Robotech: The Movie.

Mechanic Mark Landry acquires the top-secret MODAT-5.

Also Released as: Robotech - The Untold Story.

Original Release Date: July 25, 1986. Running Time: 85 minutes. Home Video Version: 29 minutes. Screenplay by: Ardwright Chamberlain. Story by: Carl Macek. Directed by: Noboru Ishiguro, Carl Macek. Produced by: Ahmed Agrama, Toru Miura.


THE PLOT:

The Robotech Masters have a plan. When the SDF-1 crash landed on Earth, human scientists transferred its data to a "mother computer." The Masters want that computer and its data, but they don't want to risk a frontal assault like Zentraedi Lord Dolza's failure. Instead, they try subterfuge, taking human prisoners for purposes of infiltration.

They find the perfect subject: Col. B. D. Andrews, a highly respected member of the military. They capture him as he attempts to fight off their attack - then kill the original and send a clone of Andrews back with orders to gain access to the computer and transmit its information to them.

Todd, one of Andrews's soldiers, notices the change in the colonel's behavior. He steals the MODAT-5, a mobile database terminal in the form of a motorcycle, and shows it to his friend, Mark Landry, a mechanic and an expert driver. He's midway through telling Mark about his suspicions when three security men show up. Mark gets away on the MODAT, but Todd is unable to escape.

Now it's up to Mark to discover exactly what Andrews has planned. Fortunately, he has help from EVE, the sentient computer whose data is coveted by Andrews and the Robotech Masters. Time is running out, though. Andrews has already begun transmitting his data to a disused satellite, perfect for interception by the enemy. Once the Masters have all the data, they intend to succeed where the Zentraedi failed - by annihilating all life on Earth!

Mark is ready for action - with a lot less
soul-searching than Megazone 23's Shogo.

CHARACTERS:

Despite using much of Megazone 23's footage, Robotech: The Movie is an entirely different film. This extends to the characters. Megazone's protagonist, Shogo, spends almost the entire second half processing the secret he discovers. Mark Landry, the Robotech hero, is far less shaken by his encounter with the fake Col. Andrews, being quippy and jokey in several of the following scenes.

Though B. D. serves as the villain in both films, Megazone's B. D. likely believes that everything he's doing is necessary. He even tries to recruit Shogo, clearly impressed at the young man's natural skill with the prototype motorcycle. Robotech's Andrews is a clone - in spy movie terms, a high-placed agent feeding information to the enemy. He's dismissive toward Mark when they meet, actively attempting to fill the young man with enough doubt to avoid further interference.

"Too many girls... This is not a Cannon movie."

BACKGROUND:

Robotech: The Movie had the misfortune to be a Cannon Film. Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus, Cannon's owners from 1979 - 1989, were infamous for last-minute budget cuts and post-production tampering. Now, I grew up in the '80s, and I'll admit to having a grudging fondness for some of their schlocky output. But actual good movies released by Cannon were as rare as flecks of gold in the sand.

Carl Macek's intent was to do with Megazone 23 what he had done with Macross, Southern Cross, and Mospeada: deliver a passably faithful, if Americanized, version, making changes to fit it to Robotech's continuity. When he screened it for Cannon execs, he was told that there were "too many girls and not enough robots and guns," with Menahem Golan declaring that this was "not a Cannon movie."

Macek responded by throwing in almost thirty minutes of Southern Cross footage and reframing the main plot as a conspiracy set in motion by the Robotech Masters. Deep cuts were made to make room, jettisoning most of the character-focused material, and scenes were shifted around to relate what was left to the Southern Cross scenes.

Macek hated the end result, but it please Golan; per Macek, the Cannon co-owner looked at the newly mangled motion picture and declared: "That's a Cannon movie." Which then proceeded to barely get released in a couple of theaters in Texas and (somewhat strangely) in Yellow Springs, Ohio.

The bizarre thing? Megazone 23 has plenty of action. But I suppose Cannon just couldn't help being Cannon...

A newly-animated ending sees Mark battling, with
plenty of guns and robots. "Now, that's a Cannon movie!"

CUTS AND ALTERATIONS:

Because of the production nightmare, Robotech: The Movie is radically different from Megazone 23. You can actually watch Robotech and remain unspoiled for Megazone's major reveal and many of its plot points.

This makes attempting to itemize individual differences into a fool's errand - such a list would be longer than the review itself. So instead of doing that, I'm going to group the general categories of changes.

Scene Restructuring: Scenes are shifted around, partially to tie the main story together with the Southern Cross footage, and partially to change the emphasis. Megazone 23 opens with Shogo meeting Yui, establishing their relationship as of equal importance to the science fiction/conspiracy plot. Robotech opens with an extended action prologue that sets up the conspiracy plot. Even when Mark is finally introduced, it's not meeting Becky - It's receiving the motorcycle and fleeing from the armed gunmen.

Col. Andrews Is More Prominent than B. D.: B. D., the primary antagonist of Megazone, only becomes prominent in the story at the midpoint, after Shogo meets him. Robotech makes Col. Andrews important right away. Scenes of him plotting, which occur relatively late in Megazone, are moved up to the first third. The magic of voice over also makes him a major player in the Southern Cross prologue. All of this makes his part seem much bigger - in fact, for the first half hour, he's a larger presence than the movie's actual hero!

Relationship Story Is Cut Back - A Lot: Mark's relationship with Becky is only introduced after the conspiracy story is set in motion. She is already his girlfriend, which allows for the removal of all those pesky scenes in which the two leads get to know each other. Almost all of the relationship scenes are pushed together into a single ten-minute block, and most of these are rewritten so that the dialogue is less about them as characters than about the plot. This makes Becky, the female lead, into a peripheral character to such an extent that viewers unfamiliar with the original might wonder why she's even present.

The Big Reveal: Megazone 23's most memorable scene is the mid-film reveal, which Shogo stumbles across by chance while scouting locations with Tomomi for her movie. In Robotech, Mark is led to this secret when he's contacted by Eve. Kelly (Robotech's version of Tomomi) is not present. Oh, and since a major plot turn would apparently not be suitably exciting on its own, Robotech moves a bunch of the action from Megazone's climax into this set piece so that stuff can blow up real good.

The Slimy Producer Tries to Rape Becky: It made emotional sense for Shogo's character when he blamed Yui for her encounter with the producer, as she fully intended to sleep with the man for a role. Robotech alters the scene so that Becky is blameless: Slimy Producer Guy breaks into her room and assaults her, with her fighting him until Mark comes to the rescue. The problem? Mark still somehow blames her, which mainly leaves him looking like a Grade A ass!

The Ending: Megazone animation studio The Idol Company was commissioned to create a new, closed ending (the footage of which subsequently appeared in some Megazone releases). Mark battles Col. Andrews while rescuing characters from an airfield ambush. This is all extremely cheesy, particularly the final shots, and it doesn't make much sense... but it's also kind of fun to watch, as long as you remember to completely turn your brain off.

Rolf Emerson and Anatole Leonard struggle with an alien attack.
The viewers struggle with them being in the wrong movie.

TWO SOURCES THAT DON'T FIT TOGETHER:

The single biggest problem with Robotech: The Movie is the Southern Cross footage. The script makes a decent stab at tying the scenes from the two sources together. However, this very effort makes the Megazone scenes of secondary importance to the story. Because the Megazone scenes are rewritten to be purely reactive to the Southern Cross ones, it's the thread with Mark and Becky that ends up feeling like a subplot. 

It's purely in the Southern Cross scenes that the movie: establishes its plot; motivates the Earth government to grant the fake Col. Andrews access to the computer; sets the stakes, with the Masters declaring their intent to destroy the Earth; and even sees the larger threat of the Masters repelled. By the time Mark has his final confrontation with Andrews, the colonel has already been exposed as an enemy agent and the Masters have already been defeated.

Then there are the visual transitions from one source to the other. Discussions of this movie regularly touch on the quality of the film stock, with Megazone 23 utilizing 35mm while Southern Cross was on more budget-friendly 16mm. More jarring to me, however, was the switch between completely different art styles. Megazone's characters have more individuality in their proportions and a wider and subtler range of expressions, and the Megazone scenes are more colorful and dynamic than those from Southern Cross. If you were to downscale Megazone's footage to match Southern Cross's, the stark difference in the basic look of the two titles would still make it impossible to seamlessly cut them together.

I can think of no more damning indictment of the impact of the Southern Cross footage on this film than its own official home video version. By the time the complete Robotech DVD set was released, Harmony Gold had lost the rights to Megazone, so they created a 29-minute edit using only the Southern Cross footage… and it’s arguably less incoherent than the full length movie is! (credit to Gubaba on Bluesky for pointing out that this edit was done by the studio, and not by Macek himself)

The Robotech Masters plot the destruction of the planet Earth.

OTHER MUSINGS:

Robotech: The Movie is a mess.

Sequences don't lead into each other. Instead, each bit is an entity in itself. When Mark investigates a TV station, for instance, the scene kicks off with an internal monologue so that he can tell us why he's doing this. He meets Col. Andrews because EVE leads him there, with very little leading up to that. Even the new ending starts with Mark being led to the site of the final battle. You can split each bit into its own 10-minute short film (give or take), and each individual sequence would make just as much sense as within the larger movie.

The reshuffling of scenes creates continuity errors. A scene of Becky dancing has her footage re-looped, presumably to fit the music, with the same three shots shown multiple times, which I started to find quite funny after a few seconds. Kelly reviews footage for her movie, having recorded the MODAT transforming into a robot form... a couple of scenes before Mark discovers that the bike has that ability!

Finally, this movie doesn't even fit within the larger Robotech continuity. It is set between The Macross Saga and The Masters, with supporting roles for Supreme Commander Anatole Leonard (still an idiot) and Rolf Emerson. The humans directly battle The Masters at multiple points, and by the film's end are relatively easily defeating them in battle.

Now recall The Masters arc. For the first quarter of that arc: the humans have no idea who these aliens are; the battles are almost laughably one-sided, with the humans barely able to land a shot on the enemy; and they know so little about The Masters that they have to send Dana Sterling's squad into a downed ship to gather intel.

In short, the events of the movie have little internal consistency - and even less consistency with the actual series.

Like I said: a mess.

Mark basks in the aftermath of his victory.

OVERALL:

The one backhanded compliment I can pay to Robotech: The Movie is that I found it passably diverting. It has so little to do with Megazone 23 that I quickly stopped even thinking about the source film, let alone being annoyed at its mangling. This enabled me to enjoy the pretty pictures and action scenes on their own merits.

Much of the voice acting is decent, particularly in the Megazone scenes; the Robotech score is reasonably well fitted to the action; and it all goes by painlessly. Turn your brain off - I mean, all the way off - and there are worse ways to burn off 85 minutes.

So in the end, I'd agree with Menaheim Golan. To its core, it can absolutely be said of Roboech: The Movie:

"Now, that's a Cannon movie."


Overall Rating - Robotech: 3/10.

Alternate Version: Megazone 23

Previous Movie: Codename - Robotech
Next Movie: Robotech - The Sentinels

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2-22. Catastrophe/The Invid Connection.

The Zor city takes casualties during the battle.

Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross: Catastrophe.

Original Air Date - Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross: Sept. 23, 1984. Writer: Jinzou Toriumi. Director: Mikio Suzuki.

Robotech: The Invid Connection.

Original Air Date - Robotech: May 23, 1985.
Story Editor: Steve Kramer. Supervising Director: Robert V. Barron.


PLOT - SOUTHERN CROSS

The final battle has begun, with Gen. Emerson leading the assault against the Zor. He's attempting to hold out until Supreme Commander Claude Leon begins his pincer attack from Gloire - but Claude has yet to launch his assault, an inaction that may well spell disaster.

Meanwhile, in the Zor ruins, Seifriet persuades Lana not to arrest Musica, pointing out the way the Zor flowers react to her presence. He tells Lana that this chamber is the key to everything. Before they can actually do anything, however, an enemy ship descends, intending to claim the flowers to restore the Zor fleet's bio-energy.

Seifriet warns off the ship by threatening the flowers. He then demands to speak with Zor leader Dess, to negotiate an end to the conflict. But Jeanne fears that Seifriet actually intends to get revenge on his former tormenters!


PLOT - ROBOTECH:

The final battle has begun, with Gen. Emerson leading the assault against the Robotech Masters. He's attempting to hold out until Supreme Commander Anatole Leonard begins his pincer attack from Earth - but Leonard has yet to launch his assault, an inaction that may well spell disaster.

Meanwhile, the 15th Squadron stands in the ruins of the SDF-1, in the midst of the protoculture factory sought first by the Zentraedi and now by the Masters... but it's too late, with the protoculture now infested with the Invid Flower of Life and expelling spores that will attract that deadly enemy.

Having regained his memories, Zor persuades Nova not to arrest Musica, whose absence from the enemy fleet will drive the enemy slowly but surely into disarray. Before they can actually do anything, however, an enemy ship descends to try to claim the protoculture, Invid flowers or no.

Zor is able to warn the ship off. He demands to speak with the Robotech Masters to negotiate an end to the conflict. But Dana fears that he actually intends to get revenge on his former tormenters!

The 15th Squadron braces itself for conflict
with aliens and humans alike.

CHARACTERS:

Seifriet knows full well that Jeanne tends to be led by her emotions. He tries to play on this when he says that all of his actions were to help Musica. But he forgets that Jeanne is also intuitive. She sees right through him, all too accurately predicting that his true goal is vengeance. She has empathy for his emotional turmoil, but her responsibility is to look after Musica and her squad.

In the "B" plot, Claude Leon informs Emerson about Bowie going AWOL with an alien prisoner. Emerson's response is more soldier than father - that Bowie will need to face punishment and take responsibility. Even Claude seems surprised; the way the scene plays out, it seems as if he meant to mitigate consequences.

The Emerson/Bowie material would work a lot better if the two characters had more interaction prior to this (that's true of their relationship across the entire series, actually), but it just about works in Southern Cross. Robotech's bizarre decision to make Emerson into Bowie's godfather rather than his father mutes much of the emotion. When Robotech's Bowie calls out to Emerson, "My friend!" - Well, I'll just say it's unintentionally a bit comical.

I'm still wondering why this change was made. My immediate instinct is that someone got nervous about a white father with a black son... except that "The Macross Saga" already featured one interracial romance between Roy and Claudia; "The Masters" features another between Bowie and Musica that is also inter-species. Why would an interracial father-and-son be a dealbreaker? And if that wasn't the reason, then what was? The only result of this change has been to generally weaken a thread that was already frayed due to the lack of screen time the two characters shared!

Ah, well.

Advantage: Southern Cross.


NARRATION:

Another clumsy recap for Southern Cross, though at this point I'm wondering if some of the problem stems from translation. There is a definite senseof the not-quite-there "jumble" that can come from an overly literal translation.

Robotech actually does pretty well by its voice over. The recap actually benefits from the addition of the Invid subplot, and the narration is reasonably restrained across the rest of the episode.

Advantage: Robotech.

Gen. Emerson negotiates. Southern Cross's Zor are more
convincing as negotiators than the Robotech Masters.

CUTS AND ALTERATION:

Zor Gives a Different Reason for Musica's Importance: Southern Cross's Seifriet gets a wavering Lana to give up on arresting Musica when he points out that the Zor flowers react to her proximity. Since Lana can observe this herself, it's reasonable for her to believe him. Robotech's Zor tells Nova that Musica's playing keeps the clones under the Masters' control, a control that will slip in Musica's absence. This isn't something Nova can verify, and it wouldn't change the advantages to arresting and questioning her. This doesn't make a nonsense out of Nova dropping the arrest, as she's already wavering, but it does weaken that decision to only the emotional appeals.

Emerson and the Supreme Commander: When Claude Leon informs Emerson that Bowie has gone AWOL, he seems to be trying to extend an olive branch, all but offering to mitigate the consequences. He's genuinely surprised when Emerson says that Bowie should face punishment. In Robotech, Emerson immediately protests that Bowie must have been brainwashed, and Anatole Leonard doesn't show the slightest sign of sympathy.

The Ultimatum: The Zor contact Claude to give him a deadline to abandon Gloire, their homeworld, in 48 hours. The substance of the scene is the same in Robotech, but the context is very different: Since the planet is Earth in Robotech, it's now a threat to destroy humanity's home world rather than an ultimatum to abandon the aliens' own home planet.

The Masters Are Less Cordial to Emerson than the Zor: The Zor try to convince Gen. Emerson that they wish to negotiate for a peaceful settlement. The Masters in Robotech do the same - but they drop the act very quickly, sneering about how "stupid" the humans are. Oh, and somehow Emerson and Marie are aware of the Invid, even though they were already off planet by the time any of the humans heard that name.

Zor's Ending Words: At the end of Southern Cross, Seifriet separates from the 15th Squadron in order to chase after the Zor leaders, specifically Dess, vowing to destroy them. Robotech changes Zor Prime's final words, with him now declaring that the Robotech Masters will obey him. This significantly muddles the nature of his personal agenda.

Advantage: Southern Cross.


INCIDENTAL MUSIC:

I don't have much to say here. Both shows apply their incidentals perfectly adequately, and no musical moments really stand out to me.

Advantage: None.

Civilians desperately evacuate the city as the battle draws near.

OVERALL ADVANTAGE - SOUTHERN CROSS:

The difference in this case is slight. Southern Cross ends up benefiting from better characterizations for Jeanne and Seifriet, and for a slightly better (well, less weak) Emerson/Bowie strand.


OTHER MUSINGS:

The momentum from the previous episode continues. This episode features big action sequences and major plot turns. Even the Plot Armor of the named characters starts to falter, as we get the first major character death just in time to raise the stakes for the finale.

This is principally a plot-based episode. The characterizations still work - but except for Jeanne, Seifriet, and Emerson, the rest only get moments around the edges. The characters are serving the plot this time, whereas the previous two episodes had much of the plot arising from the characters acting according to their natures.

Another good episode, in any case. Fingers crossed that the finale manages to land!


Overall Rating: 8/10.

Previous Episode: Nightmare/Final Nightmare
Next Episode: Genesis/Catastrophe

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2-19. Crisis/Crisis Point.

Jeanne and her squadron attempt a desperate escape!

Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross: Crisis.

Original Air Date - Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross: Sept. 2, 1984. Writer: Tadashi Terada. Director: Mikio Suzuki.

Robotech: Crisis Point.

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


PLOT - SOUTHERN CROSS

Jeanne and the 15th squadron are prisoners of the Zor - but not for long. After Seifriet leaves his designated area, the Zor decide that the humans are too dangerous to be allowed to live. When Musica discovers this, she stages a daring rescue.

With Musica's help, the squad is able to rescue Seifriet, whose memories have been restored. They make their way back to their mechs. But with the Zor locking down the entire ship, Jeanne isn't sure how she's going to get her squad away and back to the safety of Gloire!


PLOT - ROBOTECH:

Dana and the 15th squadron are prisoners of the Robotech Masters - but not for long. After Zor leaves his designated area, the Masters decide that the humans are too dangerous to be allowed to live. When Musica discovers this, she stages a daring rescue.

With Musica's help, the squad is able to rescue Zor, whose memories of his prior life have been restored. They make their way back to their mechs. But with the Masters locking down the entire ship, Dana isn't sure how she's going to get her squad away and back to the safety of Earth!

Musica helps the humans against her own people.

CHARACTERS:

There's a scene that really captures the difference in characterization between Southern Cross's Andrzej and Robotech's Angelo. Just after escaping confinement, the squad comes to the control center of the ship. Andrzej argues that they should forego rescuing Seifriet and instead complete their mission by destroying the control center. Robotech's Angelo wants the same thing, but changes in dialogue shift the emphasis. Andrzej wants to do his duty; Angelo seems to just want to blow stuff up for the sake of it. Because while Andrzej is a soldier dedicated to duty, Angelo is mostly just an imbecile.

This is a big episode for Musica. Her feelings for Bowie have overwhelmed her, and she tells her sisters that she wishes she could be alone sometimes instead of always with them. When she learns that Bowie and his squad are to be executed, she takes action - passing a point of no return with the Zor, though (at least in Southern Cross) she still wants to save her own people as well.

Advantage: Southern Cross.


NARRATION:

After the recap, Southern Cross has an establishing shot of the aftermath of the battle before the camera moves to the Zor ship. It's an effective opening visual for the viewer to absorb with no words needed... but since Robotech doesn't do silence, the narrator talks over it, telling us about how the wreckage is "a grim reminder of the horrors of war." Yeah, thanks for that, Mr. Narrator. Where would we be if you left us to interpret visuals for ourselves?

Advantage: Southern Cross.

Seifriet has flashes of memory. So does Zor
in Robotech, but the meaning is very different.

CUTS AND ALTERATION:

The Masters Talk About the Invid: While watching the humans bicker in their cell, the Zor leaders are bemused that they don't seem to realize their situation. In Robotech, the Masters talk about the Invid, discussing how their actions are saving the humans from the upcoming invasion just as much as they're saving themselves.

Zor's Memories Are of "the Protoculture Site": As Seifriet wanders in a daze, he sees flashes of memory from his time on Gloire, which Musica confirms when she finds him. In Robotech, Musica focuses on Zor remembering his visit to "the protoculture site" - the cave with the flowers - even though that scene is depicted in exactly none of these flashbacks.

Louis Explains the Plan in More Detail: The squad discovers Seifriet as his memories are being processed. Observing what's happening, Louis advises waiting until all his memories are restored before staging the rescue. This is the same in Robotech, except that Louis is far more detailed as he goes over the plan, to the point that I half-expected Spaceballs' Dark Helmet to appear and ask, "Everybody got that?"

The Alarm Becomes a Barrier Control: In Southern Cross, the control center features an alarm that can be sounded to alert the civilians to flee the ship. Robotech changes this to a "barrier control" that must be deactivated for Dana's squad to break free. This completely changes the context of Musica and Bowie running for that control. In Southern Cross, they want to save the Zor civilians; in Robotech, they're trying to make good their own escape.

Gen. Emerson's Orders: In Southern Cross, Emerson orders his forces to break off their attack in twenty more minutes. Robotech apparently decided this was too slack a deadline, tightening it to five minutes and making Dana's final escape a lot less likely than Jeanne's, which was pretty darn unlikely to start with!

Seifriet's Fate: When Seifriet announces that he'll delay the Zor and catch up, Andrzej clearly recognizes that he has no intention of doing so. As a result, while the others escape, Andrzej goes back to rescue him. Robotech's Angelo is way too dumb for that, so Zor now escapes on his own, and what had been Andrzej's mech is now explained away as Zor having brought "a change of clothes." Thus, a terrific character beat for Andrzej is tossed aside for no readily apparent reason.

Advantage: Southern Cross.


INCIDENTAL MUSIC:

It's fair to say that many of Robotech's tracks feel overused by this point. It's still good music, so it usually isn't a problem when it's well-applied. But it feels more overused than usual in this episode, a sense that isn't helped by Robotech stuffing every non-dialogue scene with wall-to-wall music. Southern Cross allows several scenes to play without incidentals, which helps to vary the tone and increases the impact of the scenes that do rely on music.

Advantage: Southern Cross.

Zor guards apprehend Seifriet. 

OVERALL ADVANTAGE - SOUTHERN CROSS:

Southern Cross's Andrzej receives some excellent character moments, while Robotech's Angelo mainly comes across as violent and dumb. Robotech also overexplains certain plot elements, while other changes appear to have been made for no reason at all. The episode remains entertaining either way, but I definitely prefer the original version.


OTHER MUSINGS:

Crisis finishes up what has effectively been a three-parter surrounding the infiltration, exploration, and escape from the Zor mothership. Wonderland was the high point, with the characters' exploration of the alien environment being more interesting than the combat-heavy episodes on either side. Still, Crisis remains an entertaining installment. It offers choice character moments for Seifriet, Andrzej, and Musica, with action that is generally well-animated and fun to watch.

Robotech suffers from weaker characterization (as usual) and a few bizarre changes. In Robotech, this is the weakest of the three episodes, while I'd rate the Southern Cross version about even with Bio Psychers.


Overall Rating - Southern Cross: 7/10.

Overall Rating - Robotech: 6/10.

Previous Episode: Wonderland/Dana in Wonderland
Next Episode: Daydream/Daydreamer

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2-17. Bio Psycher/Mind Games.

The 15th squadron attempts to infiltrate
an enemy vessel while under heavy fire!

Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross: Bio Psycher.

Original Air Date - Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross: Aug. 19, 1984. Writer: Jinzou Toriumi. Director: Susumu Nagao.

Robotech: The Hunters.

Original Air Date - Robotech: May 16, 1985.
Story Editor: Steve Kramer. Supervising Director: Robert V. Barron.


PLOT - SOUTHERN CROSS

With Gen. Emerson's forces now established at Aluce Base, it's time for the next phase of the offensive. While Emerson's forces engage the enemy, Jeanne's 15th Squadron is assigned to infiltrate one of the Zor ships.

The plan appears on track for success. Emerson's ships are able to breach the hull of the main enemy ship, creating an opening for Jeanne. But out of that breach come the bio psychers - the new Zor mech designed to channel all the strengths of the Zor trinity!


PLOT - ROBOTECH:

With Gen. Emerson's forces now established at Moonbase Aluce, it's time for the next phase of the offensive against the Robotech Masters. While Emerson's forces engage the Masters, Dana Sterling's 15th Squadron is assigned to infiltrate one of their ships.

The plan appears on track for success. Emerson's ships are able to breach the hull, creating an opening for Dana. But out of that breach comes a new, more powerful mech: the Invid Fighter, designed to channel all the strengths of the Triumverate to counter the powerful foe that the Masters know is on its way.

The Masters believe that this battle will make an ideal test for their new design - and the appearance of these mechs seems poised to turn the tide of battle against the humans!

The eve of the battle gives the squadron
a little too much time to wait. And worry.

CHARACTERS:

Jeanne and Bowie are aligned in not wanting to kill humans who were captured and brainwashed by the Zor. However, once Jeanne realizes that the pilots of the bio psychers are Zor, her hesitance drops away. The Zor are the enemy, and she's trained and willing to kill the enemy.

Probably in part because of meeting Musica and in part because of his own nature, Bowie still wants to avoid killing. Seifriet is also informed by his experiences with the Zor, but those experiences push him in the opposite direction. He doesn't consider the brainwashed Bioroid pilot that he was to have been truly human; though he doesn't outright say so, he views killing those pilots as something almost akin to a kindness.

Robotech simplifies this, particularly for Dana and Bowie. In Southern Cross, Jeanne and Bowie collaborate in turning off the combat links created in the previous episode so that they can avoid killing the Bioroid pilots. This element has been almost entirely removed from Robotech; and though Dana is upset when she sees the enemy pilots are humanoid, she still urges Bowie to fight back, reminding him of their training.

Advantage: Southern Cross.


NARRATION:

The Robotech narrator now identifies the moonbase as "Moonbase Aluce" rather than "Moonbase Luna." I suppose it's nice that they're now using the Southern Cross designation, but it creates a direct continuity error given that previous episodes named the base "Luna."

Advantage: Southern Cross.

The Zor prepare to deploy their new weapon. In Robotech,
their purpose is to test it for when they face the Invid.

CUTS AND ALTERATION:

Shots Showing Two Moons Are Removed: Southern Cross's Gloire has two moons, with Aluce Base on one of them, and the episode has an establishing shot showing both moons. Since Robotech takes place on Earth, the part of this shot that shows two moons has been removed.

Pre-Battle Jitters: Southern Cross's Jeanne and Bowie worry that in the battle ahead, they'll end up killing people who are themselves victims; Seifriet speaks up to tell them that the people under Zor control are currently less than human and to admit that he still doubts himself. Robotech changes this so that they instead worry about not surviving the battle. Zor still makes a speech about being less than human while under the Masters' control, but he no longer expresses any self-doubt.

The Masters Discuss the Invid: With only a handful of episodes left in Southern Cross, Robotech works on building up the next enemy. As the Masters prepare for the human assault, they spend most of their time talking about the threat posed by "the Invid sensor nebula," which they clearly see as a far greater danger than the humans.

Jeanne and Bowie: The pre-battle conversation between Jeanne and Bowie has been completely rewritten for Robotech, and not for the better. The original version sees him fretting about killing captive humans. Jeanne suggests that the two of them turn off the links to the combat program prepared in the previous episode, so that they can carefully avoid fatal blows. Bowie tells her that he loves her (not romantically), and she hugs him before the attack begins. It's a good scene.

The Robotech version... isn't. In Robotech, Bowie's fear is prompted by meeting Zor, with him unable to see Zor's people as enemies. Dana blathers to him about how not actually wanting to kill makes them good soldiers before promising that they will both come back alive - which, given their impenetrable Plot Armor, I'm sure will prove true. With the "avoid killing" plot point removed and most of the emotional resonance, there's no longer any reason for this scene even to be there; they might as well have cut it for more ad time to sell toys.

The Masters Use the Battle to Test Their Invid Fighter: In Southern Cross, the bio psycher has been prepared specifically for the war against the humans. In Robotech, the Masters' real enemy is the Invid, with the humans seeming mainly to be an inconvenience. They decide to use the battle to test the capabilities of their new Invid fighter.

The Bioroid Pilots Receive Detailed Plans: In Southern Cross, after the bioroid pilots receive instructions to prepare for battle, they wordlessly get into their mechs and study their display screens in silence. Robotech doesn't do silence. There's extra chatter scattered throughout the episode, but it's most visible in this scene, as a mechanized voice fills in their battle plan while they watch the display screen. It goes without saying that the original version, without the voice, is more effective.

Jeanne Is Relieved the Pilots Aren't Human; Dana Is Horrified That They're Humanoid: In Southern Cross, Jeanne shoots the face plate off one of the bio-psychers, sending the pilot flying out into space. When she sees that the pilot is a Zor and not a brainwashed human, she is relieved. Robotech's Dana is horrified, though, realizing that the enemy pilots are "like Zor," clones who are under the Masters' control.

Bowie No Longer Reflects on Musica: In Southern Cross, Jeanne turns her combat link back on, telling Bowie that the enemies are Zor and not humans. Bowie starts to do the same, then stops. He thinks of Musica and decides that he doesn't want to kill Zor pilots any more than he wants to kill humans. Since the combat link subplot has been all but removed from Robotech, Bowie no longer has that moment of reflection.

Advantage: Southern Cross.


INCIDENTAL MUSIC:

This is another action-heavy episode, which automatically favors Robotech. Robotech's tracks have been recycled so much that I find myself half-predicting which one will cue up next. That said, its music is stirring and exciting in a way that Southern Cross's combat music just isn't. Overused or not, Robotech's tracks easily win this category.

Advantage: Robotech.

Jeanne and Andrzej make it onto the enemy ship,
only to make a horrible discovery!

OVERALL ADVANTAGE - SOUTHERN CROSS:

Southern Cross's script offers some excellent character work for Jeanne, Bowie, and Seifriet, while also following up nicely on the combat program established in the previous episode. All of this is made simpler and shallower in Robotech, while the links to the last episode are all but gone.

Robotech's music gives a lift to the action scenes, and I am enjoying the way the Robotech scripts use the Masters' fear of the Invid to set up the next enemy as an "ultimate threat." But that isn't even close to enough to offset how much more interesting the main characters are in Southern Cross.


OTHER MUSINGS:

This episode is very entertaining, with good character moments and a second half that acts as a sustained, well-realized action set piece. The scene in which the 15th Squadron first encounters the Zor bio pyschers is memorable, with the new enemy mechs making an imposing initial impression. Too bad that impression isn't sustained.

After a couple minutes of being pinned down by the bio psychers, Jeanne and her squad not only turn the tide but start blasting through them with ease. I'm reminded of Game of Thrones' Sir Barristan Selmy, telling guards who are suddenly threatening him that "even now, I could cut through the five of you like carving a cake." By the end of the episode, that's about how much effort Jeanne's squad is expending to destroy these new "doomsday mechs."

It's hard to take them at all seriously after that. Even the Robotech episode lampshades this by having the Masters observe that the humans have discovered an inherent weakness (though it doesn't specify what that weakness might be).

It's still an energetic installment, and the characterizations are too well-scripted for me to rate this as anything other than a good episode. But if the bio psychers hadn't been neutered so quickly after their introduction, this would be one of the series' best.


Overall Rating - Southern Cross: 7/10.

Overall Rating - Robotech: 6/10.

Previous Episode: Hunter Killer/The Hunters
Next Episode: Wonderland/Dana in Wonderland

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2-16. Hunter Killer/The Hunters.

Louis beams with pride when he's asked to modify an
invention for training. He doesn't stay proud for long.

Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross: Hunter Killer.

Original Air Date - Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross: Aug. 5, 1984. Writer: Tomoko Kawasaki. Director: Mikio Suzuki.

Robotech: The Hunters.

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


PLOT - SOUTHERN CROSS

To reach Aluce Base, Gen. Emerson's forces must pass near the region of space occupies by the Zor. Emerson hopes to traverse this area without the Zor noticing, and he appears to get his wish - only to find the aliens preparing a trap near their lunar destination.

Meanwhile, Louis has invented a device that vastly improves his performance on a flight simulator game. This attracts the notice of two senior officers, who recruit him to modify his device for use in training simulations. But after completing his work, Louis learns that his invention will be used for more than just training...


PLOT - ROBOTECH:

To reach Moonbase Luna, Gen. Emerson's forces must pass near the edge of a nebula that is uncomfortably close to the Robotech Masters. Emerson hopes to traverse this area without the enemy noticing, and he appears to get his wish - only to find the aliens preparing a trap near their lunar destination.

Meanwhile, Louis has invented a device that vastly improves his performance on a flight simulator game. This attracts the notice of two senior officers, who recruit him to modify his device for use in training simulations. But after completing his work, Louis learns that his invention will be used for more than just training...

Emerson hopes to avoid battle by sneaking past the Zor.

CHARACTERS:

Gen. Emerson shows both prudence and strength as a commander. When the Zor appear not to notice the humans as they pass near their ships, a subordinate urges a surprise attack. Emerson rebuffs this, reminding the younger man that their mission is to reinforce the base. Unspoken but clear is that getting killed in space will make that mission a failure. However, when battle becomes unavoidable, Emerson doesn't hesitate to engage the enemy and is quick to come up with a solution to their dilemma.

At least, all of that is true in Southern Cross. Most of it is still true in Robotech. However, the Robotech episode tacks in some dialogue with a subordinate urging Emerson to action when the Robotech Masters attack, which makes the general look a lot less decisive.

The episode's other strand shines a spotlight on Louis. We already know that he likes to tinker. Here, he explains to Jeanne why he's so interested in machines, talking about how machines are able to offset man's inherent limitations. He dreams of inventing something that will enable humanity to reach its full potential, and Jeanne is impressed at his romantic ideals. It's a key scene, because it shows all the reasons why he's so appalled when he discovers the true purpose for which his invention is being deployed.

Advantage: Southern Cross.


NARRATION:

Southern Cross's opening narration is the usual recap, focusing on Gen. Emerson's mission to expand the human forces at Aluce Base and the Zor's plans to stop him. Robotech's narration shifts focus entirely, placing the emphasis on setting up the Invid Invasion for the third arc. It's an understandable change, but it does mean that relatively little groundwork is laid for those who might have missed the previous episode.

Advantage: Southern Cross.

Jeanne tests Louis's invention.

CUTS AND ALTERATION:

The Nebula: To reach Aluce Base, Gen. Emerson's forces pass through a zone controlled by the Zor. Robotech slightly alters this by having them pass through the edge of a nebula to reach Moonbase Luna.

Added Technobabble: When Louis describes the way the game works in Southern Cross, what he says is technical but still basically straightforward. Robotech decides to go the full Star Trek, with Louis descending into a soup of Technobabble that I suspect is mostly gibberish.

The Odds of Breaking Through the Enemy: When the Zor spring their trap in Southern Cross, Gen. Emerson first tries to just break through without engaging. He asks what the odds are, and is told there's a 51% chance of success. Robotech's writers must have decided that wasn't dramatic enough, as the American show changes this to a 20% chance. This actually hurts Emerson's characterization. In Southern Cross, he has a basically even chance of getting his forces out of danger by just flying through, making it a sensible order to give. In Robotech, his odds are slim, making his order seem desperate.

Sean Has Suspicions: Both episodes come back from commercial to a scene in which Charles/Sean talks about Louis's game. Robotech changes the conversation slightly. Unlike Charles, Sean voices suspicions that Major Cromwell's plans for the device may go beyond a mere training simulation. I actually like this change. Combined with a slight change of emphasis when Cromwell first asked to use the device, it more strongly foreshadows the ending. It also fits with Sean's background, given that he was the 15th squadron's original commander before he was busted back to private; even in peacetime, he would have had some experience dealing with interdepartmental politics, and he'd know to be wary of others' motives.

Lt. Brown's Reasons for Joining the Mission: Lt. Brown announces that he'll be joining the 15th Squadron for the next phase of the Supreme Commander's plan. In Southern Cross, he wants to support Gen. Emerson. Robotech alters the dialogue so that he wants to prove his bravery to the general - which makes it sound less like personal loyalty and more as if he's angling for a promotion. I prefer the Southern Cross version.

Bad Dialogue Ruins a Major Reveal: Robotech continues its ongoing struggle with dialogue that sounds either juvenile or clunky or both. This is particularly noticeable in the dramatic reveal of how Louis's invention is being applied. The Southern Cross scene is quite strong, with effective moments for Jeanne, Louis, Bowie, Seifriet, and Andrzej. In Robotech, almost every line lands with a thud, ruining the episode's major scene.

Advantage: Southern Cross.


INCIDENTAL MUSIC:

This is an action-heavy episode, and Southern Cross's "battle music" isn't particularly impressive. That makes it little surprise that Robotech wins this category. Most noticeably, Robotech uses one of its tracks to very strong effect when Louis's game is demonstrated just before a cut back to the battle, musically connecting the two scenes more smoothly than the same transition in the original verison.

Advantage: Robotech.

Caught in a Zor trap, Gen. Emerson tries a desperate tactic.

OVERALL ADVANTAGE - SOUTHERN CROSS:

Robotech suffers from some of the clunkiest dialogue the show has delivered in a while, which really harms the episode's most emotional moment. Emerson's character is also made to look weaker, thanks to dialogue from his subordinates making it appear that he's hesitant instead of decisive.


OTHER MUSINGS:

The Southern Cross episode is quite good. The "A" and "B" plots have no immediate impact on each other, but both strands are well-presented and enjoyable. The episode also moves along at a pace that's fast without feeling rushed. The Southern Cross writers know to slow down for a good character scene between Jeanne and Louis, while also finding time to show Bowie worrying about his father (or godfather, in Robotech) while at the same time pretending not to worry.

The Robotech version remains watchable. The fast pace is built into this one, and the Robotech music benefits the action scenes. But the dialogue problems make Robotech noticeably worse in this instance, resulting in one of the weakest episodes of the Americanized show in a while.


Overall Rating - Southern Cross: 7/10.

Overall Rating - Robotech: 5/10.

Previous Episode: Love Story/Love Song
Next Episode: Bio Psycher/Mind Games

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2-15. Love Story/Love Song.

Jeanne creates a secret admirer to woo Lana away from Seifriet.

Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross: Love Story.

Original Air Date - Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross: July 29, 1984. Writer: Tadashi Terada. Director: Noriyasu Kogawa.

Robotech: Love Song.

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


PLOT - SOUTHERN CROSS

Supreme Commander Claude Leon has put Gen. Emerson in command of the newly secured Aluce Base - in a single command exiling his archrival to Gloire's moon and putting him at the front line of the war. Leon also assigns all of the officers loyal to Emerson, leaving Gloire staffed entirely with his own followers.

Jeanne has more important things on her mind - namely, romance. Sekishima, a captain assigned to the mission, approaches her to help him talk to Lana before he departs. Jeanne throws herself into this, crafting a plan for him to woo Lana as a secret admirer known as "The Rose of Gloire" - with the benefit to her that, if they succeed, she will be left with no rival for Seifriet's affections. There's only one problem: Lana is convinced that the messages are coming from Seifriet, which makes her extremely uncomfortable.

Meanwhile, Marie prepares for a special night with Charles. But when a woman from Charles's past intercepts him, their evening takes a disastrous turn...


PLOT - ROBOTECH:

Supreme Commander Anatole Leonard has put Gen. Emerson in charge of the next assault - in a single command exiling his archrival to what is likely to be a one-way mission. Leonard also assigns all of the officers loyal to Emerson, leaving Earth's headquarters staffed entirely with his own followers.

Dana has more important things on her mind - namely, romance. Komodo, a captain assigned to the mission, approaches her to help him talk to Nova before he departs. Dana throws herself into this, crafting a plan for him to woo Nova as a secret admirer - with the benefit to her that, if they succeed, she will be left with no rival for Zor's affections. There's only one problem: Nova is convinced that the messages are coming from Zor, which makes her extremely uncomfortable.

Meanwhile, Marie prepares for a special night with Sean. But when a woman from Sean's past intercepts him, their evening takes a disastrous turn...

Marie prepares for her date with Charles.
Things do not go as expected.

CHARACTERS:

Emerson knows exactly what the Supreme Commander is doing, but his sense of duty leaves him with no choice but to follow his orders. Bowie will not express his worry to Jeanne, and Emerson will not come to him. Instead, each shows their feelings silently - Bowie lost in thought as he plays the piano, Emerson stopping his car outside the barracks to listen to him play.

Charles's past promiscuity comes back to haunt him with Marie, who misinterprets his attempts to get away from an old lover. This could come across as sitcom shenanigans - but they never actually resolve the misunderstanding, with it falling to Lana and another officer to intervene on Marie's behalf. Meanwhile, the reactions of both characters show us that their attachment is deeply felt, even as the two are left in turmoil.

Advantage: None.


NARRATION:

Southern Cross's opening narration is more focused than in previous episodes, hitting all the major points that impact the plot of this installment without needless clutter. The Robotech narrator gets a bit overenthusiastic during the recap. Also, the Robotech narrator keeps coming back for scene transitions, particularly in the first half. It's far from the series' worst offender. Still, most of these intrusions are entirely unnecessary.

Advantage: Southern Cross.

Lana receives a letter from "The Rose of Gloire."
In Robotech, it's just from a secret admirer.

CUTS AND ALTERATION:

Manually Processing the Security Checks: An early scene sees Lana manually processing security checks for the task force bound for Aluce Base. In Southern Cross, she and her superior discuss how unusual this is, as normally they would set parameters for the computer to screen. The superior officer is entirely friendly and good-natured. This is not the case in Robotech, which transforms him into a sneering jerk, making it seem all the more bizarre when he's pleasant to her later.

Angelo Is More Talkative than Andrzej: Chalk this one up to Robotech's fear of silence. When Seifriet goes to GMP Headquarters to deliver a book from Aluce Base to Lana, Southern Cross's Andrzej follows him and makes sure that he's seen - but he does not actually speak until Seifriet arrives. In Robotech, Angelo also follows Zor - only this time, he calls out things like, "Hey buddy!" and "I'm watching out for you!" every time he's on screen.

The Secret Admirer: The letters to Lana are from "the Rose of Gloire," with close-ups of that title written in English. But those letters are addressed to "Lana" and not "Nova," and Robotech occurs on Earth and not the colony of Gloire. As a result, the shots in question are removed, and "the Rose of Gloire" becomes a more generic "secret admirer."

The Roman Aspect of the Supreme Commander's Assignment: This is a change I actually like. In both versions, Lt. Brown, who is removed from the mission due to a mistake by Lana/Nova, tells her that he's glad of the error because it will let him keep an eye on the Supreme Commander. He then talks about how all dissenting voices have been methodically assigned to this mission. In Robotech, he compares this to the behavior of Roman emperors, who would "promote" dissenters to become governors of distant provinces to get rid of them, which adds a nice extra layer to the scene.

Marie Waits: While waiting for Charles, Southern Cross's Marie muses that if he takes too much longer, she'll already be drunk by the time he arrives. Robotech de-emphasizes the alcohol by changing her thoughts to impatient worries that Sean might stand her up and leave her with nothing but "cab fare."

"The Triumveroid": There's a single cutaway to the aliens as they test their new secret weapon. Robotech names it "The Triumveroid," with the scientists exulting at how it performs all essential functions of combat. The Robotech scene works just a little bit better than the Southern Cross version, in my opinion, with the description of the new weapon blending effectively with the visuals of the test.

Marie's Departure: When Marie leaves in Southern Cross, Andrzej observes that she specifically asked to join Gen. Emerson in his assignment. Robotech removes this, with Angelo just telling Sean that she has more important things to worry about than him.

Advantage: None.


INCIDENTAL MUSIC:

The only notable musical moment is Bowie playing on the piano as his father (or, in Robotech, godfather) prepares to leave on a dangerous mission, and that scene is equally effective in both versions. There is a nice use of musical continuity in Robotech, as a piano version of Minmei's It's Me is heard in the background while Marie waits for Sean, but overall both episodes use their scores about equally well.

Advantage: None.

Jeanne watches Lana and misinterprets a serious conversation.

OVERALL ADVANTAGE - NONE:

The episode is equally enjoyable in either version. The changes are relatively minor ones that have no significant impact, leaving a viewing experience that's roughly the same whether you're watching Southern Cross or Robotech.


OTHER MUSINGS:

I had low expectations given this episode's title. The "love story" aspects of Southern Cross have not impressed me. I fully believe in the Marie/Charles romance, but I have yet to be given much reason to care about it. I also have utterly failed to be convinced by the Jeanne/Seifriet relationship. Expecting that to be the focus, I braced myself for an installment that would... well, probably be bad.

Imagine my surprise when this ended up being one of the series' better episodes!

There are some amusing animations to go along with the lighthearted nature of Jeanne's secret admirer plan. When lovesick Sekishima approaches Lana, he does so with the posture of a man who badly needs to go to the bathroom. The script is also well-written, adeptly balancing a humorous "A" plot against the drama of the Supreme Commander's plan and the likely fates of those assigned to accompany Gen. Emerson. The moments of Bowie silently playing the piano express his emotions more effectively than any speech would. Even the one cutaway to the aliens, as they test their new weapon, underscores the likely fates of Emerson and his team.

Love Story ends up working all around: as a character piece, as a building block for the larger story, and as an entertaining episode in its own right - and in this case, the Robotech version works just as well as the original!


Overall Rating: 8/10.

Previous Episode: Iron Lady/Clone Chamber
Next Episode: Hunter Killer/The Hunters

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