Macross Frontier (Macross 25) general discussion [No Spoilers]

[xris]

Originally Posted by Shouta

The Macross 25th Anniversary thing was an interview segment + the first episode of Macross Frontier which aired yesterday. It's a special preview and the rest of the series won't air until March/April.

Thanks, so we can list this as ep 1 on AnimeSuki then.

Originally Posted by Shouta

Also, the sub posted above has a really off translation for anyone wondering. I just finished downloading it and was skimming the dialogue. Just edit my post if I'm not supposed to cmment on it. >_>

No problem with any comments about the new episode. Just as you did, use of spoilers at this point in time might be a good idea

BTW, when you say "off translation" do you mean it's just a quick translation (which it must have been considering the ep has only just aired) and therefore could benefit with some further QC and such.

[Shouta]

Originally Posted by xris

ThBTW, when you say "off translation" do you mean it's just a quick translation (which it must have been considering the ep has only just aired) and therefore could benefit with some further QC and such.

As in the English is fine but the content is mistranslated to a significant degree. It's watchable but you're going to lose out on a lot of correct details and etc. I mean, they get the backstory for the entire Macross series translated wrong. How could you get that wrong!? >=|

[pinoy78]

Here's the peview for Episode #2......coming April 2008! ARGH!

http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=6WjUK80hg-A

[Shouta]

Argh, that makes me want to see it now. >=(

[DieH@rd]

Thumbs up for Kamina's voice-actor!!

[grss1982]

Originally Posted by DieH@rd

Thumbs up for Kamina's voice-actor!!

Originally Posted by Shouta

Yeah.

Spoiler:

Ozma is the leader of SMS' Skull Squadron. It's a civilian force and apparently is FAR better than the UN Spacy as pilots. . He's Ranka's older brother too. They don't get deployed often it seems and when they did they got a "Code Victor 3" or so. It seems rather special because they're flying the new VF-25s AND were allowed to use the Armored Packs normally meant for heavy combat

What's his actual call sign anyway? Skull One??

Anyways I feel bad for him, since according to Macross cliches, the COOL and BADASS Character must die somewhere in the middle of the series.

Roy Focker and "Pineapple Salad" anyone?

[Shiroth]

Wow that was good, really good. I was completely drawn in, from start until finish, loving the characters, and the return of wonderful Yoko Kanno, and her epic score. Alto looks to be your classic male lead, i like him a lot already --- i can't help but wonder if is female features are going to play a role in coming episode. It's also nice to see that Yuichi Nakamura having more main lead roles, he's absolutely wonderful as Graham from Mobile Suit Gundam 00, then you have Tomoya from CLANNAD.

As for Sheryl, wow i love her design. It may be because it has a very Dianna/Kihel (from Turn A Gundam) feel to it, though just seeing some of those shots from her on stage performance --- beautiful. <3

Wonderful, what a cliffhanger --- i wouldn't mind if we had the second episode next week, though waiting until April. Murder!

[wormspeaker]

I just watched the Fansub by Seiyan. I'm impressed by how fast they got it out. As for the show itself, I'm overall pleased, I think it'll be good. It looks to be set up for a little bit more of the "tree hugger stuff" (to use a term from the beginning of this thread) than I'd like, but overall it looks good.

Spoiler for Annoying Characters:

Alto is shaping up to be really annoying. What is a pop singer supposed to do about getting the population to take shelter in an emergency? If they are too stupid to head to a shelter when the bright red EMERGENCY warnings start flashing, it's not her lookout.

I was surprised and pleased to hear the rendition of Do You Remember Love as the ED, though frankly I would much prefer the full blown symphonic version to this stripped down one. (Though, I may be called a Heretic and burned at the stake, I think I actually like the singing better in this version. Just give it some backup please.)

[Shouta]

Originally Posted by grss1982

What's his actual call sign anyway? Skull One??

I'd assume it'd be Skull-One or Skull-Leader.

[DieH@rd]

Lets hope that Scull Leader will live to see the ending of this anime

Spoiler:

I can bet that Alto will be scull leader when Lee dies... :-/

Sooo nice.I hope they will have more of this shots from the original macross...

[Westlo]

That was a great first episode, *sighs* have to wait until April to see the next episode. Loved the Valkyrie tribute to the original Macross at the end of the episode.

[Kaioshin Sama]

Originally Posted by pinoy78

Here's the peview for Episode #2......coming April 2008! ARGH!

http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=6WjUK80hg-A

Wow that's some atrociously bad music. Hope it isn't indicative of what the series as a whole is like. For once I think the series enemy will just keel over dead in sheer agony rather than have some realization about culture, inner peace or innate ability and such.

Man is it too much to ask for something like Tenshi No Enogu or Red Moon Silver Moon. Those songs were uplifting without a shotgun of nasal and what sounds like a touch of honest to god whine.

I mean sorry to be the downer again but WOW, that is not what I expected when I clicked the link.

[Ottocycle]

Originally Posted by Kaioshin_Sama

Wow that's some atrociously bad music. Hope it isn't indicative of what the series as a whole is like.

Man is it too much to ask for something like Tenshi No Enogu or Red Moon Silver Moon. Those songs were uplifting without a shotgun of nasal and what sounds like a touch of honest to god whine.

I mean sorry to be the downer again but WOW, that is not what I expected when I clicked the link

Oh dear, you know, there has been quite a few indications that it will be the series OP. That's gotta hurt.

But I'd say that song isn't suitable for a next ep preview too. And what with my previous opinion that the concert actually playing that song not fitting the battle scenes more than the concert itself...

[Westlo]

Originally Posted by Kaioshin_Sama

Wow that's some atrociously bad music. Hope it isn't indicative of what the series as a whole is like.

Oh c'mon it's not that bad, admittedly I didn't like that song during the trailer, but it's definitely grown on me after watching the episode. It's no "Hemisphere" or "Sousei no Aquarion" that's for sure, but you're acting like it's ZNTII Ed Theme by Rie Kugimiya bad *throws up*.

[Kaioshin Sama]

Originally Posted by Westlo

Oh c'mon it's not that bad, admittedly I didn't like that song during the trailer, but it's definitely grown on me after watching the episode. It's no "Hemisphere" or "Sousei no Aquarion" that's for sure, but you're acting like it's ZNTII Ed Theme by Rie Kugimiya bad *throws up*.

Well I'll just have to wait until I get a chance to see it in the episode, because the proper placement of a song with the right visuals can admittedly go a long way. I recall hating the Higurashi Kai theme in the trailer until I finally saw the proper opening video for it. Same with Gundam 00's Daybreak's Bell and some others. This time though I really think I just don't like the tone and pitch of the vocalist, but we'll see.

Admittedly, though I actually didn't mind the Rie Kugimiya ending for ZNTII even if it was unreasonably high pitched. It's the nasal touch with notes prolonged in an abnormal pitch that I really don't like in J-Pop specifically. In fact I don't like it in any music period.

I still prefer Mari Ijima for her more controlled sounding voice and comparitively lower pitch over whoever it was that does this Macross F song. Plus she worked more with the music than this new singer seems to be, wherein it kind of sounds like a mishmash of the vocal and instrumental parts with the vocals always overpowering the instrumental portion (something I notice more and more in modern music, and my friend wholeheartedly agrees with me on this point, is the lack of strong instrumentals). Again it could just be the trailer as trailers make almost any song sound bad.

[Nightengale]

Originally Posted by humbug23

Indeed, or rather for that little forestwalk. The effort on her degrades a little when she does the dance for the CM though.

Well, the nuances of movement for Ranka had been overall well-animated compared to some stiffer scenes. If episode 2 is a continual indication, I have a feeling the animators on-board may be fond of Ranka, even if Yoshino hates her.

Originally Posted by humbug23

Even Nakamura managed to eclipse her performance, not to mention that short scene with Kuwashima(Meganekko) and Ohkawa(Stereotypical Chinese cook) in the restaurant.

I dunno, I found Nakamura's performance to be just so-so.

Or maybe the way it was how he performed in the narration of the 2nd episode preview. Something about how he said those words, both internal and external somehow feels really detached, void of... Alto. I know it's about the same with his angsty self in the episode, but something just doesn't click right with his presentation of Alto imo.

Originally Posted by Kaioshin_Sama

Wow that's some atrociously bad music. Hope it isn't indicative of what the series as a whole is like. For once I think the series enemy will just keel over dead in sheer agony rather than have some realization about culture, inner peace or innate ability and such.

Don't worry, I highly doubt Sheryl will be the messenger of peace here.

[Ottocycle]

Originally Posted by Nightengale

Well, the nuances of movement for Ranka had been overall well-animated compared to some stiffer scenes. If episode 2 is a continual indication, I have a feeling the animators on-board may be fond of Ranka, even if Yoshino hates her.

Until the novelty of animating a clump of hair with a life of its own wears off

It could be because Ranka might potentially receive the least focus from the viewers among the 3 mains, since she's only the damsel in distress so far. Sheryl's well-portrayed contrasts on and off the public eye make her quite an interesting character(at least for me), and of course all eyes must be on Alto who's sitting on top of so many robot show tropes.
Of course within 'viewers', there are the people new to the Macross franchise who're just watching because of the hype.

Originally Posted by Nightengale

I dunno, I found Nakamura's performance to be just so-so.

Or maybe the way it was how he performed in the narration of the 2nd episode preview. Something about how he said those words, both internal and external somehow feels really detached, void of... Alto. I know it's about the same with his angsty self in the episode, but something just doesn't click right with his presentation of Alto imo.

Well, the Alto+Ranka scenes were a competition for who's more lackluster IMO. His Alto is still enclosed within angsty Tomoya, a little disappointing that he hasn't broken new ground there. Hence I too didn't feel much 'soul' in his acting, so to speak. So yeah, his Graham still stands as his best role, maybe because 'Graham chose him'.

[mikemil828]

Odd how the VF-11 Thunderbolts have seem to have outlasted the VF-19 Excalibur, which was supposed to replace the thunderbolt

[Shouta]

Originally Posted by mikemil828

Odd how the VF-11 Thunderbolts have seem to have outlasted the VF-19 Excalibur, which was supposed to replace the thunderbolt

Likely because they were mass-produced. The VF-19s even during the Mac7 timeframe weren't exactly a widely used Valkyrie. Only Basara and Emerald Force had them. The VF-22 Sturmvogel IIs were the same case with only Max and Milia using them in the TV series and Gamlin using it in Dynamite as I recall.

[mikemil828]

Originally Posted by Shouta

Likely because they were mass-produced. The VF-19s even during the Mac7 timeframe weren't exactly a widely used Valkyrie. Only Basara and Emerald Force had them. The VF-22 Sturmvogel IIs were the same case with only Max and Milia using them in the TV series and Gamlin using it in Dynamite as I recall.

Taking a closer look, I was wrong, they actually aren't VF-11s, they are VF-17s, still, you have to wonder where all the Excaliburs went.