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Alternative TitlesEnglish: Macross Frontier: The False Songstress Synonyms: Macross Frontier the Movie, Gekijouban Macross F: Itsuwari no Utahime InformationType:Movie Status: Finished Airing Producers: None found, add some Studios:Satelight, 8bit Genres:Action, Mecha, Military, Music, Romance, Sci-Fi, Space Rating: PG-13 - Teens 13 or older StatisticsRanked: #784 22 based on the top anime page. Please note that 'Not yet aired' and 'R18+' titles are excluded. Members: 24,812 | Ranked #784Popularity #2771Members 24,812 Add to List * Your list is public by default.SynopsisHalf retelling of the original Frontier series, half new story. Conspiracies arise within the Frontier government when Sheryl Nome arrives to the colonial fleet for her concert and is soon marked as a spy for Galaxy while childhood friends, Alto Saotome and Ranka Lee both try to achieve their dreams as the battle between Frontier and the Vajra draws closer.
This movie serves as part one of the Frontier retelling and will conclude with the second, The Wings of Goodbye.BackgroundNo background information has been added to this title. Help improve our database by adding background information here.
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Related Anime| Alternative version: | Macross F | | Sequel: | Macross F Movie 2: Sayonara no Tsubasa |
Characters & Voice Actors| Saotome, Alto Main | Nakamura, Yuuichi
Japanese |
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| Klang, Klan | Toyoguchi, Megumi
Japanese |
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| Lee, Ozma | Konishi, Katsuyuki
Japanese |
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| Angelloni, Luca Supporting | |
Staff| Kawamori, Shoji Director, Mechanical Design, Screenplay, Creator |
| Mima, Masafumi Sound Director |
| Kikuchi, Yasuhito Episode Director, Key Animation, Assistant Director |
| Matsuda, Kiyoshi Storyboard |
Edit Opening Theme No opening themes have been added to this title. Help improve our database by adding an opening theme here. Edit Ending Theme
More reviewsReviews 1 of 1 episodes seen KaminaKai(All reviews)
89 people found this review helpful |
| Overall | 9 | | Story | 8 | | Animation | 10 | | Sound | 10 | | Character | 8 | | Enjoyment | 10 |
“The animations … the insert songs … this movie is simply amazing.” Macross Frontier: The False Songstress is an excellent example of bringing a two season long TV series to the movie theater. Unlike many recent TV-to-theater adaptation in which a large portion of the movie is nothing but recycled scenes from the TV original, the staffs behind this Macross movie has dedicated their time in rewriting the story, revising the character relations, composing new songs and OST, and most of all, using completely new animation and scenes on ~90% of the movie. In other words, there are no more than a couple of minutes of reused materials from the TV series in this 120 minutes movie! So don’t be fooled if you are told this movie is nothing but a retell/summary of the original because that is far from the truth.
While the movie is paced so that a first time viewer with no prior background from the TV series can still follow the story at ease, but at the same time it will not bore those who have already watched the 25 episodes original because the story is so immensely different on so many different levels. However, with that said, I personally still recommend watching the TV series first before proceeding with this movie so that one would have more time to get accustom to the terminologies in that universe (ie. Deculture!). To fully appreciate the skillful remake of the story, one would need to have a solid understanding of the original creation.
The Macross series has been well known to many as a futuristic action-packed, mecha, sci-fi space opera with a healthy dose of romance and lots of aliens in the mix. But what really make this series differ from other mecha shows are the superb songs, soundtracks, and OST. In other words, the music. Music is an integral part of each and every Macross title dating back to the first series aired in 1982. Following this old tradition, Macross Frontier and its first movie have set numerous sales records in the anime music industry. In fact, it is not an exaggeration when it claims that its success is nearly unmatched in the history of anime music industry. Many of its albums reached Oricon’s weekly chart top three positions and maintained those positions for weeks! Of course it is always possible to argue that the successes of the albums are thanks to the skillful J-pop singer, May’n and to a lesser degree, Megumi Nakajima, the winner of the “Best Musical Performance” award.
Character growth/development tends to be lacking in recent TV-to-theater adaptations and before watching it, I sincerely hoped Macross Frontier: The False Songstress will allow me to write something positive for a change in this category. Fortunately for me (and for all the viewers), the main casts are quite realistic albeit the girls seem a bit more moody than their TV counterpart. While not on the level as its music production, the main characters do show enough depth and personality to make me view them as something more than a 2D character with voice (2.5D?).
Much like the music compartment, the animation of Macross Frontier and its movie has been highly regarded as top notch in their respective category. The fluidity in mecha motions during intense battle scenes must have struck many unprepared viewers like an intense thunder. It is rare to see Cel-shaded animation used so well that they seem natural to be part of the environment. What makes the animation more praise-worthy is the fact that the studio did not neglect the other aspects of the show (ie. not just the battle looks great). Simply put, the animation is without doubt THE selling point of the show. Even if you are not interested in mecha or galactic warfare or singing diva, the animation alone is enough to persuade you that this movie is great in its own way.
This two hours long movie is certainly a thrilling ride and well worth my time. There were moments that threw me off my seat, moments that I cheered for certain heroic deeds, and a particular moment that I thought was slightly awkward. But all in all, the “pros” of this movie heavily outweigh the “cons”, or perhaps I was being a bit unreasonable with my expectations. For the action-minded, both the introduction and climatic ending will not be a disappointment. For the music-minded, there are enough new and old songs in the mix to tease you into buying the albums. For all other viewers whether you are new to the Macross franchise or a diehard fan, the combination of beautiful divas, awesome looking mecha, and a love triangle fighting to save the galaxy should be a pretty good recipe to stir up your appetite.
1 of 1 episodes seen canabliss(All reviews)
19 people found this review helpful |
| Overall | 9 | | Story | 7 | | Animation | 10 | | Sound | 10 | | Character | 7 | | Enjoyment | 9 |
Okay, I'm not really a part of this website's community, I really just use it as an anime database. I also am not that good at writing reviews, but it's been weeks since this movie has been out on dvd and no one has written a review, so as a fan of the series and this movie I am going to have to do that. First of all, I can see why there are no reviews on MAL yet, this movie still isn't subbed. My Japanese skills are limited, since I'm not a fluent speaker yet, but I have been learning legitimately for about a year and some months (I don't speak super kawaii desu), which means I can catch on to a lot of individual words and small sentences which helps me get an idea of what's going on. I also saw the series, which helped out. Well, anyway, to sum up, I am writing a review based on what I saw, I didn't understand every word of it (especially the big sciency words), but I did get the jist of the story.
First off, you don't even have to speak Japanese to tell this movie is rushed, although it's not as much of a wreck as Unlimited Blade Works, it's pacing is still kind of hectic, if you are going to watch this movie, whether you understand japanese or not, please watch the series first or you will be somewhat confused.
It is a remake of the series, so you will see some differences from the series, which to me are welcomed. I can't really say much or I risk spoiling the movie.
As with most Gekijouban, Utsuwari no Utahime's strong point is NOT the story, although the story isn't bad, what really takes it away is the presentation. This movie is a classic example of what you can do to a masterpiece of the series when given a lot more money to do a remake. The animations and fight scenes were absolutely amazing, probably the best animations I have ever seen. They were so good, at times I just found myself just completely awed by how good it was. Everything just went so far above the series, including Sheryl's concerts, the Frontier itself, the looks of the ships and vajra, the explosions, the macross cannon, ect.
The music was what stayed the most faithful to the series, although we get pretty much the same music maybe 1 or 2 new songs, it was not a letdown any less than the rest of the movie. Because one of the coolest things about Macross F was how they presented the animations during the music, such as concerts and ect. Well, they take it to a whole new level in this movie, what eyes can do to your music listening experience is just absolutely amazing, the director definitely knows this, and used it to their full advantage.
If I had to pick a weakness of this movie though was that there wasn't nearly as much action as I thought there was going to be. Especially for a gekijouban of a mech series. Mech Gekijouban usually say 'screw the story' and give us action every 5 seconds. There really is only action in the beginning and end of the movie, with the middle being dramatic build up and story. Which isn't really bad, but they could have put a fight in the middle, that actually would have been pretty nice. Even if there wasn't as much action as there could have been, the action we did get was supurb, and the story was different enough from the series to constantly keep you somewhat on edge. The story goes up to about episode 7 in the series, when the Galaxy gets attacked by the vajra, but the ending is different than what happened in the series, so look forward to that.
Character-wise, Sheryl definitely played a bigger role with the vajra than she did in the series, but Ranka hasn't really done much in this movie. And Alto is the same Alto.
Overall, this movie was really damn good. If you are a fan of Macross F I strongly recommend you watch this whenever it's subbed. There is definitely enough changes to keep you interested. I now can't wait for the second movie, after watching this one, I wonder what kind of 'different ending' they are going to give us, well, if anyone wants to give me a ticket to fly to Japan in February I'll gladly accept it.
1 of 1 episodes seen CodeBlazeFate(All reviews)
10 people found this review helpful |
| Overall | 7 | | Story | 6 | | Animation | 9 | | Sound | 7 | | Character | 8 | | Enjoyment | 7 |
*VERY MILD SPOILERS AHEAD* Huh.This is the first positive review I`ve given on MAL... and this is review #3... OK then... I apologize for the comparisons to the parent anime known as Frontier, but this is essential to reviewing this movie in particular. Anecdotes are fun. Have you ever heard of Evangelion? If so, you may have heard of the rebuild films: films that are an alternate setting to the original. The beginning ones retell the original story with some tweaks, while the later ones branch out to tell a whole new story, like with movie three, and the upcoming movie four. Why am I telling you this seemingly irrelevant trivia? Because Macross Frontier had a similar deal. This movie, Macross F Movie 1: Itsuwari no Utahime, retells the first 10 episodes of the show, with many tweaks, for the first half. The second half of the film tells a new story. As for how well the film handled all of it, I`m sure you have some semblance of how I felt it did, given the score at the top right, but for those of you who want to know my full thoughts, let`s find out, shall we?
STORY: 6/10
This movie decided to retell the first 10-ish episodes of Macross Frontier, and it feels rather choppy, not helped by the numerous yet harmless changes made. Retellings in general dock points since they simply recap material fans of the parent story already know, just in a choppy and (depending on the quality) sloppy manner. Luckily, the film doesn't feel too sloppy, just choppy... for the first half. The second half is a bit more interesting. Sheryl Nome and Grace O`Connor have been labeled as spies from Macross Galaxy. Why the people at Frontier would assume that Galaxy has ill will towards them is beyond me. After Sheryl`s date with main lead Alto, and that whole suspicion debacle, he starts doubting her, and that trust is compounded when he sees her seemingly attacking his friend Ranka only for her to scold his and the Frontier military for their seemingly false accusations. I say seemingly because well, we`ll get to that in Movie 2. The alien race known as the Vajra continue their attack against humans that started shortly before the events of the first movie, and in the climax, are eliminated by frontier... for now...
CHARACTERS: 8/10
As for the main trio, not a whole lot was changed aside from Sheryl`s whole spy thing that gets resolved in the next film. Alto is still a seemingly rough guy with a heart of gold, Ranka is still the naïve upcoming songstress, albeit now, she`s childhood friends with Alto, and Sheryl is still the songstress with an ego problem yet still having a heart of gold. Everyone else from the original Macross Frontier is still kept in tact, even if we get less time for everyone to really develop and stand out. Overall, the are still the same people from Frontier, just with less development or time to get to know them.
ART: 9/10
One of the major problems in the art department as far as the Frontier anime goes is that while many scenes look good for `08 standards and other scenes look freakin` amazing, some scenes had to be sacrificed to look like something you`d normally see in some of Gonzo`s worst, even though this was done by studio Satelight. Luckily, this movie doesn't suffer from those problems. Now, it loos like a well done episode of Macross Frontier. The CG looks as brilliant as it did back in the original, and the actual hand drawn animation looks on par with that of `08-`09 standards. The performances done by Sheryl Nome look as great as ever, only with more emphasis on a style performance, however, there are no truly WOW moments in the movie aside from the astounding water effects, like say, Macross Frontier, or MF Movie 2: Sayonara no Tsubasa. Well, for what it is, the animation is still great.
SOUND: 7/10
Let`s get this out of the way. I only noticed THREE new songs in this movie. All of the songs were ripped straight out of the show, with exception to Universal Bunny (which is just ok; a bit weak by Sheryl Nome standards), the final song at the end, and the credits theme. However, the songs are still great, and that`s what counts. All of the songs are as great as I remember them, and the final song, while not quite as good as previous songs, is still a good track. Then again, a Macross installment without at least a decent soundtrack is nothing short of BLASPHIMA!!!
ENJOYMENT: 7/10
The first part of the movie was mostly entertaining, albeit a bit boring in places. The second half was pretty good, especially the climax. Even with how choppy and dull the first half was at times and how absolutely strange and somewhat irritating the mid-section's plot twist was, overall, this was still a decent movie, even if it's one of the weakest installments of the franchise, especially from an entertainment standpoint.
OVERALL: 7/10 RAW SCORE 74/100
Honestly, there`s not much left to say. I enjoyed this film, and it offered an interesting spin. If you enjoyed the show, give it a ride. Anything else I say will just be repeating things a third or forth time, so with that, I bid you adieu. 1 of 1 episodes seen WdaCdaShdaDid(All reviews)
7 people found this review helpful |
| Overall | 9 | | Story | 9 | | Animation | 10 | | Sound | 9 | | Character | 10 | | Enjoyment | 9 |
You should definitely watch the anime series first. These films have so many points that were clearly made not for a new audience but for fans of the anime. A lot of character stories were revamped and this is almost like an AU where tons of awesome stuff you wish happened in the anime happens. Also, if you don't watch the anime first, a lot of things are not explained fully in the films and would probably not make much sense at all. Some characters are also kind of skipped over. If you've watched the anime, you know who they are and why they matter and why changes to their characters for the film matter, but if you have not seen the anime, it's like the creators throw a giant cast at you and expect you to care about people you barely know for no reason.
Story: This is not just the first half of the anime series squished into the time slot of a film. The first half does greatly draw from the beginning of the anime series, even down to frame-by-frame shots taken (but enhanced) from the anime. Things are also a bit out of order. For instance, Alto's teasing and training is in the second film, even though it was in episode 3 of the anime, but film 2 is very much Alto's story, so this makes a lot of sense. A number of small things have been removed to make the plot more fluid, and also focus on the pretty art. The second half of the film is almost entirely new story, and it's pretty enjoyable. If you've seen the anime, you will probably cheer a lot during the second half of the film. It ends on a high note and a lot of good things happen.
I like a lot of the narrative decisions they made. My main quibbles are these:
1) Someone clearly thought that there was not enough fanservice and far too much manservice in the anime, and rectified this in the films. The concerts in the films are longer and more fanservicy (e.g., Sheryl is seduced by a male version of herself for one concert, wherein she wears a thong with a pom pom on the butt). It's to the point where it's cringe-worthy at times (although the animation is a lot better and worth seeing), but if you can get past it, it doesn't truly ruin the story. Plus, they added a few things for the guys later on.
2) Women do not do a lot of the action in the films. In the anime, Ranka and Sheryl end up saving Alto a couple times, and Klan and Catherine are far more noticeably badass. This is almost entirely gone in the films. Almost immediately after we meet Catherine the first time, she basically faints from surprise. The films are a bit better because Ranka is a much stronger character overall in the films: she really knows what she wants and pursues it, spending a lot less time confused about what to do. The same is true for Sheryl. But it was a little worrying to see the women pushed back so much.
Art: They had a much bigger budget for the films, and it really shows. While they took a number of scenes from the show, they added a ton of new content. The concerts are quite gorgeous and the fighting scenes are pretty fun. Sheryl and Ranka get a lot of neat outfits to wear and the overall look of the film is much more refined and gorgeous.
Sound: Honestly, I enjoyed the music from the anime a lot better. It's still great in the films, most likely because they reused a number of songs from the show, and I hear that a lot of people like the film versions more, but I just didn't hear anything that really stood out to me. I paid more attention to the narrative changes and art. That being said, if you have not taken the time to check out the soundtrack for this franchise, please do so. It's worth the time.
Character: A lot of character revamps occurred for the films. Ranka and Alto are friends before the narrative even starts, which removes some of the contrived meetings and better explains why they're texting and seeing each other so much. Brera is also introduced almost from the beginning, which better explains his story. It's stuff like that which was changed to just remove a lot of the clutter, give more reasons for cast members to be involved in the plot, and allow more focus for the central plot.
I liked a lot of the changes they made. Sheryl and Alto get to hang out more (this is very much a film series for SherylxAlto fans, since they do a lot of cutesy stuff). Brera's character was also re-done very well, and his relationship with Alto is a let better: less of a testosterone-fueled conflict over Ranka, and more of one of camaraderie. One of the best changes by far for the films is the revamp of Grace's character. Her story in the anime feels so contrived and silly. In the films, you actually like her, and her relationship with Sheryl is incredibly sweet. Yet she's still a beautiful, intelligent, powerful badass.
Enjoyment: There are some things that are missing from the beginning of the anime that I am sad to see gone, and I did not like seeing the ridiculous amount of fanservice, but overall, I liked this film a lot and I like this narrative a lot more than the first half of the anime. On its own, it's very enjoyable and beautiful. It's definitely worth a watch (along with its sequel), especially if you're a fan of the anime.
Recommendations
Recent NewsHere is the weekly DVD sales ranking for October 11th - 17th. few new releases **, 8,683 53,719 Nodame Cantabile Live Action Movie Part 2 Special Edition **, 7,978 2...read more Oct 19, 2010 1:26 AM by dtshyk | Discuss (8 comments) According to Media Create, the first week sales of Macross Frontier: Itsuwari no Utahime Blu-ray were 152,699 copies. However, this record high number has been omitt...read more Oct 13, 2010 8:45 AM by dtshyk | Discuss (8 comments)
Recent Forum DiscussionPoll: Macross Frontier ~Itsuwari no Utahime~ Episode 1 Discussion ( 12 )
Kaizokuou - Nov 23, 2009 | 81 replies | 23 replies | Macross | | Created by | Studio Nue
∟ Shōji Kawamori
Artland |
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| Original work | The Super Dimension Fortress Macross |
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| Owned by | Studio Nue
Big West Frontier |
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| Book(s) | Macross The Ride |
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| Film(s) | - Macross Plus: Movie Edition
- Macross 7 the Movie: The Galaxy's Calling Me!
- Macross Frontier the Movie: The False Songstress
- Macross Frontier the Movie: The Wings of Goodbye
- Macross Delta the Movie: Passionate Walküre
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Macross (マクロスMakurosu, English: /məˈkrɒs/) is a Japanese science fictionmechaanimemedia franchise/media mix, created by Studio Nue (most prominently mechanical designer Shōji Kawamori) and Artland in 1982. The franchise features a fictional history of Earth and the human race after the year 1999, as well as the history of humanoid civilization in the Milky Way. It consists of four TV series, four movies, six OVAs, one light novel, and five manga series, all sponsored by Big West Advertising, in addition to 40 video games set in the Macross universe, 2 crossover games, and a wide variety of physical merchandise. Within the series, the term Macross is used to denote the main capital ship. This theme began in the original Macross, the SDF-1 Macross. Overtechnology refers to the scientific advances discovered in an alien starship ASS-1 (Alien Star Ship - One later renamed Super Dimension Fortress - One Macross) that crashed on South Ataria island. Humans were able to reverse engineer the technology to create the mecha (variable fighters and destroids), faster-than-light space fold drive for starships and other advanced technologies that the series features. The first TV series was adapted into the first season of Robotech in 1985, with edited content and a revised script. - 2Themes
- 3Series chronology
- 7External links
Title[edit]The series title comes from the name of the main human spacecraft (which is usually shortened from Super Dimension Fortress to SDF-1 Macross as it is the first). The original name for the Macross project was Battle City Megarodo (or Battle City Megaroad, as the Japanese transliteration to either 'L' or 'R' gives the title a double meaning in reference to the story line: Megaload, referring to the spacecraft containing an entire city of people; and Megaroad, referring to the long journey through space back to Earth); however, one of the sponsors of the project, Big West Advertising, was a fan of Shakespeare and wanted the series and the spacecraft to be named Macbeth (マクベスMakubesu). A compromise was made with the title Macross (マクロスMakurosu) due to its similar pronunciation to Macbeth in Japanese and because it still contained connotations to the original title. The word Macross comes from a wordplay combination of the prefix 'macro' in reference to its massive size in comparison to human vehicles (though when compared with the alien ships in the series, it is a relatively small gun destroyer) and the distance they must cross. Themes[edit]The following are themes commonly seen and established among the various series in the Macross franchise. U.N. Spacy[edit]U.N. Spacy Roundel The U.N. Spacy (統合宇宙軍Tōgō Uchūgun) is a fictional space military arm of the Earth Unified Government (地球統合政府Chikyū Tōgō Seifu). It was established by the successor to the modern United Nations in order to defend Earth from a possible attack by hostile aliens, and was involved in Space War I against an extraterrestrial race called the Zentradi. Later operations of the U.N. Spacy expanded into interstellar colonization and general peacekeeping of off-world Earth settlements. The term 'Spacy' is a portmanteau of the terms Space and Army or Navy. Some Japanese sources also use the term Space Army and some English-language sources use the term Space Navy, suggesting that the term is a contraction. Watch Macross Frontier MovieVariable fighters[edit]A variable fighter (also known as a 'veritech' fighter in the Robotech adaptation of the series), is one of a series of transformable aerospace fighters, primarily designed by Studio Nue's Shoji Kawamori and Kazutaka Miyatake. They are generally able to transform into jet/space fighters, a humanoid robot and a hybrid of the two modes, better known as Gerwalk (Guardian). The original VF-1 Valkyrie was actually named 'Valkyrie', but the craft have generically been referred to as such in the series since then. Music[edit]Music is integral part to almost every Macross title by having significances in a series' antagonists behavior towards it. Music idols also play a central role to various Macross stories. Often, the protagonist will be involved in a love triangle with a series' music idol; most notably, Lynn Minmay. Space fold[edit]Space folding permits nearly-instantaneous ultra-long distance travel: a space-fold transports a spacecraft in a very short amount of time by first swapping the location of the spacecraft with super dimension space or subspace, and then swapping the Super Dimension space with the space at the destination. According to U.N. Spacy First Lieutenant Hayase Misa during Space War I (2009–2012) an hour passes in super dimension space as approximately ten days passes in normal space. One of the latest Macross TV series, Macross Frontier, further expands on that concept by introducing fold faults or dislocations, which further retard fold travel and interfere with fold communications. Also explained in Macross Frontier are the limitations of space folding, such as the geometric increase in energy requirement with the mass of the object to be folded, which prevents very large objects from being folded with ease across vast distances. The act of entering Super Dimension space is called 'fold in'. When arriving at the destination, the act of leaving Super Dimension space is called a 'defold' or a 'fold out'. Ancient astronauts[edit]The metaplot of the franchise is centered on a purportedly extinct humanoid alien race called the Protoculture (プロトカルチャーPurotokaruchā). It was first conceptualized during the pre-production of The Super Dimension Fortress Macross when the creators were researching cultural studies to develop concepts used in the plot. According to official sources, the Protoculture was the first advanced humanoid race in the universe—advanced Protoculture civilization started 500,000 years ago—and is the creator of the Zentradi and homo sapiens. Phases of colonization resulted in the establishment of an 'Interstellar Republic', (similar to a galactic empire) which covers much of the Milky Way galaxy 2800 years after Protoculture civilization started (498,000 years ago). A civil war happened sixty years later, resulting in a split in the Republic. One of the factions' created 'super-Zentradi' forces, which was later possessed by interdimensional beings—these forces are later called the 'Protodeviln', which feeds on life energy of both Protoculture and Zentradi; some of both the Protoculture and Zentradi was later brainwashed into the 'Supervision Army'. The Supervision Army continued to battle both the Protoculture and Zentradi, which resulted in the dwindling of Protoculture population; they revoked the prime directive that banned Zentradi to attack the Supervision Army. This, however, made the war even more intense, and the Protoculture population sharply decreased; to avoid extinction, they seeded unhabited planets by means of pantropy and avoided any conflict as much as possible. This action included the genetic engineering of homo sapiens on Earth by combining Protoculture genes with native genes; a 'sub-Protoculture' race meant for preparing the Earth for a future Protoculture colonization. The genetic engineering crew, however, was immediately destroyed by anti-Interstellar Republic military ships. The final blow of the war happened because of the Protoculture lost control of the Zentradi; 475,000 years ago, the Protoculture was believed extinct. However it was discovered that 10,000 years ago, the Protoculture remnants made contact with humans in 'Mayan Island', genetically re-engineering the native inhabitants to utilize the artifacts left by them. This included the 'Bird Human' bio-mecha, tasked to destroy humanity if they are still in war. Other elements[edit]The franchise also explores minor themes including culture shock, capitalism, coming of age and nostalgia. The new era following the end of Space War I is part of the ongoing fictional time-line of the Macross franchise. The most recent series, Macross Delta, is set 59 years after the start of the war with the Zentradi. Its main plot is about the spread of a rage virus on a star system and the combined efforts of singing idols and valkyrie fighters to stop it spreading. Along with Gundam, a real robotmecha series of which Shoji Kawamori is a fan, Macross explored how individuals cope with warfare. Whereas Gundam is far more political and direct on the horrors of war, each Macross television series is unique for never depicting the antagonists as inherently evil and proved in the end that love, culture, and music can be used to defeat them. Series chronology[edit]Several sequel series and one prequel have followed. Most use a chronology created by the Studio Nue creators, and those that followed their own chronologies were regarded as 'parallel storylines' by the studio. Several different studios were involved with Studio Nue in the Macross franchise along the years, but since 2002's Macross Zero, production has been handled exclusively between Nue and Satelight, from which Shōji Kawamori is one of the main key members. The main of Macross production consists of (in chronological release order): | Release Dates | Episodes | Work | Title (original) | Chronology |
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1982/10 to
1983/06 | 36 | TV series | The Super Dimension Fortress Macross[1]
Original work adapted by Harmony Gold to become Robotech: The Macross Saga in 1985.[2] | 2009–2012 | | 1984/07 | N/A | Movie | Macross: Do You Remember Love?[3]
Alternate telling of the events in The Super Dimension Fortress Macross, specifically episodes two through 27. | 2009–2012 /
2031 (story within a story in Macross 7) | | 1987/06 | 1 | OVA | The Super Dimension Fortress Macross: Flash Back 2012[4]
Epilogue of the movie, segments were added in the movie's definitive 'Perfect Edition'. | 2012 | 1992/05 to
1992/11 | 6 | OVA series | Super Dimensional Fortress Macross II: Lovers Again[5]
'Macross 10th Anniversary'
TV series' sequel OVA created without Studio Nue. | 2092[6]
'parallel' world alternate continuity | 1994/08 to
1995/06 | 4 | OVA series | Macross Plus[7]
TV series' sequel OVA created by Studio Nue. A side-story. | 2040 | 1995/03 to
1995/07 | 4 | OVA series | Macross Plus: International Version[7]
Alternative OVA version with English cast and songs. | 2040 | 1994/10 to
1995/09 | 49 | TV series | Macross 7[8]
TV series sequel to Macross Plus. First of the sequels to touch upon the metaplot. Features a new cast of characters, and only three returning characters from the original series. | 2045-46 | 1994/10 to
2001/05 | 8 volumes | Manga series | Macross 7: Trash
Comic side-story first serialized in Shōnen Ace magazine then released as volumes. | 2046 | | 1995/09 | N/A | Movie | Macross Plus: Movie Edition[7]
Alternative movie version with different editing and additional scenes. | 2040 | | 1995/09 | N/A | Movie | Macross 7 The Movie: The Galaxy Is Calling Me![9] | 2046 | | 1995/12 | 3 | OVA | Macross 7: Encore[8]
Three '94 TV series additional episodes. | 2046 | 1997/12 to
1998/08 | 4 | OVA series | Macross Dynamite 7[10]
'Macross 15th Anniversary'
'94 TV series' sequel. | 2047 | 2002/12 to
2004/10 | 5 | OVA series | Macross Zero[11]
'Macross 20th Anniversary'
Original '82 TV series' prequel. | 2008 | | 2007/12 | N/A | Manga series | Macross Frontier Manga
'94 TV series' sequel. Comic format telling of the events in Macross Frontier first serialized in Shōnen Ace magazine. | 2059 | | 2007/12 | 1 | TV series pilot | Macross Frontier (Deculture Edition)
'Macross 25th Anniversary'
'94 TV series' sequel pilot episode. | 2059 | 2008/04 to
2008/09 | 25 | TV series | Macross Frontier[12]
'Macross 25th Anniversary'
'94 TV series' sequel. | 2059 | | 2009–present | N/A | Manga series | Macross: The First[13][14]
Comic format alternate telling of the events in The Super Dimension Fortress Macross serialized in Macross Ace magazine and actually Newtype Ace. | 2009–2012 | | 2009/11/21 | N/A | Movie | Macross Frontier The Movie: The False Songstress
2008 TV series' theatrical movie adaptation. | 2059 | 2010/12 to
2011/11 | 12 | Novels | Macross The Ride[15]
Original '08 TV series' prequel. | 2058 | | 2011/02/26 | N/A | Movie | Macross Frontier Movie: The Wings of Goodbye
2009 theatrical movie sequel. | 2059 | | 2012/10/3-8 | N/A | Musical | Macross The Musicalture
30th anniversary Tokyo Dome live music show. | 2062 | | 2012/10/20 | N/A | Movie | Macross FB 7: Ore no Uta o Kike!
'Macross Dynamite 7 15th Anniversary'
New story with Macross Frontier characters | 2059 | | 2013/02/28 | N/A | Video Game | Macross 30: Voices across the Galaxy
'Macross 30th Anniversary'
Video game sequel to Macross Frontier | 2060 | 2016/04 to
2016/09 | 26 | TV series | Macross Delta
TV Sequel to both Macross 30 and Macross Frontier | 2067 |
A feature film, subtitled 'Do You Remember Love? (愛・おぼえていますか Ai Oboete Imasu ka), was released in 1984, with a condensed version of the storyline and cutting-edge animation. This movie was later described as a 'historical drama' movie within the Macross universe (similar to World War II films in the real world). In Macross Plus and Macross 7, it is revealed that there was a movie produced after Space War I (the original Earth-Zentradi conflict). Kawamori described the relation between the two depictions of Space War I: 'The real Macross is out there, somewhere. If I tell the story in the length of a TV series, it looks one way, and if I tell it as a movie-length story, it's organized another way.'[16] (An edited, English-dubbed version of the feature was also released to video as Clash of the Bionoids.) Macross II, the only animated project without Studio Nue's direct involvement, was declared a parallel-world story by Studio Nue. In March 2007, Studio Victor placed a casting call for a voice actress to play the heroine, Ranka Lee,[17] in a then untitled new Macross series.[18] Eighteen-year-old Nakajima Megumi was selected in the nationwide singing and acting audition for the role of Ranka Lee in Japan. The project was given the tentative title of Macross 25. Later, as part of the 25th anniversary concert, a trailer was shown that revealed the new tentative title of Macross F (Frontier). During the concert, Kawamori Shoji mentioned that the timeframe of Macross Frontier was about 2070 AD. Kawamori also announced that Yoko Kanno would be the music co-composer of the new Macross series. According to Newtype Magazine, this new series were supposed to take place in a school. The pilot episode aired on December 23, 2007. The new series were finally set in the year 2059 AD and took place in a new Macross Colony Fleet called 'Macross Frontier'. The new show was produced by Satelight and its episodes began their regular broadcast on April 4, 2008, in MBS channel of Japan. The final episode aired on September 25, 2008, what brought the series to a total of 25 episodes. A Macross Frontier Movie Edition was announced just after the ending of the new TV animated series.[19] The Kanto area rerun of the Macross Frontier anime television series during early 2014 in Japan ended with a teaser announcement that a new Macross TV series is in the works,[20] and later in the year was tentatively titled Macross Δ (Delta). Just like in Macross Frontier, a casting call was held for the series' main singer who also became part of the cast.[21] The winner of the contest as well of the rest of the cast and characters were revealed in a special event held in October 29, 2015.[22][23] A new Macross anime television series was to premiere in 2018, but still wasn't released (as of February 2019).[24] Macross/Super Dimension fictional chronology[edit]Several sequel series and prequels have followed in Macross/Super Dimension. The main of Macross/Super Dimension production consists of (in fictional chronological timeline order): | Time Period | Title (original) | Work | Release Dates | Episodes |
|---|
| 1999 | The Super Dimension Fortress Macross (Prologue only)
Original work adapted by Harmony Gold to become Robotech: The Macross Saga in 1985. | TV series | 1982/10 to 1983/6 | 36 | | 2002–2010 | Misa Hayase: White Reminiscences | Novels | 1984/2 | N/A | | 2008 | Macross Zero
Original Macross origin story | OVA series | 2002/12 to 2004/10 | 5 | | 2009 | Dreaming Prelude: My Fair Minmay | Novels | 1983/4 | N/A | | 2009–2012 | The Super Dimension Fortress Macross
Original work adapted by Harmony Gold to become Robotech: The Macross Saga in 1985. | TV series | 1982/10 to 1983/6 | 36 | | 2009–2012 | Macross: The First
Comic format alternate telling of the events in The Super Dimension Fortress Macross serialized in Macross Ace magazine and actually Newtype Ace. | Manga | 2009/2 – Ongoing | N/A | | 2010 | Macross Inside Story: Macross Classic | Audio drama | 1996/8 | 4 | 2012, 2031
(story within a story) | Macross: Do You Remember Love?
Alternate telling of the events in The Super Dimension Fortress Macross, specifically episodes two through 27. | Movie | 1984/7 | N/A | | 2012 | The Super Dimension Fortress Macross: Flash Back 2012
Epilogue of the Movie, segments were added in the movie's definitive 'Perfect Edition'. | OVA | 1987/6 | N/A | | 2014–2030 | Macross M3 | Video game | 2001/2 | N/A | | 2040 | Macross Plus
Original Macross sequel OVA created by Studio Nue. A side-story. | OVA series | 1994/8 to 1995/9 | 5 | | 2043 | Macross: True Love Song | Video game | 2000/3 | N/A | | 2045 | Macross 7 Docking Festival: Singing Saves the Galaxy!? | Audio drama | 1995/3 | N/A | | 2045–2046 | Macross 7
TV series sequel to Macross Plus. First of the sequels to touch upon the metaplot. Features a new cast of characters, and only three returning characters from the original series. | TV series | 1994/10 to 1995/9 | 49 | | 2046 | Macross 7: Trash | Manga | 1995/5 to 2001/7 | 8 volumes | | 2046 | Macross 7 The Movie: The Galaxy Is Calling Me! | Movie | 1995/9 | N/A | | 2046 | Macross 7: Encore
OVA series sequel to Macross 7 | OVA series | 1995/12 to 1996/2 | 3 | | 2046 | Macross Generation | Audio drama | 1997/4 | 10 | | 2047 | Macross Digital Mission VF-X | Video game | 1997/2 | N/A | | 2047 | Macross Dynamite 7
Macross 7 OVA sequel | OVA series | 1997/12 to 1998/8 | 4 | | 2050 | Macross VF-X2 | Video game | 1999/9 | N/A | | 2058 | Macross The Ride | Novels | 2010/12 to 2011/11 | 12 | | 2059 | Macross Frontier | TV series | 2008/4 to 2008/9 | 25 | | 2059 | Super Dimension Song Maiden Ranka | Manga | 2008/10 | 1 volume | | 2059 | Macross Frontier The Movie: The False Songstress
Macross Frontier theatrical movie adaptation. | Movie | 2009/11 | N/A | | 2059 | Sheryl: Kiss in the Galaxy | Manga | 2010/9 to 2012/10 | 4 volumes | | 2059 | Macross Frontier Movie: The Wings of Goodbye
2009 theatrical movie sequel. | Movie | 2011/2 | N/A | | 2059 | Macross Frontier: Hold Me Tightly to the Edge of the Galaxy | Manga | 2012/9 | 1 volume | | 2059 | Macross FB 7: Ore no Uta o Kike!
Macross 7 & Macross Frontier crossover special. | Movie | 2012/10 | N/A | | 2059 | Macross Fortissimo | Manga | 2013/3 | 1 volume | | 2060 | Macross 30: Voices across the Galaxy | Video game | 2013/2 | N/A | | 2062 | Macross The Musicalture
Macross 30th anniversary live music show. | Musical | 2012/10 | N/A | | 2067 | Macross Delta | TV series | 2016/04 to 2016/09 | 26 | | 2092 | Macross II
Original Macross sequel OVA created without Studio Nue and considered an alternate universe by Studio Nue. | OVA series | 1992/5 to 1992/11 | 6 |
 Macross Frontier Movie The Wings Of GoodbyeVideo games[edit]Macross Frontier SoundtrackMacross video games are based on its universe, sometimes expanding it with original characters and sidestories; latest games often include newly created anime footage, and all of them were exclusively released in Japan;[25] except a Takatoku Toys handheld electronic game distributed by Incoming Trading, a Banpresto arcade game licensed by Fabtek, and a Bandai Visual PlayStation game whose debuted North American localization was eventually cancelled probably due to copyrights issues involving Harmony Gold.[26] See the list of Macross video games for all the official and crossover releases from the 1980s up to the 2010s. Legal complications with international distribution[edit]Harmony Gold purchased the international distribution rights for the Macross series and between 1999 and 2003 filed trademarks on the distribution of Macross merchandise and media outside of Japan.[26] Harmony Gold's international distribution rights are under dispute however as they bought the rights from the Japanese company, Tatsunoko Productions, which in a court ruling against companies, Studio Nue and Big West, was ruled to have only the Rights to the international distribution of “The Super Dimension Fortress Macross” and no legal claim to the rest of the franchise; those belonging to the latter companies.[27][28][29][26] Harmony Gold claims that the case does not apply to them since it occurred in Japan and does not apply to the international distribution rights.[30] Harmony Gold continues to re-affirm their claim to the international distribution through cease and desist letters,[31][32] resulting in later Macross series not being distributed outside of Japan.[27][26] References[edit]- ^The Super Dimension Fortress Macross (TV Series). Macross Official Website. Series Section. 04-09-09
- ^ADV Films Official Macross English Dub Page. Main Section. 04-09-09Archived July 20, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
- ^Macross: Do You Remember Love? (Movie). Macross Official Website. Series Section. 04-07-09
- ^The Super Dimension Fortress Macross: Flash Back 2012 (OVA). Macross Official Website. Series Section. 04-07-09
- ^Macross II (OVA). Macross Official Website. Series Section. 04-09-09
- ^The Super Dimension Fortress Macross II Original Soundtrack Vol. 2 CD booklet, 1992, p. 3, Victor, VICL-365
- ^ abcMacross Plus (OVA). Macross Official Website. Series Section. 04-09-09
- ^ abMacross 7 (TV). Macross Official Website. Series Section. 04-09-09
- ^Macross 7 The Movie: The Galaxy Is Calling Me!. Macross Official Website. 04-09-09
- ^Macross Dynamite 7 (OVA). Macross Official Website. Series Section. 04-09-09
- ^Macross Zero (OVA). Macross Official Website. Series Section. 04-09-09
- ^Macross Frontier (TV Series). Macross Frontier Official Site. 04-09-09
- ^'Designer Haruhiko Mikimoto to Draw New Macross Manga (Updated)'. Anime News Network. 2008-11-21. Retrieved 2009-11-12.
- ^'New Macross Manga Launches in Japan's Macross Ace Mag'. Anime News Network. 2009-06-28. Retrieved 2009-11-12.
- ^Macross R Macross R Official Site.Archived January 17, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
- ^'Shoji Kawamori Interview'. Animerica Vol. 3 No. 1. Viz, LLC.
- ^'Yoko Kanno, Heroine's Voice Announced for New Macross'.
- ^Follow Up: Victor Voice Actress Auditions for Macross
- ^'Macross Frontier Movie Announced'. Anime News Network. 2008-09-25. Retrieved 2008-09-25.
- ^'Macross Science-Fiction Anime Franchise Gets New TV Series'. Anime News Network. 2014-03-26. Retrieved 2014-05-06.
- ^'New Macross TV Anime Project Announced With Singer Auditions'. Anime News Network. 2014-10-19. Retrieved 2014-10-19.
- ^'Macross Delta TV Anime's Final Title, Visual, Logo Unveiled'. Anime News Network. 2015-09-24. Retrieved 2014-09-24.
- ^'Harmony Gold continues to enforce their zero imports policy'. Anime News Network. 2000-11-11. Retrieved 2017-03-18.
- ^'Macross Gets New TV Anime in 2018, 35th Anniversary Project'. Anime News Network. Retrieved 11 May 2017.
- ^Macross Video Games Official Release Information at the Original Macross Compendium Page
- ^ abcdEisenbeis, Richard (2015-09-24). 'Why You Haven't Seen Any New Macross in the West for Nearly 15 Years'. Kotaku. Retrieved 2017-03-18.
- ^ ab'Macross Lawsuit'. Anime News Network. 2002-02-26. Retrieved 2017-03-18.
- ^'To Whom It May Concern'. Macross Company. Archived from the original on 2004-08-06. Retrieved 2017-03-18.
- ^'Tatsunoko Wins Macross Lawsuit'. Anime News Network. 2004-02-23. Retrieved 2017-03-18.
- ^['Harmony Gold on Macross Rights'. Anime News Network. 2002-03-05. Retrieved 2017-03-18.
- ^'Harmony Gold asks website to stop taking pre-orders for toys.' Anime News Network. 2000-11-03. Retrieved 2017-03-18.
- ^['Harmony Gold bars Macross Imports'. Anime News Network. 2002-04-16. Retrieved 2017-03-18.
External links[edit]| Wikimedia Commons has media related to Macross. |
 Macross Frontier Movie The False Songstress- Macross episode reviews at MAHQ
Japanese[edit]Macross Frontier Movie CastRetrieved from 'https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Macross&oldid=916908144'  |
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