The difference? The military isn't her job, it's her entire life. Then again, that's the view of someone who watched the show 25 years ago and rewatches it every once in a while. Always serious and proper, and called an "Old Maid' by some of the pilots for scolding them when they get out of line
. Thing is, it can be Hell on Earth [or Alien Invasion] or some other calamity but the one constant in Macross is an unusually calm and rational voice barking orders to the troops.
Misa breaks several archetypes and a number of glass ceilings throughout the show.
Whiny and frantic Bridge Bunny. Shot down in the first episode despite accidently sending a complete noob into a fight with unknown aliens.
Later she get's out of the bridge... but that's another story.
Cinderella. Needs rescuing from the 'Tower' at times. Otherwise, she's redefined ship to ship combat in the modern age >_< Let's not forget about the Nuke.
Too smart for her own good. As above. Now add Zentradi baiting
The good part about it is when she has a good idea, a lot of people tend to live longer. She figured out what makes a Zentradi tick simply by observation, and was spot on in her theory. I suspect that her report on the effect of her demonstration would be very clinical.
And she's HOT. For about a dozen or so episodes I was thinking 'Old Maid', then she got very wet
and her personality... changed. That's another favourite episode, next to a VF getting smashed in a scene that had me rooting for the enemy.