Thoughts on Macross Plus

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Arbiter GUNDAM
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Thoughts on Macross Plus

The whole thing can be found here.

Originally in my SDF Macross review I said the macros was Top Gun meets Battlestar: Galactica meets Transformers with a dash of Star Wars thrown in. Well no where does the Top Gun analogy become more apparent than with the 4-episode mini-series(or OVA) Macross Plus, released in 1994. The story features two rival jet fighter test pilots in a setting that is highly reminiscent of the classic Tom Cruise and Val Kilmer flick. There’s planes, space, dogfights, pretty girls, but unlike Top Gun, Macross Plus features a psychotic AI pop star, a kinda-sorta love triangle and a futuristic setting.

Now first of all, I have to say that after the disappointment that was Macross II, Plus was about 10x, no, 100x better. I seriously wanted to have Kenny Loggins’ Danger Zone or Cheap Trick’s Mighty Wings come blaring out of the speakers as the YF-19 and -21 danced across the sky. I mean, I enjoyed this so much I think there was only two things I really want to have them improve. They could have explained Sharon’s self-awareness a bit more and also why she seemed so intent on hypnotizing people and why she wanted to kill Isamu.
I also didn’t care much for Myung as well. I don’t dislike her but I think to myself “Gooooossshhh! Get off the pity wagon and stop being so damn depressing, especially when you’ve got guys like Isamu and Guld around." I don’t really blame Isamu for being more interested in Lucy when he got back to Eden than Myung.
Other than that this was solid, first-rate, no holds-barred, thrill-riding fun. I would not be embarrassed to say that I enjoyed Macross Plus more than Transformers 3, and that’s saying something. The characters, planes, visuals (none of that damn moe crap), music and sounds all come together beautifully. The fact that this was a good dub as well is an extra plus. With the talents of VA’s like Bryan Cranston (TV’s Breaking Bad), Richard Epcar and Beau Billingslea, it’s actually a joy to listen to as the actors actually emote. What a concept! All in all, on the MAHQ scale of stars, this gets five gold stars! Now if only it had Danger Zone…
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Wingnut
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Re: Thoughts on Macross Plus

Arbiter GUNDAM wrote:Now if only it had Danger Zone…
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nacho-wan
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Re: Thoughts on Macross Plus

For technical achievement, Macross Plus is quite good. Plot? not so much. I find the cast of Macross Plus quite odd. The show's only saving grace are its Valkyries and their dance of death.
Aun cuando mil millones de personas acepten una idea absurda, sigue siendo absurda.
Although a thousand million people accept an absurd idea, it still is an absurd idea
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zerogradius
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Re: Thoughts on Macross Plus

I loved Plus. Right now its my second favorite entry in the Macross universe. The movie was a bit better than the OVAs in my opinion.

The problems I have with it though are:

1. Isamu and Guld did not go to Earth to save Myung or at least Macross City. They knew nothing about what was going on. They each went there for their selfish reasons (Isamu to fight the Ghost X9 and Guld to kill him). In the end, they just happened to come across the craziness that was happening. Sharon acted like she planned for Isamu to show up, like she somehow knew he would arrive there, but how could she, especially when she had no contact with him and he knew nothing of what was going on. It was all a coincidence that he was there, and it's a bit of a stretch if you ask me.

2. Sharon said that she was in love with Isamu, yet spent all her time in ep 4 trying to kill him. Why? If she was in love with him, how would killing him solve anything? What would she have done once she did kill him?

3. The guy with the glasses who unleashed Sharon by using that forbidden tech on her (can't remember his name), what was his purpose? What was he trying to prove? Was he crazy like Sharon, or was he after something more? In the end, did he willingly kill himself or was he a victim of Sharon who forced him to leap off the Macross?
nacho-wan
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Re: Thoughts on Macross Plus

zerogradius wrote:I loved Plus. Right now its my second favorite entry in the Macross universe. The movie was a bit better than the OVAs in my opinion.

The problems I have with it though are:

1. Isamu and Guld did not go to Earth to save Myung or at least Macross City. They knew nothing about what was going on. They each went there for their selfish reasons (Isamu to fight the Ghost X9 and Guld to kill him). In the end, they just happened to come across the craziness that was happening. Sharon acted like she planned for Isamu to show up, like she somehow knew he would arrive there, but how could she, especially when she had no contact with him and he knew nothing of what was going on. It was all a coincidence that he was there, and it's a bit of a stretch if you ask me.

2. Sharon said that she was in love with Isamu, yet spent all her time in ep 4 trying to kill him. Why? If she was in love with him, how would killing him solve anything? What would she have done once she did kill him?

3. The guy with the glasses who unleashed Sharon by using that forbidden tech on her (can't remember his name), what was his purpose? What was he trying to prove? Was he crazy like Sharon, or was he after something more? In the end, did he willingly kill himself or was he a victim of Sharon who forced him to leap off the Macross?
Don't take me too seriously because I'm speculating a bit:

1.That's my point with this series. Its characters are to wild and the plot is pretty convenient. Isamu is a hero of opportunity if anything else. Useless trivia point, Isamu was the one that tested the prototype technology implemented in the VF-25 Messiah by flying a VF-24 in a solo mission to destry a battleship in a mock battle.

2.Sharon expressed Myung's feelings. The AI probably didn't understood what it was saying. She tryid to kill isamu so it didn't have to share Myung's love (whom it uncounsiusly considered a mother figure).

3.The glassed guy wanted to show the power of AI. He was related to the ghost development, so he probably would have made a profit on the AI implementation of mobile weapons.
Aun cuando mil millones de personas acepten una idea absurda, sigue siendo absurda.
Although a thousand million people accept an absurd idea, it still is an absurd idea
-Henry I. Miller
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