Codename: Robotech.

Zentraedi warships close in on the SDF-1 as the film opens.

Original Air Date: Mar. 1, 1985. Running Time: 74 minutes. Written by: Carl Macek. Directed by: Robert V. Barron.


THE PLOT:

As the converted alien battle fortress SDF-1 rests in the ocean, having returned to Earth after two years away, Capt. Gloval prepares a report on the events that led to this moment. He recounts how the alien ship crash landed on Earth. The discovery of the existence of aliens possessing vastly superior technology led to a focused worldwide effort to reconstruct the battle fortress for human use.

The Zentraedi reached Earth just as the SDF-1 finally became operational. Thanks to the Veritech fighters created from the alien "Robotech," the humans were able to hold the aliens off long enough for the battle fortress to take off. However, a desperate space fold resulted in not only the ship, but also the entirety of Macross City, being transported into deep space.

Gloval recounts how the ship began its return voyage. It would be a long journey - with the Zentraedi chasing them every step of the way!

Rick, Ben, and Lisa are taken prisoner by the Zentraedi!

CHARACTERS:

Codename: Robotech is a heavily abridged version of the first thirteen episodes of the series. As such, the characters are reduced to their most obvious traits. Capt. Gloval and Lt. Commander Lisa Hayes come across most strongly, not least because Gloval is the one preparing the report and a number of scenes are ones showing them on duty on the bridge of the SDF-1. Even with them, we see Lisa as a stern military commander, but we don't see her emotional side at all.

Rick, who is the hero of the series, almost comes across as a supporting character. Since most of the plot-establishing scenes in the early episodes were focused on either the bridge crew or the Zentraedi, many of his scenes are heavily condensed or removed entirely. He comes to the fore in the second half, and we get glimpses of his infatuation with Minmei and his early sniping with Lisa, but there's little indication of him being a character of any depth.

In short, the film fulfills its function of introducing the major characters, but they are only shown in the broadest of strokes.

The heroes engage in a fistfight with
the giant Zentraedi commander, Breetai.

INCIDENTAL MUSIC:

Codename: Robotech makes a couple of misjudgments with regard to music, the biggest of these being the repetition of the same couple of tracks. I hope you like the main theme and the show's primary "battle score," because you are going to hear them a lot.

As I've noted in my episodic reviews, I don't think the Robotech theme works very well as incidental music. It's a superb '80s television theme, setting a tone that suits both this adaptation of Super Dimension Fortress Macross and the American audience that was Robotech's target. However, it's extremely bombastic, drawing attention to itself rather than supporting dramatic scenes. Magnify that issue exponentially here, where the theme is recycled seemingly once per Act, to a point that's somewhere between annoying and comical.


BACKGROUND:

Codename: Robotech was broadcast on March 1, 1985, the Friday before the first episode, Boobytrap, aired. The goal was to introduce the ongoing story and its complex mythology to an American after-school audience that would be made of kids not used to following complex ongoing narratives. The hope was to create a picture of the larger story to prepare them for watching it in single installments.

I think it's better viewed after the series. The first set of episodes are quite well-scripted overall and make a much better introduction to the narrative than this movie does. Still, on its own terms, Codename: Robotech is a decent abridgement of the "Macross Saga's" first Act.

Once it gets past a badly misjudged opening, at least...

Khyron disobeys orders while sneering.
So at least the film captures all of his nuances...

A MISJUDGED OPENING:

The goal may have been to clarify the series, but the 10-minute, context-free opening action sequence seems ready-made to confuse the heck out of series newcomers. Who are these people? Why are they so confident that the attacking aliens won't destroy the ship? What's this "pinpoint barrier" that they keep screaming about? Since nothing has been introduced, none of this means anything - It's just activity.

Not helping is some truly awful editing continuity. The sequence was pieced together from bits of multiple action scenes, and it shows. The SDF-1 transforms into robot mode to fight the Zentraedi. Then it's a ship again for a couple shots. Then it's a robot. Then it's a ship again. Macross offered plenty of action scenes with the ship in both modes, so it should have been possible to put this together with more consistency.

Once that sequence is done and the SDF-1 lands on Earth, things settle down, and then the film actually becomes enjoyable.

Rick battles the Zentraedi as the Miss Macross contest airs.

OTHER MUSINGS:

At its core, Codename: Robotech is basically a feature-length version of the clipshow, Gloval's Report, with the captain detailing the ship's long journey for his superiors. I wasn't a fan of that episode. Within the context of the ongoing series, I was basically watching a rerun of episodes I had just viewed, with the minimal new material adding almost nothing.

As a standalone film, the frame works much better. Thanks to having a couple of years' separation from my viewing of Macross, the action has sufficiently faded in my mind that I can enjoy re-watching the story in this form. Also, the feature-length running time provides breathing room for the flashback narrative. A number of small character interactions that Gloval's Report lacked time to include have been put back into Codename: Robotech, giving viewers a chance to form some level of attachment to the main characters.

Wisely, the editors have focused on just a few incidents from the first 13 episodes. Included are: the opening three-parter; the modular transformation and Lisa's Daedalus Attack, which are edited to be part of a single fight rather than two separate ones; the Miss Macross contest and Rick Hunter's encounter with the three Zentraedi spies; and the three-parter in which Rick, Lisa, and Ben are captured, with Max going to their rescue.

The biggest chunk of running time goes to the initial episodes. The heroes' capture and escape forms the movie's climax, and thus also gets a fair amount of screentime. Other incidents are represented by a couple of scenes each, and between Gloval's narration and (mostly) good editing choices, each bit that's included develops the characters or introduces a piece of information about the overall conflict. Given the restrictions of the running time, it's reasonably well done.

Inevitably, there are a few seams. There are minor continuity issues, such as Gloval reassuring Lisa that the ship's engines will work because they were build on Earth - a reassurance that feels odd, since a previous scene in which the SDF-1's original alien-built engines pulled free of the ship was removed. Khyron and Azonia receive a fair amount of focus in the in media res opener; Khyron is then barely featured in the rest of the movie, and Azonia is never seen again. Most glaringly, the scene in which Rick, Lisa, and Ben are brought before Lord Dolza has been cut for time, with Gloval narrating what happened and the regulars commenting on it.

Most of this could have been reduced or eliminated had the film simply opened with the ship on Earth and Gloval preparing his report. That would have allowed another ten minutes to include at least some of these scenes, notably the one with Dolza.

Capt. Gloval takes in the sunrise for the first time in two years.

OVERALL:

It's a shame about that misjudged opening, because Codename: Robotech is otherwise a decent presentation of Robotech's first 13 episodes. There's enough retained to introduce, or at least tease, many of the series' major themes and character dynamics, from the way Earth's popular culture confuses the Zentraedi to the character interactions among Rick, Lisa, and Minmei.

It's limited by being an abridgement - but it's pretty good for what it is, and it's much better than I expected it to be.


Overall Rating: 6/10.

Next Movie: Robotech - The Movie

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1-33. A Rainy Night.

Claudia recalls the turning point in her relationship with Roy.

Original Air Date - Super Dimension Fortress Macross: June 5, 1983.
Written by: Hiroyuki Hoshiyama. Directed by: Noboru Ishiguro, Tatsuya Kasahara.

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


PLOT - MACROSS:

Misa feels guilty after using her rank to separate Hikaru and Minmay. When she attempts to apologize, Hikaru responds with scorn that borders on open hostility. That night, during a rainstorm, a miserable Misa finds her way to Claudia's house, where her friend fills her in on the start of her own relationship with Roy, which was a lot rockier than Misa had believed...


PLOT - ROBOTECH:

Lisa feels guilty after using her authority as mission commander to separate Rick and Minmei. When she attempts to apologize, Rick responds with scorn that borders on open hostility. That night, during a rainstorm, a miserable Lisa finds her way to Claudia's house, where her friend fills her in on the start of her own relationship with Roy, which was a lot rockier than Lisa had believed...

Claudia shares her story with Misa.

CHARACTERS:

The episode draws heavy parallels between Claudia's relationship with Roy and Misa's would-be relationship with Hikaru. The connection between past Claudia and present Misa works quite well. In flashbacks, we see Claudia responding to Roy's flirtations with protests about appropriate behavior while on duty, which seems very much like the Misa of the present. Roy and Hikaru are less obviously alike; Roy actively pursued Claudia, while Hikaru mainly seems willfully oblivious to Misa's feelings. Still, some similarities become apparent in the final scene of the flashback. When Roy drops his playboy facade and honestly discusses his insecurities, it isn't hard to imagine Hikaru saying (or at least feeling) the same things.

Advantage: None.


NARRATION:

The Macross version is narration-free, and Claudia narrates only as much of the flashback as is necessary for viewers to reliably follow along.

Sadly, the same cannot be said of Robotech. Action-light episodes always seems to make the Robotech writers extra nervous, and the narrator just won't shut up. Worse, some of the narration sounds as if it's been ripped out of a Harlequin romance. In Macross, it's enough to see a distraught Misa running in the rain. In Robotech, the narrator has to tell us that she is "no longer able to distinguish between the rain and her tears."

When narrating the flashback, Robotech Claudia also gets in on the act, telling Lisa that because she was meeting Roy, the "heavy rain outside became a light spring shower." And I go from being genuinely involved in the character story to rolling my eyes at the purple prose. The Macross episode stays out of the way of the story and trusts the viewers to feel the emotions; the Robotech version overeggs the major emotional beats, which actually gets in the way of what we're meant to be feeling.

Advantage: Macross.

Hikaru and Misa walk in the rain. Their conversation
is a lot more on-the-nose in Robotech.

CUTS AND ALTERATIONS:

The Tea: The episode begins with Claudia giving Misa a container of herbal tea to reconcile with Hikaru. Macross uses this to do some subtle world building, with both of them noting how rare this kind of tea is after the devastation of the final battle and Claudia admitting to having used her connections to stockpile it. This makes the tea into its own thread in the Macross episode, while the Robotech episode makes it seem like something that can just be purchased at the local grocery.

Rick Complains About His Patrol: Hikaru/Rick is first seen landing at the end of a patrol. In Macross, all indications are that this was a standard patrol, increasing Hikaru's annoyance when Misa asks him to report to her. In Robotech, Rick complains about this having been a "grueling" patrol. Perhaps the Robotech writers were trying to half-excuse his spiteful behavior by emphasizing his exhaustion.

The Bridge Crew Bullies Their Male Co-Worker: In Macross, Vanessa, Kim, and Shammy bully their male co-worker when he dares to laugh at their banter. This is meant to be comical, but it mainly makes them horribly unlikable; call me crazy, but workplace harassment isn't any funnier when it's woman-to-man than when it's the other way around. Robotech changes the scene, which should be a good thing... except that the replacement dialogue doesn't remotely fit with the young man's reactions. Really, this bit should have just been removed entirely.

Misa Gulps Down Wine: Both versions see her asking Claudia for "something stronger" than tea. In Macross, we see Misa gulp down two glasses in a matter of seconds. Robotech de-emphasizes this, I suspect because of the after-school weekday timeslot.

Roy's Banter with Claudia: In Macross, Roy first asks Claudia on a date during a mission, rattling her. Robotech inexplicably replaces this with some generic bravado about how "fun" combat is, with Roy dedicating his last kill to her.

Hikaru and Misa Talk About Tea: Macross circles back to the tea at the end. Misa suggests she and Hikaru share it. When Hikaru expresses regret at having no sugar. she assures him that all they need is hot water. Robotech eliminates this, instead having Lisa bluntly say that they need to talk seriously, because young audiences can't possibly be trusted to intuit what the entire last half hour has been about.

Advantage: Macross


INCIDENTAL MUSIC:

Macross's incidentals, some of which are instrumental versions of Minmay songs, are extremely effective and fit the low-key nature of this episode. By contrast, Robotech's more bombastic score, which often boosts action heavy installments, is badly out of place in this quiet little character piece.

Advantage: Macross.

An angry Hikaru berates Misa.

OVERALL ADVANTAGE: MACROSS:

A Rainy Night is a fine episode in either version. Though the narration in Robotech stifles a few moments, the actual dialogue is pretty good. I suspect the staff writers recognized that: (a) this was a good episode whose adaptation deserved more attention; and (b) that as a purely character-based episode, the dialogue needed to flow well for it to work. As a result, the Rick/Lisa story in Robotech works almost as well as the Hikaru/Misa one in Macross. It helps that all four main voice actors seem to be enjoying the more substantial script, delivering excellent performances.

That said, the American show still sands away several interesting details, notably the little sub-thread about the tea. The Macross episode ends with Hikaru and Misa walking through the rain, talking a little too earnestly about tea, one senses very specifically doing so to avoid talking about other things. This is in character (these are somewhat emotionally closed off characters) and it's rather charming. Meanwhile, the Robotech version replaces the tea discussion with Lisa telling Rick they have to talk seriously. It's fine as a scene in itself... but it feels very on the nose, and it isn't charming at all.

The Robotech version is still a good character piece. But as usual, particularly with character-based episode, the Macross version is simply better.

Roy parties with young female officers,
leaving Claudia feeling humiliated.

OTHER MUSINGS:

The flashbacks not only allow us to spend more time with Roy, one of the series' better supporting characters; they also add new layers to his personality, which recolor some of his actions and statements in the early episodes.

While viewers likely remember this as "the flashback episode," it actually takes a full nine minutes (in Macross at least) before the flashback starts. That's just shy of half the running time, and there are also several present-day scenes at the end. This means that, even with the prominence of the flashbacks, the script firmly establishes itself around the Hikaru/Misa relationship. That makes this principally about the main characters, with the Claudia/Roy story granting insight into their problems.

With sharp character writing, a well-balanced script, and (particularly in Macross) a terrific ending, A Rainy Night emerges as a rare gem in what's been an extremely uneven epilogue arc.


Overall Rating - Macross: 9/10.

Overall Rating - Robotech: 8/10.

Previous Episode: Broken Heart
Next Episode: Private Time

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1-18. Pineapple Salad/Farewell, Big Brother.

Roy and Claudia make plans that, inevitably, get interrupted.

Original Air Date - Macross: Feb. 20, 1983.
Written by: Hiroyuki Hoshiyama. Directed by: Noboru Ishiguro, Fumihiko Takayama.

Robotech: Farewell Big Brother

Original Air Date - Robotech: Mar. 27, 1985.
Story Editor: Steve Kramer. Supervising Director: Robert V. Barron.


PLOT - MACROSS:

Hikaru is making a good recovery, but the hospital insists on keeping him for observation because of his head wound. He receives a visit from Misa, who feels guilty about giving the order that resulted in his injury... but he hears nothing from Minmay, who isn't even aware of his crash. Roy takes it on himself to ask her to visit Hikaru, much to her cousin's annoyance.

On the Zentradi fleet, Kamujin responds to ace pilot Milia's jibes about his recent defeat by telling her that the Macross has an ace of its own. Unable to ignore a challenge, Milia launches an attack, determined to flush out this pilot - leading her into a one-on-one duel with Max!


PLOT - ROBOTECH:

Rick is making a good recovery, but the hospital insists on keeping him for observation because of his head wound. He receives a visit from Lisa, who feels guilty about giving the order that resulted in his injury... but he hears nothing from Minmei, who isn't even aware of his crash. Roy takes it on himself to ask her to visit Rick, much to her cousin's annoyance.

On the Zentraedi fleet, Khyron responds to ace pilot Miriya's jibes about his recent defeat by telling her that "there is one aboard that alien ship whom (she) cannot best." Unable to ignore a challenge, Miriya launches an attack, determined to flush out this pilot - leading her into a one-on-one duel with Max!

A guilt-stricken Misa visits Hikaru.

CHARACTERS:

We get a couple of good scenes spotlighting the Roy/Claudia relationship, which is explicitly paralleled with the not-quite relationship between Hikaru and Misa. Robotech makes the parallel even more blatant, with Claudia outright telling Lisa that she and Roy got their start in much the same way as Lisa and Rick.

As was indicated by his nightmare in the last episode, Hikaru is questioning his abilities in the wake of the crash. He refuses to allow Misa to blame herself, telling her that if he was a better pilot, then he would not have been shot down. He's also frustrated by his eternal holding pattern with Minmay, and he is downright aggressive in turning off the radio when it plays one of her songs. However, when Minmay does finally visit and he learns just how exhausted she is (the Macross episode has her admit to getting only two hours of sleep per night), he responds with genuine compassion.

The competitive streak between Milia and Kamujin, and the entirely one-sided competition between her and Max, is also well done. I remember just enough about the show that I know where it's going, but I'm still enjoying watching it unfold.

Advantage: None.


NARRATION:

Macross features no narration. We're dropped into the action and left to follow it with no interruptions outside the mid-episode Act break, with even the ending allowed to play with no commentary. This keeps the viewer with the characters, to very strong effect in the final moments.

Robotech features its standard narration. It's not overly intrusive for the bulk of the episode. Unfortunately, those ending moments? The narrator talks right over them.

Advantage: Macross.

Zentradi ace Milia finds a worthy rival.

CUTS AND ALTERATIONS:

Claudia's Pineapple Salad: In Macross, Claudia has just learned how to make a pineapple salad. While on a date with Roy, she offers to serve it to him for dinner. In Robotech, it appears to be a standby dish of hers, with Roy asking her to make her "famous pineapple salad" when he next comes over.

Kyle Is Even More Unlikable than Kaifun: When Roy drops by the set of Minmay's film, Kaifun overhears him telling her about Hikaru's injury. Complete ass that he is, he can't help but sneer that it's Hikaru's fault for insisting on fighting. In Robotech, Kyle doesn't hear most of the conversation. Instead, he reacts with possessive jealousy to Roy's mere presence. Because it wasn't enough for the character to be unlikable; he has to be creepy too!

Khyron Gets a Better Line than Kamujin: Kamujin's challenge to Milia is a straightforward statement that the human ship has a legitimate ace. Robotech's Khyron goes further, telling Miriya that there is a human pilot that she cannot best. It's basically the same information in both versions, but the Robotech line is a lot more memorable.

Max's Reaction to the Duel: Max's duel with Milia is the episode's major action sequence. In both versions, he is winning and in active pursuit of the enemy pilot when he's ordered to return to the ship. In Macross, that's the end of the scene, with the episode cutting to Milia swearing to even the score. In Robotech, Max clearly shares in her sense of competition; when Lisa tells him that he's won, he looks wistfully up at the retreating Miriya and replies, "Not decisively." It's a tiny adjustment, but an effective one.

Advantage: Robotech. By a hair.


INCIDENTAL MUSIC:

Both episodes use their scores well, but Robotech edges this one out by simply having better music for the end action sequence.

Advantage: Robotech.

Roy convinces Minmay to visit Hikaru.
Naturally, Kaifun is annoyed.

OVERALL ADVANTAGE: NONE:

Very little was changed between versions. I prefer the Khyron/Miriya exchange in Robotech over the Kamujin/Milia one in Macross, and I prefer Max's sense of competitiveness during the Robotech duel... but I prefer the Roy/Minmay scene in Macross, not to mention that Macross's ending is more effective thanks to the absence of the usual narrator.

I also think the Macross episode has by far the better title. Pineapple Salad sounds like an episode that will be basically light-hearted fluff. Then the ending comes, upending the context.


OTHER MUSINGS:

"I'm looking forward to some pineapple salad!"

"Captain, what is 'pineapple salad' code for?"
-Misa and Capt. Global are confused by Roy's non-sequitur.

This is an excellent episode in either version. Not much ultimately changes with regard to the Macross's overall situation... but for the main characters, everything is changed. It is entirely fair to say that this will be a noticeably different series moving forward.

The episode checks in with all of the major human characters. Hikaru is out of the action, of course, but the script takes care to keep focus on him. The show opens and closes on him, and it returns to him often enough to show how much he's wrestling with being sidelined and with his new doubts about his piloting skills; I hope the latter continues to be followed up and isn't simply discarded the next time he's in the cockpit.

Roy and Claudia receive the most visible focus. Despite early episodes (in Macross at least) indicating that Roy has a reputation as a scoundrel, their relationship appears to be a healthy one. She trusts him implicitly, tracking down Minmay for him so that he can arrange for her to visit Hikaru. For Roy's part, his first thought after the mission is to go to Claudia. Since circumstances have left the flight deck empty, he ends up leaving without waiting for any check-in procedures.

Though those are the focal characters, time is made to check in with others. Misa's friendship with Claudia and her attraction to Hikaru are both touched on. The three Zentradi spies get an amusing moment involving the young female bridge officers and a stolen Minmay doll. Speaking of Minmay, her overwhelming schedule and clear exhaustion make her more sympathetic here than she's been in a long time.

All the strands are balanced with care. Despite the many threads touched on, no character is lost in the shuffle. In a mere 25 minutes, this episode check in with all these characters, furthers several of their dynamics, and does this without ever feeling rushed. If that were all that could be said, that would be enough for me to be impressed by this episode.

Then comes the ending. I remember viewing this after school in the mid 1980s, and I was stunned. What happens here... It just wasn't something that was seen in an afternoon cartoon at that time. With regard to the original series, it's notable that this comes at the exact midpoint. Macross has changed its status quo a couple of times. Originally, most episodes fell into a comfortable pattern of the Zentradi chasing the human ship through space and the humans escaping at the end. Then the action shifted to Earth, but Kung Fu Dandy and this episode both seemed to be more or less replicating the same structure.

Pineapple Salad ends with a genuine shakeup that signals that the show isn't going to be "safe" anymore. The final moments provide at least three different memorable images, to make sure it stays in your head for a bit after watching: a hospital bed, a toy airplane, and the titular pineapple salad.


Overall Rating: 10/10.

Previous Episode: Phantasm
Next Episode: Burst Point/Bursting Point

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1-10. Blind Game

Three Zentradi soldiers receive an unusual assignment...

Original Air Date - Macross: Dec. 12, 1982.
Written by: Ken'ichi Matsuzaki. Directed by: Noboru Ishiguro, Hiroshi Yoshida.

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


PLOT - MACROSS:

Loli, Warera, and Condi, the Zentradi who intercepted the Miss Macross broadcast, make their report to Britai. However, that report is muddled by confusion about the meaning of the things they witnessed. Archivist Exsedol proposes that they clear up the confusion by capturing a sample of humans.

Kamujin is ordered to provoke the Macross by firing a warning shot. This will be followed by a surrender demand - not with any expectation that the humans will actually surrender, but rather to draw ships out to investigate.

Kamujin naturally interprets his orders in the most aggressive way possible, but this ends up serving Britai's plan. The attack knocks out the human ship's radar, leaving them blind in an asteroid field. A recon mission is needed just to guide the battle fortress through the asteroids.

Lt. Misa Hayase volunteers, with Hikaru and his team acting as her escorts. Meaning that she is the one who falls into Britai's trap - leaving it up to Hikaru, Max, and Kakikazi to rescue her!


PLOT - ROBOTECH:

Bron, Rico, and Konda, the Zentraedi who intercepted the Miss Macross broadcast, make their report to Breetai. However, that report is muddled by confusion about the meaning of the things they witnessed. Archivist Exedore proposes that they clear up the confusion by capturing a sample of humans.

Khyron is ordered to provoke the SDF-1 by firing a warning shot. This will be followed by a surrender demand to the humans - not with any expectation that the humans will surrender, but rather to draw ships out to investigate.

Khyron directly disobeys orders, firing directly on the human ship ... but this actually ends up serving Breetai's plan. The attack knocks out the ship's radar, leaving the humans blind in a field of planetary debris. A recon mission is needed just to guide the battle fortress through the debris field.

First Officer Lisa Hayes is assigned, with Rick and his team acting as her escorts. Meaning that she is the one who falls into Breetai's trap - leaving it up to Rick, Max, and Ben to rescue her!

Three humans in battle armor get into a fistfight with Britai.
It ends up being a much more even fight than expected.

CHARACTERS:

The episode begins with Hikaru and Misa once again at odds. When one of his pilots sustains a hit during a scouting mission, Hikaru wants his team to return to the ship. She berates him for violating orders, only for him to reply that in space, any hull damage could be potentially deadly.

In an amusing beat, Roy allows the two to bicker for a moment, smiling in amusement... and then steps in to settle the matter by ordering them back to the ship. As he observes, Hikaru is actually in the right... but he does go on to reprimand his friend for his insubordinate tone.

This interaction is the unlikely start of the thaw in Misa and Hikaru's adversarial relationship. After the attack, she sees one of the ships floating amidst the debris. The pilot has died of explosive decompression after his ship was damaged. Her guilt over issuing a potentially deadly order (which was fortunately countermanded) leads to her behaving more mildly in the back half of the episode.

Advantage: None.


NARRATION:

Once again, there's no substantial difference in narration between the two episodes.

Advantage: None.

Minmay cancels a date. Macross's Hikaru
reacts much better than Robotech's Rick does.

CUTS AND ALTERATIONS:

As usual, Robotech makes all of its cuts to the first half of the episode. Character beats are trimmed and/or simplified, while the action scenes remain fully intact - which, not for the first time, makes clear where the two series' different priorities lay.

Breetai Likes Aggression. A Lot: I cannot resist mentioning the Robotech episode's unintentionally hilarious exchange between Breetai and Exedore. After the archivist reveals his plan, he says that it will call for increased aggression. Breetai's response? "I like nothing better than aggression. Exedore, I think we should discuss this matter further in my quarters." I had to pause the episode until I stopped laughing.

Kamujin Is Wary of Exsedol; Khyron Is Dismissive: Kamujin seems to find Exsedol unsettling. He refers to him as a "walking skeleton," adding that it's impossible to know what he's thinking. He seems to be the only person Kamujin is even a little afraid of. Robotech's Khyron, by contrast, refers to Exedore as a "fool," his tone filled with disdain.

Kamujin Pushes the Boundaries of the Plan; Khyron Just Disobeys: This has become a recurring difference between the characterizations. Macross has a scene in which Kamujin carefully details how his adjustments to Britai's plans will rely on a retiring old soldier. Robotech removes this exchange and just makes Khyron blatantly insubordinate. Again.

Hikaru Watches Another Couple While Waiting for Minmay: While Hikaru waits in the park for Minmay, he notices another couple interacting and watches them wistfully. It's a nice character beat. It's also a moment that's been completely removed from Robotech.

Hikaru Responds a Lot Better to Minmay than Rick Does: A very busy Minmay ends up cancelling the date. Macross's Hikaru is disappointed, but he understands that she is fulfilling her dream. Robotech's Rick is just sulky, whining that she hasn't spent enough time with him since winning the competition. Over the previous episodes, I've mostly wished for him to move on from Little Miss Mixed Signals. The Robotech version of this scene marks the first time that I'd actually root for her to tell him to take his passive-aggressiveness and shove off!

Misa Volunteers for the Mission; Lisa Is Assigned: After seeing the pilot who died of exposure to space, Misa's guilt prompts her to volunteer for the recon mission; Robotech changes this to Gloval assigning Lisa over her objections. This undermines her sense of responsibility and determination to do something that isn't on the "warm and safe" bridge.

Hikaru Realizes They're Falling into a Trap: In both versions, enemy fighters pull the escort away from the recon ship. In Macross, Max observes that the Zentradi don't seem to be putting forth their usual effort, at which point Hikaru recognizes that this is just a diversion. Bizarrely, most likely as a result of a mistranslation, Robotech's Max says the opposite: That the Zentraedi are putting forth more effort than usual. A check of Macross's official English dub does nothing to clear up the confusion, by the way: That version features a completely unrelated line at that point!

Advantage: Macross.

Hikaru and his team fly escort for Misa's recon mission.

INCIDENTAL MUSIC:

The Macross episode's incidental music is particularly weak. A tense scene mid-episode is punctuated by tinkly music that sets no tone at all. As an added bonus, it's also highly intrusive. The Robotech score is well-used throughout, greatly enhancing the second half and at least staying out of the way of the scenes in the first half.

Advantage: Robotech.


OVERALL ADVANTAGE: NONE:

The Macross episode misuses its score at points, with background music that is not only ineffective but actively distracting, while the Robotech version benefits from a greatly improved soundtrack. If all else was more or less equal, then Robotech would likely have won this round... However, the Robotech version features much weaker dialogue, and it undermines Lisa's guilt by having the captain order her on the mission instead of volunteering for it. In the end, it evens out to a wash.


OTHER MUSINGS:

Macross was a series plagued with behind-the-scenes animation difficulties. This episode marks the first time this becomes obvious. Animation is generally a bit sloppier than usual, which results in a confusing moment near the end.

While Max wrestles with Britai, he calls on Kakikazi/Ben to fire a missile at a bulkhead. This opens a hole that sucks the Zentradi out into space. A hatch closes to seal the gap... but this isn't actually animated and can only be seen after the fact, which makes it momentarily confusing why the humans don't just escape through that hole instead of trying to break open the airlock. This is not a "Robotech cut something it shouldn't have" issue - This is a problem with the original episode!

But a quick note on a Robotech issue. "M. HAYASE" is stenciled onto the ship that Misa is flying in Macross... and is still visible in Robotech, a dead giveaway as to the character name change. Today, this would take someone all of five minutes to correct on even the crudest video editing software. In 1985, given the tight budget and turnaround time, correcting it would likely have been impossible.

Despite weaker animation than usual, Blind Game is a good episode. It builds directly on the events of Miss Macross, advances various character arcs, and is entertaining in its own right. The default plot structure (Zentradi try to capture ship -> humans manage to escape) could easily become repetitive, but excellent characterization has thus far kept it fresh. Even in Robotech, which simplifies many interactions, the character work is far above average, which I suspect was the reason the series proved so successful on its US debut.


Overall Rating: 7/10.

Previous Episode: Miss Macross
Next Episode: First Contact

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1-03. Space Fold.

The Macross risks a desperate maneuver!

Original Air Date - Macross: Oct. 17, 1982.
Written by: Ken'ichi Matsuzaki. Directed by: Noboru Ishiguro, Ryô Yasumura.

Original Air Date - Robotech: Mar. 6, 1985.
Story Editor: Steve Kramer. Directed by: Robert V. Barron.


PLOT - MACROSS:

Roy rescues Hikaru and Minmay and takes them to the safety of the Macross, which is now in orbit. Meanwhile, the citizens of the island huddle in shelters, waiting for an all clear - while the privileged politicos gorge themselves on food and complain about the damage.

Though some Zentradi remain on the island, the enemy doesn't seem interested in attacking the Macross. This puzzles Misa and worries Capt. Global, who wonders why their attackers are "toying" with them.

The captain's fears are soon realized. As the Macross prepares to rendezvous with the fleet, the aliens open fire. They take care not to damage the battle fortress, but their attack devastates the Earth ships. In desperation, Global orders a risky maneuver - one that will have unforeseen consequences!


PLOT - ROBOTECH:

Roy rescues Rick and Minmei and takes them to the safety of the SDF-1, which is now in orbit. Meanwhile, the citizens of the island huddle in shelters, waiting for an all clear.

Though some Zentraedi remain on the island, the enemy doesn't seem interested in attacking the SDF-1. This puzzles Lisa and worries Capt. Gloval, who wonders why the enemy is "playing" with them.

The captain's fears are soon realized. As the SDF-1 prepares to rendezvous with the fleet, the aliens open fire. They take care not to damage the battle fortress, but their attack devastates the Earth ships. In desperation, Gloval orders a risky maneuver - one that will have unforeseen consequences!

The captain orders the space fold.

CHARACTERS:

One area in which the series has impressed me thus far is with regard to Hikaru/Rick's piloting skills. He has consistently been clueless while trying to fly the Valkyries... which is exactly as it should be, given that the fighter is loaded with systems that are like nothing he's seen before. At the same time, each episode has provided at least one moment to showcase his innate ability: Boobytrap introduced him showing off at the air show; Countdown saw him performing a difficult (probably impossible) midair rescue of Minmay; and this episode shows him using only a booster thruster to navigate his ship to safety. This provides a good balance. He's a capable pilot - but since the military fighters are so unfamiliar, the best he can manage during this first battle is to keep himself and Minmay alive.

Advantage: None.


NARRATION:

This episode was clearly intended to still accommodate viewers who were "jumping on," and so the narration in both versions provides a fairly extensive recap of the story thus far. It feels a little too extensive in my opinion. Then again, I'm judging that from the perspective of being able to just watch the next episode on the disc, a luxury that wasn't available to contemporary viewers. In any case, there's no real difference in the style or quantity of the narration this time. In both versions, the narrators do the same thing in pretty much the same way.

Advantage: None.


INCIDENTAL MUSIC:

In my first two reviews, I've given high marks to the Robotech music. I continue to find Robotech's incidental cues to be very good, but one problem becomes clearer with each passing episode: the music is overused.

Macross allows many scenes to play out without music, which is actually quite effective, particularly in some of the moments set in outer space. Meanwhile, Robotech continues to be terrified of silence, plugging in one track or another any time the characters aren't talking. This has the opposite of the intended effect, undermining the intensity instead of enhancing it.

Advantage: Macross.

Hikaru and Minmay are amazed
to find themselves in outer space.

CUTS AND ALTERATIONS:

"There Was Something Strange About That Pilot": The episode opens with Roy deviating to rescue Hikaru and Minmay. In Macross, Misa remarks that there was something strange about Hikaru, and she is shocked to learn that he's actually a civilian; in Robotech, Lisa accuses Rick of being an imposter, telling Roy that she's gone over the full register of pilots and can't find a record of him. I have no idea why this change was made, as it actually undermines Lisa's character. The ship has been in almost constant combat since her first interaction with Rick. If she actually took time to go over the entire crew register during the battle, it's not a sign of efficiency - it's a sign that she has no sense of priorities!

Roy's Rescue Is Severely Abridged: The Robotech trims have a noticeable impact here, with Roy's rescue of Rick and Minmei reduced from a full sequence to just a couple of shots. The result feels rushed, and it's not the only spot...

Roy Has a Surprise for Rick: Once Roy gets them safely on the vast ship, he drives them to a docking bay where he has thoughtfully salvaged Hikaru's plane. In Macross, the drive itself is a full scene, emphasizing the scale of the ship. As they drive, Hikaru and Roy banter, with Roy unveiling his gift only as it comes into view. In Robotech, the entire scene has been cut to just a couple of shots, with Roy telling Rick, "I've got a surprise for you" the instant the scene cuts in. There is no extended drive, as we cut to them arriving at their destination. As a result, Robotech viewers don't get the same feel for just how big this ship really is.

A Class Divide in the Shelters: In Macross, the politicians are shown luxuriating in the shelters, slurping down food in comfortable chairs on a higher floor, while the civilians are left to cower below. Robotech completely removes the politician half of this scene, showing only the civilians. Yes, this trims several seconds away, but I think this cut had less to do with fitting an ad in and more to do with avoiding an openly political class critique.

Advantage: Macross.

The bridge crew reacts to their dilemma
with appropriate professional reserve.

OVERALL ADVANTAGE: MACROSS:

Relatively little is changed between the two versions, and I'd almost call it even... except that trims made to Robotech leave a few individual moments feeling rushed. It's a close call, but those cuts are enough for me to favor Macross, if only by a hair.


OTHER MUSINGS:

Space Fold is a good episode in either version. Most of its focus is on the main plot, but it finds time for small character beats. Also, even though the bridge crew ends up with more screen time than Hikaru/Rick, the script never loses track of him and Minmay, cutting back to them regularly both to keep them alive in the narrative and to show how the captain's orders end up affecting them. The episode also ends with a handful of memorable visuals, with the series' artwork continuing to impress.


Overall Rating: 7/10.

Previous Episode: Countdown
Next Episode: Lynn Minmay/The Long Wait

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1-02. Countdown.

Hikaru rescues Minmay - mostly from her own stupidity...

Original Air Date - Macross: Oct. 3, 1982.
Written by: Ken'ichi Matsuzaki. Directed by: Noboru Ishiguro, Fumihiko Takayama, Yoshizo Tsuda.

Original Air Date - Robotech: Mar. 5, 1985.
Story Editor: Steve Kramer. Directed by: Robert V. Barron.


PLOT - MACROSS:

There's a lull in the battle, the humans having successfully turned away the first wave of the alien attack. It isn't long, however, before the Macross has detects a second wave, descending toward the ocean. This temporary respite will not last long.

Hikaru has landed his unfamiliar fighter, in robot form (!), near the home of Lynn Minmay. Roy Focker arrives to help repair his fighter, explaining some of its workings. But when the battle erupts again, Hikaru is tasked with flying the girl to safety, even though he still has only the most basic notion of how to operate the fighter!

Meanwhile, on the Macross, Capt. Global finds himself under increasing pressure to take off into space...


PLOT - ROBOTECH:

The humans have turned away the first wave of the alien attack, but the SDF-1 has detected a second wave, descending toward the ocean. It won't be long until the battle erupts again.

Rick Hunter has landed his unfamiliar fighter, in robot form (!), near the home of Lynn Minmei. Roy Fokker arrives to help repair the fighter, explaining some of its workings. But when the second wave hits, Rick is tasked with flying Minmei to safety, even though he still has only the most basic notion of how to operate the fighter!

Meanwhile, on the SDF-1, Capt. Gloval finds himself under increasing pressure to take off into space...

Minmay seems remarkably relaxed about the
giant robot/planes that basically destroyed her home.

CHARACTERS:

Rick in Robotech is more casual about trying to move the fighter, attempting to "throw a few switches and hope for the best." Macross's Hikaru, in the exact same scene, is nervous, clearly aware of the damage he's doing as he pleads aloud for the machine to work. Robotech's Rick is pretty open about his crush on Minmei, asking to go back once the attack hits to make sure she's safe. Macross's Hikaru has to be pushed into doing the same by Roy.

In both versions, First Officer Misa Hayase/Lisa Hayes has anticipated the captain's order to use patrol helicopters to observe the aliens' second wave. What's different is the captain's reaction. Macross's Captain Global compliments her on her efficiency; meanwhile, Robotech's Gloval complains about her being a "mind reader." 


Advantage: Macross. But the difference is considerably narrower than in the first episode.


NARRATION:

I've already concluded that I'm going to find the Robotech narration consistently more intrusive than its Macross counterpart. Similar to the first episode, Macross uses its narration lightly, really only the beginning and end of the episode, while Robotech slathers the narration over almost any moment without dialogue.

This undercuts the effectiveness of the final shots of the Robotech episode. Both versions end with Hikaru/Rick absorbing a new revelation and being temporarily overwhelmed. Macross holds this moment in silence, however, letting us absorb the significance and Hikaru's shock. By contrast, Robotech starts right in with the narration, not giving us even a second to empathize with Rick's struggle.

Advantage: Macross.


INCIDENTAL MUSIC:

The Robotech incidental music really helps this particular episode. The action-heavy second half just feels more exciting, and it's thanks entirely to the score. There is an issue with overuse, however: As with the narration, Robotech plugs in music whenever characters aren't talking. Since this is an action-heavy episode, it isn't a problem here, but I suspect it will become one in the future.

Advantage: Robotech.

The captain watches helplessly as the
engines lift right out of the ship's hull!

CUTS AND ALTERATIONS:

The Lull Is Shorter: The first half of the episode occurs during a temporary lull in battle. Robotech trims this lull down. I don't think any actual scenes were removed, but the editing is generally tighter which, together with the more dynamic music, takes viewers much more quickly to the action-heavy second half.

The Captain Argues Over Taking Off: The captain argues with the government official who orders him to take off. The official is a bureaucratic imbecile in both versions. The Robotech version adds an extra dollop of sexism onto his character, with him condescendingly addressing the "girls" on the bridge as he makes his exit. Then - because Robotech doesn't trust its viewers to catch anything - an additional internal monologue is given to Capt. Gloval in which he fumes, "We're just not ready!"

Roy Takes Hikaru/Rick Through the Basics: When Roy helps to repair Hikaru's borrowed fighter, he takes some time to go over the basic operations of the machine. In Macross, he goes into as much detail as the basic situation will allow. In Robotech, this is pared down substantially. "Sorry, Rick, I know you'd probably like to know more before you fly this thing, but we have toys to sell!"

Minmay's Idiocy: Minmay is safe at the shelter when the second wave hits. This is no good, though, because the script needs to get her back together with Hikaru.  The result? The worst scene in the series thus far, as Minmay becomes Officially Too Stupid to Live by running back into the city during the attack. The Robotech version alters this. Instead of going back because she "forgot something," Robotech's Minmei has a specific reason. Unfortunately, it's a hilariously stupid reason: She's worried that someone will find and read her diary. Unless she used her diary to confess to a series of gruesome serial murders... of infants and puppies... then I'd advise that neither the alien conquerors nor the human soldiers are likely to care much about the musings and fantasies of a teenage girl. I'm honestly not sure which version is worse: Macross's generic handwave or Robotech's idiocy.


Though some of the specific items I've listed favor Macross, I'm actually going to give the nod to Robotech. It comes down to one reason: pacing. There's no question the Robotech alterations dumb things down, offering broader characterizations and less detail... but this isn't an episode with a lot of nuances in the first place, so getting to the action faster ends up creating a more entertaining overall experience.

Advantage: Robotech.

Zentradi battlepods rise from the sea.

OVERALL ADVANTAGE: ROBOTECH:

Countdown is focused very much on plot and action, which I think favors the strengths of Robotech. The edits help tighten the pace, while the stirring music greatly boosts the action scenes. In addition, because this episode is far less character-focused than Boobytrap, Robotech's weaknesses are less evident. Yes, Robotech simplifies things and does more handholding than Macross - but the overall differences are minor, and the faster pace and more exciting overall impression favors the Americanized version.


OTHER MUSINGS:

Though being "all plot" may favor Robotech, Countdown is weaker overall than Boobytrap in both versions. The entire 24 minutes feels like it exists to connect Plot Point A to Plot Point B.

There are some good visual moments. The second wave of the attack comes from the sea, and we are treated to an eerie moment in which the Zentradi battepods rise from the water before coming to land. Another effective flourish is the withholding of information about the nature of the aliens until the final shots. This allows the sophomore episode to end on a strong dramatic reveal. it also gives a good in-universe explanation for why the humans' fighters transform into robots other than just "to sell toys."

Overall, the episode is more functional than memorable on its own merits. Still, there's enough good here that I remain interested in the overall series.


Overall Rating: 6/10.

Previous Episode: Boobytrap
Next Episode: Space Fold

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