SDF Macross Episodes 17 and 18 – It Was the Best of Times, It Was the Worst of Times.

Forgive the delay, I had to spend the last day and a half immersed in an ethnic conflict paper before I could move on to intergalactic conflict. But this week’s episodes were worth the wait. First up we have another recap, but this time done more interestingly and with an actual impact on the larger story. Then it’s the infamous episode 18: Pineapple Salad. But it’s not a complete downer, as there are plenty of exciting developments during these episodes to help us swallow the bitter ending. Beginning this week, Hikaru sits unconscious, recovering from his wounds after being rescued at the end of the last episode…

Lacerations, head trauma, and several hours in the water later.

This part of the dream/hallucination sets up the interesting part of the recap episode. Hikaru chases Minmay through his disjointed memories in an attempt to save her from Commander Britai, or so it appears to his unconscious mind.

It’s such a complete recap, they even recap the opening animation and song!

I know, there’s a whole bridge full of better women.

I’ll gladly accept more Armored VF-1, even if it’s just a flashback.

Hikaru chases after Minmay in an attempt to rescue her, jumping from one memory to another with odd hallucinations in between. Some of the scenes play out just as they happened, some differently, and in some cases the other characters are aware that Hikaru is dreaming and offer to help him along. After reliving his crash during the initial attack on South Ataria Island, Hikaru is teased by the PA for crashing so many times, which happens again as he tried to ride off into space on a bicycle. Eventually he meets up with Misa, Max, and Kakizaki who offer to help him rescue Minmay. Jumping immediately to their recon mission with the Cats Eye, Hikaru sits both in his VF-1 and in the back seat of the Cats Eye before skipping ahead to the interior of the Zentradi base where he sees Minmay on a floating island held by Britai. But as he approaches, Britai turns into Kaifun. Hikaru says that he’d give up being a soldier to be with Minmay, ‘killing’ Kaifun/Britai and sending him off to another altered memory.

True friends.

Not many people can pull off cute in a spacesuit.

The not-so-Little Prince.

Kaifun says a lot of things, none of which should be listened to.

The true face of the enemy.

This needs to happen to the real Kaifun.

As Hikaru’s VF-1 morphs into his stunt plane, Hikaru and Minmay are brought back to the memory of crash landing inside the Macross after its first space fold. The two camp out below decks, and discuss how busy and distant Minmay is becoming as they embark on different paths. Here the ‘marriage ceremony’ scene plays out a little differently, with Hikaru’s subconscious expressing its doubts about Minmay when Hikaru doesn’t take her suggestion to get married as serious. Then, as they were about to kiss as in the past the scene suddenly shifts to Hikaru’s kiss with Misa in front of the Zentradi commanders. He’s puzzled as to why Minmay turned into Misa, and then she says that he’s a soldier after all.

He’s come to know her well.

From crazy to sweet. His subconscious has good taste.

One of us! One of us! Also, OTP! OTP!

Waking up from his trauma induced journey of realization, Hikaru receives some visitors. First Misa comes to visit with flowers for the injured pilot and apologizes for her actions putting Hikaru in such danger. He shrugs it off, saying it wouldn’t have been a problem if he were a better pilot. The two exchange friendly shots about how Hikaru has never heard Misa say ‘sorry’ and Misa never hearing Hikaru use the words ‘thank you’ before Misa has to return to the bridge. Once there, Claudia wants to know all the details, and advises Misa to go after Hikaru, even if he’s younger. Soon after that Roy, Max, and Kakizaki come to visit as well, with Roy giving Hikaru a model biplane as a gift. Hikaru is still kind of down from both not seeing Minmay and his insecurities regarding his feelings for her post-dream and thus isn’t in the mood for Kakizaki’s lighthearted banter. Dragging Kakizaki out, Roy says that he’ll see him later. Before he leaves, Max in what seemed innocent but I can only view as a keikaku doori move, asks if Minmay brought the flowers and then realizes out loud that Misa brought them.

Who wears short shorts skirts?

Enough to cheer anyone up.

Misa: proto-tsundere.

Max, you sly shipper you.

Meanwhile Roy meets with Claudia to try and find Minmay to tell her to visit Hikaru and cheer him up.

In the civilian area of the ship a new Minmay doll has been put on sale, and the Genshiken Team decides that they need to start their figure collection somewhere and steals one as children mob the stand. Ducking around a corner, they’re run into by Vanessa, Kim, and Shammy who are debating whether to go to a disco or not. The Zentradi try to hide their loot, but Shammy’s gaze pierces cloud, shadow, earth, and flesh and she soon accuses Loli of being a lolicon, but for some reason she finds this endearing instead of repulsive and the three bridge bunnies drag the Genshiken Team off to dance. Meanwhile Millia and Kamjin are having a little argument, where Kamjin  informs her of the formidable ace onboard the Macross, piquing her interest enough to plan an attack to lure him out. Onboard the Macross Roy finds Minmay and asks her to visit Hikaru, while gracefully ignores another of Kaifun’s asinine, disrespectful, and insensitive remarks.

Did they make a Lucky Star-Macross hybrid out of this one too?

Just because he liked Kanamemo doesn’t mean you should make assumptions…well, maybe you can.

Several actually, but only one Blue Baron.

“So take a break to help out the guy who nearly died, yeesh.”

Yes, militaries exist to start wars for the hell of it. Jackass.

Millia’s ship descends into Earth’s atmosphere to launch at fighter sweep against the Macross and to lure out Max so Millia can engage in some ace combat. Valkyries are scrambled and the battle is joined. Soon Millia picks out Max from the other UN fighters and the first of what will likely be many awesome dogfights begins.

Get some get some!

Foe yay? I hope so. They would make an unstoppable pair of aces.

Nice split screen thruster/throttle shot.

The duel continues.

Misa’s back in top form, noticing the pattern before anyone else.

As the battle continues outside Minmay finally comes by to visit Hikaru, mostly talking about herself and how busy she is. Hikaru gives voice to his uncertainty about the future of their relationship, but Minmay passes out on his bed from too many days of only two hours of sleep. Outside the duel between Max and Millia goes on as Roy attempts to hold off the rest of the Zentradi, taking some hits in the process. Millia then makes a run for the Macross, hoping to gain an advantage against Max inside the ship. But this proves to be a mistake, as Max chases her inside and nearly downs her Queadluun before she escapes from the ship and retreats, heavily damaged.

I didn’t realize it was Christmas already.

The beginning of the end for Minmay?

Roy keeps the numerous regulars busy…

While Max holds his own against the Zentradi’s finest ace.

Flying into the Macross, Millia is hoping the terrain will work to her advantage, despite piloting a larger craft.

Bang bang, he shot her down.

After Millia and the Zentradi forces retreat Minmay is awoken in the hospital room by her manager, Hikaru having tried to make it to a hangar when he heard the fighting going on inside the ship. The manager forcibly pulls her along to get back to the movie set while she wonders where Hikaru is. Roy meanwhile is sitting in his quarters strumming his guitar while Claudia prepares the pineapple salad she promised. But then, as it’s ready to be served, he falls forward, bleeding from three wounds in his back sustained during the battle. Instead of being treated when he knew he was done for, he chose to spend his last moments with his beloved Claudia. So passes Roy Fokker, ace pilot of both the Unification Wars and the Earth-Zentradi Conflict. His GARtyrdom for love and shipmates is a shining example to the rest of the UN Spacy.

Too bad he’s just a jerk instead of deliciously evil like Grace O’Connor.

Going out in style.

He died as he lived: bound by duty and compassionate to those around him.

Breaking the news.

A moment of tribute to Capt. Roy Fokker, UNS.

Roy Fokker: ace pilot, caring superior, lech, faithful comrade, and love of Claudia. 1980-2009.

Final Thoughts: – I knew the pineapple salad thing meant something bad before I started out watching the series. Now I see its significance.

- Despite the downer ending, there was plenty to be happy about during these episodes. Minmay appears to be on the out, and Misa in ascendance.

- Furthermore we got to see a great dogfight between Max and Millia, and I’m hoping this leads to some long term rivalry and/or foe yay.

- The Macross Frontier troll with the pineapple cake is now clear to me.

- Much glory to Misa for getting over her ex-boyfriend/Kaifun confusion so quickly!

- The recap episode is a great example of how a recap episode can be done well (if the writers insist on having one in the first place.) I really, really liked how Hikaru skipped through various altered memories to come to his realization.

- There’s something inherently unfortunate about pineapples. You’ve got Pineapple Salad here, and Officer 223 pining (pun not originally intended but I wish it was) over his ex-girlfriend by keeping around cans of her favorite pineapple that expire on her birthday in Chungking Express (my favorite movie EVAR.)

- Poor Claudia