[wisteria233]

Originally Posted by LoveMeKags

Excuse me, but base that 'logic' on something else.

Honestly, personality is what boys look for. After all, marriage is forever. Sheryl was constantly, in the series, treating Alto like a dog and pushing him around, making light of his shortcomings; whilst Ranka accepted them and adored him for who he was. That alone gave her a BIG boost considering how his father treated him, making him go for a dream he never wanted.

Again not really Sheryl's personality was basically just like Mikhail's, and she treated Alto the same way Mikhail treated him. I think that a guy wouldn't want to be put on a pedastool like Ranka did with Alto, because what if they don't live up to the expectations the girl has for him? Some guys also want a girls to be truthful to them, and tell him exactly what they think, not be star struck by how pretty they are.

Adding on to that Ranka also made no effort to really get to know Alto, who knew that she liked him. Nanase even pointed out in episode 11 that Alto seemed to be close to Sheryl, enough so much so she thought they were dating. Ranka didn't adore Alto for who he was because she barely knew him, because she didn't make the extra effort to get to know him. Also its called a Tsundere.

Audience surrogate or not, Ranka WAS a big fan favorite; but then Ep1 of the Deculture edition appeared on the TV. Everyone adored Sheryl's live performance and so, they voted for Sheryl. Kawamori eventually gave up around Ep10 to increase Ranka's character at all given how the audience responded to her originally. So by Ep10, we see a little of Kawamori's destructed moral for Ranka by her reaction to Alto and Sheryl's kiss on the beach (sadness and despair).

Actually only in the first couple of episodes did Ranka have more popularity by episodes 4-11 both Ranka and Sheryl were equal in popularity with Sheryl approaching the lead. then 12- 14 Ranka was ahead and her popularity was at its peak, then in 15- 17 they were even again. Sheryl didn't really dominate until the later episodes 18-25. I also remember how much of the audience thought that Sheryl was a bitch in the first couple of episodes and much of her current fans didn't really like her, don't believe look back for the old episode threads.

My thoughts on this is that Kawamori wanted the triangle to end differently this time by pushing Ranka forward and making HER become the one who'd win his heart in the end. That way, the younger girl wins and the way of his triangles isn't seen as the "same boring end every time" as it always has. But after seeing how Sheryl was accepted, he couldn't stop himself from going with the money maker. I don't blame him and I don't bash Sheryl (as she's a character for crying out loud); but if we were making decisions on real people, I would've slapped Kawamori and said "is there something wrong with a 15-year-old school girl loving a senior!?"

Except like I said before Ranka never spent much time with Alto, even in the tv series. Any time they spent together was just platonic with Ranka doing all of the talking and Alto just providing her with advice. Your basing all your arguments off of just needless what your own theories instead of what really happened, and actual events. Also you are blaming Kawamori and you are bashing Sheryl for essentially being of the love triangle. The younger girl also never wins in Macross so I don't know where your theories come from.

Throughout the whole series and movie (haven't seen 2 to truly know), I could see the AruRan coming because of how Sheryl acted towards Alto just on a daily basis before the TRUE war began upon them. If Alto and Sheryl were alone in a house, married, I think he wouldn't be able to truly put up with her teasing over his past. After all, he seemed truly traumatized by the events of his mother and the pressure his father put on him.

One question why? Alto had to be forced into spending time with Ranka in the tv series, and even then any time they spent together sans episode 15 was platonic. Sheryl pretty much treated Alto the same way that Mikahail treated him. being honest with him and telling him the truth even if he doesn't want to hear it. Alto also wasn't just allowing her to treat him any old how, he would be snarky with her, whenever she was being pushy. It was to the point where Ranka's friends thought that Alto and Sheryl were dating, which they would have correct. Also Sheryl wouldn't tease him about his past but his pretty face, which Mikhail did as well. She never pressured him into anything, he pretty much just went along with it. Sheryl also was the reason why Alto decided to break his vow to himself and ultimately go back home.

Adding in with that I think you are mistaking motivating someone and giving them advice with actually liking them romantically. You don't have to like someone or know them very well to listen to their problems and provide them with motivation. And I'm saying this from experience, as there was time I was ready to give up without trying and total stranger came up to me and told me not to give up, that was the push I needed to go forward. And even then the war against the vajra started in the first episode, so you can't say if there wasn't a war because it was the war that allowed for Alto and Ranka to even get a chance to know his name. Meanwhile even if the vajra never attacked in episode 1 Sheryl probably still would have gotten to know Alto because her earring dropped into his flight suit, when he tried to show off during her concert and failed.

Even in the tv series it was implied that he was spending significantly more time with Sheryl than what was shown.

Even in the movie the first movie the time they spent together was platonic, and that Alto was only talking to her on a personal level because she was his friend, not because he had romantic feelings to her. Also in the first movie Alto was wholly reluctant to being wary of Sheryl, and avoiding her. Even though Ozma kept on pushing him to ignore her in the end he couldn't. He went against Ozma's orders and went to see Sheryl.

Alto was truly a hard character to read, as he doesn't have a lot of facial expressions, but Ep21 with him and Ranka, when he thanks her for saying his dream is beautiful was the most romantic expression I've ever seen on his face. It was like he'd said "you... want to fly like my mother... I've found my woman!" Sheryl's plane, however, fell. Ranka's flew high and then was caught by Ai-kun. Remember that the plane is a symbol. Which also made me do a double-take at the "facepalm" ending of Ep25.

Alto had to teach Ranka how to make a paper plane, and how to fly it, even then that's an alternate reading of the imagery isn't it? A reading which could have been based on a red herring. Here's another reading of the paper planes the planes represent their feelings at the time Ranka feels happy that she's spending time with Alto, and her plane flew, but Sheryl's paper plane fell because of her heavy feelings. Sheryl also asked him the question in episode 7, and she had known from way back then, which is why her birthday gift to him was a real sky for him to fly in. And even then what kind of person asks someone to run away from their home with them for some obscure reason even though the person's best friend just died a the hands of the very same kind creature that someone wants them to run away with?

Seriously, Kawamori surely is a troll when it comes to hinting (no offense to any fans) at either couple, ne?

I think between the promotional material and the actual events of the series, Kawamori did in fact hint at the ultimate ending. A lot of your reasons for disliking the ultimate end to the love triangle is just that you didn't like it. Which is just proving my point about ignoring logic.

Also your timeline is skewed there are two versions of the first episode which aired a year before the actual broadcast of the series. It was first from the Deculture edition that Ranka became popular and was known nicknamed "Nyan Nyan"