Hm... I know Macross Zero isn't drawn out of style but the older Macross series are. However, seeing that Macross Zero is the prequel to Macross, I didn't feel like watching Macross Zero because then I'd probably want to watch Macross and its sequels, but I can't stand outdated art (and I'm already very picky even for recent animes in terms of art) and so...yeah. Don't know what made me watch Macross F actually...I just wanted to watch some mecha I guess. Are the Macross series all related to each other that will cause me to fall into confusion? I don't like being confused. I keep seeing comparisons and speculations that make me go :confused:

Anyhow, I'm downloading Macross Zero anyway. That Ozma saying stuff about Mao just rang the bell for me to do so.

I don't believe you're gonna get lost on the whole plot but expect to be at a loss when such references appear though I doubt that'd have a negative effect on the overall enjoyment of the series.

Though you said you have something against outdated animation I still strongly suggest you watch Macross F's predecessors. Its always good to see the roots of such a good franchise. I myself was not even alive when they first aired SDF Macross but I still watched it even though I had to endure the Robotech version. I found myself enjoying anime that was shown 20 years ago.

But still to each their own ;)

It would truly become a poser of a Macross series if it wholly dropped the triangle. Its been there since SDF Macross, Macross Zero, and Macross plus. (Can't say anything about Macross 7 since I haven't watched it yet ><) Its like playing Final Fantasy and not finding a Cid or Summons. Though a love triangle is a general plot mechanic, its somewhat become a series signature for Macross.

Skip Macross 7, though... I just looked at a few episodes and then rapidly terminated the files. Worse animation than the original Macross series and about the most stupid main character I have ever seen.

Lol, seems like you're heading against the current with this comment. So far in this few episodes there's been lots of evidence supporting the idea that Grace is the one behind Brera and in this episode the MiB.

I'll quote myself from a few pages back

So for short, Grace as we know her doesn't appear in her usual physical shape in this episode yet she's credited. Thus either Grace is the voice behind Brera, or the girlish voice of the MiB or even both. Someone else pointed out that it sounds very close to the deep-rough voice Inoue Kikuko used for her role as Miria in Claymore.

From the convo between Leon and MiB Grace, it makes you think that Galaxy's crew, scientist or whoever is pulling the strings there may know more about Vajra than the staff in Frontier and Leon. They're known to be one of the most technologically advanced fleets. Did they do anything that drawed the Vajra to make that first massive attack?

When Leon asked what she wanted in exchange for the info about the Vajra and VF-27 he just got from her, she threw that purple stone that looked similar to Sheryl's earrings. The earrings showed the property of instantly transferring the singing voices of Sheryl and Ranka. Ipernorris speculated that kind of stone might be the means to overcome the fold limitations. Also it's easy to notice that the VF-27 was able to Fold without the need of a Fold Booster compared to the other valkiries that required one or ride inside or piggyback a capital ship. Galaxy may have found this stones somewhere but they might be in limited quantities and Grace is hinting to Leon to find more of them.

We have no idea of the extent of Macross Galaxy's technology, that voice is clearly not that persons voice, it's a females and yes her VA can do that voice in addition to her stock voice which she uses for Grace. Grace could be talking through him or even controlling him and Inoue Kikuko was credited with a role in this episode and yet Grace didn't appear.... The part before the intro in episode 7 about cybernetics and implants is not a red herring. Also why would Grace go to meet Leon as Grace? She's well known as Sheryl Nome's manager, it would be stupid of her to blow her cover in that manner. Either way Grace will not be managing Sheryl Nome at the end of this series, I'm sure of this and it will be one of the following 3 causes. a) She's in charge of Brera, b) she gets killed after snooping around to much, c) Sheryl retires so she can finally live like a normal girl with you know who...

If any of the two quit stardom I definitely think it will be Sheryl, "but but she loves music" I bet some people are thinking while reading this.. it's not uncommon for people to give up on something they love for a new found love. Latest example I've come across is the Suzuka manga.

Haha if I had a dollar for people bringing up my predictions being right history.. I'll have $5! I think I'll give this up for good after Frontier and the Vampire Knight manga ends (than again I said the same after True Tears finished :rolleyes: ). Too draining, I run through so many possibilities through my mind and put a lot of time into it.

The OST confirmed that the song is the theme for a MBS Drama called Triangler which is based on the triangle from the original series. It would be nifty if one of the characters is flicking through tv channels and comes across the show and remarks how they know how they feel.

I do agree that Sheryl doesn't recognize her own feelings, she went straight into defensive mode after she realized what she did when she kissed Alto and how much it effected her. As far as I'm concerned Sheryl definitely has feelings for Alto she just hasn't come to terms with them yet while Ranka just did in this episode for sure.

Since Ranka knows she does I fully expect her to take the lead, even start to go out with Alto around 13-17 mark which will have Sheryl coming to terms with what Alto means to her. The last 6 episodes give her a real good basis to work off and gives them some history together. I'm pretty positive that Sheryl will be cast as the underdog near the end. I also have a gut feeling the song she wrote on those Zentradi panties about the events of Star Date will come into play later on.

I think this is first series and he still hasn't watched any other Macross series which makes that comment really dumb doesn't it? It would be like someone playing Final Fantasy IX and saying this isn't like Final Fantasy... you're better off ignoring him, he wants LOGH style combat for Macross even though Macross has always been about the main characters in a battle.

I thought the hydra would be much harder to kill... That Brera dude easy'd him...

Damnit Alto.. Damn player getting my Sheryl! And Ranka in the same episode! What a pimp...

I doubt Grace is in charge of Brera. Although, we really havn't seen much of her lately have we...

What's Leon's position in the Frontier? He seems to know quite the bit, and I thought he was like a commander or something..

Anyways, 10/10, hoping to see some action next week.


Edit: Looked more into the issue, too many reasons to believe that it was her (Grace) with Leon.

Hm. Looks like Brera is Ranka's cyborged, amnesiac (brain-washed?) older brother.

I wonder if "pushing Ranka" was a reason Sheryl kissed Alto?

I'm happy that Ranka finally gets the spotlight and she finally starts obtaining a starring role like she should be. Sheryl reminds me a lot of Lynn Minmei in this episode actually. Both of them liked the guy, but acted kinda childish about it. Also Ranka's getting up on stage at the end and stepping into greatness gave me a similar feel like when Lynn Minmay first sang the song in Do You Remember Love.

I think the only reason Sheryl kissed Alto was because she wanted to kiss him before Ranka did and obtain first kiss bragging rights. I'd love to give this episode a full 10, BUT the animation during the fight scene was just so bad.


What you're really missing out on are the many hidden references to older macross series.

alto: above all, cross-dressing ?!
michael: are you running away?

......
what the hell? you cant say no to something without being called a coward or something? That michael is a real asshole.... Cant even admit he is a lolicon, a sistercon, the worst coward of the show and yet he gives lessons as if he knew everything about life. Not like alto is blameless in this.... If he doesnt want to be called girlish he could just try some tattoes, cut his hair and stop being a loud pussy.

Also: it's funny how Ranka, the cute, kinda plain girl is the one rising to stardom and thus getting distant with Alto, while superstar Sheryl has a girl-next-door feel.

Doubt it since Ranka wasn't even looking in their direction while they were looking over at her. More likely she was just teasing him (remember the earlier scene when she mentioned kissing) though it had an unexpected result on herself which she quickly threw off with a bit of "acting".

I thought it was a very good episode, and I enjoyed the connection to Zero which brings it closer to the Macross Universe, it always had that prequel feel.

hmm.. Ranka DID see Sheryl kiss Alto.. in fact her eyes went O_O!! and then she made up her mind to do the scene.

eh... i think he is talking about before the kiss if you read carefully

No you misunderstood/misread me Tsukiyomi, she wasn't looking at them the entire time, she was staring in the opposite direction. When Sheryl and Alto kissed yes she was watching but she had her head turned. I doubt it was Sheryl's intention to kiss Alto to spur Ranka into accepting the role because she didn't do anything to draw Ranka's attention before she kissed. Also look back at the earlier scene between Sheryl and Alto when she said "Do you even know how to kiss?", she was teasing him and the actual kiss was a continuation of that, though it affected her more than she thought it would...

Sheryl probably put 2 and 2 together when she saw Ranka walk up to the director right after she kissed Alto, which is why it focused on her thinking things over for 3-4 seconds.

I think it is more likely that both Ranka and Sheryl are decendants of Mao.

Meaning both of them could be cousins.

You have to wonder why Sheryl was isolated as a child in Galaxy.

And Ranka is a target of the Vajra.

In Mayan islander culture both Sheryl and Ranka have the potential as priestesses.

Spy master hacker Grace wouldn't stick to Sheryl like glue if she wasn't important.

Err... the quote was not from withered_joy it was from Wesley_84. But again you're right that this guy may have watched the other Macross series yet so I apologize for that.

Also, it doesn't mean that if I said that a love triangle is a Macross signature, I don't mean that its the whole point of Macross. And its as you've said, Macross has been always about main characters in a battle whether it be aliens or relationships

Ranka's real last name may be Nome. She's only Ranka Lee since Ozma Lee adopted her as a sister.

I don't think that Sheryl was surprised by her own feelings. Even as early as episode five, you could clearly see the disappointment on her face when Alto said that he'd come to her concert to return the earrings, rather than saying that he'd come to the concert to see her. And if that wasn't a moment of realization for her, then we also have the scene in episode seven's concert where she says "I don't know if there'll be a day we'll meet again in this vast galaxy," and is shocked to find herself in tears; at which point she openly acknowledges her feelings in dedicating her final song ("Would you mind if I was a little selfish?") I think she's had a really clear idea of what she wants for some time now.

Sheryl knows that Alto has a number of things troubling him, though; as she notes in this episode, Alto doesn't seem comfortable about sharing his past, nor does Sheryl want to push him. Note that Sheryl doesn't initially cover up the kiss; she only does it after Alto tries to stutter a response, realizing that she's gone a bit too far and thrown Alto off balance.

I think that Sheryl knows what she wants, but she also recognizes that she needs to give Alto time and space to adapt to his own circumstances. For all her trickery and teasing, she's much more straightforward with herself than a tsundere would be.

Hmmmm... the scenes you cite don't necessarily seem all that clear to me--certainly not as clear as the moment when Ranka realized how she could sympathize with Mao. I still think there's some ambiguity on Sheryl's side, and although I think she does understand in many ways where Alto is coming from, she seems too relentless with her teasing to fully get Alto's difficulties. IIRC, in the school episode, she was using the whole "Princess" thing to her advantage, and if there's any sore spot directly related to the past with Alto, it's that. Indeed, in this ep, there is the jibe about cross-dressing thrown in by her also. Don't get me wrong, I don't think there's anything malicious about this, but I think you're overstating the degree to which Sheryl understands Alto's family difficulties. After all, his reactions to Michel show that all the teasing DOES NOT help him; Alto could use some tough love, but of the sort Ozma gave him. Michel's just being a bit of a pompous jerk IMO when he teases Alto, while Sheryl is sometimes just a bit too playful for both his and her own good.

All that being said, I also don't think Sheryl should at all be classified as a tsundere. Tsunderes need to be genuinely angry at times, and Sheryl doesn't fit that really.