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 (not yet reviewed)

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3-14. Mint's Wedding March/Annie's Wedding.

Mint sets her sights on a young tribal prince.

Genesis Climber Mospeada: Mint's Wedding March.

Original Air Date - Genesis Climber Mospeada: Jan. 8, 1984. Writer: Kenji Terada. Director: Mari Kobayashi.

Robotech: Annie's Wedding.

Original Air Date - Robotech: June 13, 1985.
Story Editor: Steve Kramer. Supervising Director: Robert V. Barron.


PLOT - MOSPEADA:

Running low on HBT, Stig and his group land in a forest, where they decide to construct a giant raft to take them and their mechs down the river. They've only just started work when they're captured by a primitive tribe who are determined to sacrifice them to appease their god.

The nearby dam has begun releasing water, which the tribesmen believe is a sign of their god's anger. Stig persuades the tribe's leader to allow him and Jim to fix the problem. Once they succeed, they go from prisoners to honored guests.

Meanwhile, Machuda, the leader's son, has taken Yellow prisoner, declaring that he has claimed a wife... which earns raucous laughter when it's revealed that his "wife" is actually a man. When the Inbit attack again, the headstrong youth puts himself in danger in an ill-advised attempt to prove himself. Mint then comes up with a plan to make him a man in the eyes of the tribe - and to maybe snag herself a position as tribal princess in the process!


PLOT - ROBOTECH:

Running low on protoculture, Scott and his group land in a forest, where they decide to construct a giant raft to take them and their mechs down the river. They've only just started work when they're captured by a primitive tribe who are determined to sacrifice them to appease their god.

The nearby dam has begun releasing water, which the tribesmen believe is a sign of their god's anger. Scott persuades the tribe's leader to allow him and Lunk to fix the problem. Once they succeed, they go from prisoners to honored guests.

Meanwhile, McGruder, the leader's son, has taken Lancer prisoner, declaring that he has claimed a wife... which earns raucous laughter when it's revealed that his "wife" is actually a man. When the Inbit attack again, the headstrong youth puts himself in danger in an ill-advised attempt to prove himself. Annie then comes up with a plan to make him a man in the eyes of the tribe - and to maybe snag herself a position as tribal princess in the process!

Prisoners of the tribe - and possible sacrifices!

CHARACTERS:

I've often found Mint annoying, but she's actually fairly likable in this episode. Yes, an internal voice over lets us know that she recognizes the advantages of marrying the tribe's future leader: housing, servants, authority. But she first notices Machuda when the tribe is laughing at him, and she seems driven as much by compassion as greed. Also, her plan works with Scott's overall strategy against the Inbit, rather than disrupting it. On the whole, a rather good showing for someone who's generally my least favorite character.

Also welcome is that Ray is kept entirely as a supporting figure. I like Ray - but so do the writers, often at the expense of the other characters, so I actually find it a relief to see him in the background for a change.

Advantage: None.


NARRATION:

Robotech's introductory narration is fairly good this time, drawing a direct line between the revelations of last episode about the Invid experiments with evolution and the aliens' creation of a new form in this episode. The narrator mostly stays out of the way once the episode starts, which means that the voice over never feels intrusive.

Advantage: None.

An Inbit "Grab" prepares for a transformation.
In Robotech, this involves a lot more technobabble.

CUTS AND ALTERATION:

Lancer Takes Watch to Slack Off: Mospeada's Yellow volunteers to take watch as a matter of procedure. Robotech's Lancer does it in order to avoid the physical labor of building the raft, prompting grumbling from Lunk and Rand.

Rand and Annie Don't Try to Get Out of Working: Ray and Mint both declare their lack of interest in building the raft, prompting Houquet to ask if they'd prefer to be left in the jungle to "play Tarzan" instead. Outside of a quip from Annie offering to "supervise," neither she nor Rand tries to get out of working in Robotech.

Added Technobabble as the Invid Soldier is Transformed: In the first half of the episode, there's a cutaway to the nearby Inbit fortress. Here, an Inbit "Grab" is transformed into a new form, while the Inbit leader talks about the need to evolve into an ultimate form in order to survive. This is largely the same in Robotech, with the Invid soldier transformed into an "Enforcer." The Regess indulges in considerably more technobabble before the transmutation, though, presumably to make things more "sci fi."

Peekaboo Nudity Removed: When Mint goes to talk with Machuda, there's a moment when one the straps of her dress falls away, revealing one breast. Robotech removed this shot for broadcast - and, probably because of Annie's portrayal as underage, it has not been put back in for the remaster.

The Invid Are "Overlords": Machuda tells Mint that the Inbit have made changes that have harmed the valley. Robotech makes the tribe's understanding of the Invid more primitive, with them referring to the aliens as "overlords" and hating them for driving the livestock away. In fairness to the Robotech writers, this is at least consistent with the tribe somehow mistaking a dam malfunction for a god's anger.

Rand Wants to Rescue the Tribe: In Mospeada, Ray observes the tribesmen preparing to fight the Inbit and proposes to Stig that they should engage in a joint operation. Robotech's Rand instead puts it in terms of them rescuing the primitive tribesmen from a battle they can't win.

The Regess Narrates All Invid Actions (Again): As per usual, all the movements of the Invid have voice over from the Regess, ordering them to perform each action that occurs. Mospeada leaves the Inbit actions silent, trusting the viewer to follow along.

Lancer Quips About the River God's Anger: After they defeat the Inbit, Mospeada's Yellow remarks that they will need to convince the tribe that their god smited the aliens in anger. Robotech changes this, with Lancer instead making a quip about the river god's anger being understandable, since the Invid would annoy anybody.

Advantage: None. None of these changes has much impact on the viewing experience.


INCIDENTAL MUSIC:

Both scores are used well. This is an episode with a significant amount of action, though, and I found that the Robotech incidentals boosted the action scenes more than the Mospeada score did.

Advantage: Robotech.

Stig and Ray watch as the tribe prepares for battle.

OVERALL ADVANTAGE - NONE:

Changes are minor, as usual; and in this case, none of the changes annoyed me. I'd rate the viewing experience of this one as being essentially the same in either version.


OTHER MUSINGS:

I have an issue with the tribe's intent to sacrifice Stig's group. The Inbit only invaded a little over thirty years ago (Robotech's Invid, only a little over a decade ago). Even assuming that the tribe lived a primitive life before the invasion, they should still recognize the dam as manmade technology. Them mistaking a technical fault for their god's anger may pay tribute to old jungle adventures, but it doesn't ring true.

That aside, this is a generally enjoyable episode. It's silly at its core, but it moves along at a rapid pace. It also features a rare, good characterization of Mint, and the action scenes are well-animated and sharply edited.

It's definitely not a highlight, but it's fun to watch. A solid effort overall.


Overall Rating: 6/10.

Previous Episode: Sandstorm Playback/Sandstorm
Next Episode: The Ballad of Breaking Up/Separate Ways

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3-13. Sandstorm Playback/Sandstorm.

Ray has a vivid dream in which Aisha is kidnapped by a dragon!

Genesis Climber Mospeada: Fortress Sandstorm Playback.

Original Air Date - Genesis Climber Mospeada: Dec. 25, 1983. Writer: Sukehiro Tomita. Director: Yusaku Saotome.

Robotech: Sandstorm.

Original Air Date - Robotech: June 12, 1985.
Story Editor: Steve Kramer. Supervising Director: Robert V. Barron.


PLOT - MOSPEADA:

Now in a desert, the group takes shelter in a cave, hiding from both an Inbit patrol and a ferocious sandstorm. They manage to remain safe, but tempers are short. Aisha appears to be ill and dehydrated, and all of them are thirsty. When they observe Ray feeding Aisha water from a cactus, everyone turns on him for holding out, prompting him to head angrily into the desert to get more.

The wind immediately knocks him into a pit, where he loses consciousness. He has a dream in which he tries to protect Aisha from a dragon, with that fantasy adventure interrupted by snatches of memory about the Inbit. As he continues to fight the dragon in the dream, his subconscious - likely boosted by a psychic link to the unconscious Aisha - leads him to a revelation about the aliens' goals and motives...


PLOT - ROBOTECH:

In a desert on the other side of the Invid fortress, the group takes shelter in a cave, hiding from both an enemy patrol and a ferocious sandstorm. They manage to remain safe, but tempers are short. Marlene was psychically stricken by the destruction of the fortress, and every member of the group is thirsty. When they observe Rand feeding her water from a cactus, everyone turns on him for holding out, prompting him to head angrily into the desert to get more.

The wind immediately knocks him into a pit, where he loses consciousness. Spores from the Invid Flower of Life cause him to have a vivid dream, in which he tries to protect Marlene from a dragon. This fantasy adventure keeps being interrupted by memories centered around the Invid. The spores create a psychic link to the unconscious Marlene, who is already linked with the Invid... all of which enables Rand to piece together the aliens' goals and motives...

The group hides both from the storm and from Inbit patrols.

CHARACTERS:

Stig blows up at Ray, talking about how much he dislikes civilians and snarking that "those who wouldn't sacrifice themselves complain the most." Really, Stig? You'd have been dead as early as Episode Two if not for the civilians in your midst. Robotech drops the line, and even has Scott apologize, which is an improvement... until the end, when Scott acts like an even bigger ass than Stig managed.

This is yet another episode centered around Ray, but I think Stig should have been the viewpoint character this time. The dream sees Ray acting essentially as a fantasy knight, rescuing damsel Aisha from the dragon. This doesn't fit the down-to-Earth Ray, while Stig seems far more likely to view himself in such terms. I also think it would have been more interesting to have Stig - who despises the Inbit to his core - to be the one to gain insight into their motives.

Advantage: None.


NARRATION:

The narration really hammers home how little Robotech trusts its audience. The narrator begins by reminding us that Marlene is an Invid "simulagent," because the kiddies can't be expected to remember the last three episodes. He then proceeds to tell us that Marlene's condition is a result of her link to the Invid, which is fairly obvious. We're even directly told that Ray is dreaming, which is repeated a couple of times in dialogue just to make sure we're following along.

To give a sliver of credit, however, I like one bit of narration: a link with The Masters arc, with Ray's dream influenced by spores from the Invid Flower of Life. This is a clever use of the larger Robotech context, and it's consistent with the effect of the spores on Dana in that arc's final episode. It doesn't make up for the rest of the narration basically insulting the viewer's intelligence, though.

Advantage: Mospeada.

Battling the dragon. Mospeada backs this
with the ballad Yellow earlier.

CUTS AND ALTERATION:

Lancer Refuses to Sing: Yellow breaks the tension between Stig and Ray by singing a ballad about a hero and a maiden, which sets the stage for Ray's dream. In Robotech, Rook asks Lancer to sing, prompting him to complain that she thinks they can "switch (him) off and on like a music box." This is, at least, preferable to him singing a bit of This Is My Time to Be a Star or one of the Robotech Minmei's other "masterpieces," but it does strip one layer away from the episode.

Scott Apologizes: While Stig remains argumentative throughout the opening scene, Robotech's Scott apologizes for blowing up and says a few words about the importance of sticking together. He also invokes Admiral Hunter again, and I'm starting to agree with Rand about being sick of having Rick Hunter namedropped so regularly

Marlene Tells Rand He's Dreaming: When Ray rescues Aisha from the dragon at the start of the dream, Aisha asks him to please stop fighting with Stig. In Robotech, Marlene instead tells him that none of this is real and that he's dreaming, with him noting that she's cute and "this dream's not half bad" less than a minute later. Neither scene is better than the other, but they are quite different in their respective portrayals of Aisha/Marlene.

Voice Overs Make Clear That Rand Has to "Kiss" Marlene: In Mospeada, after Aisha is unable to drink the water Ray tries to give her, he holds it in his mouth and pushes it into hers in what's shot and framed as a kiss. Robotech decides to sidestep any potential consent issues (yes, even in the mid-'80s, kissing an unconscious woman wasn't considered a good thing) by having Rand narrate his apologies, fretting in voice over that this is the only way to get her to drink. It's ham-fisted, but it was probably necessary to clear US broadcast standards for the after-school timeslot.

Invid Exposition: Ray relives the possessed Mint scene from Lost World Fugue, with Mint talking about evolution and the need for the Inbit to find the ideal form for survival on Earth. Robotech changes this, with the Invid Regess relating how the aliens were "a simple people" until the Robotech Masters contaminated their Flower of Life. I actually kind of like this. It works in the context of the Masters' oft-referenced conflict with the Invid, and it's a nice bit of additional lore for the Robotech universe.

Annie Reminds Rand that This is a Dream: Mospeada's Ray is appalled when he sees Dream Mint riding a Mospeada, certain that she'll just crash it. This is echoed in Robotech, with Rand protesting that Annie doesn't know how to ride a Cyclone. Annie feels the need to remind him that this is a dream as she takes off. You know, in case we forgot since the last time the episode reminded us.

Chatter Is Dubbed Over the Dragon Fight: In Mospeada, the fight against the dragon is backed by a song about heroes slaying a dragon. Minus the song, Robotech dubs a bunch of dialogue over the battle, complete with some technobabble when the dragon leads them through "some kind of ion storm."

Scott Questions Rand's Loyalty (!): Ray returns to camp still in a dreamlike state, talking about the Inbit's reasons for coming to Earth. Stig replies that the Inbit takeover will come at the expense of humanity and that they have no choice but to fight, which Ray acknowledges. Robotech makes the scene much worse, with Scott responding to Rand's information by questioning his loyalty. Never mind that Rand directly saved his life when he was all but peeing himself with puppy dog excitement at meeting his childhood hero while walking into a Invid trap. Never mind that Rand was the one who figured out how the Invid were tracking them, or that Rand came up with the plan to get past the Invid fortress. Rand is recounting the enemy's motivations - fairly important information to have - and that somehow makes him disloyal. In Rand's place, my response would be... well, inappropriate to relate here.

Advantage: Mospeada.


INCIDENTAL MUSIC:

For most of the episode, the two scores are used about equally well. Then comes the climax, as the group battles the dragon inside the dream. In Mospeada, this is backed by a song about legendary heroes slaying a dragon. Robotech instead uses its generic "action" music, which isn't nearly as effective. Also, some of the shot choices feel a bit odd without the song lending context.

Advantage: Mospeada.

The heroes, in medieval fantasy garb.

OVERALL ADVANTAGE - MOSPEADA:

I'm not a big fan of either version of this episode, but Robotech is noticeably worse than the original. The narration all but calls the viewers idiots, as do the constant reiterations that this is a dream. Mospeada also makes good use of the ballad Yellow sings near the beginning, the princess and dragon story creating the form of the dream. Without the song, Robotech is robbed of a part of the frame for the story and of some of its atmosphere.

OTHER MUSINGS:

Sandstorm Playback is not quite a clipshow, but it's clipshow adjacent, incorporating bits from Prelude to the Offensive, Showdown Concert at High Noon, Lost World Fugue, and Fortress Breakthrough Boogie. I'd suspect that this was a time and budget saver episode, except that some of the scenes with the dragon seem likely to have been more work intensive than the series' usual animation.

I'm not enthusiastic about this one, but it's not bad. It moves along at a fair clip, with some decent imagery, and some of its insights are likely to be important later. Still, it falls into the problem of most "dream" episodes, in that there really aren't any stakes. I also feel that this episode would have been better suited to Stig than to Ray. We've seen Ray make leaps about the Inbit before; to have Stig, with his deep-set hatred for them, glimpse a bit of their perspective would have been vastly more interesting.

In the end, it's a decent time filler. But given how important some of its revelations are likely to be, I wish it didn't come across as just a time filler.


Overall Rating - Mospeada: 5/10.

Overall Rating - Robotech: 4/10.

Previous Episode: Fortress Breakthrough Boogie/The Fortress
Next Episode: Mint's Wedding March/Annie's Wedding

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3-12. Fortress Breakthrough Boogie/The Fortress.

Ray and Mint infiltrate an Inbit fortress!

Genesis Climber Mospeada: Fortress Breakthrough Boogie.

Original Air Date - Genesis Climber Mospeada: Dec. 18, 1983. Writer: Kenji Terada. Director: Mari Kobayashi.

Robotech: The Fortress.

Original Air Date - Robotech: June 11, 1985.
Story Editor: Steve Kramer. Supervising Director: Robert V. Barron.


PLOT - MOSPEADA:

Stig and his team have made it to the mountains, but they can't progress unless they get past an Inbit fortress. They know that the Inbit have the ability to detect HBT emissions. This means that if they so much as turn on any of their mechs, their enemies will descend in force.

Ray comes up with a plan. He and Mint will ski to the fort, allowing them to reach it without detection. They will make their way inside while the bulk of the alien forces are on patrol, then find and destroy the HBT radar.

The first part of the plan goes smoothly. But neither Ray nor Mint knows what the detection device looks like - an increasing problem, with their window before the patrols return closing rapidly!


PLOT - ROBOTECH:

Scott and his team have made it to the mountains, but they can't progress unless they get past a one-time Earth outpost that's been repurposed into an Invid fortress. The group knows that the Invid have the ability to detect protoculture emissions. This means that if they so much as turn on any of their mechs, their enemies will descend in force.

Rand comes up with a plan. He will ski to the fort, allowing him to reach it without detection. While the bulk of the alien forces are on patrol, he will find and destroy the protoculture radar. After some wheedling from Annie, he agrees to let her come to help.

The first part of the plan goes smoothly, with Rand and Annie making it inside. But neither one of them knows what the detection device looks like - an increasing problem, as their window before the patrols return is closing rapidly!

Ray and Mint evade detection by skiing to the fortress.

CHARACTERS:

Ray's ingenuity is shown again, with him coming up with the plan. He jokes with Mint during the mission and makes exaggerated faces at her - but once she isn't looking, his expression turns serious, showing that he realizes the seriousness of the situation.

Houquet bickers with him the night before the infiltration. When he runs into trouble, however, she rushes to volunteer to act as a distraction. In Mospeada, this appears to be entirely spur of the moment, with her not even pausing to make sure the others agree, something Robotech changes.

Though this is a Ray-heavy episode, it manages not to forget about Stig. The climax is centered entirely around him, as he stays behind to keep the Inbit occupied so the others can escape. Mospeada casts a grimmer tone here than Robotech, with Stig clearly aware that he could die doing this; Robotech's Scott, by contrast, makes light-hearted quips throughout the sequence, which undermines much of the tension.

Advantage: Mospeada.


NARRATION:

Robotech's narrator just sets the scene at the start of the episode and then stays out of the way for the rest of it. I'd gripe that after the narrator finishes, Scott essentially re-narrates the episode setup - but the narration itself is minimal, so I'll be generous and chalk this one up as a wash.

Advantage: None.

An Inbit mech is lifted from a row of dormant ones.
Robotech narrates all this, making it less atmospheric.

CUTS AND ALTERATION:

The Invid Converted an Earth Fortress: In Mospeada, it's clear that the fortress is an Inbit fortress, built by them. Not so in Robotech, with Scott filling in that the Invid converted an Earth outpost from the war against the Masters - because this is the same show, honest. Neither is inherently better than the other, but Mospeada's version is a far better fit for how alien the inside of the fortress is.

Scott Explains the Need to Take Out the Fortress: The episode opens with Stig observing the fortress through binoculars, noting that they'll be detected before they get close to the structure. Robotech has Scott more or less narrate that the fortress stands in their way and that they have to "take it out" in order to get past it - something that I suspect the group would have already known before reaching it.

Rand Cut the Second Pair of Skis for Rook: In Mospeada, Ray is happy to have Mint come along from the start, observing that the "boys from Mars" (Stig, Yellow, Jim) won't know how to ski. He also specifically dismisses Houqet, the "pretend tough girl." In Robotech, Rand states that the second pair of skis is for Rook, and he only agrees to have Annie accompany him after Rook refuses. I do not like this change at all. It feels out of character for Rook to refuse to help, doubly so when that refusal puts Annie in danger.

Mint's Panties Become Annie's Bikini: While skiing, Mint's pack comes undone. A bomb falls out, with a pair of her panties tangled in them. The bomb ends up buried in snow, but an Inbit scout scrutinizes the underwear while Ray and Mint hide. Apparently, women's undergarments are too scandalous for a mid-1980s American cartoon, so Annie wails about her "bikini" - though the shots of the Invid picking them up are clearly panties.

The Invid Regess Narrates: In Mospeada, all the movements of the Inbit are wordless, observed by Ray and Mint but kept mysterious except for what can be inferred. Since Robotech is as terrified of silence as of leaving things up to viewer interpretation, the Invid Regess effectively narrates every move the aliens make.

Rook's Distraction Was Planned: When Ray and Mint signal the need for a distraction, Houquet all but leaps onto her Mospeada to catch the Inbit's attention. This plays as her acting on impulse, not even waiting for the others to agree before she acts to save Ray and Mint. Robotech adds a few lines, with Scott and Rand making clear that her distraction has been fully planned out. In strategic terms, it makes more sense... but in both dramatic and character terms, the Mospeada scene is better.

Scott "Will Be Fine:" When Mospeada's Stig stays behind to draw the Inbit off while the others escape, it's made clear that he is putting himself at great risk, and his line deliveries and general attitude in are terse. Robotech de-emphasizes the danger. Scott adopts a lighter tone, and Lancer tells Rand that Scott will be fine. Lest any actual tension still manage to creep in, Scott proceeds to make several quips during his fight-and-flight against the Invid.

Peekaboo Nudity: The episode ends with Mint and Houquet splashing each other in a lake. They call for Aisha to join them. She strips off all her clothes, with the final image being a freeze frame of the naked Aisha diving into the water. In Robotech's original broadcast, the nudity is carefully cut around, with the final shot being Lancer grabbing Rand by the ear to keep him from looking. Fear not, though, because the original nudity has been restored for the "New Generation" remastered release.

Advantage: Mospeada.


INCIDENTAL MUSIC:

Both versions use their respective scores well, with no tracks that distracted or that seemed ill suited to a particular scene.

Advantage: None.

Inbit cluster around what looks suspiciously like a giant brain.

OVERALL ADVANTAGE - MOSPEADA:

This is another case in which changes are minor, and the two episodes are mostly close together in quality. However, Robotech makes changes that I think reduce the effectiveness. The Invid Regess narrating the aliens' actions robs the episode of some of its atmosphere. Even more significant is the lighter tone of the climax: Mospeada's Stig is grim and stoic, far from certain that he will survive buying time for the others' escape. Robotech's Scott is more relaxed, quipping his way through the battle in a way that obliterates dramatic tension.


OTHER MUSINGS:

It really does feel as if the show has gained focus and energy in the wake of Requiem of the Battlefield. The individual installments continue to have self-contained stories, but there's a sense of forward motion now. Fingers crossed that this continues for the remaining episodes!

Fortress Breakthrough Boogie is another entertaining installment. The Mospeada version offers up tension and atmosphere, and there are some decent visual moments during the fortress infiltration: Ray looking out at rows of dormant Inbit mechs, Ray and Mint observing the Inbit, and one room that has what looks very much like a giant brain at its center. Several images are a bit static - but since the most static images also tend to be the most eye-catching, it evens out.

The Robotech version is slightly weaker thanks to choices that soften the tone, but it remains enjoyable. I felt fairly neutral toward Mospeada/New Geenration during its first nine episodes, but I'm starting to actually get invested now.


Overall Rating - Mospeada: 8/10.

Overall Rating - Robotech: 7/10.

Previous Episode: Lullaby of Distant Hope/The Secret Route
Next Episode: Sandstorm Playback/Sandstorm

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3-11. Lullaby of Distant Hope/The Secret Route.

Yellow Belmont is reunited with an old flame.

Genesis Climber Mospeada: Lullaby of Distant Hope.

Original Air Date - Genesis Climber Mospeada: Dec. 11, 1983. Writer: Satoshi Namiki. Director: Katsuhito Akiyama.

Robotech: The Secret Route.

Original Air Date - Robotech: June 10, 1985.
Story Editor: Steve Kramer. Supervising Director: Robert V. Barron.


PLOT - MOSPEADA:

With a mountain range blocking their path, Stig and his group stop at a nearby town to get supplies and to find a way through. They learn that the Inbit have control over the mountains, but that a map showing a safe route through can be purchased from town boss Dogarbo.

While the others search for temporary work, Yellow adopts his female rock star persona to visit Dogarbo and set up a concert. Yellow is shocked to discover that Dogarbo's girlfriend is Carla, the woman who saved him after the failure of the previous attempt to take back Earth. Carla set him up with his disguise in order to evade "soldier hunts," and they were briefly happy - until he left her in order to continue fighting the Inbit.

Meanwhile, Mint falls for a local boy whose family is soon to follow Dogarbo's route - a path that Yellow suspects may lead directly into a trap!


PLOT - ROBOTECH:

With a mountain range blocking their path, Scott and his group stop at a nearby town to get supplies and to find a way through. They learn that the Invid have control over the mountains, but that a map showing a safe route through can be purchased from town mayor Donald Maxwell.

While the others search for temporary work, Lancer adopts his Yellow Dancer persona to visit Maxwell and set up a concert. He is shocked to discover that the mayor's girlfriend is Carla, the woman who saved him after the failure of the previous attempt to take back Earth. Carla set him up with his disguise when the locals began rounding up soldiers to give to the Invid. The two were briefly happy - until he left her in order to continue fighting the aliens.

Meanwhile, Annie falls for a local boy whose family is soon to follow Maxwell's route - a path that Lancer suspects may lead directly into a trap!

The heroes arrive in another town - one with a secret (again).

CHARACTERS:

This episode sketches in a lot of Yellow's backstory, including the origins of his female disguise. Flashbacks are efficient, showing enough of Yellow's relationship with Carla for us to believe in their romance in only a few minutes of screen time. Yellow observes Carla's strained interactions with Dogarbo, and he quickly realizes that there is likely a problem with the rich man's map.

The young woman they found in the last episode gets a name. In response to remarks about her being a "queen" because her condition precludes her from working, Yellow dubs her "Aisha," meaning queen. The episode also shows her connection to the Inbit, as she picks up their presence and some of their thoughts.

Characters other than Yellow are mostly backgrounded this time. Mint gets a "B" plot centered around her falling for a local boy. I've disliked this element of her character in previous episodes, but it actually works OK here. The boy seems to be pretty close to Mint's own age, which sidesteps the distasteful undertones present in her introductory episode. I still find Mint more annoying than endearing, but her subplot isn't bad this time.

All of this is roughly the same in Robotech, whose changes are - as usual, in Mospeada - quite minor.

Advantage: None.


NARRATION:

The Robotech narration is mainly limited to some quick scene-setting at the start. The narrator does pop up to make sure that we understand a plot turn at the end - which would annoy me, except that I found that moment in Mospeada to be momentarily confusing, so it probably is warranted. Outside of that, the episode is mostly allowed to play out for itself.

Advantage: None.

The newest member of the group gets a name:
Aisha in Mospeada, Marlene in Robotech.

CUTS AND ALTERATION:

Mint Looks for Work: After the group is told that they will need to buy an expensive map to get through the mountains, they go looking for ways to earn money. Mint is trying to find some sort of work when she runs into Eddie. Robotech's Annie is just wandering around, complaining about the town.

Yellow Names Aisha; Scott Names Marlene: In both versions, Rand and Houquet snark about how the amnesiac young woman they found doesn't have to worry about things like work. This prompts the group to decide they need something to call her other than, "Hey, you." In Mospeada, Yellow provides the name, Aisha," playing on Houquet's comparison of her to a queen. In Robotech, Scott suggests "Marlene," after his late fiancée, a shift that reminds the viewer of his own personal loss.

Donald's Dialogue Is More Overtly Villainous: By either name, the corrupt town mayor is despicable. But near the end, when he and his men intercept the regulars, Dogarbo's manner is that of someone who's protecting himself, while Donald seems to genuinely enjoy his villainy, even sneering that since he's rich and the others aren't, he "must be doing something right."

Advantage: None.


INCIDENTAL MUSIC:

Mospeada makes excellent use of Yellow's songs to set and sustain an emotional atmosphere. Robotech also uses its music well, utilizing both of the Robotech Yellow songs and a piano version of Minmei's It's You. Had this been earlier in the series, I'd probably rate it as "No Advantage." By this point, however, Robotech's music has a bit of a canned feel to it, so I'm going to give the edge to the original version.

Advantage: Mospeada.

Carla and her new boyfriend, the villainous Dogarbo.

OVERALL ADVANTAGE - NONE:

Mospeada has, thus far, been the series that's by far the least changed for Robotech, and the two versions of this episode are close to identical. I like the use of Mospeada's music - both incidentals and songs - slightly better. Overall, though, the viewing experience is basically the same.


OTHER MUSINGS:

...And we're back to the "town with a secret" template, though at least this is a pretty good one. The plot may cover overly familiar ground, but the story is well-structured and nicely paced. The episode also provides a heap of backstory for Yellow/Lancer, whose characterization proves strong enough to carry an episode in which the other regulars are mostly left to the background.

Though it returns to a familiar template, Lullaby of Distant Hope manages to maintain the sense of the previous episode that the show is now building to something. Aisha/Marlene receives a name, and we see her actively picking up on the aliens' presence, thoughts, and movements.

This, combined with the indication that the group is starting to get geographically closer to its goal even if they don't have any particular plan as yet, lends a sense of direction and energy that often wasn't there in the early episodes. Hopefully, this means the show has turned a corner.

In any event, this is enjoyable... even if I personally feel that one character is far too easily forgiven for actions that I would label as unforgivable.


Overall Rating: 7/10.

Previous Episode: Requiem of the Battlefield/Enter Marlene
Next Episode: Fortress Breakthrough Boogie/The Fortress

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3-10. Requiem of the Battlefield/Enter Marlene.

The group finds an amnesiac woman in the ruins of a destroyed village.

Genesis Climber Mospeada: Requiem of the Battlefield.

Original Air Date - Genesis Climber Mospeada: Dec. 4, 1983. Writer: Ryo Yasumura. Director: Mari Kobayashi.

Robotech: Enter Marlene.

Original Air Date - Robotech: June 7, 1985.
Story Editor: Steve Kramer. Supervising Director: Robert V. Barron.


PLOT - MOSPEADA:

Stig and his group arrive at Point K, a staging area that was preselected as a base for the assault on Reflex Point. Stig looks forward to reuniting with thousands of his fellow soldiers, certain that even the Inbit will be no match for a force of this strength.

They arrive to discover that Point K has been turned into a ruin. The soldiers are all dead, their equipment destroyed. Even the local village has been wiped out, for no reason other than being too close to the base.

Stig goes into an immediate depression. Jim and Yellow give him space while checking the area for parts and equipment, while Houquet and Ray investigate the village. In the destroyed settlement, they find one apparent survivor - a mysterious young woman who remembers nothing, not even her name, and whose speech seems to be limited to parroting back what is said to her.

They bring her back to the camp with them, while the unseen Inbit watch their every move...


PLOT - ROBOTECH:

Scott and his group arrive at Point K, an advanced base specifically prepared by Admiral Hunter to house troops and equipment to resist any alien invasion. Scott looks forward to reuniting with thousands of his fellow soldiers, certain that even the Invid will be no match for a force of this strength.

They arrive to discover that Point K has been turned into a ruin. The soldiers are all dead, their equipment destroyed. Even the local village has been wiped out, for no reason other than being too close to the base.

Scott goes into an immediate depression. Lunk and Lancer give him space while checking the area for parts and equipment, while Rand and Rook investigate the village. In the destroyed settlement, they find a mysterious young woman who remembers nothing, not even her name, and whose speech seems to be limited to parroting back what is said to her.

This woman is actually an Invid simulagent, designed to infiltrate the humans' ranks and gather intelligence. Ray and Rook play right into this plan by assuming that she's a survivor from the village. They bring her back to camp, while the unseen Invid watch their every move...

The destroyed base throws Stig into an immediate depression.

CHARACTERS:

Every one of the regulars gets something to do, and they are all used well.

Stig spends most of the running time in a state of shock. It's only when the Inbit attack, and more specifically attack the young woman Ray and Houquet rescued, that he snaps out of it. The woman reminds him of Marlene, his fiancée who was killed by the Inbit, and her peril spurs him to action.

Jim and Yellow, themselves both veterans, are initially understanding about Stig's reaction. They give him space while seeing what they salvage from the devastation - and as it happens, they salvage quite a lot. Jim loses his temper when Stig snaps at Mint, and Yellow has to intercede to keep the two from coming to blows.

Ray and Houquet are paired once again as they investigate the town. Ray, who has mostly taken everything in stride, has a flash of genuine anger when he sees a family photo in an empty house and realizes that innocent civilians were murdered for no reason other than proximity.

Advantage: None.


NARRATION:

Mospeada lets the scene play out wordlessly, showing the Inbit dropping an egg into the ruins of the town below. The visual sequence, combined with the overall context, makes clear enough what's going on. This isn't good enough for Robotech, whose narrator spells out for us that the Invid are planting an agent bred to appear as human. This clarifies something that isn't confusing, once again showing that Robotech doesn't trust its young audience to fill in even the smallest of blanks.

Advantage: Mospeada.

The Inbit make a delivery and then observe the results.
Robotech spells out everything with narration.

CUTS AND ALTERATION:

The Nature of Point K: In Mospeada, Point K is the Mars Base 7th Division's staging area, selected to serve as a base to attack Reflex Point. Robotech changes this to fit with the context of the previous arcs. Now Point K was established by Admiral Hunter before he left Earth, its mission to fight off whatever enemy might come - which, given the previous invasions, makes sense, though it does leave me wondering exactly what they were waiting for during the war with the Robotech Masters.

Annie Cheers on Scott: Mospeada's Mint looks forward to reaching the base because there will be single men there. Since this aspect of the character has been de-emphasized in Robotech, Annie just cheers Scott during the approach.

The Invid Regess Talks. A Lot: Mospeada's Inbit hide and observe Ray and Houquet as they find the strange woman and take her back to camp. At one point, an Inbit mech prepares to fire on the humans, only for its leader to stop it. This, and all of the scenes with the Inbit, are conveyed visually. Robotech doesn't do silence, though; so in the American show, the Invid Regess talks over all of these scenes, effectively narrating all of the alien actions.

Stig Mentally Berates Himself: After Stig snaps at Mint, he mentally berates himself, wondering why he can't snap out of his depression. This is one of my favorite character beats of not just this episode, but all of Mospeada to this point... so of course Robotech changes it. Scott still gets an internal monologue, but he wonders why the others are crazy enough to think there's still a chance against the Invid. The replacement line is fine, and it's well delivered by voice actor Greg Snegoff. It just doesn't carry the same emotional weight.

Advantage: Mospeada.


INCIDENTAL MUSIC:

Mospeada has a standout moment early on. During the approach to Point K, as Stig anticipates being part of a larger unit again, an instrumental version of the theme song (Lonely Soldier Boy) plays, musically building up the moment - and increasing the blow when he sees what the Inbit have made of the base.

Robotech's score is well applied, but there's no similar standout moment. The episode also recycles the theme during the climactic action scene - and, as has been true in most of the series' episodes that have used the theme as incidental music, it distracts rather than enhances. Don't get me wrong, the Robotech them is terrific as a theme. However, with only a couple of rare exceptions, it has rarely worked when used as in-episode music.

Advantage: Mospeada.

The group, with its newest addition, is attacked by the Inbit.

OVERALL ADVANTAGE - NONE:

As has been true throughout Mospeada, changes are minor: over-clarification of plot points the Robotech writers worry the after-school audience will miss and some adjustments to backstory to fit the altered context. Robotech's scripts tend to be more polished for the "big" episodes, and that continues to be the case ehre. There's very little of the clunkiness that has sometimes marred the series.

The result is that the two versions are extremely close in quality. I'd quibble that I find it more interesting to watch the Inbit's actions than to have the Regess's voice dubbed over all of them... but for the most part, this is the same viewing experience in either version.

The ruins of Point K.

OTHER MUSINGS:

It took ten shows, but Genesis Climber Mospeada finally delivers a great episode. Requiem of the Battlefield is perfectly paced, offering strong moments for every member of the ensemble. This is Stig's best character episode yet. His shock and bitterness convince. I was particularly struck by his self-recrimination in Mospeada, after he snaps at Mint and wonders why he's unable to just pull himself out of it. Anyone who has ever experienced a period of depression (or even work burnout) should be able to relate to that moment.

This is also a particularly good-looking episode. The artwork is a notch above the series' usual (already pretty decent) standard. I was struck by several images: the series of shots showing the ruins of Point K; the shot of the cracked family photo in the empty house in the village; and the revelation of the mysterious young woman, sitting naked in a dark room, bathed in a single ray of light.

In a series that up to now has offered a bunch of standalone episodes, the use of continuity stands out. Stig remembers first Marlene and then Lt. Commander Jonathan; and though the young woman is currently a figure of mystery, it's evident enough that her presence is connected to the experiment in Lost World Fugue. For the first time since the initial episodes, the series actually feels as if it's building to something.


Overall Rating: 10/10.

Previous Episode: Lost World Fugue/The Genesis Pit
Next Episode: Lullaby of Distant Hope/The Secret Route

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