Macross Frontier Character Discussion - Alto Saotome

[ReddyRedWolf]

Alto does not have a hero complex people.

In one of his gripes was that he couldn't do a damn thing during a crisis.

Remember Alto said that is wasn't him Ranka should thank.

Seeing Gilliam die and the SMS wanting to hear how Gilliam did in his last moments had an impact on Alto.

Now he is one of them.

[Anh_Minh]

I'd say Alto has two reasons for wanting to fight the Vajra:
- a man died to save his life. That made him feel small and helpless. He later felt helpless again, when he was stuck in the shelter. (Though he did get to see Sheryl's boobs, so maybe he should be feeling grateful to the Vajra?)
- they made Baby Ranka cry.

They're not necessarily the chief reasons he joined the SMS, but they're there.

I don't think he wants to surpass Michel so much as that he chafes under Michel's leadership. Different views, and of course he gets teased a lot, which he apparently doesn't appreciate. Can't blame him.

[vision33r]

I re-watched Episode 9 again, this time I read Altoh's lines more carefully..

When Michel said "Is the princess done playing war games here" it really ticked him off.

Then Altoh said to himself, the reason he's here is not playing war games but.... then he stopped.. he did say it has nothing to do with running away from his kabuki family tradition.

He never really mentioned a reason.

When Sheryl questioned Altoh about joining SMS on the phone, he said he all he really wants to do is fly just like Sheryl wants to sing and perform. She mentioned why join the military(SMS), then Altoh mentions SMS isn't the military. It's basically a covert ops.

I personally don't care what's Altoh's reason to fight, many animes like Bleach or even even D.Grayman the main hero just wants to protect good from evil and is self-righteous in their own ways, it's an appealing thing with teens.

[Traece]

He joined SMS because he wants to fly. But at the same time he also wants to protect the people he cares about.

The best way to put this is: Alto joined the SMS to fulfill his need to fly freely and meet the desires of his pilot heart, while protecting the ones he cares about and the women that love him so they too can fulfill the dreams they're passionate about.

[withered_joy]

I have to say I like Alto more and more. I thought I won't like guys-that-look-too-much-like-a-girl (esp. with long hair) anymore, not to mention hot-headed brash newbies to war that make a fool out of themselves...but Alto proved to be an exception. I love how he's full of pride and thus holds firmly on his principles, and he's not aiming to be a saint (lots of points for that) and isn't interested in pop culture, thus treating Sheryl like a normal girl (more points). Oh yeah, those, and his lack of perversity (loads of points for that. I hate harem stuff). His slow reaction relationship-wise just cracks me up all the time. Typical, at least in Asian stereotypical standards.
As for the reason for him to fight...Alto just wants to do something. He doesn't want to be ignorant of reality. I think anyone who's strong-willed would also want to at least do something instead of feeling helpless and useless, not after seeing what damage the Vajra can cause. He's still 17, most young people are still filled with passion and self-righteousness and justice whatever. However, I think Michel is somewhat right about him not being serious. He's quite brash and thus he doesn't consider the consequences of his actions. If he was serious he'd use his head a bit more. But that's also his merits, I guess. Sometimes instinct prevails, as in episode 7. But most of the time brash actions cause people's demise. No doubt he'll learn it the hard way. Destroying bunches of VF-25s aren't enough for him to reflect on his recklessness.

I'm particularly interested in hime-sama's past though. Haha I sort of want to see him playing a kabuki scene, and I want to know why he ran away from his father. Hopefully those will be revealed soon.

[kei25]

Originally Posted by withered_joy

I'm particularly interested in hime-sama's past though. Haha I sort of want to see him playing a kabuki scene, and I want to know why he ran away from his father. Hopefully those will be revealed soon.

I did some research myself

The one mentioned in ep10 is called 『桜姫東文章』　さくらひめあずまぶんしょう (sakura hime azuma bunsyou)

Here even has a short clip -->
http://www2.ntj.jac.go.jp/unesco/kab...5/5_04_16.html

As Kaiserin says, it involves quite a lot "nureba" ( Love scenes ).

I wish they could make a special, maybe for the DVD, just for Alto-kun's performance 3 years ago....

Forgot one thing.. A major theme of that kabuki-play is "男色" ( sort of "Brokeback M" ~~

The real life Sakura-hime character.

played by Tamasaburou in 2004
The costume does look like the one in the anime


I'm really into Kabuki now....orz

Just find another one -- Fuji Musume, which also makes a few frames in MacrossF

Here is a clip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPgtX-ljHi4
Tamasaburou also plays this character.
Probably Kawamori is a big fan of him ... just like the director in ep10 to Alto...orz

[withered_joy]

Originally Posted by kei25

I did some research myself

The one mentioned in ep10 is called 『桜姫東文章』　さくらひめあずまぶんしょう (sakura hime azuma bunsyou)

Here even has a short clip -->
http://www2.ntj.jac.go.jp/unesco/kab...5/5_04_16.html

As Kaiserin says, it involves quite a lot "nureba" ( Love scenes ).

I wish they could make a special, maybe for the DVD, just for Alto-kun's performance 3 years ago....

Forgot one thing.. A major theme of that kabuki-play is "男色" ( sort of "Brokeback M" ~~

The real life Sakura-hime character.

played by Tamasaburou in 2004
The costume does look like the one in the anime


I'm really into Kabuki now....orz

Just find another one -- Fujihime, which also makes a few frames in MacrossF

Here is a clip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPgtX-ljHi4
Tamasaburou also plays this character.
Probably Kamamori is a big fan of him ... just like the director in ep10 to Alto...orz

Haha I also did research, some dude posted a link to an info site somewhere but I forgot where. Probably was in episode 10 discussion. But yeah. Alto's character was a prostitute who was from a fallen noble family, I think. Must've dented Hime's big ego. Maybe he ran aways because he doesn't want to play that role anymore.

Like...
Alto: Dude, dad. I don't want these weird guys coming up to me with flowers and proposals. I wanna quit this role. People keep thinking I'm a girl. They really think I'm a prostitute. I don't want to play this thing anymore."

*SLAP*

"You suck! I'm going to join the pilot course to prove that I'm a man!"

But in the end he gets labeled as the Princess anyway.

[Westlo]

Haha he had to do love scenes no wonder he said a kiss wasn't nothing to him, though of course a kiss with Sheryl and Ranka is a different story.

[Swampstorm]

Originally Posted by Westlo

Haha he had to do love scenes no wonder he said a kiss wasn't nothing to him, though of course a kiss with Sheryl and Ranka is a different story.

Actually, he became embarrassed as soon as he heard that there was a kiss, well before Mao's original actress was injured and Ranka was chosen as a replacement. But maybe it was just his lack of experience with kissing a girl?

[withered_joy]

Originally Posted by Swampstorm

Actually, he became embarrassed as soon as he heard that there was a kiss, well before Mao's original actress was injured and Ranka was chosen as a replacement. But maybe it was just his lack of experience with kissing a girl?

LOL. I never thought about that. So true. And he was acting so cool when he said "meh, a kiss is nothing."

[Isegrim]

Sakurahime azuma bunshou and Fuji Musume at kabuki21.com.

[CaptGloval]

Not sure a kiss is involved in kabuki love scenes. They say it's composed of stylized actions.

[Tak]

Originally Posted by CaptGloval

Not sure a kiss is involved in kabuki love scenes.

Well, no, back in the days when Kabuki was at its height, doing something like that on stage would have been illegal.

- Tak

[daimonth]

Alto is probably traumatized from trying to empathisize with Sakura Hime. That is why he isn't picking up all the cues.

Altos father: Don't try to act, become the character, yes become a 17 year old girl who got raped then developed stockholm syndrome and falls in love with her rapist. Who then gets sold into prostitution by the rapist and end up killing her own son.

That has got to be mentally damaging for a 14 year old....

[Tak]

Originally Posted by daimonth

Altos father: Don't try to act, become the character, yes become a 17 year old girl who got raped then developed stockholm syndrome and falls in love with her rapist. Who then gets sold into prostitution by the rapist and end up killing her own son.

Just a quick note. Prostitution and Geisha are not the same. Geisha endured in Japanese history because they were women in a unique position to be 'independent' and decide for themselves whats best for them.

- Tak

[Delphin]

Hiya. somebody write yet ?
Alto's kanji-name is 有人 by novel

[Tak]

Originally Posted by Delphin

Hiya. somebody write yet ?
Alto's kanji-name is 有人 by novel

I guessed as much.

since his daddy is a Kabuki freak and obviously old fashioned, thus the names

- Tak

[Wesley84]

Originally Posted by daimonth

Alto is probably traumatized from trying to empathisize with Sakura Hime. That is why he isn't picking up all the cues.

Altos father: Don't try to act, become the character, yes become a 17 year old girl who got raped then developed stockholm syndrome and falls in love with her rapist. Who then gets sold into prostitution by the rapist and end up killing her own son.

That has got to be mentally damaging for a 14 year old....

He got owned. Forget pilot school, murder wouldn't have been out of the question. The nerve to disown him as well.

On the other hand, his performance apparently caused a great deal of people to emphathisize with his character. That being the case, he couldn't stop at just his father. He would really have to hunt down every last person who saw it...

[Delphin]

嵐蔵 ranzo is 女形 oyama too
and Alto's mother is already dead.

from novel.

[Wesley84]

Originally Posted by Delphin

嵐蔵 ranzo is 女形 oyama too
and Alto's mother is already dead.

from novel.

Kind of figured that from the flashbacks of him and the paper airplane. I've figured that his flying fetish is tied into him missing his mum.