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

The Macross engages in a desperate fight for planet Earth!

Super Dimension Fortress Macross: Love Drifts Away

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

Robotech: Force of Arms

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


PLOT - MACROSS:

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

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

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


PLOT - ROBOTECH:

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

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

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

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

CHARACTERS:

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

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

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

Advantage: None.


NARRATION:

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

Advantage: Macross.

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

CUTS AND ALTERATIONS:

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

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

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

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

Advantage: Macross. But not by much.


INCIDENTAL MUSIC:

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

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

Advantage: Robotech.

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

OVERALL ADVANTAGE: MACROSS:

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

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


OTHER MUSINGS:

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

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

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

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


Overall Rating: 10/10.

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

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1-25. Virgin Road/Wedding Bells.

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

Super Dimension Fortress Macross: Virgin Road

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

Robotech: Wedding Bells

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


PLOT - MACROSS:

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

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


PLOT - ROBOTECH:

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

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

Britai and Exsedol react to the wedding.

CHARACTERS:

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

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

Advantage: None.


NARRATION:

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

Advantage: Robotech.

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

CUTS AND ALTERATIONS:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


INCIDENTAL MUSIC:

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

Advantage: Robotech.

A wedding in space.

OVERALL ADVANTAGE: ROBOTECH:

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


OTHER MUSINGS:

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

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

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

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

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


OVERALL:

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

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


Overall Rating - Macross: 4/10.

Overall Rating - Robotech: 5/10.

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

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1-22. Love Concert/Battle Hymn.

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

Super Dimension Fortress Macross: Love Concert

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

Robotech: Battle Hymn

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


PLOT - MACROSS:

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

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

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


PLOT - ROBOTECH:

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

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

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

Hikaru decides on his reason to fight: protecting Minmay.

CHARACTERS:

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

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

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

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


NARRATION:

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

Advantage: Macross.

Lord Bodolzaa fears what the humans might be capable of.

CUTS AND ALTERATIONS:

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

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

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

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

Advantage: Macross.


INCIDENTAL MUSIC:

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

Advantage: Macross.

Kaifun urges Minmay to keep singing during the attack.

OVERALL ADVANTAGE: MACROSS:

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


OTHER MUSINGS:

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

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

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


Overall Rating: 7/10.

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

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1-20. Paradise Lost.

Return to duty: Britai is ordered to reclaim
command of the operation to reclaim the Macross.

Original Air Date - Macross: Mar. 6, 1983.
Written by: Ken'ichi Matsuzaki. Directed by: Noboru Ishiguro, Hiroshi Yoshida.

Original Air Date - Robotech: Mar. 29, 1985.
Story Editor: Steve Kramer. Supervising Director: Robert V. Barron.


PLOT - MACROSS:

In the wake of the disaster caused by the Macross's experimental barrier system, the Canadian government has withdrawn its offer to accept the ship's civilians as refugees. Capt. Global is given an ultimatum: launch the ship into space at once, or face attack by Earth's own defense forces!

Meanwhile, Britai retakes command of the Zentradi fleet, adding a large number of reinforcements to their total numbers. He doesn't rush to action, however, instead waiting to hear the report of Loli, Warera, and Condi, who have returned from their time as spies among the humans with a range of interesting artifacts...


PLOT - ROBOTECH:

In the wake of the disaster caused by the SDF-1's experimental barrier system, Capt. Gloval is given an ultimatum: launch ship into space, complete with its civilian population, or face attack by Earth's own defense forces!

Meanwhile, Lord Breetai retakes command of the Zentraedi fleet, adding a large number of reinforcements to their total numbers. He doesn't rush to action, however, instead waiting to hear the report of Rico, Bron, and Kondo, who have returned from their time as spies among the humans with a range of interesting artifacts...

Capt. Global delivers bad news. Somehow, Kaifun
manages to react like a halfway decent human being.

CHARACTERS:

In Macross, there are additional layers to Britai's resumption of command. After he receives his orders from Lord Bodolzaa, he reunites with Exsedol and tells his old friend: "I understand exactly what his Excellency Bodolzaa intends." There's a sense that he's carefully choosing every word, and that his return to command is less a vote of confidence than a way to potentially dispose of him. All of this is sadly missing from Robotech, which just plays the scenes as straightforward. 

Oh, and just because I'm a big believer in being fair to characters I dislike: This episode sees Minmay's cousin Kaifun having a moment of actual compassion. When a distraught Capt. Global makes his grim announcement to Macross's population, Kaifun actually consoles him (Robotech's Kyle gets an extra line as well). I actually like this, as it shows that Kaifun has a sliver of humanity underneath the layers of "jackass" that have defined him thus far.

Advantage: Macross.


NARRATION:

Once again, Macross uses narration to skim over a scene of characters making a report, in this case the three spies summarizing their findings for Britai. The narrator talks over them, only allowing a small section of the scene to play out. This eventually happens in Robotech, as well, but the narrator allows much more of the report to be given by the characters. As with other examples in the series, this just plays much more smoothly.

Advantage: Robotech.

The new veterans: Hikaru and Max discuss their
new promotions as they enjoy one last Earth sunset.

CUTS AND ALTERATIONS:

Return to Command: In Robotech, Breetai is entirely respectful to Lord Dolza as he's ordered to retake command, and the scene itself is entirely straightforward. The exchange plays differently in Macross. Britai is terse, outright demanding additional ships. His manner does not go unnoticed by Lord Bodolzaa, who observes that the officer's "speech has become impolite." A close-up shows Britai clenching his fist even as he assures his superior that he must be imagining it.

Macrossians: In Macross, a young boy and girl watch the supply trucks drive through the city, and they speculate that the rumors must be true that they won't be allowed to leave. As children who have spent more than a year on the ship, they aren't too bothered by this, deciding that they're "Macrossians" now. It's a nice little moment, one that's been sadly removed from Robotech.

The New Veterans: One of the better character moments sees Hikaru/Rick and Max going up on deck to enjoy a last sunset. In both versions, they discuss their changing situation, with both having received multiple rapid promotions. Macross makes the grim subtext clearer: Max is being given his own team, while Hikaru is being made squadron commander. With the deaths of so many of the more experienced pilots, the squadron dynamics have changed: Hikaru has replaced Roy; Max is replacing Hikaru; and these characters, who were rookies not all that long ago, are now the ship's veterans.

The UN's Plan: A bit of watering-down for the US kiddie audience. In Robotech, Capt. Gloval says that Earth government wants the ship to draw the aliens away from Earth. In Macross, he's more blunt, speculating that the government hopes that if the Zentradi destroy the ship, it will pave the way for peace talks. In Robotech, they're expendable; in Macross, they are a sacrificial offering.

Minmay's Song: The episode ends with Minmay singing over the final set of visuals. This works a lot better in Macross, with Mari Iijima's singing of My Beautiful Place a perfect complement to both the context and the visuals. Meanwhile, Robotech's Minmei just sings This Is My Time to Be a Star. Macross's Minmay sings a lament for a lost home; Robotech's Minmei might as well be singing that this works for her, since she's a bigger star on the ship than she would ever be on Earth.

Advantage: Macross.


INCIDENTAL MUSIC:

Both shows apply their incidental music well, so there is no clear advantage this time.

Advantage: None.

The Zentradi spies enjoy one last meal on
the Macross before returning to the fleet.

OVERALL ADVANTAGE: MACROSS:

This is a transitional episode, but also one that puts a lot of emphasis on character moments. As such, it's little surprise that Macross, which has tended to show more layers and subtlety in its presentation of its characters, makes a stronger impression. The Robotech adaptation is fine as far as it goes, with a few good exchanges of its own... but it definitely feels shallower overall.


OTHER MUSINGS:

After a couple of episodes with big action and big emotional beats, Paradise Lost is a moment of quiet. It's an important episode, as it sees the ship finally forced to leave Earth again and returns Britai to command of the Zentradi fleet.

The focus is very much on the character interactions: The three spies are anything but delighted to return home, enjoying a last meal on the Macross before returning, then clinging to the treasures they've collected, trying to hold onto a way of life they preferred to their own. The captain all but breaks down over his failure to help the civilians under his care. Hikaru struggles to write a letter to Kakizaki's parents as he realizes that he's now in Roy's old position, whether he's ready to be or not. Minmay uses the influence of her stardom in just the right way at just the right time, seemingly without even thinking about it. Even Kaifun shows a hitherto-unglimpsed bit of decency. All of this gives the story added weight. The plot mechanics may be transitional, but each scene exists to reinforce the characters and increase our emotional investment in them.

Ther's also a nice touch with regard to Britai's ship. Earlier episodes saw Hikaru and Misa observing how poorly maintained the Zentradi ships were. In this episode, despite all the time that's passed since the humans' escape, Britai steps onto his bridge... and we see that all the damage Max inflicted remains unrepaired. Points to the artists and animators!


Overall Rating: 7/10.

Previous Episode: Burst Point/Bursting Point
Next Episode: Micro Cosmos/A New Dawn

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1-11. First Contact.

Hikaru, Misa, and Kakizaki are prisoners of the Zentradi!

Original Air Date - Macross: Dec. 19, 1982.
Written by: Sukehiro Tomita. Directed by: Noboru Ishiguro, Fumihiko Takayama.

Original Air Date - Robotech: Mar. 18, 1985.
Story Editor: Steve Kramer. Supervising Director: Robert V. Barron.


PLOT - MACROSS:

Hikaru and his squad have fallen into a Zentradi trap. Quick thinking allows Max to escape - but Hikaru, Kakizaki, and Lt. Misa Hayase are taken prisoner.

Britai folds to the main fleet so that the Zentradi leader, Lord Bodolzaa, can interrogate the humans. Upon seeing the enemy forces, Hikaru and Misa realize that humanity has no chance against the full might of the Zentradi. But the interrogation gives them insight into their captors - including Lord Bodolzaa's obsession with something called "protoculture," which he is certain the humans possess.

Meanwhile, Max thinks fast, first to conceal himself from their captors, then to begin working on a rescue...


PLOT - ROBOTECH:

Rick and his squad have fallen into a Zentraedi trap. Quick thinking allows Max to escape - but Rick, Ben, and Lt. Lisa Hayes are taken prisoner.

Breetai folds to the main fleet so that the Zentraedi leader, Lord Dolza, can interrogate the humans. Upon seeing the enemy forces, Rick and Lisa realize that humanity has no chance against the full might of the Zentraedi. But the interrogation gives them insight into their captors - including Lord Dolza's obsession with something called "protoculture," which he is certain the humans possess.

Meanwhile, Max thinks fast, first to conceal himself from their captors, then to begin working on a rescue...

Hikaru and Misa do what they're best at: argue. I'd tell them
to get a room, but the Zentradi have mostly taken care of that.

CHARACTERS:

Hikaru lashes out at Misa for getting them captured... even though he also failed to recognize the Zentradi trap until it was too late. This leads to a fun bit of '80s sexism, as Hikaru snaps that "women shouldn't be soldiers. They're a lot cuter when they're just cooking or singing." Robotech tries to dial it down... which actually makes it worse, as Rick calmly explains that some jobs are just "too hard" for women.

Aside from allowing herself to be drawn into (another) argument with Hikaru, Misa is at her most capable. She had the foresight to conceal a micro camera to record and gather intelligence during their captivity. During the interrogation, she stops either of her subordinates from answering questions. She also observes the Zentradi's reactions to their behavior and turns them to her advantage. Being captured by the enemy is the kind of situation most people would describe as "too hard" - and of the three captives, she is easily the one making the most productive use of the situation.

She's only the second most competent person in the episode, however, because Max is on hand. He thinks fast to avoid getting captured, and he then spends the remainder of the running time improvising like mad to get himself into a position to rescue his comrades. At this point, Max is challenging Roy for the title of Most Consistently Capable Main Character.

Advantage: None.


NARRATION:

Ugh. Robotech returns to Bye-Bye Mars territory, with the narrator stubbornly refusing to shut up. This is made worse because most of the time, he's literally just telling us what we're watching as we're watching it! The Zentraedi study scans of Lisa, and the narrator helpfully says that the aliens are examining the prisoners. Minmei fears that Rick has been killed, and the narrator lets us know that she's upset. Rick reflects on Minmei, and the narrator tells us that he's thinking about Minmei. Please, Mr. Narrator: Shut up and get out of the way of the story!

The Macross episode uses narration only to set the scene at the start, and the original version of the episode is so much the better for it.

Advantage: Macross.

Hikaru thinks about Minmei. In Robotech, the
narrator makes sure to tell us that he's doing so.

CUTS AND ALTERATIONS:

Robotech Excessively Overdubs the Opening Fight: The Robotech version of the fight with Breetai is practically a radio play, with the characters helpfully telling us what we're looking at every time anything happens on screen. "Watch it, he's ready to charge," Max says of Breetai. "Behind you!" Lisa warns. "The missile's heading right at you - Watch out!" Rick calls. The Macross version plays out without the chatter, trusting the viewer to actually, y'know, watch what's happening on the screen.

The Argument - Hot vs. Cold: Macross's Hikaru is much colder toward Misa than Rick is. When he learns that Misa's pilot was killed, he replies, "That's what happens when you underestimate outer space." Robotech's Rick expresses condolences for the man's death, which is: (a) less interesting; (b) ignores the callback to their argument at the start of the previous episode; and (c) makes Rick's subsequent sexism feel even less palatable because of his calm.

The Interrogation Is Much Shorter: The interrogation scene has been greatly cut down for Robotech - a bizarre choice to trim, since it's not only the best scene of the episode, it's also the most important. From Zentradi questions, Misa is able to determine that the aliens have no concept of "civilians" and that they segregate themselves by sex. In Robotech, these bits of data are discussed after the fact, but we no longer see the humans actually discover them in the moment.

"Birds and Bees." A Minor Censorship Change: When the confused Zentradi ask how humans are "born," Macross's Kakizaki talks about a man and a woman making love. Robotech's Ben just mumbles something semi-incoherent about "the birds and the bees."

"Protoculture" Has a Completely Different Meaning: Both versions see the aliens demanding to know about protoculture. In Macross, Lord Bodolzaa talks about it as something from the Zentradi's distant past. His meandering explanation, which is very much that of someone grasping for information he only half possesses, ends up pretty clearly amounting to just plain culture... which ties much more strongly to the themes of the series as a whole. Meanwhile, Robotech's Lord Dolza talks about protoculture as the ancient secret of Robotechnology, lost in the course of too many wars. Thus, a thematic element is reduced to a simple plot device.

Singing Debut - A Different Song: Minmay makes her singing debut. Macross sees her singing My Boyfriend is a Pilot, which includes moderately suggestive lyrics and dance moves. Its lyrics also parellel the relationship between the listening Roy and Claudia, with Roy glancing out at the Macross's hangar as Minmay sings about how her pilot boyfriend loves his planes more than her.

In Robotech, this has been replaced with My Time to Be a Star, a generic and tinny composition which, if memory serves, will be reprised approximately 10,000 times across the next 25 episodes. The lyrics are empty, bubble-headed nonsense; when Roy glances at the hangar while Minmei sings about being a big star, I can only assume it's because he's bored with this insipid nonsense.

Oh, and Mari Iijima - Macross's Minmay - can actually sing!

Lisa - Volunteer or Conscript?: The opening narration in both versions helpfully reminds us that Misa/Lisa volunteered for this mission. There's only one problem... The Robotech version of Blind Game clearly shows Capt. Gloval ordering Lisa to fly the recon mission, with her even objecting to the order! It was a senseless change then, and it's handwaved away now. "Ignore what you actually heard in the last episode - She volunteered, and she always volunteered. There are five lights."

Advantage: Macross.


INCIDENTAL MUSIC:

As is almost always true, the Robotech incidental score is better than the Macross one. However, the end song is so much better in Macross that it isn't even funny, and the song is used in the same way as incidental music. As a result, I'm going to call this one a draw.

Advantage: None.

Lord Bodolzaa gets a little handsy with Misa...

OVERALL ADVANTAGE: MACROSS:

That the original episodes have to be trimmed to allow for American advertisers is a given, and it's honestly usually pretty well done. In this episode, however, the most significant cuts are to the best and most important scene, a decision that boggles the mind given the existence of an extended flashback that could be trimmed (even removed entirely) without anyone ever noticing!

Add in that the Robotech narrator keeps elbowing his way into scenes that don't need him and the redefining of "protoculture" into a plot device with no thematic resonance, and there's just no question that the Macross version of this one is better.


OTHER MUSINGS:

This set of episodes must have been made during one of Macross's journeys across animation studios. There are multiple points in which frames are clearly missing, creating a jagged look to character movements. At other points, the screen is practically still frame with only lip movements. This is particularly visible during an early scene between Roy and Minmay. Even the smoke from Roy's cigarette looks awkward and blocky as it rises into the air.

This is a pity, because First Contact is a key episode. It gives both viewers and characters new information about the Zentradi. It introduces the concept of "protoculture." It raises the level of the Zentradi threat by showing just how powerful their destructive force really is. And it moves the relationship between Hikaru and Misa forward substantially. To borrow a term from Bablyon 5 creator J. Michael Straczinsky, this is a "Wham!" episode - but it's been animated as if it was a throwaway.

Oh, one bit of praise to the writing: This is only the fourth episode to feature Max and Kakizaki/Ben, and yet they already feel like an intrinsic part of both versions. That can be hard to pull off when characters are introduced midway through a series, and here it's been accomplished seamlessly. 


Overall Rating - Macross: 8/10. 

Overall Rating - Robotech: 7/10. 

Previous Episode: Blind Game
Next Episode: Big Escape/The Big Escape

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