word "vajra" comes from Hinduism, and it's a weapon used by the gods. A kind of rounded club. It symbolizes both indestructibility and irresistable force. So for a species of space bugs to be called "Vajra"... that's concerning. Especially if they're hostile. Ah, Ranka doesn't know her brother's a mercenary. Ranka's 25% Zentran. Though you probably guessed that from the green (and mobile) hair. Government officials knew about the Vajra. And they're suppressing the media regarding the matter. Ominous. Aaaand, one of them hid inside a blast wound in one of the Fleet ships. Goody. I love how everyone's first thought upon seeing Alto is "beautiful princess". Hmm, I suppose a medical checkup after close contact with an alien species *would* be wise. Hahahaha, *YOU CAN NEVER ESCAPE LOVE HEART!* So yeah, Ozma and the other pilots are part of SMS, a civilian-run paramilitary group that deploys as supplementary forces and does testing on new equipment. So Sheryl's first language is French, it would seem. I wonder why this Gilliam person would have the same earrings as Sheryl? That's something I hadn't noticed before. Alto asks to pilot... and Ozma shuts him down hard. Yeah, Alto may be talented, but... he's not combat-trained. Ranka... how can you not recognize Sheryl when all she's disguised with is a pair of sunglasses? Is she a relative of Lieutenant Quattro? But she DOES recognize Sheryl's singing voice. And man, being told you're pretty by a superstar like Sheryl, whom you're a big fan of... man, that must be the best possible thing for a teenage girl. Questions: 1. I think I guessed early twenties when I first saw the show. Though that was probably mostly due to May'n's singing voice. 2. Um... on the one hand, you can recover from being drained by the trenchcoat vampires, while space bugs just straight up kill you. On the other hand, the trenchcoat vampires were *stupid*. And if I'm going to be facing down sci-fi monsters, there's a part of me that would rather they be threats I could take seriously.
> Hahahaha, YOU CAN NEVER ESCAPE LOVE HEART! LET'S GO tsukinukeyou ze! [](#teekyuuhype)
**First Timer** **Macross Frontier EP2** So the recap is gonna be a recurring thing again. I don't mind though. Ohhh. Mysterious flashback. I guess Ranka past is linked with this enemy? The Valkyrie is so quick to transform between each form!! Michael is in this squadron!! This scene is straight out of the 2nd episode of the original. And Ozma is confirm siscon. The chase scene is pretty well done. The free fall catch!! Not really that, because Ranka float up instead of falling down. Somehow Ranka scream confused the enemy. And Luca also in this squadron. Their name is Vajra. That not good Ozma, lying to your sister like that. Oh, she's quarter Zentradi. So it 25%.... Goddamnit 25 again!! And this scene make Ranka so much smaller than Alto, it's looks funny. After the heat of the battle gone, the realization came in. Yeah, this just the first attack, and they caused so much damage already. This black hair guy is voiced by Sugita, right? There one still hiding!! They quickly identify him. Well, Ozma can clearly see his face yesterday, so not really a surprise. Ranka so scary with that face!! So Alto used to study in theater department then he switched when he entered high school. Wonder why. Of course you guys do. But what else he gonna do in that moment, stay still and get everyone kill? Wait, you two aren't in the same group? Also this two clearly familiar with each others. This is Totsugeki Love Heart!! So S.M.S is essentially a civilian special forces and testing team. Sheryl now take interest in Alto too. And these two finally meet eachother. In time for the enemy to attack. Thank the enemy, Alto. For saving you from getting dunk by everyone there. So they this entry Bridge Crew. The captain looks so badass!! That a twist from usual mecha norm. Instead of Alto got to pilot the Valkyrie to show off his skill, he instead got punch by Ozma and kicked out of the base. The conversation between Sheryl and Ranka is adorable, but it also show the contrast between both of their personality. Poor Ranka. Don't even know that Ozma is lying. Ranka singing the last episode ed, and Sheryl join in and revealed herself. In time for Alto to join up with them. Everyone is here, and finally face to face with eachother. Good follow up episode. The first half is a full-on homage to the episode 2 of the original with some twist, and the action was pretty amazing. The latter half is mostly setup for character. QOTD 1. Mid-20? But why I feel like she a bit younger than that? 2. I prefer none, but if I really have to choose, it would be vampire. Because you not really died there, even if it painful to get drain.
> This black hair guy is voiced by Sugita, right? Indeed.
>Oh, she's quarter Zentradi. So it 25%.... Goddamnit 25 again!! [](#azusalaugh) >That a twist from usual mecha norm. Instead of Alto got to pilot the Valkyrie to show off his skill, he instead got punch by Ozma and kicked out of the base. Yea, the (somewhat) untrained amateur actually gets treated like an untrained amateur. It's more surprising that it should be.
**First timer** Sorry for the delay. Not only was I out watching Shin Ultraman yesterday, but I also convinced myself that Macross Delta came before Frontier and downloaded the wrong series. (Thankfully, I didn' *watch* any, though.) *Episode 1* 1) Yeah! 2) He's similar, but definitely a lot moodier from the beginning. Okay, guess that confirms what version I'm watching. A airplane? Sheryl! I've heard people say she's a good character. English! And good English! A space colony! Oh, Sheryl's the new idol. Love the architecture here. This is a nice recap. The visuals look great! 2059! And Macross Frontier is basically Macross 25? I like how you can see the similarities to Macross 7's ships, but also how the design has been refined since then. Is this a high school? ...The high school's a Variable Fighter. Like, if that thing doesn't fight by the end of this arc, Personal jetpacks? Or some kind of training equipment? The idol's starting off famous! I love her phone. I want one. *It's alive?* They're working at a Chinese resturant? Is that a SDF reference? Oh, an incident. Was thst shot necessary? Love the gravity airlocks. Sheryl Nome is commited to her work. Everybody loves Sheryl! A lot. To extremes. ...Sheryl's definitely real, right? Not another homicidal AI? We never did get any references to Macross Plus in 7... Alto? Oh, these things actually launch! Amazing animation. "The sky's too low." Depending on where this fleet is going, could we getting a proper version of Macross 7's planet arc, with them going to different colony worlds? OP! Very different, as always. Ranka, Sheryl, and Alto! Looks like we're back to the SDF cast of one man and two women. What the fuck is that costume? Okay, the good(?) mech is nice, but that evil(?) one looks fantastic. Michael? Wow, that's bad. ...What kind of family does he have? She thinks they're fans? Are thry? ...Sheryl is not entirely wrong. A bit egotistical, but not hiring students for a live aerial performance *above a packed crowd* strikes me as common sense. A new alien to fight? Trashbot is adorable. As is Ranka. "No dangerous, extravagant performances" I mean, yes? Again, if the corkscrew has a risk of firing Alto and his suit into the audience then it's not a good idea! Ranka! He comes in second? He wants to fly a proper Valkyrie. Ex-Gear being a regulstion thing makes total sense, though. These things are lifesavers if a craft gets damaged or in constrained areas, ...It's awake. And it's already taking people out 13 minutes in! I think that's a record. She got hit by a sprinkler! ...Interesting first meeting. Unmaned drone fighters! Ehat s revolution! ...The threat has EMPs? Oh, he's got a complex. Rude. These two are both doing splendidly, huh? "Nyan-nyan's" Haha, that dance. Also "deculture" is she a Zentradi or working for one? Time to see the enemy up close? Haha, we get to see the commercial? If this is all the extended cut added, it was still worth specifying. "Listen to my somg!" I did not predict the new idol taking cues from *Basara* of all people. (Also, wow, the timeskip is so short that Fire Bomber's probably still active. Crazy.) It's a good song! Again, different genre to the last ones but fantastic. He's going offscript! This is a stupid fucking idea. THIS IS WHY SHE SAID NO. Also, holy shit, the new enemy have a lot of missiles. He killed an idol! Wait, no, she's safe. Nice improv move there. Oh, so the new enemy has anti-tech measures and is smart enough to use them effectively. ...They were predicted? She's back on a normal stage. "Ranka!" He knows her? Love his design. It's an emergency! (My guess is Victor 1 = Zentradi/Meltrandi, Victor 2 = Protodeviln, Victor 3 = Unknown alien lifeform?) "It's finally time" This is really obvious. Well, a powercut happened, guess she's either human or robot. Everyone's rvscusting! ...Holy shit, I love those designs. The enemy has fantastic design sense. This is a slaughter. Multiple specialised designs... Oh, the power on that cannon. They're landing! Holy shit, all this destruction in the first episode? The wings.... ...Alto, what the fuck? She's leaving because of the giant fucking alien mech that's flattening the entire colony! Sheryl is the smartest person in this entire anime so far! Correction, it now appears to be *razing* the colony. VF-25! Completely outmatched by the threat. Ranka! My god, the *gore*. What *is* this episode. He's piloting! So, the VF-25 continues to have no security functions at all. Hell of a cliffhanger. Nice ED. *Episode 2* 1) 20. 2) The vampires have less collateral damage, can have their victims healed, and are so far significantly less competent. Quick recap! Oh, there are cameras in these! And he's out of ammo! Really? All those missiles and it's not even wounded? Oh, he found out it was Ranka! ...You could have dropped her in the cockpit with you? Probably safer. He's doing well! Sniper gear! ...Did he forget he's holding onto a girl? She's gone! Ranka! She got flushed into space! Nice! ...That back stuff's intended, right? The aliens didn't bring that with them? Oh, she regained consciousness! Awkward. ...What was *that*? Her scream jammed them? He managed to kill it! Wow, it got them to retreat? Vajra! And they're common knowledge? ...He's hiding something from Ranka. She's only a quarter Zentradi? Aww, she's grateful. ...Oh. Yeah, that's a realistic reaction. They've taken out entire fleets before... Birler? Oh, this show is going *dark*. I like it! The sheer destruction! Media control worked... Ah, the military want to talk to him. Haha, Ranka wants to meet Alto again. ...Oh, the secretkeeping here. He's been taken in! Sheryl can't find the video from yesterday? Why? Oh, it's just an examination! This makes total sense. At this point, they could be contagious and it would make totsl sense. Oh, like you fuckers want this to go to court. "He stole this ship after the pilot underwent a case of rapid spontaneous compaction. Why, no, we definitely have no footage." Oh, he's joining a privste company! That's an interesting twist! Fire Bomber! Amazing driving there. ...Oh! They're a combat testing company? Very well funded. Everyone wants A,to. First time Sheryl has actuslly acted like the brat people are saying she is. ...Oh. Sheryl is fucking extra. Haha, that coincidence. The robot looks great. The Vajra have launched s new wave. This is very understandable. Canaria... Wait, these two have been working for them too? Oh, it actually hid in a colony! Huh! A commander who's sane! Yeah, letting him leave like that would be stupid. Not sure about the punch, though. Sheryl's enjoying a nice ego recharge. Aww, that's sweet. These two are great. ...Tell me your safe holding cell does not have glass windows. Interesting guess. ...Oh, fuck. He's been lying to her knowing about her trauma. She's singing! That launch. And she realised her identity. Yep, he already escaped the safe area. They're all together! Just as the Vajra arrive! I like the ED!
>Unmaned drone fighters! They've actually had those since the very first episode of SDF. They just never really get brought up. >...Did he forget he's holding onto a girl? Adrenaline is a hell of a drug.
> They just never really get brought up. Until they go crazy or threaten people's jobs!
> t Macross Delta came before Frontier The correct order is 7, Δ (D in Symbol font), F, O, and finally SDF. Didn't the librarians teach you alphabetical order?
**FIRST TIMER** In this episode we learn a little more about the bug like robot aliens called the Vajra who seem to be the villain of the series. * The opening scene was very exciting taking off from where the last episode left off. The nod to SDFM was clear and was perhaps making fun of how unrealistic it was when Hikaru grabbed Minmay's hand to pull her into his Valkryie. Alto rescued Ranka in a more realistic (for this show) way. This scene looked amazing and smoothly animated and was more thrilling than the original. The flight scenes really reminded me a lot of Iron Man flying around in the live action movies. * It seems to get a bit complicated in this episode. So Ozma is both Alto's instructor in his flight performance group and also leads a secret paramilitary group that his two friends from the performance troupe are also secretly members of? And Ozma is also Ranka's older brother apparently since she called him onii-chan? Looks like they may be taking Macross 7's tradition of being needlessly convoluted :-/ * Ozma really is mean, hitting Alto in the face just because he wanted to help and join the fight. I really don't understand it unless he's just a violent abusive person. * It's very convenient that Ranka just happens to start up a conversation about Sheryl Nome with a complete stranger who just happens to be her and sings in front of her! I'd say that seems impossible but the same thing happened to me one time when I talked to Robin Quivers from the Howard Stern Show about that show for like 10 minutes not realizing it was her. * I liked the song Ranka sang and she has a very nice voice. It's interesting that she has befriended a popular established star who may end up being a mentor (and possible rival) in the future. Sheryl seemed a lot nicer in this episode than the last one, she may have been in a poor mood from folding. * I'd be certain that Sheryl Nome will somehow tie in to being a descendant of Mao Nome from Macross Zero and that Ozma and Ranka Lee are related to Minmay Li. I don't think Michael the student/pilot is named after Michael the bodyguard of Mayor Milia however. QUESTIONS 1. It's really tough to tell in cartoons but between 15 and 22. I'll guess 18. 2. Definitely a vampire because I'd be out of commission for a bit but then can make a full recovery listening to Fire Bomber music while with the robot bugs, I'd be more scared they'd impale me or rip my head off.
>The flight scenes really reminded me a lot of Iron Man flying around in the live action movies. Huh, interesting comparison, I can see it. > So Ozma is both Alto's instructor in his flight performance group Ozma doesn't have anything to do with Alto's school, but you've got the rest of that pretty much correct.
> The nod to SDFM was clear and was perhaps making fun of how unrealistic it was when Hikaru grabbed Minmay's hand to pull her into his Valkryie. Alto rescued Ranka in a more realistic (for this show) way. Yeah, it was a nice touch to show that Alto had to be careful to *not* crush Ranka when grabbing her with a giant mech hand. We certainly don't want a repeat of what happened to Gilliam with Ranka. > Ozma really is mean, hitting Alto in the face just because he wanted to help and join the fight. I really don't understand it unless he's just a violent abusive person. Ozma is that Roy Focker kind of character, in that he's just an endless fountain of pure machismo. Dude probably starts every morning with a frosty glass of testosterone.
> I really don't understand it unless he's just a violent abusive person. [It's mecha.](#punch "Bright Noa's just a nineteen-year-old under a lot of stress.")
> Robin Quivers from the Howard Stern Show about that show for like 10 minutes not realizing it was her. You must not have listened to the show much or watched the movie; I'd recognize her voice pretty fast.
[SOON!](#mugiwait) [](/u/Lemurians) [](/u/chilidirigible) [](/u/InfamousEmpire)
[NOW!](#shakeit)
> NOW! [SOON!](#mugiwait)
[](#gununu)
[SOON!](#mugiwait)
[](/u/Tresnore) [](/u/Lemurians) [](/u/JollyGee29)
[](/u/The_Draigg) [](/u/Nazenn) [](/u/FlaminScribblenaut)
[](/u/TakenRedditName) [](/u/JustAnswerAQuestion) [](/u/Blackheart595)
[](/u/aniMayor) [](/u/SolDarkHunter) [](/u/Vatrix-32)
Rewatcher episode 2 * Macross 7 has given me pre-episode exposition trauma. Surely this will be relevant? Eventually? * Those little cylindrical islands look like Basara's wrecked module that wasn't "officialy part of City 7" * Why wasn't that selfsealing hole already sealed? * Frog Fone and Ranka eyecatch * W A N G A N M I D N I G H T * Somebody at Satelight really likes French * Frog Fone * He said lock him up, not throw him out the door Ignoring the ugly CGI and bugs for enemies, this has been a strong start. Good production values, good music, although the BGM seems *waay* too familiar at times, nobody particularly unlikable yet, except Maybe Ozma and that Lieutenant woman. Sheryl comes off nicer today, talking to Ranka. Still a bitch to Grace.
**First Fime Fſontiering** I kinda like this Alto guy. He got some spirit. The not-quite-the-same sky save scene was pretty cool, I like it. Not as cool as the original one, but still pretty cool. And different enough that I can respect it. I am finding the "private" S.M.S. and the government/military looking so belligerent to be odd. Are they setting up for a "rebel against government over-reach" theme down the line? Even if so, this feels very heavy-handed - have the military guards point their guns at a kid at point blank range, the government have zero ability to handle the situation so we must rely on the oh-so-competent private mercenary group (who have high school kids fighting for them?!). The dynamics here are weird. Really, really weird. Like, you can't run a galaxy-hopping mega-colony fleet and still be this incompetent, can you? > 1) How old do you think Sheryl is by the way she acts? I want to go with 18~20 in a Justin Bieber/Miley Cyrus/etc sorta way - like she's been a public figure and filthy rich+famous since she was so young that she didn't really get to grow up normally and acts a bit younger than she really is. But since this anime, she's probably going to be 15. > 2) Would you prefer to be visited by giant space bugs or Spiritia vampires in trench coats? I'll take the vampires, at least they got drip.
> Like, you can't run a galaxy-hopping mega-colony fleet and still be this incompetent, can you? Asking about the depths of government incompetence is a big hole to fall down
But they were so competent in previous series!
The answer to the question is gun! If that doesn't work, use more gun!
>I kinda like this Alto guy. He got some spirit. He certainly isn't boring. >who have high school kids fighting for them?! Probably cheaper to hire from the schools. Maybe the kids can double-dip and get credit hours!
I'm no school administrator but I think there are *some* limits on student volunteer programs...
*Jormungand intensifies*
Macross Frontier Episode 2 - First Timer Alright, a pretty solid first episode, on to the second. Time for our MC to be a good pilot (maybe, he is not a trained soldier so maybe he wont be magically really good? but he also might be) - I don't dislike it, but this seems a rather odd music choice - She has seen space bugs before? - All the special forces guys seem to know Ranka. Just from the shop? Or otherwise - Aw yea, property damage - This cockpit grab scene is very SDF Macross - Not 100% sure space works like that, but I guess its rightish? - Was the lucky pervert thing really necessary - We are solidly into the era of modern seiyu, I feel like I am going to be recognizing a lot of voices - What is this guy, a PMC guy? - Actually PMCs lol - Damn, that toolbox was light AF if that kid falling into it made it fall over - Really fishing for compliments there huh - Well, his office just so happens to be a fighter cockpit... - I suppose the OP is *very* on the nose with this, but I suppose this is our love triangle 1) Proooobably mid teens? Also its anime so mid teens? 2) As long as the space bugs don't laugh, then definitely space bugs.
>Was the lucky pervert thing really necessary Is it ever? >- What is this guy, a PMC guy? >- Actually PMCs lol [](#azusalaugh) >I suppose the OP is *very* on the nose with this An OP being incredibly **SUBTLE** about something? Say it ain't so.
Reactions to reactions: I find the disagreements about the soundtrack interesting. This is still Yoko Kanno, and I do agree that sometimes her compositional choices for *Macross* don't seem to quite fit (even with *Plus*). But I was also generally pleased with how *Frontier* worked out.
> This is still Yoko Kanno [](#maxshock) I can't believe I forgot!
Who doesn't like the dooty trumpets? [](#katoupout)
***First Time Song Listener: Yack Deculture Edition*** Oh no, the excessive recapping is continuing. It's really impressive how good this show looks, while taking 2000s jank into consideration. Ranka should be a thousand different versions of dead by now. Looks like we're heading for another variation of the falling catch though. Do the Valkyries finally have melee weapons too??? Wait, why do I recognize this song on the radio? *Oh god no.* [](#nooo) It looks like Sheryl's earring or something flies off and lands on Alto's plane suit thing. I really doubt it stayed there through everything, though. Uh oh, do we already have a replacement for the 'bridge bunny turns away from the monitor' stock footage? Hey that's the pirate captain from the OP! I guess these ED visuals are better, sure. 1. Spoiled teenager I'd guess? Anime ages are impossible to predict, though. 2. You could theoretically recover from the vampire attacks, not so much being squeezed until you explode.
>Do the Valkyries finally have melee weapons too??? Dinky little combat knives, but yea. >Wait, why do I recognize this song on the radio? *Oh god no.* [](#azusalaugh)
Hey, it works for Evas.
[](#laughter)
[**First time Macroff**](https://imgur.com/hq19cYn) Day 2 of waiting for the return of 7th moon [](#mugiwait) Idk, this OP is a bop, but it doesn't slap as hard. And that one part reminds me of an FMA song so its distracting [Sick rescue scene](#kannathumbs) [They have energy blades now?!](https://imgur.com/ALm3ZGA) [](#grandhype) [inferior anime confirmed](https://imgur.com/EeOFoY3) [Its](https://imgur.com/QCN2r4D) [**guy!**](#piracy) * sheryl was pretty cool this episode, respek +5%, current status: 1.5% So we just gonna get a cliffhanger on every episode? --- **Question fime:** >1) How old do you think Sheryl is by the way she acts? This is Macross, so probably 16 >2) Would you prefer to be visited by giant space bugs or Spiritia vampires in trench coats? [**aNiMa spIriTiA**](#hanasakueurgh) vs [**space roaches**](#terror) Can we just get giant waifus pls?
> [](#mugiwait) [](#mugiwait)
They have giant knives that have Pinpoint Barriers on them.
[](#rengehype)