1-36. Farewell to Tenderness/To the Stars.

Hikaru is torn between the life he once
wanted and the one he's come to know.

Super Dimension Fortress Macross: Farewell to Tenderness

Original Air Date: June 26, 1983.
Written by: Shôji Kawamori. Directed by: Noboru Ishiguro, Ryô Yasumura.

Robotech: To the Stars

Original Air Date: Apr. 22, 1985.
Story Editor: Steve Kramer. Supervising Director: Robert V. Barron.


PLOT - MACROSS:

Minmay, now living with Hikaru, presses him to resign from the military. Misa is also considering resigning, unable to bear the thought of seeing Hikaru every day while he forges a life with Minmay. Then Admiral Global offers Misa a new assignment: To take command of a new battle fortress that's currently under construction. Her remit will be to spread human culture among the stars, so that civilization will survive even if another attack comes.

Meanwhile, Kamujin has completed repairs to his ship. He takes off with a very specific target in mind: The Macross!


PLOT - ROBOTECH:

Minmei, now living with Rick, presses him to resign from the military, but he clearly doesn't want to; as Roy once told him, "this Robotech stuff gets in your blood." He finds himself reflecting on Lisa, musing that she would understand...

Lisa is also considering resigning, unable to bear the thought of seeing Rick every day and feeling that she is in no condition for duty in her current state. Then Admiral Gloval offers her a new assignment: To take command of a new battle fortress that's already been constructed. Her remit will be to find the Robotech Masters and destroy their capacity to make war, in order to preserve the future of humanity - and she leaves tomorrow!

Meanwhile, Khyron has completed repairs to his ship. He takes off, planning to head to deep space and rejoin the Robotech Masters. Before he leaves, however, he plans to take his revenge by destroying a very specific target: The SDF-1!

The three leads air their viewpoints in the midst of battle.
But in Robotech, Minmay doesn't seem to have a point.

CHARACTERS:

To the Stars continues the trend of Robotech's epilogue arc: It engages in yet more character assassination of Minmay. Macross's Minmay is going through a personal crisis, but she also is generally maturing. By the end of the series, she is ready to find her "real songs" on her own, without her family, Kaifun, or even Hikaru shielding or controlling her. In Robotech... Minmei is a petulant child pretty much the whole way through.

It is understandable that the writers wanted to push the audience toward the Rick/Lisa relationship. But I suspect most Macross viewers already preferred the Hikaru/Misa pairing (I certainly did). Misa comes across as better for Hikaru not because Minmay is a spoiled child, but because life has taken him in a direction where Minmay is no longer a good fit for him as a partner. And, yes, there certainly are Macross viewers who prefer Minmay; but allowing for discussion, debate, and differing audience opinions is not a bad thing. Regressing one of the main characters to the point that she's actually less mature in the series' final episodes than she was in the early ones? That is a bad thing.

Advantage: Macross.


NARRATION:

The Macross episode plays out without narration, while the Robotech episode leans heavily on that crutch. In Robotech's defense, story changes to accommodate the next two series make some of this necessary. But there are also several points at which the narrator literally tells us what is happening on screen, with the usual internal voice overs added for good measure. In the final episode of "The Macross Saga," Robotech continues with its most annoying trend: being terrified of any moment of silence.

Advantage: Macross.

Kamujin attacks for the sake of attacking.
Robotech's Khyron actually has a goal.

CUTS AND ALTERATIONS:

Hikaru and Minmay vs. Rick and Minmei: In Macross, Minmay is disappointed that Hikaru hasn't made up his mind yet about leaving the military. She talks about how much she wishes they could go back to how things were when they first met, before she was a singer and he was a soldier. This reinforces one of the episode's major themes, of the futility of wishing for a past that's already gone. Robotech simplifies the scene by having her push him to quit, then asking him to marry her and pressing for an immediate answer. It more or less accomplishes the same narrative task, but there's no thematic resonance - and this interaction makes Robotech's Minmei come off far worse than Macross's version.

Khyron Wants to Join the Robotech Masters: It's been several episodes since the Robotech Masters were last mentioned, and the show is literally one episode from starting the "Masters Saga." Thus, while Macross's Kamujin just wants to attack the Macross to lash out destructively, Robotech's Khyron has a larger goal - destroy the SDF-1, then take the ship to space to rejoin the Masters. Thus reminding viewers that the Masters exist and are still coming.

The Admiral's Plan: In Macross, Admiral Global wants humanity to spread out to the stars in part as a survival plan: Should the Zentradi or another alien menace appear, humanity simply could not survive another blow if it's all gathered on one world, so he wants to seed the galaxy to make sure that doesn't happen. In Robotech, his plan is more militaristic. He wants to track "the Robotech forces" back to their home world and destroy "their capacity for making war." This seems rather aggressive and likely to bring down the very attack he fears. It's also overambitious, given that humanity would certainly be both heavily outnumbered and technologically outmatched.

Misa/Lisa's New Assignment: Global wants Misa to command a ship that's under construction. Robotech's Gloval is putting Lisa in charge of a ship that's already been completed, with orders to "leave tomorrow." That change is as senseless as it is unintentionally hilarious. Given the scale of the mission, she needs months of prep time to: (a) make both short-term and long-term mission plans; (b) select crew members and assign them to their best roles; (c) familiarize herself with the specs of the new ship and take it for a couple test flights; (d) make sure all logistics regarding supplies are taken care of, with suitable backups in case of emergencies... and probably about a hundred other things that I don't even know to think of. Misa has time for all that, since her ship is still being built. Lisa leaves tomorrow on a long-term, complex mission on a ship she didn't even previously know existed. Frankly, Lisa should refuse on the spot; "Sir, if you want to kill me, wouldn't it be a lot more efficient to just shoot me here and dump my body in the water?"

Misa Describes Her Assignment to Hikaru: A small but critical difference occurs in the scene in which Misa tells Hikaru about her assignment. In Robotech, Lisa just talks about the strategic value of finding the Robotech Masters. In Macross, Misa discusses Global's deep space settlement plan and notes that the mission is to spread culture, "not to kill" - which strikes a chord with Hikaru, who has struggled with his affinity for military life vs. his distaste for killing. The Macross line is so effective, both on a character and thematic level, that this change really harms the American version.

Arguing in the Midst of Battle: Also changed is the scene in which Hikaru and Misa talk with Minmay. In the original, when Minmay tries to stop Hikaru from joining the battle, Misa stops her by asking who she sings for, and then adding that she and Hikaru fight for the same reason that Minmay sings. After Minmay protests again, Hikaru announces that he is a soldier and has to "protect you... and the city." Robotech completely changes this. Now Minmei now spouts off about "war, devastation, and battle after battle," all to set up Rick and Lisa lecturing her like a small child. In the process, an extremely good scene is transformed into a rather bad one.

The SDF-2: In Macross, there is only the one battle fortress, with Misa's ship something that's only starting construction. In Robotech, the SDF-2 is already finished, which is folded into the climax. While Kamujin only has one ship to attack, Khyron's first assault is on the SDF-2, which he destroys before the SDF-1 is able to fight back. I actually think this is a good change. Given how devastating the first attack appears to be, it seems odd that the Macross doesn't seem to be particularly damaged by it, something that's addressed by Robotech's new context. However, the effectiveness of this change has one big limitation: the actual artwork and animation, which only ever shows a single battle fortress.

Lisa Survives Because of an Ejection Module: In Macross, Misa survives the battle, with the fates of the rest of the bridge crew left unresolved (sequels would later clarify that everyone survived). Robotech is actually bleaker here. Admiral Gloval pushes Lisa into an ejection module, allowing her to survive... while a bunch of other characters we've followed over the past 36 episodes died.

The Final Conversation with Minmay: In Macross, Minmay declares that she will start over and create new songs that will be more meaningful than her old ones. She then asks Misa for permission to join her when her ship takes off on its mission to bring human culture to the stars. In Robotech, Minmei puts on a brave face when Rick chooses Lisa and promises to have new songs ready when they return to Earth - which means that unlike her Japanese counterpart, Robotech's Minmei does not intend to join them in their voyage.

Advantage: Macross


INCIDENTAL MUSIC:

Though the Robotech score is well applied in the final battle scene, overall I thought Macross made more effective use of its music. This is particularly true of the emotional confrontation among Hikaru, Misa, and Minmay. Macross's score underlines this as a character-focused scene, drawing the viewer's attention to the mindsets of the three principals. Above all, it is an emotional moment, as all three get to say their piece eloquently.

Robotech scores the same scene with its signature "tense music." This shifts viewer attention away from the emotion of the conversation (which has been dumbed down anyway). The music basically tells us that what matters is the battle, so Minmei delaying Rick and Lisa is an annoyance. Instead of drawing us into the characters in this moment, the score instead has us mentally telling them to hurry up and get to the fighting.

To say that I found the Robotech version of the scene to be less memorable would be an understatement. Yes, a lot of that has to do with the writing - but the way the music is applied also takes away from the moment.

Advantage: Macross.

The Super Dimension Fortress Macross makes its final stand.

OVERALL ADVANTAGE: MACROSS:

As with many elements across the two series, the most significant thing about the changes is the way they shift the focus. The Macross episode is heavily centered around the characters of Hikaru, Misa, and Minmay. The Robotech episode focuses far more on Plot... and to give credit where it's due, many of the actual plot changes are for the better.

I genuinely prefer Khyron's subplot in Robotech, because Khyron actually has a goal while Kamujin is just lashing out for the sake of it. I also think the destruction of the SDF-2 during Khyron's first pass makes clear how devastating the attack is. In both of these instances, the Robotech changes strengthen the plot.

Unfortunately, everything else is much weaker. Farewell to Tenderness has a strong sense of thematic unity, with a script that is very much about bringing the series full circle. Minmay wants to return to the way things were when she first met Hikaru at the series' start, but Hikaru just isn't the same person (really, neither of them are). Misa pitches the space mission to Hikaru as having a goal to spread culture and not kill, which speaks to his series-long dilemma of wanting to protect while at the same time hating violence. The episode's final Act sees the Macross crew back on the original bridge - during an attack that bears more than a passing resemblance to the one in the opening episodes. There's a strong sense throughout of the series' finale echoing its premiere, with the echoes showing the ways the characters have changed in the intervening years.

Much of this is lost in Robotech. Minmei no longer talks about wanting things to be the way they used to be. Lisa doesn't say anything about the mission being one of peace... not least because the writers have changed the mission from a peaceful one to a hyper-aggressive pre-emptive strike. Hikaru resolves his dilemma when he announces that he's a soldier and has to protect Minmay and the city. Rick has already made his decision before the episode even opens, with him musing about preferring Lisa to Minmei in his very first scene. Some of the themes are still present for those who want to search for them - but they are considerably weaker and pushed to the background, and they don't resonate the same way as a result.

Snowfall or ash? Hikaru and Misa stand in the wake of the battle.

OTHER MUSINGS:

In the first episode of Super Dimension Fortress Macross, Hikaru scorned Roy's pride in being "a killer." Throughout the series, he has wrestled with a distaste for violence. Here, he finds an answer - in Misa's promise of a mission whose goal is peaceful, and in his own realization that he finds meaning in protecting those he cares about. Like the series itself, it's rich in both theme and character... though like much of the epilogue arc, the actual episodic story feels a bit thin.

Robotech has largely been a series more focused on plot mechanics than on the characters. This shows in its adaptation of the finale, which loses much of thematic strength and flattens out the layered characterizations... but at the same time, also makes the standalone plot a bit stronger by giving Khyron an actual long-term goal. While the wholesale creation of an SDF-2 is a bit strained, its destruction means that Khyron's assault does tangible damage, and Rick's and Lisa's determination to rebuild manages to be a pretty good thematic fit with the entire epilogue arc.

In short, each finale ends up being appropriate to its series. Each version's strengths reflect the strengths and priorities of the series as a whole - Macross with character and thematic depth, Robotech with plot. Since themes and characters tend to stick with me long after plot mechanics have been forgotten, I prefer Macross - but it's still interesting to see how differently the same story plays out with just a handful of shifts in focus. 


Overall Rating - Macross: 8/10.

Overall Rating - Robotech: 7/10.

Macross/Macross Saga Overview

Previous Episode: Romanesque/Season's Greetings
Next Episode: Dana's Story

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1-35. Romanesque/Season's Greetings.

A depressed Minmay shows up at Hikaru's door.

Original Air Date: June 19, 1983.
Written by: Sukehiro Tomita. Directed by: Noboru Ishiguro, Fumihiko Takayama.

Robotech: Season's Greetings

Original Air Date: Apr. 19, 1985.
Story Editor: Steve Kramer. Supervising Director: Robert V. Barron.


PLOT - MACROSS:

It's almost Christmas, and Minmay is depressed. In the wake of Kaifun's departure, she no longer wants to sing, and she flees from the recognition of her fans. With nowhere else to go, she shows up at Hikaru's door, begging him to let her stay - an interaction observed by Misa, who is heartbroken that her rival is now moving in with the man she loves.

Meanwhile, Kamujin and his renegade Zentradi are in the process of repairing his battle cruiser, using the skills taught to them by the humans. They are able to get many of the ship's systems working, but they will need a new reflex engine to get it fully operational. Kamujin orders an attack on the city, not only to steal what he needs, but also to deliver the humans a Christmas they will never forget!


PLOT - ROBOTECH:

It's almost Christmas, and Minmei is depressed. In the wake of Kyle's departure, she no longer wants to sing, and she flees from the recognition of her fans. With nowhere else to go, she shows up at Rick's door, begging him to let her stay - an interaction observed by Lisa, who is heartbroken that her rival is now moving in with the man she loves.

Meanwhile, Khyron and his renegade Zentraedi are in the process of repairing his battle cruiser. Much to Khyron's displeasure, his men report that they won't be able to complete the repairs unless they obtain more protoculture. Khyron orders an attack on the city, not only to steal what he needs, but also to deliver the humans a Christmas they will never forget!

It's hard work being the villain. Fortunately, Kamujin
enjoys his job... and Khyron really loves it.

CHARACTERS:

After the mess that was the last episode, the characters are thankfully back to being themselves. The episode focuses heavily on the same romantic triangle, but at least Hikaru, Misa, and Minmay are back to being likable - all of them flawed in their own ways, but all of them also fundamentally decent human beings.

The three leads are all characterized similarly in both Macross and Robotech. As usual, however, there are noticeable differences between the characterizations of Macross's Kamujin and Robotech's Khyron. Kamujin is intent on his goals, and he is absolutely the villain; but he also is an experienced commander who trusts what his men tell him. By contrast, when one of Khyron's subordinates gives him bad news about needing protoculture for the ship's engines, he goes full movie maniac, instantly threatening the man's life. When Macross's Kamujin breaks off the end attack, he simply radios instructions to his men. Not Khyron, though! He breaks off the attack to send a transmission to the city, gloating.

Simply put: Kamujin is a villain because of the things he does. Khyron actively pursues being visibly evil, and he seems to need to remind us of how evil he is every time he so much as breathes. I actually find Khyron to be fun - but while Kamujin is a fully realized character, Khyron is Batman's Joker if he was an alien.

Advantage: Macross.


NARRATION:

As with the past several installments, the Macross episode features no narration. The Robotech episode has quite a bit, with some internal monologues added on top of that. As with other character-focused episodes, it's clear that there was nervousness about some of the younger members of the audience following all of the emotional arcs.

Advantage: Macross.

Misa consoles herself by getting drunk at a bar,
something that's de-emphasized in Robotech.

CUTS AND ALTERATIONS:

Khyron Needs "Protoculture" Instead of an Engine: In Macross, a reflex engine is required for the renegade Zentradi to complete repairs on their ship. When his engineer tells him that he cannot complete repairs as is, Kamujin accepts this without argument, because he knows that his subordinate is simply telling him the situation. In Robotech, the Zentraedi require "protoculture" - aka, the all-purpose MacGuffin that powers literally everything. Oh, and when Khyron is told that repairs are impossible without it, he snaps that this simple reality is "not good enough." Because unlike Kamujin, Khyron is an idiot.

Rick Thinks About Lisa: When the snowfall starts while he's leaving the base, Rick begins musing about how he was with Lisa the last time it snowed. This internal monologue does not appear in Macross, and I suspect it was added to push Rick's connection with Lisa in an episode that otherwise focuses on his relationship with Minmei.

Rick Accuses Minmei of Self-Pity: The first conversation between Hikaru and Minmay is mostly the same in both versions... with one notable exception. In Macross, Hikaru listens to Minmay and tries to comfort her as best he can. In Robotech, Rick calls Minmei out on her self-pity. This is a change that I like. Rick is 100% correct (and Macross Minmay is just as guilty of self-pity), and he's actually being a better friend by making her confront that. Score one for Robotech.

Misa Is Hungover; Lisa Is "Not Feeling Well": A minor change that I suspect comes down to mid-'80s US broadcast standards and practices. The Macross episode makes references to Misa being hungover after seeing Hikaru and Minmay together. Robotech deletes all references to a hangover. This has the effect of making Kim and Sammie's furtive conversation incoherent, and I'm not sure why it wasn't just removed.

Kamujin Orders His Men to Deliver His "Christmas Present," While Khyron Personally Gloats to the City: In both versions, Kamujin/Khyron leaves the city with a particularly nasty "Christmas present." In Macross, he radios his men to deliver it. In Robotech, he does the gloating villain thing by announcing it to the city before he leaves.

Advantage: Macross


INCIDENTAL MUSIC:

Both series use their scores to good effect. Robotech probably has the edge in the late episode action scenes, but Macross's score is better for the earlier character material. Neither has any musical moments that feel misjudged, so it works out to a wash.

Advantage: None.

Just in case you forgot this was a Christmas episode...

OVERALL ADVANTAGE: MACROSS:

This time it's a close call, as both versions are good. Macross wins out mainly because of the villain. Robotech's Khyron has always been more overt in his villainy than Macross's Kamujin... and readers of these reviews know that there have been several times that I've found Khyron's camp to be more fun than Kamujin's grim determination. This time, however, Khyron is pushed too far into silent movie villain territory. Yes, by all means threaten the man who's telling you what is required to get your ship working, because that will make the engine all better.

Also, the Robotech episode loses the irony of this situation. Kamujin and his men are repairing the ship using the very skills taught to them by the humans... in order to wage war against the humans. I can't possibly think of any real-world situations this might parallel. It's an effective moment in the Macross episode, one that Robotech completely overwrites in favor of more Technobabble about protoculture.


OTHER MUSINGS:

Romanesque is a nice recovery from the abysmal episode-long character assassination that was Private Time. Hikaru, Misa, and Minmay are back to being themselves; and while the love triangle has never been my favorite part of the show, the script does a fine job of juggling that and the action story without ever losing focus on either strand.

It also represents a moment of truth for Hikaru. In the first part of the series, he disdained the military and desperately wanted to be with Minmay. By the end of this episode, Minmay has come to him, clearly wanting to be with him, and is asking him to quit the military. In short, his dream has been delivered - and in the next episode, I suspect he will conclude that he no longer wants what he once yearned for.


Overall Rating: 7/10.

Previous Episode: Private Time
Next Episode: Farewell to Tenderness/To the Stars

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1-32. Broken Heart.

Kamujin takes Minmay and Kaifun prisoner!

Original Air Date - Super Dimension Fortress Macross: May 29, 1983.
Written by: Hiroshi Ônogi. Directed by: Noboru Ishiguro, Hiroshi Yoshida.

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


PLOT - MACROSS:

Kamujin and his renegade Zentradi stage a raid on Minmay's latest concert, kidnapping her and Kaifun. Kamujin threatens to kill the two celebrities unless he is given a battleship. He's confident his terms will be met. After all, the new Earth government is fragile, and Minmay is a symbol for much of Earth's Zentradi population.

Hikaru and Misa are put in charge of a rescue mission, one that relies on Kamujin falling for a deception that Misa worries might be too obvious. Both are fully ready for the actual operation. However, Hikaru's desire to rescue Minmay and Misa's jealousy quickly create tension...


PLOT - ROBOTECH:

Khyron and his renegade Zentraedi stage a raid on Minmei's latest concert, kidnapping her and Kyle. Khyron threatens to kill the two celebrities unless he is given the ultimate prize: the SDF-1 itself!

Of course, there's zero chance that Admiral Gloval and the Earth government will agree to such a request. Instead, it's agreed to send Rick Hunter on "Operation Star Saver," with Lisa coordinating the mission. However, Lisa worries that Rick won't be able to maintain the objectivity needed to complete the operation...

Minmay defends Misa from Kaifun's anger.

CHARACTERS:

There is roughly a full galaxy of difference between the demand made by Kamujin in Macross and the one made by Khyron in Robotech. Kamujin makes a demand that he has reason to believe the humans will grant. Khyron's demand in crazy on the face of it, and I'm surprised that neither Azonia nor his lieutenant, Grel, point this out. Basically, Khyron is made to look stupid and unbalanced in comparison to his Macross counterpart.

The characterization of Lisa in Robotech also differs from that of Misa in the Macross original. Misa is fiercely jealous almost from the start of the mission, reacting badly every time Hikaru even mentions Minmay's name. Robotech's Lisa behaves more professionally. Sure, there's an element of jealousy in her reactions, particularly at the end, but most of her behavior is filtered through a concern that Rick won't be able to keep his perspective for the mission. Given that nothing in the episode pays this off (since it wasn't a factor in the original version's script), it's a strand that goes nowhere.

Finally, while both Kaifun and Kyle are unbearable as always, Kyle is portrayed more negatively. Kaifun makes a valid, if futile, attempt to reach the Zentradi holding him and Minmay captive; Kyle just insults them and seems surprised when that doesn't work. Kaifun complains that Misa's operation endangered him and Minmay. This makes him a jerk, since he's yelling at someone who saved his life... but not as much of a jerk as Kyle, who shamelessly lies about Rick's conduct.

Basically, take it as read that every character behaves more simplistically - not to mention stupidly - in Robotech.

Advantage: Macross.


NARRATION:

There's no in-episode narration in either version.

Advantage: None.

Debating Kamujin's demands. In Macross, this is
actually interesting. Not so much in Robotech.

CUTS AND ALTERATIONS:

The Abandoned Weapons: The episode opens with Hikaru and Misa finding a missile base recently abandoned by the Zentradi rebels, with a large weapons cache left behind. In Macross, the weapons are real and their abandonment sets up that Kamujin's ammo suppply is limited - something that pays off at the end. In Robotech, the weapons are counterfeit, the whole operation amounting to the humans falling for Khyron's distraction while he kidnaps Minmei.

Demands for the Hostages: Kamujin demands a battleship, a request that might conceivably be granted given Minmay's importance to the Zentradi who haven't rebelled. By contrast, Khyron's demand for the SDF-1 is ludicrous, and Khyron and Azonia simply aren't (or, at least, shouldn't be) either stupid or deluded enough to think otherwise.

The Admiral Discusses Options: In Macross, Admiral Global observes that Kamujin's hostage taking is very human, and that it appears that the rebel Zentradi are learning from humanity in all the wrong ways. There's also some discussion about Minmay's celebrity and how it complicates matters, particularly given the fragility of the new Earth government. All of this has been removed from Robotech, to the point that I'm not even sure why any of the scene was retained. Gloval and the others still talk for a bit; they just no longer actually say anything.

Misa and Hikaru Argue: In Macross, it's extremely clear that the arguments between Misa and Hikaru are driven by her jealousy. She also worries about the plan, which counts on Kamujin falling for what she sees as a pretty obvious ploy. Hikaru argues that the only alternative is a violent assault that will almost certainly get the hostages killed. In Robotech, no "Plan B" seems to exist, with neither Rick nor Lisa showing any doubts about the main plan working. This, and Lisa's fretting about Rick keeping his perspective during the fight, has the effect of making him more responsible for the tension between them - a complete reversal.

Kaifun Tries to Persuade the Zentradi, While Kyle Just Antagonizes Them: Kaifun urges the Zentradi to let them go, reminding them of the power of culture that led them to defect in the first place. It doesn't work, but at least it feels like a real effort. Robotech's Kyle... um... yells at the Zentraedi, calling them "baboons" and "cowards." Yes, insult the giants who are bred for war, that should go well.

Advantage: Macross


INCIDENTAL MUSIC:

Robotech has one thing going for it: the music. As usual, the Robotech score boosts the action scenes to a degree that the Macross score doesn't. There's also a strong moment that sees Khyron responding to Kyle's jibes about the Zentraedi's lack of culture by demonstrating a kiss with Azonia. The scene in similar in context in both versions - but the Robotech version uses the series' "alien/eerie" music, which emphasizes the wrongness of this moment from the usual Zentraedi viewpoint.

Advantage: Robotech.

Kaifun and Lap Lamiz kiss. In an otherwise woeful 
Robotech, the music in this scene is very well applied.

OVERALL ADVANTAGE: MACROSS:

To be clear, I think this is a pretty weak episode in either version. The whole thing feels rushed, oddly paced, and strangely unfinished. Even so, the Robotech is not only worse - it's much worse. The Macross episode at least touches on potentially interesting elements: the fragile government, Minmay's symbolic importance to the Zentradi, Misa's jealousy. The script doesn't quite know what to do with these elements, but at least they exist. Robotech sands them down to almost nothing when it doesn't jettison them entirely, leaving nothing beyond a thin cartoon story about cartoon heroes foiling a cartoon villain for the umpteenth time.

Robotech has an ongoing problem with awkward dialogue. This episode's dialogue is particularly bad. Conversations are clunky and downright juvenile, from Lisa's childlike wail about how "it isn't fair" for Rick to be sent on every mission, to Gloval entirely unironically apologizing to Khyron for his rudeness while the latter is making his hostage demands. It's as if the American writers, not only rushed but conscious that this episode was a bad one anyway, just shrugged their shoulders and churned out a single draft before moving to the next one - which, come to think of it, may not be entirely unlikely!

Like children playing at war:
The renegade Zentradi on the rampage.

OTHER MUSINGS:

The overall role of the last two episodes has been to refocus the final arc around the threat posed by Kamujin. The last episode saw him achieving a victory and attracting yet more Zentradi to his cause. This episode sees him failing, but only after making a bold attempt that rattles the entire Earth government.

In terms of the arc, this is structurally sound. Each episode's plot is relatively self-contained, but together they advance the threat of the rebel Zentradi in preparation for the big finale.

Unfortunately, while the last episode was better than this one, both share similar problems. The stakes just don't feel as high as they need to, and the characters seem a lot less clever than they should be, certainly less clever than they have been in the past.

The further along this final arc goes, the clearer it becomes that it's not quite working. Which is a shame. From a conceptual standpoint, I love what the writers are trying to do. The end of the war is not the end of the story. Between cultural differences and ongoing dissatisfaction with postwar life, a successful peace keeps slipping further and further away. The ideas are all there, and they're very strong ideas. They just don't seem to be coming together properly. I've read reports that the epilogue was a last minute addition to Super Dimension Fortress Macross when the episode count was raised from 27 to 36. If that is the case, I'm afraid it shows.

There are good moments, at least in Macross. Kamujin's rebels ride into battle at the start of the episode, but they behave less like soldiers than like children playing at war. This demonstrates not only that the rebel Zentradi are giving into their warlike tendencies, but also that they've lost their previous military discipline. There's another small moment late in the episode, in which a human uses a flamethrower to light the cigarette of a Zentradi ally. This reminds us that most of the Zentradi have remained with the humans, and that peaceful coexistence remains possible.

I also like the observation that Kamujin's plan here is very human, albeit one that mirrors humanity's worst traits. This echoes in his kiss with Lap Lamiz and his riding into battle in a way that reminds his soldiers of a western movie he has been watching. It's not that he's immune to cultural influence; he's just being influenced in the wrong ways.

These moments aren't enough to save even the Macross version from falling below the series' usual standards. They do, however, show the same frustrating issue as the epilogue arc itself: interesting ideas are present, but they aren't being developed to their potential.

As for the Robotech version? It doesn't even have interesting ideas. The only thing that keeps the Robotech episode above a "1" is good handling of the action climax. In all other respects, it's woeful.


Overall Rating - Macross: 4/10.

Overall Rating - Robotech: 2/10.

Previous Episode: Satan's Dolls/Khyron's Revenge
Next Episode: A Rainy Night

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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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1-24. Goodbye Girl/Showdown.

Milia challenges her nemesis, Max, to a not-so-friendly game...

Super Dimension Fortress Macross: Goodbye Girl

Original Air Date - Macross: Apr. 3, 1983.
Written by: Sukehiro Tomita. Directed by: Noboru Ishiguro, Fumihiko Takayama.

Robotech: Showdown

Original Air Date - Robotech: Apr. 4, 1985.
Story Editor: Steve Kramer. Supervising Director: Robert V. Barron.


PLOT - MACROSS:

The Macross's scientists have determined that the Zentradi are biologically identical to humans. Armed with this information, Misa takes a shuttle back to Earth, determined to persuade the government to open peace talks with the enemy. Kamujin, however, has laid a trap to intercept her shuttle, using a decoy squadron to draw away her escort.

Meanwhile, Milia finally tracks down the human pilot who bested her: Max. At a video arcade, sharing a flight simulator/combat game, they stage a rematch, with Max none the wiser that this beautiful woman is actually his mortal enemy!


PLOT - ROBOTECH:

The SDF-1's scientists have determined that the Zentraedi are biologically identical to humans. Armed with this information, Lisa takes a shuttle back to Earth, determined to persuade the government to open peace talks with the enemy. Khyron, however, has laid a trap to intercept her shuttle, attempting to use superior numbers to bludgeon her escort into submission.

Meanwhile, Miriya finally tracks down the human pilot who bested her: Max. At a video arcade, sharing a flight simulator/combat game, they stage a rematch, with Max none the wiser that this beautiful woman is actually his mortal enemy!

Hikaru signals his farewell to Misa.

CHARACTERS:

Since Robotech has moved the Rick/Lisa relationship considerably more forward than Macross has with Hikaru and Misa, their interactions play out differently between the two versions. Hikaru and Misa have evolved into a comfortable friendship, but Hikaru doesn't seem to even consider that there could be more than that. Robotech has pushed Rick/Lisa much harder than the source show, so Rick reacts more personally both when he learns that Lisa's returning to Earth and when he says goodbye to her. Neither take is better than the other, at least not with regard to this episode, but it is a notable difference.

By contrast, the encounter between Max and Milia/Miriya plays out much the same in both versions. Max is entranced with this strange beauty, whom he first glimpsed at the screening of Shao Pai Long, and he considers their arcade match to be a friendly way of flirting and catching her attention. As soon as she realizes that he's the pilot she's been seeking, she battles him just as earnestly in the video game as when she fought him in actual combat. Both are intensely competitive, and their personalities and some well-done animation makes their confrontation one of the best scenes in an episode that has several good moments.

There's also a decent subplot for Shammy/Sami, who is usually relegated to comedy relief. That's partially true this time, as well, given that her strand revolves around an error in judgment. But it's clear that she's much more competent in charge of the bridge here than she was in Micro Cosmos. She's able to adjust for her mistake, and she even learns from it. Meaning that even a minor comedy character gets some actual development here.

Advantage: None.


NARRATION:

Robotech aired with a younger, after school audience in mind, and the scripts often betray a lack of trust in that audience to keep up with the story. While the narration here isn't as intrusive as in some episodes, I noticed the narrator talking over many transitions that Macross allowed to just play out on their own.

Robotech also adds internal monologues. I actually like one of these, when Miriya sits down at the arcade's battle simulator thinking that she's discovered how the "Micronians" train their youth for combat. It's a well-judged bit that effectively takes a human leisure activity and gives it new context from the viewpoint of someone from a fully militarized culture.

Other examples are mostly just intrusive, sometimes more than the actual narration is. I particularly groaned at the "my little girl is safe" inner monologues given to Lisa's father. Macross trusts us to understand his relief at his daughter's safe return. Robotech feels the need to tell us.

Advantage: Macross.

Macross's Kamujin has a cunning plan to intercept Misa;
Robotech's Khyron just plans to overwhelm the humans.

CUTS AND ALTERATIONS:

Misa's Call: Before leaving, Misa calls Hikaru to let him know that she's leaving. She tells him that she had to keep her departure a secret to head off potential civilian unrest about a military officer returning home when they cannot. In Robotech, this is changed, with Lisa instead telling Rick that they don't want to raise civilian hopes - not for the first time, sanding off the edges of the original series.

Kamujin's Strategy vs. Khyron's Bludgeoning: Macross's Kamujin uses a diversionary force to pull some of Misa's escort away before attacking. Robotech trims this out (hey, it's a third of a commercial), and has Khyron just attacks, with no strategy beyond overpowering the humans with numbers. I would be irritated about this, except that it's entirely consistent with the way Khyron has been characterized. Where Kamujin is sly, Khyron is basically a hammer in search of nails. Even so, I find the Macross version of this scene more interesting.

The Code Book: In both versions, Shammy/Sami makes the mistake of not giving Hikaru/Rick the updated codes for the day, thinking that he won't need them since he's off duty. This comes back to haunt her when he's called in. In Macross, a post-battle moment has Capt. Global deciding not to reprimand Shammy, feeling that it was a valuable lesson for her to learn. Robotech just cuts away while Claudia is teasing Sami for her error, with an official reprimand not even mentioned as a possibility.

Saying Goodbye: Because Robotech has pushed the Rick/Lisa relationship further than the Hikaru/Misa friendship in Macross, their goodbye scene takes on a different tone. Hikaru tells Misa that he considers her an excellent controller despite his complaint, and signals his hope that she completes her mission and returns to the ship. Rick's goodbye is much more personal, with him signaling, "I believe in you." It's an excellent scene in both versions, and each variant is entirely appropriate to its given series.

Max and Milia: In Macross, Max checks out Milia during their game, making note of her measurements. This is removed in Robotech, and it frankly isn't missed. At the end of the game, Macross's Max credits her as a difficult opponent; Robotech's Max blows off the match, saying "it wasn't too tough," which has the effect of widening the gap in skill level between the two while also making him a bit arrogant.

A Much Shorter Ending Conversation: The episode ends with Claudia approaching a brooding Hikaru and gently trying to fan his interest in Misa over Minmay. The Macross version is longer and plays out like an actual conversation. The Robotech version has been trimmed back noticeably, with Claudia now delivering more of a rushed monologue.

Advantage: Macross.


INCIDENTAL MUSIC:

Robotech wins out here mainly because of the arcade showdown between Max and Miriya. I've often found the Robotech theme distracting when it pops up in-episode, but here it works quite well, lifting an already good scene up an extra notch.

Advantage: Robotech.

Misa's father waits anxiously for her return.

OVERALL ADVANTAGE: NONE:

Most of Robotech's changes this time are slight. In at least a couple of cases, those changes are appropriately tailored to shifts the series has made to the original relationships and characters. I think the ending conversation works much better in Macross than its abridged Robotech form... but that's made up for by the music making the Max/Miriya confrontation that little bit more memorable in Robotech. In this case, I don't think that either version of the episode ends up with a particular advantage over the other, and both versions are quite good.


OTHER MUSINGS:

This episode packs its 25 minutes with a series of terrific scenes: The Hikaru/Misa goodbye with the signal lights; the arcade confrontation between Max and Milia; and (in Macross, at least) the ending conversation between Hikaru and Claudia.

I also quite liked the argument between Misa and her father. He argues that any negotiation must be from a position of strength, and he actually makes a good case for his position. As a viewer, I appreciate that he's shown intelligently supporting his decision.  He's wrong, of course - but not because he's an idiot, but because he's underestimating the size and power of the enemy fleet. So many "serious adult" shows should learn this lesson: a character can be in the wrong without being a useless imbecile!

With its strong character work and multiple memorable moments, the script in both versions takes what might have been a mere "setup episode" and makes it into a minor series highlight.


Overall Rating: 9/10.

Previous Episode: Drop Out/Reckless
Next Episode: Virgin Road/Wedding Bells

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1-19. Burst Point/Bursting Point.

The Macross's experimental new barrier system goes awry...

Super Dimension Fortress Macross: Burst Point

Original Air Date - Macross: Feb. 27, 1983.
Written by: Ken'ichi Matsuzaki. Directed by: Noboru Ishiguro.

Robotech: Bursting Point

Original Air Date - Robotech: Mar. 28, 1985.
Story Editor: Steve Kramer. Supervising Director: Robert V. Barron.


PLOT - MACROSS:

Capt. Global has managed to persuade the independent government in Ontario, Canada to accept the civilian refugees. The Macross flies to Canada, with a sense of relief among the bridge crew that something finally managed to go right.

Their relief doesn't last. Fed up with a command not to attack the humans, Kamujin finally directly violates orders, launching a full-scale attack. Normally, Lap Lamiz would send Milia to intercept him. But, her confidence shaken after her defeat by Max, Milia has requested to be made a miclone spy so that she can find the human who bested her!

As Kamujin's ships attack in force, Capt. Global orders the ship's experimental new barrier to be activated - with devastating consquences!


PLOT - ROBOTECH:

Capt. Gloval has managed to persuade the independent government in Ontario, Canada to accept the civilian refugees. The SDF-1 flies to Canada, with a sense of relief among the bridge crew that something finally managed to go right.

Their relief doesn't last. Fed up with a command not to attack the humans, Khyron violates orders again, this time on a grand scale. He launches a full-scale attack on the humans. Normally, Commander Azonia would send Miriya to stop him. But, her confidence shaken after her defeat by Max, Miriya has requested to be made a miclone spy so that she can find the human who bested her and destroy him!

As Khyron's ships attack in force, Capt. Gloval orders the ship's experimenal new barrier to be activated - with devastating consquences!

Kamujin openly violates orders for the first time.
In Robotech, Khyron violates orders for about the 78th time.

CHARACTERS:

The main difference, as usual, between the two versions is in the characerization of Kamujin vs. Khyron. In Macross, this is a significant moment for Kamujin. Until now, he has skirted orders and pushed the boundaries of orders, but he's never actually violated them. This makes his blatant disobedience all the more striking. It shows how much his frustration has built over the past year, to the point that he's finally openly going rogue. In Robotech,  this is merely the latest of myriad times that Khyron has ignored orders. "Khyron has disobeyed the commander again. It must be Wednesday."

In other threads, Hikaru is dealing with the aftermath of Roy's death. When he inherits Roy's fighter, he comments on the irony: Roy, who was killed despite never once being shot down, is gone; Hikaru, who is still alive despite being shot down repeatedly, has taken his place. Max and Kakizaki invite him to town to cheer him up - though Kakizaki mainly cheers himself up by ordering an enormous steak platter that he plans to eat all by himself (alas, he only gets a single bite before being called to duty).

Meanwhile, Minmay's cousin hijacks a press conference to demand an immediate end to the war. Which is all very well and good, but an end to hostilities requires agreement from both sides. Otherwise, "making peace" amounts to unconditional surrender, while hoping the Zentradi will be satisfied with merely enslaving the humans rather than breaking out their copy of To Serve Man.

In short, Kaifun/Kyle isn't just a jerk. He's a moron, too.

Advantage: Macross.

Minmay calls Hikaru at the worst possible time.

MINMAY'S PHONE CALL:

This episode sees Hikaru taking a call from Minmay... and, for the first time ever, having absolutely no interest in it. This is a development I would normally cheer, and the scene in which it occurs is wonderfully staged and highly effective: She cheerfully blathers to him on the phone, totally oblivious to his emotional state, until he finally just hangs up.

It's a great scene. But I do feel a need to defend Minmay. Yes, at this moment, her bubbly attitude feels to Hikaru as if tiny knives are scraping across his skin. However, that's to do with his own emotional state. Minmay has no reason to believe that anything is wrong. In any other circumstance, he would be delighted that she called him. She just happened to pick the exact wrong moment on the exact wrong day.

Don't get me wrong, I'm never going to like the character of Minmay. But in this instance, she does absolutely nothing wrong - and that's true in both versions of the episode.

Advantage: None.


NARRATION:

Both episodes' narrators provide only the standard recap before getting out of the way of the plot. The Robotech narrator needs to try this more often.

Advantage: None.

Claudia remembers and grieves for Roy -
but most of this is cut from Robotech.

CUTS AND ALTERATIONS:

Claudia's Grief Gets Trimmed for Time: Macross intercuts Hikaru and Claudia, both remembering Roy and silently grieving for him. Robotech cuts the shots of Claudia to almost nothing, de-emphasizing her grief in favor of Rick's, even though her loss was arguably the greater.

Awkward Dialogue: For whatever reason, Robotech's early scenes feature a lot of dialogue that just sounds... off. Capt. Gloval overexplains himself on the bridge. Rick's conversation with Lisa is punctuated by a few too many clichés. Neither of these is a new problem for the show. In this episode, though, it's particularly noticeable, whether because the early part is so character focused or simply because there's too much awkward dialogue in a short space of time. Thankfully, this improves as the show goes on, but it bears note just the same.

Misa Chews Out Hikaru, while Lisa Agrees with Rick: During the battle, Macross's Hikaru complains that if the attack continues, then they'll all be wiped out. Misa (quite rightly) reprimands him, snapping that Roy never would have made such a statement during a battle. Robotech's Lisa just blandly agrees that the situation looks bad.

The Captain's Phone Call: The end of the battle is followed by the Canadian authorities contacting the ship. In Macross, Capt. Global declines the call, already anticipating the bad news. In Robotech, Gloval starts to take the call on the bridge, then has it routed to his quarters.

Advantage: Macross.


INCIDENTAL MUSIC:

Macross gets points for giving Minmay another pretty good new song, while Robotech's Minmei continues to have a total repertoire of three pieces ranging from mediocre to ear-stabbing. However, the second half of the episode is extremely action heavy. An action emphasis tends to favor Robotech's more energetic score, and the Robotech cues are particularly well used here.

Advantage: Robotech.

Max and Kakizaki try to cheer Hikaru up.
Their down time gets interrupted, of course.

OVERALL ADVANTAGE: MACROSS:

This is another episode in which both versions are substantially the same, and it's a very good installment in either version. However, while changes are few, they are consistently for the worse, and Robotech's dialogue is noticeably clunky, leaving Macross with just a bit more emotional weight.


OTHER MUSINGS:

It's no surprise that the captain fails in his goal of resettling the civilians... but there are surprises in exactly how that failure occurs. Meanwhile, the character material is pitched at a surprisingly adult level, even in the ostensibly more kid-friendly Robotech.

Much of the first half is taken up by the grief shared by Hikaru and Claudia. I was struck by the shots in the Macross episode that showed them both in the same café, mere feet apart, both looking out the window and thinking of Roy. They never speak, but those first shots visually connect them even as the context does. Then Misa arrives, sees both of them, and decides to talk to Hikaru - again, showing their growing relationship without having to spell it out.

The Robotech version loses a point for awkward dialogue and for changes that I think weaken the effectiveness of certain moments. It's still very good - but it's definitely the lesser of the two versions.


Overall Rating - Macross: 9/10.

Overall Rating - Robotech: 8/10.

Previous Episode: Pineapple Salad/Farewell Big Brother
Next Episode: Paradise Lost

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