Robotech: The Sentinels.

The wedding of Rick Hunter and Lisa Hayes, who have
received a copyright-safe makeover between seasons.

Also Released as: Robotech II - The Sentinels.

Original Release Date: September, 1988. Running Time: 75 minutes (original version)/69 minutes (remastered). Written and Directed by: Carl Macek. Produced by: Ahmed Agrama, Hiroshi Ōnogi.


THE PLOT:

It has been nine years since the destruction of the SDF-1 at the hands of rebel Zentraedi Khyron. Now the SDF-3, under the command of Rick Hunter, prepares to embark on the mission devised by the late Admiral Gloval: to lead the Robotech Expeditionary Force to Tirol, the home planet of the Robotech Masters.

Though this is viewed as a diplomatic mission, it includes a strong military force - one which General Anatole Leonard fears leaves the defense of Earth badly compromised (thus representing the one time in the entire saga that Anatole Leonard is ultimately proved right about something). Rick is also troubled, plagued by doubts and worries about the upcoming journey even as he prepares for his long-delayed wedding to Lisa Hayes.

Meanwhile, Tirol is already being invaded by an alien force. The Invid Regent has come in search of the Flower of Life, which was stolen by the Robotech Masters. The Masters have abandoned their home planet, leaving only helpless civilians behind. Tirolian scientist Cabell and his assistant/bodyguard, Rem, begin probing the Invid for weaknesses - but it's clear to Cabell that it's already too late to save the populace from the devastating attack!

Bree'tai warmly greets Lisa and Miriya.

CHARACTERS:

My single biggest gripe with The Sentinels is that I find the characters completely uninteresting. The returning regulars can just about skate by on "TV reunion movie" goodwill; most of them are only onscreen long enough for the brief pleasure of saying, "Oh, there's Miriya! And that's a young Dana and Bowie! And Anatole Leonard's actually right about something, but he's still a pompous idiot!"

The characters created specifically for The Sentinels don't have that advantage, and they are all established in tropey broadstrokes. Hotshot pilot Jack Baker has plenty of talent but a tendency to ignore orders - oh, and his establishing scene is lifted, some lines almost verbatim, from Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan. Test pilot Karen Penn's scientist father is upset that she isn't following in his footstep. Jack and Karen meet exactly once, for a period that could be tallied in seconds, but they are already coded as a future couple. And why not? Their personalities are matching shades of beige.

Cabell and Rem come across a bit better, mainly because they're defined through action rather than having characters stand around reciting their character briefs. They still don't amount to much more than "wise old scientist" and "young fighter," but I'll admit to finding their scenes more interesting than those on the SFD-3.

In fairness, this "movie" only represents what would have been the first three episodes of a full season arc. Had the series been completed, any or all of them might easily have gained depth - particularly if some stronger scripts were waiting in the wings.

Nice kitty... Cabell has a close encounter with an Invid Hellcat.

BACKGROUND:

The Sentinels movie cobbles together the three fully animated episodes of what would have been Robotech's second season. Unlike the previous season, this was an original story boasting original animation, something that was affordable thanks to an association with toy company Matchbox and a dollar/yen exchange rate that made employing Japanese animators extremely affordable.

Then everything went wrong.

A brief article on Cancelled SciFi details some of the issues. Toy sales were middling, leading Matchbox to pull out. At roughly the same time, the dollar/yen exchange rate shifted from 220 yen per dollar to 160 yen, greatly raising the price of the animation.

The loss of its toy company partner and the increase in the animation cost were simply too much for Harmony Gold to afford. With only three episodes in the can, the company pulled the plug, with the episodes edited into a movie for a 1988 VHS release.


VERSIONS:

The 1988 version of The Sentinels featured flashbacks using footage from Super Dimension Fortress Macross. Harmony Gold no longer had rights by the time it made its way to disc, so the flashbacks were excised. Though there are a couple of points where it's clear that a dialogue exchange was meant to go into a flashback, this mostly isn't a loss. I do miss one moment, however, an effective visual beat during the wedding when Rick sees images of their fallen comrades.

The only other notable difference is a very slight extension to the ending, with a title card added to act as a lead-in to the then-upcoming Shadow Chronicles.

T. R. Edwards resents Rick Hunter, a thread
that would likely have become interesting.

OTHER MUSINGS:

Despite being incomplete, Robotech: The Sentinels works reasonably well on a story level. Characters are introduced and various plot threads are planted.

Though Rick's mission doesn't intersect with the Invid Regent's invasion of Tirol yet, it's evident that a confrontation will soon occur. One of Rick's officers, T. R. Edwards, is established as resenting him, and it's obvious that he will cause trouble down the line (from his character name and status as "untrustworthy officer," I'm guessing he was originally intended to be B. D. Andrews from the movie, before Cannon imposed a new ending). On Tirol, Cabell and Rem study the Invid for weaknesses, which I'm sure would have led to new developments as well.

In this way, the movie repeats something I noticed about the series: the priority is on plot, not characterization. Earlier in this review, I wrote that any of the bland and tropey characters here might have become interesting later. This is true... but it's also true that by the end of Space Fold - Episode Three of Macross - I was invested in Hikaru/Rick, Misa/Lisa, Roy, Global/Gloval, and Minmay/Minmei. The same simply isn't true of the characters here. I had to look up most of the new characters simply to remember their names!

Character art is noticeably different than in Macross. Rick and Max have grown about a foot taller and even wider than that in the shoulders, Bree'tai wears a full face helmet that makes him look less like an alien than a Viking, and every character's hair has changed. Given that the Southern Cross characters look the same, with even child Dana and Bowie drawn to resemble their Southern Cross versions, it's evident that this was done to dodge copyright issues. Too bad that the new character models are so much less expressive than the originals.

Animation is uneven, and there's a visible split by location. The scenes on the SDF-3 feel choppy and static, with only an action piece involving a failed test flight and some bits of the wedding showing any sense of style. The scenes on Tirol are altogether more dynamic. Even allowing that the Tirol scenes are more action-heavy, I came away with the distinct impression that the animators were more interested in the Tirol plot than the SDF-3 scenes.

Rick and Lisa prepare to leave Earth.

OVERALL:

Given the criticisms above, I should stress that I enjoyed The Sentinels. It's a far more watchable Robotech continuation than the theatrical movie, and there are elements that could have made for an interesting story. Beyond that, it's fun to see all three "generations" interacting in the same film.

That said, when it ends, I'm not particularly fussed that the story is incomplete. Had Macross ended with Space Fold, I would have been genuinely upset. As much as I would have liked The Sentinels to have finished its run... I'm just not left feeling that anything special was lost.

It's an OK film to watch. But my feelings are largely summed up by those two letters: "OK."


Overall Rating: 5/10.

Previous Movie: Robotech - The Movie
Next Movie: Robotech - The Shadow Chronicles

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2-0. Dana's Story.

Dana Sterling retells the story of her parents, Max and Miriya,
to reassure viewers that this is still the same show, honest!

Original Air Date: Apr. 21, 1985.
Story Editor: Steve Kramer. Supervising Director: Robert V. Barron.

(And yes, I'm aware that there was only one season of Robotech. The numbering is for the convenience of being accurate to the original series as well.)


PLOT - ROBOTECH:

It has been fifteen years since the destruction of the SDF-1. New Macross City has been sealed off because of radiation, and new settlements have been built to take its place. The next generation of fighter pilots has graduated from the Robotech Academy, with their commencement speaker urging them to follow in the footsteps of such heroes as Admiral Gloval, Claudia Grant, and the others who died protecting the Earth.

While most of the graduates are rushing to celebrate, young Bowie feels depressed. He believes that he's made a mistake enlisting in the military. His friend, Dana Sterling, decides to boost his spirits by telling him about how her parents met - her parents being Max Sterling, the SDF-1's ace pilot, and Miriya, the greatest fighter among the Zentraedi.

Meanwhile, the Robotech Masters have reached Earth. Hiding behind the moon, they begin their search for the remains of the SDF-1 and their lost protoculture factory, launching an attack in the process...

The Masters debate over how to proceed.

CHARACTERS:

This is a clip show, so there's not much opportunity to get a strong impression of the new regulars. Bowie worries that he doesn't belong in the military. Dana is more enthusiastic about following in her parents' footsteps, but she cares enough about her friend's bad mood to take time to cheer him up. Another fighter pilot is introduced late in the episode, but other than observing that she feels less anxious at the prospect of battle than she had expected, she doesn't get much to do. I don't think her name is even mentioned at this point, though she's too prominently spotlighted to not be a major character later.

We also get a scene showing the Robotech Masters. Now that they've reached Earth, there's disagreement about how to proceed, with one wanting to study a human, while the others want to just stick to the plan and conserve their dwindling resources. This actually is interesting, because it establishes that the villains are operating from a position of desperation and even weakness.


NARRATION:

The narrator sits this episode out, save for doing the "Next Time" teaser at the end. There's really no need for him, not when the characters are so intent on narrating for him.


INCIDENTAL MUSIC:

Much of this retells the Max/Miriya story from Macross, and the music from the Robotech episodes are reused exactly as on first broadcast. Since many of the clips are from action scenes, this results in the "action" music cues being even more overused than usual. Ulpio Minucci's Robotech theme is a fine composition - but I really don't need to hear it three times (not counting titles) in a single 22 minute span!

There is one nice touch, when we see Bowie listening to a recording of Minmei's We Will Win, which helps to sell this as the same world from "The Macross Saga."

Dana's friend Bowie thinks he's made a big mistake by joining the military.

OTHER MUSINGS:

Dana's Story is a dual clip show. This is the only regular Robotech episode that has no corresponding show from another series, because everything here is built from clips. In addition to all the flashbacks built from Macross footage, the "frame story" is taken from Southern Cross episodes, with new dialogue dubbed in to create a different context, all targeted at easing viewers over the transition from one generation to the next.

This was probably a smart move. The divide between one show and the next, with a new set of characters introduced to tell a new story, was always going to be a danger point for the series. If viewers didn't feel as if they were still watching the same show, many would leave (doubly a risk when boys came home from school to find the new lead was a GIIIRRRL!)

Between cutting Southern Cross footage into Macross's epilogue, to show the Masters leaving for Earth, and creating this episode, firmly establishing that the Macross backstory is affecting the present and introducing Dana as Max and Miriya's daughter, the writers do the job of keeping it all unified... at least so far.

As to the episode? It's fine for what it is. The frame story does its job in establishing the new status quo, introducing some of the new characters, and starting the plot in motion. The battle scene at the end is choppy and lacks any real resolution... but given that it was cut together from other battle footage from Southern Cross, there was likely a limit to what could be done.

Oh, and it is kind of nice to see the Max/Miriya story retold as the central focus rather than as a side plot. This shift in emphasis from the first broadcast versions, emphasizing what had previously been a "B story," makes for one time when I didn't mind revisiting old footage.

Graduates listen to a commencement speech filled with
Macross references, because this is the same show - honest!

OVERALL:

Dana's Story was likely a necessary episode to keep the overall arc on track and to ease viewers over the divide between series. I'd be lying if I said it created any strong connection with the new characters, but it does its job in that it still feels more or less as if I'm watching the same show.

Given the limitations of being an episode made up entirely of bits from other episodes, I'd say it's as good as it could be. That may be damning with faint praise. Still, it's a pleasant enough way to kill half an hour, while also setting up at least some of what's going to come next.


Overall Rating: 5/10.

Previous Episode: Farewell to Tenderness/To the Stars
Next Episode: Prisoner/False Start

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1-30. Viva Maria/Viva Miriya.

Milia brings her infant daughter along on a mission.

Super Dimension Fortress Macross: Viva Maria

Original Air Date - Macross: May 15, 1983.
Written by: Hiroshi Ônogi. Directed by: Noboru Ishiguro.

Robotech: Viva Miriya

Original Air Date - Robotech: Apr. 12, 1985.
Story Editor: Steve Kramer. Supervising Director: Robert V. Barron.


PLOT - MACROSS:

Hikaru, Misa, Max, Milia, and Claudia find themselves working under the command of their former enemy, Lord Britai, on a mission to claim a Zentradi factory. If successful, this operation will reduce the threat of Zentradi attack and increase Earth's ability to defend itself, allowing the human/Zentradi forces to rapidly manufacture ships capable of repelling a new assault.

Max and Milia have brought their baby, Komilia, along. Misa is critical of them bringing an infant into a warzone... at least, until she gets a chance to hold the child, at which point her focus turns toward the future she would like with Hikaru. The couple has brought their child for a reason, however, and young Komilia will become a critical part of the battle ahead!


PLOT - ROBOTECH:

Rick Hunter, Lisa Hayes, Max, Miriya, and Claudia find themselves working under the command of their former enemy, Lord Bree'tai, on a mission to claim the last remaining Robotech factory. If successful, this operation will reduce the threat posed by the Zentradi and the Robotech Masters, and will also increase Earth's ability to defend itself.

On Bree'tai's request, Max and Miria have brought their baby, Dana, on the mission. This isn't mere whim, with little Dana forming a critical part of Breetai's plan.

Meanwhile, the Robotech Masters begin their journey to Earth - but when a critical experiment fails, they also start becoming desperate...

The humans and Britai work together to prevent a new invasion.

CHARACTERS:

Though many of the Zentradi on Earth are chafing against their new existence, Britai seems happier than he's ever been. He's all smiles as he greets Exsedol and the humans, and he takes pride in his newly developed conversational skills. Even when the mission is underway, he seems more relaxed than before, including when he's interrupting the humans' conversations to steer them back to the task at hand. The dynamic of the mixed human/Zentradi crew is enjoyable throughout the episode, and I wouldn't mind seeing more of it - though with only a few episodes left, I doubt there will be much opportunity for that.

Advantage: None.


NARRATION:

The Robotech episode opens with an internal monologue from Rick in place of the usual opening narration. This actually works well, becasue there's a rather nice bit in which he muses about feeling "homesick for space." It rings true for the character and is just enough for me to give a rare nod to the American version in this one category.

Advantage: Robotech.

The Robotech Masters' experiment fails, making them more desperate.

CUTS AND ALTERATIONS:

The Robotech Regulars Don't Know What the Mission Is: In Macross, everyone knows the basics of the mission before it begins. Some last-minute aspects of Britai's plan surprise them, but they at least know what their goal is. In Robotech, Bree'tai's plan has been kept a complete secret - which doesn't make a lot of sense, as springing surprises on people in the heat of battle is a very fine way to lead to avoidable errors.

The Baby's Name and the Episode's Title: In Macross, Max and Milia's baby is named Komilia Maria Fallyna Jenius, and the title of the episode (Viva Maria) applies to her. In Robotech, the baby is named Dana, with the adjusted title (Viva Miriya) instead applying to her mother.

The Baby's Presence: Macross's Milia and Max chose to bring Komilia, with Milia defending her decision by declaring that she is more than capable of protecting her daughter. The way the baby is used in the final battle is portrayed as an idea that Max and Milia came up with. In Robotech, young Dana is part of Bree'tai's plan from the start, and she's there because he asked for her to be brought.

The Return of the Robotech Masters: More Southern Cross footage is cut in to continue the setup for the next arc. This time, we see the Masters conducting an experiment to clone "Zor Prime." When the experiment fails, it becomes clear that they are desperate and have no choice but to recover the protoculture from Earth. 

A Dinner Party: In Macross, Max and Milia host a party, with Hikaru, Misa, and Claudia visiting. Misa fusses over the baby to a degree that makes Hikaru nervous, because he's not quite as clueless about Misa's feelings as he likes to pretend. Robotech removes all of this to make way for the "Robotech Masters" scene... which is a bit jarring, given that the following scene has been retained, complete with references to Lisa's enthusiasm for the baby.

The Derelict: Midway through the episode, Britai's ship encounters a derelict vessel. He and Exsedol identify it as a warship from the Supervision Army, their old enemies and the creators of the Macross. In Robotech, they instead state that it is an old Zentraedi ship. This renders the scene narratively pointless, meaning that this would have been a better scene for Robotech to cut than the dinner party.

A Better Edited Kiss: As part of Britai's plan, Hikaru and Misa kiss while one of Minmay's songs plays, all to throw the enemy Zentradi into disarray. This is basically the same in both shows, but Robotech cuts the scene a bit tighter, and it works slightly better as a result. It's not enough to make up for all the other changes for the worse, mind you... particularly since This Is My Time to Be a Star is playing during the scene, making me think that the Zentraedi are plugging their ears for a different reason than the writers intended...

Advantage: Macross


INCIDENTAL MUSIC:

This is an area where Macross has grown steadily stronger throughout its run. Though Robotech's music is perfectly fine here, I think the parent show uses its score to stronger effect - particularly when an instrumental version of one of Minmay's songs plays toward the end.

Advantage: Macross.

Hikaru gets a thumbs-up from a Zentradi.

OVERALL ADVANTAGE: MACROSS:

Once again, squeezing Southern Cross footage into the episode weakens a decent episode, though not nearly as badly this time. As with the previous episode, I understand the reasoning. The first "generation change" was bound to be the hardest one for viewers to get past, and original animation was beyond the limits of the schedule and budget. I'm not going to argue that the Robotech producers needed to do whatever they could to at least try to keep it feeling like a single story.

Still, even if you don't know that this scene was taken from a different show, I think you'd know something was up: the differences in visual style and character art just stick out too much. Also, the cuts made to accommodate the new scene were not well judged. The scene with the derelict is a "spare part" in the new Robotech context, and it would have been a much more invisible removal than the one the producers selected.


OTHER MUSINGS:

Both versions of Viva Maria are entertaining and briskly paced, mixing just the right amount of humor into the now-familiar space action shenanigans. I'd argue that the battle is won a bit too easily. I also think there's a lot of untapped dramatic potential involving how strange it must feel for both sides of this joint mission to be working together; after all, it wasn't that long ago that each race was regularly trying to kill the other. But to actually mine that vein would have required a lot more than a single 25-minute episode.

The whole thing is played with a pretty light touch, honestly a bit too light for my tastes. But I had fun watching it, I laughed in the places I was meant to laugh, and I found the finale to be satisfying. It's not a "great" episode - but on its own terms, I think it manages to be a good one.


Overall Rating - Macross: 7/10.

Overall Rating - Robotech: 6/10.

Previous Episode: Lonely Song/The Robotech Masters
Next Episode: Satan's Dolls/Khyron's Revenge

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1-26. Messenger/The Messenger

A chance for peace: Exsedol meets with Capt. Global.

Super Dimension Fortress Macross: Messenger

Original Air Date - Macross: Apr. 17, 1983.
Written by: Ken'ichi Matsuzaki. Directed by: Katsuhito Akiyama, Noboru Ishiguro.

Robotech: The Messenger

Original Air Date - Robotech: Apr. 8, 1985.
Story Editor: Steve Kramer. Supervising Director: Robert V. Barron.


PLOT - MACROSS:

After Lord Britai orders a cease-fire, Archivist Exsedol travels to the Macross as a peace envoy. He meets with Capt. Global, the other leaders on the ship, and the Zentradi defectors, and all of those present try to figure out what happens next. However, even if the cease-fire holds, there is still the issue of the Zentradi main fleet: more than 4 million ships, enough to overwhelm the Macross, Britai's fleet, and even Earth through sheer force of numbers!


PLOT - ROBOTECH:

After Lord Bree'tai is convinced to order a cease-fire, Exedore travels to the SDF-1 as a peace envoy. He meets with Capt. Gloval, the other leaders on the ship, and the Zentraedi defectors, and all of those present try to figure out what happens next. However, even if the cease-fire holds, there is still the issue of the Zentraedi main fleet: more than 4 million ships, enough to overwhelm the SDF-1, Bree'tai's fleet, and even Earth through sheer force of numbers!

The Zentradi defectors react to seeing Exsedol.

CHARACTERS:

One element of this episode that I appreciated in both versions: the captain is realistic in his reaction to the Zentradi peace overture. He is hopeful that the cease-fire is authentic, but he remains ready for a trap. When he leaves to meet with Exsedol, he orders Claudia to fire on the enemy if they do anything aggressive.

Several amusing moments are wrung from Exsedol's confusion about human culture. He fully believes that Kaifun actually possesses the superpowers seen in the martial arts movie. He also refers to Minmay's singing as a psychological attack; when the Macross command staff doesn't understand what he's talking about, he entertainingly performs a few lyrics from My Boyfriend Is a Pilot, complete with falsetto voice and exaggerated twisting motions.

Though these moments are funny, the episode never reduces him to a comedy figure. He's the perfect representative to the humans, reasonable and intelligent, but capable of being firm. The response of the renegade Zentradi to him is telling. Milia provides an instant salute, responding automatically to a superior officer. The three defectors quake in terror until he assures them that he isn't here to harm them. Given that this show was a product of the '80s, it's fair to compare this to the reactions of a Soviet defector arriving at a meeting only to find that the head of the KGB is the guest of honor.

Advantage: None.


NARRATION:

Robotech (again) doesn't trust its audience to keep up with the plot turns. Narration is layered over the entire scene in which Bree'tai's flagship shoots down Khyron's fighters to stop an attack on the humans, all to make sure that even the dumbest child will understand what's happening.

Macross lets the same scene play out without narration, because those writers did trust the viewers to comprehend. Besides, there's a Britai/Kamujin scene immediately after it that provides a full explanation. As a result, the Macross version of the scene is more dramatically effective... and it feels nice to be respected as a viewer rather than to be talked down to.

Advantage: Macross.

Exsedol has a plan - and it's a lot more detailed in Macross.

CUTS AND ALTERATIONS:

Britai Acts Alone; Bree'tai Follows Orders: For some reason, the Robotech episode insists that the cease-fire was ordered by Lord Dolza, meaning that Bree'tai is just doing as he's been told. Macross makes it clear that Britai is acting alone, improvising to try to control the disorder within his fleet... which is the version that makes sense, given that in both episodes the crisis point comes when the main Zentradi fleet learns what is happening. I suspect this was a product of a very rushed translation/script writing process.

Animation Error Removed: Probably the only change that's for the better, and it's purely cosmetic: In the Macross episode, while Col. Maistroff drives Exsedol through the city, a red car randomly flashes onto the screen before blinking away again. Robotech snips away that shot, deleting the error.

Exsedol Encounters an Additional "Military Secret": Exsedol is stunned by a poster showing a woman in a skimpy swimsuit. The colonel, embarrassed, allows him to believe this is a "military secret." Robotech ends the scene there. Macross continues, with Exedole then noticing a brassiere in a shop window and asking for clarification of this "armor's" purpose, showing him - just like Milia - viewing everything through the lens of a fully militarized culture.

Robotech's Exedore Thinks Max Was a Zentraedi Prisoner: Another continuity error. In Macross, Exsedol recalls Hikaru from his time as a Zentradi prisoner, but he only recognizes Max from the wedding broadcast. In Robotech, Exedore seems to believe that Max was also a prisoner, even though he was the one who evaded capture and ended up breaking the others out. Oopsie.

Misa's Father Actually Has Two Brain Cells; Lisa's Does Not: Misa's father does not expect the cease-fire to hold. In Macross, he reasons that the cease-fire is only with the small portion of the Zentradi that are already here, and he predicts (accurately) that it won't apply to their main fleet. In Robotech, because Lisa's father is ambecile, his only justification is to huff that "the Zentraedi cannot be trusted."

Protoculture: For Macross's Zentradi, "protoculture" is human culture, with the threat being the disruption caused by exposure to such a different way of life. In Robotech, "protoculture" has been re-imagined as a MacGuffin to be chased, and so dialogue adjustments make clear that the Zentraedi want to recover the "protoculture factory" on the SDF-1. Bree'tai also informs Azonia that their fleet needs that factory because the Zentraedi supplies of protoculture have run out.

Exedole's Plan: Though Exsedol presents the same plan for dealing with the main fleet in both versions, the Macross episode allows him to share substantially more detail. The Robotech version skims over these same details, presumably on the theory that kids will find strategy boring.

Advantage: Macross


INCIDENTAL MUSIC:

Both episodes use their incidental scores to perfectly fine effect. The Robotech episode might get a slight edge from the music buildup near the end, when we see the main fleet, but it's not enough of one for me to give the nod to either version this time.

Advantage: None.


OVERALL ADVANTAGE: MACROSS:

This is an excellent episode. That said, the changes made slightly weaken the Robotech version. Some elements are simplified, such as Exsedol's plan. Others are dumbed down: Misa's father (Macross) responds to the peace talks with intelligent skepticism, while Lisa's father (Robotech) is just a warmongering idiot. Other changes introduce small but noticeable continuity errors. None of these are enough to remotely ruin the episode, but they do diminish it.

Britai explains their situation to Lap Lamiz. In Robotech,
Bree'tai also tells Azonia that their protoculture is running out.

OTHER MUSINGS:

Even in its Robotech version, Messenger is a terrific installment. It's a "calm before the storm" entry, made up mainly of characters sitting in rooms talking... but the characters not named Kaifun or Kyle (or, in Robotech, Lisa's father) are intelligent, the things they say are interesting, and the larger situational context makes it gripping even before the crisis point is reached.

The series continues to reinforce the theme about the power of culture. Exsedol expands on previous hints that Zentradi have been exposed to culture shock before, with results that were considered undesirable. The Zentradi defectors insist upon - and are, in fact, evidence of - the power of Minmay's songs. Exsedol outright admits that without her music, the fragile alliance being forged would not be possible.

It's also an episode that significantly raises the stakes, with the main fleet now a specter of oncoming doom. The final shots of the Zentradi main fleet filling the sky make for such a strong cliffhanger that it took an act of will for me to stop and write this review before moving on to the next installment.


Overall Rating: 9/10.

Previous Episode: Virgin Road/Wedding Bells
Next Episode: Love Drifts Away/Force of Arms

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1-25. Virgin Road/Wedding Bells.

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

Super Dimension Fortress Macross: Virgin Road

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

Robotech: Wedding Bells

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


PLOT - MACROSS:

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

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


PLOT - ROBOTECH:

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

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

Britai and Exsedol react to the wedding.

CHARACTERS:

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

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

Advantage: None.


NARRATION:

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

Advantage: Robotech.

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

CUTS AND ALTERATIONS:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


INCIDENTAL MUSIC:

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

Advantage: Robotech.

A wedding in space.

OVERALL ADVANTAGE: ROBOTECH:

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


OTHER MUSINGS:

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

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

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

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

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


OVERALL:

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

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


Overall Rating - Macross: 4/10.

Overall Rating - Robotech: 5/10.

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

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1-24. 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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1-21. Micro Cosmos/A New Dawn.

The Zentraedi mistake a martial arts fantasy for
a legitimate human military demonstration.

Super Dimension Fortress Macross: Micro Cosmos

Original Air Date - Macross: Mar. 13, 1983.
Written by: Hiroshi Ônogi. Directed by: Noboru Ishiguro, Tatsuya Kasahara.

Robotech: A New Dawn

Original Air Date - Robotech: Apr. 1, 1985.
Story Editor: Steve Kramer. Supervising Director: Robert V. Barron.


PLOT - MACROSS:

It's the premiere of Minmay's movie! Shao Pai Long is a martial arts fantasy starring Minmay and her cousin, Kaifun. Hikaru comes to the movie wanting to support Minmay - but a love scene sees him fleeing the theater, where he stumbles into Capt. Misa Hayase. When an attack on the Macross results in an unplanned modular transformation, Hikaru and Misa are trapped in a corner of the ship, leading them to share some of their personal secrets and worries.

Meanwhile, the Zentradi intercept a transmission of the film's premiere. With "entertainment" a foreign concept, they mistake the impossible feats in the movie for a legitimate demonstration of human military might...


PLOT - ROBOTECH:

It's the premiere of Minmei's movie! Small White Dragon is a martial arts fantasy starring Minmay and her cousin, Kyle. Rick comes to the movie wanting to support Minmei - but a love scene sees him fleeing the theater, where he stumbles into Lt. Commander Lisa Hayes. When an attack on the ship results in an unplanned modular transformation, Rick and Lisa are trapped in a corner of the ship, leading them to share some of their personal secrets and worries.

Meanwhile, the Zentraedi intercept a transmission of the film's premiere. With "entertainment" a foreign concept, they mistake the impossible feats in the movie for a legitimate demonstration of human military might...

Cut off from everyone else, Hikaru and Misa
have an actual, meaningful conversation.

CHARACTERS:

In Macross, it's made clear that Minmay genuinely misses Hikaru. She is also growing weary of the nonstop attention that comes with stardom, musing after one unpleasant encounter that perhaps she should hire a bodyguard. Oddly, this makes her a lot more relatable than her Robotech counterpart, who remains as obliviously chirpy as ever.

This is a strong episode for Hikaru and Misa, who spend the second half with no company except each other. It's in these scenes where Macross really outshines Robotech, with character dialogue that feels more layered and more natural. In Macross, I found their interactions charming and funny. In Robotech, the dialogue feels more surface-skimming and artificial; the Rick/Lisa scenes remain the heart of the episode, but they just aren't as enjoyable as in the original version.

Advantage: Macross.


NARRATION:

Even with the handful of trims, most of the episode's scene transitions are perfectly self-explanatory... but the Robotech narrator barges into them anyway, helpfully telling us what we are watching while we are watching it. This is mostly just the usual mild annoyance, but at one point it actively hurts the episode: After Lisa admits that Sami is in her usual post, the episode cuts to Sami's struggles on the bridge. This is an amusing transition in Macross; in Robotech, the humor is killed by the narrator talking over it.

Advantage: Macross.

Minmay's agent pesters her the night before the premiere,
in a scene that's much better in Macross than in Robotech.

CUTS AND ALTERATIONS:

Minmay's Exhaustion: Macross's opening scenes establish that Minmay's schedule is wearing on her, along with the need to be pleasant even to despicable people. Her manager doesn't help, "jokingly" saying that he can't wait for the movie to come out so that he can schedule even more events for her. Later on, the manager bullies her for going out without an escort, forcefully taking her back to her hotel. All of these scenes are heavily trimmed in Robotech, with the dialogue simplified and the manager more friendly - which has the effect of making her less sympathetic.

The Premiere: In Macross, Minmay teases the director at the premiere for "scolding" her regularly during production. Then she starts singing the movie's theme song for the audience, and it's a fairly catchy tune. Robotech replaces the teasing with some bland dialogue about how Minmei hopes the audience likes her work. Then she sings... say it with me now... This Is My Time to Be a Star. And no matter how entertainment-starved the population of the ship is, they must be as sick of that song by now as I am.

"Culture" is Fun: The three spies watch the intercepted broadcast with their shipmates, bragging about knowing Minmay (which they don't) as the other crew members react with envy. In Macross, the spies comment on "culture" several times, which reinforces the running theme about the power of popular culture. Hikaru and Misa also comment on "the protoculture" that the aliens fear, clearly tying together the idea that what the aliens refer to as "protoculture" really is just civilian culture in general. All of this is removed or at least de-emphasized in Robotech, and the episode is the poorer for it.

Breetai Gets Pasted into the Second Half: In Macross, the second half of the episode stays mostly with Hikaru and Misa. Robotech inexplicably re-edits this so that Breetai and Exedore appear in a handful of shots in the second half. They don't actually do anything; one of these instances is literally just a cutaway to them standing there. It's as if the Robotech editors feared that there was too much talking and that the kids needed more aliens to stay interested.

Advantage: Macross.

Love at first sight: Max is instantly taken by Milia.

INCIDENTAL MUSIC:

Macross applies its music with restraint. Robotech forces "tense" music onto a pure dialogue scene with Rick and Lisa. This not only feels entirely out of place, but also kills what had been a reasonably good moment of character humor.

Advantage: Macross.


OVERALL ADVANTAGE: MACROSS:

The Macross episode is wonderfully observant in its characterizations. Minmay is more sympathetic than she's been in a long time, while Hikaru and Misa's interactions are charming and even funny. The Robotech episode flattens out all of this. The Rick/Lisa interactions still have some charm, but most of the humor is smothered by on-the-nose dialogue and poor music choices. Meanwhile, Robotech's ongoing crusade to destroy the character of Minmei continues, with dialogue changes wiping away her entirely sympathetic feelings of being exhausted and trapped by her new life.


OTHER MUSINGS:

This is a case in which every single change made for the Robotech episode diminishes the story and its characters. The Hikaru/Misa strand does some heavy lifting in moving their relationship forward; but while their scenes are the best parts of both versions of the episode, their interactions feels much more natural in Macross.

This is still far from the worst Robotech episode... but that's only because the original version is rather good, and there is a limit to the damage that can be done with clunky dialogue and ill-advised changes. In terms of the difference in quality between the original and the Americanized versions, however, I think this might be the installment that's suffered the most damage thus far.


Overall Rating - Macross: 7/10.

Overall Rating - Robotech: 5/10.

Previous Episode: Paradise Lost
Next Episode: Love Concert/Battle Hymn

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