posts tagged “Macross”
[OAVs, Movies and Full Series]
10 Sep 2008
Posted by Martin [Tags: Macross]
With Macross Frontier drawing to a close by the end of the month I figured that now is a good time to revisit one of my earliest fansubbed experiences in the form of Macross Zero. At the time when I first watched it the brilliance of Plus was fresh in my mind but that was as far as my knowledge of the franchise went; with hindsight (and most of Frontier) behind me the re-watch was an interesting exercise in watching the prequel OAV with more experienced eyes and seeing how it fits into the Macross universe as a whole.
Going for a GERWALK on the beach *cough*
The drawn-out release schedule (five parts over the course of two years) indicates that the production staff took their time over this, which really shows in the production values. I believe it was also the most expensive series of its time and although I’m not sure if that record still stands, I have to admit that every frame oozes the sense that no expense was spared. Before I get onto the other aspects of the series I will concede that Zero is the prettiest addition to the franchise to date: there’s no evidence of pans, stills or any other form of corner-cutting so I’d recommend it on the eye candy level alone; it just looks gorgeous. Sadly certain other key areas are not as flawless.
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[Anime Reviews]
09 Aug 2008
Posted by Martin [Tags: Macross, Macross Frontier]
The first question I ought to be answering here is, if Macross Frontier is one of my favourite shows I’m watching now, why am I not blogging about it more often? For sure, I’m enjoying it one heck of a lot but while some stuff is really enjoyable to watch that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s easy to write about too. I don’t blog anything episode-by-episode any more either (Eve no Jikan will be an exception to this, but I don’t see it being released weekly like the TV series are) and Frontier is a good example of why: I’d just be writing really short posts that state the same things over and over.
Nuff said
It would go something like this: the aerial scenes rival those of Macross Zero (honestly), the music is only one level below that of Plus and it has a good balance of humour, dorama and intrigue. Basically, this is space opera anime of the highest order - the sort of stuff my blog lives for. As true as all that is, it pretty much goes without saying for every episode so I can’t be bothered to reiterate it every week…unless I can somehow acquire the same talent for insight and humour as Kabitzin perhaps.
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[Anime Reviews]
10 Jun 2008
Posted by Martin [Tags: Macross, Macross Frontier, Unashamed fanboying]
After languishing in the seventh level of Backlog Hell I realised that I hadn’t blogged Macross Frontier since the First Impressions posts. My bad. Despite the strong start to the series, things took a bit of a dip after a while, culminating in a thoroughly disappointing episode eight that featured lazy animation, fillerish content and had a chase through the school after a pair of undies as its centerpiece. Since Most People™ are following this show too, it’s safe to say you know I’m not making that up; for all my Macross fanboying, I struggled to find anything to say about it.
Enter episode ten which, among other things, borrows a lot from the Macross Zero OAV. I haven’t had chance to re-watch and blog that yet but for all its pretty-shinyness that was an underwhelming offering in terms of characterisation and, well, everything apart from the pretty-shinyness. Frontier delivers on at least some of the visuals; in terms of content though it wins hands-down over its high-budget predecessor. My expectations were high given its Anniversary status but now I can look enthusiastically upon Frontier as a worthy addition to the franchise I know and love.
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[OAVs, Movies and Full Series]
14 Jan 2008
Posted by Martin [Tags: Macross, Strictly Old-School]
It pains me to admit that I still haven’t seen the original SDF Macross series - put it down to a combination of waiting on an announcement from ADV for a R2 release and lament@backlog. Robotech doesn’t really count as an experience of the series itself either since certain names had been changed, some concepts altered and others shoehorned into the script to make the transition to the two subsequent arcs smoother. As a result my experience of the Macross universe is limited to that indirect encounter, the Plus movie and OAV (masterpiece), Zero (pretty-shiny but lacking in plot and characterisation) and Frontier (a good start but we’ll have to wait until Spring to see how it pans out). Mindful that the original Macross is ‘teh oldz’, I sat down to watch Do You Remember Love? with the anticipation of seeing a somewhat cheesy old-school but classic anime movie. I wasn’t disappointed.
A magical moment between Ichijyo and Minmay
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[Anime Reviews]
28 Dec 2007
Posted by Martin [Tags: First Impressions and Retrospectives, Macross, Macross Frontier]
It’s almost cruel to put out the first episode of Macross Frontier, possibly the coolest Christmas gift evaaar, only to declare that we won’t see the rest until the spring; right from the first rumbles and rumours I’d been keeping my eyes peeled for any tidbit of news or scrap of promo art with the words “MOAR MACROSS! MOAR MACROSS!” zooming around inside my head like a Valkyrie on afterburner. Since it’s an anniversary piece I daresay no expense has been spared in getting it together either; even the mighty Kawamori himself is credited on the staff roll-call as Chief Director. In case you’re head hasn’t quite exploded in fanboyish jubilation just yet, what about Yoko Kanno being back to provide her first musical score contribution to the franchise since Plus? Talk about high expectations…
Hell yeah!
Okay then, this was one of THE big 2008 titles for me so I might not be as objective as some. Macross Zero set a new benchmark for aerial combat while Macross Plus did the same thing for the level of characterisation and soundtrack quality way back in 1994 so there are bound to be comparisons here, there and everywhere, both positive and negative. I suppose this uncertainty comes from a pedigree that’s as unpredictable as the mighty Gundam but for whatever reason I’ve always been a Macross man; on the other hand, success is by no means guaranteed, Kawamori/Kanno or no. It’s impossible to gauge from one episode the merits of the character development or storyline either, so to make any judgement in that respect would be idle speculation; so, what do we have to go on?
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[OAVs, Movies and Full Series]
08 Aug 2007
Posted by Martin [Tags: Macross, Strictly Old-School]
“And sometimes is seen a strange spot in the sky/a human being that was given to fly…”
Top ten lists and ‘recommend me an anime title’ are questions that I stumble on quite a bit when discussing anime in general. My own top ten list changes and, depending on the circumstances, so do my recommendations but the brilliant slab of sci-fi that is Macross Plus is invariably one of them, even now.
For those who don’t know, it’s set after the war depicted in the Super Dimensional Fortress Macross series. It pits two test pilots, Isamu Dyson and Guld Bowman, against each other while working on rival designs for the next generation of Varitech fighter jet. In addition to their professional rivalry, the two heroes (if you can call them that…I’ll pick up on this in a minute) are vying for the attention of Myung, a childhood friend who is the manager for the electronic pop sensation Sharon Apple.
There’s a lot going on in Macross Plus: be it the love triangle, the varitech action, the industrial espionage and so much else - yet, whether it’s the four part OAV or the feature-length version, the whole thing hangs together perfectly and no element gets in the way of any of the others. The premise sounds like a testosterone-fuelled Top Gun with better weaponry but nothing could be further from the truth: both in production values and storytelling, this deserves its classic status.
One important factor that makes Macross Plus such a winner is the mouthwatering array of ingredients that went into its production: the original Macross creator, Shoji Kawamori, was behind the whole project (always a good start), with Shinchiro Watanabe (who went on to direct Cowboy Bebop) on hand as co-director and the guy in charge of the storyboards. Now, I’ve only seen Macross in its Robotech incarnation (an experience akin to listening to Dark Side of the Moon in mono rather than stereo: the awesomeness is evident but it’s not as satisfying) but Kawamori’s involvement gives it a great sense of authenticity. Watanabe lends smoothness and style which is particularly evident in the aerial scenes; I didn’t see such exhilarating airborne mecha battles in any anime show until Eureka Seven (Kawamori was involved in this too), with the detail in vapour trails and lovingly-rendered mecha designs being the stuff that sci-fi fans are rarely treated to.
The soundtrack is one of Macross Plus‘ enduring characteristics too, being the debut effort from Yoko Kanno. The show spawned not one but two OST albums, not to mention several other odds and ends that dedicated souls can track down on import. Songs such as After in the Dark, Idol Talk and the sublime Voices (sung by Akino Irai) are among her most well-loved numbers and despite one or two oddities the score as a whole lifts the production into a different league. With music being a pervading theme in the Macross franchise, it’s fitting that the soundtrack to this particular production is of such a high calibre: a particularly memorable highlight is that Sharon Apple concert scene, with the seductive electro-pop melding with the dreamlike holographic visuals.
The beating heart of any film or series is the characterisation: in the case of Macross Plus it takes the form of two hot-headed and flawed protagonists and the woman they grew up with. In a genre full of gung-ho heroes who are every bit the viewer’s role model, the squabbling and juvenile rivalry between Dyson and Bowman sets them apart from the likes of the suave Roy Foker. We don’t learn the underlying reason why two old friends could grow to be such bitter enemies until near the end, but it’s very true-to-life and convincing - at the same time, it highlights how friendships can be maintained and broken. Even Myung, who you might expect to be a mere object of their desires, is a well fleshed-out character in her own right whose inner demons and past regrets are reflected in the virtual-reality idoru that is Sharon Apple. In a world of high technology in which even celebrities are artificial, the romance and drama of the people involved are the driving force and form the main reason why I can sit down and enjoy this show again and again: I can understand why they make the mistakes that they did, and crucially I care about what happens to them.
Summary
Macross Plus seems to have it all: heartfelt characterisation, action, intrigue and drama, all wrapped up in a visual style and outstanding musical score that still stand up well alongside newer productions. From the bitter fighting between Guld and Isamu, through the eye-watering Sharon Apple concert and fast-paced Varitech combat, to the final edge-of-your-seat showdown in front of the Macross itself, it delivers on every level. What more could you ask for?
[3 Comments]
[Music]
11 Oct 2006
Posted by Martin [Tags: Macross, Yoko Kanno]
The second half of the Macross Plus soundtrack is much more varied in style than the first, although inevitably this means that it is less consistent in quality. At least, unlike its predecessor, this CD is still available outside of Japan without going to too much trouble with importing.
Idol Talk is an impressive way to open the album, being lifted straight from that legendary Sharon Apple concert scene. Imagine early Madonna fast-forwarded fifty years and you’d be halfway to imagining what a superlative piece of J-pop this song is: an insistent synthesised drumbeat mixes with electronic samples and Akino Arai’s sweet, seductive vocal delivery that really sounds like the future of music.
The two following tracks, Jade and Nomad Soul, are background pieces that show the record’s variety to great effect. The former is a carefree ‘marching’ type of tune with jolly whistling, drums, warbling hammond organ and a dash of bluesy acoustic guitar here and there; the latter is a three minute jazz-inspired saxophone solo. *grins* Nice.
The feel of Welcome to Sparefish will be immediately recognisable to anyone who is familiar with the music from Cowboy Bebop: the lazy, twangy slide guitar brings in the carefree blues vibe once again. I always think of that tune as Isamu’s theme. ^_^
Go Ri a Te is a strange one, kicking off with a tribal-sounding vocal chant then pan pipes and taiko drums, except the instruments are all electronic! A keyboard performing a jaunty oriental melody tops of a decidedly strange piece. Let’s News is odd too, but is over just as you’re thinking “what the…?” about the vocal samples. It wouldn’t be missed if it were omitted from the tracklisting, but it isn’t long enough to try your patience.
Pulse on the other hand is a beautiful track that is not unlike the chilled-out electronica from Royksopp and Massive Attack: a soaring vocal harmony plays out over the slow-paced beat with electronic loops and samples murmuring beneath. A definite highlight of the album, which could easily stand alone outside the album itself.
3cm is a variation on the first OST’s More than 3cm, this time performed on piano and sax; this above all others on this disc highlights Kanno’s Debussy and other similar influences, adding the only classical offering on the album.
Akino Irai returns for the sublime acoustic version of Voices, arguably the best song on the whole disc. With the instumentation stripped down to mere piano accompaniment, this version loses none of its power and haunting beauty; I’ll leave it up to you to decide on which of the two versions you prefer because I love them both - mainly because the instrumentation adds a more sombre and introspective spin to the song.
Pu Qua O is more strongly driven by piano melodies before those electric pan pipes return, and serves as a relaxing and light interlude before the dark and brooding Sweet Feather (which retains its feeling of foreboding because I associate it with its moment in the OAV) - it would be better titled as ‘Ominous Night’ or similar.
A Sai En marks that moment where the Macross begins to re-awaken, i.e. it’s that searing, dramatic vocal chant that teeters tantalisingly on the edge of melodic. Emotionally charged indeed. Bad Dog, with its bizarre and quite frankly annoying vocal samples (also used on Santi U) is best left out of the discussion: take my advice and press the ’skip’ button because you’ll only lose patience before the more pleasant harmonies fade in towards the end.
Child Myung re-uses the distinctive melody used on both Myung Theme and Voices, this time played on a harp-like instrument. Coma is a rather slow and gloomy way to end the album, being quite low-key and directionless. Like many of the tracks here, it’s better as BGM than a stand-alone, sit-down-and-listen type of track.
Summary
The second OST follows on from and compliments the first one well, but as before there are a small number of stand-out tracks with a lot of interesting but less outstanding incidental music in between. There are still one or two songs I would have like to have seen included (namely Sharon Apple’s The Borderline) but overall the disparate range of influences and styles is a help rather than a hinderance. It’s far from Kanno’s strongest album to date but there is enough stand-out material to warrant a place in any fan’s collection.
Tracklisting
- Idol Talk
- Jade
- Nomad Soul
- Welcome to Sparefish
- Go Ri A Te
- Let’s News
- Pulse
- 3cm
- Voices (acoustic version)
- Pu Qua O
- Sweet Feather
- A Sai En
- Bad Dog
- Child Myung
- Coma
[2 Comments]
[Music]
25 Aug 2006
Posted by Martin [Tags: Macross, Yoko Kanno]
One of the most memorable aspects of Macross Plus is the music: a heady mixture of the orchestral, electronic and ambient. This is the first in what I hope will be a series of editorials drawing attention to the songwriter who created it: Yoko Kanno.
Although her scores for Cowboy Bebop and Ghost in the Shell: Stand-alone Complex are the most well-known Macross Plus has always had a special place in my appreciation of anime soundtracks since it was the first work of hers that I’d heard. Coincidentally, it was the first anime soundtrack she’d written - quite an amazing fact when you’ve given it a listen.
The first CD is quite a surprise in another sense: more than half of it is orchestral, no doubt inspired by European classical: the National Anthem of Macross has a ‘military band’ feel with the brass section and Fly Up in the Air: Tension could have been picked straight out of Holst’s The Planets. Somehow this traditional approach to a music score works well as a companion to a science fiction story but can stand as an outstanding record on its own. There isn’t much from the Sharon Apple set list though, which I’m assuming can be found in the second CD (which is fortunately easier to find).
The most outstanding tracks for me are the episode end theme After in the Dark and the stunning vocal piece Voices; the latter adding words to the soaring melody of Myung Theme. Already this compilation shows the trademarks of Kanno’s sound: eclectic yet easily recognisable with a wide variety of instrumentation and frequent use of heart-rending vocal harmonies (Torch Song and the haunting closing track Santi-U for instance).
This particular CD is out of print and hard to find unless you import (CDJapan.co.jp is your friend) - a shame since, as well as being Kanno’s first foray into anime soundtracks, it’s also one of her best. I strongly recommend you track it down: the effort involved will be amply rewarded.
Well, that’s all for now. The second Macross Plus OST is currently awaiting delivery and I already have the first draft of my GitS: SAC OST review ready so until then I’ll get back to the normal reviewing schedule…
Tracklisting:
1. National Anthem of Macross
2. Fly Up in the Air: Tension
3. After In the Dark: Torch Song
4. Myung Theme
5. Bees and Honey
6. In Captivity
7. More Than 3cm
8. Voices
9. Break Out: Cantabile
10. Very Little Wishes
11. Santi-U
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