1-31. Satan's Dolls/Khyron's Revenge.

Kaifun whips up a mob to chase Hikaru out of town.
To no one's surprise, this backfires spectacularly.

Super Dimension Fortress Macross: Satan's Dolls

Original Air Date - Macross: May 21, 1983.
Written by: Sukehiro Tomita. Directed by: Katsuhito Akiyama, Noboru Ishiguro.

Robotech: Khyron's Revenge

Original Air Date - Robotech: Apr. 15, 1985.
Story Editor: Steve Kramer. Supervising Director: Robert V. Barron.


PLOT - MACROSS:

Renegade Zentradi Kamujin attempts to keep his word to the other rebels to restore them to full size, ordering the theft of the miclone device in Trad City. Hikaru is able to stop the theft from this community, which is more than fifty percent Zentradi. But when he suggests placing the device in military custody to prevent further attacks, Minmay's cousin Kaifun whips up the crowd into a frenzy until Hikaru just leaves without the machine.

This means there's nothing to stop Kamujin from a second attack. This time, he leads it himself and takes time to target the communication towers so that the city can't call for reinforcements again. Thanks, Kaifun - I'm sure the residents will feel great about their freedom from the military while they're cleaning up rubble and burying the dead!

Meanwhile, Exsedol and Admiral Global share the results of their research into the Zentradi's origins...


PLOT - ROBOTECH:

Renegade Zentraedi Khyron attempts to keep his word to the other rebels to restore them to full size, ordering the theft of the protoculture device in New Detroit, a city whose population is more than half Zentraedi. After stopping the theft, Rick Hunter plans to assign a full-time military guard to prevent more trouble. The town's mayor is about to agree... until Kyle shows up and practically starts a riot to force the soldiers to leave the city.

This means there's nothing to stop Khyron from a second attack. This time, he leads it himself and takes time to target the communication towers so that the city can't call for reinforcements again. Thanks, Kyle - I'm sure the residents will feel great about their freedom from the military while they're cleaning up rubble and burying the dead!

Meanwhile, with their protoculture reserves dangerously low, the Robotech Masters prepare for their journey. It will take decades for them to reach Earth - but when they do, they will be ready to lay claim to the protoculture factory!

Minmay disapproves of Kaifun's actions,
but she does not act to stop him.

CHARACTERS:

Minmay observes the confrontation between Hikaru and Kaifun from inside a car. She actually agrees with Hikaru, which is later affirmed by her certainty that the city is going to be attacked (Minmei's agreement with Rick is made even clearer in Robotech). Still, she does not intervene - something she berates herself for at the end.

Exsedol is distraught by discoveries about the Zentradi's origins. Few viewers will be surprised by his findings, which trade in pretty stock sci-fi concepts. Still, it's a shock for Exsedol, and the title of the Macross episode comes from his reaction to this discovery.

Advantage: None.


NARRATION:

Neither episode's narration is intrusive. That said, typical of the series, Robotech lays voice over atop several scenes that don't need it.

Advantage: Macross.

Lap Lamiz manipulates Kamujin into taking action.
Robotech's Azonia just stands there admiring him.

CUTS AND ALTERATIONS:

The Robotech Masters: Yet another cutaway to the Masters, as Carl Macek's Americanized show uses the epilogue arc to create a prologue for the next generation's conflict. It works better here than in the previous two episodes. The scene follows directly on from their failed experiment in Viva Miriya, which helps it to feel like part of the overall story. It also helps that the cuts that make room for this scene are better chosen than in the previous episodes.

Vanessa, Kim, and Shammy Gossip: The big cut that makes room for the Masters' appearance? A moment of these three gossiping about Minmay's love life, which is abruptly cut off by a glare from Misa. This scene contributes nothing to characterization, theme, or story; it isn't particularly amusing; and I didn't miss it at all in the Robotech version.

The Reason for the Near-Riot: Hikaru plans to take the machine away from the city. Yes, he promises that it will be available for the city's Zentradi to use on request; but when you have to travel an unspecified but likely significant distance for a service, that effectively denies that service to a lot of people. In Robotech, Rick merely proposes putting a guard on the machine - the one that had just been targeted. In Macross, it makes sense that there would be resistance to Hikaru's proposal, so it makes sense that the crowd would go along with Kaifun. In Robotech, that makes a lot less sense. The machine is staying here, fully accessible to the public, just with some added security - which doesn't seem like something that people who just weathered an attack would object to. As presented in Robotech, I'd expect most of the crowd to tell Kyle to shut up and go away.

Hikaru and Minmay Share an Acid Trip: Well, that's what it looks like, anyway. At the tail end of Kaifun's protest, Hikaru and Minmay lock eyes, and we get a psychedelic dream/vision of them embracing against, um, swirls. This was removed from Robotech - and I wholeheartedly endorse its removal.

Lap Lamiz Manipulates Kamujin; Azonia Is Smitten with Khyron: After learning of the failed theft, Kamujin initially assigns the next attempt to his deputy. Lap Lamiz touches his shoulder and softly coos that he's the only Zentradi who hasn't become soft, which prompts him to take command himself. Robotech simplifies this, with Khyron already intending to oversee the operation personally while Azonia beams in approval.

Advantage: Macross. Though the actual cuts are well chosen, other interactions are simplified to bad effect.


INCIDENTAL MUSIC:

I'm giving Macross the nod mainly because of the ending. It's narratively identical in both versions: Hikaru/Rick arrives at the battle-scarred city just in time to watch Kaifun and Minmay drive away, while Exsedol's musings about his people are layered over it. Macross's presentation is much stronger, however, thanks to the use of one of Mari Iijima's songs, which makes an effective counterpoint to the scene. The Robotech version just doesn't carry the same weight.

Advantage: Macross.

Exsedol is shaken by a discovery about his people's origins.

OVERALL ADVANTAGE: MACROSS:

Robotech does a pretty good job this time integrating Southern Cross footage, certainly compared to the previous two installments. This marks the first time that the "Masters Prologue Arc" hasn't harmed the main episode. This is helped by the one major cut (the gossip scene) having been a pretty poor scene in the original, meaning that it was not missed in Robotech.

What does harm the episode are changes to two interactions. In Macross, there are legitimate reasons for the townspeople to resist Hikaru; Robotech, by changing this so that Rick is blameless, makes the townspeople seem irrational to even listen to Kyle. Another change to the interactions of Kamujin and Lap Lamiz strip away intriguing character dynamics, flattening what had been interesting moments into mere "villain scenes."

All of which leaves the Macross version clearly the superior one. As usual.


OTHER MUSINGS:

Despite the dramatic title, this episode is mostly setup. Kamujin's plans are advanced by his successful operation, but the "revenge" promised by the Robotech title never really materializes. The other major strand cements the Zentradi's origins, and in Macross is used to give backstory to the war between them and the Supervision Army. Ramifications from this, however, are left to future episodes (or possibly the Macross sequels, as there is very little of this show left).

Overall, this forms a necessary step in the show's epilogue arc, and it's a perfectly fine episode as far as it goes... but it's not one of the series' highlights.


Overall Rating: 6/10.

Previous Episode: Viva Maria/Viva Miriya
Next Episode: Broken Heart

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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

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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

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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

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1-10. Blind Game

Three Zentradi soldiers receive an unusual assignment...

Original Air Date - Macross: Dec. 12, 1982.
Written by: Ken'ichi Matsuzaki. Directed by: Noboru Ishiguro, Hiroshi Yoshida.

Original Air Date - Robotech: Mar. 15, 1985.
Story Editor: Steve Kramer. Supervising Director: Robert V. Barron.


PLOT - MACROSS:

Loli, Warera, and Condi, the Zentradi who intercepted the Miss Macross broadcast, make their report to Britai. However, that report is muddled by confusion about the meaning of the things they witnessed. Archivist Exsedol proposes that they clear up the confusion by capturing a sample of humans.

Kamujin is ordered to provoke the Macross by firing a warning shot. This will be followed by a surrender demand - not with any expectation that the humans will actually surrender, but rather to draw ships out to investigate.

Kamujin naturally interprets his orders in the most aggressive way possible, but this ends up serving Britai's plan. The attack knocks out the human ship's radar, leaving them blind in an asteroid field. A recon mission is needed just to guide the battle fortress through the asteroids.

Lt. Misa Hayase volunteers, with Hikaru and his team acting as her escorts. Meaning that she is the one who falls into Britai's trap - leaving it up to Hikaru, Max, and Kakikazi to rescue her!


PLOT - ROBOTECH:

Bron, Rico, and Konda, the Zentraedi who intercepted the Miss Macross broadcast, make their report to Breetai. However, that report is muddled by confusion about the meaning of the things they witnessed. Archivist Exedore proposes that they clear up the confusion by capturing a sample of humans.

Khyron is ordered to provoke the SDF-1 by firing a warning shot. This will be followed by a surrender demand to the humans - not with any expectation that the humans will surrender, but rather to draw ships out to investigate.

Khyron directly disobeys orders, firing directly on the human ship ... but this actually ends up serving Breetai's plan. The attack knocks out the ship's radar, leaving the humans blind in a field of planetary debris. A recon mission is needed just to guide the battle fortress through the debris field.

First Officer Lisa Hayes is assigned, with Rick and his team acting as her escorts. Meaning that she is the one who falls into Breetai's trap - leaving it up to Rick, Max, and Ben to rescue her!

Three humans in battle armor get into a fistfight with Britai.
It ends up being a much more even fight than expected.

CHARACTERS:

The episode begins with Hikaru and Misa once again at odds. When one of his pilots sustains a hit during a scouting mission, Hikaru wants his team to return to the ship. She berates him for violating orders, only for him to reply that in space, any hull damage could be potentially deadly.

In an amusing beat, Roy allows the two to bicker for a moment, smiling in amusement... and then steps in to settle the matter by ordering them back to the ship. As he observes, Hikaru is actually in the right... but he does go on to reprimand his friend for his insubordinate tone.

This interaction is the unlikely start of the thaw in Misa and Hikaru's adversarial relationship. After the attack, she sees one of the ships floating amidst the debris. The pilot has died of explosive decompression after his ship was damaged. Her guilt over issuing a potentially deadly order (which was fortunately countermanded) leads to her behaving more mildly in the back half of the episode.

Advantage: None.


NARRATION:

Once again, there's no substantial difference in narration between the two episodes.

Advantage: None.

Minmay cancels a date. Macross's Hikaru
reacts much better than Robotech's Rick does.

CUTS AND ALTERATIONS:

As usual, Robotech makes all of its cuts to the first half of the episode. Character beats are trimmed and/or simplified, while the action scenes remain fully intact - which, not for the first time, makes clear where the two series' different priorities lay.

Breetai Likes Aggression. A Lot: I cannot resist mentioning the Robotech episode's unintentionally hilarious exchange between Breetai and Exedore. After the archivist reveals his plan, he says that it will call for increased aggression. Breetai's response? "I like nothing better than aggression. Exedore, I think we should discuss this matter further in my quarters." I had to pause the episode until I stopped laughing.

Kamujin Is Wary of Exsedol; Khyron Is Dismissive: Kamujin seems to find Exsedol unsettling. He refers to him as a "walking skeleton," adding that it's impossible to know what he's thinking. He seems to be the only person Kamujin is even a little afraid of. Robotech's Khyron, by contrast, refers to Exedore as a "fool," his tone filled with disdain.

Kamujin Pushes the Boundaries of the Plan; Khyron Just Disobeys: This has become a recurring difference between the characterizations. Macross has a scene in which Kamujin carefully details how his adjustments to Britai's plans will rely on a retiring old soldier. Robotech removes this exchange and just makes Khyron blatantly insubordinate. Again.

Hikaru Watches Another Couple While Waiting for Minmay: While Hikaru waits in the park for Minmay, he notices another couple interacting and watches them wistfully. It's a nice character beat. It's also a moment that's been completely removed from Robotech.

Hikaru Responds a Lot Better to Minmay than Rick Does: A very busy Minmay ends up cancelling the date. Macross's Hikaru is disappointed, but he understands that she is fulfilling her dream. Robotech's Rick is just sulky, whining that she hasn't spent enough time with him since winning the competition. Over the previous episodes, I've mostly wished for him to move on from Little Miss Mixed Signals. The Robotech version of this scene marks the first time that I'd actually root for her to tell him to take his passive-aggressiveness and shove off!

Misa Volunteers for the Mission; Lisa Is Assigned: After seeing the pilot who died of exposure to space, Misa's guilt prompts her to volunteer for the recon mission; Robotech changes this to Gloval assigning Lisa over her objections. This undermines her sense of responsibility and determination to do something that isn't on the "warm and safe" bridge.

Hikaru Realizes They're Falling into a Trap: In both versions, enemy fighters pull the escort away from the recon ship. In Macross, Max observes that the Zentradi don't seem to be putting forth their usual effort, at which point Hikaru recognizes that this is just a diversion. Bizarrely, most likely as a result of a mistranslation, Robotech's Max says the opposite: That the Zentraedi are putting forth more effort than usual. A check of Macross's official English dub does nothing to clear up the confusion, by the way: That version features a completely unrelated line at that point!

Advantage: Macross.

Hikaru and his team fly escort for Misa's recon mission.

INCIDENTAL MUSIC:

The Macross episode's incidental music is particularly weak. A tense scene mid-episode is punctuated by tinkly music that sets no tone at all. As an added bonus, it's also highly intrusive. The Robotech score is well-used throughout, greatly enhancing the second half and at least staying out of the way of the scenes in the first half.

Advantage: Robotech.


OVERALL ADVANTAGE: NONE:

The Macross episode misuses its score at points, with background music that is not only ineffective but actively distracting, while the Robotech version benefits from a greatly improved soundtrack. If all else was more or less equal, then Robotech would likely have won this round... However, the Robotech version features much weaker dialogue, and it undermines Lisa's guilt by having the captain order her on the mission instead of volunteering for it. In the end, it evens out to a wash.


OTHER MUSINGS:

Macross was a series plagued with behind-the-scenes animation difficulties. This episode marks the first time this becomes obvious. Animation is generally a bit sloppier than usual, which results in a confusing moment near the end.

While Max wrestles with Britai, he calls on Kakikazi/Ben to fire a missile at a bulkhead. This opens a hole that sucks the Zentradi out into space. A hatch closes to seal the gap... but this isn't actually animated and can only be seen after the fact, which makes it momentarily confusing why the humans don't just escape through that hole instead of trying to break open the airlock. This is not a "Robotech cut something it shouldn't have" issue - This is a problem with the original episode!

But a quick note on a Robotech issue. "M. HAYASE" is stenciled onto the ship that Misa is flying in Macross... and is still visible in Robotech, a dead giveaway as to the character name change. Today, this would take someone all of five minutes to correct on even the crudest video editing software. In 1985, given the tight budget and turnaround time, correcting it would likely have been impossible.

Despite weaker animation than usual, Blind Game is a good episode. It builds directly on the events of Miss Macross, advances various character arcs, and is entertaining in its own right. The default plot structure (Zentradi try to capture ship -> humans manage to escape) could easily become repetitive, but excellent characterization has thus far kept it fresh. Even in Robotech, which simplifies many interactions, the character work is far above average, which I suspect was the reason the series proved so successful on its US debut.


Overall Rating: 7/10.

Previous Episode: Miss Macross
Next Episode: First Contact

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1-07. Bye-Bye Mars.

Kamujin Kravshera, "the ally killer," joins the Zentradi fleet...

Original Air Date - Macross: Nov. 21, 1982.
Written by: Ken'ichi Matsuzaki. Directed by: Noboru Ishiguro, Ryô Yasumura.

Original Air Date - Robotech: Mar. 12, 1985.
Story Editor: Steve Kramer. Directed by: Robert V. Barron.


PLOT - MACROSS:

The Macross has spent the last three days under constant Zentradi attack. This is all part of a trap being laid by Zentradi commander Britai and his archivist, Exsedol. Britai intends to lure the battle fortress to the abandoned human Mars base. While the beleaguered humans resupply, the aliens will engage gravity mines to ground the ship, allowing them to seize it fully intact.

Britai has called in reinforcements, a division under the command of Kamujin Kravshera. Exsedol is appalled. Though a brilliant commander, Kamujin has been labeled "the ally killer" for his willingness to not only sacrifice his old men, but even directly fire upon them. Britai believes he can keep Kamujin in check, threatening to revoke the younger man's command if he gets out of line.

As the Macross arrives on Mars, Misa Hayase recalls her own fiancé, who was declared dead when disaster hit the base. She requests permission to search for survivors - and she arrives just as the Zentradi trap is sprung...


PLOT - ROBOTECH:

The SDF-1 has spent the last three days under constant Zentraedi attack. This is all part of a trap being laid by Zentraedi Lord Breetai and his archivist, Exedore. They intend to lure the battle fortress to the abandoned human Mars base. While the beleaguered humans resupply, the aliens will engage gravity mines to ground the ship, allowing them to seize it fully intact.

Breetai has called in reinforcements, a division under the command of Khyron. Exedore is appalled. Though a brilliant commander, Khyron has been labeled "the backstabber" for tactics that have won battles at the expense of his own men.

As the SDF-1 arrives on Mars, Lisa Hayes recalls her own fiancé, who was declared dead when disaster hit the base. She requests permission to search for survivors - and she arrives just as the Zentraedi trap is sprung...

Misa and her fiancé, Riber, in happier times.

CHARACTERS:

Britai and Exsedol may be the heroes' adversaries, but they don't come across as villains. With the series' central situation established, this episode brings in a genuine baddie. Kamujin/Khyron is introduced with his forces unfolding too close to the fleet, deliberately damaging Zentradi ships as part of a bet. His recklessness and disregard for authority make him a parallel character to Hikaru, minus any sense of moral compass.

The episode's focal character is Misa. We learn more about her background, with her long-ago engagement to the sensitive Riber, who transferred to Mars during the Unification Wars to avoid combat. It's suggested that she enlisted in the military in hopes of eventually joining him on Mars. The young Misa has a softer demeanor, indicating that his death was at least part of what led to her becoming more closed off.

Advantage: None.


CUTS AND ALTERATIONS:

Kamujin's Background Is More Violent Than Khyron's: When Exsedol protests the addition of Kamujin, the argument between hiim and Britai makes clear that Kamujin has been moved away from combat assignments as a result of his past behavior. Robotech's Khyron is made out to be more careless with his men than actively murderous.

Minmay's Reaction to Learning That Victory Announcements Aren't True: In both versions, Hikaru and Minmay listen to a shipwide announcement of victories against the Zentradi. This is a lie, and Hikaru tells her so. In both versions, she gives similar replies, saying that the command staff are clearly trying to keep up morale. But in Robotech, the scene is significantly shortened to very bad effect. Macross's Minmay digests his words, thinks about them, and then gives her input with a thoughtful look on her face. Robotech's Minmei delivers her line almost instantly, over an animation of her grinning and grabbing Rick's arm. Then she instantly switches topics, making her look like an airhead.

Capt. Global Orders the Collection of Supplies: After the Macross lands on Mars, Capt. Global sends trucks and mechs out to collect badly-needed supplies. Robotech snips this scene (gotta have time to sell those toys!), while the narrator lets us know they're collecting supplies on the way to the next scene.

Kamujin/Khyron Fire on an Impatient Soldier, with Very Different Results: Both versions of the episode see Kamujin/Khyron firing on an impatient Zentradi who refuses to wait for the signal to attack. In the Macross episode, this is followed by a close-up of the obviously dead pilot; Robotech not only removes the grisly shot, it goes the full A-Team and dubs in dialogue to makes it clear that Khyron (somehow) didn't actually harm the man.

Robotech's Bridge Crew Gets Very Emotional During Battle: When the battle starts, the members of Macross's bridge crew do their jobs properly as they report the status of the battle to the captain; their voices are urgent, but they are far from panicked. In Robotech, they're practically wailing about being doomed, with the captain trying to soothe them as he comes up with a plan. This is... um, not a change for the better.

Advantage: Macross.

Misa finds Riber's room.

NARRATION:

Macross returns to its standard practice of light narration to open the episode, with the rest of the action being allowed to play out uninterrupted. As for Robotech. Well...

(Insert Picard face-palm here.)

The narrator just won't shut up!

The audience apparently cannot be trusted to comprehend that a dissolve from Lisa's face to an obviously much younger Lisa, complete with different color scheme surrounding her, is a flashback. So the narration tells us that it's a flashback, and then fills in the full relationship between Lisa and Riber before either of them begins speaking.

Later, the narrator has to inform us that Capt. Gloval has dispatched vehicles to collect supplies. This is covering a snipped Macross scene, so I'd normally say fair enough... except that it's already been established that they're here to resupply, so this wasn't really a gap needing plugged!

Worst of all is the ending. The Macross episode ends with Hikaru, having rescued Misa from the base, watching her in the hangar in silence as the show fades to black. This is effective, a wordless moment that allows the audience to interpret the characters' emotions for themselves.

...Except not in Robotech. The narrator blathers all over the scene, telling us exactly how Rick Hunter is feeling. He even intimates that Rick is starting to become interested in Lisa Hayes, something that, at this point in the story, feels extremely unlikely. At most, he's now seeing her as human, but nothing about this particular mission that would change his negative view of her. If anything, her behavior during the rescue should have him adding "hysterical idiot" to her list of her faults.

What's really happening here is that the narrator is rushing toward later story results. In effect, not only are viewers not trusted to interpret scenes for themselves... the story itself isn't trusted to unfold at its own pace!

At the risk of ranting (too late), I'll cut it here, simply adding that more than any episode up to this point, Bye-Bye Mars is really smothered by its narration.

Advantage: Macross. By about ten miles.


INCIDENTAL MUSIC:

I'm torn here. The action/suspense scenes are, as usual, better served by Robotech's music than by Macross's. However, with this episode, Macross lands its first truly effective use of its incidental score.

At the climax, as Hikaru forcefully tears Misa away from the Mars base, a mournful score plays. This is sustained right up to the final fade-out, with no dialogue and minimal sound effects interrupting, making for a haunting close.

The music in the Robotech counterpart to this scene is fine. At least the producers don't repeat the previous episode's mistake of cuing up a track that doesn't fit the content. Still, even before Mr. Narrator intrudes, the music just isn't as effective as the original version.

Advantage: Macross.

Hikaru and Misa look out at Mars as they fly away from it.

OVERALL ADVANTAGE: MACROSS:

Bye-Bye Mars is a very good Macross episode. It provides backstory for Misa, introduces an effective new villain, and even finds time for all of the various members of the ensemble. It moves along at a nice clip, and it ends on an effective nonverbal moment.

Bye-Bye Mars is a frustrating Robotech episode. The same revelations happen, and the same story is told. It even still works for the most part. If only the narrator would stop stepping on every emotional moment! More than anything else, the narrator makes the Robotech version noticeably worse than the original.


OTHER MUSINGS:

This episode marks the point at which Robotech's altered backstory has created a total mess. Macross's Unification Wars create a cohesive history that works for all the characters. In Robotech, the first episode explicitly told us that Earth stopped its wars roughly ten years earlier. But the Unification Wars are a big part of this episode; avoiding combat motivated Riber to transfer to Mars, and the war is behind the base's current state.

It's all consistent in Macross. Robotech, however, keeps stumbling over the bizarre situation of a world that's been at peace for a decade and yet somehow is stuffed to the brim with twentyish characters who are either war veterans (Roy) or whose lives were upended by war (Lisa). I doubt many viewers noticed at the time; the young me certainly did not. But re-watching as an adult, the inconsistency is glaring - and frustrating because there was no actual reason for the first episode to have even made that change!

Probably the best thing for me to do going forward is to just pretend the backstory is the same for both series. If Robotech is going to forget that it made that (very large) change, then I might as well do the same...

Overall Rating - Macross: 8/10.

Overall Rating - Robotech: 6/10.

Previous Episode: Daedalus Attack/Blitzkrieg
Next Episode: Longest Birthday/Sweet Sixteen

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