Robotech: The Sentinels.

The wedding of Rick Hunter and Lisa Hayes, who have
received a copyright-safe makeover between seasons.

Also Released as: Robotech II - The Sentinels.

Original Release Date: September, 1988. Running Time: 75 minutes (original version)/69 minutes (remastered). Written and Directed by: Carl Macek. Produced by: Ahmed Agrama, Hiroshi Ōnogi.


THE PLOT:

It has been nine years since the destruction of the SDF-1 at the hands of rebel Zentraedi Khyron. Now the SDF-3, under the command of Rick Hunter, prepares to embark on the mission devised by the late Admiral Gloval: to lead the Robotech Expeditionary Force to Tirol, the home planet of the Robotech Masters.

Though this is viewed as a diplomatic mission, it includes a strong military force - one which General Anatole Leonard fears leaves the defense of Earth badly compromised (thus representing the one time in the entire saga that Anatole Leonard is ultimately proved right about something). Rick is also troubled, plagued by doubts and worries about the upcoming journey even as he prepares for his long-delayed wedding to Lisa Hayes.

Meanwhile, Tirol is already being invaded by an alien force. The Invid Regent has come in search of the Flower of Life, which was stolen by the Robotech Masters. The Masters have abandoned their home planet, leaving only helpless civilians behind. Tirolian scientist Cabell and his assistant/bodyguard, Rem, begin probing the Invid for weaknesses - but it's clear to Cabell that it's already too late to save the populace from the devastating attack!

Bree'tai warmly greets Lisa and Miriya.

CHARACTERS:

My single biggest gripe with The Sentinels is that I find the characters completely uninteresting. The returning regulars can just about skate by on "TV reunion movie" goodwill; most of them are only onscreen long enough for the brief pleasure of saying, "Oh, there's Miriya! And that's a young Dana and Bowie! And Anatole Leonard's actually right about something, but he's still a pompous idiot!"

The characters created specifically for The Sentinels don't have that advantage, and they are all established in tropey broadstrokes. Hotshot pilot Jack Baker has plenty of talent but a tendency to ignore orders - oh, and his establishing scene is lifted, some lines almost verbatim, from Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan. Test pilot Karen Penn's scientist father is upset that she isn't following in his footstep. Jack and Karen meet exactly once, for a period that could be tallied in seconds, but they are already coded as a future couple. And why not? Their personalities are matching shades of beige.

Cabell and Rem come across a bit better, mainly because they're defined through action rather than having characters stand around reciting their character briefs. They still don't amount to much more than "wise old scientist" and "young fighter," but I'll admit to finding their scenes more interesting than those on the SFD-3.

In fairness, this "movie" only represents what would have been the first three episodes of a full season arc. Had the series been completed, any or all of them might easily have gained depth - particularly if some stronger scripts were waiting in the wings.

Nice kitty... Cabell has a close encounter with an Invid Hellcat.

BACKGROUND:

The Sentinels movie cobbles together the three fully animated episodes of what would have been Robotech's second season. Unlike the previous season, this was an original story boasting original animation, something that was affordable thanks to an association with toy company Matchbox and a dollar/yen exchange rate that made employing Japanese animators extremely affordable.

Then everything went wrong.

A brief article on Cancelled SciFi details some of the issues. Toy sales were middling, leading Matchbox to pull out. At roughly the same time, the dollar/yen exchange rate shifted from 220 yen per dollar to 160 yen, greatly raising the price of the animation.

The loss of its toy company partner and the increase in the animation cost were simply too much for Harmony Gold to afford. With only three episodes in the can, the company pulled the plug, with the episodes edited into a movie for a 1988 VHS release.


VERSIONS:

The 1988 version of The Sentinels featured flashbacks using footage from Super Dimension Fortress Macross. Harmony Gold no longer had rights by the time it made its way to disc, so the flashbacks were excised. Though there are a couple of points where it's clear that a dialogue exchange was meant to go into a flashback, this mostly isn't a loss. I do miss one moment, however, an effective visual beat during the wedding when Rick sees images of their fallen comrades.

The only other notable difference is a very slight extension to the ending, with a title card added to act as a lead-in to the then-upcoming Shadow Chronicles.

T. R. Edwards resents Rick Hunter, a thread
that would likely have become interesting.

OTHER MUSINGS:

Despite being incomplete, Robotech: The Sentinels works reasonably well on a story level. Characters are introduced and various plot threads are planted.

Though Rick's mission doesn't intersect with the Invid Regent's invasion of Tirol yet, it's evident that a confrontation will soon occur. One of Rick's officers, T. R. Edwards, is established as resenting him, and it's obvious that he will cause trouble down the line (from his character name and status as "untrustworthy officer," I'm guessing he was originally intended to be B. D. Andrews from the movie, before Cannon imposed a new ending). On Tirol, Cabell and Rem study the Invid for weaknesses, which I'm sure would have led to new developments as well.

In this way, the movie repeats something I noticed about the series: the priority is on plot, not characterization. Earlier in this review, I wrote that any of the bland and tropey characters here might have become interesting later. This is true... but it's also true that by the end of Space Fold - Episode Three of Macross - I was invested in Hikaru/Rick, Misa/Lisa, Roy, Global/Gloval, and Minmay/Minmei. The same simply isn't true of the characters here. I had to look up most of the new characters simply to remember their names!

Character art is noticeably different than in Macross. Rick and Max have grown about a foot taller and even wider than that in the shoulders, Bree'tai wears a full face helmet that makes him look less like an alien than a Viking, and every character's hair has changed. Given that the Southern Cross characters look the same, with even child Dana and Bowie drawn to resemble their Southern Cross versions, it's evident that this was done to dodge copyright issues. Too bad that the new character models are so much less expressive than the originals.

Animation is uneven, and there's a visible split by location. The scenes on the SDF-3 feel choppy and static, with only an action piece involving a failed test flight and some bits of the wedding showing any sense of style. The scenes on Tirol are altogether more dynamic. Even allowing that the Tirol scenes are more action-heavy, I came away with the distinct impression that the animators were more interested in the Tirol plot than the SDF-3 scenes.

Rick and Lisa prepare to leave Earth.

OVERALL:

Given the criticisms above, I should stress that I enjoyed The Sentinels. It's a far more watchable Robotech continuation than the theatrical movie, and there are elements that could have made for an interesting story. Beyond that, it's fun to see all three "generations" interacting in the same film.

That said, when it ends, I'm not particularly fussed that the story is incomplete. Had Macross ended with Space Fold, I would have been genuinely upset. As much as I would have liked The Sentinels to have finished its run... I'm just not left feeling that anything special was lost.

It's an OK film to watch. But my feelings are largely summed up by those two letters: "OK."


Overall Rating: 5/10.

Previous Movie: Robotech - The Movie
Next Movie: Robotech - The Shadow Chronicles

Review Index

To receive new review updates, follow me:

On BlueSky:

Follow @RandomMusings09 on BlueSky

On Threads:

Follow@randommusings09 on Threads

Codename: Robotech.

Zentraedi warships close in on the SDF-1 as the film opens.

Original Air Date: Mar. 1, 1985. Running Time: 74 minutes. Written by: Carl Macek. Directed by: Robert V. Barron.


THE PLOT:

As the converted alien battle fortress SDF-1 rests in the ocean, having returned to Earth after two years away, Capt. Gloval prepares a report on the events that led to this moment. He recounts how the alien ship crash landed on Earth. The discovery of the existence of aliens possessing vastly superior technology led to a focused worldwide effort to reconstruct the battle fortress for human use.

The Zentraedi reached Earth just as the SDF-1 finally became operational. Thanks to the Veritech fighters created from the alien "Robotech," the humans were able to hold the aliens off long enough for the battle fortress to take off. However, a desperate space fold resulted in not only the ship, but also the entirety of Macross City, being transported into deep space.

Gloval recounts how the ship began its return voyage. It would be a long journey - with the Zentraedi chasing them every step of the way!

Rick, Ben, and Lisa are taken prisoner by the Zentraedi!

CHARACTERS:

Codename: Robotech is a heavily abridged version of the first thirteen episodes of the series. As such, the characters are reduced to their most obvious traits. Capt. Gloval and Lt. Commander Lisa Hayes come across most strongly, not least because Gloval is the one preparing the report and a number of scenes are ones showing them on duty on the bridge of the SDF-1. Even with them, we see Lisa as a stern military commander, but we don't see her emotional side at all.

Rick, who is the hero of the series, almost comes across as a supporting character. Since most of the plot-establishing scenes in the early episodes were focused on either the bridge crew or the Zentraedi, many of his scenes are heavily condensed or removed entirely. He comes to the fore in the second half, and we get glimpses of his infatuation with Minmei and his early sniping with Lisa, but there's little indication of him being a character of any depth.

In short, the film fulfills its function of introducing the major characters, but they are only shown in the broadest of strokes.

The heroes engage in a fistfight with
the giant Zentraedi commander, Breetai.

INCIDENTAL MUSIC:

Codename: Robotech makes a couple of misjudgments with regard to music, the biggest of these being the repetition of the same couple of tracks. I hope you like the main theme and the show's primary "battle score," because you are going to hear them a lot.

As I've noted in my episodic reviews, I don't think the Robotech theme works very well as incidental music. It's a superb '80s television theme, setting a tone that suits both this adaptation of Super Dimension Fortress Macross and the American audience that was Robotech's target. However, it's extremely bombastic, drawing attention to itself rather than supporting dramatic scenes. Magnify that issue exponentially here, where the theme is recycled seemingly once per Act, to a point that's somewhere between annoying and comical.


BACKGROUND:

Codename: Robotech was broadcast on March 1, 1985, the Friday before the first episode, Boobytrap, aired. The goal was to introduce the ongoing story and its complex mythology to an American after-school audience that would be made of kids not used to following complex ongoing narratives. The hope was to create a picture of the larger story to prepare them for watching it in single installments.

I think it's better viewed after the series. The first set of episodes are quite well-scripted overall and make a much better introduction to the narrative than this movie does. Still, on its own terms, Codename: Robotech is a decent abridgement of the "Macross Saga's" first Act.

Once it gets past a badly misjudged opening, at least...

Khyron disobeys orders while sneering.
So at least the film captures all of his nuances...

A MISJUDGED OPENING:

The goal may have been to clarify the series, but the 10-minute, context-free opening action sequence seems ready-made to confuse the heck out of series newcomers. Who are these people? Why are they so confident that the attacking aliens won't destroy the ship? What's this "pinpoint barrier" that they keep screaming about? Since nothing has been introduced, none of this means anything - It's just activity.

Not helping is some truly awful editing continuity. The sequence was pieced together from bits of multiple action scenes, and it shows. The SDF-1 transforms into robot mode to fight the Zentraedi. Then it's a ship again for a couple shots. Then it's a robot. Then it's a ship again. Macross offered plenty of action scenes with the ship in both modes, so it should have been possible to put this together with more consistency.

Once that sequence is done and the SDF-1 lands on Earth, things settle down, and then the film actually becomes enjoyable.

Rick battles the Zentraedi as the Miss Macross contest airs.

OTHER MUSINGS:

At its core, Codename: Robotech is basically a feature-length version of the clipshow, Gloval's Report, with the captain detailing the ship's long journey for his superiors. I wasn't a fan of that episode. Within the context of the ongoing series, I was basically watching a rerun of episodes I had just viewed, with the minimal new material adding almost nothing.

As a standalone film, the frame works much better. Thanks to having a couple of years' separation from my viewing of Macross, the action has sufficiently faded in my mind that I can enjoy re-watching the story in this form. Also, the feature-length running time provides breathing room for the flashback narrative. A number of small character interactions that Gloval's Report lacked time to include have been put back into Codename: Robotech, giving viewers a chance to form some level of attachment to the main characters.

Wisely, the editors have focused on just a few incidents from the first 13 episodes. Included are: the opening three-parter; the modular transformation and Lisa's Daedalus Attack, which are edited to be part of a single fight rather than two separate ones; the Miss Macross contest and Rick Hunter's encounter with the three Zentraedi spies; and the three-parter in which Rick, Lisa, and Ben are captured, with Max going to their rescue.

The biggest chunk of running time goes to the initial episodes. The heroes' capture and escape forms the movie's climax, and thus also gets a fair amount of screentime. Other incidents are represented by a couple of scenes each, and between Gloval's narration and (mostly) good editing choices, each bit that's included develops the characters or introduces a piece of information about the overall conflict. Given the restrictions of the running time, it's reasonably well done.

Inevitably, there are a few seams. There are minor continuity issues, such as Gloval reassuring Lisa that the ship's engines will work because they were build on Earth - a reassurance that feels odd, since a previous scene in which the SDF-1's original alien-built engines pulled free of the ship was removed. Khyron and Azonia receive a fair amount of focus in the in media res opener; Khyron is then barely featured in the rest of the movie, and Azonia is never seen again. Most glaringly, the scene in which Rick, Lisa, and Ben are brought before Lord Dolza has been cut for time, with Gloval narrating what happened and the regulars commenting on it.

Most of this could have been reduced or eliminated had the film simply opened with the ship on Earth and Gloval preparing his report. That would have allowed another ten minutes to include at least some of these scenes, notably the one with Dolza.

Capt. Gloval takes in the sunrise for the first time in two years.

OVERALL:

It's a shame about that misjudged opening, because Codename: Robotech is otherwise a decent presentation of Robotech's first 13 episodes. There's enough retained to introduce, or at least tease, many of the series' major themes and character dynamics, from the way Earth's popular culture confuses the Zentraedi to the character interactions among Rick, Lisa, and Minmei.

It's limited by being an abridgement - but it's pretty good for what it is, and it's much better than I expected it to be.


Overall Rating: 6/10.

Next Movie: Robotech - The Movie

Review Index

To receive new review updates, follow me:

On BlueSky:

Follow @RandomMusings09 on BlueSky

On Threads:

Follow@randommusings09 on Threads

1-30. Viva Maria/Viva Miriya.

Milia brings her infant daughter along on a mission.

Super Dimension Fortress Macross: Viva Maria

Original Air Date - Macross: May 15, 1983.
Written by: Hiroshi Ônogi. Directed by: Noboru Ishiguro.

Robotech: Viva Miriya

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


PLOT - MACROSS:

Hikaru, Misa, Max, Milia, and Claudia find themselves working under the command of their former enemy, Lord Britai, on a mission to claim a Zentradi factory. If successful, this operation will reduce the threat of Zentradi attack and increase Earth's ability to defend itself, allowing the human/Zentradi forces to rapidly manufacture ships capable of repelling a new assault.

Max and Milia have brought their baby, Komilia, along. Misa is critical of them bringing an infant into a warzone... at least, until she gets a chance to hold the child, at which point her focus turns toward the future she would like with Hikaru. The couple has brought their child for a reason, however, and young Komilia will become a critical part of the battle ahead!


PLOT - ROBOTECH:

Rick Hunter, Lisa Hayes, Max, Miriya, and Claudia find themselves working under the command of their former enemy, Lord Bree'tai, on a mission to claim the last remaining Robotech factory. If successful, this operation will reduce the threat posed by the Zentradi and the Robotech Masters, and will also increase Earth's ability to defend itself.

On Bree'tai's request, Max and Miria have brought their baby, Dana, on the mission. This isn't mere whim, with little Dana forming a critical part of Breetai's plan.

Meanwhile, the Robotech Masters begin their journey to Earth - but when a critical experiment fails, they also start becoming desperate...

The humans and Britai work together to prevent a new invasion.

CHARACTERS:

Though many of the Zentradi on Earth are chafing against their new existence, Britai seems happier than he's ever been. He's all smiles as he greets Exsedol and the humans, and he takes pride in his newly developed conversational skills. Even when the mission is underway, he seems more relaxed than before, including when he's interrupting the humans' conversations to steer them back to the task at hand. The dynamic of the mixed human/Zentradi crew is enjoyable throughout the episode, and I wouldn't mind seeing more of it - though with only a few episodes left, I doubt there will be much opportunity for that.

Advantage: None.


NARRATION:

The Robotech episode opens with an internal monologue from Rick in place of the usual opening narration. This actually works well, becasue there's a rather nice bit in which he muses about feeling "homesick for space." It rings true for the character and is just enough for me to give a rare nod to the American version in this one category.

Advantage: Robotech.

The Robotech Masters' experiment fails, making them more desperate.

CUTS AND ALTERATIONS:

The Robotech Regulars Don't Know What the Mission Is: In Macross, everyone knows the basics of the mission before it begins. Some last-minute aspects of Britai's plan surprise them, but they at least know what their goal is. In Robotech, Bree'tai's plan has been kept a complete secret - which doesn't make a lot of sense, as springing surprises on people in the heat of battle is a very fine way to lead to avoidable errors.

The Baby's Name and the Episode's Title: In Macross, Max and Milia's baby is named Komilia Maria Fallyna Jenius, and the title of the episode (Viva Maria) applies to her. In Robotech, the baby is named Dana, with the adjusted title (Viva Miriya) instead applying to her mother.

The Baby's Presence: Macross's Milia and Max chose to bring Komilia, with Milia defending her decision by declaring that she is more than capable of protecting her daughter. The way the baby is used in the final battle is portrayed as an idea that Max and Milia came up with. In Robotech, young Dana is part of Bree'tai's plan from the start, and she's there because he asked for her to be brought.

The Return of the Robotech Masters: More Southern Cross footage is cut in to continue the setup for the next arc. This time, we see the Masters conducting an experiment to clone "Zor Prime." When the experiment fails, it becomes clear that they are desperate and have no choice but to recover the protoculture from Earth. 

A Dinner Party: In Macross, Max and Milia host a party, with Hikaru, Misa, and Claudia visiting. Misa fusses over the baby to a degree that makes Hikaru nervous, because he's not quite as clueless about Misa's feelings as he likes to pretend. Robotech removes all of this to make way for the "Robotech Masters" scene... which is a bit jarring, given that the following scene has been retained, complete with references to Lisa's enthusiasm for the baby.

The Derelict: Midway through the episode, Britai's ship encounters a derelict vessel. He and Exsedol identify it as a warship from the Supervision Army, their old enemies and the creators of the Macross. In Robotech, they instead state that it is an old Zentraedi ship. This renders the scene narratively pointless, meaning that this would have been a better scene for Robotech to cut than the dinner party.

A Better Edited Kiss: As part of Britai's plan, Hikaru and Misa kiss while one of Minmay's songs plays, all to throw the enemy Zentradi into disarray. This is basically the same in both shows, but Robotech cuts the scene a bit tighter, and it works slightly better as a result. It's not enough to make up for all the other changes for the worse, mind you... particularly since This Is My Time to Be a Star is playing during the scene, making me think that the Zentraedi are plugging their ears for a different reason than the writers intended...

Advantage: Macross


INCIDENTAL MUSIC:

This is an area where Macross has grown steadily stronger throughout its run. Though Robotech's music is perfectly fine here, I think the parent show uses its score to stronger effect - particularly when an instrumental version of one of Minmay's songs plays toward the end.

Advantage: Macross.

Hikaru gets a thumbs-up from a Zentradi.

OVERALL ADVANTAGE: MACROSS:

Once again, squeezing Southern Cross footage into the episode weakens a decent episode, though not nearly as badly this time. As with the previous episode, I understand the reasoning. The first "generation change" was bound to be the hardest one for viewers to get past, and original animation was beyond the limits of the schedule and budget. I'm not going to argue that the Robotech producers needed to do whatever they could to at least try to keep it feeling like a single story.

Still, even if you don't know that this scene was taken from a different show, I think you'd know something was up: the differences in visual style and character art just stick out too much. Also, the cuts made to accommodate the new scene were not well judged. The scene with the derelict is a "spare part" in the new Robotech context, and it would have been a much more invisible removal than the one the producers selected.


OTHER MUSINGS:

Both versions of Viva Maria are entertaining and briskly paced, mixing just the right amount of humor into the now-familiar space action shenanigans. I'd argue that the battle is won a bit too easily. I also think there's a lot of untapped dramatic potential involving how strange it must feel for both sides of this joint mission to be working together; after all, it wasn't that long ago that each race was regularly trying to kill the other. But to actually mine that vein would have required a lot more than a single 25-minute episode.

The whole thing is played with a pretty light touch, honestly a bit too light for my tastes. But I had fun watching it, I laughed in the places I was meant to laugh, and I found the finale to be satisfying. It's not a "great" episode - but on its own terms, I think it manages to be a good one.


Overall Rating - Macross: 7/10.

Overall Rating - Robotech: 6/10.

Previous Episode: Lonely Song/The Robotech Masters
Next Episode: Satan's Dolls/Khyron's Revenge

Review Index

To receive new review updates, follow me:

On BlueSky:

Follow @RandomMusings09 on BlueSky

On Threads:

Follow@randommusings09 on Threads

1-27. Love Drifts Away/Force of Arms.

The Macross engages in a desperate fight for planet Earth!

Super Dimension Fortress Macross: Love Drifts Away

Original Air Date - Macross: Apr. 24, 1983.
Written by: Ken'ichi Matsuzaki. Directed by: Noboru Ishiguro, Tatsuya Kasahara.

Robotech: Force of Arms

Original Air Date - Robotech: Apr. 9, 1985.
Story Editor: Steve Kramer. Supervising Director: Robert V. Barron.


PLOT - MACROSS:

The Zentradi fleet has surrounded Earth, with Lord Boldozaa intending to personally oversee the destruction of the humans and their dangerous protoculture. Even with Britai's forces joining the Macross, sheer numbers seem to make any defense hopeless.

Hikaru has an idea, however: asking Minmay to sing. It's a request that Capt. Global decides to use in the exact way Exsedol previously accused him of. The Macross will broadcast Minmay's songs to the enemy as a psychological weapon.

The tactic is effective, with Minmay holding a full concert throughout the fight. Even so, the Zentradi ships number in the millions, making this a desperate fight that could all too easily be humanity's last stand!


PLOT - ROBOTECH:

The Zentraedi has surrounded Earth, with Lord Dolza intending to personally oversee the destruction of the humans. Even with Breetai's forces joining the SDF-1, sheer numbers seem to make any defense hopeless.

Rick has an idea, however: asking Minmay to sing. It's request that Capt. Gloval decides to use in the exact way Exedore accused him of. The SDF-1 will broadcast her songs to the enemy as a psychological weapon.

The tactic is effective, with Minmei singing an extended ballad throughout the fight. Even so, the Zentraedi ships number in the millions, making this a desperate fight that could all too easily be humanity's last stand!

A confession at the end of the world: Hikaru confesses his
feelings to Minmay before making an important request.

CHARACTERS:

Hikaru finally tells Minmay that he loved her - and that is his exact phrasing, using the past tense. Telling her this frees him to finally let her go, and he even wishes her happiness with Kaifun. He is also relaxed in his late episode interactions with Misa. He rescues her against her orders, joking with her about disobeying her yet again. In effect, in this episode he's a grown-up, possibly for the first time in the series. The comparison between this Hikaru and the arrogant teen of the first few episodes is striking.

For all that Hikaru's feelings have seemed obvious to us, we learn that Minmay really was clueless. She doesn't seem entirely sure how to process Hikaru's declaration. She says, "I guess I like Kaifun," but neither that phrasing nor her tone make her sound particularly convinced. When she agrees to sing, she tells Hikaru that she's singing for him.

Robotech takes this all a step further by having Rick and Minmei say, "I love you," to each other (no past tense in the American version) before letting each other go. But in either variant, this episode sees both characters behaving more maturely than at any previous point.

Advantage: None.


NARRATION:

Robotech remains terrified of silence. The Japanese version of this episode features multiple dialogue-free stretches. Robotech fills every one of these gaps with narration. This steps on some effective moments by not allowing story beats and images to sink in. Macross lets us properly absorb events. Robotech's narrator keeps "helpfully" chiming in to either tell us what to think or to move us on to the next plot point.

Advantage: Macross.

Minmay's most important concert. For the first time ever,
the Robotech version of her singing is also good!

CUTS AND ALTERATIONS:

A Farewell to Max: Hikaru makes a point of telling Max and Milia, "Don't get yourselves killed." Robotech doesn't want us to focus on the overall hopelessness of the situation, so Max and Rick just say that they'll see each other later.

Additional Flashback: Hikaru and Minmay watch when the Zentradi attack. Macross allows us to silently absorb the attack with them. Robotech doesn't trust the audience to recognize that their home is at stake, and adds flashbacks to Rick and Minmei's visit to Japan with To Be in Love playing over the scene.

Minmay's Concert vs. Minmei's Song: In Macross, Minmay sings a full concert during the battle. She runs through most of her repertoire, starting with My Boyfriend Is a Pilot as the ships take off, then moving to Shao Pao Long as the battle intensifies, and finally to Silver Moon as Hikaru descends to Earth.

Robotech's Minmei sings only one piece... but, for a change, it's a good one. The producers must have realized that this moment needed a genuinely strong song. So rather than just telling an overworked staff writer to "bang out something by lunch," they must have opened their wallets to hire an actual songwriter. The result, We Will Win, proves to be an excellent accompaniment to the Robotech version of the battle: stirring and exciting, with a timber that lends itself to action while not forgetting the human themes.

Advantage: Macross. But not by much.


INCIDENTAL MUSIC:

Macross uses Minmay's songs as incidental music for the second half of the episode. This works well, particularly the juxtaposition of the energetic Shao Pao Long against the most exciting part of the battle.

Robotech follows suit to a point, with We Will Win punctuating the fight, but it also mixes in its own incidental score. The closing minutes see the music moving back and forth between song and incidentals. This is also very well done, with well-chosen transition points and effective bridges between song and incidental tracks. It's actually rather artful, and that's not a word I use to describe Robotech's variations.

Advantage: Robotech.

Misa's father finally gets to fire the Big Gun. It lives up to its name.

OVERALL ADVANTAGE: MACROSS:

A close call. We Will Win is Robotech's first song triumph. Even acknowledging a couple of lip sync mismatches, it's a great song that's extremely well used. I also quite liked the Macross version of the battle, with Macross Minmay's more versatile repertoire serving the scene well and giving more of an impression of a concert set against a potential apocalypse.

Both versions of the episode are outstanding, with it clear that the writers and producers of both versions recognized this as a key (maybe the key) episode. I would probably award a tie save for one aspect: the narration. Macross avoids the voiceover during the main body of the episode, allowing the story to unfold in its own way. Robotech can't seem bear all the moments of silence (which are there for a reason!), and so unneeded and frankly intrusive narration is slathered over these pauses, which is to the episode's detriment.


OTHER MUSINGS:

Love Drifts Away/Force of Arms is the series' biggest episode to date, and it very well may be the series' best. Though there are nine installments left, this feels like the real climax to Macross, with the culture clash that's run through the series finally deliberately used as a weapon to devastating effect.

The script is densely packed, with enough set pieces for a two-hour movie. I don't want to say too much for the sake of anyone reading this who hasn't seen the episode. I will say that Misa's father finally gets to fire his Grand Cannon, and the big gun lives up to its hype. Pretty much all the series' major elements are used here: Hikaru's not-quite relationships with both Minmay and Misa; the Zentradi/human culture clash; the conflict that's been building throughout the series. When I think about all that happens in this episode, I'm amazed how neatly it all fits into a mere 25 minutes... though that's the benefit of an episode that gets to pull the triggers that have been put in place over the course of the entire series!

The animation problems that have occasionally harmed other episodes are absent here. The battle is spectacular, exciting and devastating in equal parts. The choice to go to, essentially, an animatic when Hikaru and Misa reunite emphasizes the emotion, and their reunion is followed by final images that are simultaneously gorgeous and haunting.

In either version, this episode is a triumph. Forget that it's animated, or anime... I would rate this as legitimately very good science fiction television by the standards of any format.


Overall Rating: 10/10.

Previous Episode: Messenger/The Messenger
Next Episode: My Album/Reconstruction Blues

Review Index

To receive new review updates, follow me:

On BlueSky:

Follow @RandomMusings09 on BlueSky

On Threads:

Follow@randommusings09 on Threads

1-26. Messenger/The Messenger

A chance for peace: Exsedol meets with Capt. Global.

Super Dimension Fortress Macross: Messenger

Original Air Date - Macross: Apr. 17, 1983.
Written by: Ken'ichi Matsuzaki. Directed by: Katsuhito Akiyama, Noboru Ishiguro.

Robotech: The Messenger

Original Air Date - Robotech: Apr. 8, 1985.
Story Editor: Steve Kramer. Supervising Director: Robert V. Barron.


PLOT - MACROSS:

After Lord Britai orders a cease-fire, Archivist Exsedol travels to the Macross as a peace envoy. He meets with Capt. Global, the other leaders on the ship, and the Zentradi defectors, and all of those present try to figure out what happens next. However, even if the cease-fire holds, there is still the issue of the Zentradi main fleet: more than 4 million ships, enough to overwhelm the Macross, Britai's fleet, and even Earth through sheer force of numbers!


PLOT - ROBOTECH:

After Lord Bree'tai is convinced to order a cease-fire, Exedore travels to the SDF-1 as a peace envoy. He meets with Capt. Gloval, the other leaders on the ship, and the Zentraedi defectors, and all of those present try to figure out what happens next. However, even if the cease-fire holds, there is still the issue of the Zentraedi main fleet: more than 4 million ships, enough to overwhelm the SDF-1, Bree'tai's fleet, and even Earth through sheer force of numbers!

The Zentradi defectors react to seeing Exsedol.

CHARACTERS:

One element of this episode that I appreciated in both versions: the captain is realistic in his reaction to the Zentradi peace overture. He is hopeful that the cease-fire is authentic, but he remains ready for a trap. When he leaves to meet with Exsedol, he orders Claudia to fire on the enemy if they do anything aggressive.

Several amusing moments are wrung from Exsedol's confusion about human culture. He fully believes that Kaifun actually possesses the superpowers seen in the martial arts movie. He also refers to Minmay's singing as a psychological attack; when the Macross command staff doesn't understand what he's talking about, he entertainingly performs a few lyrics from My Boyfriend Is a Pilot, complete with falsetto voice and exaggerated twisting motions.

Though these moments are funny, the episode never reduces him to a comedy figure. He's the perfect representative to the humans, reasonable and intelligent, but capable of being firm. The response of the renegade Zentradi to him is telling. Milia provides an instant salute, responding automatically to a superior officer. The three defectors quake in terror until he assures them that he isn't here to harm them. Given that this show was a product of the '80s, it's fair to compare this to the reactions of a Soviet defector arriving at a meeting only to find that the head of the KGB is the guest of honor.

Advantage: None.


NARRATION:

Robotech (again) doesn't trust its audience to keep up with the plot turns. Narration is layered over the entire scene in which Bree'tai's flagship shoots down Khyron's fighters to stop an attack on the humans, all to make sure that even the dumbest child will understand what's happening.

Macross lets the same scene play out without narration, because those writers did trust the viewers to comprehend. Besides, there's a Britai/Kamujin scene immediately after it that provides a full explanation. As a result, the Macross version of the scene is more dramatically effective... and it feels nice to be respected as a viewer rather than to be talked down to.

Advantage: Macross.

Exsedol has a plan - and it's a lot more detailed in Macross.

CUTS AND ALTERATIONS:

Britai Acts Alone; Bree'tai Follows Orders: For some reason, the Robotech episode insists that the cease-fire was ordered by Lord Dolza, meaning that Bree'tai is just doing as he's been told. Macross makes it clear that Britai is acting alone, improvising to try to control the disorder within his fleet... which is the version that makes sense, given that in both episodes the crisis point comes when the main Zentradi fleet learns what is happening. I suspect this was a product of a very rushed translation/script writing process.

Animation Error Removed: Probably the only change that's for the better, and it's purely cosmetic: In the Macross episode, while Col. Maistroff drives Exsedol through the city, a red car randomly flashes onto the screen before blinking away again. Robotech snips away that shot, deleting the error.

Exsedol Encounters an Additional "Military Secret": Exsedol is stunned by a poster showing a woman in a skimpy swimsuit. The colonel, embarrassed, allows him to believe this is a "military secret." Robotech ends the scene there. Macross continues, with Exedole then noticing a brassiere in a shop window and asking for clarification of this "armor's" purpose, showing him - just like Milia - viewing everything through the lens of a fully militarized culture.

Robotech's Exedore Thinks Max Was a Zentraedi Prisoner: Another continuity error. In Macross, Exsedol recalls Hikaru from his time as a Zentradi prisoner, but he only recognizes Max from the wedding broadcast. In Robotech, Exedore seems to believe that Max was also a prisoner, even though he was the one who evaded capture and ended up breaking the others out. Oopsie.

Misa's Father Actually Has Two Brain Cells; Lisa's Does Not: Misa's father does not expect the cease-fire to hold. In Macross, he reasons that the cease-fire is only with the small portion of the Zentradi that are already here, and he predicts (accurately) that it won't apply to their main fleet. In Robotech, because Lisa's father is ambecile, his only justification is to huff that "the Zentraedi cannot be trusted."

Protoculture: For Macross's Zentradi, "protoculture" is human culture, with the threat being the disruption caused by exposure to such a different way of life. In Robotech, "protoculture" has been re-imagined as a MacGuffin to be chased, and so dialogue adjustments make clear that the Zentraedi want to recover the "protoculture factory" on the SDF-1. Bree'tai also informs Azonia that their fleet needs that factory because the Zentraedi supplies of protoculture have run out.

Exedole's Plan: Though Exsedol presents the same plan for dealing with the main fleet in both versions, the Macross episode allows him to share substantially more detail. The Robotech version skims over these same details, presumably on the theory that kids will find strategy boring.

Advantage: Macross


INCIDENTAL MUSIC:

Both episodes use their incidental scores to perfectly fine effect. The Robotech episode might get a slight edge from the music buildup near the end, when we see the main fleet, but it's not enough of one for me to give the nod to either version this time.

Advantage: None.


OVERALL ADVANTAGE: MACROSS:

This is an excellent episode. That said, the changes made slightly weaken the Robotech version. Some elements are simplified, such as Exsedol's plan. Others are dumbed down: Misa's father (Macross) responds to the peace talks with intelligent skepticism, while Lisa's father (Robotech) is just a warmongering idiot. Other changes introduce small but noticeable continuity errors. None of these are enough to remotely ruin the episode, but they do diminish it.

Britai explains their situation to Lap Lamiz. In Robotech,
Bree'tai also tells Azonia that their protoculture is running out.

OTHER MUSINGS:

Even in its Robotech version, Messenger is a terrific installment. It's a "calm before the storm" entry, made up mainly of characters sitting in rooms talking... but the characters not named Kaifun or Kyle (or, in Robotech, Lisa's father) are intelligent, the things they say are interesting, and the larger situational context makes it gripping even before the crisis point is reached.

The series continues to reinforce the theme about the power of culture. Exsedol expands on previous hints that Zentradi have been exposed to culture shock before, with results that were considered undesirable. The Zentradi defectors insist upon - and are, in fact, evidence of - the power of Minmay's songs. Exsedol outright admits that without her music, the fragile alliance being forged would not be possible.

It's also an episode that significantly raises the stakes, with the main fleet now a specter of oncoming doom. The final shots of the Zentradi main fleet filling the sky make for such a strong cliffhanger that it took an act of will for me to stop and write this review before moving on to the next installment.


Overall Rating: 9/10.

Previous Episode: Virgin Road/Wedding Bells
Next Episode: Love Drifts Away/Force of Arms

Review Index

To receive new review updates, follow me:

On BlueSky:

Follow @RandomMusings09 on BlueSky

On Threads:

Follow@randommusings09 on Threads

1-25. Virgin Road/Wedding Bells.

The first inter-species romance: Max and Milia marry.

Super Dimension Fortress Macross: Virgin Road

Original Air Date - Macross: Apr. 10, 1983.
Written by: Sukehiro Tomita. Directed by: Noboru Ishiguro, Hiroshi Yoshida.

Robotech: Wedding Bells

Original Air Date - Robotech: Apr. 5, 1985.
Story Editor: Steve Kramer. Supervising Director: Robert V. Barron.


PLOT - MACROSS:

Max meets Milia for their date, only for her to immediately attack him. He manages to disarm her and, while she is weeping and begging him to kill her to end her shame, he declares his love for her. The new couple immediately announces a desire to marry.

Hikaru sees the potential for their union to act as a bridge between the warring races. Capt. Global agrees, broadcasting the wedding not only within the ship but also to both Earth and the Zentradi fleet. But the festivities spark fear and outrage in Lord Boldozaa, who orders Lord Britai to launch an all-out assault to destroy the Macross!


PLOT - ROBOTECH:

Max meets Miriya for their date, only for her to immediately attack him. He manages to disarm her and, while she is weeping and begging him to kill her to end her shame, he impulsively proposes marriage.

Rick is flabbergasted... until he sees Miriya and is overwhelmed by her beauty. Capt. Gloval sees the potential for the union to act as a bridge between the warring species, broadcasting the wedding not only within the ship but also to Earth and the Zentraedi fleet. But the festivities spark fear and outrage in Lord Dolza, who orders Bree'tai to launch an all-out assault to destroy the SDF-1!

Britai and Exsedol react to the wedding.

CHARACTERS:

In the wake of the desertion of several soldiers, Macross's Britai expresses sympathy with their reasons for defecting. It's also Britai who calls off the attack when the dissatisfaction in the ranks becomes clear. By contrast, Robotech's Bree'tai insists that there can be no excuse for disobeying orders, and he has to be persuaded by Exedore to call off the assault.

I think the marriage is a bit too sudden to be fully dramatically satisfying. Even so, I actually would consider Max and Milia to be a good couple. In Max, Milia has met the one rival she cannot defeat; in Milia, Max has met someone who is almost his equal. I have some objections to how rushed it all feels in this episode, but I like them as a couple just fine.

Advantage: None.


NARRATION:

This episode is a rare case: The Robotech narration is better written than the Macross voice over! The Macross opener has that sense that I sometimes get from its Americanized counterpart: That it's trying to squeeze too much exposition in. The Robotech narration flows better into the main action, and is even used to paper over some of the rushed pacing.

Advantage: Robotech.

Max and Milia duel. Amazingly, the Robotech
version of this scene is better written.

CUTS AND ALTERATIONS:

The Duel: Robotech's Max is genuinely confused when Miriya attacks, while Macross's Max recovers from the surprise a little too quickly. The Robotech fight also ends with Max making his proposal while acknowledging that it is crazy. It doesn't make the events less rushed, but at least it serves to lampshade it.

Hikaru Sees a Chance for Peace; Rick Just Ogles a Hot Chick: One of the few Robotech changes that's definitely for the worse. Both Hikaru and Rick argue with Max that it's too soon to marry a woman he's just met. Hikaru recovers from his shock and recognizes the opportunity to lay groundwork for peace. By contrast, once Miriya arrives, Rick just drools over her. Hikaru tells Max to take her to see the captain; Rick just says something about wanting to kiss the bride. In short, Rick is made horny, dumb, and honestly a little creepy.

The Captain's Speech: In both versions, the captain starts by recounting the aggressions of the Zentradi before making a heartfelt plea for forgiveness and peace. Amazingly, it's the Robotech version that is better-scripted, with Gloval's pivot to peace coming across as more natural and his words seeming more persuasive.

The Idol Sings: Macross's Minmay sings a version of Runner, the end credits song, only with more optimistic lyrics to suit a couple just getting married. It's a lovely piece, beautifully sung... unlike Robotech Minmei's The Man in My Life. I was all set to say that at least Robotech gave Minmei a new song. The song is too short to cover the full scene, though, leaving her switching to her old standby, To Be in Love, to make up the difference.

The Sobbing Maitre'd: A comedy moment in Macross, as the venue employee collapses to his knees to sob over the damage, demanding to know why the Zentradi had to attack now. Robotech turns this into a dramatic moment, with the man instead terrified and praying. Both versions work - but I think I prefer the moment of comedy in Macross.

Ending Contemplation: Both Hikaru and Rick think of Misa/Lisa. In Hikaru's case, he's thinking of how they might actually be moving toward the peace wanted by both him and "Captain Hayase." Notably, Hikaru does not refer to her by her first name even in inner monologue. Robotech's Rick seems to be mainly wishing for Lisa's return. He reflects on Roy's (offscreen) advice that before you can love somebody, you first have to like them - and he observes that he likes Lisa. Again, both versions work... but this time, I prefer the Robotech scene.

Advantage: Robotech. Though it's closer than it would have been, because of that one very misjudged scene of Rick the Idiot Horndog.


INCIDENTAL MUSIC:

Robotech uses the track that sounds like a march during the wedding scene. This proves to be a perfect match of music and visuals, and is enough on its own to win the category this time.

Advantage: Robotech.

A wedding in space.

OVERALL ADVANTAGE: ROBOTECH:

This particular Macross script feels as if it was churned out in a hurry, with the Max/Milia relationship skipping a step or several. It's impossible for Robotech to completely correct that, but the writers do what they can to minimize the problem. The whole thing still feels a bit rushed, with a sense that an extra episode was really needed to get the couple from duel to nuptials, but it plays out just that little bit better in the American version.


OTHER MUSINGS:

Virgin Road/Wedding Bells is important in terms of the overall arc. Max and Milia go from rivals to a couple. Their marriage, broadcast to the Zentradi fleet, adds further fuel to the unrest among the aliens, which from the "next time" blurb seems likely to be the focus of the next episode.

Unfortunately, it's not one of the series' better offerings.

Prior episodes haven't done enough to build the Max/Milia dynamic. The two didn't even share screen time until last episode's arcade scene. I think it would have played better had Milia been arrested, with Max going to talk to her afterward and then proposing. Just one more conversation, but it would have made the difference between it feeling insanely rushed and feeling like a more natural plot turn.

Other aspects of the episode feel equally rushed. The captain, Hikaru, and Misa all hope this marriage will become a bridge between species, while Lord Boldozaa and Misa's father both see it as a potential threat to their plans... but since there is so much plot for the episode to get through, their viewpoints receive barely any exploration.

So that this review doesn't come across as a complete bashing, I'll end by talking about something that was well-executed: The spreading chaos within the Zentradi forces, with some soldiers refusing to join in the attack. Because the foundation was carefully laid in previous episodes, this crisis for the Zentradi feels like a natural next stage in the story. I just wish the rest of it worked as well.


OVERALL:

I have the same opinion of this episode that I remember having of too many installments of Star Trek: The Animated Series - namely, that this should have been a two-parter. There are good ideas, but they get no room to breathe because there's too little time and too much story. As a result, the entire 25 minutes feels like a mad dash to the next plot point.

It's far from my least favorite episode, and the Robotech version does improve on the worst of the rushing. But the events here really needed a little more time to play out.


Overall Rating - Macross: 4/10.

Overall Rating - Robotech: 5/10.

Previous Episode: Goodbye Girl/Showdown
Next Episode: Messenger/The Messenger

Review Index

To receive new review updates, follow me:

On BlueSky:

Follow @RandomMusings09 on BlueSky

On Threads:

Follow@randommusings09 on Threads

1-22. Love Concert/Battle Hymn.

Defectors: The Zentradi spies plan their return to the Macross.

Super Dimension Fortress Macross: Love Concert

Original Air Date - Macross: Mar. 20, 1983.
Written by: Hiroshi Ônogi. Directed by: Noboru Ishiguro, Tatsuya Kasahara.

Robotech: Battle Hymn

Original Air Date - Robotech: Apr. 2, 1985.
Story Editor: Steve Kramer. Supervising Director: Robert V. Barron.


PLOT - MACROSS:

Unrest is spreading among the Zentradi battle fleet. Spies Loli, Warera, and Conda returned from the Macross with information for their superiors, as planned... but they also brought back stories and objects that tantalize the other Zentradi, with a singing Minmay doll particularly catching the soldiers' attention. The spies persuade many of the others that life is better aboard the human ship, and they hatch a plan to defect during the next attack.

Their wait is not a long one. Lord Boldozaa has ordered Britai to capture a "miclone" for study as a prelude to a final assault. Britai decides to take it a step further, plotting to lure the Macross into performing a Daedalus attack and then turning it against them by sending in a boarding party.

The attack comes in the middle of Minmay's latest concert. With destruction surrounding her, and with no chance for either her or her audience to reach any kind of shelter, she does the only thing she can: Keeps singing.


PLOT - ROBOTECH:

Unrest is spreading among the Zentraedi battle fleet. Spies Rico, Bron, and Konda returned from the SDF-1 with information for their superiors, as planned... but they also brought back stories and objects that tantalize the other Zentraedi, with a singing Minmei doll particularly catching the soldiers' attention. The spies persuade many of the others that life is better aboard the human ship, and they decide to defect during the next attack.

Their wait is not a long one. Lord Dolza has ordered Breetai to capture a "micronian" for study as a prelude to a final assault. Breetai is delighted when Exedore hatches a plan to lure the human ship into performing a Daedalus attack and then turning it against them by sending in a boarding party.

The attack comes in the middle of Minmei's latest concert. With destruction surrounding her, and with no chance for either her or her audience to reach any kind of shelter, she does the only thing she can: Keeps singing, even as the battle rages.

Hikaru decides on his reason to fight: protecting Minmay.

CHARACTERS:

In the first half of the episode, Macross's Kaifun and Robotech's Kyle come across as more than a little creepy, but in different ways. Kaifun is fixated on Minmay in a clearly romantic way. Kyle is also attracted to his cousin... but in an inner monologue just before the Act break, he expresses frustration at people paying attention to her instead of to the war. This adds an extra element to an already disturbing character, indicating that he resents Minmei even as he feels drawn to her. The close-up on his eyes just before the fade-out does nothing to make him seem less malevolent.

Both versions of the episode show Hikaru/Rick succumbing to fatalism. Surprisingly, this is more blatant in Robotech, as Rick wonders if he's going to "go out fighting" the way Roy and Ben did. He seizes on fighting to protect Minmei, and is shouting her name as a battle cry in the episode's closing moments.

Meanwhile, Minmay receives another good episode. Unsurprisingly, Macross handles her concert heroism better. When she resumes singing during the attack, her voice catches and falters for several seconds as she battles her own fear. In Robotech, someone basically just starts the record playing, with Minmei singing at full voice from the very start. Robotech also features a small gaffe here, with the "singing" animation starting a second or two before the actual music cuts in.

Advantage: None. Minmay is better in Macross, as usual, but I prefer Rick's more outright fatalism in Robotech, making this one a wash.


NARRATION:

Robotech's opening recap feels unusually strained and awkward. It's as if the translators/scriptwriters couldn't quite decide which bits of exposition to focus on, and it becomes labored as they try to squeeze in too much.

Advantage: Macross.

Lord Bodolzaa fears what the humans might be capable of.

CUTS AND ALTERATIONS:

The Nature of Protoculture: This is an ongoing issue, given that the Robotech writers seized on "protoculture" as a way to combine all three series. In Macross, Lord Boldazaa states that the humans are protoculture, and he wants them destroyed because of the inevitable effect they will have on the Zentradi. Robotech's Dolza believes that the humans have protoculture, which in this version is a type of technology, and that makes them dangerous. As ever, the Macross version of "protoculture" directly connects to the show's themes, while Robotech diminishes it to an undefined MacGuffin.

Britai's Plan Becomes Exedore's: The plan to board the Macross is entirely Britai's in the original version. Robotech has Exedore come up with the plan, with Breetai's contribution amounting to smiling and nodding.

One Song vs. Two: In Macross, the spies use a wire to flip a switch on the singing Minmay doll, which makes it start into a second song. This part of the scene has been trimmed out of Robotech, with a line added in which the spies let the others know that there is a second song.

Added Flashbacks: While Rick leans next to Minmei's poster, the Robotech episode adds flashbacks to The Long Wait. The Robotech episode also extends an existing flashback while Lisa is thinking of Kyle, adding dialogue to it. All of this is fine, if a little hamfisted - but then Lisa has an internal monologue indicating that Kyle's words are making sense to her, even though both Macross's Misa and Robotech's Lisa have previously firmly (and, given the overall situation, quite correctly) rejected his stance.

Advantage: Macross.


INCIDENTAL MUSIC:

This is an action-heavy episode, which would usually tip this category in Robotech's favor. However, this episode frames itself around Minmay's concert - and by this point, it goes without saying that the Macross version of the concert is better in general, along with the Macross songs making an effective complement to the action.

Advantage: Macross.

Kaifun urges Minmay to keep singing during the attack.

OVERALL ADVANTAGE: MACROSS:

This one's a closer call than the last, as both versions of the episode work well. The deciding factors are ongoing issues: by turning "protoculture" into a plot device, Robotech harms it own thematic depth; and... well, in an episode framed around a Minmay concert, there's no getting around how much better a singer Macross's Minmay is.


OTHER MUSINGS:

In both versions, this is a good episode. I found the most interesting thread to be the three spies and their effect on the fleet. Knowing that they risk execution if they're caught, they and their fellow soldiers still resolve to defect in order to enjoy a life they'll never be able to have among their own people. The Cold War parallels in this 1980s show are obvious, but there's also something universal in their craving for music, culture, and romance.

The episode advances multiple threads. During the attack, Milia/Miriya finally identifies Max as the enemy she's been stalking. The Zentradi decide on a new plan for the humans, with it becoming clear that the impasse Hikaru and Misa discussed is now breaking, and not in humanity's favor. The show is headed toward another Act change, and I look forward to seeing what happens next.

Though some of the character art is less detailed than in other installments, I'd make a fair guess as to why: The end battle scenes have many moving elements at work, from the combat animations to the flames to the destruction in the city. I'd wager all of those elements took a lot of time and effort to complete, and I can't blame the animators for taking a few short cuts elsewhere.


Overall Rating: 7/10.

Previous Episode: Micro Cosmos/A New Dawn
Next Episode: Drop Out/Reckless

Review Index

To receive new review updates, follow me:

On BlueSky:

Follow @RandomMusings09 on BlueSky

On Threads:

Follow@randommusings09 on Threads