3-16. Trap Reggae/Metamorphosis.

Yellow encounters a mysterious woman.

Genesis Climber Mospeada: Trap Reggae.

Original Air Date - Genesis Climber Mospeada: Jan. 22, 1984. Writer: Satoshi Namiki. Director: Mari Kobayashi.

Robotech: Metamorphosis.

Original Air Date - Robotech: June 17, 1985.
Story Editor: Steve Kramer. Supervising Director: Robert V. Barron.


PLOT - MOSPEADA:

Inbit patrols are growing heavier as the group nears Reflex Point. They find an abandoned naval base, which gives Stig a plan to get across the water. They set to work repairing three frigates. Jim, Mint, and Aisha transport their equipment in the ships, while the others draw the Inbits' attention.

The plan works, but Houquet is injured. They set down in the ruins of a beach resort so that she can recover while Jim repairs her fighter. Meanwhile, the rest of the group enjoys a much-needed beachside rest.

They are not alone, however. Yellow is enjoying an isolated bath in the river when he senses that he's being watched. He draws back, then jumps his attacker - only to find a beautiful young woman in a strange looking flight suit. When he tries to question her, she breaks free and runs. He pursues her to her ship: an Inbit mech.

By the time he reaches the group, they have realized that the Inbit are coming. Stig prepares a trap using the frigates, depending on the Inbit's usual response to HBT. But with these new, human Inbit pilots, Yellow knows that Stig's plan is doomed to fail!


PLOT - ROBOTECH:

Invid patrols are growing heavier as the group nears Reflex Point. They find an abandoned base from the Second Robotech War, which gives Scott a plan to get past the enemy. They set to work repairing three frigates. Lunk, Annie, and Marlene transport their equipment in the ships, while the others draw the Invids' attention.

The plan works, but Rook is injured. They set down in the ruins of a beach resort so that she can recover while Lunk repairs her fighter. Meanwhile, the rest of the group enjoys a much-needed beachside rest.

They are not alone, however. Lancer is enjoying an isolated bath in the river when he senses that he's being watched. He draws back, then jumps his attacker - only to find a beautiful young woman in a strange looking flight suit. When he tries to question her, she breaks free and runs. He pursues her to her ship: an Invid Commander mech.

By the time he reaches the group, they have realized that the Invid are coming. Scott prepares a trap using the frigates, depending on the aliens' usual response to protoculture. But with these new, human Invid pilots, Lancer knows that the plan is doomed to fail!

Ray and Houquet relax, and flirt/argue, on the beach.

CHARACTERS:

This episode is basically an ensemble piece. Yellow gets slightly more attention than the others when he meets Sorji, the female Inbit pilot, but his screen time isn't much greater than Stig's, Ray's, or Houquet's. The usually stoic Stig gets a chance to laugh and to be awkwardly uncomfortable in the water, and it's genuinely nice to see the characters enjoying themselves.

Aisha is more fully a part of the group than in earlier episodes. She helps out with the frigates, and she enjoys herself at the beach. Once again, she ends up sensing the Inbit. Since this has happened in fully half of the episodes since her introduction, I can only assume that the group's fondness for her is making them willfully block out the obviousness of a connection between her and the aliens.

This episode introduces two more humanoid Inbit: one male, Batra; and one female, Sorji. It's clear enough that both characters will recur as Mospeada moves into its final stretch, with Sorji emotionally torn after her encounter with Yellow and Batra staring disapprovingly at her in their final scene.

No character material is much changed for Robotech, so this all works equally well in both versions.

Advantage: None.


NARRATION:

Robotech starts without narration, jumping straight into the Invid Regess presiding over the metamorphosis. The narrator comes in after that scene to cover the introduction of the regulars, but this and the mid-episode recap are unobtrusive.

I wish I could say the same for the end of the episode. As transformed Invid Sera struggles with her emotions, the voice over helpfully tells us that she's... um, struggling with her emotions. Thanks for the heads up, Mr. Narrator. Then we get an overly dramatic closing bit informing us that the success of Scott's group will determine the fate of the world - which feels a bit melodramatic on the heels of a mostly relaxed outing.

Advantage: Mospeada.

The group discovers an abandoned base. Robotech identifies
it as dating from the war with the Masters.

CUTS AND ALTERATION:

The Invid Regess Names the New Humanoids as Royalty: Both versions open with the transformation of two aliens into humanoids. In Mospeada, the Inbit consciousness names the male Batra and the female Sorji, telling them that they are "proof of superior life." This isn't sufficient for Robotech. After naming them Corg and Sera, the Regess makes clear that they will be a prince and princess within the Invid society.

The Assignment: Batra and Sorji are sent to a fort, with religious terms invoked in their assignment ("May the holy place be protected by your power"). In Robotech, the religious wording is removed, and the assignment is made more specific: The Regess wants them to find Ariel (whom the protagonists know as Marlene) and find out why she has stopped communicating. Though I regret the loss of the religious overtones, I actually like the Robotech version of the assignment, as it links the metamorphosis to the regulars up front and creates some tension.

Scott's Group Is Relaxing: Stig and the Mospeada regulars are preparing to cross into North America, with Stig and Yellow both wary of Inbit patrols. In Robotech, the group is already relaxing and exploring the island, though Scott continues to keep an eye out for the enemy since they're nearing Reflex Point.

The Abandoned Base Is from the Second Robotech War: The abandoned naval base is now leftover from the war with the Masters. Because this is the same show, honest.

The Regess Orders Her Forces to Destroy Marlene: Mospeada has the approach of the transformed Inbit play out with no dialogue. As usual, Robotech adds voice over of the Invid Regess giving orders. She repeats her order to make contact with Ariel (Marlene) and discover why communication has failed. She then adds a new order - If they can't contact her and/or fix the malfunction, they are to destroy her.

Removal of Nudity: Sorji, the transformed female Inbit, sees Yellow bathing in a river. He notices that he's being watched and hides, jumping her when she gets near. At the Act break, her struggles result in both of them going over a small waterfall - with Yellow seen nude as they fall. Robotech removes the waterfall, which makes for an oddly abrupt Act break but also makes use of the commercial break to completely cut around the nudity.

Lancer Is Flirtatious: Yellow is startled that Sorji is a woman, but he focuses on questions such as where she came from and the strange suit she's wearing. Lancer has the same questions, but he pauses to flirt about how "beauty is (her) weapon."

Rand Teases Scott with a "Swimming Lesson": Ray pulls a reluctant Stig into the water, only to realize that life on Mars has left him with no idea how to swim or even enjoy being in water. Robotech develops this further, with Rand teasing Scott by giving him an impromptu swimming lesson, with rules such as not trying to breathe underwater and watching out for waves. The dubbed over dialogue suits the animation well, and the bit is actually amusing, improving an already pretty good scene.

The Regess Directs the Battle: Mospeada only shows the Inbit manuevers, with the audience trusted to be able to interpret why the aliens take each action during the battle. Robotech adds the Regess's voice over, so that it's the Regess who detects Scott's trap - which takes away from the idea that the transformed aliens are more capable than their more primitive counterparts.

"A Beautiful Man": After the humans' escape, Sorji stares after them, feeling conflicting emotions. She recalls her run-in with Yellow and sighs that he's "a beautiful man." Robotech drops this line in favor of narration telling us that she's experiencing emotions. This is definitely not an improvement.

Annie Is Excited about Finishing the Mission: The final scene has the group approaching the coast of North America. Mint exults at the prospect of meeting "Yankee boys." Since Robotech has pulled back on the boy-chasing side of the character, Annie is instead excited at the prospect that they'll soon finish the mission.

Advantage: None. A few minor improvements are canceled out by a few minor annoyances.


INCIDENTAL MUSIC:

Both scores work, with the Robotech tracks well-chosen both for the light character interactions and for the big action set piece.

Advantage: None.

Two Inbit prepare for a metamorphosis.

OVERALL ADVANTAGE - NONE:

I like the idea of having the Invid specifically search for Marlene. It adds a bit of extra tension and makes her feel more important in the Robotech episode. I also found the Rand/Scott interactions in Robotech to be more amusing than the Ray/Stig ones in Mospeada.

These tiny improvements are offset by tiny annoyances: too much added chatter because Robotech can never be silent; the Regess detailing every move of the battle so that we don't have to actually follow it too closely; and the narrator breaking the atmosphere of the final scene with the female Invid. It all ends up canceling out, leaving the two episodes more or less equal.


OTHER MUSINGS:

In either version, this is an engaging ensemble piece. Good action bits at the beginning and end bookend amusing character moments, and every regular gets at least something to do. After the cracks revealed in the previous episode, it's nice to have the next installment show the heroes working well together and having some fun in each other's company.

I have no doubt that the two transformed Inbit, Batra and Sorji, will play a major role in the series' final third. I also wonder how much longer the series can keep the group oblivious to Aisha being linked to the Inbit. By now, she's anticipated their appearances and/or movements often enough that at least a few of them should be starting to ask questions - doubly so now that they know there are human looking Inbit. This is something that I hope happens sooner than later.

Overall, a good episode - and one that's equally good in either version.


Overall Rating: 7/10.

Previous Episode: The Ballad of Breaking Up/Separate Ways
Next Episode: White Night Serenade/The Midnight Sun

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3-15. The Ballad of Breaking Up/Separate Ways.

A claustrophobic Jim snaps and attacks Stig.

Genesis Climber Mospeada: The Ballad of Breaking Up.

Original Air Date - Genesis Climber Mospeada: Jan. 15, 1984. Writer: Sukehiro Tomita. Director: Tatsuya Kasahara.

Robotech: Separate Ways.

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


PLOT - MOSPEADA:

The group reaches South America and begins the final approach to Reflex Point. While moving through an abandoned city, they are attacked by Inbit, led by the new and more advanced form. They barely manage to make it to the cover of an old subway tunnel, with the Inbit collapsing the entrance behind them.

Trapped underground, the group begins fracturing. Jim suffers a bout of claustrophobia and attacks Stig, a display that Yellow scorns him for. Houquet considers returning to her home town, and Ray offers to leave with her. But before any decision can be made about staying together or going their separate ways, they first must break out of the collapsed tunnel - with an Inbit patrol waiting outside!


PLOT - ROBOTECH:

The group reaches South America, and Scott plans an ambitious four-day trip to Reflex Point. This involves keeping on the move and scavenging supplies along the way.

While searching an abandoned city, they are taken by surprise by an Invid attack, led by the newly evolved Enforcer. They just barely make it to the cover of an old subway tunnel, with the Invid collapsing the entrance behind them.

Trapped underground, the group begins fracturing. Overcome by fear, Lunk attacks Stig, and Lancer and Rand have to pull him away by force. Rook considers leaving to enlist more people for the final attack, and Rand offers to leave with her.

Before any decision can be made about staying together or going their separate ways, however, they first must break out of the collapsed tunnel - with an Invid patrol waiting outside!

Stig protects Aisha from the tunnel collapse.

CHARACTERS:

The Ballad of Breaking Up is an outstanding character episode all-around, with good moments for every member of the ensemble. Jim's outburst is clearly driven by claustrophobia. He doesn't react with terror until the tunnel collapses. It's only when trapped underground that he freezes, then attacks Stig, then mentally shuts down... and he recovers himself as soon as they're outside.

Ray takes the leadership role again, both in the escape from the tunnel and in mending the fractures among the group. He's been consistently shown to be the character who best knows how to interact with people. He doesn't try to persuade Houquet to stay; he just gives voice to her doubts and then provides the opportunity to leave, waiting and trusting that she'll reconsider.

Speaking of Houquet, I love the throwaway moment when she pulls a lock of her hair forward to look at it and laments how messy it's become. It's a tiny little character beat that rings absolutely true. I also enjoy her interactions with Ray, the two clearly framed as a couple even as they vocally deny and even laugh at the thought of having any interest in each other.

Stig and Aisha are also written as a potential couple, which only reinforces my feeling that Sandstorm Playback should have been a Stig-centric episode. Stig protects her from the tunnel collapse and reassures her afterward, and she remains glued to him throughout.

Finally, we see that Stig isn't the confident leader he pretends to be. He berates himself for the Inbit catching him too far from his Legioss to stop their attack. Later, Jim blames him for their predicament and snaps at him for acting like a senior officer when he isn't one. Stig is mostly passive after that, I suspect in part because Jim's shouting the same things he's been thinking to himself.

Robotech changes many of these character moments for the worse. Scott shows no sign of doubt, with no self-recrimination for being too far away from the Alpha fighter. Lunk apologizes instantly for his outburst. That lovely moment with Houquet looking at her hair? Gone - which makes the physical gesture seem odd when she's now talking about recruiting more people for the ongoing fight. This makes the fractures in the group feel less immediate, which weakens the episode.

Advantage: Mospeada.


NARRATION:

The opening narration recaps the previous episode - probably a good choice, as viewers who missed that episode might otherwise wonder where Annie is. Mid-episode narration reframes the scene in which Ray and Houquet walk off to take a break from the group, telling us that Rand and Rook are explicitly searching for a way out. Not for the first time, this shows Robotech prioritizing plot over character... a strange thing to do in an episode that's entirely a character piece.

Advantage: Mospeada.

Houquet considers quitting the group and returning home.
Robotech's Rook wants to come back with more people.

CUTS AND ALTERATION:

Scott Doesn't Blame Himself: When the Inbit attack, Stig blames himself for being caught out too far from his mech. This has been erased from Robotech, with Scott instead snarling, "All right, you slugs, come on," at the Invid before shooting back.

Lunk's Outburst Is Less Targeted: Jim's recriminations against Stig are greatly watered down in Robotech. While Jim accuses Stig of behaving like a senior officer as he barks orders at them, Robotech's Lunk just yells a general statement of being done with Scott's leadership. Lancer and Rand then point out that it was Rand's idea to take refuge in the tunnel, further absolving Scott of any misjudgment.

Lunk Apologizes Instantly: After Jim attacks first Stig and then Ray, he sulks that the others don't care how he feels. There's then a long moment of silence to allow the characters and viewers to absorb what just happened. Robotech's Lunk apologizes instantly, with added dialogue dubbed over, which robs the moment of much of its significance.

Lancer Tries to Snap Lunk Out of It: Yellow berates Jim for his "unmanly" display and is generally dismissive toward him. In Robotech, however, Lancer tells Lunk to stop thinking of himself as a coward - a complete 180 degree turn on the original exchange.

Rand Proclaims That He's "Lost His Heart" to Rook: Robotech has shown a tendency to write to the conclusion of relationship arcs rather than letting them unfold naturally (see also: Rick voicing feelings for Misa long before Macross's Hikaru ever did). Mospeada has framed Ray and Houquet as a couple, but they're still very much in the process of circling any relationship. Ray does proposition Houquet, but it comes across as half-joking, and they both laugh at the thought of being together. Robotech changes this so that Rand genuinely propositions Rook, even going so far as to talk about marrying her.

Rook Wants To Recruit More People: Houquet thinks about truly quitting the group, leaving and returning to her sister. Robotech's Rook also wants to leave, but only to find more people so that when they attack Reflex Point, they'll have a better chance of succeeding.

Rand Notes the Danger in His Plan: I might as well note one alteration that I actually think is for the better. When Rand comes up with the plan to use their spare protoculture canisters to blast their way out of the tunnel, he cautions that it's dangerous and could cause another collapse. This creates a tiny bit of extra tension, and it represents the only change that I think is for the better.

Scott Attaches a Colored Cloth to See Better: Stig ties a yellow cloth to the HBT canisters for sentimental reasons - "a gift for your journey to death." This is apparently too whimsical for Robotech, so Scott does the same strictly so that he can see better when he makes the shot. Again, a nice character beat is sanded down to instead reinforce plot.

Internal Monologues for Rand and Rook: In Mospeada, a combination of music and artwork allows us to see that the further Houquet gets from the group, the more convinced she is that she shouldn't leave. Robotech doesn't play a song over the same scene (even though Lonely Soldier Boy would fit fine here), and the series doesn't do silence... so in place of that, we get internal monologues from first Rook, then Rand, making clear their decision to rejoin the group. This makes for a much weaker scene than the original version.

Scott Decides to Take a Rest: Once the group is together again, dialogue is dubbed over the closing visuals, with Scott now remarking that he thinks they should take some time to rest. This isn't a bad addition; and, based on the "Next Episode" promo, it helps the end of this episode to tie into the next one.

Advantage: Mospeada.


INCIDENTAL MUSIC:

Mospeada uses an instrumental version of its end credits song, Blue Blue Rain in My Soul, to good effect when Ray and Houquet walk away from the group mid-episode. Even better is the use of a song as Ray and Houquet ride away, only for Houquet to realize the mistake she's making and turn back.

Robotech uses its tracks just fine, but it's the same tracks used in the same way as always. Also, the Robotech score is used to emphasize tension and action moments, while the Mospeada score mostly is used to complement the character material.

Advantage: Mospeada.

The group fights its way past an Inbit patrol in
one of Mospeada's better action sequences.

OVERALL ADVANTAGE - MOSPEADA:

The Robotech episode is good, but the Mospeada episode is excellent. Robotech's changes water down some wonderful character moments, making the various group members feel a lot less like real people. Notably, Scott's lack of self-doubt ironically makes him come across as weaker in the Americanized version. Mospeada's Stig is working through his own issues during the episode, while Robotech's Scott is just sort of hanging around waiting for the next action scene.

Robotech's dialogue is also very on the nose, with several lines that amount to describing the characters' situation. While the Invid attack and collapse the tunnel, they now shout at each other that the Invid are trying to collapse the tunnel. Um, this isn't a radio play, we can see that.


OTHER MUSINGS:

The episode's art and animation are well above the series' average. Many shot choices specifically separate characters into pairs and groups, while wide shots are used to emphasize their isolation from the outside world. The end action scene is one of the more dynamic of the series, from the image of the train bursting through the tunnel to the quick, well-sketched shots of the characters firing at the Inbit as they break through.

Given the strength of both visuals and action scenes, it's almost surprising that this is a character piece. It's an outstanding one, at that, finding good moments for every member of the ensemble. Jim's breakdown makes the divisions in the group visible, but they were already present, as shown by the argument in Sandstorm Playback. As a result, the fracture feels authentic, and the characters' doubts and hesitations are believable.

I don't know why Robotech makes so many changes, but almost all of them are for the worse. With so many interactions watered down, the divisions feel neither as deep nor as real. Those pointless changes are a shame. Evne with them, Separate Ways remains a good episode of Robotech. But I'd rank The Ballad of Breaking Up as a strong contender for Mospeada's best episode to date.


Overall Rating - Mospeada: 10/10.

Overall Rating - Robotech: 8/10.

Previous Episode: Mint's Wedding March/Annie's Wedding
Next Episode: Trap Reggae/Metamorphosis

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3-07. Fallen Hero's Ragtime/Paper Hero.

Jim is determined to find the father of a dead army buddy.

Genesis Climber Mospeada: Fallen Hero's Ragtime.

Original Air Date - Genesis Climber Mospeada: Nov. 13, 1983. Writer: Satoshi Namiki. Director: Yusaku Saotome.

Robotech: Paper Hero.

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


PLOT - MOSPEADA:

The group comes to another small town, this time on purpose. Jim wants to deliver a book to Alfred, the father of a friend who was killed during the first attempt to reclaim Earth from the Inbit. The plan is to be in and out before the nearby Inbit patrols pick up on their presence. But when they drive into town, the locals shut themselves away.

José, a restaurant owner, tells them that no one named Alfred lives here. It's obvious that he's lying, as Jim is able to follow his dead buddy's descriptions straight to Alfred's now-destroyed home. But just what dark secret could the locals be hiding?


PLOT - ROBOTECH:

The group comes to another small town, this time on purpose. Lunk wants to deliver a book to Alfred, the father of a friend who was killed during the Invid invasion. The plan is to be in and out - but when they drive into town, the locals shut themselves away.

José, a restaurant owner, tells them that no one named Alfred lives here. It's obvious that he's lying, as Lunk is able to follow his dead buddy's descriptions straight to Alfred's now-destroyed home. But just what dark secret could the locals be hiding?

A flashback shows Jim watching
helplessly as his friend falls to the Inbit.

CHARACTERS:

This time, it's Jim's turn to take the spotlight. Flashbacks show the incident that led to him fleeing during the previous attempt to reclaim Earth. A lot of the anger he shows toward the townspeople is directed at least as much at himself for having left his friend to die. When he tells Mint and Ray about the past incident, he cleans up the story by insisting that he tried to save his friend. Even though he didn't actually do anything, it's evident that there was nothing he could do.

Ray is, once again, in the support role. To be honest, I'd rather it had been someone else - Yellow Belmont, or even Stig. We've gotten a lot of Ray in almost every episode thus far, while some of the other characters have been relegated to the sidelines. Stig is supposedly the series lead, but he's starting to feel like a minor supporting character!

Advantage: None.


NARRATION:

For a change, the Robotech episode follows Mospeada's lead by jumping straight into the episode with only a bare minimum of narration. The episode quickly makes up for that restraint by giving restaurant owner José an internal monologue in which he frets about how the "freedom fighters" will react if they find out what happened to Alfred. Thanks for puncturing any hint of mystery... though it's not as if the plot trajectory wasn't obvious to start with.

Advantage: Mospeada.

Local restaurant owner José is evasive.

CUTS AND ALTERATION:

Lunk Narrates His Flashback: When Ray asks Jim about his friend in Mospeada, Jim has a flashback in which he relives the man's death and his own escape. Robotech has Lunk narrate the entire flashback, while the writers sand down any suggestion of cowardice by having him emphasize that there was no way for him to help his friend. Which there wasn't - but I prefer Mospeada's approach of simply making that obvious to anyone watching, rather than Robotech's of spelling it out to us.

Annie's Peppermint Candy: When Jim talks about Alfred, his late friend's father, Mint hopes that he turns out to be a "nice old man." Then, since a marital obsession is her sole character trait, she declares that she doesn't mind marrying an old man as long as she gets to live in a big house. Robotech has wisely de-emphasized the marital obsession, with Annie instead fantasizing about getting peppermint candy.

The Reason the Restaurant Is Closed: In Mospeada, José tells Jim that the restaurant is closed for a religious observance. Even in the '80s, the US was too secular for that to work for American audiences, so Robotech's José tells Lunk that there is an emergency, leaving no supplies to open the restaurant.

José and Pedro Talk About Alfred's Death: While Mospeada keeps up the illusion of a mystery surrounding Alfred, Robotech apparently finds that too subtle. As a result, José and Pedro nowdirectly discuss the need to conceal the old man's death.

Rand Doesn't Worry About the Invid: As Mospeada's Ray and Jim search for Alfred, Ray reminds him that they need to be in and out fast before the Inbit catch up to them. Robotech removes this, with Rand and Lunk fully focused on the mystery. Even when Rand frets about getting hurt, he's worried not about the aliens but the townspeople.

Quipping: This is an ongoing issue with Robotech, but it's very noticeable in this episode. When Rand and Lunk get surrounded by a mob, they begin exchanging quips about how serious the guy with the knife and the one with the axe look. Mospeada sets a more serious (and less annoying) tone for the same encounter.

The Robotech Regulars Want to Protect the Town: When Pedro refuses to give the regulars access to their mechs, the Mospeada characters argue that Stig will die if the townspeople don't allow them to help. Robotech shifts this, with the regulars now playing on the town's self-interest by insisting that the approaching Invid will destroy them if they aren't repelled.

Pedro Shifts Responsibility to José: José steps forward, urging the others to show the regulars where their machines are hidden. When the mayor snaps at him that he might end up dying, José responds that it's better than "humans killing other humans." Robotech changes the exchange, with Pedro now telling José that he'll be responsible for whatever happens next... which, come to think of it, makes Robotech's Pedro a more realistic politician.

Advantage: Mospeada.


INCIDENTAL MUSIC:

I'm going to give this category to Robotech. Yes, it's the usual tracks being applied in the usual way. The score is well applied, however, and I think it gives a slight lift to the episode. Mospeada's music is... fine. It doesn't harm any of the scenes - but it also doesn't help any of them.

Advantage: Robotech.

Jim finds Alfred's place - or at least, what's left of it.

OVERALL ADVANTAGE - MOSPEADA:

As usual, Robotech doesn't change much. However, the American writers' insistence on telegraphing every plot turn is extremely irritating. It's a stock plot to start with; I think even the younger after school viewers would be able to keep up. Also, presumably because some of the locals have Hispanic names, the Robotech version insists on giving them all exaggerated accents. I lived in Arizona at the time this was broadcast; even then, there were plenty of people with names like José and Pedro whose voices were indistinguishable from people named John Smith or Mike Young.


OTHER MUSINGS:

Fallen Hero's Ragtime is essentially a post-Apocalyptic Bad Day at Black Rock, and most viewers will figure out where the story is going within the first five minutes. Not that Robotech viewers will even need to wait that long, as the Robotech version spells out the locals covering up Alfred's death from the get-go.

In either version, it's another stock plot from a show that I think has already too freely indulged in such stories. I know that Southern Cross is considered the weakest of the Robotech shows, but at least that series had some ambition. I'm more than a quarter of the way through Mospeada now, and I'm starting to get a bit numbed by the succession of tropey storylines.

On its own terms, this is a perfectly competent episode. I'm just starting to hunger for something... well, more.


Overall Rating: 5/10.

Previous Episode: Support Girl Blues/Hard Times
Next Episode: Jonathan's Elegy/Eulogy

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3-04. Survival Song Feeling/Survival.

Stig and his group hide from Inbit forces.

Genesis Climber Mospeada: Survival Song Feeling.

Original Air Date - Genesis Climber Mospeada: Oct. 23, 1983. Writer: Ryo Yasumura. Director: Masayuki Kojima.

Robotech: Survival.

Original Air Date - Robotech: May 30, 1985. Story Editor: Steve Kramer. Supervising Director: Robert V. Barron.


PLOT - MOSPEADA:

While Yellow Belmont waits in the group's camp, Stig and the others make a supply run to a nearby town. This does not go well, with them finding themselves on the run from Inbit forces. They make a detour into a forest to hide. No matter what they do, however, the Inbit keep finding them. And in the wild, the aliens aren't the only danger...


PLOT - ROBOTECH:

While Lancer waits in the group's camp, Scott and the others make a supply run to a nearby town. This does not go well, with them finding themselves on the run from Invid forces. They make a detour into a forest to hide. No matter what they do, however, the Invid keep finding them. And in the wild, the aliens aren't the only danger...

Ray and Houquet bicker. Since this is an '80s show,
that probably means they're in love.

CHARACTERS:

This episode offers a chance to see the newly formed group working as a team. Country boy Ray gets to show some competence, first in dealing with leeches and later in catching fish for the group to eat - though he gets lost in his enthusiasm for the latter activity that he nearly gets caught by the Inbit. Ray and Houquet spend much of the episode bickering, which by '80s TV rules means that they will end up becoming a couple, though some of their "fight/flirting" here points to real resentment from Ray. I guess we'll see if that last trait gets developed or forgotten.

Advantage: None.


NARRATION:

Robotech opens with a full recap, consisting of bits from the previous episode with the narrator introducing the new characters and letting us know that Scott and company found a Veritech fighter. The main body of the episode is very restrained in its narration, however, with no moments that irritated me, leaving this category a wash.

Advantage: None.

Ray figures out how the Inbit keep finding them.
Robotech adds voice over to spell it out for us.

CUTS AND ALTERATION:

Scott Admits That He Was Wrong about "Breaking Through": The episode begins with the party surrounded by Inbit fighters. Stig urges the group to break through; Ray dismisses that as suicide and cuts to the side, with the others following. The scene is almost identical in Robotech - except that when Scott looks at the Invid blocking the path he had been urging, he admits that he was wrong in wanting to keep going.

Mint Asks Ray to Marry Her: While fleeing the Inbit, Mospeada's Mint laments that she doesn't want to die without being married and demands that Ray marry her (he refuses). Robotech has dialed back on her marriage obsession, so Annie merely wails that she's too young to die, with the subsequent exchange removed entirely.

Food vs. Protoculture Energy Cells: Jim's jeep is damaged during the escape. He tries to recover the spilled food stores that he got from the town before fleeing. That apparently is too mundane for Robotech, with Lunk instead trying to gather up "Protoculture Energy Cells."

Rook Snaps at Lunk: After evading the Inbit in Mospeada, the group hides in tall grass and wonders exactly how the aliens are managing to follow them. Robotech changes this, with Lunk asking about food and Rook snapping at him. This does introduce the idea of tension within the group a bit earlier, but at the cost of having the main characters actually think about the problem of how they're being tracked.

Internal Monologue When Rand Figures It Out: Ray hides in the trees as the Inbit pass. He begins charging his weapon, at which point the Inbit turn toward him. He swiftly turns the power off, and the aliens move on. Since Robotech doesn't fully trust its audience to follow along, Rand has an internal monologue spelling out his realization. I think my fingers may have gotten bruised from the aggressive handholding.

Rook Is Angrier Than Houquet: File this one under pointless changes. In Mospeada, Houquet wonders exactly why Ray is so reflexively nasty toward her. Robotech changes this so that Rook is every bit as rude to Rand as he is to her.

Advantage: None. A couple of changes that I like are canceled out by changes that I don't like.


INCIDENTAL MUSIC:

Both scores are well applied, but I think Robotech's is more effective. Surprisingly, the Robotech score works best not in the ending action scene, but in the moments that show the group hiding from and evading the Invid. Mospeada's incidental music is fine, and I appreciate the moments that play out with no music - but I think that Robotech wins this category this time.

Advantage: Robotech.

The Inbit relentlessly search for Stig's group.

OVERALL ADVANTAGE - NONE:

Changes made to this episode are minor: an internal monologue to (over-) clarify one point, a slight change in the attitude of Robotech's Rook vs. Mospeada's Houquet, a bit of extra technobabble involving protoculture. It's basically the same viewing experience in either version.


OTHER MUSINGS:

Aside from a few decent character moments for Ray and Houquet, Survival Song Feeling is entirely unmemorable. There's some initial suspense in watching the group evade the Inbit... but that drains away fast, because there's only so many times you can watch the characters hide behind trees before the thrill is gone.

There just isn't much here. The group hides in the forest, Ray goes fishing, they evade the aliens and a couple of threats from nature, and then they share a meal. There's merit in seeing the newly formed group working together, but not enough to keep this from feeling like filler.

It's watchable enough. Overall, though, this occupies 22 minutes, it passes the time more or less adequately, and then it ends. I strongly suspect that if you accidentally skipped it while watching the series, you'd never even notice it was missing.


Overall Rating: 4/10.

Previous Episode: Showdown Concert at High Noon/Lonely Soldier Boy
Next Episode: Live Inn Plunder Operation/Curtain Call

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3-03. Showdown Concert at High Noon/Lonely Soldier Boy.

Former soldier Jim is targeted by a violent criminal gang!

Genesis Climber Mospeada: Showdown Concert at High Noon.

Original Air Date - Genesis Climber Mospeada: Oct. 16, 1983. Writer: Sukehiro Tomita. Director: Katsuhito Akiyama.

Robotech: Lonely Soldier Boy.

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


PLOT - MOSPEADA:

Stig, Ray, and Mint stop at a ramshackle shell of a town. The locals are under the thumb of a vicious criminal gang that hunts soldiers to turn them into the Inbit.

Their current target is Jim, who came to Earth years ago as part of the first liberation force. Jim has survived by keeping his head down and hiding his past. Somehow (never explained), the gang discovered his secret. They kidnap Jim's best friend, holding him hostage if Jim doesn't meet them for a showdown at the K. O. Corral (cue eyeroll).

Stig decides to help, and he receives some unexpected backup: Houquet, the young woman who came to their aid in the last town they visited; and Yellow Belmont, a popular singer who hides more than one secret...


PLOT - ROBOTECH:

Scott, Rand, and Annie stop at a ramshackle shell of a town that is plagued by ruffians who hate soldiers.

The gang's current target is Lunk, a former bio-maintenance engineer for the Robotech Expeditionary Forces. He's been hiding his past, but somehow (never explained), the gang discovered his secret. They kidnap Lunk's best friend, holding him hostage if he doesn't meet them for a showdown outside of town.

Scott decides to help, and he receives some unexpected backup: Rook, the young woman who came to their aid in the last town they visited; and Yellow Dancer, a popular singer who hides more than one secret...

Stig, Ray, and Mint are all unimpressed with the town.

CHARACTERS:

Upon arriving in this dump of a town, Stig instantly blames the state of the place on the Inbit. Ray warns against blaming the aliens for everything, saying that the surrounding mess is mainly because of the humans who live here. This is a good note for both characters. Stig filters all he sees through the military conflict, while Ray - who has lived here all his life - knows that humans are capable of bad behavior with no need of outside intervention.

Advantage: Robotech.


NARRATION:

The Robotech narrator won't shut up. This gets particularly annoying when the writers decide that the themes and parallels are too subtle for us, with narration directly pointing out how Scott riding to the rescue of the kidnapped man is like a Western showdown. We go to commercial with the narrator further talking about how Scott is fighting against lawlessness and anarchy here. I'm still hungry, Mr. Narrator - can you spoon-feed me some more?

Advantage: Mospeada.

Yellow Belmont performs.
In Mospeada, the performance is better.

CUTS AND ALTERATION:

Opening Song: The episode opens with Yellow Belmont/Yellow Dancer singing at the town bar. Mospeada has Yellow Belmont's song evoking images of Earth before the war, with apple trees and fields, creating a sharp contrast when the episode cuts to Stig and Ray arriving in the desert dump that is their reality. Robotech doesn't show the same images, instead recycling close-ups of the instruments the band is playing. Also, Robotech doesn't even try to match the lyrics to the lip movements, which becomes rather distracting.

Mint's Reaction to the Town vs. Annie's: Mint agrees that the town is no place she wants to settle down, stating that she doesn't want to get married here. Robotech continues to wisely de-emphasize the child character's marital obsession, with Annie wondering what the locals do for fun... earning an amusing rejoinder from Rand that they probably sit around and watch their floorboards warp.

The Gang Leader Interrupts: In Mospeada, the gang leader cuts off Yellow Belmont by belligerently demanding who gave the singer permission to perform, an early tipoff to the gang's control over the town. Robotech inexplicably changes this so that the gang leader is snarling about how Yellow Dancer's music "stinks."

The Club Manager Talks About the Gang: When Stig asks about the gang in Mospeada, the club manager tells him that they run the town and will kill anyone who disobeys them. Robotech makes the gang less threatening, with the club manager instead describing them as "riff-raff." Is the riff-raff up to shenanigans, by any chance?

Yellow Dancer Becomes "Lancer": The episode ends with Yellow Belmont overcoming Stig's objections to a woman joining them (as opposed to another woman and a little girl?) by demonstrating that "she" is actually a man in disguise. Robotech decides this isn't enough, with "Yellow Dancer" renaming himself "Lancer" on the grounds that it suits him better. Because men don't dance, or a lance is like a penis, or... whatever.

Advantage: Mospeada.


INCIDENTAL MUSIC:

For the first time, I find myself quite liking the Mospeada incidentals. The battle scene that takes up most of the second half is accompanied by a score that conveys the right level of excitement, while still being light enough to maintain the general tone. Also, the song by Mospeada's Yellow Belmont is better than the very '80s ballad crooned by Robotech's Yellow Dancer.

Advantage: Mospeada.

A skirmish with the Inbit. Because a biker gang
is hardly much of a challenge for our heroes.

OVERALL ADVANTAGE - MOSPEADA:

After two straight episodes in which I preferred Robotech, Genesis Climber Mospeada finally ends up delivering the better version. Robotech doesn't change much, but its changes make the episode ever-so-slightly less effective. The gang comes across as less powerful and therefore less threatening, and the characters are just a hint flatter. The Robotech episode is still entertaining - but this time, Mospeada is simply better.


OTHER MUSINGS:

Showdown Concert at High Noon is an enjoyable outing. It moves quickly, and it shifts gears in the second half when the heroes, ready to face the gang, find themselves fighting the Inbit instead. As a story, though, this is pretty thin stuff - and yes, I wish it had been something other than a patented '80s "evil town" episode.

This installment is most notable for expanding the character roster: Houquet, the woman who rescued Stig and Ray, reappears and officially joins them; Yellow Belmont and Jim are added to the core group; and the Legioss fighter (which Robotech renames the Alpha) expands their hardware.

Jim is instantly likable, his character art emphasizing him as a "regular guy" and the animation making him noticeably more expressive than Stig and Rand. Yellow Belmont is the more intriguing character, and is clearly still hiding secrets even after the big reveal. Since I didn't actually get very far into "The New Generation" when I watched in the mid-'80s, I look forward to finding out more.

In the end, it's an engaging half hour, and it goes by quickly. I just wish the standalone story didn't feel like reheated A-Team leftovers.


Overall Rating: 7/10.

Previous Episode: The Broken-Hearted Girl's March/The Lost City
Next Episode: Survival Song Feeling/Survival

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Review Index: Mospeada vs. Robotech - The New Generation.

Review Series Introduction and Rating Scale

Genesis Climber Mospeada/The New Generation:
1. Prelude to the Offensive/The Invid Invasion

Original Air Date - Mospeada: Oct. 2, 1983

Original Air Date - Robotech: May 27, 1985

2. The Broken-Hearted Girl's March/The Lost City

Original Air Date - Mospeada: Oct. 9, 1983

Original Air Date - Robotech: May 28, 1985

3. Showdown Concert at High Noon/Lonely Soldier Boy

Original Air Date - Mospeada: Oct. 16, 1983

Original Air Date - Robotech: May 29, 1985

4. Survival Song Feeling/Survival

Original Air Date - Mospeada: Oct. 23, 1983

Original Air Date - Robotech: May 30, 1985

5. Live Inn Plunder Operation/Curtain Call

Original Air Date - Mospeada: Oct. 30, 1983

Original Air Date - Robotech: May 31, 1985

6. Support Girl Blues/Hard Times

Original Air Date - Mospeada: Nov. 6, 1983

Original Air Date - Robotech: June 3, 1985

7. Fallen Hero's Ragtime/Paper Hero

Original Air Date - Mospeada: Nov. 13, 1983

Original Air Date - Robotech: June 4, 1985

8. Jonathan's Elegy/Eulogy.

Original Air Date - Mospeada: Nov. 20, 1983

Original Air Date - Robotech: June 5, 1985

9. Lost World Fugue/The Genesis Pit

Original Air Date - Mospeada: Nov. 27, 1983

Original Air Date - Robotech: June 6, 1985

10. Requiem of the Battlefield/Enter Marlene

Original Air Date - Mospeada: Dec. 4, 1983

Original Air Date - Robotech: June 7, 1985

11. Lullaby of Distant Hope/The Secret Route

Original Air Date - Mospeada: Dec. 11, 1983

Original Air Date - Robotech: June 10, 1985

12. Fortress Breakthrough Boogie/The Fortress

Original Air Date - Mospeada: Dec. 18, 1983

Original Air Date - Robotech: June 11, 1985

13. Sandstorm Playback/Sandstorm

Original Air Date - Mospeada: Dec. 25, 1983

Original Air Date - Robotech: June 12, 1985

14. Mint's Wedding March/Annie's Wedding

Original Air Date - Mospeada: Jan. 8, 1983

Original Air Date - Robotech: June 13, 1985

15. The Ballad of Breaking Up/Separate Ways

Original Air Date - Mospeada: Jan. 15, 1984

Original Air Date - Robotech: June 14, 1985

16. Trap Reggae/Metamorphosis

Original Air Date - Mospeada: Jan. 22, 1984

Original Air Date - Robotech: June 17, 1985

17. White Night Serenade/The Midnight Sun

Original Air Date - Mospeada: Jan. 29, 1984

Original Air Date - Robotech: June 18, 1985

18. Old Soldiers' Polka/Ghost Town

Original Air Date - Mospeada: Feb. 5, 1984

Original Air Date - Robotech: June 19, 1985

19. Forte of the Glacier City/Frostbite

Original Air Date - Mospeada: Feb. 12, 1984

Original Air Date - Robotech: June 20, 1985

20. Birthday Song of the Night Sky/Birthday Blues

Original Air Date - Mospeada: Feb. 19, 1984

Original Air Date - Robotech: June 21, 1985

21. Arpeggio of Murder/Hired Gun

Original Air Date - Mospeada: Feb. 26, 1984

Original Air Date - Robotech: June 24, 1985

22. New York Bebop/The Big Apple

Original Air Date - Mospeada: Mar. 4, 1984

Original Air Date - Robotech: June 25, 1985

23. Black Hair's Partita/Reflex Point

Original Air Date - Mospeada: Mar. 11, 1984

Original Air Date - Robotech: June 26, 1985

24. Dark Finale

Original Air Date - Mospeada: Mar. 18, 1984

Original Air Date - Robotech: June 27, 1985

25. Symphony of Light

Original Air Date - Mospeada: Mar. 25, 1984

Original Air Date - Robotech: June 28, 1985

Genesis Climber Mospeada/The New Generation Overview

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