Macross Frontier Character Discussion - Ranka Lee

[Tak]

Honestly, I don't even know why we are arguing this. Dex, I hope I have not overestimated your intelligence, because the evidence is right there in front of your face. If you still wish to be in a state of denial, please refer to what cerrian pointed out, whcih I previously thought was unnecessary since I assumed you knew.

Your posts are not exactly furthering Ranka's likability other than creating a psychic out of Berera while degrading Ranka. Even the previews hinted so many times that Ranka was going to say goodbye to Alto, that she was not going with him. This was followed by the actual letters of goodbyes to her friends and family. Then finally Berera would show up with his VF-27 with a booster equipped. Please don't tell me that Berera just slapped on a booster for fucks, and please do not tell me that Ranka did not orchestrate the event with Berera and that she was not ready to go with him.

Give me a break.

- Tak

[Mei19]

Originally Posted by cerrian

So her departure from Frontier was imminant, with or without Alto. Finally, we're shown that Beara had the VF-27 ready to travel because the scene at Griffith Park shows the VF-27 equipped with a fold booster. It's not like people slap on fold boosters on a whim or carry it around with them 24/7. Those things are only equipped when they know long distance traveling is invovled.

You forgot Ai-kun is a flying fold crystal. Ranka can even call a Vajra to get her out of there. Getting a space suit is no problem at all! XD If Brera didn't appear at all Ranka will probably calm Alto down and Tell Him The Whole Damn Story. She'll be able to tell him that she thinks the vajra isn't the bad guys, that she knows another way to Stop The War, and that vajra he just shot is AI-KUN (he got his payback for his chewed paper plane). Alto will understand her eventually. I'm sure. They have the whole night to sort it out. That's enough time. (I don't think a single gunshot can kill Ai-kun. ) But I think it's LOL-worthy that Ranka's being faulted for being a conniving moe conspiring with Brera. That's too much paranoia.

[cerrian]

Originally Posted by Mei19

You forgot Ai-kun is a flying fold crystal. Ranka can even call a Vajra to get her out of there.
...

Wow.....just wow...

Can't believe you just pulled that card, but hey! So be it! You win.

[Tak]

Yeah, I am not even going to bother with a discussion on that, because its just about the dumbest thing I've heard all day.

And it just had to happen when I actually took time off to browse through the forums.

- Tak

[Mei19]

XD What? lmao The Vajra tried abducting her before and she already came in contact into outerspace not wearing any space suit. That's beyond normalcy. Ranka's quarter-Zentran genes are tough. What's a space trip to her. XD Our imaginations are getting outrageously technical so I thought I'd keep up hahah

[willyvereb]

As i said earlier...her irresposibeness is mainly because her former spoiled lifestyle...She learned in an elite school, have a very loving brother and there's not a single human being who have spoken ill of her. So she has a carefree lifestyle, because everyone around him tried the best for it(cause the painfull things can awaken her sealed memories). She has no idea what to do in hardships and even a very little knowledge about the world. Now she enters the showbiz and it revealed that her song can affect the Vajra...while she has not so much problem with the showbiz the second responsibility the thing that start broke her...precisely that her performance affects the fate of whole Frontier. When people with little resolve(like Ranka, the spoiled child) suddenly gets that kind of burden then it sooner or later triggers a rebellious attitude(Like Shinji's case in NGE). Happily Ranka's found another thing to lean on: If she sings then she gets Alto's attention. So when she found Sheryl and Alto in a confusing(? Maybe it's not realy misleading and only matter of minutes before a kiss) situation. Her another source of strenght broke and even went to negative...she has no strenght left, because she was weak willed to begin with.
In the end i can't blame her what she have done...if she had learnt some sense of responsibility and became less selfish then it could have happened otherwise but it's mainly the plot writer's fault to not developing her character more:P. Everyone has great exeptations from her but she's just a spoiled little girl who suddenly became a pop star and then the saviour of Frontier. What can you exept from her?

Ranka's "love": As i said Ranka got much attention from the pople close to her ever since she lives with her "brother". It was just absolutely for nothing. When she has saved twice a day by Alto she somehow become attracted to him and seeks to become close to him. That's remarkable because it's the first time when she did something for getting attention. I think Ranka's "love" can be described the best with Michael's words(not exact citation): She seeks him because he agrees with her and gives her attention and caring when others not. Perhaps it's not exactly true...she seeks him because he gave her strenght to do something! That's why she's so alto centered because her source of willpower is Alto: Alto's words of encouraging, to do something for Alto, to get more attention from Alto...That's because she tought that attention and caring is a natural thing to her, until she met Alto(who has priorities before Ranka, and from episode 5 Ranka got a rival in Sheryl...). Basicaly her character development has 3 foundations: Alto, the Vajra attacks and Sheryl(both directly and indirectly as a rival).

Interesting thought: I think Alto and Sheryl has taken the father and mother role respectively somehow for Ranka(perhaps Ranka seen the things other way but the two other main character treated her as a daughter somewhat...)
Perhaps it's not neccessary true but funny if it's true.

[BetoJR]

Pointless discussion is pointless.

The whole tirade Ranka goes on after Brera's "What's your desire" line is for the benefit of Alto. In a James Bond semi-analogy, "for his ears only". You actually insult lots of viewers intelligences (as well as Ranka's herself, to be frank) when you argue the point of her not having previously aired out most of the details of her trip with her bodyguard.

She left goodbye messages behind, people! BEFORE talking to Alto!

Brera showed up in a fold-capable VF!

Honestly, let's be fans of the character. Let's try to minimize the flak others throw at her. But let's not deny the obvious things, as shown in the episodes themselves, please. That's actually sort of demeaning to the character - and the show itself.

Of course she wanted to go with Alto - but I think she knew beforehand that there was a chance he might not feel the same way; hence, the forethought of making all of the arrangements with Brera-san. And her going ahead with it anyway showed a spine previously unseen in the character. Too bad that development was underused.

[Liddo-kun]

Originally Posted by Father Hentai

Ok... We are talking about a sixteen to seventeen year old girl who has no experience with love, is still a virgin (in non MF hentai dojinshis) and just saw that her love hugs another girl. And even more a friend of both.

Do you really think that she could stay calm? Sheryl's slap brought her back to sense but this does not mean that her feelings will automatically get calm.

I've seen girls in other anime who are in the same age group (teen) as Ranka take rejection on their first love experience better.

Giving one example:

Spoiler for Toradora! episode 16:

"The thing you wish for the most is something you'll never get.
When I came to understand that I didn't know what to do.
At that time Kitamura-kun smiled and held my hand.

He's such a kind person.

I cannot show him how grateful I am by just a simple "thank you,"
I understand the one he likes isn't me, however,
I want to do what I can for him, just like he did for me."

- Aisaka Taiga (Toradora!)

[magnuskn]

Grmbl. I'd think I should have thought of adding the fold-booster to the list of things which made it obvious that she already had pre-arranged her departure with Brera. That´s what posting at 03:30 a.m. will do to you, I guess...

Anyway, thanks to Cerrian and Beto for pointing out the obvious. I hope that settles the argument.

Unless you want to follow Meis "argument" that Ranka doesn´t need a spacesuit...

[forgottendiary]

Originally Posted by magnuskn

Grmbl. I'd think I should have thought of adding the fold-booster to the list of things which made it obvious that she already had pre-arranged her departure with Brera. That´s what posting at 03:30 a.m. will do to you, I guess...

Anyway, thanks to Cerrian and Beto for pointing out the obvious. I hope that settles the argument.

Unless you want to follow Meis "argument" that Ranka doesn´t need a spacesuit...

Also how Brera's cockpit lacks child safety lock opened easily allowing the kid Ranka to just go out and huggle fold flying crystal Ai-kun. Oh wait, maybe it was Ai-kun's doing, unlocking Brera's cockpit beforehand.

[Westlo]

Eh Mei's clearly just fucking around having fun with you "Why so serious" guys. Nanase's voice actor did get used after Nanase went into a coma *whistles* Wasn't it Brera who delivered the letters to Nanase and Ozma in the first place? Brera had the fold booster on because it looks pimpin! Learn to accessorize! Smh @ him not turning on the child lock feature though. RE episode 20 even if Ranka isn't guilty of murder she's guilty of manslaughter, any Ranka fans prefer Cloche in AT2 over Luca? Why? /thread.

[magnuskn]

By this point, I can´t really distinguish anymore what is trying to be funny on their part, and what is pure delusion.

[Natsuki Hyuga]

*slaps Westlo*

You need to speak Englesh and never get drunk, PERIOD. *Refers to AT2 reference in the post*

[DeX-kun]

Ok, apparently neither of us are going to budge on the topic of Ranka and Brera, because I don't believe that Ranka knew about Brera being there. Yes Ranka left the notes because she was going to leave and she had the greatest of hopes that it would be Alto taking her, but this was her plan alone. Brera showing up was something that she didn't expect and it was not only her reaction to him being there but even his phrase of "speak your desire," which once again Ranka responded with surprise. Like I said, if this was planned then there was no point in having Brera clueless beforehand.

Now we've all said our piece and I would prefer it if this petty argument would just cease to continue. It's becoming redundant.

[magnuskn]

Originally Posted by DeX-kun

Ok, apparently neither of us are going to budge on the topic of Ranka and Brera, because I don't believe that Ranka knew about Brera being there. Yes Ranka left the notes because she was going to leave and she had the greatest of hopes that it would be Alto taking her, but this was her plan alone. Brera showing up was something that she didn't expect and it was not only her reaction to him being there but even his phrase of "speak your desire," which once again Ranka responded with surprise. Like I said, if this was planned then there was no point in having Brera clueless beforehand.

Now we've all said our piece and I would prefer it if this petty argument would just cease to continue. It's becoming redundant.

Yeah, ignoring facts like that Breras Valkyrie came equipped with a fold booster ( which, according to your logic, he probably strapped on "just in case Ranka suddenly decides to leave Frontier" ) really makes it easy to declare "neither of us is going to budge".

Denial: Not just a river in Egypt.

[BetoJR]

Originally Posted by DeX-kun

Like I said, if this was planned then there was no point in having Brera clueless beforehand.

Hmmm... when was he clueless?

Originally Posted by DeX-kun

Now we've all said our piece and I would prefer it if this petty argument would just cease to continue. It's becoming redundant.

Now, that's my line. And, honestly, this gets less interesting every time.

[DeX-kun]

Originally Posted by magnuskn

Yeah, ignoring facts like that Breras Valkyrie came equipped with a fold booster ( which, according to your logic, he probably strapped on "just in case Ranka suddenly decides to leave Frontier" ) really makes it easy to declare "neither of us is going to budge".

Denial: Not just a river in Egypt.

Honestly, it can be argued either way but I hate repeating myself and the fold booster thing is irrelevant. His VF has never been shown equipped in the show and it was never seen without the fold boosters so how can you even say that he prepared it when it's always been on. Besides you just ignored the gist of my response, so before you even start claiming I'm in denial, take a good look and acknowledge my response before shooting it down. That's all I ever get, I know when to admit I'm wrong but I can't say the same for others.

Originally Posted by magnuskn

Unless this turns into a "no discussion, only statements!" board, I´ll continue to point out holes in other peoples comments. That´s what discussion is about, after all, an exchange of opinions, by which both sides come closer to the truth.

Only that in this case the truth is obviously on our side, and the other side is putting their fingers in their ears and chanting LALALALAAAAH I CAN´T HEAR YOU!

Same can be said about the other side.

[magnuskn]

Originally Posted by BetoJR

Now, that's my line. And, honestly, this gets less interesting every time.

Unless this turns into a "no discussion, only statements!" board, I´ll continue to point out holes in other peoples comments. That´s what discussion is about, after all, an exchange of opinions, by which both sides come closer to the truth.

Only that in this case the truth is obviously on our side, and the other side is putting their fingers in their ears and chanting LALALALAAAAH I CAN´T HEAR YOU!

[BetoJR]

Hey, knock yourself silly, Magnus.
I just don't want to participate anymore, when it's only a matter of opinion vs. opinion.

[magnuskn]

Originally Posted by DeX-kun

Honestly, it can be argued either way but I hate repeating myself and the fold booster thing is irrelevant. His VF has never been shown equipped in the show and it was never seen without the fold boosters so how can you even say that he prepared it when it's always been on. Besides you just ignored the gist of my response, so before you even start claiming I'm in denial, take a good look and acknowledge my response before shooting it down. That's all I ever get from you guys, I know when to admit I'm wrong but I can't say the same for others.

Are you KIDDING ME? His fold booster is never not on? What?!?

Episodes: 7,9, 13, 14... I got tired of checking. No fold boster. At all.

Before you chuck out ridiculous blanket statements like this, check your facts!

So, I think we can without a doubt establish that Ranka a.) wanted to get off Frontier and b.) Brera was prepared for that.

So you either can continue to think that Brera was somehow anticipating Ranka and installed the fold booster pre-emptively ( I wonder how he explained that to Grace. ) and that Ranka was seriously thinking that Alto would choose to take her and Ai-kun, whose colleagues just had killed his best friend.

OR

Maybe you could accept that the most logical conclusion is that Ranka had already gone to Brera beforehand.

Originally Posted by BetoJR

Hey, knock yourself silly, Magnus.
I just don't want to participate anymore, when it's only a matter of opinion vs. opinion.

It´s not. It´s a matter of facts against fantasy. I prefer to stand by the side of facts.