3-20. Birthday Song of the Night Sky/Birthday Blues.

Aisha tries to comfort Mint, who is depressed at the thought
of another birthday going uncelebrated.

Genesis Climber Mospeada: Birthday Song of the Night Sky.

Original Air Date - Genesis Climber Mospeada: Feb. 19, 1984. Writer: Sukehiro Tomita. Director: Mari Kobayashi.

Robotech: Birthday Blues.

Original Air Date - Robotech: June 21, 1985.
Story Editor: Steve Kramer. Supervising Director: Robert V. Barron.


PLOT - MOSPEADA:

It's Mint's birthday, but it looks like celebrating will have to wait. The group's route has put them in close proximity to an Inbit fort. Stig decides they should move through an abandoned town to try to avoid the alien patrols - and because the enemy can detect HBT emissions, they are forced to go on foot.

Ray leads Mint and Aisha to a house. Mint enters, terrified that Inbit may be lurking... only to be greeted with a surprise party. She's overjoyed, and they all spend a happy evening indulging a girl who has never gotten to properly enjoy a birthday before.

But the Inbit are closing in, and humanoid Inbit Batra is already eagerly anticipating the coming battle...


PLOT - ROBOTECH:

It's Annie's birthday, but it looks like celebrating will have to wait. The group's route has put them in close proximity to an Invid hive. Scott decides they should move through an abandoned town to try to avoid the alien patrols - and because the enemy can detect protoculture emissions, they are forced to go on foot.

Rand leads Annie and Marlene to a house. Annie enters, terrified that Invid may be lurking...only to be greeted with a surprise party. She's overjoyed, and they all spend a happy evening indulging a girl who has never gotten to properly enjoy a birthday before.

But the Invid are closing in, and Invid Prince Corg is already eagerly anticipating the coming battle...

A younger Mint shares a miserable birthday with no one but her cat.

CHARACTERS:

Flashbacks show Mint coming home on a past birthday to a note from her mother, telling her to celebrate alone. This explains her behavior in the first Act, with her calling out to everyone about it being her birthday and (in Mospeada) throwing a mini-tantrum when it seems the group won't celebrate it. When the others spring the surprise party, she is overcome with emotion, fleeing from the house before literally jumping for joy.

Stig started to wonder at the end of the last episode if Aisha might be a humanoid Inbit like Batra and Sorji. He's now secretly keeping watch on her, which doesn't go unnoticed by Yellow. He advises Stig to leave the situation be: "She's an innocent girl. That's all. Don't dig any deeper."

It seems that almost the entire group has at least silently absorbed the possibility. Aisha is clearly wondering about her own origins, expressing doubts about whether she should stay with the group. Houquet stops that train of thought, advising her not to think about it. Sadly, Robotech removes that conversation, leaving only Rook, Annie, and Marlene talking about men.

Advantage: Mospeada. Mostly because of the removal of the Aisha/Houquet exchange.


NARRATION:

Robotech adds a recap of the previous episode, along with some quick transitional narration when cutting between the humans and the Invid. None of it seems particularly necessary, but at least it doesn't intrude. The same can't be said for the end of episode narration, however, which overeggs the final scene when the visuals and music alone were more than adequate.

Advantage: Mospeada.

In Mospeada, the group sings Happy Birthday.
Because of copyright, the Robotech group doesn't sing.

CUTS AND ALTERATION:

The Regess Gives Orders: In Mospeada, the shots of the Inbit outpost are silent. In Robotech, the voice of the Invid Regess gives orders as she anticipates the arrival of Scott's group of rebels.

Annie Doesn't Throw a Tantrum: After Stig and Yellow spot the Inbit fort, they inform the others that they'll have to take a different route, with Stig telling Mint that this is "not a good time" for a birthday party. Mint throws a brief tantrum about her birthday being ignored. Robotech removes this, cutting to the next scene right after Scott states that they'll have to take the mountain road. I actually think this is an improvement. There are still several moments establishing the emotional importance of Annie's birthday, so no information is lost; and this bit in Mospeada pushes Mint over the edge into obnoxiousness.

"I'm Not Mint": As Ray and Mint ride along the mountain road, she urges him to go faster. Robotech changes this, with Rand telling Annie that he's going to go faster and referring to her as Mint - her unwelcome nickname - with her furiously responding that her name is Annie, not Mint. I'm pretty sure this was done to set up her nickname for the sake of the lettering at the end... though the need would have been avoided had the series simply kept her name the same in the first place.

Lancer Does Not Speak Directly to His Device: When Yellow plants the device to attract the Inbit, he addresses it like a person on a suicide mission, telling it that it may save their lives. Lancer does not talk to the machine, instead just remarking that he hopes it fools the Invid.

"Happy Birthday": In Mospeada, the group sings Happy Birthday to Mint. But as of 1985, Happy Birthday was still under copyright in the United States, so Robotech replaces it with a bunch of royalty-free "happy birthday" chatter.

Annie Doesn't Sing (nor does she flash Scott): During her birthday party, a happy Mint sings a song for the group, faux-flirting with each of the men. When she moves to Stig, she closes his eyes and then flashes him. That shot is thankfully removed. The song is also replaced by Annie playacting an interview during an imaginary beauty contest.

The Bathtub Scene Is Almost Entirely Cut: Houquet, Aisha, and Mint share a bath in a lengthy scene in which Mint asks Aisha if she has feelings for Stig, and Houquet comforts Aisha and tells her not to think about her self-doubts. It's a good scene... but the three are nude for virtually all of it. Robotech keeps the bath, but just enough for a quick bit with Rand attempting to peep, followed by a very small exchange as they talk about men. I don't think there was an easy way around this - the heavily cropped and zoomed shots are glaringly obvious as it stands - but it's a shame that a genuinely good scene had to be effectively removed.

The Regess Suspects a Trap: Mospeada shows Batra and his squad of Inbit falling into the trap Stig and the others set. Robotech has the Invid Regess, in voice over, suspecting a trap, a warning that Prince Corg ignores. This adds a last moment of suspense... though since it requires Corg behaving like an imbecile, I'm not sure it's worth the tradeoff. After this, it will strain credibility for the Regess to continue trusting his judgment.

Advantage: Mospeada.


INCIDENTAL MUSIC:

Both episodes do well with their respective scores. Robotech edges this one out for me thanks to the ending, which is elevated by an arrangement of We Will Win that's sung by Michael Bradley. The song fits the visuals and tone of the final scene perfectly.

Advantage: Robotech.

Houquet, Mint, and Aisha enjoy some fireworks.

OVERALL ADVANTAGE - MOSPEADA:

For most of its running time, I'd have labeled this as a tie. But a good scene from the original also featured sustained nudity, meaning that most of it had to be cut, chopping away one of the more interesting exchanges and character moments. I don't think there was a good solution available to the Robotech producers, particularly given the tight turnaround time; even what they kept features shots that are distractingly obvious in the zooming and cropping. But the loss of that scene weakens the interesting secondary thread surrounding Aisha.


OTHER MUSINGS:

This is another solid episode in what's shaping up to be a strong final run for Genesis Climber Mospeada. I had a few issues early on as Mint carried on about her birthday, but these were addressed as the episode revealed how bad her previous birthdays had been. Her emotional swings in the second half, from joy to tears to exhaustion, ring true.

A light tone is maintained throughout, even (arguably especially) in the ending action scene, but some serious moments surrounding Aisha give it enough substance to avoid seeming expendable. After having run into humanoid Inbit, Stig, Yellow, and Houquet are all at least considering the possibility that Aisha might be one, too. Yellow and Houquet prefer not to pursue that, as they're fond of her and are certain that both her innocence and her amnesia are genuine. Whether Stig, who has a more directly personal hatred of their enemies, will reach the same conclusion remains to be seen.


Overall Rating - Mospeada: 7/10.

Overall Rating - Robotech: 6/10.

Previous Episode: Forte of the Glacier City/Frostbite
Next Episode: Arpeggio of Murder/Hired Gun (not yet reviewed)

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3-19. Forte of the Glacier City/Frostbite.

Stig and Aisha enjoy an idyllic day out in an abandoned city.

Genesis Climber Mospeada: Forte of the Glacier City.

Original Air Date - Genesis Climber Mospeada: Feb. 12, 1984. Writer: Satoshi Namiki. Director: Yusaku Saotome.

Robotech: Frostbite.

Original Air Date - Robotech: June 20, 1985.
Story Editor: Steve Kramer. Supervising Director: Robert V. Barron.


PLOT - MOSPEADA:

The team is making its way through another set of icy mountains when they discover a city buried under the ice. Stig wants to just keep moving, while Ray wants to raid it for supplies. The argument is rendered moot when the ice gives way, with the Legioss falling onto the top of a building, damaging one of the legs.

While Jim and Yellow make repairs, the rest of the group explores. They stock up on supplies, but also goof off and enjoy themselves, sampling pleasures that they haven't known under the Inbit: chocolate, canned meat, soda, and even a video game. Stig disapproves at first. Then, after catching sight of a wedding dress in a store window, he softens, deciding to enjoy the city in Aisha's company.

It's an idyllic day and a much-needed break. But it's not destined to last, as Inbit forces led by the humanoid male, Batra, locate their position and move in to attack...


PLOT - ROBOTECH:

The team is making its way through the ice-covered Rocky Mountains when they discover a city buried under the ice. Scott wants to just keep moving, while Rand wants to raid it for supplies. The argument is rendered moot when the ice gives way, with the Alpha fighter falling onto the top of a building, damaging the landing gear.

While Lunk and Lancer make repairs, the rest of the group explores. They stock up on supplies, but also goof off and enjoy themselves, sampling pleasures such as soda, food, music, and video games. Scott disapproves at first. Then, after catching sight of a wedding dress in a store window, he softens, deciding to enjoy the city in Marlene's company.

It's an idyllic day and a much-needed break. But it's not destined to last, as Invid forces led by Prince Corg locate their position and move in to attack...

A shop window's wedding dress reminds Stig of his late fiancée.

CHARACTERS:

Stig's day out with Aisha allows the show to present a different side of the normally stoic soldier. He blushes when she tries on a dress, and he's amusingly awkward in zipping up her back. In Robotech, actor Gregory Snegoff delivers an amusing "voice break," a nice touch. Stig also keeps envisioning his late fiancée, Marlene, in Aisha's place, which feels more than a little unhealthy... particularly in Robotech, where he's gone so far as to name her as Marlene. Before he slides too far in the direction of James Stewart in Vertigo, though, he asks Aisha about love and is disappointed when she doesn't seem to understand the concept - though for her part, she smiles warmly while thinking about it.

Ray, Mint, and - with a little coaxing - Houquet have fun sampling canned delicacies. Mint also grabs a wedding dress for herself, something which ends up playing a role in the climax. Only Jim and Yellow keep working - Jim because he's the one with the skills to repair the damaged Legioss, and Yellow presumably because Jim needs an extra pair of hands and he's less carried away by the city than the others are.

Robotech wisely doesn't change the basic character beats, meaning that all of this material works about equally well in both versions.

Advantage: None.


NARRATION:

Robotech's opening narration specifically places this in the Rocky Mountains. The narrator specifies that the mechs are being pulled in a caravan rather than flying is to evade the Invid's protoculture detection, which is a nice added detail. I'm less fond of a later insertion, when the narrator tells us exactly what Marlene is thinking as she walks through a toy shop. I prefer Mopeada's version, with Aisha silently staring at the toys and the audience left to interpret her reactions.

Advantage: Mospeada.

Aisha and Mint enjoy some chocolate. Robotech
changes a lot of the dialogue in this scene. 

CUTS AND ALTERATION:

The Alpha's Landing Gear Is Broken: A minor difference that makes no difference. Mospeada's Legioss has one of its legs broken when it crashes through the ice to the town below. In Robotech, the Alpha instead has its landing gear broken.

The City's Generator Will Last Forever: In Mospeada, Jim is impressed when he finds the city's generator and remarks that it has enough power stored to keep running for another ten years. That apparently wasn't impressive enough for Robotech, with Scott remarking that the generator will last for 100 thousand years, which takes what was already remarkable and makes it... well, impossible. Oh, and the city is identified as Denver.

Annie Obsesses About Peppermint: There are minor dialogue changes throughout the scene with Ray, Mint, and Aisha in the grocery store. Mint introduces Aisha to chocolate, then is thrilled when she finds a bag of soft marshmallows, while Ray remarks on how sweet a can of soda tastes, observing that he forgot that any food could taste this sweet. In Robotech, Annie is obsessive about peppermint, with her specifically biting into peppermint chocolate, and with the marshmallows changed to peppermints. Ray's musing about how sweet the soda tastes has been changed to Rand generically wondering if he's in heaven. I prefer the original dialogue, though none of these changes really harm anything.

Added Dialogue and Quips During the Battle: Scott remarks that he was expecting Korg; Lunk and Annie ride into the battle on Lunk's jeep, with Annie calling out that they'll save him; and a few other one-liners are thrown in. It's nothing that either adds to or takes away from the scene - It's just an example of Robotech's bizarre need for constant dialogue, even in action scenes that don't require it.

Advantage: None. Changes are tiny and don't particularly alter the viewing experience.


INCIDENTAL MUSIC:

Robotech uses an instrumental version of It's You during the scene in which Scott takes Marlene to a shoe store and a dress shop. The music nicely suits the scene's mood, and for a moment I thought Robotech might win this category because of this bit.

Then, after the Act break, my ears were assaulted by a recording of Minmei's This Is My Time to Be a Star. You know, the hackneyed ditty that Robotech's "Macross Saga" played roughly a hundred times across its 36 episodes? I suppose there is a certain twisted logic to it: Much like the cockroach, of course that particular song would be the one to survive the apocalypse...

Outside of that, both versions use their scores well. But I feel duty-bound to penalize Robotech for bringing back that song.

Advantage: Mospeada.

Aisha is at the mercy of the Inbit, Batra.

OVERALL ADVANTAGE - NONE:

...which genuinely surprises me, given that character pieces don't tend to play to Robotech's strengths. This time, the Robotech writers wisely change very little of the original version. Additionally, the series' signature clunky dialogue is mostly absent, with most of the conversations remaining pretty well written. As a result, the viewing experience is all but identical - a good thing, since this is a good episode.


OTHER MUSINGS:

This is an enjoyable character piece. There are several amusing moments and also significant developments in the evolving relationship between Stig and Aisha. It's also just plain pleasant to see the regulars relaxing and enjoying themselves.

The Inbit are brought in at just the right point. They enter late enough for the bulk of the show to be given over to character development, arriving at the point that the group's enjoyment seems to be winding down. The final action scene is creative, with the regulars using the city itself and the ice above to their advantage.

It ends with a potentially important plot element, as at least one of the regulars begins actively speculating about Aisha's origins - and given how close we are to the end, it's probably time for the show to start exploring that, as leaving it for the finale would likely overload the ending.


Overall Rating: 8/10.

Previous Episode: Old Soldiers' Polka/Ghost Town
Next Episode: Birthday Song of the Night/Birthday Blues

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3-18. Old Soldiers' Polka/Ghost Town.

Yellow and Aisha encounter veterans
of the first Earth Reclamation mission.

Genesis Climber Mospeada: Old Soldiers' Polka.

Original Air Date - Genesis Climber Mospeada: Feb. 5, 1984. Writer: Kenji Terada. Director: Mari Kobayashi.

Robotech: Ghost Town.

Original Air Date - Robotech: June 19, 1985.
Story Editor: Steve Kramer. Supervising Director: Robert V. Barron.


PLOT - MOSPEADA:

Stig's group has reached a desert in the American southwest. Stig, Ray, and Mint scout ahead, visiting a small town in hopes of purchasing supplies. They are instead ambushed by the locals, who mistake them for a gang that has been raiding supplies. While the three are in the town jail, the raiders strike again, snatching their Mospeadas.

Meanwhile, Aisha has another of her headaches. By now, the group understands that they are caused by proximity to the Inbit. Yellow decides to take her out to try to identify where the enemy is. They end up captured by the raiders instead, who remove their masks to reveal... old men.

The men take them back to their trading outpost, where they sell the supplies they have stolen. Yellow is shocked to find that they operate out of a disused Mars ship. They are veterans of the first Earth Reclamation Force, survivors of a failed assault on Reflex Point who have decided to put the war behind them. When Stig catches up with them, he is outraged, but Yellow points out that the old men did their duty at the time and that their war is now over.

But when the ship's receiver picks up orders from a third Mars force, asking any survivors to attack Inbit relay towers to clear the way for them, Stig decides that he has to do what he can to make sure this new expedition doesn't meet the same fate as his own...


PLOT - ROBOTECH:

Scott's group has reached a desert in the American southwest. Scott, Rand, and Annie scout ahead, visiting a small town in hopes of purchasing supplies. They are instead ambushed by the locals, who mistake them for a gang that has been raiding supplies. While the three are in the town jail, the raiders strike again, snatching their Cyclones.

Meanwhile, Marlene has another of her headaches. By now, the group understands that they are caused by proximity to the Invid. Lancer decides to take her out to try to identify where the enemy is. They end up captured by the raiders instead, who remove their masks to reveal... old men.

The men take them back to their trading outpost, where they sell the supplies they have stolen. Yellow is shocked to find that they operate out of a disused battle fortress, the SDF-3. These men are veterans of the war against the Robotech Masters, but they have now decided to put war behind them. When Scott catches up with them, he is outraged by what he sees as desertion, but Lancer points out that these old men are in no fit state to assault anyone.

When the ship's receiver picks up orders from a new assault force, asking any survivors to attack Invid military targets to clear the way for them, Scott decides that he has to do what he can to make sure this new expedition doesn't meet the same fate as his own...

Yellow convinces Aisha to help track the Inbit.

CHARACTERS:

Yellow, having seen both the humanoid Inbit, Sorji, and Aisha's reaction at coming face-to-face with her, is at least considering that Aisha might be connected to the aliens. The others don't seem to be there yet, probably because of their sense of protectiveness of her, but they now take on faith that the "headaches" mean Inbit are nearby.

I had thought that the ending of the previous episode had restored Aisha's consciousness of herself as Inbit, but that appears not to have been the case. She does participate more directly than in earlier entries, showing a willingness to go along with Yellow's plan to detect the enemy even though she knows it will be painful. She's also more relaxed in her interactions. When Yellow tries to probe for her memories, he asks about her birth, prompting her to ask if he can remember when he was born.

The other regulars are mostly backgrounded, though there are a pair of good scenes involving Stig. At the start of the episode, Ray and Mint tease him for his seriousness, telling him that he should take off his battle armor and enjoy the feel of riding in the open air. When Stig meets the old men, they are even more dismissive of his severity, outright laughing at the notion that "the silly old men" should do battle with the Inbit.

All of this is largely consistent between the two versions, though Robotech makes the old soldiers' dismissiveness of Scott even more blatant when their leader, Frank (Franky in Mospeada), tells him that they aren't interested in his orders.

Advantage: None.


NARRATION:

Robotech's narration is restrained: an opening recap, a quick bit of voice-over when the episode cuts from Stig, Ray, and Mint to Yellow and Aisha, and a slight bit near the end. It's not intrusive, nor is any of it overly melodramatic as has happened in some episodes, making this category a wash.

Advantage: None.

The old mens' "trading post." In Robotech, this is the SDF-3.

CUTS AND ALTERATION:

The Origin of the Craters: As Stig, Ray, and Mint ride through the desert, Mint notices all the craters surrounding them. Stig explains that this was the site of a fierce battle between the Inbit and the first Reclamation force. Robotech alters this, with the craters now caused by the war against the Masters. This isn't just to tie previous arcs into this one; in Robotech's more compressed timeline, the veterans they meet would be far too old to have fought the Invid, who were established as coming to Earth only ten years previously.

Annie Can't Wait to Meet a Real Cowboy: Mospeada's Mint is excited at the prospect of meeting a "macho man" who might sweep her off her feet. Robotech's Annie is just carried away with enthusiasm at being in an area that's such a close match to old westerns, enthusing about meeting a "real cowboy" when they get to the town they're approaching.

Scott Anticipates the Ambush: When Stig, Ray, and Mint reach the town, they remark on it being a ghost town. Stig calls out to anyone who might be listening, saying that they're looking to purchase supplies, only to be ambushed by the townspeople. In Robotech, Scott is instantly uneasy, saying, "I don't like this," mere seconds before they are ambushed and then sighing that he was afraid that was going to happen.

The Old Men's "Trading Post" Is a Disused Battle Fortress: In Mospeada, the old men are living out of an old Mars spaceship. Robotech relabels it as the SDF-3... though it's visually a bit small compared to the SDF-1 from "The Macross Saga." Maybe they started downsizing by the time they got to #3?

Lancer Snaps that the Old Men Are Cowards: In Robotech, Lancer disgustedly exclaims that the old men are cowards and deserters... which makes it a little odd that they would continue dealing with him, let alone inviting him and Marlene to share their supper. Mospeada makes more sense, with Yellow listening to their remarks about being well out of the war and mildly remarking that they're lucky Stig isn't there to hear them.

"Gabby Ain't Too Fond of Shorty": Pierrot and Donald, the final two ex-soldiers, arrive on the Mospeadas stolen from Stig and Ray, Franky warns them to turn them off so that the HBT doesn't draw the Inbit. When Pierrot ignores the warning, mute soldier Darjeeling throws hot soup on his hands. Robotech changes this entirely, with Gabby (Darjeeling's Robotech counterpart) tossing the soup not to enforce safety precautions, but simply because he "ain't too fond of Shorty" (Pierrot's counterpart). Given that Robotech kept the plot device of the Invid detecting protoculture, I have no idea why this was changed - particularly when this scene explains the alien attack later.

Frank Wants to Go After the Invid: In Mospeada, Franky tries to destroy the ship's receiver when it picks up orders to attack Inbit relay towers to clear the way for a third human invasion force. Robotech's Frank instead wants to go on the attack against the Invid - which makes a bit of a hash of the animation, which shows him drawing a gun on the receiver while Scott restrains him.

Annie Whines about the Cowboys Not Being "the Good Guys": As Stig, Ray, Houquet, and Yellow prepare to attack the Inbit relay towers, Mospeada's Mint grouses about being left out of the action again. Robotech's Annie is instead put out about "the cowboys" (the old men) not joining in the attack, because cowboys are supposed to be "the good guys."

Advantage: Mospeada.


INCIDENTAL MUSIC:

Both episodes apply their scores well, with the series' respective action tracks nicely supporting the ending set piece.

Advantage: None.

Stig, Ray, and Mint get a different welcome than expected...

OVERALL ADVANTAGE - MOSPEADA:

Both versions are quite good, with most of the changes being minor. Unfortunately, a couple of Robotech's changes are not only pointless, but slightly disrupt the flow of the episode - notably the scene in which Darjeeling/Gabby burns the hand of Pierrot/Shorty, which is done for tangible reasons in Mospeada and which is just a pointless bit of "comedy" in Robotech. That moment and a couple of others make Mospeada the better variant, albeit only slightly.


OTHER MUSINGS:

The preview at the end of the last episode had me expecting that this would be a throwaway along the lines of many of Mospeada's early episodes. Instead, Old Soldiers' Polka ends up being surprisingly good.

The script follows up on the developments involving Aisha from the previous episode, giving both her and Yellow strong roles. It also continues the growing sense that the group is nearing its destination, with the old soldiers' previous failure a harbinger that Stig and his group are going to find the going a bit tougher the closer they get to Reflex Point.

In artwork and initial presentation, the old ex-soldiers deliberately evoke the old western trope of the aging outlaw gang. However, their backstory ties them to Stig's journey, with this group acting as a reflection of what the regulars might become if they fail but survive - living an existence that's as pointless as it is hopeless. None of the old men is characterized in anything other than broad strokes, but that's all that's truly needed, and the finale ends up being particularly effective.

Overall, this episode exceeded my expectations at every turn. I expected a mediocre throwaway. Instead, I think this ranks among my favorites of the series.


Overall Rating: 9/10.

Previous Episode: White Night Serenade/The Midnight Sun
Next Episode: Forte of the Glacier City/Frostbite

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3-17. White Night Serenade/The Midnight Sun.

Ambushed by the Inbit!

Genesis Climber Mospeada: White Night Serenade.

Original Air Date - Genesis Climber Mospeada: Jan. 29, 1984. Writer: Ryo Yasumura. Director: Masakazu Yasumura.

Robotech: The Midnight Sun.

Original Air Date - Robotech: June 18, 1985.
Story Editor: Steve Kramer. Supervising Director: Robert V. Barron.


PLOT - MOSPEADA:

The group advances toward Reflex Point, moving through a snowy mountain range. They believe themselves safe as they gather around a fire, eating and laughing. They are anything but.

Sorji, the female humanoid Inbit, attacks when their guard is down. Stig and the others are forced to flee, sliding down the mountainside, with the Inbit in pursuit. Only two things save them: an avalanche triggered by the exchange of fire; and Sorji's own hesitation to kill Yellow.

The humans split into three groups. Ray, Houquet, and Mint draw an Inbit Grab into one trap; Stig and Jim set another trap for the two Grabs that follow them. Meanwhile, Yellow and Aisha are caught on the edge of a cliff, with Sorji lying in wait!


PLOT - ROBOTECH:

The group advances toward Reflex Point, moving through a snowy mountain range. They believe themselves safe as they gather around a fire, eating and laughing. They are anything but.

Sera, the Invid princess, attacks when their guard is down. Scott and the others are forced to flee, sliding down the mountainside, with the Invid in pursuit. Only two things save the humans: an avalanche triggered by the exchange of fire; and Sera's own hesitation to kill Lancer.

The humans split into three groups. Rand, Rook, and Annie draw an Invid trooper into one trap; Scott and Lunk set another trap for the two that follow them. Meanwhile, Lancer and Marlene are caught on the edge of a cliff, with Sera lying in wait!

Aisha is startled as her memories awaken...

CHARACTERS:

The choice to split the characters up is a good one, allowing all the regulars a chance to show their resourcefulness. Ray and Houquet exchange quips while preparing their trap. Houquet acidly states that she won't rescue him if things go wrong - but when things do go wrong, she rushes to save him, firing wildly at the Grab, while Mint distracts it by flinging snowballs. Stig and Jim devise their own trap, one which relies on Jim's physical strength. Yellow shows his courage when he shields Aisha from Sorji, offering his own life while pleading for Aisha to be set free.

The most notable developments center around Aisha. Early in the episode, when she clutches her head and cries out, the others instantly look about for Inbit. Even if they're not talking about it yet, they have made the connection between her breakdowns and enemy attacks. At the end of the episode, seeing Sorji seems to revive Aisha's memories, or at least her consciousness of being an Inbit and not a human. Robotech's Marlene has a different immediate response to this than Mospeada's Aisha; but either way, I'm interested to see what this leads to.

Advantage: None.


NARRATION:

The Robotech episode uses its narration both sparingly and unobtrusively. It also uses the opening recap to slip in a transition between the summer ocean setting of the previous episode and the winter snowscape of this one. Mospeada has the characters comment on the change from just a few days ago as well, so the writers of both series apparently felt that the change in setting was jarring enough to at least lampshade it.

Advantage: None.

Sorji wrestles with conflicting emotions.
Robotech's Sera narrates the conflict for our benefit.

CUTS AND ALTERATION:

Sera's Internal Monologue: Mospeada shows Sorji as she reflects on meeting Yellow. Robotech adds an internal monologue for Princess Sera, in which she berates herself for wanting to see Lancer again - which is "not the Invid way" - because the viewer can't be trusted to understand her internal conflict.

Lancer Makes a Speech: After Aisha senses the Inbit and breaks down, the group goes on alert but sees nothing. Yellow then soothes Aisha by singing Love Pebbles, which carries over into the attack. Robotech isn't about to come up with a new Lancer song, so Lancer instead gives a pep talk about getting through difficult moments. Given Robotech's limitations, it's a fair compromise - and while Love Pebbles is a nice enough song, it doesn't mesh with the battle, which makes the Robotech scene a marginal improvement.

Sera Directs the Attack: The Regess gives Sera command, making it clear that she's responsible for the outcome. Sera then gives orders throughout the battle. I think this slightly helps the scene, as it makes the action feel a bit more ordered than in Mospeada, particularly when the humans split into pairs and Sera directs her forces to split up to follow.

Rand Adds "Injured Noises" to His Trap: Ray lures the Inbit Grab chasing him, Houquet, and Mint into a trap by making sure his footprints lead straight to the trigger. Robotech adds dialogue to make clear that Rand is springing a trap, with Rand making fake "injured" noises to further draw in the pursuing Invid.

The Regess Calls Out to Marlene: Near the end, Mospeada's Sorji meets Aisha's eyes, and the two humanoid Inbit share a moment of recognition that seems to restore at least some of Aisha's memories. Robotech adds the Regess to this scene, with her voice calling out to "Ariel" (Marlene), reminding her of who she really is and demanding that she return to them. Though this underscores Robotech's need to spell things out, it's still an effective scene, with the Regess's voice over a good match for the visuals.

Scott Tries to Pass Off the Incident as a Plan: In Mospeada, Ray briefly tries to pretend that the successful rescue of Yellow and Aisha was his plan, though he quickly admits that he's joking. Robotech sees the same claim made, only this time by Scott - which, given Scott's generally serious demeanor, feels a bit out of character.

Scott Does Not Refer to the Invid as "Monsters": The group wonders why Sorji didn't shoot Yellow and Aisha, and Stig responds that there's no way to know what goes on inside the head of the alien monsters. This reminds us of Stig's deep personal hatred of the Inbit - and it reminds Aisha of the same just as she's becoming aware of her true nature. Robotech changes this, with Scott shrugging Sera's inaction off as confusion caused by the group's cover fire. In this altered context, Marlene isn't reacting to his words but is instead still processing her encounter with Sera and the revelations from the Regess. Both versions work, though I find the Mospeada version of the scene more interesting.

Lancer and Marlene Talk: At the end of Mospeada, Yellow offers his hand to Aisha as the group moves off. She doesn't take it, a sign of rejection in the face of Stig's harsh words. Robotech completely changes the context by dubbing in a conversation between Marlene and Lancer, with her worried about bringing trouble to the group and him reassuring her.

Advantage: Robotech. Though I prefer a couple of Mospeada's late episode moments, those are outweighed by Robotech's improvements to the first half.


INCIDENTAL MUSIC:

Mospeada's normal score is applied in a heavy-handed way early in this episode, particularly the loud march when the Inbit appear. There's an attempt to do something interesting with the initial attack, with Yellow's song to soothe Aisha carried over into the early stages of the fight. Unfortunately, as I mentioned earlier, I don't think the song works either to accent or contrast with the battle, making it just an extra chaotic element in a weak opening Act. A reprise of the song at the end works better, but this is overall one of Mospeada's weaker episodes with regard to its score.

Robotech uses its tracks better, from the vaguely otherworldly music that accompanies the opening visuals of the snowy mountains to the various tracks backing the action scenes. Notably, Robotech uses a different "action/suspense" track for each of the character groups in the second half. The track for Scott and Lunk is a bit more intense than the one for Rand, Rook, and Annie; the track as Lancer and Marlene find themselves trapped raises the intensity still more.

Advantage: Robotech.

Ray, Houquet, and Mint struggle through the snowstorm.

OVERALL ADVANTAGE - ROBOTECH:

The first half is the weakest part of both versions, but Robotech's added dialogue for both the human and Invid characters lends a bit more sense of direction to the early going, making it more engaging.

I prefer the final Yellow/Aisha scene in Mospeada to the Lancer/Marlene conversation in Robotech... but except for that, I think the second half is about equal in both versions. Given the improvements to the first part of the episode, this ends up being the first time in a while that I've preferred Robotech over the original version.


OTHER MUSINGS:

I struggled with the first half of Mospeada here, finding it difficult to connect with the characters' situation. Weaker-than-usual musical choices further harm the opening Act, but there's also a lack of energy and focus. Robotech improves on that, presenting a more clearly structured and more immediately engaging opening.

The episode gets better as it goes. I enjoyed watching each group of characters deal with the enemies chasing them in their own ways. I'm also glad to get some follow-up to the previous episode, with Sorji continuing to struggle with her emotional reaction to Yellow.

By far the most interesting part is Aisha's encounter with Sorji. Mospeada visualizes her reaction rather than spelling it out with voice over, so there's some question as to whether she remembers her past or just has more of a sense of her true identity. Either way, it should lead to something interesting... and with only seven episodes to go, I'm guessing further follow-up won't be too long in coming.


Overall Rating - Mospeada: 6/10. A strong second half partially redeems a weak first half.

Overall Rating - Robotech: 7/10. Improvements to the first half make it more immediately engaging.

Previous Episode: Trap Reggae/Metamorphosis
Next Episode: Old Soldiers' Polka/Ghost Town

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3-16. Trap Reggae/Metamorphosis.

Yellow encounters a mysterious woman.

Genesis Climber Mospeada: Trap Reggae.

Original Air Date - Genesis Climber Mospeada: Jan. 22, 1984. Writer: Satoshi Namiki. Director: Mari Kobayashi.

Robotech: Metamorphosis.

Original Air Date - Robotech: June 17, 1985.
Story Editor: Steve Kramer. Supervising Director: Robert V. Barron.


PLOT - MOSPEADA:

Inbit patrols are growing heavier as the group nears Reflex Point. They find an abandoned naval base, which gives Stig a plan to get across the water. They set to work repairing three frigates. Jim, Mint, and Aisha transport their equipment in the ships, while the others draw the Inbits' attention.

The plan works, but Houquet is injured. They set down in the ruins of a beach resort so that she can recover while Jim repairs her fighter. Meanwhile, the rest of the group enjoys a much-needed beachside rest.

They are not alone, however. Yellow is enjoying an isolated bath in the river when he senses that he's being watched. He draws back, then jumps his attacker - only to find a beautiful young woman in a strange looking flight suit. When he tries to question her, she breaks free and runs. He pursues her to her ship: an Inbit mech.

By the time he reaches the group, they have realized that the Inbit are coming. Stig prepares a trap using the frigates, depending on the Inbit's usual response to HBT. But with these new, human Inbit pilots, Yellow knows that Stig's plan is doomed to fail!


PLOT - ROBOTECH:

Invid patrols are growing heavier as the group nears Reflex Point. They find an abandoned base from the Second Robotech War, which gives Scott a plan to get past the enemy. They set to work repairing three frigates. Lunk, Annie, and Marlene transport their equipment in the ships, while the others draw the Invids' attention.

The plan works, but Rook is injured. They set down in the ruins of a beach resort so that she can recover while Lunk repairs her fighter. Meanwhile, the rest of the group enjoys a much-needed beachside rest.

They are not alone, however. Lancer is enjoying an isolated bath in the river when he senses that he's being watched. He draws back, then jumps his attacker - only to find a beautiful young woman in a strange looking flight suit. When he tries to question her, she breaks free and runs. He pursues her to her ship: an Invid Commander mech.

By the time he reaches the group, they have realized that the Invid are coming. Scott prepares a trap using the frigates, depending on the aliens' usual response to protoculture. But with these new, human Invid pilots, Lancer knows that the plan is doomed to fail!

Ray and Houquet relax, and flirt/argue, on the beach.

CHARACTERS:

This episode is basically an ensemble piece. Yellow gets slightly more attention than the others when he meets Sorji, the female Inbit pilot, but his screen time isn't much greater than Stig's, Ray's, or Houquet's. The usually stoic Stig gets a chance to laugh and to be awkwardly uncomfortable in the water, and it's genuinely nice to see the characters enjoying themselves.

Aisha is more fully a part of the group than in earlier episodes. She helps out with the frigates, and she enjoys herself at the beach. Once again, she ends up sensing the Inbit. Since this has happened in fully half of the episodes since her introduction, I can only assume that the group's fondness for her is making them willfully block out the obviousness of a connection between her and the aliens.

This episode introduces two more humanoid Inbit: one male, Batra; and one female, Sorji. It's clear enough that both characters will recur as Mospeada moves into its final stretch, with Sorji emotionally torn after her encounter with Yellow and Batra staring disapprovingly at her in their final scene.

No character material is much changed for Robotech, so this all works equally well in both versions.

Advantage: None.


NARRATION:

Robotech starts without narration, jumping straight into the Invid Regess presiding over the metamorphosis. The narrator comes in after that scene to cover the introduction of the regulars, but this and the mid-episode recap are unobtrusive.

I wish I could say the same for the end of the episode. As transformed Invid Sera struggles with her emotions, the voice over helpfully tells us that she's... um, struggling with her emotions. Thanks for the heads up, Mr. Narrator. Then we get an overly dramatic closing bit informing us that the success of Scott's group will determine the fate of the world - which feels a bit melodramatic on the heels of a mostly relaxed outing.

Advantage: Mospeada.

The group discovers an abandoned base. Robotech identifies
it as dating from the war with the Masters.

CUTS AND ALTERATION:

The Invid Regess Names the New Humanoids as Royalty: Both versions open with the transformation of two aliens into humanoids. In Mospeada, the Inbit consciousness names the male Batra and the female Sorji, telling them that they are "proof of superior life." This isn't sufficient for Robotech. After naming them Corg and Sera, the Regess makes clear that they will be a prince and princess within the Invid society.

The Assignment: Batra and Sorji are sent to a fort, with religious terms invoked in their assignment ("May the holy place be protected by your power"). In Robotech, the religious wording is removed, and the assignment is made more specific: The Regess wants them to find Ariel (whom the protagonists know as Marlene) and find out why she has stopped communicating. Though I regret the loss of the religious overtones, I actually like the Robotech version of the assignment, as it links the metamorphosis to the regulars up front and creates some tension.

Scott's Group Is Relaxing: Stig and the Mospeada regulars are preparing to cross into North America, with Stig and Yellow both wary of Inbit patrols. In Robotech, the group is already relaxing and exploring the island, though Scott continues to keep an eye out for the enemy since they're nearing Reflex Point.

The Abandoned Base Is from the Second Robotech War: The abandoned naval base is now leftover from the war with the Masters. Because this is the same show, honest.

The Regess Orders Her Forces to Destroy Marlene: Mospeada has the approach of the transformed Inbit play out with no dialogue. As usual, Robotech adds voice over of the Invid Regess giving orders. She repeats her order to make contact with Ariel (Marlene) and discover why communication has failed. She then adds a new order - If they can't contact her and/or fix the malfunction, they are to destroy her.

Removal of Nudity: Sorji, the transformed female Inbit, sees Yellow bathing in a river. He notices that he's being watched and hides, jumping her when she gets near. At the Act break, her struggles result in both of them going over a small waterfall - with Yellow seen nude as they fall. Robotech removes the waterfall, which makes for an oddly abrupt Act break but also makes use of the commercial break to completely cut around the nudity.

Lancer Is Flirtatious: Yellow is startled that Sorji is a woman, but he focuses on questions such as where she came from and the strange suit she's wearing. Lancer has the same questions, but he pauses to flirt about how "beauty is (her) weapon."

Rand Teases Scott with a "Swimming Lesson": Ray pulls a reluctant Stig into the water, only to realize that life on Mars has left him with no idea how to swim or even enjoy being in water. Robotech develops this further, with Rand teasing Scott by giving him an impromptu swimming lesson, with rules such as not trying to breathe underwater and watching out for waves. The dubbed over dialogue suits the animation well, and the bit is actually amusing, improving an already pretty good scene.

The Regess Directs the Battle: Mospeada only shows the Inbit manuevers, with the audience trusted to be able to interpret why the aliens take each action during the battle. Robotech adds the Regess's voice over, so that it's the Regess who detects Scott's trap - which takes away from the idea that the transformed aliens are more capable than their more primitive counterparts.

"A Beautiful Man": After the humans' escape, Sorji stares after them, feeling conflicting emotions. She recalls her run-in with Yellow and sighs that he's "a beautiful man." Robotech drops this line in favor of narration telling us that she's experiencing emotions. This is definitely not an improvement.

Annie Is Excited about Finishing the Mission: The final scene has the group approaching the coast of North America. Mint exults at the prospect of meeting "Yankee boys." Since Robotech has pulled back on the boy-chasing side of the character, Annie is instead excited at the prospect that they'll soon finish the mission.

Advantage: None. A few minor improvements are canceled out by a few minor annoyances.


INCIDENTAL MUSIC:

Both scores work, with the Robotech tracks well-chosen both for the light character interactions and for the big action set piece.

Advantage: None.

Two Inbit prepare for a metamorphosis.

OVERALL ADVANTAGE - NONE:

I like the idea of having the Invid specifically search for Marlene. It adds a bit of extra tension and makes her feel more important in the Robotech episode. I also found the Rand/Scott interactions in Robotech to be more amusing than the Ray/Stig ones in Mospeada.

These tiny improvements are offset by tiny annoyances: too much added chatter because Robotech can never be silent; the Regess detailing every move of the battle so that we don't have to actually follow it too closely; and the narrator breaking the atmosphere of the final scene with the female Invid. It all ends up canceling out, leaving the two episodes more or less equal.


OTHER MUSINGS:

In either version, this is an engaging ensemble piece. Good action bits at the beginning and end bookend amusing character moments, and every regular gets at least something to do. After the cracks revealed in the previous episode, it's nice to have the next installment show the heroes working well together and having some fun in each other's company.

I have no doubt that the two transformed Inbit, Batra and Sorji, will play a major role in the series' final third. I also wonder how much longer the series can keep the group oblivious to Aisha being linked to the Inbit. By now, she's anticipated their appearances and/or movements often enough that at least a few of them should be starting to ask questions - doubly so now that they know there are human looking Inbit. This is something that I hope happens sooner than later.

Overall, a good episode - and one that's equally good in either version.


Overall Rating: 7/10.

Previous Episode: The Ballad of Breaking Up/Separate Ways
Next Episode: White Night Serenade/The Midnight Sun

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3-15. The Ballad of Breaking Up/Separate Ways.

A claustrophobic Jim snaps and attacks Stig.

Genesis Climber Mospeada: The Ballad of Breaking Up.

Original Air Date - Genesis Climber Mospeada: Jan. 15, 1984. Writer: Sukehiro Tomita. Director: Tatsuya Kasahara.

Robotech: Separate Ways.

Original Air Date - Robotech: June 14, 1985.
Story Editor: Steve Kramer. Supervising Director: Robert V. Barron.


PLOT - MOSPEADA:

The group reaches South America and begins the final approach to Reflex Point. While moving through an abandoned city, they are attacked by Inbit, led by the new and more advanced form. They barely manage to make it to the cover of an old subway tunnel, with the Inbit collapsing the entrance behind them.

Trapped underground, the group begins fracturing. Jim suffers a bout of claustrophobia and attacks Stig, a display that Yellow scorns him for. Houquet considers returning to her home town, and Ray offers to leave with her. But before any decision can be made about staying together or going their separate ways, they first must break out of the collapsed tunnel - with an Inbit patrol waiting outside!


PLOT - ROBOTECH:

The group reaches South America, and Scott plans an ambitious four-day trip to Reflex Point. This involves keeping on the move and scavenging supplies along the way.

While searching an abandoned city, they are taken by surprise by an Invid attack, led by the newly evolved Enforcer. They just barely make it to the cover of an old subway tunnel, with the Invid collapsing the entrance behind them.

Trapped underground, the group begins fracturing. Overcome by fear, Lunk attacks Stig, and Lancer and Rand have to pull him away by force. Rook considers leaving to enlist more people for the final attack, and Rand offers to leave with her.

Before any decision can be made about staying together or going their separate ways, however, they first must break out of the collapsed tunnel - with an Invid patrol waiting outside!

Stig protects Aisha from the tunnel collapse.

CHARACTERS:

The Ballad of Breaking Up is an outstanding character episode all-around, with good moments for every member of the ensemble. Jim's outburst is clearly driven by claustrophobia. He doesn't react with terror until the tunnel collapses. It's only when trapped underground that he freezes, then attacks Stig, then mentally shuts down... and he recovers himself as soon as they're outside.

Ray takes the leadership role again, both in the escape from the tunnel and in mending the fractures among the group. He's been consistently shown to be the character who best knows how to interact with people. He doesn't try to persuade Houquet to stay; he just gives voice to her doubts and then provides the opportunity to leave, waiting and trusting that she'll reconsider.

Speaking of Houquet, I love the throwaway moment when she pulls a lock of her hair forward to look at it and laments how messy it's become. It's a tiny little character beat that rings absolutely true. I also enjoy her interactions with Ray, the two clearly framed as a couple even as they vocally deny and even laugh at the thought of having any interest in each other.

Stig and Aisha are also written as a potential couple, which only reinforces my feeling that Sandstorm Playback should have been a Stig-centric episode. Stig protects her from the tunnel collapse and reassures her afterward, and she remains glued to him throughout.

Finally, we see that Stig isn't the confident leader he pretends to be. He berates himself for the Inbit catching him too far from his Legioss to stop their attack. Later, Jim blames him for their predicament and snaps at him for acting like a senior officer when he isn't one. Stig is mostly passive after that, I suspect in part because Jim's shouting the same things he's been thinking to himself.

Robotech changes many of these character moments for the worse. Scott shows no sign of doubt, with no self-recrimination for being too far away from the Alpha fighter. Lunk apologizes instantly for his outburst. That lovely moment with Houquet looking at her hair? Gone - which makes the physical gesture seem odd when she's now talking about recruiting more people for the ongoing fight. This makes the fractures in the group feel less immediate, which weakens the episode.

Advantage: Mospeada.


NARRATION:

The opening narration recaps the previous episode - probably a good choice, as viewers who missed that episode might otherwise wonder where Annie is. Mid-episode narration reframes the scene in which Ray and Houquet walk off to take a break from the group, telling us that Rand and Rook are explicitly searching for a way out. Not for the first time, this shows Robotech prioritizing plot over character... a strange thing to do in an episode that's entirely a character piece.

Advantage: Mospeada.

Houquet considers quitting the group and returning home.
Robotech's Rook wants to come back with more people.

CUTS AND ALTERATION:

Scott Doesn't Blame Himself: When the Inbit attack, Stig blames himself for being caught out too far from his mech. This has been erased from Robotech, with Scott instead snarling, "All right, you slugs, come on," at the Invid before shooting back.

Lunk's Outburst Is Less Targeted: Jim's recriminations against Stig are greatly watered down in Robotech. While Jim accuses Stig of behaving like a senior officer as he barks orders at them, Robotech's Lunk just yells a general statement of being done with Scott's leadership. Lancer and Rand then point out that it was Rand's idea to take refuge in the tunnel, further absolving Scott of any misjudgment.

Lunk Apologizes Instantly: After Jim attacks first Stig and then Ray, he sulks that the others don't care how he feels. There's then a long moment of silence to allow the characters and viewers to absorb what just happened. Robotech's Lunk apologizes instantly, with added dialogue dubbed over, which robs the moment of much of its significance.

Lancer Tries to Snap Lunk Out of It: Yellow berates Jim for his "unmanly" display and is generally dismissive toward him. In Robotech, however, Lancer tells Lunk to stop thinking of himself as a coward - a complete 180 degree turn on the original exchange.

Rand Proclaims That He's "Lost His Heart" to Rook: Robotech has shown a tendency to write to the conclusion of relationship arcs rather than letting them unfold naturally (see also: Rick voicing feelings for Misa long before Macross's Hikaru ever did). Mospeada has framed Ray and Houquet as a couple, but they're still very much in the process of circling any relationship. Ray does proposition Houquet, but it comes across as half-joking, and they both laugh at the thought of being together. Robotech changes this so that Rand genuinely propositions Rook, even going so far as to talk about marrying her.

Rook Wants To Recruit More People: Houquet thinks about truly quitting the group, leaving and returning to her sister. Robotech's Rook also wants to leave, but only to find more people so that when they attack Reflex Point, they'll have a better chance of succeeding.

Rand Notes the Danger in His Plan: I might as well note one alteration that I actually think is for the better. When Rand comes up with the plan to use their spare protoculture canisters to blast their way out of the tunnel, he cautions that it's dangerous and could cause another collapse. This creates a tiny bit of extra tension, and it represents the only change that I think is for the better.

Scott Attaches a Colored Cloth to See Better: Stig ties a yellow cloth to the HBT canisters for sentimental reasons - "a gift for your journey to death." This is apparently too whimsical for Robotech, so Scott does the same strictly so that he can see better when he makes the shot. Again, a nice character beat is sanded down to instead reinforce plot.

Internal Monologues for Rand and Rook: In Mospeada, a combination of music and artwork allows us to see that the further Houquet gets from the group, the more convinced she is that she shouldn't leave. Robotech doesn't play a song over the same scene (even though Lonely Soldier Boy would fit fine here), and the series doesn't do silence... so in place of that, we get internal monologues from first Rook, then Rand, making clear their decision to rejoin the group. This makes for a much weaker scene than the original version.

Scott Decides to Take a Rest: Once the group is together again, dialogue is dubbed over the closing visuals, with Scott now remarking that he thinks they should take some time to rest. This isn't a bad addition; and, based on the "Next Episode" promo, it helps the end of this episode to tie into the next one.

Advantage: Mospeada.


INCIDENTAL MUSIC:

Mospeada uses an instrumental version of its end credits song, Blue Blue Rain in My Soul, to good effect when Ray and Houquet walk away from the group mid-episode. Even better is the use of a song as Ray and Houquet ride away, only for Houquet to realize the mistake she's making and turn back.

Robotech uses its tracks just fine, but it's the same tracks used in the same way as always. Also, the Robotech score is used to emphasize tension and action moments, while the Mospeada score mostly is used to complement the character material.

Advantage: Mospeada.

The group fights its way past an Inbit patrol in
one of Mospeada's better action sequences.

OVERALL ADVANTAGE - MOSPEADA:

The Robotech episode is good, but the Mospeada episode is excellent. Robotech's changes water down some wonderful character moments, making the various group members feel a lot less like real people. Notably, Scott's lack of self-doubt ironically makes him come across as weaker in the Americanized version. Mospeada's Stig is working through his own issues during the episode, while Robotech's Scott is just sort of hanging around waiting for the next action scene.

Robotech's dialogue is also very on the nose, with several lines that amount to describing the characters' situation. While the Invid attack and collapse the tunnel, they now shout at each other that the Invid are trying to collapse the tunnel. Um, this isn't a radio play, we can see that.


OTHER MUSINGS:

The episode's art and animation are well above the series' average. Many shot choices specifically separate characters into pairs and groups, while wide shots are used to emphasize their isolation from the outside world. The end action scene is one of the more dynamic of the series, from the image of the train bursting through the tunnel to the quick, well-sketched shots of the characters firing at the Inbit as they break through.

Given the strength of both visuals and action scenes, it's almost surprising that this is a character piece. It's an outstanding one, at that, finding good moments for every member of the ensemble. Jim's breakdown makes the divisions in the group visible, but they were already present, as shown by the argument in Sandstorm Playback. As a result, the fracture feels authentic, and the characters' doubts and hesitations are believable.

I don't know why Robotech makes so many changes, but almost all of them are for the worse. With so many interactions watered down, the divisions feel neither as deep nor as real. Those pointless changes are a shame. Evne with them, Separate Ways remains a good episode of Robotech. But I'd rank The Ballad of Breaking Up as a strong contender for Mospeada's best episode to date.


Overall Rating - Mospeada: 10/10.

Overall Rating - Robotech: 8/10.

Previous Episode: Mint's Wedding March/Annie's Wedding
Next Episode: Trap Reggae/Metamorphosis

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