About two years have passed since the end of the UN-Zentradi conflict and the survivors of its final battle have been rebuilding on Earth as best as they can. A few cities have been rebuilt, the survivors settled, and life goes on for the remnants of humanity and the Zentradi fleets. However not all is well both in the personal lives of some of the characters and in the wider human-Zentradi society. Chafing under the constraints of a peaceful life, several Zentradi lash out at the world around them, while others leave the settlements to either die or become bandits. Not only does this cause social friction and immediate destruction, it’s also leaving a substantial segment of the population disaffected and susceptible to being influenced by demagogues. War is the easy part, now the survivors have to create and manage the peace.

Hikaru patrols the wasteland with his flight, checking for survivors or signs of trouble.

The Zentradi bombardment pretty much sanitized Earth’s surface, but life has a way of hanging on.

Look who’s hiding out here. Durable little things, one survived the bombardment while another managed to survive a colony’s impact on the moon in Zeta Gundam.

The remnants of the war are scattered about all around the Earth.

After Hikaru takes some time looking around on the ground, he thinks back to what Roy told him about the job of being a pilot. For Roy it was about protecting the woman he loved, and Hikaru gets some pangs of guilt about not being into Minmay as much as he thinks he should be and flies off to the city where she is having a concert. Back in (New) Macross City, Misa is cleaning out Hikaru’s prefab house and comes across his photo album. It’s filled with old pictures of Minmay from around the start of the war, and she’s a little indignant about this seeming obsession with a failed love. So before leaving she turns the Minmay poster on his wall upside down! Misa, you’re my hero! Sitting at a café outside she sees Millia and Max with their child and for a second imagines herself and Hikaru in the same position. She leaves after a noisy pair of soldiers show up listening to Minmay on a boombox, but the gears in her head start turning.

Two of the new settlements are built around the largest capital ships that managed to make it to Earth roughly intact. A good idea since building materials are right there, but I’d be kind of afraid to live in Grante under that Zentradi battleship, it looks like it could fall over eventually.

Make him pay you with kisses.

Stop living in the past Hikaru. The future is bright and even cleans up your mess.

Masterstroke!

The Jenius family and their eventual ace-of-aces child makes Misa think about the future.

Over in Grante City Hikaru arrives looking for Minmay and comes upon her and Kaifun talking so he hangs back for the moment. Kaifun is drinking heavily like the pathetic scum that he is, complaining about the meager pay they’re getting for Minmay’s concerts. To which Minmay replies that they shouldn’t even need to be paid when everyone is just scraping by, much less demand more. That spine Minmay’s been starting to grow finally kicks in and she tells Kaifun that they shouldn’t see each other for awhile, and she walks off worried about her situation, Kaifun, and Hikaru. As this happens Hikaru gets an emergency call from Misa in the command center. Three Zentradi have stolen Regults and are attacking a civilian area. She chastises him heavily for going off to meet Minmay while on patrol, her anger at his irresponsibility heightened by the fact that it was Minmay he went to see. Hikaru’s current flight members aren’t the best pilots, but eventually Hikaru shows up and quickly deals with the Zentradi, disabling their Regults. The last image is that of the Zentradi in Hikaru’s gunsight running away from his VF-1S. I have to wonder if he shot them, pursued and apprehended them, or just let them go. I think the last one is unlikely.

Keep drinking Kaifun, maybe you’ll pass out and choke on your own vomit and then we can be rid of you.

You tell that punk ass lush!

Kaifun dumbstruck, though I’d rather he just be struck…by the backhand of a Valkyrie.

Rioting Zentradi began firing indiscriminately, though Hikaru’s flight managed to lure them away from the city.

Wondering why she hasn’t been promoted, she goes on to say she also has better looks than Vanessa. Oh Shammy, we love you but you’re just not the brightest bulb in the box.

Hikaru deals with the Regults Millia style by shooting off their legs. I liked how the fight was in the rain.

After returning to base Hikaru runs into Misa who asks about whether he got to see the person that he went to see. While she’s probably happy that he didn’t talk to Minmay, this is merely a ploy to put him off balance before her true love attack begins. She runs up from behind him and gives him a pink envelope and then walks off smiling. Inside are three ri-god-damn-diculously adorable photos of her to add to his photo album and increase the album’s win levels by over 9000%. There’s a reason why she’s in charge of the Valkyries instead of just in one, for her grasp of strategy and tactics is both broad and deep, in love and in war.

Oh Hikaru, stop your stalking and see the true love that is stalking you!

At first I thought this was one of those high school love letter things. Misa, forgive me for ever doubting that you would stoop to such immature levels. Your direct attack on Minmay’s place in Hikaru’s photo album is both bold and inspiring!

I wonder if it’s Shammy’s pet?

CUTE OVERLOAD!!!

And one serious one to round out the three.

While episode 28 deals primarily with the human characters and what they are doing after the war, episode 29 tells us a lot about the challenges of integrating the Zentradi and how they are trying to deal with living in peace. The opening scene is a skeletal Zentradi corpse propped up against a piece of wreckage. As the winds continue their constant howling its hand falls off, revealing that it was clutching a box with a Minmay doll in it. It’s an amazing sequence, telling you everything about the current Zentradi situation in just a few shots. The deaths from the war and of those who leave the cities, the desperation that comes through from the positioning of the skeleton, and the sad worship of and frustration with human culture seen in the way the soldier was clutching the doll; it’s pretty powerful. Elsewhere the singer who inspired such adoration is having troubles of her own, being unaccustomed to singing before a tiny audience in an exclusive club. Kaifun arranged this gig because the smaller crowd could pay more, but Minmay isn’t even sure what she’s singing for anymore.

Pictures worth thousands of words.

How do you get people who only know war to adjust to a peaceful life? Macross is dealing with some interesting DDR (disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration) issues.

It may be an exclusive club, but it has to be more than a little demoralizing for Minmay to perform before such a small crowd.

So Kaifun, so far you’ve got: Lust for your cousin, Envy of Hikaru, Pride for encouraging people who need it not to take military assistance, Gluttony for alcohol, and now Greed when trying to get even more out of people who have little. Just need some Sloth and Wrath and your damnation will be complete.

Minmay had enough of Kaifun’s douchebaggery and goes back to Nyan Nyan in Macross City to stay the night with her relatives. She’s glad to see them, but afterwards she goes into her room where the repaired walls remind her of Hikaru. She takes out the medal he gave her and for a moment thinks that he’s calling for her, only to find an empty street outside her window. The next day she runs into the Genshiken Team, who have now taken up jobs as laundry cleaners. They’re overjoyed to see her and this cheers her up a bit. Though shortly afterwards she sees Hikaru and Misa walking together and chatting. When he stops to tell Misa that he added the pictures of her to the album he turns just enough to make eye contact with Minmay, who breaks out in tears and runs away. Hikaru and Misa then chase after her, but she doesn’t stop.

At least some of the Zentradi have managed to make new lives for themselves.

Maybe it’s the way she’s dressing lately, but Minmay is certainly looking more like an adult lately.

Sucks to be you.

While I’m not on Minmay’s side or anything, I think Noe would consider these to be True Tears. They are however, futile.

Minmay and the pursuing Misa and Hikaru then run right into another incident with Zentradi that are unable to adjust to life in peacetime. Two Zentradi have started smashing cars and are arguing with the mayor and his wife. Another Zentradi tries to calm them down, but he’s pushed to the street by one of the rioters. Hikaru tries to defuse the situation, just as four Destroids show up to enforce the peace. But despite getting flicked by the finger of one of the Zentradi, Hikaru calls for the Destroids to hold their fire. His act of bravery seems to get through to one of the Zentradi, but with something of a regretful look in his eyes he just says ‘so long’ to Hikaru and starts leaving town with his accomplice.

Amuro Rey Zentradi is not adjusting well to peace.

Why are the missile pods on opposite sides with these two? Cost cutting or actual reason?

Looking down the barrel of a gun, son of a gun.

Hikaru being GAR for peace.

It seems my fears about the Zentradi’s unrealistic expectations were right.

It is in this set of circumstances that two plans are being set in motion. Kamjin and Laplamiz meet in Kamjin’s command ship buried under snow near one of the poles. There, they discuss a plan to recruit all the disaffected Zentradi into a force and then probably make trouble for the rest of the humans and Terran Zentradi. Meanwhile in Macross City Archivist Exedol and Commander in Chief Global brief Hikaru, Misa, Millia, and Max on a plan to seize a Zentradi manufacturing satellite. The extent of the entire Zentradi force is unknown, and Earth will need the ability to build more ships should another Zentradi fleet arrive to try and determine what happened to the last one.

Always the hothead.

For shame Laplamiz. What would Millia think if she knew you were involved in this?

He couldn’t have picked a more able team.

The episode ends with the same corpse from the start. This problem isn’t going away any time soon.

Final Thoughts: – Having the show deal in such detail with the reconstruction and reintegration of both sides is very interesting and a welcome change from most anime series. It’s also personally interesting to me since so much of what I study is post-conflict situations.

- I’m wondering where Captain Britai is. Unless I missed something I don’t believe they showed his death during episode 27. I hope he’s still around, he needs to Brght-slap some sense into Laplamiz and the other malcontents.

- The threat of future Zentradi attacks hasn’t gone away, and I’m wondering what the rest of the Zentradi are thinking at this point.

- Minmay is redeeming herself and is something of a tragic figure. Hopefully things turn out well for her in the end…just not with Hikaru!

- I absolutely love time skips in series, such as the one in Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, because it gives you a much more complete view of the world and the characters. However I was a little surprised that little progress seemed to be made on the love story aspect of Macross during the past years.

Something that has always perplexed me is why anime fans don’t watch more Jdramas. I’m sure this could be for any number of reasons but many dramas are based off anime  (Hana Yori Dango, Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, GTO, Nana, etc.) and some seriously seem to have been animes in a past life. That’s where Samurai High School comes in.  It’s got all that you ever wanted in an anime ridiculous faces, great acting, awkward shots focusing on things that aren’t important and the absurdest characters in strange places. Yet still these two worlds will never meet eye to eye I suppose.

In that way it’s kind of like the plot for this show. The main character Mochizuki Kotaro (played by Miura Haruma, who also was in Gokusen 3) is an unsuspecting and frankly average high schooler who shares the name of his ancestor, a heroic general from the Sengoku period. While for normal people this would just be an omen of good luck when Mochizuki meets a strange librarian things start to change. When trying to save a classmate he bumps his head and turns into his samurai ancestor!

It’s all in this book! I swear!

The first episode starts out with Mochizuki in a battlefield in Sengoku Japan, about 400 years ago when samurai were overtaking something in Osaka. I’m the first to admit I don’t like history very much. He’s woken up in class and tries to explain himself but he’s in math class so there’s very little reason to be dreaming about history. As a punishment the teacher assigns him a paper on the Campaign he was dreaming about. On his way home some girls harass him for money but evetually he heads home. On the way he sees a library sign that leads him to believe he can find books about history in there.This smile makes me smile. Oh ho ho ho~

The creepy librarian woman sees his name of the paper to sign out books and brings him a very special book which glows. Inside the book is the tale of a boy the same age (17) and same name as Mochizuki.

The second-hand embarrassment is so high right now.

When he gets home instead of writing his paper he pretends to do samurai moves with a ruler. At that point he gets a call from his best friend Ai who sees their classmate Nakamura in trouble. He does what any good samurai would and runs to the rescue.

Yanki’s are pretty bad ass but even I think I can take these girls. Especially if I were 6′2″…

Nakamura is kind of a helpless boy. He stutters and looks down all the time but because he’s played by Shirota Yuu (former D-boys member) I forgive him. Mochizuki is immediately scared and stutters out a bunch of nonsense. When he tries to defend himself he trips down a flight of stairs and hits his head.

Somehow as a samurai Mochizuki has perfect hair and a TON of eyeliner. Very stylish for the Sengoku era.

The bump on the head makes his ancestors personality come out. Even when we (the audience) can hear the real Mochizuki on the inside he seems powerless to make his own body move. Samurai-Mochizuki easily takes care of the three pansy girls while freeing Nakamura. He does this with the ruler that was still in his pants ^^;;. He moves in to kiss Ai but then this happens.

Warning: May explode when kissed.

He wakes up as normal Kotaro and has trouble trying to explain to Ai what happened. He doesn’t have time anyway because Nakamura has already gotten himself in trouble with those yanki girls again. This time Nakamura has let them talk him into stealing watches. Mochizuki runs to try and convince him not to do it but ends up there at just the wrong time.

Neither of these men is articulate enough to explain that three evil girls did this.

They are taken the police station, picked up by their teacher and manage to clear their names in front of the board while the girls get off scot-free. There’s a long scene of lamenting where Nakamura tells Mochizuki that they’re both weak and so they can never win at life and it’s as simple as that.

Stop moping you pretty boys this isn’t a Final Fantasy game!

When he arrives home Mochizuki’s father tells him that he is the ancestor of the samurai bearing the same name proving something that we’ve pretty much known all along. The yanki girls from before kidnap Mochizuki and Nakamura a few hours later to beat them up for some reason even though everyone got off without more than a slap on the wrist.

Look, they brought friends…

They throw Mochizuki out the window when he fights back and he bumps his head and turns into a samurai again so he can kick butt with a broom!

Becoming a samurai also puts his hair in a ponytail for some reason?

He beats all the bad guys up and the day is saved with no thanks to Nakamura because he pretty much cowered on the ground and made sad noises the whole time.

I’m trying not to read anything sexual into this but I have trouble.

♥ It’s a bromance ♥

Final Thoughts:

If you have some time and you’re out of anime (amazing but it happens) then I would definitely tell you to give this series a watch. It’s a pretty great series and there’s already has five episodes out. I had a ton of fun watching it and even my fiance kept starring at my screen to try and watch it with me. Unless I get some overwhelming response I don’t think I’ll be blogging other episodes of this but I figured maybe every now and then I’d show you guys a great Jdrama that’s anime-ish. This one gets a full 5 stars out of 5 for wild ride awesomely acted ridiculous anime-esqe comedy.

Confession Corner:

I have something to get off my chest and I won’t be able to move on until I do. I started watching this for Shirota Yuu. You do not know this about me but I am in love with the Sailor Moon Musicals and Yuu played Tuxedo Mask from 2003 to 2004 (where I fell in love with his body singing). Someday I may bring you some Sailor Moon musical reviews and recaps but until then I leave you with this picture:

Given the grand scale of the events of episode 27, I felt it would be best to just do a one episode post this week. Preparations began among the Macross-Britai fleet last time as the main Zentradi force began to defold into Sol system, and now the battle begins. All the various resources of the Macross, Britai fleet, and UN Spacy are at the ready, but the scale of the incursion is massive. Bodolzza even brings the entire headquarters fortress WITH HIM for the battle along with millions of ships and countless soldiers. With the stage set, events occur on both civilizational and personal levels that will forever change the lives of everyone involved.

Ready for the fight.

Before getting into the cockpit himself, Hikaru tells Minmay that he always loved her and wishes her well with Kaifun. No regrets before battle.

Everyone aboard the Macross-Britai fleet ships prepares. For the first time we get to see a little bit of the inside of the Destroids. I wasn’t even positive that they were piloted before now.

UN HQ is preparing as well, with Misa directing the deployment of Earth-based Valkyrie squadrons.

The UN Space Cartography Department leaves something to be desired unless there were massive sealevel increases that somehow didn’t touch Japan. They’re also not the only powerful international organization to forget about Africa (Australia and most of SE Asia is noticeably missing too).

As Hikaru gets into his flightsuit and prepares to launch, Minmay comes to see him again. She still wants to talk about what Hikaru said to her, starting to say that she just thought of him as a friend but trailing off like she has more to say. But Hikaru calmly and without any sign of emotional distress, tells her that it wouldn’t have worked out. Even in the confines of one ship, they’ve been living completely different lives. Minmay seems shocked by this, though one would think that she would have noticed by now. But just then the Bodolzza fleet begins its planetary bombardment of the Earth, shooting through the orbiting UN ARMD-class ships, wiping out most of the inhabited areas and effectively destroying human civilization there. This is done from such a long range that the Macross-Britai fleet didn’t even have a chance to engage them before they fired.

Very nice use of the helmet in the scene. Why doesn’t more anime try to be creative with its cinematography like this?! Such an old series puts so many more recent ones to shame.

The final killing blow to the Minmay X Hikaru ship. Though as much as she was the enemy of my preferences, at the end I feel more like moving on and letting her be than savoring her shock. She screwed up big time in the middle, but towards the end she at least went out with dignity.

The Zentradi reduce the surface of the Earth to ruins as they did to another planet when Hikaru, Misa, and Kakizaki were captured. Despite planetary bombardment being outlawed by every civilized world.

The second shot from Battlestar Galactica reminded me of the original, though I would doubt it was an intentional homage to Macross.

The Earth is now devastated, but the Grand Cannon at Alaska Base is still operational, and the UN HQ fires back at the Zentradi fleet, surprising Bodolzza with its power. The forcefulness and totality of the Zentradi attack seems to have vindicated Admiral Hayase’s plan to shoot first and seek negotiation later as the Zentradi didn’t even think twice about trying to destroy the Earth. Hikaru came up with an idea for Minmay to sing and distract the enemy Zentradi by exposing them to ‘culture’, and on the bridge of the Macross Capt. Global, Archivist Exedol, and Capt. Britai finalize the coordination of this jamming by other means. Minmay then readies herself and begins going through her repertoire of songs, with a kiss between her and Kaifun in the middle to heighten the effect on the enemy. At that moment she says goodbye to Hikaru in her thoughts.

You may fire when ready. BA-BOOM Big laser! PA-PEWWW! Zentradi chunks EVERYWHERE!

She never looked so mature or introspective.

Some of the Zentradi are watching, though it’s too late for Earth.

The bombardment of Earth will not go unanswered. The Macross-Britai fleet capital ships begin attacking the enemy command ships while the Macross’ Valkyries, loaded with reaction warhead equipped missiles, keep the mecha busy and take out several capital ships of their own. Millia now joins the fray in her own VF-1, painted red because real aces have custom paintjobs. Down on the surface the Grand Cannon’s firing made it a target for the orbiting fleet which quickly devastates the base. Misa is still trying to contact any units that may be out there when she gets a message from her father telling her to leave. Everyone else in the base is either dead or has fled, and the transmission ends with Adm. Hayase’s death as well when the control room explodes.

The Macross-Britai fleet flagships begin their attack, while another variant of Zentradi battlepod is engaged by the Valkyries.

All the Valkyries deployed seem to be equipped with the new FAST Pack equipment.

Given recent events I imagine Millia is less hesitant to deal killing blows.

Zentradi counterbattery fire quickly reduces the Grand Cannon to rubble. Such is the disadvantage of stationary superweapons.

Misa may be the only one left alive in the entire base.

Hikaru is good, but not good enough to get away unscathed and his Valkyrie takes enough damage to prevent him from escaping the Earth’s gravity and returning to base. He realizes that there’s nothing more he can do and prepares his VF-1S for reentry. During this he remembers the rest of his conversation with Minmay. As they saw the Earth being bombarded, staring in shocked silence, Minmay tells him that she will sing just for him and gives him a parting kiss. In his mind, Hikaru also says goodbye to Minmay as he descends to Earth. There he radios to the UN HQ and finds Misa on the radio, overjoyed to hear from him. Up in orbit the battle continues, and Kamjin watches events and is persuaded by Minmay’s song to join the Macross-Britai fleet, which is currently engaged in fierce combat as it works its way towards the fortress.

Similar to my love for the ‘point of no return’ part of Gundam 0083, the scene in Hikaru’s nearly disabled Valkyrie and the final part of the conversation between him and Minmay featured great use of silence. It really says more than words could at such times.

At least it ended well, I’ll give Minmay credit for that.

I agree, ‘Love Flows By’ has been the best of Minmay’s work so far.

Apparently Captain Harlock has also joined the fleet.

Hikaru flies into the remains of Alaska Base looking for Misa, and finally cuts his way into the flight operations center. There the two meet again, both overjoyed to see each other and to have a real human connection amidst the devastation that is all around them. It was a very sweet moment and nicely done, some parts in time to the music of ‘Love Flows By’ that was still playing in the background. A paragraph just to talk about this one short scene? Yes.

Their reunion is one small thing to be happy about on such a dark day.

Set to the drum beat from ‘Love Flows By’, I loved the snapshot style of this sequence. Not saying that the destruction of most of humanity was worth it for these Misa smiles, but it’s not a bad consolation prize.

Though I wasn’t as keen on the black and white sketch style of the embrace part. Reminds me of the video for ‘Take on Me’ and that’s NOT A GOOD THING. Argh, there’s so much to hate about 1980’s pop culture and yet my generation has this odd obsession with it. WE WERE BORN IN THE 80’S, HOW MUCH NOSTALGIA CAN YOU HAVE HAD FOR SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED WHEN YOU MAY NOT HAVE EVEN BEEN BORN YET? AND FOR A POP CULTURE THAT SUCKED ANYWAY! GAHHH! *raeg rant*. Sorry, it kind of hit a nerve with me. At least there’s Macross and Operation Ivy to remind me that the 1980’s weren’t a complete disaster.

Now the Macross begins the final phase of its attack. Making its way to the command fortress, the Macross focuses the Pinpoint Barriers on the bow, punches through the outside of the asteroid, and fires all its weapons and reaction warhead anti-ship missiles into the interior and then raising the ODB to protect itself from the explosion. Supreme Commander Bodolzza is killed and a large portion of his fleet it also destroyed, leaving the rest of the Zentradi leaderless. Back on Earth Misa and Hikaru observe the explosion and take the time to tell each other how much they appreciate being together at a time like this. While the explosion so near Earth of a massive object would probably lead to an Endor Holocaust scenario, the Earth is already pretty screwed.

The Macross Attack utilized the entire ship in a manner similar to the Daedalus Attack invented earlier.

Bodolzza meets the face of Death, and it is a singing idol.

I had figured they were going to intentionally overload the ODB to destroy the fortress, but the reaction weapons seemed to be enough.

Quite a sight.

She never lost faith, and indeed Hikaru has grown over the months to deserve such faith.

Sitting at the end, and beginning, of all things.

Stuck on the Earth the  happy-given-the-circumstances couple is worried about what happened to the Macross, but soon their fears are alleviated when they see the heavily damaged ship float down to the surface as the sun rises of the ruins of Alaska Base. Surprisingly after so much death and destruction they manage to remain upbeat for now, holding onto each other and returning to their friends and comrades. Soon it will be time to reorganize and make sense of the new situation. The human and Zentradi have both lost their chain of command, the Earth is destroyed, and there will likely be aftereffects of the Zentradi being exposed to culture. But for now, Hikaru and Misa enjoy their flight back towards the Macross.

No need to narrate this image, just including it because I liked it.

The Macross is one tough ship.

More great use of objects in the foreground as occurred earlier with the helmet. The broken cockpit almost seems to reflect the losses of the day, while the rest of the Valkyrie is still mostly intact and able to move forward just as the fleet and survivors must.

Into the newly uncertain future.

Final Thoughts: – This really changes everything. With the Earth devastated and the remnants of a massive fleet still in-system, the future is uncertain as never before.

- I could see how the series could have ended here, on a pretty big downer but with a hopeful spirit for recovering in the future. However I’m a big fan of ‘what now?’, post-war stuff so I’m looking forward to what happens in the rest of the series. Way too often series just cover the war and somehow things are just back to normal and rebuilt by the time of a sequel series. I know a lot of people hated the show, but one of the good things about Gundam SEED Destiny is that it did address the immediate aftermath of war and the lingering animosities. I’m excited to see what’s to come and how Macross handles it.

- The end of the Minmay/Hikaru thing was well done on both characters’ parts. Even though Minmay annoyed me a lot through most of the series, she has started to wise up and mature a fair amount lately. And at least she didn’t take her unreciprocated feelings and run off into an abyss of treachery and selfishness like another loser in Macross love.

- I’ve started to notice the budget constraints coming into play somewhat. There were some obviously recycled sequences from other episodes, such as the Zentradi recon ship getting destroyed by the Macross’ main cannon from the first episode, and Hikaru getting jerked back and forth by his harness when he decelerated using the FAST Pack for the first time.

As fans we all have certain moments while watching anime that really capture our hearts. A moment or a scene that we really experience as closely as is possible with a fictional event. Everyone has their own. They may not always be the most technically well done scenes, the most artistic, or those with the most significance to a story. But something about them connects with each of us in a very strong manner. In this editorial I list ten of my own, and invite you to list yours in comments. Or even to write your own post and put a link to it. Join me as I nerd out about my favorite moments and hopefully communicate some of their significance to me as a fan.

NOTICE: THERE WILL BE SPOILERS. I have chosen images and headers that are not spoilers in and of themselves, but if you haven’t seen the series (and don’t want anything spoiled) for Char’s sake scroll down to the next one! I would also ask comments to be setup in a similar way so that people can read the first line and know whether to skip it for spoilers or not.

The idea for this article originated from Scamp over at Bokutachi no Blog. He wrote a similar list of his own favorite moments after an off-topic comments exchange in one of his posts that we had concerning Code Geass episode 22 (though the post was about an episode of Hetalia, go figure.) Just so you know, he’s cool with me stealing using the format, heh. This is why the fandom is great: conversing with each other, sharing ideas and influencing each other in turn! *clenches fist to chest and cries manly tears of respect* Now, my ten moments, in something of an order leading up to my singular favorite. As a note, I attempted to find a video link for each scene, but in some cases it wasn’t possible to find one that doesn’t need to be fast-forwarded to the scene I wrote about, or in two instances clips that have no English subtitles (I could have picked an English dub for one, but it was pretty terrible.)

10. Kidou Senkan Nadesico episode 16

SCENE 8:24-9”25, sorry, couldn’t find English subtitles in an online video and you wouldn’t want to hear the dub.

Megumi: “We’ve all been tricked! These people are…”

Akito: “Human beings. Descendants of those expelled from the moon.”

…

Megumi: “Why are you stuck fighting such an old war?”

Akito: “You don’t understand. This has become our war!”

The crew of the Nadesico has just discovered that Nergal has been hiding the fact that the Jovian Lizards are actually humans that were forced off of the moon and then Mars a hundred years ago. Megumi and Haruka find the escaped pilot of one of their Gekigangar mecha and aid him in his escape, leaving with him to try and find out what’s really going on. But Akito has seen enough of the war that the Jovians have brought and now is solely focused on their destruction.

The fight with Akito in the Lunar Frame against the Gekigangar sent to destroy the Nadesico as it undergoes refit was perfectly grim and tragic because it was understandable. Akito kept fighting against the Jovians, humans or not, with a fury born of his personal experiences in the war. Mars, the death of Gai, the refugees in the lunar base. He’s not like some typical anime characters (usually antagonists) who keep fighting because they’re convinced that they’re right, or won’t listen to anything that contradicts their ideals, or because it’s all they know how to do. Akito started out as a cook not a solider, he’s listened to the broadcast, and he knows that his enemies are humans that have been wronged in the past. But he doesn’t care. The war is starting to turn against the Jovians, he’s endured and witnessed suffering at their hands, why turn back now when they’re finally getting what they deserve for what they’ve done? The way Akito’s change from reluctant to dead set was presented suspended that rational part of my brain for a time, the part that would go along with what the rest of the crew was trying to do (stop the war), and made me feel his hatred towards the Jovians control his actions, facts be damned.

9. Cowboy Bebop episode 05

SCENE, PARTIAL.

Fay ends up captured and used as bait to lure Spike into an ambush as we get our first major glimpse into the history that Spike and Vicious share. The scene in the abandoned cathedral still echoes through my memories. It wasn’t so much for content (though it is important to the story) but for the way in which the scene was presented. The organ music combined with electric guitar during Spike’s walk to the cathedral, the lack of music during the action scenes, and the choir music as Spike fell through the window set up a great atmosphere in terms of sound. Visually I thought the episode was the best combination of two of the major visual and thematic influences in the show, Film Noir and Hong Kong crime/shooter movies. The cathedral was cast mostly in slanting shadows and the color scheme almost entirely black, purples, and blues. The way the fighting was done reminded me more of the classic A Better Tomorrow instead of later films that often added a little too much (or way too much) stylization and acrobatics to the gunplay. Spike and Vicious have their personal duel and exposition ending in a draw when bombs go off and throw Spike from the building amidst flashback to his past and of Julia. Though the beginning really made the scene for me. “In the Rain” being played while Spike walked up to the front of the cathedral under an overcast sky has stuck with me ever since.

8. Toradora! episode 16

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Several important events happen during the school festival in this episode, but to me the crowning moment of awesome of the Taiga X Yusaku arc was when Yusaku was dejected from his (seemingly) one-sided love for Kanou, and Taiga decides to do what she can for him. Despite being in love with him, Taiga takes out her boken and hunts down Kanou after telling Ryuuji to stay by his side while she helps him the only way she can. Finding her in a classroom, lit with heavy, yellow beams of late afternoon sunlight, calls her out for being a coward about her feelings and challenges her to fight. She accepts and the fight goes from shinai/boken to fists, each combatant powered by their feelings for Yusaku even though one turned him down and the other know he’s not interested in her. Eventually Taiga calls Kanou a coward and she then admits that she turned Yusaku down because she knows he would follow her even if it wasn’t in his best interest. While it was melodramatic to express their opinions on each other and Yusaku by fighting, it was a hell of a powerful way to do so, and not so far fetched given the intensity of their feelings and their personalities. And it was the high note that the original Taiga X Yusaku arc went out on. As Taiga and Kanou are restrained by their classmates, Yusaku enters, saying that he was glad to have fallen in love with Kanou, and Minori also watches from the sidelines. The beginning of the next drama arc begins here just as the previous one ends, as Ami returns Taiga’s photos to her and speaks some story altering words to Minori.

7. Gundam 0083 episode 12

SCENE (fast forward to 20 minute mark).

Kou races to catch up to the colony and the Zeon forces guarding it, engaging in fierce combat as he makes a desperate run in the GP03 Dendrobium straight for the colony. The countdown to the point of no return, past which it will be impossible to divert the colony from Earth, is announced several times in the middle of the battle. But despite the best efforts of Kou, the Albion and other EFSF forces, the hijacked colony passes the point of no return. The defining moment for me was when the operator on the Albion announces “The colony…has passed the point of no return.” Absolute silence on the bridge and in the GP03’s cockpit. At that moment, despite all they did, there was no more that could be done (to their knowledge, Bask Om had one more card to play) and it sank in quietly, with just those words and silence. The silence spoke more than anything that could have been said by any of the characters, it descended over the Albion and over my mind like a fog. It was shocking and confusing and made you feel how despair and the desire to do something were straining against each other in the characters’ minds. Whether or not you had seen Zeta Gundam first or not (I had not), what happened was both dire for the characters and those on Earth, but also went against your expectations as a viewer. What do you mean the bad guys win?

6. Initial D Fourth Stage episode 08

SCENE

There were several moments of pure awesome in the various seasons of this show (if you’re a car fan like I am), but this one has always been my favorite and has always impressed me with how several great components all come together to make a great decisive moment in this race. Keisuke in his twin turbo FD3S Mazda RX-7 vs Kyoko in her nearly identical model FD, only modified with a large single turbo. Always a hothead to a degree even with his more recent training under his brother, Keisuke is having a difficult time with the roughly paved roads that he races Kyoko on. But slowly he starts to understand and learn, slowly adjusting the pressure he applies on the accelerator by tiny increments to stop from spinning the rear wheels. As he does this ‘Right Now’ by Dark Angels starts playing, a wonderful combination of eurobeat with some rock guitar. The two FDs are very close, making the same moves and as the music continues there’s even a point where Kyoko’s taillight light trail stays on screen after she breaks and then Keisuke’s brakelight fits the exact spot and brakes at the same point. SO COOL! Kyoko wants to keep racing with her crush, hoping to bring the match to a second round by keeping ahead. But while she’s thinking about this she’s distracted and lets her tires slip on the rough pavement, and letting off the gas causes her boost pressure to fall. Keisuke instantly notices and figures out the weakness of the single turbo, that it takes more time to spool up. Going around a corner, he slightly bumps her rear fender with the nose of his car, causing her to let off the gas for an instant, bringing them neck and neck as they exit the curve. Here Keisuke’s twin turbo system has the advantage, using its greater acceleration to get ahead before Kyoko’s more powerful single turbo can spool up. The music, the matching moves, the importance of the different turbo systems, Keisuke learning to control himself despite his brash nature, it all just came together to form a nearly perfect moment of racing.

5. FLCL episode 01

SCENE

From the first ‘tap tap tap’ of drumsticks as the instrumental version of Bran New Lovesong began, the scene where Naota runs feverishly to meet Mamimi on the bridge struck me and carved a place in my mind for the density, melancholy, and futility of what was expressed in it. The everyday life where ‘nothing extraordinary happens’ that Naota is both discontent with and accepting of is challenged by the arrival of Haruko, but what does do about it? He runs full speed back to it by running, out of breath to meet with Mamimi again. She’s once again smoking, and the first closeup is of her crumpled cigarette with “never knows best” written on it, seeming to comment on both her and Naota’s lives and their weird proxy relationship with each other. After this visual, as the song continues, Naota arrives with the left over, stale bread for Mamimi and he brings up the basis of their relationship and Mamimi’s with his brother in a way that was not spoken of before. He first asks if she likes him, and she replies with a list of similes “like a panda with a mean face…or the smell of a chalkboard eraser, or a Sunday when you wake up and it’s been raining”, an odd list that is still very real in its sublime and melancholy descriptions. She embraces him in the one-sided way that they’ve been doing things, and the atmosphere of the scene is just absorbed by watching it. Naota as a proxy for his brother, Mamimi not letting go now that he’s left for America, the desperation of Mamimi’s life, and their mutual acceptance of such a hollow but still desperately important relationship. They’re sad and kind of despicable, but you certainly feel the static desperation of the characters, accentuated by the music and set on the streetlight-lit bridge in the middle of the night.

4. Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann episode 26

SCENE, key part starts at 3:50, sorry no subtitles.

Nearing the end of the fight, the crew of the Chou Ginga Gurren Lagann is caught by one final trap and imprisoned in a false reality that’s meant to give everyone their own personal dream and trapping them in this appealing illusion. But eventually Simon sees through the recreation of his childhood, breaking the illusion’s grip on his mind. As this happens he meets Kamina again. There they stand in rays of sunlight breaking through the clouds, the two leaders and friends together once more. The line that brought the moment to the highest point for me was when Kamina, after a word of encouragement, remarks to Simon that he’s grown taller than him. The time shift and aging of the main characters was one of the best parts about this show, but here is the culminating moment, when Kamina, great though he was, has now finally been eclipsed by his former younger follower. He’s now a hero in his own right, leading everyone on after Kamina and no longer the kid idolizing his brash sempai. His old friend is obviously proud of him, and they share a parting look and moment before Simon says it’s time to leave, leaving both the illusion, his best friend, and the shadow that he grew up in.

3. Honey and Clover season 2 episode 12

SCENE

This scene! It’s the last moment of my all time favorite series and it was so bittersweet that I’ll never forget it. All the other storylines, characters, and dramas have been resolved, and now Takemoto boards the train to leave Tokyo for his architecture restoration job when Hagu comes to see him off at the last minute and hands him a gift. They embrace, then place their hands next to each other on each side of the window, and as the train moves away Hagu chases it smiling and teary-eyed until she reaches the end of the platform. Sitting alone in the empty train car Takemoto opens the gift to find a stack of bread…and in between each slice honey and a four-leaf clover. His memories of her come flooding back as tears stream down his face and “Inaka no Seikatsu” by Spitz begins to play. All his memories of Hagu and thoughts about their failed love come back as he stuffs the bread into his mouth as if both trying to take in the memories like the bread and as a way to ease his emotions. Despite their love never materializing, the last line of the series is Takemoto’s “I’m glad that I fell in love with you.” Finally there’s a last montage of the other characters as the ending theme plays. This whole episode was an emotional experience just for the fact that a series I loved so much was ending, but the final scene at the train stations/on the train was the peak of it all. I cried. I felt emotionally and physically drained of all energy. And I still can’t listen to “Inaka no Seikatsu” or “Split” anymore. Hearing the music just brings back this scene and feels like my insides are being twisted. It was a great ending, keeping with the genuine emotional expression of the entire series as well as its realism; not everything works out for a happy ending, but you should still treasure the moments anyway. Gah, I need to finish up the part about this scene, I’m starting to feel that emotional drain again just from writing about it.

2. Code Geass season 1 episode 22

SCENE

Where were you when Season 1 Episode 22 happened?

Talking about this scene is what inspired Scamp to write the post that inspired this one, and I think I’ll reprise some of  the comments I made on his blog for this amazing moment. While on a much smaller and infinitely less serious level it’s kind of like one of those historical milestones that otaku point too like the regular public would the Moon Landing, Kennedy Assassination, 9/11 attacks, etc. The moment it happened kind of crystallized in everyone’s memory. Everyone remembers where they were and what they were doing when they first saw it. And after it happened, everything changed. Eupehmia has put together a plan for Japan to be run autonomously, Zero/Lelouch is onboard with his Black Knights, and all of a sudden his Geass becomes permanently active and a casual remark forces Euphie to order the killing of any and all Japanese. Not only was it a huge and sudden plot twist, but Euphie’s death at Lelouch’s hand early in the next episode began Suzaku’s journey to hatred and nearly Titans-level obsession with rooting out the enemy (which just made him even cooler in my eyes, both he and the Titans had good reasons even if they went overboard at times.)

For me I was in my Temple University Japan dorm room on study abroad one afternoon after class. It was a nice sunny day outside and I was relaxing after class and catching up on the shows I was following that season. It was such a rush of emotions as I had no way of knowing that it was coming. My mind just kept racing between ‘WTF’ ‘what now?’ and ‘OH S*** THEY DID FORESHADOW THIS SLIGHTLY!’ while I kept alternatingly yelling ‘what the f***’ at my computer screen and laughing at the insanity of it. It was by far one of the best moments in my years of watching anime.

1. Honey and Clover season 1 episode 15

SCENE

It may not be as overtly intense as some of these other moments, but when I think of moments in anime that I’ve watched over the years, this one scene has been the one I think back to the most, the one that can definitely point to as a favorite above all others. Maybe it’s because I was a big fan of Mayama and Rika throughout the series, maybe it’s because I’m just a cheesy romantic who is composed entirely of mush on the inside. But this scene just brought things from the depths of despair to the heights of hope and kyyaaaaa for me. After visiting Asai in the hospital Mayama finds out from him that Rika came to visit and mentioned seeing him in the park over the summer, something Mayama though was just his imagination at first and was driving him nuts. In the lobby he runs frantically to find her, finally spotting her in an elevator and running, shaky, slanted camera angle as he does so, to reach the elevator doors and holds them open as “Yoru wo Kakeru” starts playing. Throughout this series the use of insert songs was particularly amazing, this episode being the pinnacle in my opinion along with the scene where “Tamagawa” plays during episode 07. Upstairs they talk, and as Mayama has guessed in his internal monologue, things are still the same and Rika pushes him away again against the beautifully done backdrop of the huge windows and rainy skies outside. After she leaves to visit Asai again Mayama thinks to himself that things need to start again, and hours later that evening he is there waiting with a rental car to give Rika a ride home. But he intentionally (and he admits the selfishness to himself) drives the wrong way to give himself more time with Rika as the car spirals down the Daikoku Fuutou on the Wangan highway amidst the rain and orange lights.

Things start to change with this, though the rest of their relationship is by no means straightforward or easy. But it was a stunning combination of mostly restrained, subtle emotional content, Mayama’s dramatic chance taking, great music, and rich, artistic animation in the still backgrounds and rainy color palette, the placement of the characters both on the bench and in the car, angles from which they’re viewed, and the objects in motion parts such as the car’s blurred taillights. There was a great visual metaphor used in this scene too, contrasting stillness and motion. Mayama and Rika sit still on the bench, discussing the same things and having the same result as their relationship moves nowhere. But then as Mayama makes his play to change the status quo with the car ride, there’s a great deal of movement with the car, the windshield wipers, passing lights, and moving shadows on their faces as their relationship begins to ‘move’ again. And not only was this scene wonderful to watch the first time (and again and again), but elements of it will always be in my mind.

I can’t believe the stupid perverts (i.e. Crusader and Calawain) laughed at my title post. What’s so funny about the title anyway?

So, let’s get the key thing started first. We need your feedback on our new spanking blog design. Kabitizin of Sea Slugs Team fame helped us with this wonderful blog design, and we love you to give us some feedback on how it can be improved. In essence, we are asking you to give us feedback so we can torture Kabitizin until he goes like “no more, no more changes, SCREW THAT!!!!” Actually, no, That will be fun ugly. As you do know though, we always respect your feedback, so give it to us!

Secondly, the stupid poll about where I am gone is finally taken down since I am back. FYI, I was gone not because of the reasons in the poll but it was due to a time traveler kidnapping me for a inter-galactic sales call. Meh. It’s time for a new poll and I blame the anger in my head for this really weird poll. I swear it is my viewing of “Lost” and the games with Battle Royale-styled themes. Anyway, tell us why you think a certain blogger would win (I personally know who would, actually) in an online Battle Royale fight? Tell us how the fight will go, and the likely weapons we might use.

Edit: Fixed author’s page.

Big things are happening in the UN and Zentradi forces, changes that will fundamentally alter the nature of the rest of this conflict and the future of the two peoples. Millia tracks down Max to settle her duel, only to have the two of them fall for each other and proceed all ahead full into marriage not long afterwards. Max seeks Hikaru’s advice and blessing, and then the ceremony takes place, the first between a human and a Zentradi. This is broadcast onboard the Macross, to UN HQ, and is intercepted by the Zentradi fleet, further spreading human culture to their current enemy. With the effects of ‘culture’ being felt more strongly, Britai decides to send a peace envoy rather than have his fleet tear itself apart, further encouraged to do so by the distinct possibility that Bodolzza will annihilate his contaminated fleet along with the Macross and Earth.

Millia puts on her Chiri face for the fight, throwing Max a knife and challenging him to fight.

Love counter!

YES!

Max and Millia will kick reason to the curb and make the impossible possible! MAX WO OMAE DARE DA TO OMOTE YAGARU?!

The wedding proceeds quickly thereafter, with most of the characters in attendance and Max and Millia making a grand entrance via Valkyrie. The ship and its fighters create a brilliant display for this flight outside as Max’s VF-1J approaches the ship. After their arrival and vows Captain Global gives a speech that initially touches on the conflict and reasons for mistrust between the humans and Zentradi, but then continues into his main point about how this moment is the first step forward towards ending the fighting and living together in peace. The happy couple is presented with the coolest wedding cake ever and the guests erupt in cheers at their joining.

So that’s the real reason Max got upgraded to a VF-1J: so he could have a backseat.

The Macross spared no expense in celebrating this most worthy union.

They’re so cute. But badass. But cute. But badass. But cute.

The inspiring sight even gives hope to the Genshiken nerds. Bridge bunnies like otaku I guess?

By far the sweetest wedding cake in the history of mankind.

Their offspring will be invincible!

Not everyone is so happy about this. But who could possibly stand against the power of both mecha and love?

At the ceremony Minmay also sings for everyone there and watching at home, and in a sign of her improving skills as a singer her song once again touches those who hear it. Even Misa, far away at UN HQ, hears it and thinks of Hikaru fondly. Though increasingly she’s feeling isolated from him and the rest of her friends as the Alaska Base continues preparations to use the Grand Cannon. Captain Britai was also watching the broadcast, and reluctantly determines that he must follow his orders and destroy the Macross. The order to launch and attack is given. Fighting breaks out between the fighters and Millia advises Max of a weakpoint in the Regults that allows them to be disabled with one shot. Despite siding with the humans, she doesn’t wish to see more of her fellow Zentradi destroyed. Hikaru notices Max’s attacks and does the same, disabling most of the Regults that they encounter. Onboard Zentradi ships followers of the Cult of Minmay threaten violence if the attack is not called off, a large portion of the fleet now under the sway of human culture. Britai then calls off the attack and both sides consider their next moves.

Minmay’s songs brings forth many memories and emotions.

They probably wanted a Klingon wedding ceremony but couldn’t find any Batleths.

The Valkyries scramble to intercept the attack as Global wonders about the future of the conflict.

Britai is now disobeying the orders of his superiors.

At home after the fight indulges in some ‘can’t cook’ moe.

While next door Hikaru just misses Misa more after seeing the happy couple.

Some time after a Zentradi capital ship approaches the Macross, broadcasting a message that it wishes to send an envoy aboard to negotiate a cease fire. Kamjin tries again to disrupt any attempt at peace, to which Britai forcefully responds by shooting down several of Kamjin’s fighters. Onboard a Regult, Archivist Exedol is brought to the Macross in Miclone form to conduct the negotiation. Captain Global, his senior officers, Max, Millia, and Hikaru are all assembled for the meeting. Exedol also requests the presence of Minmay and the superhuman he saw in the martial arts movie, having mistaken Kaifun’s special effects for actual abilities. There he informs them of the threat to both Earth and the Britai fleet now that the main force under Bodolzza has been mobilized. After some further negotiation, it is decided that the forces under Britai’s command will join with the Macross against the main Zentradi forces. This is fortuitous timing for Laplamiz has just informed Bodolzza of recent events and the fleet is preparing to fold in as soon as it can. While Kaifun surrenders to despair, everyone else is ready for the fight, and with Exedol’s information on the main fleet’s command structure they may well stand a chance. Britai speaks with his other commanders, and Laplamiz joins with him while Kamjin decides to make a break for it. Though I suspect we haven’t seen the last of him. I’m betting he’ll return to the stage at an opportune moment later in the story.

Britai has had quite enough of your antics Kamjin.

…

LOL.

Back on Earth, Misa tries unsuccessfully to convince her father to approve her transfer back to the Macross to join her comrades in the coming battle. Somehow I think she’ll make it back soon, orders or no orders.

I suppose she was just following orders, but given her later decision to join Britai you’d think she might have waited before deciding to inform Bodolzza.

We now need Max to sing his Minmay cover/remake,  ”Ore no waifu mo piloto.”

An historic moment.

Minmay does one last song before the fight to ready the troops.

Well they are pretty sweet planes.

If the Bodolzza’s ships block out the sun then the Macross shall fight in the shade!

Final Thoughts: – The Millia/Max wedding was very sudden, but they make such a both sweet and awesome couple that I don’t care. They just better not get any of that dying together that they keep talking about!

- Some of the Zentradi joining with the humans has seemed like a strong possibility for a while now. Now with a common enemy and still many episodes left to go, I wonder where this conflict will end. There seems to be far too much time remaining for the issue to be resolved in the space around Earth where most of the fighting has taken place. The UN HQ’s response to all this could also throw things into disarray unless they coordinate with the Macross-Britai fleet.

Welcome to blogging Mabdese! (added by ExecutiveOtaku)

Dearest readers, friends, and hangers-on of THAT!  ExecutiveOtaku here, and it is my pleasure to introduce to you the newest member of our blogging team/family/international hikkikomori conspiracy: Mabdese! She has impressed us with the breadth of her interests and experience in the fandom, and we hope you will welcome her to the blog and enjoy her entries. Ah, to think that only a few months ago I was the newbie and now I’m introducing our newest writer. Oh the transience of blogging youth! Without further ado, I hand the remainder of this post over to my good friend Mabdese.  Welcome to the team!

Hello all you readers out there in THAT land! It is I your newest addition to the blogging crew, Mabdese. I’ve come to you from a distant land to save you from the mediocrity that plagues all of our lives. For my first series I’ll be reviewing Kobato and probably doing recaps of this seasons hot new j-drama Samurai High School. I’m sure you must be wondering what anyone could add to this wonderful blog but I’ll do my best to do the following things:

- Adding my unique feminine/old school insight into anime in weekly editions of reviews/recaps.

- Review some j-drama, stage plays, albums, and other tangential aspects of anime.

- Keep a keen eye out for overlooked animes.

- Have a wonderful sense of humor about otakudom.

Now I know you, you’re thinking hold up, who is this? so I’ll introduce myself properly. I’ve been in anime fandom for nearly 11 years now ever since attending a sci-fi convention and accidentally watching Eva.  I am an avid (sometime rapid) fan of 90’s anime and probably one of the last people to hop the bandwagon before for the internet. In case you are wondering about my street cred, I watched Macross  7 in my friends basement on third generation VHS with the subtitles nearly unreadable back in ‘99.

I’ve been involved in the behind the scenes for a few conventions, been the head of panels, written fanfics and done some cosplay. I have shaken the hands of many seiyuus I admire and connected with some really great friends through anime. By day I’m your average 20-something with a full time desk job. I  live Seattle, WA currently but grew up in NYC and double majored in linguistics and communications with a minor of Japanese. I love to cook and write and play video games. My anime interests are usually more girly with some my favorite series being Saikano, Earth Girl Arjuna, Paradise Kiss, and Blue Sub 6. I happen to like ecchi series a lot as well especially ones like Oku-sama wa Joshi Kosei, GreenGreen, and REC. My favorite anime might just be Record of Lodoss War. I own nearly all the merchandise produced for the series from wall scrolls to little action figures.

If you’re still not convinced I’m clearly awesome I submit this to you:

This is my soap dish. Yes, this is actually my soap dish.

I look forward to my time blogging here at THAT and hopefully forging more friendships through anime! Please support me~

Though I fear some eventual subpar episodes as we pass the original 26 episode season mark (apparently the series was extended during its course), we have nothing but more awesome in this week’s episodes. The Zentradi boarding action is still on going at the start of episode 23 and the Zentradi Cult of Minmay for the most part succeeds in linking up with the UN Spacy forces. Then we have the fallout from recent events on both the political-military and romantic fronts. And then Misa departs for UN HQ on carrying vital information as Max and Millia make first contact.

Hikaru’s even pulling out the Max moves lately. It’s been pretty good seeing him develop as a pilot (instead of being naturally good from the beginning like so many mecha protagonists.)

You’re telling this to the wrong commander.

Kamjin’s reply.

The Zentradi initially make progress inside the Macross until the combination of UN reinforcements and Cult of Minmay deserters disrupt their lines and force a gradual retreat. Hikaru is dealing with the remaining forces when he comes to the amphitheater in time to see Kaifun make his move on Minmay. Eventually she pushes him away, but Hikaru has had enough of it, calls for a team to rescue them, and walks off in his VF-1. Around a nearby corner he runs into several Zentradi Regults and enters BERSERKER mode, charging straight into them and annihilating the group.

Kissing cousins.

Minmay, on the path to redeeming herself.

Sad robot.

“None of you Zentradi seem to understand. I’m not trapped in this ship with you. You’re trapped here with me!”

Why bother with Coordinator genetic engineering when all you need is rage?

The Cult of Minmay deserters disembark from their craft and surrender themselves to the UN forces. After the remaining hostile Zentradi retreat Hikaru is called to a meeting. There Global, Misa, Max, two senior officers, and the Genshiken Team are waiting to hear his opinion on whether or not the Zentradi deserters should be taken in or not. While his first reaction was to turn them down, after hearing Misa’s case and reconsidering he decides that his opinion as someone who has observed the Zentradi onboard their own ships is that they should stay. Integrating them may be difficult since all they’ve known is war, but they did come voluntarily at great risk to be part of human culture. Their DNA matches that of humans as well, but the two senior officers are not happy with Captain Global’s decision and feign illness to leave early. Surveying the damage later, Misa and Hikaru come across Minmay’s relatives who they inform of Minmay’s whereabouts. As they leave to visit her at the hospital, Hikaru and Misa agree to watch the restaurant and have another personal talk. They both wonder about the future of the Zentradi defectors, but the topics also turn personal, with Misa admitting that she’s over Kaifun, and that it was based only on his outward similarity to her past love. Hikaru is still not ready to admit what he knows to be true, and Misa selflessly suggests that he tell Minmay his feelings.

Broken, like the one it was modeled on. Still, given her recent improvements there may yet be hope for something other than the BAD END.

I’m interested in finding out what the Cult of Minmay faction will be doing now that they have been permitted to stay. Are they going to continue as pilots or just stalk Minmay?

They’ve been speaking to each other more and more seriously lately.

Pretty neat part where their talk about the war is matched by a flashback background. These episode are just full of cool shot sequences, as I’ll continue to comment on throughout this post.

Misa admits her past mistakes in the CUTEST MANNER POSSIBLE.

Before too long there is a scramble alarm and Hikaru rushes to launch. There is a brief skirmish of little significance, but afterwards Misa asks Global for permission to head to UN HQ and personally present the evidence and information on the Zentradi and their defectors that has recently been acquired in the hopes of opening negotiations. However she leaves without telling Hikaru, or anyone else, lest news of her trip get out and make the civilians jealous of her ability to return home.

Hikaru is still working the last of the Minmay out of his system, but shows a slight smile after Misa wishes him luck and for once they don’t bicker or take shots at each other.

Another one of those cool sequences. Goes from Misa in foreground with Hikaru walking away not knowing that she’s leaving, to split screen that rotates and reverses facing, then back to single screen with Hikaru in foreground and Misa in the back. Though I wasn’t wild about the sketch-drawn looking last frame that they ended the episode on, thought it took away from the feeling of movement that the rest of the sequence had.

As Misa prepares to leave several Valkyries are undergoing repairs as Max readies to escort her shuttle back to Earth and spots a FAST Pack, an attachment of some sort latched onto Hikaru’s VF-1. On the bridge Shammy continues her on the job training in Misa’s steed with slowly increasing success. Right before the shuttle takes off Misa phones Hikaru, telling him of the mission and her reasons for not telling him of her departure. After that, with the radar clear of enemies, Misa and her escort fighters launch for Earth.

Her supervisor checking up on her.

A new toy.

Max is going to be extra stylish in his newly repainted blue Valkyrie.

Is that Frau Bow in the background?

The shuttle proceeds to Earth until Kamjin and a group of Regults ambush it and its escort. Max’s team is greatly outnumbered, but it will take 20 minutes for reinforcements to reach them. At this point Capt. Global calls for the deployment of the ‘Booby Duck’ apparently the codename for the FAST pack-equipped Valkyrie. Hikaru climbs in and launches, the huge boosters attached to the top of the fuselage allowing him to arrive on scene extremely quickly. The setup is also equipped with a large amount of missiles, which he uses to clear a path through the Zentradi before firing reverse thrusters and shakily coming to a near stop. With Hikaru there Max’s team drives off the Zentradi attackers with only some damage to the shuttle.

Kamjin’s forces backlit by a globular cluster.

Certainly makes it bulkier, but in space it shouldn’t make too much of a difference. Not recommended for atmospheric use.

Damn Max, 30?! Max is here to kick ass and chew bubble gum, and evidently there’s a severe bubble gum shortage on the Macross.

While they take up a lot of space, these seat/escape pod combos are a great idea for transporting VIPs.

With the Zentradi gone, the shuttle begins descending to Earth. Before Hikaru and the shuttle part ways he and Misa have a short conversation where he thanks her for being such a good tactical officer, even when he’s complained or given her a hard time for it. Signaling a good luck message with his VF-1’s lights, the two craft and individuals then part ways for now. Landing at Alaska Base, Misa greets her father formally and heads inside to discuss the future of the Zentradi defectors and Earth’s response to the enemy fleet.

A very nice gesture.

More camerawork eye candy. Camera is close up to each character then pulls away to show their craft. I haven’t really seen many shots like this in anime, only sometimes in certain modern, CG-using science fiction shows.

Hikaru is troubled when he returns to the Macross, trying to get over his past feelings for Minmay and also missing Misa greatly when Max, ever the good friend, tells him to cheer up and invites him out to an arcade for a diversion. Hikaru claims that he doesn’t miss Misa, but Max, displaying his tactical genius in both air combat and social situations, deftly maneuvers around this denial and continues on with his plan to cheer him up while subtly letting his words about missing Misa stand. Apparently Max is also the best simulator pilot on the ship as well, and he racks up quite a large amount of prize tokens playing a Valkyrie simulator. But there is another skilled real/game pilot there, and Millia is attracting a crowd with her skills.

Always good to have a friend like Max.

Lupin the Thiiiirrrrddddd.

Max is being especially cutsey in this scene. Must know Millia might be watching.

Holding court at the arcade.

Once Max spots Millia and her good fortunes at the game, he can’t help himself from challenging her to a game. She demands that he bet all his winnings to play, which he gladly does and sits down. A big crowd gathers, and everyone focuses their attention on their game. He even gives a quick wink to the girl that he’s so smitten with. They play a long and intense game, and Millia flashes back to her battle over the Pacific as the maneuvers employed by her opponent are spot on to those she encountered in the past. Eventually Max gets the better of her, but before she tries to leave in a huff Max grabs her hand and asks her out on a date. And she agrees, leaving Max quite the happy guy but Hikaru feeling even more down over his current romantic situation.

The clash of titans.

What the hell is up with the background characters this episode? Upper right of both of these has some very odd looking individuals.

Wish I had this moment in animated gif format.

Rock Em Sock Em Valkyries.

Aces in love.

When someone with a knack for estimating distances goes ecchi.

Max has no need for silly games and pretend wedding ceremonies.

Concluding events this time, Misa meets with her father at the UN Alaska base where she convinces him to talk the higher ups into negotiating with the Zentradi. While they agree to this, they’ve also determined that they will use the Grand Cannon built into the base first, and then negotiate once the Zentradi are weakened. Misa however doubts that power of the superweapon in the face of superior Zentradi numbers and technologies. Back on the Macross Minmay and Kaifun give a press conference as Kaifun is released from the hospital. Nosy reporters keep pressing them about whether they have a relationship, if they’re getting married, and about Hikaru. Minmay tells them that Hikaru is just a close friend and that she is not getting married to Kaifun. But then Kaifun makes things creepy by saying that he wouldn’t be opposed to marrying his COUSIN. Hikaru is further feeling depressed as Max comes in all giddy about his date, asking Hikaru for his opinion on the tie he’s going to wear. Going out for a walk he runs into Claudia, who gives him some sage advice, telling him that he shouldn’t be down about Minmay because he already has a much better girl. Without directly bringing up Misa’s name, Claudia tells him that people often miss what’s right in front of them, and that minor bickering is just an outward face of true feelings that have yet to reveal themselves. Roy and her were the same way, and she leaves Hikaru with this thought as the episode comes to a close.

Adm. Hayase: “Misa, I am your…”

Misa: “Yeah dad, I know, you bring up that reference every time we stand on this platform. It’s getting old!”

Adm. Hayase: “Search your feelings, you know it to be true!”

“My soul hurts.”

Genetically, your DNA would be.

Kind of has the private high school uniform look going on. Guess he’s betting on Millia having a thing for younger guys.

You are transparent…Claudia sees many things…She sees dere within tsun…She sees two great rivals – House Hayase and House Lynn – competing…She sees you at the center of it.

Final Thoughts: – The Zentradi defectors are going to be interesting to watch as they integrate with the humans and potentially have to fight their former comrades.

- Misa’s trip to UN HQ comes at an inopportune time for her and Hikaru, but perhaps it will both give him time to end things with Minmay.

- The UN higher ups have a point about using the cannon, but it could also be held in reserve as a bargaining chip in negotiations. If it doesn’t live up to expectations they will have shown their hand when it might be better to bluff.

- I think Max and Millia are about to get kyaaaa cute. I swear to God, if either of them die during the course of this series I’m going to freak the hell out.

- Now that I think about it, there is a lot less emphasis on the singing and music careers in this as opposed to Frontier. This is not a bad thing in my opinion.

Ah, this is really a great stretch of episodes lately. Just last week there was the Omni-Directional Barrier overload explosion, Kakizaki’s death to make it feel real, and the Macross being forced to leave Earth. Now much progress is made on the romantic front in the Misa/Hikaru/Minmay/Kaifun conflict and the Zentradi get smart with the return of Britai from Zentradi HQ. Minmay’s singing and motivation improves while Millia stalks her prey aboard the Macross and the situation for many of the characters takes some interesting turns.

Minmay has a plan, but even the best plans do not survive first contact with reality.

Stop embarrassing yourself you washed up old floozy. I bet the discount bin won’t even stock your albums.

Minmay will break down the fourth walls separating everyone.

Another nice technical touch: since the town was built inside the ship, it’s logical that the only working phones would be these emergency, battery operated phones furnished by the military.

Minmay has a short break at a reception to celebrate the release of her movie and luckily avoids Jamis’ ugly and unbecoming attempt to spill wine all over her dress. She’s managed to get a front row seat ticket to give to Hikaru and is looking forward to inviting him. But when she later tries to call him he’s out escorting a recon patrol so she leaves a message. After she goes to bed for some well deserved sleep Hikaru returns from the mission, but is unable to reach her. The next day the premiere opens to much fanfare, and even Millia gets sucked in. Hikaru leaves halfway through the movie out of disgust at the Minmay/Kaifun kissing scene in low spirits, but right outside he bumps into Misa, having also just left the theater.

Itsuka kimi wo tsukamaeru.

Max is such a fanboy. He probably camped out for the Star Wars and Lord of the Rings premieres.

Meanwhile the Zentradi continue to pirate the Macross’ premium channel subscription. Hilariously enough they see Kaifun’s special effect attacks as indicative of all humans’ abilities.

Only one unnamed character between them. Soon the red threads of destiny will draw them even closer!

Hikaru does not approve of this incest. What are they, medieval European nobility?

Venus guided his hands.

Do not question the will of the gods!

Hikaru and Misa continue talking outside after she drags him away from the crowd so as not to embarrass the military when it is announced that the ship will be transforming. Everyone runs to the nearest shelter, but Misa tells Hikaru that they should head to the hangar instead. But this only leads them into a blocked off pit as the ship transforms around them, trapping them there until the skirmish is over. Minmay and Kaifun are making their escape as well when the floor opens up in front of Minmay. As she falls Kaifun catches her in the same manner that Hikaru once did, and indeed her eyes deceive her and she sees Hikaru for a moment before the illusion melts away. On the bridge Shammy is left in charge of coordinating defensive deployments in Misa’s absence.

Just at the moment I thought to myself that this scene was nearly exactly alike the earlier one with Hikaru there was the shot of Kaifun appearing to be Hikaru. Very nice.

Her apprentice will be tested.

First day on the job.

While the Genshiken Team and their followers founded the Cult of Minmay, it appears that the bridge crew adheres to the One True Faith of Misa worship.

Down in the pit formed by the shifting ship sections Hikaru and Misa wait out there time. It starts out with small talk as both of them admit to feeling lonely without any conversation. But then the two get to their reasons for leaving the theater. Hikaru guesses correctly that Misa was there to see Kaifun in the movie and left because of the kissing scene, and she replies with a perfect riposte about how things haven’t been going well between him and Minmay either. After a moment of silence the two let out some of their feelings that are causing them trouble. Misa admits to not really liking Kaifun, but that she was drawn to him due to his resemblance to her dead love. The two are hurt by these complicated relationships and begin to realize that they need genuine love. And they nearly kissed too, dammit, but the ship transformed back with the worst possible timing.

When the truth is found to be lies…

And all the joy within you dies…

Don’t you want somebody to love? Don’t you need somebody to love?

Wouldn’t you love somebody to love? You better find somebody to love.

After exiting the pit the two stop for something to drink at a vending machine and Misa insists on paying for her subordinate. There they see Kaifun and Minmay acting all rabu-rabu on their way to a <strike>love hotel</strike> the hotel where Minmay has been staying. For a moment they wonder about the two, but then Misa grabs Hikaru’s hand as he is about to walk away and asks if he will stay with her for a while longer. It was at the same time an invigorating moment as the two kick those loser to the curb and so sweet I almost died.

She’ll even pay for things on dates. Add ‘rich ojousama’ to her many points of appeal.

This is most suspicious.

This is anime Misa, cousins are somehow ok. That or they’re from West Virginia.

It is not merely Misa’s hand, but the hand of destiny reaching out to you Hikaru.

While this may seem more at home in my Kimi ni Todoke comments: DDDAAAAAAWWWWW!

Elsewhere many plans are in motion aboard the Zentradi ships. The Genshiken Team continues to spread the gospel of the Cult of Minmay, heavily embellishing their interactions with their deity while they were aboard the Macross and bringing many new converts to their faith. They even plan to desert if they are ordered to attack the Macross and begin to convince others to do so. Kamjin hears of this potential insurrection and reacts with disgust, but for some reason doesn’t dispatch the marines to put the Cult members into the brig. Britai also returns, with new orders to capture another Miclone for questioning before a course of action can be decided. And his assistant comes up with a brilliant plan to lure the Macross into performing a Daedalus Attack on the flagship and then ambushing the Destroids and using the Daedalus as an entry point for a boarding action.

Their numbers are growing.

They plan an exodus to their holy land.

Very good thinking.

Hikaru still holds onto the idea of protecting Minmay, and Misa of protecting Kaifun in moments of weakness when the attachments to their past feelings are still in the process of being shed. Mamoru-ism is the psychological fallback of the weak, and soon both will move beyond this short-lived phase and (as Crusader is so fond of saying) SHINE IN THE NAME OF ZEUS as they leave behind their unworthy attachments of the past! Minmay prepares for and begins her next concert, singing probably her best song so far. Much better than those overly pop-ish songs that came before. Indeed it is enough to touch Claudia and Misa, bringing up memories of losses past. But as the concert continues the Zentradi ships make their move on the Macross.

While I can only guess at the creators’ intent, I really liked this image. Hikaru is standing their in full form and even casts a shadow while the Minmay in the post is sketchy and fake, almost fading away amidst her fame. Hikaru seems very real and there and Minmay just the impression of a character that has metaphorically faded from his life.

Image has been fixed.

A much better tune, and it even has appropriate lyrics.

It reaches Claudia as well, breaking down some of the front she’s put on while trying to hide her grieving in public.

They worry for their senpai.

Perhaps it will help her move forward.

The Zentradi launch their mecha, Britai wisely giving Kamjin the task so as to keep him occupied instead of planning his next unauthorized attack. The Macross scrambles fighters to intercept and the Zentradi fleet maneuvers to surround them. Onboard Minmay is once again on stage when the attack begins. Kaifun has another moment of decency when he gets on stage and tells Minmay to keep singing to prevent a panic. The Macross the performs a Daedalus attack on the Zentradi flagship, and everything goes keikaku doori for Britai as the Destroids are ambushed and boarding begins. But this also gives the Cult of Minmay a chance to break away into the ship and desert.

Normal Regults never looked so cool.

Valkyries launch to intercept the Zentradi mecha. Unfortunately everything is happening according to Britai’s design.

Wow, if he wasn’t hot for his cousin I might actually have had to start giving Kaifun a little bit of a break.

The Regults were in perfect ambush positions. Though there seemed to be a lot fewer Destroids for this Daedalus Attack than normal. Not even one Monster.

Now inside the city section of the ship the Zentradi begin shooting anything that they see, and although the Destroid platoons are doing what they can they are outnumbered and scattered around the ship. The Valkyries are recalled to help repel the boarders and start making an impact quickly. Minmay keeps singing until the stage area comes under fire which stuns and confuses several of the Zentradi pilots. Millia, hiding behind some rubble, then spots Max as he racks up several more kills and can now start tracing the identity of the blue Valkyrie’s pilot.

They must be cheaper to manufacture because they don’t’ seem to have half the combat ability of a Valkyrie.

They stopped to LISTEN TO HER SONG.

Millia witnesses the skill of the Blue Baron up close.

What is this, a Hosaka fantasy?

Get away, she’s been taken over by the Black Oil!

Hikaru has come along nicely from annoying kid to an exceptional commander and pilot.

Final Thoughts: – Episode 21 was just the thing I needed after a long and busy day. Once the last remnants of Minmay and Kaifun obsession are burned from the minds of Hikaru and Misa by their feelings for each other and by reality, my main character OTP will be complete!

- Though I have to feel a little for Minmay. Though at too late of an hour, she is trying to reconnect with Hikaru. But circumstances and timing were against her with the missed phone call, Hikaru and Misa being trapped together, and Kaifun’s incestuous feelings coming out more openly.

- Yay for smart antagonists! Using the Daedalus Attack against the Macross was brilliant and a lesson for all antagonists to learn.

- I wonder if the Genshiken Team’s boasts to the Cult of Minmay might have some adverse effects. Are the defector Zentradi going to feel disappointed when they find out that not everyone gets to kiss Minmay?

Several members of the crew are still dealing with the death of Roy as the Macross descends to low altitude in an attempt to force the UN HQ to allow the civilians off the ship. While the UN’s intentions aren’t clear, they will not permit the civilians to be offloaded and Global hopes that an independent region will hear the signal and bring them in. The Zentradi fleets are waiting in orbit, some more patiently than others, as their high command deliberates on the next course of action. And a new defensive system, the Omni-Directional Barrier (ODB) has been readied for use.

Captain Global tries to pull a stunt to get the UN to allow the civilians to disembark.

Claudia is continuing on with her duties, but in private is still grieving.

Hikaru as well, as Misa tries to talk to him.

Elsewhere Minmay has collapsed from overwork.

It seems like they just put the script into romanji and displayed it as the message. The text is basically: Shammy gets message on console, Global enters, turn the page, Global stands and says to head to where it came from. They didn’t even name it Ontario, just nantoka (something).

After receiving the message offering to take in the civilians from Ontario, the Macross departs for Canada.

In orbit Kamjin is once again impatient with his orders to standby, and after yet another argument with Laplamiz he decides that he’s going to take action without orders once more. Millia then enters the bridge and asks to be assigned as a Miclone spy onboard the Macross. Her commander is reluctant, but eventually acquiesces. After her duel with Max Millia has become unsettled in her defeat and now wants to meet this ace, the only one from scores of battles who ever bested her.

This guy makes Bull Halsey look patient.

Though who the Supervision Army is still remains unknown to us.

I have a good feeling about this.

In the Macross fighter bay Hikaru is readying Roy’s VF-1S for use again, taking over piloting of the plane in memory of his friend. He’s then met by Max and Kakizaki, who suggest that they have a night out to relax. Onboard Kamjin’s flagship preparations are completed for the raid, which will employ EMC jamming to enable the capital ships to move in on the Macross undetected. The battle begins with a dogfight over a town after sunset, and unbeknownst to both sides Millia is being flown into position to infiltrate the Macross.

The black tails and Jolly Roger will continue to spread fear through the skies to all enemies of the UN, Zentradi and Celestial Being alike.

Kamjin prepares for launch with some sort of Dendrobium-like craft attachment.

*drools* reminds me of Pepper Lunch. I used to go to the one in Akihabara fairly frequently with my friends when on study abroad. Nothing like a sizzling platter of meat and veggies after a long day of playing Gundam Cardbuilder and nerding out. Or before going into battle, in this case. If you’re in one of the countries that has then (pretty much only Japan and SE Asia) go there and enjoy it for me, it’s pretty cheap too.

The VF-1S takes to the skies again.

She worries about her precious Millia-chan.

After a few minutes of air to air combat the Zentradi capital ships descend to the area, rising over a mountain and opening fire on the Macross. The ODB is deployed in time and the Macross is able to withstand the intense fire from the Zentradi warships. Hikaru and his team are dispatched to attack the capital ships as they stand off away from the Macross, the ODB not allowing the Macross to use its own weapons. As they begin their attack the ODB starts overloading and the operators lose control of it. The ship appears doomed as Misa orders all Valkyries away from the ship. Hikaru’s team moves away from the Zentradi ships as they are consumed in the explosion, but Kakizaki lags behind and is killed as he attempts to escape. After the explosion the Macross remains intact, but the Zentradi ships, several Valkyries, and the town below have been destroyed.

The Zentradi capital ships spring their trap. There’s a lot of wear and tear as well as non-standard repairs visible on the Zentradi ships.

The ODB holds under intense fire…

…but overloads either from absorbing the incoming fire or from prolonged use.

Kakizaki is killed in the line of duty. He may not have been an exceptional pilot, but he served his team, ship, and planet well until the end.

The explosion must have moved outwards from the sphere of the ODB, leaving the Macross intact.

Afterwards the remaining members of Skull Squadron return to base, the area around them devastated and Ontario now canceling the agreement to take in the civilians. Back onboard Minmay has been taken to the hospital, and Kaifun hijacks a statement about her condition to spout his nonsense before the cameras. Minmay then calls Hikaru, oblivious to the damage caused by the explosion and Kakizaki’s death. She asks Hikaru to visit her, as she did when he was injured, but he’s too numbed by her lack of regard for the more important issues at hand and hangs up on her.

Macross is just full of cool shot sequences, even for something so old. This one for example has a cool moving, zoom-out through the Valkyrie transition as the two survivors return to base. This show just has way more attention to cool cinematography than its contemporaries like Mobile Suit Gundam and Armored Trooper Votoms.

Yes Kaifun, the hostile alien fleet will just leave you alone.

Even the rabbit is kind of ‘WTF Minmay?’ at her lack of awareness.

Oh snap! Though I generally find her insufferable, I thought that was a little harsh since she did visit Hikaru before. If she was reminded of what just happened and then still talked about herself then I wouldn’t really mind the hanging up.

Some time later the Macross receives supplies, new pilots, and new orders. After resupply is complete the Macross is to leave Earth space. The UN HQ does not say why this is the case, and although Global speculates that they want the Macross destroyed as part of a bid to open negotiations, I find this illogical and unconvincing. But who knows, this is anime and outside of Legend of the Galactic Heroes there is rarely a political move that actually makes sense. Hikaru attempts to write a letter to Kakizaki’s family informing them of his death, but starts crying and can’t bring himself to write it at the moment. He then learns from Max that Max is being promoted to 1^st Lieutenant and given subordinates of his own, as the two are now some of the most senior pilots left onboard. Down in the bowels of the ship, the Genshiken Team has a last meal before departing the Macross, their spy mission now coming to a close.

I hope they have grills that stamp a little UN Spacy logo onto the hamburgers.

Not what Hikaru would like to be doing right now, especially so quickly after Roy’s death as well.

This is something else Macross does better than Gundam: a sense of advancement and leadership/responsibility for the characters.

The trio discusses their favorite bridge bunnies over dinner.

The two senior officers share a drink and a meaningful glance, both knowing that their ship is really on its own now.

At the Zentradi HQ Britai is assigned a new fleet to return to Earth with, and the newly extracted Genshiken Team makes their report to their higher ups. They show tokens of the Miclone culture that they studied as well, somehow managing to obtain and load onto the Regult a variety of objects including a grand piano. After their report they all smile to each other when the topic comes up of anything that they’ve kept, which turns out to be a huge pile of stuff much larger than what they showed to their commanders. Even though they could be executed if they’re found out, they decide to show some of their friends what they’ve brought back. The group samples candy, and sits amazed by the singing Minmay doll.

Laplamiz seems to have some reason to distrust Britai, and his new orders make her suspicious.

Dramatic conference room is dramatic.

Perfect for that dollhouse they’ve been building!

And thus was the Cult of Minmay founded.

The Macross’s orders now received, Global makes the broadcast he had been dreading. Informing the civilians and crew of their new orders, he almost breaks down when he has to tell the civilians that they’re being intentionally put in harm’s way. He’s joined by Minmay, Kaifun, and Misa, and Minmay goes out in front of the camera to encourage everyone to stick together and hold on to hope that they can return. Following this she sings a new song while Kaifun, in a rare moment of decency, tries to comfort Capt. Global. Misa heads to the bridge, and the Macross departs again for the stars.

My fellow Macrossians…

A rare moment of responsibility and usefulness for Minmay.

Even lowlife Kaifun is acting decent for once.

Sarabaaaa Chikuu yoooo

Final Thoughts: - As mentioned, I’m continually impressed by the visuals in this show, compared to others of its time and modern shows. Even the more modern Frontier lacked the kind of creativity seen in many of the action and dramatic shots seen in this show.

- That explosion from the Omni-Directional Barrier was much more massive than a nuclear weapon. It was reported to Global that the destruction reached 50km, while the largest US nuclear bomb ever made was the B53 with a destructive radius of 4-5km.

- Millia as a Miclone spy? This can only lead to great things.

- It’ll be interesting to see if Hikaru and Max’s subordinates will be full characters or just red shirts.

- UN HQ is not making a lot of sense right now, and while it’s the crew’s job to follow their orders without necessarily being given the bigger picture, it’s rather puzzling right now.

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

Much better than the past two episodes, this week the Global and Misa head to the UN Alaska HQ to make their report and receive the ship’s new orders. The civilian residents of the ship begin celebrating their return to Earth with a carnival celebration while the crew, temporarily under the command of Colonel Maistroff, gets a little time off while the Zentradi figure out who’s in charge now that they have three different fleets with three different commanders all trying to figure out what to do about the miclones, their homeworld, and the advanced ship they’ve been operating.

Global and Misa onboard the C-2 Greyhound-like transport. And what is going on with that VF-1 in the foreground?

The awkward temporary captain.

“In five minutes and fifteen seconds you will…”

By the time these guys get back they’re going to be irreversibly contaminated.

The bridge crew mans their posts at reduced alert and eventually everyone gets some time off. Claudia sneaks off first, deftly being noncommittal as to where she’s going. Which is to Roy’s quarters to spend some quality time together. Up on the deck of the Prometheus Hikaru gets to go flying in the plane Minmay won for him, taking her along for the trip. While airborne they talk about her recent success and she tells him how busy she is all the time, working on various projects and performances. Over in Alaska Global and Misa prepare to meet with the top UN commanders, including Misa’s father who we find out was Captain Global’s commanding officer during the Unification Wars. They also find out that the entire Alaska Base is almost one big cannon like the main weapon of the Macross. Could Gundam SEED have perhaps stolen the idea to locate a superweapon in Alaska. And now that I think of it, what’s with Alaska being the place for superweapons? Front Mission 3’s MIDAS was developed and tested there too.

Claudia is indeed a Zessei Bijin.

Daaaaawwwww.

Somehow the pilots all find time to have social lives. Just saying, Minmay.

Seems like Misa has fond memories of her father.

It’s so rarely that we see such a bright expression on her poor face.

“Second hand smoke contains a higher amount of toxic substances than direct smoke.”

November 11 would also not approve.

Continuing on their flight Minmay and Hikaru land in Yokohama so Minmay can visit her parents. Hikaru gets painfully reminded of his (lack of) relationship with Minmay by all the couples in Minato Mirai park, which is just the start for him. After making their way to Chinatown Minmay’s parents are surprised to see their daughter, having thought her dead in the Unification Wars. They don’t believe Minmay when she tells them about being an idol, though both she and Hikaru somehow neglect to mention the ZENTRADI FLEET HOVERING MENACINGLY IN ORBIT! Then we’re introduced to Minmay’s cousin Kaifun, grade A douchbag and maybe rival for Minmay’s affections. He disapproves of Hikaru just because he’s in the UN Forces, but nonetheless agrees to go back with them to the Macross to ease the worries of Minmay’s parents and to visit his own onboard.

Luckily the anti-UN forces (aka Celestial Being) didn’t add her to their long list of innocent victims.

“My soul hurts.”

“Well, after I tried out for Gundam Wing…”

Kind of creepy given the propensity for marrying your cousin still being ok in some anime. Let me guess, they’re not related by blood or something, right?

The Torment of Hikaru Ichijou.

At UN HQ the debriefing and questioning begins with a very skeptical high command trying to decide what to make of the fantastical things they’ve been told about the Zentradi. While they at first had a hard time believing the reports they were given, in the end they accept the report and order the Macross to keep buying time for the UN without engaging in peace negotiations at this time. They also order that all the civilians be kept onboard the Macross. When asked why, they tell the two officers that all the civilians onboard the Macross have been declared dead, victims of a Celestial Being attack on South Ataria Island in order to hide the fact that Earth is engaged in war against an alien species. Heading back to the Macross, we find out that Misa’s father wrote her a letter trying to get her to ask for reassignment from the Macross due to the dangers, which Misa rips up. Also returning to the ship are Hikaru, Minmay, and Kaifun, with Kaifun already proving an annoyance.

I’ve never really bought the reasoning behind sci-fi governments not telling the public when the conflict is on such a large and obvious scale.

We simply can’t have military commanders or democratically elected politicians being good, virtuous, or wise in an anime. That’s reserved for authoritarian, undemocratic royalty, duh.

Misa, in a subtle moment of badassery.

Good.

I wonder if this plane has a separately wired rear ejection seat?

Some time later on the ship the Genshiken infiltration team learns a quick lesson about display foods at a local restaurant while Max and the bridge bunnies head to Minamy’s restaurant for Kaifun’s welcoming party. Hikaru is already there waiting for them, looking dejected as Minmay spends all her time fawning over Kaifun. Minmay’s adolescent lack of awareness and consideration for Hikaru’s feelings is doing a number on him, but this is anime so let’s ignore that and talk about how adults are selfish. Anyway, Kaifun gets lot of attention from the girls for his looks, but introduces himself and shows how much of an ass he is by telling the table full of people defending his planet that he hates soldiers. To which they reply calmly and with tact, something Kaifun probably doesn’t even know the meaning of.

Good thing the Macross has Japanese-style restaurants or these guys would never figure out where the food comes from.

It’s Gendo Max. Maybe he’s going for the harem end.

You see Kaifun, this is your dad giving you an opening to be socially graceful and temper your lack of tact by agreeing with his compliment. See what he did there?

If Max wasn’t such a gentleman he’d kick your ass. The smile just means he knows he can but has decided that you’re not worth his time.

“What? All my cousin did was insult all of you and what you do for humanity. I don’t get it.” *facepalm*

While the party continues MBS interrupts Minmay’s music video to inform everyone that they are not being allowed to return home. The anger this stirs up among the civilians is as Capt. Global feared, and after a few moments of angrily asking why they turn to the soldiers in the room to explain it to them. Then one of the ignorant masses decides that it’ll be a great idea to take the pilots and operators hostage and demand to be let go. But before the mob can seize them the UN officers fight off the mob with pretty deft fighting from all involved. Kaifun also gets thrown into the scuffle, dodging rowdy plebs and causing several of them to hit into each other or objects in the room. After the rioting civilians get their asses handed to them and some reason returns to the room Kaifun delivers yet another stupid line about how he doesn’t use his Chinese martial arts to hurt people. Misa is all starry eyed at him after seeing a momentary resemblance to her dead love, but Kaifun is a dick of such an astronomically high level that he turns down her offer of a handkerchief because she’s in the UN Forces.

Seeing as how South Ataria Island was built around the crashed Macross, if you were on that island you were either military, a contractor for the military, or an entrepreneur trying to make money off of the former two. Sorry, but you knew the risks or were stupid enough to remain ignorant of them. You’ll get no sympathy from me.

Everybody was king fu fighting…

Even Hikaru did well for himself.

Oh so satisfying. Had to watch it a second time.

Oh yeah, those guys you threw, tripped, and made run into each other didn’t feel a thing. GAH HYPOCRISY!

Don’t fall for it Misa, he’s the emotional version of a trap.

“…but I’m a self-righteous, sure-to-get-someone-killed dumbass.”

Now at an opportune time to remind angry civilians and the cousin who will be first against the wall alike that there’s an intergalactic war going on, Kamjin decides to strike off on his own and enters Earth’s atmosphere in an assault craft to attack the Macross and force it back into space where he’s technically allowed to engage it. However Laplamiz is having none of it, and orders Millia and a strike force to intercept Kamjin’s forces and stop their unauthorized attack. Misa is still in a bit of a memory-induced haze from Kaifun’s appearance bringing up old sorrows when the attack begins. Quite a large force disembarks from the Zentradi assault ship and the Macross begins taking significant loses to its Valkyries and Destroids.

Laplamiz is going to take away your toys Kamjin.

The assault craft launches in a manner similar to the Komusai from the Zeon Musai-class cruisers (detaches from the bow).

Don’t boke Misa, or Maria will find you with her tsukkomi.

This. Is. A. SPARTAN!!!!

Another Destroid trying its best to defend the Macross against the much more mobile Zentradi battlepods.

The Macross’s compliment of fighters is also taking a beating. Hopefully Alaska is sending replacement VF-1s and pilots.

Just as Kamjin is successfully pressing his attack against the Macross Millia shows up with her squadron of Queadluun to break up the party, though even she has trouble listening to orders and downs a few Valkyries on her way. Kamjin is rebuked for trying to rules lawyer his orders and Laplamiz’s recovery craft descend to pick up his troops. Though not before he orders a ‘gift’ be sent to the UN ship.

Ah, my favorite Zentradi mecha thus far.

It even has a better viewscreen than the standard battlepod.

Technicalities.

This was a wonderful shot sequence. From descending retrieval craft, then rotating right and up to the ongoing battle, and then rotating again to a downward perspective showing the Macross from a pilot’s eye view. Nicely done.

Kamjin’s ‘gift’ being his assault craft being set on an autopilot course directly into the Macross. Global orders a Daedalus attack be prepared, but at the crucial moment Misa spaces out and only reacts in time to hit the craft in the side, causing all the missiles to fire out of the craft and towards Hikaru, who’s currently in hot pursuit of Millia.

Not very cost effective to make all your anti-aircraft guns mobile units, but very adaptable.

I want my ace combat.

The missed attack.

Friendly fire.

Misa cannot be excused for indirectly letting this happen, but I’ll be damned if I can’t blame Kaifun for being at the root of it.

While the Macross narrowly avoided being rammed by the assault ship, it was a close call and Captain Global orders Misa off duty to collect herself. Hikaru meanwhile is missing in the fight. Back in her quarters Misa is being thrown through a loop by Kaifun’s hypocritical Gundam Wing-speak and Hikaru’s offhand remark about how many Zentradi they’ll need to take out to get them to stop attacking. Misa needs a vacation or something, because the pressure seems to be getting to her lately. Meanwhile out at sea a search and rescue helicopter has found Hikaru floating unconscious and we’re left to wonder as to his state until next week.

Be glad he was so nice about it Misa.

Claudia is much concerned for her BFF.

Until the Zentradi language is only spoken in hell?

Thankfully the SAR helicopter is nearby.

Final Thoughts: – Wow do I hate Kaifun. But at the same time I kind of enjoy letting the hate flow through me when I trash him and his at best naïve ideals.

- If the UN HQ thinks they can buy enough time to use their underground cannon against the Zentradi then they’re putting way too much faith on a superweapon that appears to have a fixed barrel. It might work once, but then the Zentradi will know to avoid the one area of space that it can target.

- Yay more Claudia and Roy!

- Did I mention I hate Kaifun?

]]> http://that.animeblogger.net/2009/10/07/sdf-macross-episodes-15-and-16-%e2%80%93-orders/feed/ 17 http://that.animeblogger.net/2009/09/30/sdf-macross-episodes-13-and-14-%e2%80%93-you-can%e2%80%99t-win-%e2%80%98em-all/ http://that.animeblogger.net/2009/09/30/sdf-macross-episodes-13-and-14-%e2%80%93-you-can%e2%80%99t-win-%e2%80%98em-all/#comments Thu, 01 Oct 2009 01:41:35 +0000 ExecutiveOtaku http://that.animeblogger.net/?p=21961

Well, I guess these episodes prove even a series as good as Macross stumbles sometimes. Not much content in episode 13, and episode 14 was a recap, but not one of those cool reinventions of the recap that gives you new information or a different character’s perspective. When I finished watching them I noticed I barely even took any screenshots compared to how many I take and then sift through normally. So short post is short, let’s hope for some better episodes next week.

Humans normally wear moo moos, right guys? INTEL FAIL!

I think the Cold War camo, rotting meat outfit, and croc head camo would have been better choices.

Misa playing some Commodore 64.

The Zentradi Genshiken special forces team has infiltrated the Macross and takes the first steps towards trying to blend in. After seeing some of the bridge bunnies go into a locker room to change they surmise that there are ‘civilian uniforms’ there and proceed to choose a terrible selection of clothing for themselves. Elsewhere the four survivors from the captured Cats Eye recon mission are briefing the senior UN officers on what they encountered. While most of them laugh at what they’re being told, Captain Global believes them, and dismisses them to attend a ceremony celebrating their safe return. Additionally they’ve all been promoted one rank due to their daring escape and the information they brought back. At the ceremony Minmay gives them all a bouquet of roses, and then kisses Hikaru on the cheek. But to crush all thoughts that Minmay might actually have genuine feelings and doesn’t just like to torment Hikaru, she also kisses the cheek of the other guys (what no kiss for Misa!?). This is followed by a short concert where the Zentradi infiltrators Listen to Her Song.

So they went for Little Bo Peep, fugly Trowa Barton, and mustache-less Mario?

Crossplay?

Indeed.

At least Minmay does her part for morale at ceremonies, unlike that contemptible Ranka Lee.

And now in honor of our heroes I’d like to use this occasion to self-promote. Now available on CD only $19.99.

While being given lead, the escapee four start returning to their duties. Misa takes up her spot on the bridge, feeling most comfortable in service to humanity. While she acts sarcastic about how her fellows expect her to react when she returns, she is genuinely happy to be back. Hikaru, Max, and Kakizaki head back to the base, but Roy intercepts them along the way. Giving a great speech while driving and occasionally letting go of the steering wheel Roy tells them to enjoy their time off and to kindly go the hell home and rest for a while. The Macross is nearing Earth finally with the Zentradi in pursuit, so soon they will be called up from their leave anyway.

Claudia and the two Macross equivalents of red shirts welcome back their Misa.

Yeah, Roy needs more screentime Hikaru!

B5? I’m pretty sure a Starfury would be a downgrade from a Valkyrie in this universe.

Earthbound.

One of the few interesting things from these episodes happens next involving the Zentradi. Having three different commanders on scene has produced some complications as the ships near Earth. Though under orders to capture and not destroy the Macross, Kamjin Kravshera decides he can’t take the insult of letting it get away and once again pulls away from the rest of the encircling fleet to engage. After trading main cannon fire with the Macross and taking some losses Commander Laplamiz has had enough and moves her ships in front of Kamjin’s to force him to stop the attack. This breaks the encirclement of the Macross however, and it’s now free to begin descending to Earth, headed for the UN base in Alaska.

Hotheaded, though at least he’s skilled enough to back it up most of the time.

The combination of various commanders and their personalities makes for an interesting and more realistic enemy.

Heading to Alaska base. Hopefully not the one from Gundam SEED.

The Macross has some issues with damaged thrusters as it descends into the Pacific Ocean, but otherwise arrives safely and recovers its Valkyries. The crew and civilians are overjoyed to be back on Earth and scramble to the exterior of the ship for a look. Captain Global then makes his report to UN HQ, which is the recap episode. And I’m not recapping a recap episode, heh.

Back with no loses.

Just keep your eyes open for Z’Goks.

Watching these episodes felt like a defeat, so this is appropriate by Tytanian standards.

Final Thoughts: – Not the greatest set of episodes ever. Only really significant things were the Genshiken team’s first attempt at blending in, Macross arriving on Earth, and the lack of coordination among the Zentradi commanders.

- Glad I wasn’t yet born when this when it originally broadcast, I’d have been quite annoyed waiting two weeks total for these two episodes.

When we last left the Macross’s recon team they were fighting hand to hand inside a Zentradi ship in an attempt to rescue Misa. Overpowered by Commander Britai’s hand to hand fighting ability, the team puts up a good fight but eventually Hikaru, Kakizaki, and Misa are captured and Max sucked out a hull breach in his Valkyrie. Now the Zentradi attempt to learn more about their foes, and investigate possible links to a ‘protoculture’ in the humans. Get ready for CQC, kissu, and the original Macross music and fighting scene!

As Crusader put it, Captain Kirk ain’t got nothing on Britai.

Still the most dangerous man in known space.

Hikaru put up a valiant effort though.

Mecha bodyslam!

Britai counters with the Vader throw.

The three humans wake up inside the Zentradi equivalent of a bug jar, with Kakizaki apparently no worse for wear from that devastating hit that Britai landed on his VF-1 at the end of the previous episode. Misa gets the idea to take video while on board to bring back as intelligence, but then she and Hikaru get into a stupid argument first about whether it’s worth it to try and take advantage of the situation for recon, and then about whether women should be in the military. And soon, the Zentradi will learn the hard way not to underestimate Max, the Blue Baron, as he is clinging to the ship’s hull waiting for the right time to strike. Then the ship folds, to destinations unknown.

They should have added one of those little hamster water bottles and an exercise wheel.

Maybe Minmay’s ideas have gotten to him. Or this is just a case of 1980’s/Japan.

Misa would kick your ass if she didn’t need your help to escape. Wait till you get back to the Macross…

Britai and I are on the same wavelength, I facepalmed too.

Your mission, should you choose to accept it: infiltrate the Zentradi ship, rescue the hostages, escape, and become an even bigger suave, yet deadly, badass.

Since fold travel has a time dilation effect, ten days have passed back on the Macross while only a few seem to have gone by on the Zentradi ship. The bridge crew first holds out hope that the recon flight’s communications gear is malfunctioning, but after several days Roy decides to tell Minmay that Hikaru is missing, on the eve of her debut. Her fame having exploded since the Miss Macross contest, Minmay is constantly preparing for her singing debut and participating in advertisements and interviews while worrying about Hikaru. Hikaru meanwhile has a flashback to before he left, where Minmay tells him about the debut. Teasing him like the cruel, fickle idol she is, she says that the title of her song “My Boyfriend is a Pilot” is kind of like a joke, as if their relationship was, and then proceeding to try to lure him along by saying that maybe she’ll give him a private show. Facepalm #2. Back on the Zentradi ship, the captives see that the ship has folded into the middle of a massive Zentradi fleet, with an asteroid base at its center.

Now don’t get emo now Minmay, you’re already plenty crazy.

Now they need a commercial for the UN Marines with Minmay going through a series of traps and fighting a lava monster. (Wow, that commercial was cheesier looking than I remembered.)

Hikaru: “Why Minmay that’s so nice of you, I’m glad we’ve firmly established our relationship.”

And you’re like, a bitch.

Space Fortress Apple Core.

The Zentradi ship then docks with the interior of the base so that Britai can present his captives to Supreme Commander Bodolzza of the 118^th Main Fleet. Max, now having entered the ship, is sneaking around the corridors trying to locate his comrades. As he’s nearly spotted he ducks into the nearest door, which happens to be to a bathroom. He’s then surprised by a Zentradi entering the room, but uses quick thinking to turn what could be misfortune into an advantage. Quickly kicking and then dispatching the Zentradi, he steals his uniform and leaves the body in the bathroom.

The stern was obviously influenced by some WWII Japanese aircraft carrier design.

As can be seen here with the aircraft carrier Akagi (picture from GlobalSecurity.org.)

Pic only tangentially related (Zero from the Akagi at Pearl Harbor) but hilarious enough that I had to share. Found this on the blog Ant Sized Man, which has some really cool models. Check it out.

He didn’t have a box to hide in.

Check for the idol pictures in the lockers Max!

Shhhhh, shhhh.

The three captives are then brought before Bodolzza for interrogation. There is a great deal of misunderstanding and confusion on the part of the Zentradi in the course of their questioning. For one, the Zentradi don’t understand the concept of civilians, finding meaning only in battle. To demonstrate their power, the Zentradi let their captives witness the orbital bombardment of a nearby world, making it uninhabitable. While Hikaru is willing to keep answering their questions, Misa refuses, and then bluffs the Zentradi based on their apparent confusion and perhaps fear of the humans. Elsewhere, Max continues to search for his comrades.

Excellent Britai, these figures are very detailed!

In the grim darkness of the 3rd millennium, there is only war.

Best dressed VF-1 since the Armor Pack version.

Are they using mass drivers?

DC on that bluff check?

Then things get weird when the Zentradi ask their captives how they came to be miclones and where they come from. Kakizaki embarrassed, tries to be subtle and mentions love and kissing and Hikaru points out that they are born from mothers. These concepts shock the Zentradi, who apparently are cloned or grown and whose men and women do not mix. Bodolzza then demands that the humans show them how this works, and threatens to kill Misa if two humans don’t kiss. After a momentary standoff since the only two free humans are straight men, Misa gets herself released and orders Hikaru to kiss her. The Zentradi are then both intrigued and freaked out, with Bodolzza leaving the room in terror.

MacBeth would have met an earlier end were he a Zentradi.

Obviously you’re not familiar with fanfiction.

Participating in experiments under pain of death ain’t cheatin.

Quarantine the room, the cooties could contaminate the whole ship!

The Zentradi then reconvene without the captives to discuss their findings. The Zentradi Genshiken reports their ‘warm’ feelings in their hearts while their commanders and archivist discuss possible links to a protoculture, a race that has spelled doom for any Zentradi that have encountered them. They suspect that the humans may be somehow part of this civilization, one that was lost when the Zentradi began to focus only on war and conquest. Meanwhile on the Macross Minmay makes her singing debut before an enthusiastic crowd, while Hikaru, Misa, and Kakizaku start planning for their escape, with another kiss as a distraction suggested by Hikaru, though initially opposed by Misa.

Max continues to stalk the corridors, finally locating his comrades.

It’s no Kimi ni Mune Kyun.

Practicing those trademark hand movements.

I’ve always wanted to see more of this great couple.

Everyone wants a Misa kissu!

Concluding their discussion, the Zentradi commanders decide to put some spies aboard the Macross to find out more about the humans and their society. Volunteering is the Genshiken boys, despite having to ‘endure’ being miclonized for the job they’re eager to once again encounter the civilians and those things that made their hearts warm. In their cell, the three UN soldiers are preparing their escape attempt and Hikaru and Misa kiss as the door opens for the approaching Zentradi. All are eager to return, and Misa has recorded important intelligence during their captivity.They are then surprised to find Max in his VF-1, who proceeds to epically mock them before giving them a lift.

The Society for the Study of Modern Miclone Visual Culture has been given an important mission.

A final secret episode of Big O with an ending that actually makes sense?

Max knows a decent couple when he sees it. Get in the other pocket you third wheel!

Troll on.

Hikaru X Misa is Max’s OTP.

Shortly after being freed Max’s cover is blown, and the escape turns from quiet exit to open close quarters combat. Once again the Blue Baron demonstrates his prowess in battle, easily handling some Zentradi hand to hand and then flying down the corridor to evade others. Just as Britai is being informed of their escape, Max’s VF-1 bursts through the viewscreen for awesomeness and epoch lulz. The chase continues after the Valkyries gets shot up and disabled, with the four splitting up into groups of 2 on foot.

Improvised weaponry.

Breaking and entering.

The Zentradi uniform just makes it look cooler.

Utilizing his VF-1 to the last, Max’s Valkyrie explodes to take out the pursuing Zentradi.

While on the run and trying to find the other group and a way out, Hikaru and Misa find what the Zentradi appear to use to miclonize themselves into human size. Running farther along, they’re noticed by a Zentradi who grabs Misa and knocks Hikaru back into a pile of rifles. Misa’s video recorder is destroyed during this, but Hikaru at least manages to somehow prop up a rifle (they use very light plastics/composites?) and kills the Zentradi soldier. Misa succumbs to a moment of despair when the recorder is broken, but her spirits are quickly restored by Hikaru’s determination to get everyone back.

Ah, I remember these from a particularly traumatic scene in Frontier.

Max’s rifle reminds me a lot of the stormtrooper rifles in the old Star Wars movies. You know, the good Star Wars movies.

The previously pointed out to me galactic dust bin.

He built it in a cave out of spare parts.

What is it about Hikaru that brings out the “pull yourself together man” moments with the girls?

After being pursued further through the station Hikaru and Misa end up falling into the lower reaches of the ship. In an area flooded do to poor maintenance, they make several observations about the Zentradi as well as talking about Misa’s past and Hikaru’s current romantic prospects with Minmay. Apparently the Zentradi have lost the ability to do proper repairs, focusing only on actual combat. Misa also observes that it’s sad that the Zentradi have lost their culture, lives away from military campaigns, and their civilization in the pursuit of power.

The Zentradi are lucky they didn’t shoot their captives, I thought the orders to recapture them still stood.

Misa with her hair down is definitely better than those cinnamon bun curls.

So this is a Russian Navy ship?

Early ambitions, dedication, a lineage of military service, top rank at the academy. It must only be her relative youth that has kept her from rising beyond Lieutenant.

Doesn’t seem so harsh to me.

Misa, along with Max, is highly adept at trolling/teasing. That expression says it all.

The Genshiken Team finishes their miclonization and is put into a capsule for insertion into the Macross, while the task of deploying them is given to Commander Laplamiz, the first female Zentradi we’re aware of up to this point. Meanwhile Hikaru and Misa follow the moving air to an exit, and meet up with Max and Kakizaki who were following the same route out. Seeing a ship being loaded with supplies, Max surmises that it will be leaving soon and the group takes a chance on boarding it. Fortunately for them it’s Laplamiz’s ship, taking them directly to the Macross. Onboard the commander assigns the task of inserting the spy team to her ace pilot Milia, who launches in a new Zentradi design while the ship’s forces create a diversion. To escape, the humans team up to operate the controls of a battle pod, blasting their way out of the hangar deck.

Loli Dosel?

Misa and Hikaru, delighted to find the other pilots.

MUCH better looking than their male counterparts. Not a weird deformity or terrible haircut to be found so far.

The Queadluun: pretty cool for a Zentradi design.

Inside the battle pod the crew notices a battle going on, and after figuring out the communications system the discover that they are in fact near the Macross. Meanwhile the battle takes place to Minmay’s singing of “My Boyfriend is a Pilot”, showing us the first of the Macross signature space battles set to pop music. After contacting the UN forces, the captured Zentradi battlepod is brought back in to the Macross.

Size differences certainly produce some interesting situations in this series.

That expression may be a little too much.

As long as you don’t sing Aimo.

Got a MAJOR Zeta Gundam vibe from the interior shots of Milia’s Queadluun.

Milia is quite the pilot, easily dispatching several Valkyries and quickly dropping off the spy team.

Finally returning safe and sound to the Macross. Well, except for that redshirt who piloted the Cats Eye.

Final Thoughts: – Max is just going to be unstoppable at this rate. Am I seeing the prototype or original version of the main male character not being the best pilot like in Frontier?

- I’m hoping Milia provides some Ace Combat in the future.

- Need more Roy and Claudia.

- What fun episodes. The Max infiltration and rescue parts, good hand to hand combat, the weirdness of the interrogation scene and how different the Zentradi really are.

Now that the Macross is out of immediate physical danger, the crew and refugees’ attention turns to other things. The ship’s engineers have managed to project a fake sky on the ceiling of the town area to provide a sense of normalcy and a Macross Broadcast System is established to provide a venue for entertainment and news. The first broadcast of MBS is a planned ‘Miss Macross’ competition where a variety of candidates will be judged and the final winner selected by audience vote. Meanwhile the Zentradi have dropped their jamming and are beginning to pick up some of the MBS signals. Curious, Commander Britai hatches a dastardly plan to steal the Macross’s cable and get their premium channels.

A little early to be hitting the whiskey, isn’t it Minmay?

Max, a genius and a poet. Even the other pilots are getting excited for the competition.

In Lo-def where available.

The Zentradi military is too cheap to spring for more than basic cable.

We’ll install the splitter on their cable line and run the wire back to our ship.

After much anticipation the Miss Macross competition takes place in an amphitheater in the residential section of the ship and broadcast on MBS. To narrow down the large field of contestants, several judges are chosen to form a panel, Captain Global among them. Then the prize is announced, a custom built stunt plane similar to Hikaru’s old one, which is an odd choice considering that most girls who would participate in a beauty contest wouldn’t have a clue how to pilot it. As the show begins, everyone on board seems to be watching it, even the bridge crew while they’re on duty. Claudia even remarks to Misa that she should have entered, but the Lieutenant has much more important things to do.

The Macross’s team of elite UN AV special forces.

There can be only one.

Even the bridge bunnies have tuned in.

Could you imagine other sci-fi captains having to judge something like this?

No, I didn’t think so either.

But as things are getting underway with the competition the Zentradi recon craft comes into range of the Macross’s sensors, alerting the bridge crew. The standby flight is called to intercept, which would be Hikaru if he hadn’t left to go watch Minmay at the competition and given his subordinates the night off as well. The bridge crew tries to contact Hikaru while backstage at the show Minmay meets Jamis Merin, a famous singer who happened to be on South Ataria Island when the Macross lifted off. A big fan of hers, Minmay asks for an autograph, but Jamis walks away while her manager, predecessor to the similarly unkind Grace O’Connor, tells her to line up for an autograph like everyone else. Just as Minmay goes out onto the stage, Hikaru is called up over the ship-wide PA system, ordering him to contact the bridge immediately. Misa reprimands him for not being ready to launch while on duty, and Roy teases him a bit as Hikaru dashes off for the nearest taxi. Entering the hangar, Hikaru launches to intercept the recon craft.

Cue to straight from Gundam sound effects. Like, EXACTLY the same. While I can’t pinpoint the times in the show it played, the same sound is played right as you launch your mobile suit in Encounters in Space for the PS2.

Have fun watching MBS from the brig Hikaru, right after Misa and Claudia give you some Bright Slaps for not being at his post.

When I was still young, one day riding the green bike I always used to ride, I thought “how far can I go without GETTING BUSTED FOR DERELICTION OF DUTY?”

No Sheryl and Grace, that’s for sure.

Minmay’s debut.

Hikaru-kun, denwa…

Launching in a new model, up-armored VF-1 (that wasn’t approved for this mission), Hikaru heads out to confront the snooping Zentradi craft. But while flying he keeps tuning into the Miss Macross competition and tunes Misa out, claiming interference. At the same time the Zentradi AV Club onboard their recon craft are both puzzled and engrossed by the broadcast they’re intercepting. Analyzing and debating the broadcast, the three Zentradi otaku are most surprised when Hikaru almost rams their ship, he also being distracted by the swimsuit competition.

Pretty sweet looking.

Shortly afterwards Hikaru was pulled over and arrested for piloting under the influence of hormones.

I prefer the Misa Channel myself.

Tivo: engaged!

Hikaru after almost crashing into the Zentradi.

You obviously haven’t watched enough anime.

The fat otaku Zentradi is getting all doki-doki.

Snapping back to their senses, the Hikaru and the Zentradi begin to engage each other. At first Hikaru launches a large amount of missiles from the up-armored VF-1, which deal little damage to the Zentradi craft. After taking fire from the ship, he jettisons the outer armor and weapons pieces and engages the craft with his main guns. Doing significantly more damage this time around, the Zentradi craft is crippled and the crew rushes to the escape pod. Hikaru then punches a hole through the hull to investigate, but by this time the crew had already evacuated the ship and all he notices before it explodes and nearly takes him with it is that the Zentradi where monitoring the MBS.

Cool looking, but ineffective against this target.

Removable armor over most of the body. This predates the RX-78 NT1, though it doesn’t include the sweet wrist-box mounted machine guns.

Run, the cable company’s on to us!

Not the greatest idea to enter a ship you just thoroughly shot into.

The recon ship destroyed, everyone on the bridge immediately switches back to the Miss Macross competition, putting Hikaru’s lack of contact down to him watching the competition. While Hikaru’s VF-1 floats in space badly torn up from the exploding Zentradi recon craft, the competition has eliminated all but the final contestants and the audience voting is about to begin. Roy observes to Max and Kakizaki that the whole thing was a set up to increase Jamis Merin’s popularity. But as the final voting is up to the audience, Minmay is picked as the winner, her strategically timed ‘accidental’ fall on stage having helped to win them over via sympathy. Hikaru regains consciousness just in time to watch Minmay being crowned over his MBS feed in the cockpit of his Valkyrie.

Short attention spans.

If you act irresponsible people will assume you are…

…when in fact you’re floating helplessly in space.

Wow that guy looks creepy.

They just didn’t have time for her to change out of the swimsuit. Honest!

A few days later the Macross has given up on trying to shake the Zentradi and so decides to open communications with Earth. While the channel is not secure, UN HQ intimates that help in some form is on the way, but that the Macross will have to buy them a little more time. They also apparently overestimated the threat posed by the Zentradi, because while powerful, they weren’t expecting UN forces to stand up to them as well as they have. Another skirmish occurs, with Hikaru and Max downing a Zentradi each and Kakizaki once again having bad luck and getting hit. Hikaru wants to return to base to have his wingman’s Valkyrie repaired, though Misa is reluctant to let them return. After berating her for not understanding the risks they’re taking, Roy intervenes and orders Hikaru and his wingmen to RTB. The Zentradi are planning another attempt on the Macross, this time with the objective of taking prisoners for information, while Kamjim Kravshera makes plans of a different sort. During the warning shot that Britai plans, Kravshera’s ship will ‘miss’ and hit the Macross directly.

Proto-Gendo pose.

Chalk up another one for Max ‘the Blue Baron’ Jenius.

Better get that checked out, you never know when a small hit might ruin your day. Just ask Lt. Burning.

Bang.

Between attacks Hikaru has a date with Minmay and waits for her in a park. He wonders why she’s so late, when three of the bridge bunnies show up to mess with him. First they tease him about being stood up, then Shammy asks if the girl he’s waiting for is pretty, then if she’s prettier than they are. Hikaru dodges that trap by saying she’s about even with them, and then notices a robotic phone going around with a message for him. The bridge bunnies get behind him to watch the videophone conversation with Minmay, expecting something good. She’s at singing lessons, which I assume is foreshadowing the Macross singing scenes of legend, and won’t be able to make their date this time.

A better love interest than Minamy. At least that’s what I’m waiting for.

Vanessa sees where this is going.

Hikaru wisely sidestepped that one. With some more training he might make a good White House Press Secretary.

“Come on Shammy, this will be good.”

It might seem frivolous, but this is the Macross universe so that singing lesson will probably prove militarily useful later.

The Zentradi warning shot goes off as planned for the first volley, nearly hitting the Macross but causing no damage. But during the second volley Kravshera moves his ship forward and fires its main cannon at the Macross’s conning tower, burning through the pinpoint shields and shooting straight through to the other side. Several sensor and communication antenna are destroyed, and the radar room and its crew are no more. Compounding this, an asteroid was destroyed by the Zentradi fire sending fragments into the side of the Macross. Following the attack the Zentradi send a demand to surrender to the Macross, having learned enough of their language to speak to the humans. Captain Global wants a Cats Eye launched to make up for the lost sensors, but Misa at first hesitates remembering Hikaru’s words to her earlier. Then she volunteers to fly the mission herself, with Hikaru, Max, and Kakizaki as an escort.

A couple hundred shots across their bow.

Kravshera has a different concept of a warning shot however.

Misa is now reluctant to send others out on the recon mission, realizing the risks they face.

“Nutz!” would also be an appropriate response.

The recon flight launches to scout out the area around the Macross, playing into the Zentradi’s plan to obtain prisoners. After a Regult makes a few passes at the recon flight, Misa authorizes the Valkyries to engage despite Hikaru’s misgivings. While they leave formation to engage, Misa’s Cats Eye is attacked by several Regults and a recon craft, and is damaged heavily by an asteroid in an attempt to escape. The pilot is dead and Misa unconscious as the Cats Eyes is brought aboard. Hikaru then notices this and leads his team towards the ship, blasting their way into and through the ship.

Scouting out the debris field.

Or a plot device.

Stay on target.

To the rescue.

After securing Misa, Hikaru and his team end up in melee combat with Commander Britai, who is surprisingly and admirably good at fighting his own battles. Max eventually grabs a hold of him and restrains him, and has Kakizaki fire missiles to punch a hole in the hull. Then, in an act of badassery that is one of the things that’s quickly making Max a favorite character of mine, he FLIES BRITAI UP AND THROWS HIM INTO SPACE!!! If the Zentradi were as vulnerable to the vacuum as humans he would have just killed the commander of their fleet! Unfortunately for the pilots Britai manages to climb pack inside the ship. The three Valkyries take turns using their lasers to cut through a door, though why they didn’t just use the hole Kakizaki’s missiles made is beyond me (maybe they want to go deeper into the ship?) Then, as Kakizaki is cutting, Britain again flies down from above, landing a heavy blow to the top of the Valkyrie. We’re then left with the first real cliffhanger ending of the show.

Britai can fight his own battles it seems.

THIS. IS. MACROSS!

Too bad for the humans the Zentradi seem to have either evolved or been engineered to function in the vacuum for short periods.

Final Thoughts: – Britai just became a much cooler character in my eyes. I’m also generally impressed with how competent the antagonists are compared to many shows.

- That up-armored VF-1 was quite a nice design. I look forward to seeing more of it and other variants.

- While I like Roy, Max is getting so much screentime being awesome that he’s winning the race for coolest pilot.

- Episode 09 was just so goofy it was great. While I always enjoy the srs bsns episodes more, something fun like that is nice once in a while.