Macross


Macross

aka Chou Jikuu Yousai Macross (Super Dimension Fortress Macross)

 

Basic Premise

When an armed alien spaceship crash lands on Earth in 1999, the world unites in preparation of hostile beings from beyond Earth.

 

It is now 2009, and the rebuilt spaceship, now known as the Macross, is ready for its maiden flight. During the launch ceremony, the ship's ancient automated defense system activates, firing upon an alien fleet that had been searching for the Macross.

 

Desperate to escape the alien onslaught and draw fire away from the civilian population surrounding the ship, Captain Global activates the ship's fold system. However, it malfunctions, taking the Macross (and the civilians) to the far side of Pluto (as opposed to the Moon). Now, the Macross, and its civilian cargo, must return home while being pursued by the alien Zentradi...

 

Reviews: Anime News Network review.

 

Similar Anime: Other late 70s and 80s "real mecha" anime, such as Gundam, Armor Trooper VOTOMS, etc. Later anime such as Nadesico share similar themes.

 

Main Characters

Hikaru Ichijyo: Our shonen hero. A stunt pilot visiting his sempai (and Macross squadron commander) Roy Focker, he is unluckily in the cockpit of one of the Macross's Valkyrie fighter craft when the order is issued to scramble...

 

Lynn Minmay: The would-be idol, a waitress in a Chinese restaurant in the shadow of the Macross. Rescued by Hikaru in the intial attack, the two fall for each other. But, will it last?

 

Misa Hayase: De facto second in command of the Macross. First in her class at the Academy and the very model of a modern major officer, she is the one that orders the fighters to scramble...

 

Pimpage

Macross is just well put together. It manages to combine what would normally be totally different elements into a coherent whole. After watching, you would think that mecha, love triangles, and pop idols are a natural fit.

 

Perhaps more than other anime of its kind, Macross attempts to address the human condition in a reasonably mature way.

 

Maybe most importantly, it has heart.

 

Several extra points:

1) Macross was one of the first anime to combine two great flavors into one show: mecha action and love triangle. This tradition continues in the various Macross sequels.

 

2) The staff of Macross combined anime veterans, such as Noboru Ishiguro (Legend of the Galactic Heroes) with a plucky group of young animators, such as Shoji Kawamori (Escaflowne, Arjuna) and some nobody named Hideaki Anno.

 

3) Macross was adapted into the first part of the Robotech TV series, which sentenced a whole generation of children to otakudom before they even knew it was originally Japanese.

 

4) It features some of the ugliest animation you won't care about, because it's that good.

 

5) Space Tuna.

 

6) Captain Global is a pimp (seriously, check out the view from his chair).