[karice67]

Originally Posted by Father Hentai

Not sure but when you wrote that I had to think about Miley Cyrus, Jonas Brothers and Justin Biber lol. In their case they had someone big (famous name or company) behind them pushing them while they were young.

What wisteria said about idol-creating companies is one of the aspects I was referring to - they gather groups of young people from all over through auditions, and produce them as they see fit...which is why there are so many more boy- and girl- bands there than we tend to see in the West. From what I can tell, this audition => production style hasn't been as prominent or successful in the West.

That said, I haven't come across anything about how they went about 'producing' Sheryl (yes, my bad...I haven't actually listened to that particular drama CD story), though Grace obviously skipped the 'audition' step...

========

Moving on to the final episode!

Summary of the Episode 25 commentary
with Nakamura Yuuichi, Endou Aya, Nakajima Megumi and Kawamori Shouji.
Recorded on Valentine's Day, about 10 weeks before the BD was released.

• Quite a few added scenes (the episode is what, a couple of minutes longer?). Did you pick out any?
• A LOT happened in this episode, so recording was pretty difficult (if you were late on a line, you might run into the songs).
• But this kind of confusion - where you don't know what's happening, who your allies and enemies are - that's what a real war would be like.
• Nakamura and Endou Aya thought Alto had died in 24. Megumi-chan thought the same at first, but then figured 'he'd be fine, he's the main character'. Kawamori: well, in reality, you really wouldn't be so lucky to have lived through all that!
• But Nakamura thought Ranka would die, because he couldn't figure out how they'd return her to 'our side'. And Megumi-chan thought that maybe, she'd choose death somehow (to save everyone).
• Mishima was spared by Yoshino, though he will have to face trial.
• Luca's Ghosts - if he'd released them too soon, before programming them properly, they'd shoot at allies and enemies alike.
• The earring - whenever it flashes, something, like a song perhaps, is transmitted.
• Grace is quite a villain - was she ever reasonable? Well, she was a researcher who probably got too caught up in the possibility that her research thesis proposed. Oh, and she may still be alive, because that body isn't where her consciousness is stored, after all.
• Perhaps one of Alto's problems is that he was too pretty - so everyone thought he never tried his best. Although (Kawamori noted earlier in the commentary that) he has achieved A LOT for a 16/17 year old in a war situation. Same for Michel and Luca.
• Anata no Oto - Ranka singing of her feelings for Alto. Megumi-chan was happy that she could sing this song on the stage of space.
• The "superdimensional space" (i.e. where the three-way conversation took place) = 'fold space', and they're connected by fold quartz (earring, virus).

Also, remember back to the radio show discussion in 2010 on that infamous line? Turns out that that definitely wasn't the first time it was brought up: it's just that no one in the English fan community listened to the commentaries (the 9th BD was released in April 2009):

"Both of you are my wings" isn't about the love triangle. In fact, everyone (cast* and audience alike) has been deceived by the "supergalactic love story" catchphrase - and even Kawamori-sensei admited to having said it too many times. The unfortunate result is that everyone uses the romance as a base to interpret everything, but the series is, perhaps unexpectedly, not really about the love triangle at all. 'You could even say that the triangle was between humans, Zentradi and the Vajra? Or to put it another way, there were loads of triangles, generally not about romantic love.'

*Nakamura has been grilled about that line so much that he's even mentioned it in connection with developments he doesn't want in another franchise...

They also talk about the movies a lot (irrelevant now that they're out, though one comment was that the triangle was, at that time, a headache to deal with), and about live performances e.g. at the Budoukan, the radio show and the drama CDs (which hadn't been recorded yet. NB: the serious drama tracks can probably be taken as series canon, not so sure about the crack ones). Ah, and there was a bit of fanboying (about Kanaria), fangirling (over the Macross Attack), and reminiscing over Michel.

And reposting the end of the commentary...

Nakamura: well, I hope we see a more conclusive end for Alto
Kawamori: do you mean we should end his life then?
Nakamura: no, I mean more with regards to things around him...like, make his thoughts/feelings a bit clearer.
Kawamori: though he's actively fighting, right?
Nakamura: from the things around him
Endou Aya: in his general life, non?
Nakamura: I don't think we have to spell it out for you
(Kawamori is laughing lightly)
Megumi-chan: like, choosing something
Nakamura: yes! I'm looking forward to that. [just a few seconds left!] Everyone, a few words!
Endou Aya: I'm really looking forward to the movies!
Megumi-chan: Same here! Please attach (him) to someone!
Kawamori: Ok, got it!
Nakamura: we got through?
Endou Aya: yay!

======

Answers to a few mysteries re: Sheryl, the V-type virus and Macross Galaxy

From the official fanbook:

• (p85) No one knows that Mao's granddaughter is Sheryl, not even Sheryl herself. But just as Cathy was able to find Dr. Mao's notes, perhaps someone will one day find the picture of Sheryl and her mother and connect the dots.
• Kawamori (p.89): The viruses in Sheryl were able to resonate with Ranka, whereupon they realised that Sheryl was a separate person and autonomously moved down into her stomach. It's not that Ranka moved them there.
• Yoshino (p.118): The whole situation with Macross Galaxy was a hoax concocted by Grace et al. The real Galaxy is probably still hidden in asteroid belt somewhere.

Lingering Qs (for me, anyway):

• How did Ranshe know what Aimo was about? Could she communicate with the Vajra?
• When was Sheryl given those earrings, and if before the time she ended up in the slums, how on earth did she manage to hold on to them?

======

And with that, all done!