Macross Frontier 15: Re-capping Grace-fully
Now, this is a story all about how
My life got flipped-turned upside down
And I liked to take a minute
Just sit right there
I’ll tell you how I became the master of a fleet called Frontier
That was one of the best recap episodes I have ever seen, where the usually route is to just give a run down of the events things were made much more interesting by having Grace and her cabal do all the talking. While the events are the same ones we have all seen, there were a good deal of interesting plot threads presented this time around. Moreover, comrades, we are at the verge of a fully blown love war between Sheryl and Ranka. Alto-hime has finally realized that Sheryl might not be just teasing after all and that he has been in a love triangle since the very beginning. Suffice to say the look of abject terror and confusion was rather sweet, as was the hawt engaging ploys used by both Sheryl and Ranka to snag Alto-hime’s attention.
In Macross Galaxy made and raised
In the glass tube was where I spent most of my days
Chillin’ out maxin’ relaxin’ all cool
And all experiment’en with some space larva outside of the school
When a couple of Vajra
Who were up to no good
Started making trouble in my neighborhood
I got in one little fight and my prince got scared
Brera said ‘We’re movin’ with your Leon and LAI in Frontier’
I whistled for a Ranka and when she came near
The emotional hair said fresh and she had a bow back there
If anything I can say this Q-1 is rare
But I thought ‘Now forget it’ – ‘Yo Brera to Frontier’
I pulled up to the fleet about 7 or 8
And I yelled to Brera ‘Yo homes smell ya later’
I looked at my kingdom
I was finally there
To sit on my throne as the Lord of Frontier
So it seems that Grace is not only a cyborg but some old terror borne from the 117th Research Fleet. She has not been operating alone as a rogue agent and I have my doubts that Leon actually knows that Macross Galaxy is alive and well. Their goal seems to be ultimate mastery over the Vajra which they have lured to Frontier. The supposed attack was an elaborate deception that was probably meant to draw a significant portion of the Frontier fleet away from the colony ship and have the Vajra annihilate it, and possibly use the lone surviving Dulfim to insert support teams to aid Grace. Thankfully while one VF-25 is formidable, but not great the SMS team has them in relative abundance coupled with a superb flagship and excellent support staff. Frontier provided a convenient lure for their operations and as they are non-cybernetic they were considered to be a very vulnerable target for their Vajra weapons tests. The fact that Frontier was designed for creature comforts rather than as a more Spartan military expeditionary and colonial fleet was highlighted by the immense loss of resources and the loss of two Islands after a single engagement. Now the Frontier has found itself surrounded by a tightening noose of Vajra their limited resources and their continued ability to resist more Vajra incursions is in serious doubt. Even with reaction weapons they only have a limited supply and nuclear weapons are rather resource intensive weapons to make even with economies of scale.
Vajira to my center, my right is retreating…
situation excellent, I am attacking. Oh man this is good.
We know we know, he likes his weed…
Yeah and you know Leon’s got some good stuff…
They were aware of Ranka but it was only after her accidental discovery that they gave her top priority. Most disturbing of all is that that Sheryl was their ninth attempt at creating the perfect fairy, which I suppose was an artificial attempt at creating a Vajra Queen. Now that they have seen Sheryl fail Grace has decided to discard Sheryl and use her prestige as a top idol manager to influence Ranka. As Grace was changing blood samples it is highly likely that Sheryl is not all natural, though whether or not she is purely organic is another source of speculation. Now that Galaxy has been revealed to be intact and still boasting a considerable number of escorts ships and more likely more VF-27s. Suffice to say that they pose a significant military threat should they decide to attack Frontier in force. However I wonder what their motivations for mastering the Vajra are. Are their motives for profit or for political reasons? Given that they had massive corporate backing they certainly seem to be lacking in moral niceties given that they are using their fellow humans as bait for the Vajra. I suppose that now with Brera in place as Ranka’s bodyguard that Grace and her buddies can easily make off with their Q-1 if the have to. While they are very good at their game it seems that the owner of SMS Mr. Bilrer might be aware of their activities or at least is a very secretive person, causeing a bit of concern on the part of Grace.
For Klein it will be…
Poor Pilot-hime’s first foray into love might well get hime killed. Tough choice indeed.
We have you surrounded. Wrap your arms around us and pucker your lips. You have the right to remain flustered. Anything you say or do will be held against you in tonight in a room steaming with passion.
Deculture!
I liked how they used the best scenes with some of the more memorable tracks from the series to pull it all off. I guess it was a superbly done AMV coupled with an interesting set of narrators. Adding in the last couple scenes mitigated the recap factor, and added some significant development for both contenders for Alto-hime’s hand, as well as introducing Mr. Briler as a real character. Nevertheless this blow out of Sheryl’s greatest hits will probably the last time until possibly the very end that we will she another Sheryl Concert with such grandiose presentation assuming that Sheryl can even find the heart and venue to sing with the old passion once she realizes that Grace has discarded her. I hope that future Ranka concerts will be just as magnificent now that Grace has defected to team Ranka. The Hospital scene was such a blatant tease to those hoping for some real Ranka fanservice, quite why Alto-hime got a properly fitting hospital gown can only mean that Brera was behind it all given his superb view of Ranka’s daily life. The double whamy of Sheryl and Ranka’s song was a delightful way to declare their new rivalry, it was very well played.
Oh no…Minmay. Cursed was she a loser in love, only blessed in song. Ranka must struggle mightily to avoid such a fate.
What Minmay?!
Ranka did not like being put in the same sentence as Minmay…
Ranka is flying pretty high right now with Sheryl’s career doomed with Grace’s defection and abandonment of Sheryl; Ranka will be the unchallenged idol of the fleet. Her new privileged position however will isolate her from Alto-hime now with Brera as her body guard and Kaifun-class love obstacle. Her new association with Minmay is a dire portent of no confidence, which will have to be dispelled quickly or else she might think of dallying with Brera-nii. Now that Alto-hime is more closely associated with Mr. Briler it seems unlikely that Grace or Brera will allow Ranka to have any alone time with Kabuki-hime. Brera does after all have standing orders to follow Ranka every where and with Grace planning out her schedule school time will be cut down significantly. Suffice to say that Ranka’s chances for Alto-hime time will be suffering immeasurably. However if she does not fall for Brera-nii and give in to her heroic rescuer complex Ranka might just pull it off, I might be wrong about this but the situation looks dire in the case of her desired relationship with Alto-hime. Let’s just hope her hair was only responding to the shock of seeing her three time rescuer and not even slightly tainted with feelings of affection, and that the impending Brera confession falls flat.
Oh I see too tired to take a test but more than able to go on a date are we?
Never far from a mirror.
Can’t aregue with the results though.
Yes that was less than two seconds.
Well enjoy your pride while you can it’s not going to last long…
Sheryl’s career is for all intents and purposes dead, unless she finds a good enough manager to match Grace. This to me seems unlikely and given that she has no support other than Alto-hime on Frontier, I suspect that they will grow closer. When Sheryl finds out the truth of her ancestry she will not be a happy camper and it is possible that her confidence will only be shattered even further given how it is already buckling with the rise of Ranka’s star. I feel sorry for Sheryl on the one hand she worked hard only to be betrayed by Grace and Macross Galaxy. Sheryl is now an exile from the only home she every really knew, though maybe with some time and a little help from Alto-hime she can settle down into the only place that she can live now that travel is all but impossible given the Vajra noose. She only has one real friend in the whole galaxy that seems to be confused and in abject terror from the realization that he is being seriously courted by two people he feels affection for. Looks like Sheryl will have little choice but to be a pilot given that the idol path seems forever closed to her with her loss of Grace and the rise of Ranka. More importantly now that Sheryl has no job and no income where will she stay? Where will she go? It seems that Alto-hime might have to use his slighter larger pay check to help Sheryl through her tough time. I doubt Ranka or Grace would want Sheryl around.
Hey beautiful how you doin’
Sheryl mind tricks…
Pony tails make Sheryl go crazy.
chuuu~
Now, now Sheryl be gentle this is hime’s first time. (Still I kind of giggled at how they inverted the typical kissing scene with Alto-hime taking the role of the kissed rather than the kissser)
Poor Ranka was bold, but Sheryl was daring.
Alto-hime’s reaction to the double assault of hime’s suitor’s was a delight to see. The poor Kabuki-hime was cornered with nowhere to run, and being new to this love thing has no idea what to do, but was keen on trying to keep a middle road. I suspect that given his Meltran ancestry that Alto-hime is familiar with the destructive nature of females fighting. Filled with fear of what might go wrong hime stood very still in the hopes that he could not add flames to the already intense atmosphere. Sadly this time there is no escape from the fact that hime is indeed being openly and actively courted by two every formidable women. Nevertheless it seems Sheryl won a slight victory given how all touchy feely she got with hime. Even worse for Ranka Alto-hime was transfixed by Sheryl’s lips…
Not the best way to address the boss man Alto-hime…
Member #19 of 10 million of Ai Ai Alto-hime. I enjoyed your performance as Sakura-hime.
Do you like my train set?
Given how Bilrer seems keen on adopting Sakura-hime and thus giving the former heir of the Saotome School a secure source of additional funding, Alto-hime will have few worries about money. Though he might have to perform once and a while for his guardian. I have little doubt in my mind that Mr. Bilrer is a devoted fan of Sakura-hime Azuma Bunsho perhaps that will be the basis for pretext in future meetings between Alto-hime and hime’s Big Boss. I think that this Bilrer fellow might prove to be the counterweight to Grace, but in the mean time he does have an awesome train set up. Some how I don’t think that money is what makes Mr. Bilrer tick, who knows maybe he even knows a thing or too about Grace given that his secrecy was effective against Grace’s nearly omnipotent surveillance network. Nevertheless it seems that Grace and her cabal seem a bit wary of the eccentric Zentradi military millionaire. Even Ozma has worries about his employer that or Ozma was certain that Alto-hime would say something that would get hime fired and Ozma a pink slip. Ozma and Cathy seem to be getting chummier these days in their quest to uncover the truth about Brera Stern. I believe however the more deeply they delve the more likely that Grace will take measures to silence them both. Mikhail now imprisoned in a hospital bed is at the mercy of Klein-sama. While Raramia will be missed it seems that Meltrans are like Klingons, they don’t mourn the dead, and Raramia did die like a Meltran in the heat of battle defending her home.
Hey Cagali, wait a minute…
NOOOOOO!!!! Ranka you must resist the bro-con side.
Oh shi… Brera put on his gentle face.
Hime is not happy about this arrangement.
Poor Sheryl is ronery….
Oh how little you know… Looks like the cyborgs are going to be joining Ai Ai Alto-hime soon.
In Soviet Galaxy Humans eat Vajira
Impz’s little spot for Ranka
Where can you find a green haired DFC bishoujo
That can go into blushing fits that makes you want to hug her
Then simply go into a confident mood that makes you want to hug her more
Case closed.
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i’ve watched the duet part a few times already… the only point i find i can critic is that Sheryl’s transition from normal to sing voice is a bit unnatural… mostly because the voice actress is not the same person (like in Ranka’s case) buit still…
and Bilrer’s train set, now that is some train set…
and i firmly that eventually their gonna break out the ‘Sound Force’… mark my words
“Mikhail now imprisoned in a hospital bed is at the mercy of Klein-sama.”
…cant wait to see what happens after ‘visiting hours’…
I feel angry that everyone is sort of just casting aside Sheryl right now, and focusing on Ranka. Shouldn’t we be reminded of the fact that it was Sheryl who encouraged Ranka to keep singing? If it wasn’t for Sheryl’s push, Ranka wouldn’t be famous right now…
I know the love triangle enhances the enjoyment of watching Macross Frontier, but sometimes I feel that Ranka should move aside and give up on Alto. :] (Hardcore Sheryl x Alto fan here) And because of my bias, I think Ranka’s version of Diamond Crevasse was worse, as an ending.
@Tenryu
Yeah Sheryl’s singing voice is radically different from her normal voice, but I suppose that now Sheryl won’t be singing as much. I don’t mid Ranka singing in space even if it’s unrealistic, I just don’t want sound pods and the use of Guitars as VF-25 controls.
@EvilDevil
Hehe I am sure Klein-sama will think of something.
@Hoshi
Well being Idol is a cutthroat business. After all bands and singers come and go with the times Sheryl could not have avoided obscurity for long. Besides Grace is now her arch foe. With Brera-nii around if Ranka wavers then she is looking to lose Alto-hime. We shall see if this Brera is a Kaifun class obstruction.
@Hoshi: I totally disagree with you. In my opinion, they should just have a lesbian threesome. I think that Alto-hime is clearly a trap in a reverse trap. Try to fathom that complexity. Wow, I am making myself confused.
In addition, I have to say that Ranka’s prominence brings more character development for Sheryl. If you notice, we always see a rather one-dimensional Sheryl who gets to do everything her way without any form of obstruction. In this episode, we see her getting less confident and yet trying to front the image of the normal all-haughty Sheryl (which is so hot by the way). In addition, she also gets jealous and threatened by Ranka, yet she wants to stay friends with Ranka. It is this continued complexity that makes me like this love triangle.
I could honestly care less about Grace because she is huge boobed and she wears spectacles. She has no green hair and she is not tsundere too. Go die please. Yes, super biased, but I am never a connoisseur of great intellect and sophistication. Give me my Ranka and Sheryl anytime please.
@EvilDevil: I bet Michel’s manly genes have ceased to work anymore. He fails if they did nothing at all. Klein is glorious.
They basically tag-teamed him and he STILL did nothing. *sigh*
Alto-hime, shall you ever be able to choose a woman?
Crusader, admit it, you’re a Sheryl fan.
Your screenshots don’t lie. I’m just wondering if Grace’s multiple personality disorder takes its toll on her. It’s just one body with too many people controlling it online. What if one of them disagrees, won’t bionicle Grace malfunction or something?
I’m giving Ranka kudos for standing up to Sheryl in the sing off. Her expression when she said “alto-kun >(” was so cute. I’m rooting for this girl till the end. Sheryl should team up with Brera and go against Galaxy. They’re both puppets afterall.
Ranka Attack? like Minmei Defense? shouldn’t it have been Ranka Offense?
Thumbs up Ranka is cute too^^
Now that is how you do a recap. If Wolf’s Rain could have figured out how to do something like this, I’d probably have rewatched it at least once by now.
I’ve watched that sing off too many times to count. Best recap ever!
Now that Grace and co. have directly involved themselves in Ranka’s career, I wonder where that leaves Elmo? For all his “ultra-super-good-news-desu” silliness, he was still extremely competant. Perhaps he can be of some help to Sheryl?
Sheryl may lack support right now, but she’s also extremely tough. She’s not going to sit idly by and wait to be rescued. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if she ends up helping free Ranka from Grace’s influence.
Of course, if there’s a second season, I wouldn’t mind seeing Sheryl going through the training regime that Alto did back around episode four.
ED song was abysmal this week. Hopefully we’ll get a new OP soon.
@Impz: Character development has nothing to do with adversity. Even when things were going well for Sheryl, we saw significant changes in her outlook. From being a workaholic whose life revolved around her singing career, Sheryl discovered love, friendship, school, and the joys of piloting. She was an extremely well developed character to begin with; these recent developments simply add a little bit extra to our understanding of her personality.
For a recap episode, this went remarkable well.
Alto-hime looked really uncomfortable during the impromptu musical duel between Sheryl and Ranka.
A lot of questions were answered, like what happened to Grace, how the Vajra found the Macross Frontier, who’s behind the SMS, etc. but they raised a lot more. Like what’s going to happen to Sheryl now that she’s on hiatus (is she going to be a pilot? Is she going to join the SMS? What! What!), what’s Alto-hime’s connection with Pilliard (Pilliard looks like a giant creepy pedo with those mini trainsets in his living room peering at Alto-hime through his Ventradi monocle just begging Alto-hime to “sit on his lap”) going to be and wtf is up with Grace being a Borg-like entity with strange connections to the Vajra.
It looks like the next episode is an action episode, putting Ranka at the forefront of battle. Gotta feel bad for Sheryl, just when you thought she was making progress with Alto-hime, she gets sidelined for a few episodes.
well, even if Sheryl is a bit out of sync the song is just great and you want to listen to it even more.
Sound Force = Ranka Attack dudes
But used in the wrong way. Not like the Basara way but rather only for killing 
I just hope Ranka says no to the whole thing.
As I said: The worst and best ep so far in MF. Which really says it all
That duet was the best scene of the entire season so far of every series. Totally blew me away.
That out of the way I predict a new ship for Alto-hime. Something which can compare to Brera’s VF-27. Why else would he make contact with Bilrer if not to get some goodies and gimmicks? Afterall as an actor Alto-hime knows how to milk those rich geezers for what they’re worth.
Ah yeah, I wonder how long Michel will conveniently forget to ask some pointed questions about Grace? That cover story of hers was ridiculously weak and if Sheryl didn’t trust her so much there’s no way it would have worked.
Hey Alto:
Did you ever have to make up your mind
Pick up on one and leave the other behind
It’s not often easy and not often kind
Did you ever have to make up your mind
Did you ever have to finally decide
Say yes to one and let the other one ride
There’s so many changes and tears you must hide
Did you ever have to finally decide
Sometimes there’s one with big blue eyes, cute as a bunny
With hair down to here, and plenty of money
And just when you think she’s that one in the world
You heart gets stolen by some (green haired) little girl
And then you know you’d better make up your mind…
Sometimes you really dig a girl the moment you kiss her
And then you get distracted by her older sister
When in walks her father and takes you a line
And says, “You better go home, son, and make up your mind”
And then you bet you’d better finally decide…
@Crusader: haha. Brera’s not too bad looking himself…
@Impz: lol @ the “lesbian threesome”. Dang it, in my bias I never noticed that. You’re right about Sheryl’s character development, and the complexity of the love triangle. I’ll step back and claim defeat on this matter, but I’ll still be rooting for Sheryl in the end.
Of course though, I’ll agree with you on Grace. :]
Well, if Sheryl’s career is truly on hold now that
Frontier 6Grace has discarded her, maybe she’ll now find some time for her other passions and we’ll get to see her learning to properly fly a VF-25 (cue training montage set to Fire Bomber’s Try Again – because you know that’s the only music that Ozma’ll approve off).@Impz
Sheryl was still moving ahead before, but Ranka’s challenge will make her move faster. Let’s not forget who it is that is the greatest catalyst for the change in both of them, our Kabuki-hime. Wow Alto-hime is so pretty that even our resident trap is convinced that Alto-hime is in fact a girl…
@Omisyth
I think this is the first time Alto-hime has realized that he is in a love triangle and if a fight broke out Vajira might get involved. So even if the one she scorns doesn’t rear hime to ribbons, those big bugs might…discretion is the better part of valor.
@Ricaryx
No I just like yuri too much, sadly Ranka is still a bit too innocent to start giving some pseudo yuri moments like Sheryl. I just thought it was classic how she’s still trying to be tsun tsun for Alto-hime when she is clearly at the dere dere stage. Any one who works with Brera is an enemy of Alto-hime. At least until Alto-hime decides to forgive the insolent Brera-nii.
@deadguy
I hope it literally is a Ranka attack and she calls on some Vajira to bet up Brera-nii… I can dream can’t I?
@jack
Yeah most re-cap shows aren’t really worth watching His and Her Circumstances was crippled by re-caps alone, even without the trite ending.
@Swampstorm
I think Elmo is not going to stand by and let Grace take away the star he discovered. Besides More often than not once an Idol has faded from memory its all but impossible to make a real come back to the glory that was. Besides Stepping away from it all would let Sheryl up her chances of getting her Alto-hime. I am sure she will find something but I think that the initial shock from Grace’s betrayal will affect Sheryl badly at first.
Seikan Hikou forever!
@Halcyon
I agree that many were answered and that many were raised, but i think it is good that they keep us guessing at new questions while laying to rest some old ones. In any cay this is a great example of how I think a re-cap should be, hopefully there will be more studios taking notice.
Sheryl will get a lot of time with Alto-hime as Ranka moves up in the world. As I said with Bilrer backing hime it seems that Ranka will have to really try to meet with hime alone from now on with Brera ever at her side whether she wants him or not. I think we will soon find out why Mr. Bilrer took Alto-hime in it could be something big, or it could be somehting mundane like a request for a performance of Sakura-hime Azuma Bunsho for the whole crew. Zentradi are some strange fellows so I wonder why the guy like trains so much, but it was a superb set up he had going.
@manga
I hope that you are wrong and that sound force will not be making a return. Still it was a good recap with some good, yes?
@bearzerger
Mikhail is under the loving care of Klein-sama, she will decide when he is to confront Grace. I think that Bilrer has more money than he knows what to do with, given his bank rolling of Macross quarter I am sure Alto-hime will get some new toys for his VF-25.
@vjean
And then you bet you’d better finally decide… to choose the sky.
@Hoshi
Bah, Brera will not prevail.
@d3v
Oh man I was hoping that Klein would be the one to train Sheryl…
@Crusader
Klan-sama will be too busy training Mikhail to properly work a Queadluun (among other things) to have time train Sheryl as well.
I agree that this was a great recap, and I can’t imagine what would happen if Sheryl and Klan Klein drew up some alliance where Sheryl helped Klan get Mikhail and Klan helped Sheryl train as a pilot to impress Alto!
@d3v
Mikhail in Queadluun?! No, never, not possible I want Klein to give Mikhail’s precious VF-25G a couple more armor piercing slaps.
@Kabitzin
Hopefully this episode will become a standrd for other re-cap episodes to follow, probably not going to happen but hey I can dream right?
Indeed Sheryl should probably take a page for Klein after all, Klein-sama is the only one whom Alto-hime has stared at intently, no doubt Sheryl should start by dying her hair blue and macronizing herself. Being able to pilot and share hime’s love for teh sky can only help her cause.
@Impz
Am I the only one who liked Ranka in the begining but ended up literaly hating her?? I try soo hard to like Ranka Chan but god she needs to grow up and stop being soo immature if she wants to win Alto. Her annoying screaming for everything and being chicken shit is getting annoying. What do you see in her??
@d3v
I agree Klan-sama will be busy giving him “tutoring” on Queadluun’s. My sister brought up an interesting question. When Klan micronizes I wonder what fraction of age difference is involved. If a chibi Klan like in the friendly fire episode was to micronize, would she be a baby?
@kabitzin
Klan should help Mikhail help bring down Luca’s chances of ending up with a death flag at full mast and also help convert the closet lesbian Nanase to atleast bisexual status
@Crusader
I think a civil war is going to errupt between fleets. This episode had me confused. I didnt think Frontier had the technology to make cyborgs, Grace MKII was made by LAI right?? this episode raised more questions than asnwers lol.
@Crusader
As I mentioned before, Mikhail in her vic would solve alot of her problems.
@manga
What Leon & co. are planning with Ranka seems more like the Jamming Birds than Sound Force (since I don’t see Ranka flying a valk anytime soon). This may however mean that we’ll see a 2 seater VF-27 with Brera-nii at the controls and Ranka singing in the back seat later on.
Sheryl hasn’t been sick for all that long, and Ranka hasn’t even had her first concert yet. The only change is the massive shift in the promotions front, but that’s been going on since Grace started poisoning Sheryl in ep.11.
Elmo is too much of a nice guy for his own good. I’m almost certain that he’s going to be discarded, since he isn’t really “useful” anymore. There’ll probably be some excuse, though, like “government business”. Not much that anyone can do against that.
The problem with stepping away entirely is that it gives Sheryl nothing to do in terms of influencing the plot. She may decide to give up on being an idol afterwards, but she always does what needs to be done in the present. Right now, with Ranka being used as a pawn in Grace’s plans, I can’t think of anyone better to do it.
@Crusader
I hadn’t really thought about it but now that I look it it, you’re right. With Sheryl out of work and Ranka being assigned Brera as her bodyguard there’s really no excuse for Alto to be around Ranka anymore. This leaves a lot more free time for Sheryl to put the moves on Alto. I know after getting shafted out of giving Alto his birthday present and being upstaged by Ranka at a concert she was supposed to hold on Gallia-4, Sheryl’s gotta be feeling really low and is probably going to lean on Alto-hime to restore her confidence.
Seems like the pendulum might swing in Sheryl’s favor for an episode or two. Also doesn’t help that Ranka’s been compared to Lynn Minmei (who won the battle for her man but ultimately lost the war).
Actually, if you look at his’s reaction to the girls at around 19:51 (when the song is just about over), it seems that Alto-hime was about invite them over to his room so that he could give them a private interactive performace of Sakura-hime, with special emphasis on the love scene. Sadly, it wasn’t meant as Sheryl’s coughing came just as the men in black came for Ranka and Mr. Bilrer wanted his own private performance from Alto-hime.
You know, this is just the perverted side of me, but Klein needs to shove Michel in a macronis chamber and then put the moves on him in giant form. I mean come on who doesn’t want that!
Also I predict that this force that Grace is detecting from Ranka is not hers alone. I believe that it is the combined singing of her and Sheryl that is the true trump card against the Vajra! Mark my words, they will be singing on the bridge of the Macross Quarter in Episode 26!!!!!!
Wow its kind of sad to think that Sheryl’s singing career is going to end, because honestly she really rocked at it! And the whole double singing to get Alto’s attention of love was super suspenseful and romantic in a way. Good thing Ranka didnt let Sheryl the spotlight and sang as well. So now that the new queen has been found my question is what will happen with Ranka’s relationship with Alto hime and Brera? And will Alto develop more feelings for Sheryl or is their relationship a no no?? Thnx for the blog@
@Luke
I don’t think LAI is helping out Grace, it’s more likely that Galaxy being a private venture and all has more corporate ties than ties to NUNS. So it might not be a civil war but a corporate war. I also think that Grace was able to smuggle some of her stuff with that Dulfim than made it to Frontier.
@d3v
I still think the Pixies should be girls only for the time being. Mikhail is not likely to listen to Klein in the heat of battle.
@Swampstorm
I just don’t see Sheryl trying to mount a come back on her own at this point, and think that she’ll try something else in the mean time before she comes to a final decision. She doesn’t have to stay an idol to help Ranka and no doubt Grace will put great effort in keeping Sheryl away.
@Halcyon
The thing that sealed Minmay’s fate was that she admitted to liking Kaifun and sent Hikaru away. If Ranka does that her chances at losing Alto-hime go up exponentially.
@d3v
Nah Alto-hime only sleeps in a barracks and in such a place there is no privacy…
@Lowlife
Probably considering how Ranka’s song didn’t stop the Vajira from still shooting.
@Claricandyxd
Sheryl’s career taking a down turn is not unprecedented if Minmay could not find continuous success in her life time it seems doubtful that Sheryl can remain on top for the rest of her life. though her songs might become classics in a future Macross.
I wonder how this will affect Sheryl’s career, and how much of her past success was due to hard work and talent versus Grace and company’s manipulations to make her into Ze Major Galactic Fairy of Conquest.
I’m betting a LOT of her success was because of Grace, which means Ranka’s going to be jumping her career ahead at Macrosspeed, which will doom any further relationship development between her and Alto unless the latter manages to force his way into her posse.
@Haesslich
I doubt Alto-hime can force his way into Ranka’s posse without a sever beating my Brera, more likely it will be Ranka trying to make overtures with varying degrees of success. Given how Sheryl was able to run away from Grace physically it’s not impossible. The only problem is Ranka’s new bodyguard. Though I am sure Alto-hime can easily walk into to a women’s bathroom with out attracting too much attention…if Ranka realizes that such a place is ideal for losing her new minder.
Sheryl seems to think that she worked hard to get where she was, now I wonder how much of it was Grace and how much was it Sheryl. After all there were 8 previous failures…within a few short years me thinks. Maybe they had a Galaxy Idol competition to find ideal candidates.
Crusader: I don’t doubt she worked hard on her music, which is why the music was good… but you can be a good performer and still not make it as a superstar, as many people can attest to. what I wonder, really, is whether Grace is THE reason that Sheryl is a superstar rather than just some hopeful singer… and if this means that any career comeback by Sheryl is doomed.
Remember the hacking of Ranka’s fansite? In retrospect, maybe Grace WAS doing it, if not on Sheryl’s orders.
Given the fact that during the battle scenes they focused on Ozma, and now they have him being all suspicious of Brera-nii and Leon, I worry for Skull Leader’s future safety…
As for Alto-hime, there as one shot there where I literally thought, poor bastard, he just doesn’t stand a chance.
@Haesslich
I don’t think that Sheryl can make a come back, fame tends to come and go. Not even Minmay escaped that fate. If Sheryl turns out to have been manufactured with a voice rather than it being some happy accident of fate, then it would kind of suck to just see that all she can do is sing. Given that Sheryl’s blood is not normal enough to evade a blood test I think Sheryl’s career is pretty much doomed and she’ll have to find some other work to help her grow as a character, going back to being a star ain’t exactly growing…
I think the hacker was Leon, Grace would have overloaded Elmo’s computer and would have created a program that would destroy each page while in development, giving Elmo the equivalent of program in the vein of Microsoft Access in terms of friendliness as his only tool to make a site. Grace would have also have all the vending machines crash Ranka’s attempts at promoting herself live.
@D.J
I think that Ozma will be eating some pineapple salad real soon, though it might be from Bobby…
I wonder if Alto-hime will become a match for Brera by being stronger or i Brera-nii is going to let hubris kill him.
Bobby – Ozma – Pineapple, I do NOT want to watch that scene… thats more Imouto’s kind of thing…
Hmm I think Alto will don his Sakura-hime outfit and Brera-nii will be so mesmerized he’ll give up and join the hime fan club.
@Crusader
Well you know how young himes are, he probably wasn’t even thinking about the barracks situation at that point.
Besides, bunkmate Mikhail was currently under Klan’s TLC. And speaking of which, while he may not listen to Klan in the heat of battle, I’m pretty sure Mikhail will listen to a Klan in heat (which with her being a Meltran is probably the same thing as being in the heat of battle anyway).
@Haesslich: Well, the same issues hold true for Ranka, as well. Ranka’s rise to fame started up around episode eleven, which was exactly when Grace started poisoning Sheryl. There’s a massive marketing shift that happens at exactly the same time: all that’s shown of Sheryl’s concerts is one tiny ad off to the side of Ranka’s giant Nyan Nyan commercial.
Also, the Galia-4 footage shown this episode used to herald Ranka as “the new Minmey” – where did it come from? Galia-4 was destroyed, and the only survivors were Alto, Sheryl, Ranka, Michael, Brera, and Grace. I’m pretty sure that I can guess who made that recording…
I’m almost certain that Grace knew that she was going to be throwing her lot in with Ranka by episode eleven.
@Crusader: Sheryl really needs to carve out a niche for herself. If her role in the main plot overlaps too much with either Alto or Ranka, she’ll probably end up playing second fiddle to one of their characters. It’s a tricky issue, and the only things that she can rely on are her work ethic and her adaptability. I’m not quite sure how the writers are going to pull this off.
@D.J
All in good time, yes?
@d3v
Come now as a Kabuki-hime I am sure Alto-hime has more class than that…
@Swampstorm
I am sure Sheryl will find her niche, but I do doubt the viability of an idol come back.
@Crusader
It could be that it was Sheryl’s doing that she almost made it to the finish line as the number nine failure.
I say yeah, she’s going to end up a pilot. Not due to natural talent or anything, more due to horriffic grinding attrition. And her thirty seconds of live flight experience stands to make her the old man of the squadron.
@Crusader, absolutely, it has to happen!!!!!
@D.J. & Crusader
With their budding rivalry, I think that Brera-nii is more likely to try to don his own kabuki-hime outfit in an attempt to outdo Pilot-hime.
@jack
I don;t think thing swill get so bad that Sheryl gets her own vic.
@D.J
I just want to see a most epic performance just like Kawamori.
@d3v
Brera will fail.
@Crusader
Indeed he shall. But still, It’d be funny as hell if he really did try.
@d3v, there ya go, Ranka. Sheryl and the battling Hime’s Alto and Brera will all band together. With the SMS and N.U.N.S for back-up, the Varja don’t stand a chance.
@Crusader, it would be interesting if they devoted an episode to a performance, it would definitely be different.
And ooooooooooooh its so sexy! The Revoltech Fokker Valkyrie arrived yesterday. Hubby-sama says I don’t want to know how much it cost though…
Crusader: I´d rather mean it with the “Ranka Attack” as it seems that she will be used for singing to distract the Vajra while the valkyrie squadrons take care of them.
Hence Sound Force. But other than that, nothing can beat the original Sound Force
I do hope I´m wrong as well. But with the Minmei Defence in Macross 2: Lovers Again well I don´t have any high hopes…
Getting a new fighter? Nah, I think Alto will learn of the truth that “Owner” has been gathering info for.
From what I can see in the OP he doesn´t have any new fighter does he? Oh well. Tomorrow is the day I hope for the new ep to be released. Only RAW sure but with everything going on like this I´ll be watching it RAW.
Have to get my Macross Frontier fix every week otherwise I´ll go mad.
@d3v
It would have been funny, but horrifying at the same time…
@D.J
hopefully Kawamori is going to do it, Alto-hime needs to reconcile with Ranzo at some point may as well be on stage…
@manga
If Ranka attack is about at delightful as Minmay’s last song in DYRL then I will be pleased.
I am betting on a new pack preferably a Super Armor Pack… XD
@manga
In Macross 7 Sound Force actually took down the enemy, it was the Jamming Birds squadron that was the distraction.
As for the Ranka attack, if it fails, they can always borrow from their friends back on earth and have this.
@Crusader, we’ll see I suppose ^-^
@d3v, LMAO I guess even Ledouche has fallen for the charms of Ranka-chan.
@D.J
Either that, or he’s pulling a Ranka simply because he wants to join the ranks of the Ai Ai Alto-hime faction.
I feel the taste of a bittersweet victory….Ranka finally is the number one at singing( intrests) but she shore is losing to Sheryl when it comes to Alto-hime.
.I really like the fact that Grace turned out to be a rogue agent, I think this story still haves a few likeable plot twists in its sleeve.
I hate this (Damn, why do I hate Sheryl , it’s ilogical) ,miss Sheryl gets to spend more private time with Alto-hime (probably bombardating him with her ‘chemical grenades’ XD) while Ranka is used against the Vajra.Life sucks…
I’m seeing forvard to the battle/fighting scenes
I love Brera , to bad that he is Ranka’s bro because if he wasn’t I might have accepted te Sheryl X Alto-hime couple, but if this is the case I want it to be Ranka all the way.
I wonder if Sheryl is going to be a pilot , this is the most likely scenario , right?What will happen to her? Will she or Ranka get Alto-hime? Or she will have a short time of happines with Alto and then die (like in the most of macross series with love triangles).Or, actually this will be the first time when the ending will still have the triangle form , can’t wait to see XD.
Ok, I wrote to much bull”bip” again, see you later guys.
@ShadowCat
Actually, Macross 7 pretty much ended with it’s main triangle intact (and I say main since just about every other random female in that show, including a whole fleet of rogue Meltrans, was in love with Basara).
@d3v, Noooooooo!
Sheryl, Ranka, Bobby, arm up girls and honorary girls. We have to protect our Ai Ai Alto-hime from Ledouche.
d3v: Sound Force didn´t take down any single enemy. What Sound Force did was to give the protodeviln or the brainwashed solders their sense back.
You know what Basara sings? “Keep trying till they see it your way!
What is his way? Listen to my damn song instead of trying to kill each other.
Sound Force was created so that they could fly into battle and sing to distract the enemy while the military would shoot down the enemies. Thanks to Basara things didn´t go that way, but they were in fact very effective at making the enemy break of formation and go back, thus this created popularity for them.
The military saw this and since they couldn´t use Sound Force the way they wanted, they did the next best thing: Created a new unit(Jamming Birds) to do what Sound Force should have done. And with civilians being taken into the military they got what they wanted. To bad that Jamming Birds were a big freaking failure…
so I don´t know where you got the impression of Jamming force being the ones who should sing.
Oh well.
Shadowcat: Why should Sheryl become a pilot and fight with the SMS? She´s sick at the moment, after that. Who knows, she really isn´t a person who would fly into space and fight the vajra… She might be Sheryl, but at a veritech fighter pilot she kinda sucks.
SOFAR anyway.
EP 16 sucked by the way.
If Ozma does get a whiff of pineapple salad in the next ep, the I believe technically Klan should replace him as Frontier CAG while Michel takes over his vic.
@manga
Sound Force flew their own planes while they performed. Ranks doesn’t, just like the Jamming Birds. So unless Ranka becomes a pilot in her own right…
[...] summary and opinions in Crusader’s post: That was one of the best recap episodes I have ever seen, where the usually route is to just give [...]