Introduction:
I blogged about how I’m part
of the Robotech generation of anime
fans. It was the series that really brought anime to my attention as a kid. And
even though I became a full-fledged fan of Japanese animation about ten years after viewing the
series, it made an impression on me. One of the anime series of the 1990s that
helped pull me into fandom (after Rally and the Gunsmith Cats worked their magic) was a sequel to the Robotech saga. Of course Robotech was the American name for the
series, in Japan it was known as Super
Dimension Fortress: Macross.
Summary:
Isamu Dyson (Lee Stone) is a
young cocky mecha pilot. He has all the skills to make him great, but a
reckless attitude that endangers others when he shows off. Because he’s a bit of
an ass, his superiors decide to transfer him to New Edwards on the planet Eden,
to be a test pilot for the experimental mecha they are working on. Isamu knows
his ego is writing checks his body can’t cash, but he doesn’t care, and heads
off for his new assignment with glee.
Little does he know that his
old rival Guld Goa Bowman (Richard George) is also a test pilot at New Edwards.
The two renew their dislike for each other, and Colonel Millard (Beau
Billingslea) uses it to his advantage, forcing the two to compete with each
other to determine which experimental fighter will be the best fit for the
military.
To further complicate
matters, Isamu and Guld both had a childhood crush on the same girl, Myung Fang
Lone (Anne Sherman). She’s also returned to Eden as the manager of the hottest
idol singer in the galaxy. The singer is named Sharon Apple (Melora Harte), but
she is no ordinary idol. She’s actually a computer system that is linked to
Myung. Her emotional programming gets a boost from her human counterpart, and
the computer creates the perfect image and songs for the spectators – creating
the ultimate in entertainment.
These four personalities are
going to collide in a battle of egos, history and technology. And don’t count
Sharon out, just because she doesn’t have a body, doesn’t mean she won’t play
for keeps, and leave nothing but pieces in her wake.
Good Points:
- Some amazing animation for its time
- Wonderful score and songs by Yoko Kanno
- Develops an interesting corner of the Macross universe
Bad Points:
- Those looking for pure action will be annoyed by the human drama that takes center stage
- Someone watched Top Gun a few times before writing the script
- Does not follow any of the characters or events from the television series
Overall:
Judged on its own merits, Macross Plus is an entertaining series.
The impressive animation showcases some amazing battle sequences and the virtual
realities of Sharon Apple. Kanno’s songs are a wonderful mix of mysterious,
beautiful, and poppy. It’s solid entertainment,
and was certainly a showcase series of its time.
Scores
(out of 5)
Visuals: 4
Sound: 4
Acting: 3
Script: 3
Music: 4
Direction: 4
Entertainment: 4
Total: 4
In Depth Review
The Macross Plus logo opens each episode. In the mid 90s this CG image was the cat's pajamas! |
To tell you the truth Macross Plus was still very entertaining.
I didn’t remember it being so focused on the love triangle. I didn’t remember
the animation being so good (especially during the flying and battle
sequences). And now that I’ve seen the entirety of the original Macross series (sure it was in Robotech
form, but it counts), a lot of neat parallels became more
obvious.
Guld's fighter prepares for it's next test run at New Edwards. |
I have seen some folks take
issue with the character design. In an act of rebellion, the characters defy
the tiny nose convention of most anime, and go for some serious nasal action. I
actually liked this look; it certainly makes the series stand apart from its
peers in the visual department. The same look would be used in one of the best
series of the decade, Vision of
Escaflowne, which boasted many of the same creative team. To me it’s a nice
glimpse of a time when unique character design was more prevalent in anime.
Sharon Apple's first concert on planet Eden is a smashing success. |
Isamu is riding the highway to the danger zone when he trash talks to Guld. |
And speaking of the concerts
and music, well you knew I had to mention it at some point. Yoko Kanno’s work
on Macross Plus is what really
brought her to the attention of many anime fans as well as being her real
breakout piece. She composed the score; an eclectic mix of styles ranging from
classical inspirations like Stravinsky and Prokofiev, to film composer styles
similar to Ennio Morricone, John Williams and even Bill Conti’s work on The Right Stuff. The score is primarily
orchestral and performed with energy by the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra.
Myung is Sharon Apple's "manager" in more ways than one. |
Since this was an early
anime release, it was made when anime companies were experimenting with
translating the J-pop into English. The English dub for Macross Plus features an English version of Voices, performed by Michelle Flynn. She does a fine job and her
vocal style is very similar to Akino Arai. The rest of the English dub is
pretty hit and miss. It’s kind of odd, because many of these performers would
go on to do some great work for future projects like Cowboy Bebop and Ghost in
the Shell: Stand Alone Complex. But here, there are some very stilted deliveries,
flat performances and some odd acting choices. There are a few comical (not
intentional) moments. The script isn’t terribly complicated, so you can go with
Japanese with subtitles for this one. Of the cast, I think Lee Stone (which was
a pseudonym for actor Bryan Cranston of Breaking
Bad fame) as Isamu does the best job channeling his inner Tom Cruise.
One of the images that always comes to mind when I think of this series. |
Sharon Apple takes the
whole thing to a new level, she’s a newborn whose entire psyche is based on a
damaged woman’s. She has nearly godlike powers and doesn’t feel she needs to
hold back when trying to achieve her ultimate goal – to provide Isamu with the
ultimate experience. In other words, try her darnedest to kill him in front of
Myung. You know how those virtual idols are.
A rescue attempt is about go horribly wrong. |
This cityscape is familiar to all fans of the Macross (and Robotech) series. |
But wait! Where is Sharon Apple in this review? I suspect she needed a rogues' gallery of her own.
"I'll be waiting to give you the Ultimate experience." |
Something in us recognizes robots and AI as our children, making us love them and fear them -- I suppose Luddites would understand (if not quite condone) Kronos eating his children. So, while such a plot element may not be original, I can see how it still can...well, animate a story.
ReplyDeleteYes, and the creators really did some interesting stuff with Sharon and Myung in the final episode. Myung talks to Sharon like a child, treating her like a teenager who is rebelling. But as the episode continues, Myung realizes how powerless she is, and the roles reverse. Sharon takes the mother role, even changing her size, so she looms over Myung. There is a great scene where Myung is curled up in despair and Sharon is holding her, trying to comfort her - but talking crazy the whole time.
DeleteYou'll see what I'm talking about in the rogues gallery, :)
I've always been intrigued by Macross. It sounds like I might enjoy it. I can see the influence on series like Yukikaze. Great cioverage of a classic Roman.
ReplyDeleteBest sff
Thanks! "Macross Plus" is a lot of fun. Sharon Apple really steals the show, and as a showcase for 90s animation it really is a milestone. But compared to the original "Macross" saga from the early 80s, well I like the older series a bit more. It had more depth to the story of resisting and surviving an alien invasion. The characters had more room to breath and evolve. And the ending really packed a punch. The only downside is that it got a bit too wacky at times with silly comic relief characters and the whole "pop song saves the universe" conceit. But in the end, the rest of the series makes up for that. If you ever get a chance to check it out go for it. You can even give "Robotech" a spin and get the same story. "Macross" is pretty much the first third of the "Robotech" series.
DeleteI think I feel in someways about anime the way someone does to comic books, a bit overwhelmed. There's so much of it, a large part of it looks the same, and to be truthful there's a lot of similar themes or stories. Plus where to begin? There's the American versions, then the original version, and so on.
ReplyDeleteI do have the Americanize version of Robotech, The Macross Saga, which if I remember comes from the Americanized cartoon show. I wasn't a fan either when it originally aired--I just didn't know about it at the time.
I was loaned a copied VHS tape from a friend, and as I remember, it was a Japanese dub of the series. So that the spoken dialog was in Japanese, but you could watch the visuals. I don't remember if it had subtitles or not--it may have as I do remember it being about an invasion and a few plot points, and I don't think I'd remember that much from just the visuals. At any rate, I finally picked up the series when I found a pretty cheap set. Actually for whatever reason I enjoy the earlier anime over some of the new stuff, which I think has gotten more homogenized on one hand, yet branched out in some regards too. I guess I mean, that the art is too similar looking, yet some of the stories have branched out and away from just SF themes. Good review.
Yeah anime can be very intimidating these days. I mean, I've been out of the loop for a few years and now there seems to be so many new shows and so many new favorites, I just have no clue about most of them. Pretty much why my reviews are pretty much limited to the stuff I enjoyed back in the 90s and early 00s.
DeleteAnime used to be a bit more diverse in its topics. It really seems like they have narrowed things down theme and plot wise. It's hard to find a good series that doesn't feel like a rehash or amalgam of things you've already seen.
And as much as I like to believe that there is an anime show for everyone, I've come to realize that this medium just doesn't click for some folks. And I understand that.
Your comparison to comic books is apt. Some people will just get comics and will always love them. Others will never get into them at all. Anime is just the same. Hopefully some of my reviews can help you find a series you'll enjoy. But I totally see where you're coming from.