Macross was never supposed to be profound, and sometimes it is without ever intending it.

This is I think what makes it great - when Macross is done well it ends up being more than the sum of its parts. I don’t know if I’ll ever get around to watching M7, but this was thoroughly enjoyable. Sadly we’ll probably have to wait another five years for more…

This is due to us fans reading a lot into the text. We wouldn’t do this if the material wasn’t so winsome and charming. Macross Frontier was just what I needed after all these years as a Macross Lifer.

I was almost sure one of the two singers would end up with Alto, and for a while there, I was wondering if they were going to try to make some kind of love triangle actually work (now that’s fiction, people!) But the resolution - essentially that their competition for his heart will continue on - managed to surprise rather than disappoint. I personally sided with Ranka throughout the series, even when she “defected” to the Vajra.

Looking forward to the movie, whether it be a spinoff or furtherance of the series’ story. For now, Frontier has a firm place in my top 10 anime.

One final note: I’m sure I’m not the only one who noticed Frontier’s main city’s numerous visual similarities to the San Francisco Bay Area. While the hills, Cable Cars, TransAmerica Pyramid and Golden Gate Bridge are obvious, if I hadn’t been to the Bay Area this past June, I wouldn’t have noticed the more subtle homages to SF/Berkeley; from the Oakland bridge, green cylindrical newsstands, to the gate to Alto’s school…a dead ringer for the gate to Sproul Plaza at UC Berkeley! I really appreciated this intricate attention to detail.

@Crusader: you EPIC POST makes me a bit more comfortable with mine being so long! I agree with pretty much everything you’ve said here and in your post - the Alto/Sheryl pairing is the natural conclusion, which will no doubt be even more so when I rewatch. The ‘Ranka is a criticism of the moe archetype’ is a great theory that I’d love to hear confirmed by Kawamori himself too. The way that Sheryl’s character was handled was one of my highlights of the series actually.

@ai: thanks for the linkage!

@blissmo: as I said for Crusader’s comment the ending isn’t as conclusive, but reading between the lines I reckon that while flying was Alto’s first love, he made a promise to Sheryl and I doubt he’s the sort to break a promise like that. Overall the character side of things didn’t resonate with me as much as Plus did, but I think it’s going back to my criticism that they’re falling back too heavily on portraying their archetypes.

@Peter S: given that so many anime shows have questionable endings, it’s great to see one that does the job with such flair and epic-ness. I’d also recommend you watch Plus sooner rather than later, but there’s probably another five years before we see any new Macross (apart from the Frontier movie). I hope you’re enjoying Ghost Hound though - that’s one series that succeeds in being refreshingly different, and really enjoyable too.

@Ibrevis: thanks. ^_^ I was wondering who Bilrer was looking at in that photo - it’s good old Kawamori playing with our heads again! My predictions for the future kinda stem from that open ending, which I think is intended to make your imagination run a bit. I still think it’s a Sheryl End, even beyond my own wishful thinking!

Got to say I like your vision of the future. I suggest you email it to the staff for the upcoming movie. Make sure they put your name in the credits!

lbreviss last blog post..Macross Frontier 25 - What am I watching?

All in one episode.

Really, what more do we want? Cut out the “songs” bit and we’re talking not just Macross, but any good space opera.

Okay, this character or that didn’t pan out, it got slow at some points. I frankly don’t care too much. For me not the best show of the year either, but that’s because I’m slowly rewatching “Ghost Hound.”

But I’m delighted with this franchise I hadn’t seen until now. I’ll take your previous recommendation and watch “Plus” … sooner or later.

I don’t find any of the characters, even Sheryl, memorable. To me they all seemed shallow … maybe it’s because I don’t really like them. Alto should have made a decision between Ranka and Sheryl at the end, but instead he flies into the sky. Happy threesome ending, it seems.

blissmos last blog post..Manifest ‘08, Saturday

Ais last blog post..null

I suspect that Ranka’s stagnation and backsliding was the result of Kawamori’s implicit criticism of Moe. For the most part Ranka was a moe-blob that never did grow out of it even at the end I was a bit displeased that Ranka had the gall to think that she could get another chance.

Once Kawamori threw down the Battle Galaxy gauntlet it was pretty much a sign that the last episode would be almost exclusively pure Macross fanservice. Still Sheryl did surprise me with how much she grew. I was expecting her to remain a stuck up diva, but it did not turn out that way.

I had little prior Macross knowledge and I was still able to enjoy the series. Still, I agree that the series could have been stronger with less homage.

Kabitzins last blog post..Macross Frontier 25 (Final)