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| Hikaru is assigned two subordinates. Only one of them actually needs his help. |
Super Dimension Fortress Macross: Longest Birthday
Original Air Date - Macross: Nov. 28, 1982.
Written by: Ken'ichi Matsuzaki. Directed by: Noboru Ishiguro.
Robotech: Sweet Sixteen
Original Air Date - Robotech: Mar. 13, 1985.
Story Editor: Steve Kramer. Directed by: Robert V. Barron.
PLOT - MACROSS:
It's the day of Minmay's birthday party, and Hikaru has yet to decide what to get her as a present. He doesn't have long to think about it, though. He is summoned to command, where he is presented with a medal for his conduct during the Mars mission. He also receives a promotion to lieutenant, and is given two new recruits to mentor: The extroverted Kakizaki and the quiet, nervous Max.
Kakizaki declares that he cannot wait for combat. Zentradi pilot Kamujin Kravshera is equally eager. Though under orders to avoid direct engagement with the Macross, Kamujin seizes on the pretext of a training mission to "accidentally" encounter the enemy. His surprise attack catches the ship off guard, leaving Hikaru taking his charges into a battle he isn't remotely sure they are ready for!
PLOT - ROBOTECH:
It's the day of Minmei's birthday party, and Rick has yet to decide what to get her as a present. He doesn't have long to think about it, though. He is summoned to command, where he is presented with a medal and a promotion to lieutenant. He is also given two new recruits to mentor: The extroverted Ben and the quiet, nervous Max.
Ben declares that he cannot wait for combat. Zentraedi pilot Khyron is equally eager. Khyron disregards his orders to avoid any engagement with the SDF-1, and his surprise attack catches the ship off guard. As the pilots scramble to engage the enemy, Rick finds himself taking his charges into a battle he isn't remotely sure they are ready for!
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| Kamujin comes up with a thin pretext for avoiding orders. Robotech's Khyron doesn't even do that much. |
CHARACTERS:
This episode is most notable for the introduction of Max and Kakizaki/Ben. The script does a fine job of establishing the new arrivals, though the boastfulness of the more outgoing rookie is oversold in both versions. As a side note, I find it refreshing that the show's hero is not the best pilot. This was made in the 1980s, when the hero seemed to always be "the best" by default - but while Hikaru/Rick is a good pilot, Max is easily better than him - and probably Roy, as well.
There are no major differences between Macross and Robotech in the characterizations of the humans. The villain, however, has been significantly changed. Macross's Kamujin pushes against the boundaries of his orders, creating an "accidental" encounter with the human ship. Still, he takes care to maintain plausible deniability. By contrast, Robotech's Khyron outright defies Lord Breetai's orders.
I really should prefer Kamujin's characterization, which feels more convincing overall... but I have to admit that, in this episode at least, Robotech's Khyron is just more fun to watch. Between his petulant cry of "I hate losing!" in the last episode and his mini-tantrum in this episode, the writers are making him seem like an ill-tempered child. He wants to kick over the anthill (the SDF-1) and torment the insects within - and when Daddy tells him that he needs to stop, he begins wailing like his toys have been taken away. It may be over-the-top, but it works; and since he's an over-the-top character in either version, I prefer the one that goes all-out.
Advantage: Robotech. Though I'll admit that this one's a judgment call.
NARRATION:
Thankfully, Sweet Sixteen returns to reasonably unobtrusive narration. As such, neither version's voice over annoyed me this time.
Advantage: None.
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| Britai and Exsedol consider how to deal with the Macross. |
CUTS AND ALTERATIONS:
The Beginning of the Episode: The episode opens by showing the SDF-1 under attack. Macross lets the sight and sounds of battle run for several shots with neither dialogue nor narration, and it's quite effective. Robotech pares this sequence to just a couple of shots, with narration (of course). I emphasize that the Robotech opening works just fine - but it feels like a standard prologue, while the Macross version grabs the viewer's attention.
Roy's Advice to Hikaru Differs from His Advice to Rick: After Hikaru receives his promotion, Roy tosses him his new lieutenant's bars and tells him to wear those instead of his medal, advising that it's bad form to parade around with ribbons on one's chest. Robotech's Roy tells Rick to wear the bars in addition to the medal, effectively giving him his approval to strut. I prefer the Macross version, which: (a) rings more true; and (b) emphasizes that Hikaru is still littel more than a rookie himself, with much to learn about unspoken rules and etiquette.
Kakizaki Boasts About Girls and Heads to a Strip Club; Ben Does Not: Macross's Hikaru takes Max and Kakizaki into town, so that they can accompany him to Minmay's birthday party. Kakizaki gets the wrong idea and heads toward a strip club, and Hikaru has to redirect him. Kakizaki also spends a bit too much time boasting about how girls are all over men in uniform. All of this has been cut from the Robotech version, and it honestly isn't missed.
Kamujin vs. Khyron: As noted, Kamujin finds a pretext to "accidentally" engage the Macross, while Khyron just flat-out violates his orders. In addition to this, Macross's Britai orders Kamujin to break off his unauthorized attack. Kamujin isn't happy about it, but he obeys. Robotech's Breetai resorts to mechanically overriding Khyron's ships, making them break off the attack over Khyron's impotent protests.
Advantage: None. Each version has individual moments I prefer over the other, making it a wash.
INCIDENTAL MUSIC:
This is an action-heavy episode, and one with no extra emotional layer attached to the combat scenes. In short, it's perfectly suited to the Robotech soundtrack. Watching the two versions back-to-back really demonstrates what music can do: The same visuals, edited in the exact same way, "pop" more in Robotech, and it's entirely because the score demands more attention.
Somewhat surprisingly, the Robotech music is also better used in the tag scene between Rick and Minmei. The scene is basically identical in both versions, but the music differs. Robotech's music is restrained here, playing very much under the scene. In Macross, the same moment is punctuated by a fast-paced instrumental of the show's opening ballad, which doesn't seem to particularly fit the moment and which I honestly found a bit intrusive.
Advantage: Robotech.
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| Minmay meets the new recruits and finds Max a little too charming for Hikaru's taste. |
OVERALL ADVANTAGE: ROBOTECH:
The Macross episode benefits in the early stages, with the arresting opening and the more intelligently written exchange between Hikaru and Roy.
However, those were the only two moments that I preferred in Macross. The rest of the first half is of equal quality in both versions, while the second half gets a big boost (not for the first time) from Robotech's incidental music. I also found the characterization of Robotech's Khyron to be more... well, fun than that of Macross's Kamujin, at least for this episode.
Also... In Macross, Max's last name is Jenius. Robotech changes his last name to "Sterling," which I much prefer. "Max Genius" sounds like a comic book character; Max Sterling sounds like something that might actually be somebody's name.
It's a little thing - but I'll admit to rolling my eyes when Max's last name was revealed in Macross.
OTHER MUSINGS:
In both versions, this is an engaging episode. The story is well-paced, the new characters are effectively introduced, and the running time passes quickly and enjoyably. I also liked Hikaru's solution to the birthday present dilemma (complete with Minmay's by-now expected cluelessness).
With little else to say about the episode, I'll instead close with a note about the series in general. I have to admit that I approached a re-watch of Robotech with low expectations. Most of the time, the shows we liked when we were young don't play so well if revisited decades later. It was mainly the temptation of comparing the Japanese originals against the Americanized versions that tempted me into doing this.
I'm glad I did. Occasional bits of odd scripting aside, I have been generally impressed. Never mind the qualifier about this being good "for an after-school kids' cartoon." The balance of action and characterization surpasses many supposedly "adult" primetime shows from the era.
Overall Rating: 7/10.
Previous Episode: Bye-Bye Mars
Next Episode: Miss Macross
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