Love Live Alive.

Yellow Belmont gives an emotional performance in concert.

Original Release Date - Mospeada: Sept. 1985. Running Time: 49 minutes. Written by: Sukehiro Tomita. Directed by: Katsuhisa Yamada. Produced by: Akira Inoue, Hiroshi Iwata, Kenji Yoshida.

Original Release Date - Robotech: July 23, 2013. Running Time: 89 minutes. Screenplay by: Gregory Snegoff. Story by: Carl Macek, Tommy Yune. Directed by: Gregory Snegoff. Produced by: Frank Agrama, Carl Macek, Tommy Yune.


PLOT - MOSPEADA:

The war with the Inbit is over, and Earth is again at peace. Yellow Belmont has continued his music career, now without the need to cross-dress to hide from the enemy, and he is playing to a massive crowd. In between sets, he gives an interview in which he recalls the comrades he fought with during the alien occupation. He continues recalling their adventures as he performs on stage, giving his all in an intensely emotional performance.


PLOT - ROBOTECH:

The war with the Invid is over, and Earth is again at peace. Lancer, aka "Yellow Dancer," has continued his music career, now without the need to cross-dress to hide from the enemy. Just before a concert in which he'll play to a massive crowd, he gives an interview recalling the fight against the alien occupation. He recaps events from his first meeting with Scott Bernard all the way to the final confrontation with the Invid Regess, while doing his best to hide a secret of his own...

Yellow, alone with his thoughts after the concert.

CHARACTERS:

Either version of Love Live Alive focuses on Yellow/Lancer. He is the only character to receive any substantial new footage, and the flashbacks to the war are indicated to be his memories - though this is a bit muddy, as both versions show events he wasn't present for.

Mospeada's Yellow was always a bit mercurial. In the interview segments in the original version, much of what he says is banter that seems designed to hide his inner thoughts as much as possible. He teases that he got used to dressing in women's clothes, only to then add that those clothes are too expensive now. This slips only when the interviewer notices the photographs he carries of Stig's team, referring to them as friends. He corrects her, firmly identifying them as "comrades."

Robotech's Lancer is more direct. Given that the Robotech version is a traditional compilation film, he pretty much has to be in order to provide a frame for the flashbacks. He still gets cagey, though, with the interviewer at one point observing that he seems to talk more about the others than about himself. He also affirms his focus as his music, with him declining an invitation to rejoin the military: "I feel I can make more of a difference to people as Yellow Dancer than as a soldier."

Advantage: None.

The Invid invasion of Earth.

NARRATION:

The Mosepada version is mostly a music video. It not only has no narration - outside of the brief interview scenes, it barely has any dialogue. The visuals and music are trusted to create the experience.

Robotech opens with narration that's similar in delivery style to that of the series. A couple of newly animated sequences recap the initial Invid invasion of Earth, including a quick shot of an exhausted Dana Sterling joining a mass evacuation of the planet. After that, the bulk of the running time is made up of scenes from "The New Generation," which are also framed by narration - in this case, in-world narration delivered by Lancer to the interviewer.

While both versions work fine, there's little question that Mospeada's presentation is the more dynamic of the two.

Advantage: Mospeada.

Yellow grants an interview while changing between sets.
In Robotech, the interview comes before the concert.

DIFFERENT FILMS WITH DIFFERENT GOALS:

The Mospeada and Robotech versions of Love Live Alive are reasonably similar from a narrative perspective: Yellow/Lancer gives both an interview and a concert while recalling the events of the war. However, they are scripted and edited to achieve entirely different goals.

Mospeada is a musical celebration of a series that had only ended the year before. Save for a few lines here and there, the flashbacks are a series of rapid visuals selected to accompany each song, with each song conveying a different mood: action-heavy with Midnight Rider and Clap!! Clap!! Clap!!, more emotional for Blue Rain or Heart Wave. The music is the throughline, not the story.

Robotech is, as ever, all about the story. This version is a traditional compilation, amounting to a 90-minute recap of "The New Generation." Lancer's interview is far more extensive here than in Mospeada... which becomes a problem, as Robotech has to expand the interview scenes by repeating the same shots over and over again. The musical element is all but eliminated, with only one concert sequence retained.

Yellow pauses for a drink in the ruins of a battlefield,
in a shot that's only seen in Mospeada.

CUTS AND ALTERATIONS:

I won't bother enumerating the differences in the flashbacks. However, of the new footage...

Mospeada's Opening Is Moved to the End: Mospeada opens with Yellow riding his motorcycle to the concert as the song, Mind Tree plays. The piece's slow and reflective tone matches well with a moment when he pauses in the ruins of a battlefield. Robotech moves the scene to the end, with Lancer pausing on his trip home. It works in either version: In Mospeada, it puts him in a mood to reminisce; in Robotech, he leaves the battlefield and his past to return to his new life. But I prefer Mospeada, because it sets the mood up-front.

Women and Children Removed: As Yellow reaches the venue, we see the people camped out, waiting for the performance. One shot features a woman applying suntan lotion to another woman's bare back, while another shows a family with children waiting. Both shots are removed from Robotech, with only the first, wide establishing shot retained.

The Invid Invasion: There is a small amount of new animation in Robotech. Most of it comes right at the start. We are shown the three mounds from Southern Cross - the ruins of the SDF-1, where the Invid Flower of Life was set free. Then the Invid arrive on Earth in a beam of light that descends like a storm.

Straight to the Interview: In Mospeada, the first interview scene comes more than 15 minutes in, after Yellow has performed his first set. Robotech moves straight from its opening to the interview.

Lancer Gets Shot Down: As the interview begins, it's now Lancer's turn to narrate the beginning of the war. New footage shows Dana Sterling evacuating just before the first attempt to reclaim Earth. Col. Jonathan Wolfe is briefly featured, and then we see Lancer's squad getting ambushed by the Invid, with Lancer shot down. This moves directly to footage from The Secret Route, with him being rescued by Carla and hiding from the enemy by dressing as a woman.

Yellow Performs Throughout Mospeada: The original version moves continually back and forth between the flashbacks and Yellow's concert, with interview snippets shown during costume changes between sets. The vast majority of his recollections are purely visual, as he recalls the past while singing.

Lancer Only Sings One Song: There is just a single scene of Lancer performing in Robotech, and it's made up shots taken from all of Mospeada's concert bits. This results in a giant visual continuity gaffe, as Lancer apparently runs through three outfits while singing one song, an abbreviated version of We Will Win.

Scott Invites Lancer to Join His Next Mission: Both versions culminate in a reunion between Yellow/Lancer and his old friends. Mospeada keeps this entirely wordless, with the song, Heart Wave, playing over shots of them gathered together. Robotech eliminates the song. We hear bits of casual conversation, but the scene's focus becomes Scott telling Lancer about his next mission and extending an invitation to join it.

Jim and Mint vs. Lunk and Annie: Yellow leaves the reunion as his friends sleep, smiling at each of the couples: Stig and Aisha, Ray and Houquet, and Jim and Mint. The most "couple-y" shots of Jim and Mint are removed, de-emphasizing the age-inappropriate pairing for Lunk and Annie.

Lancer Doesn't Litter: In Mospeada's opening, Yellow opens a can and drinks while in the ruined battlefield, then tosses the empty can away when he's finished. The sequence has been moved to Robotech's ending - but Harmony Gold apparently didn't want to be accused of encouraging littering, as those specific shots have been removed.

New Animation in the Final Scene: Both versions end with the same scene, basically showing the same ending for Yellow/Lancer. However, Robotech needs to really spell it out with dialogue, and so a tiny amount of additional animation closes out the film. The new shots are slipped into the existing scene - Note that I don't say "seamlessly," as the visual difference between the old and new footage is glaring.

Next Episode: After the end credits, Robotech's announcer teases the "next episode" - The Shadow Chronicles, which was released almost seven years before Robotech's Love Live Alive.

Advantage: Mospeada.

Yellow prepares to make his entrance.

MUSIC:

The 1985 Japanese original is framed entirely around its music. Its soundtrack is outstanding, a mix of new songs and songs from the series. It can legitimately be enjoyed as a concert video, a showcase for the work of the While Rock Band in particular.

Robotech only features one new song, which plays over its end credits... and that may be a mercy, as the new song is worse than any of the ones it re-uses from the series. All other musical cues are just Robotech's standard incidental music - though the opening titles music, an arrangement of old Robotech music, is a vast improvement over the opening titles score for The Shadow Chronicles.

Advantage: Mospeada.


OVERALL ADVANTAGE - MOSPEADA:

The Mospeada OVA is a far more striking work. Not only is it an effective button for Genesis Climber Mospeada, it's also a dynamic viewing experience. The post-series context frames sequences of well-judged, thematically grouped visuals, each of which is backed by excellent music.

The Robotech version is an adequate compilation film - but it's also more ordinary and, at 89 minutes, feels just a little too long for what it is.

Yellow rides through the ruins left by the war.

A LITTLE TOO CHANGED:

To date, Love Live Alive is Robotech's final entry. There's a certain symmetry to this: The first release was Codename: Robotech, a compilation of the first third of "The Macross Saga"; and its last is this, a compilation of "The New Generation." It's also appropriate that this final entry is an Americanized version of a Japanese OVA, effectively returning the series to its roots.

The Robotech version is a radically different entity than the original. Changing it to a straightforward retelling of "The New Generation" makes sense. Mospeada's Love Live Alive released the year after the series ended, so it was reasonable to expect viewers to remember it. The Robotech version released in 2013: 28 years after "The New Generation" was broadcast.

Even acknowledging that, however, I think Robotech makes a mistake by all but removing the musical aspect. The more traditional compilation approach would still work if Lancer were to perform sets throughout. The film could even include some of the visual montages from Mospeada, with the interview segments framing a more traditional narrative.

This sort of hybrid approach might have allowed Robotech to channel at least some of the mood of the original. But with the music so de-emphasized, the uniqueness and atmosphere is lost, leaving the Americanized Love Live Alive to play as little more than an overlong clip show.

Yellow reunites with his old friends.

CONTINUITY CONFUSION:

Robotech's Love Live Alive is passable as a compilation film, but there are a few questionable choices. I have no idea why this movie includes Ghost Town, the episode with the old soldiers, in its recap; it's a fine standalone episode, but it's hardly a core part of the story. Meanwhile, despite devoting precious minutes to this sideline, the film doesn't make time for Ariel's protests to Sera and the Regess - even though it includes the scene in which Sera recalls Ariel's words and acts upon them.

Love Live Alive was released on home video, packaged with a re-release of The Shadow Chronicles. That might lead you to expect that the compilation film would try to smooth away a few of the continuity issues between "The New Generation" and The Shadow Chronicles. It doesn't. Just inserting a clip of the Ariel/Regess scene from the 2006 movie into the recap of Symphony of Light would have lightly massaged the discontinuities - but even something that obvious wasn't done, and all continuity mismatches are retained.

The post-credits "Next Time" blurb makes the timeline even more confusing than it was already. It seems obvious that the frame for Love Live Alive is set some time after The Shadow Chronicles, the first half of which directly overlaps with the events of the final episode. Also: Scott and Ariel are shown as a proper couple here, something that only became true in The Shadow Chronicles; enough time has passed since the series for Lancer to move on in his own life; and there has been enough time to plan and promote a concert with multiple back-up musicians and technical tricks that plays to a huge crowd. Not to mention that Lunk has grown a full beard.

Despite all of the above, the end teaser explicitly posits this as a lead-in to The Shadow Chronicles - something that makes zero sense!


OVERALL:

Both versions of Love Live Alive are perfectly pleasant to watch on their own terms. The continuity of the "official" placement for Robotech makes my head hurt... but if I just decide that the frame story occurs after The Shadow Chronicles (because it pretty much has to), then it's a serviceable enough epilogue to Robotech's "New Generation."

Still, at 89 minutes, the Robotech version overstays its welcome - and beyond that, the Mospeada OVA is a vastly more satisfying overall experience.


Overall Rating - Mospeada: 8/10.

Overall Rating - Robotech: 5/10.

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3-25. Symphony of Light.

The Inbit decide the future of Earth - if it gets to have one!

Original Air Date - Genesis Climber Mospeada: Mar. 25, 1984. Writer: Sukehiro Tomita. Director: Tatsuya Kasahara.

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


PLOT - MOSPEADA:

The Third Earth Liberation Force has arrived - just in time to destroy the fragile chance at peace with the Inbit. While Stig battles Batra and Yellow continues to try to reason with the Inbit leader, the aliens commit their forces to battle, determined to wipe out the attacking humans just as they did with the two previous fleets.

But this attempt to reclaim Earth is different from the previous two. The fleet has been equipped with electrically charged particle missiles, to be used as a last resort if the fight goes badly. These missiles will ensure the destruction of the Inbit - but at the cost of Earth itself!


PLOT - ROBOTECH:

Though Admiral Rick Hunter is missing, his fleet has arrived - just in time to destroy the fragile chance at peace with the Invid. While Scott battles Prince Corg and Lancer tries to reason with the Invid Regess, the aliens commit their forces to battle, determined to wipe out the human attackers.

But this attempt to reclaim Earth is different from the previous one. The fleet has been equipped with neutron missiles, to be used as a last resort if the fight goes badly. These missiles will ensure the destruction of the enemy - but at the cost of Earth itself!

Aisha tends to an injured Stig.

CHARACTERS:

The last two relationships that were left unresolved by Dark Finale get their moments here. Yellow assists Sorji, and their interactions indicate at least the potential for a future relationship. Stig has too much anger against the Inbit, though. Even when Aisha tends to his injuries after his first, unsuccessful fight with Batra, Stig rebuffs her: "I can only hate the Inbit."

The episode does a good job of balancing the ensemble, with each set of characters getting some follow-up in a well-scripted epilogue. Jim/Lunk is more or less just "present," but all the others receive at least one moment - and given that Jim's character arc was pretty well resolved in the previous episode, I can't fault this one for focusing elsewhere.

Advantage: None.


NARRATION:

Because Robotech is desperate to try to stitch everything together in its finale, the opening narration takes pains to squeeze in Rick Hunter's name. After that, the rest of the narration largely covers transitions, save for an ending bit that's unnecessary but is also unobjectionable.

Advantage: None.

The Inbit leader directs the battle. Robotech's Invid
Regess refuses to leave because of protoculture.

CUTS AND ALTERATION:

Gen. Reinhart Believes in a "Scorched Earth Policy": In both versions, the commander of the human forces is prepared to launch a devastating attack, one that will destroy the Inbit but take the Earth along with them. In Mospeada, he's clearly reluctant to employ this, reassuring his First Officer that it will be a last resort. Robotech's Gen. Reinhart is more willing to pull this trigger, all but boasting his belief that death would be preferable to being ruled by the Invid - something that I suspect most of the people we've seen in the show's various towns would argue against.

The Regess Declares that the Invid Will Never Leave: Yellow spends much of the episode trying to persuade the Inbit leader that, whatever the result, this battle is too destructive to continue. Robotech's Invid Regess is more defiant than her Mospeada counterpart, and not without reason: In Robotech's context, Earth is the last remaining source of protoculture, which the Invid rely on.

"Action Movie" Quips as Scott Fights Corg: When Stig battles Batra, he doesn't quip, reserving all of his focus for finding a way to defeat this formidable enemy. In Robotech, both Scott and Prince Corg exchange barbs throughout the fight, with Scott tossing off an '80s action movie style one-liner when he wins.

Rand Points Out that Humans Have an Instinct for War: After Stig rejects Aisha, Ray and Houquet confront him. Houquet says that she suspects his late fiancée would probably be happy that he found love again, and Ray insists that both sides are to blame for the fighting. This is similar in both versions, but Robotech's Rand takes it further, pointing out humanity's instinct for war. "There were wars before we even heard of the Invid, or the Robotech Masters, or the Zentraedi. You might have lost your girl fighting other humans!" It's a bit heavy-handed in both versions, but I think I slightly prefer the Robotech scene.

The Influence of the Masters: In Mospeada, the Inbit leader decides to stop fighting and leave Earth because no matter who wins, "the hatred will create a new hatred. The fighting will be passed from children to grandchildren." Robotech changes this realization to continuity points, with the Regess complaining that the influence of the Robotech Masters remains too strong on Earth... which doesn't seem to actually have anything to do with the current conflict, but I guess the writers really wanted to throw in a reference to the series' second arc.

The Regess Uses Protoculture: In both versions, the Inbit leave Earth by transforming into a noncorporeal form, sending a message to the humans and humanoid Inbit as they go. Mospeada doesn't explain how this is done, while Robotech makes clear that the Regess is using all of the Invids' remaining protoculture to do this.

Scott Is Leaving to Find Admiral Hunter: Stig is returning to Mars because, as he observes, Earth truly isn't his home. Scott has a more specific reason for leaving, wanting to find the missing Admiral Hunter.

Aisha Reveals that Other Inbit Are on Earth: In an internal monologue, Aisha reveals to the audience that other humanoid Inbit are staying on Earth to live among the humans. Robotech removes this revelation, leaving its viewers with the impression that Marlene and Sera are the only humanoid Invid remaining.

Scott Vows to Return to Earth: Stig flies off in silence, backed by Yellow's performance of Lonely Soldier Boy. He thinks of each of his companions in turn, with Aisha being the last one he thinks of before the final shot, implying that he might return for her. In Robotech, Scott vows to return once his mission is done, making that indication more explicit.

Advantage: None. A few changes are slight improvements; a few are slightly for the worse; and they largely balance out.


INCIDENTAL MUSIC:

Mospeada makes excellent use of its score, notably when it chooses lower-key music over the later battle scenes as a counterpart. Robotech goes "full bombast" during its fight scenes. The tracks are well applied, and it does work, but it's a lot less interesting. I also prefer Mospeada's final music choice, a version of series theme song Lonely Soldier Boy, over Robotech's ending song.

Advantage: Mospeada.

The show's heroes witness the end of the war.

OVERALL ADVANTAGE - ROBOTECH:

I've taken a couple swipes at Robotech's attempts to namedrop bits of the previous arcs to attempt to tie everything together. Even so, I think those efforts lead to me preferring the Robotech finale to the Mospeada one. As with the mentions of the Invid throughout the "Masters" arc, it adds an extra layer, from the Invid's resentment of the Robotech Masters to Scott's decision to go off in search of Admiral Hunter (which I assume would have eventually tied into Season Two's story had production not fallen apart). It just helps to make the scope feel larger.


OTHER MUSINGS:

Symphony of Light is a solid episode, and it's a much better finale than Southern Cross's rushed and jumbled Genesis. If I feel slightly disappointed, it's only in comparison to the previous installment, which was so good that it actually surprised me when it ended so soon. This episode is fine, addressing all the plot points that it needs to address and giving all the characters something to do, but it doesn't land quite as strongly as I'd like.

I love some of the ideas, particularly that the Inbit arrived on Earth and found it "filthy," and that they restored the land that the humans had ruined (this is less the humans' fault in Robotech, given that the planet had suffered two devastating wars in rather short order). I also think it's appropriate to the series that the conflict is ultimately resolved through persuasion. The actual battle is poised to wreak destruction for both sides, and it's Yellow's appeal for reason that results in a better solution.

I like all of this on paper, but I can't help but feel that the rhythms of the story seem off. The first half, which focuses mainly on Stig's battle with Batra, works well... but between it and the epilogue, too little time is given to Yellow talking to the Inbit leader, which makes her choice seem a little too easily reached. I think it might have been better to have trimmed the Batra fight so that Stig only faces him once, which would have freed a few extra minutes for Yellow and the Inbit to properly debate.

The ending is quite good. The Inbit withdrawal is beautifully animated, and the character-focused epilogue makes sure that every thread gets just enough follow-up. The final shot is particularly well-judged, showing Stig at least starting to move past some of his major personal issues.

It's a good final installment on its own terms - but after Dark Finale, I was hoping for a great episode, and it falls short of that mark.


Overall Rating: 7/10.

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3-24. Dark Finale.

Stig's team reaches the center of Reflex Point.

Original Air Date - Genesis Climber Mospeada: Mar. 18, 1984. Writer: Sukehiro Tomita. Director: Mari Kobayashi.

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


PLOT - MOSPEADA:

Stig and the others have finally made it to Reflex Point, where they have joined forces with other survivors of the Second Liberation Force. The humans and Inbit soon enter into a pitched battle... but the fighting is disrupted when Aisha projects herself to her friends, guiding them through the Inbit defenses.

Aisha hopes to find a peaceful solution, and when Sorji offers her support, there appears to be at least a chance of discussion. Batra, the warlike male humanoid Inbit, rejects any talk of peace, setting out to annihilate all the humans on the battlefield. Even as Stig takes off to stop him, an even bigger threat appears:

The Third Earth Liberation Force, arriving with such military might that its commander is confident of victory - even if that means the destruction of the Earth...


PLOT - ROBOTECH:

Scott and the others have finally made it to Reflex Point, where they have joined forces with ground forces sent by Admiral Rick Hunter. The humans and Invid soon enter into a pitched battle... but the fighting is disrupted when Marlene projects herself to her friends, guiding them through the enemy defenses to the center of the Hive.

Marlene hopes to find a peaceful solution, which the Invid Regess utterly rejects. When Princess Sera offers her support for Marlene, there at least appears to be a chance of discussion. Then Prince Corg, the warlike male humanoid Invid, denounces the idea of peace and sets out to annihilate all the humans on the battlefield.

Even as Scott takes off to stop him, an even bigger threat appears: Admiral Hunter's fleet, with orders to drive out the aliens - or, failing that, to destroy the Earth!

Houquet, Mint, and Ray react to being left behind.

CHARACTERS:

When Stig orders the three civilians to stay behind, each responds according to their character: Ray is angry, Mint is upset at "breaking up," and Houquet understands... which doesn't stop her from joining Ray when he decides that he's going anyway. Since this is the first half of the two-part finale, various character threads are tidied up. Jim, who once considered himself a coward (he really wasn't), joins the fray and expresses defiance even in the presence of the Inbit leader, while Houquet and Ray finally recognize their feelings for each other.

There are also good moments for the Inbit characters. Aisha has fully regained her memories, and she returns to Reflex Point determined to try to get the two sides to talk to each other. Batra ignores her, declaring, "Battles are what build the future!" After some wavering, Sorji sides with Aisha, rescuing Yellow from the battlefield so that he can join the others.

All of this is largely consistent between the two versions, making this a rare episode that's equally good at action and characterization in both Mospeada and Robotech.

Advantage: None.


NARRATION:

Robotech adds only a small amount of narration, establishing Admiral Hunter's fleet at the beginning and covering a couple of transitions later in the episode. For the most part, the action is allowed to play out without interruption.

Advantage: None.

Stig and his friends confront the Inbit leader.
Robotech's Regess is more directly villainous.

CUTS AND ALTERATION:

Admiral Hunter Is Missing: Because Robotech has made such a big point about the Earth forces being under the command of Admiral Hunter, and because there was neither time nor budget for original animation, the writing staff had to come up with a reason for him not to make an appearance. Thus, the SDF-3 fails to materialize at the rendezvous point.

Civilian Reactions to Being Left Behind: In Mospeada, Ray is resentful when Stig orders him, Houquet, and Mint to stay behind during the attack, while Houquet understands his reasons. In Robotech, this is all but reversed: Rook is snide in responding to the order, while Ray shrugs that he's just as happy not to get killed.

Mint Hopes to Find a Good Man Among the Inbit: Mint's tiresome, season-long running (limping?) gag about wanting a husband gets a punchline, as she jumps into Jim's jeep and announces that she's given up on human men and will hopefully find a good man among the Inbit. I've mostly hated this aspect of the character, but this made me laugh thanks to a good voice performance and funny reactions from Jim. Robotech replaces this with some bland dialogue about how Annie refuses to allow Lunk and the others to abandon her.

The "Cloud Effect" Around Marlene (Further) Obscures Nudity: When Aisha appears to the group in Mospeada, they can clearly recognize that it's her despite the shimmering effect surrounding her. However, even though the effect masks any details, you can tell that Aisha is nude in this form. Robotech increases the effect so that Marlene is only recognizable in a few facial close-ups, with the group seeing her mostly as a shimmering cloud.

The Regess Is More Overtly Villainous: The Inbit leader is a threatening figure, but she acts less out of malice than out of a belief that the humans are both less important and more corrupt than her own people. Robotech changes her lines into a villain monologue, with her sneering at the group and labeling "Ariel" (Marlene) as a traitor for having allowed them inside.

Admiral Hunter Ordered the Destruction of Earth: In Mospeada, the commander of the Earth forces is excited that they have the military power to win this battle, and he dismisses the potential destruction of Earth as a "worst case," collateral damage that he's clearly willing to live with. This is already chilling, but Robotech decides to push it further, telling us that Admiral Hunter has ordered the destruction of Earth if they can't dislodge the Invid... which doesn't seem very in-character for the person we followed across Robotech's first 36 episodes.

Advantage: Mospeada. Though only by a hair.


INCIDENTAL MUSIC:

Robotech uses its incidentals well, but the "otherworldly" track gets played a bit too much and becomes repetitive. Mospeada makes excellent (and restrained!) use of its music. It also delivers a highly effective, Act break-spanning rendition of Love Pebbles against the battle that, unlike the attempt to use it in White Night Serenade, actually fits the context and enriches the scenes (Robotech just uses standard "battle music" over the same action).

Advantage: Mospeada.

The human fleet reaches Earth. This is not a good thing.

OVERALL ADVANTAGE - MOSPEADA:

...But not by much. Robotech's changes are mostly minor, primarily existing for the sake of standards and practices or to fit that series' larger context. It's an excellent episode either way. However, one dumb change (Rick Hunter, Destroyer of Worlds!) and Mospeada's use of music helps the original version to ever-so-slightly outshine the Americanized one.


OTHER MUSINGS:

One of Mospeada's consistent strengths has been its action. Of the three series that made up Robotech, Mospeada has offered the most consistently well-animated and coherent battles. That remains true here, with the action scenes being visually exciting and well-edited.

There are memorable visuals throughout this episode. Flowers blow through the battlefield after the humans penetrate the Inbit force field. The spectral Aisha guides her friends on separate paths through the Inbit defenses. Jim drives his jeep into the vaguely surreal passage that separates the inside of the base from the battlefield, replicating Mospeada's mid-episode bumper in the moment. One scene after another provides something that makes a basic sensory impact. In combination with excellent characterization and generally strong production credits, it helps the episode go by quickly. So quickly that I was genuinely startled when the end credits started to roll.

The confrontation inside Reflex Point dominates the second half, and it's an excellent scene. Aisha initiates the conversation/confrontation as she appeals for peace while talking about the similarities between the humans and Inbit, but each character gets a moment to either support or lash out at her. The human and Inbit characters parallel each other. Her desire for peace is echoed by both Sorji and Yellow. Stig's anger is directly reflected by Batra's. Batra's delight in battle is equaled by the commander of the human fleet, who all but declares Earth's destruction as acceptable collateral damage. In both good ways and bad, we see that Aisha is right in her claim that the two sides are far more alike than not.

The episode ends on an excellent cliffhanger, one that subverts general expectation. Even one episode ago, Stig would have looked on the arrival of the human fleet as a boon, the proverbial cavalry arriving to save the day. Here, the cavalry arrives - but that's not something to celebrate...


Overall Rating: 10/10.

Previous Episode: Black Hair's Partita/Reflex Point
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3-22. New York Bebop/The Big Apple.

Yellow gives the performance of a lifetime.

Genesis Climber Mospeada: New York Bebop.

Original Air Date - Genesis Climber Mospeada: Mar. 4, 1984. Writer: Kenji Terada. Director: Mari Kobayashi.

Robotech: The Big Apple.

Original Air Date - Robotech: June 25, 1985.
Story Editor: Steve Kramer. Supervising Director: Robert V. Barron.


PLOT - MOSPEADA:

Stig's group deviates to New York City to replenish supplies of HBT before the assault on Reflex Point. The city is under the control of Sorji, the female humanoid Inbit. She wants to observe the humans, so she allows them to live in peace as long as they don't rebel.

Yellow, Ray, and Mint find a large supply of HBT in Carnegie Hall, which the aliens have turned into a makeshift warehouse. While evading the Inbit, they meet George, a boy with dreams of being a musical stage star. He takes them to Simon, a choreographer who is preparing for a performance and who is overjoyed at meeting the famous Yellow Belmont.

The human fighters aren't the only new arrivals. Batra, the male humanoid Inbit, has come to implement his own plan: destruction of every living thing in the city. He launches a devastating attack, leaving Yellow and Simon to stage an impromptu concert to raise the morale of the survivors and to bring Stig and the others to their rescue.


PLOT - ROBOTECH:

Scott's group deviates to New York City to replenish supplies of protoculture before the assault on Reflex Point. The city is under the control of Sera, the humanoid Invid princess. She wants to observe the humans as scientific specimens, so she allows them to live in peace.

Lancer, Rand, and Annie find a large supply of protoculture in Carnegie Hall, which the aliens have turned into a makeshift warehouse. While evading the Invid, they meet George, a boy with dreams of being a musical stage star. He takes them to Simon, a choreographer who is preparing for a performance - and an old friend of Lancer's.

The human fighters aren't the only new arrivals. Corg, the humanoid Inbit prince, has come to implement his own plan: destruction of every living thing in the city. He launches a devastating attack, leaving Lancer and Simon to stage an impromptu concert to raise the morale of the survivors and to bring Scott and the others to their rescue.

Sorji is conflicted as her "brother" prepares for a massacre.

CHARACTERS:

Even on Mars, Yellow dreamed about his music being performed at Carnegie Hall. This is even more direct in Robotech, with Lancer having visited Carnegie Hall in the past and vowing not to give up on his dream of performing there someday.

This is an excellent character episode for Sorji, who is becoming increasingly conflicted. She finds the humans "beautiful" and is distressed when Batra launches his attack on the civilians. She continues to feel drawn to Yellow. When she sees that he and the others are in the city, she takes the opportunity to directly confront Aisha - not to berate her for betraying their race, but to demand to know why the humans allow her to live among them.

Unfortunately, Robotech's Princess Sera does exactly what Mospeada's Sorji does not: Demands an explanation for Marlene's betrayal. Robotech also changes Marlene's response. In Mospeada, Aisha takes the confirmation that she's an Inbit with calm resignation, having already pretty well figured it out over the past few episodes. In Robotech, Marlene gasps that this can't be true - a more stereotypical reaction and thus a less interesting one.

Advantage: Mospeada.


NARRATION:

Robotech's opening narration reframes the Invid presence in New York as being specifically targeted at Scott's team, with the enemy expecting them to come here to collect protoculture. The narration then segues into the Invid Regess, directing her troops as they patrol the streets, looking for signs of the rebels. The narrator also chimes in to cover several scene transitions, which is mostly unnecessary but at least isn't intrusive.

Advantage: Mospeada.

Sorji confronts Aisha. Their conversation
is a lot more generic in Robotech.

CUTS AND ALTERATION:

The Invid Are Searching for Scott's Group: In Mospeada, it's pretty clear that the Inbit occupation of New York City is ongoing, with the residents seeming accustomed to living their lives around the aliens. In Robotech, the Invid are specifically laying a trap for Scott and his team.

Rand and Lancer Confirm That George Mimicked a Cat: Yellow, Ray, and Mint are almost caught by the Inbit at Carnegie Hall when they're rescued by George, a theater kid who mimics a cat to convince the Inbit nobody is present. Ray and Lancer congratulate him on his impression. Because Robotech assumes that the after-school children are too dumb to follow along, Rand and Lancer ask if the "cat" was George. Yeah, writers - I'm pretty sure the kids caught that without the extra help.

Sera Is Determined to Speak with Ariel: Sorji and Batra argue about the humans in New York, with Sorji finding them "beautiful" and wanting to study them and Batra calling them "parasitic" and wanting to destroy them. Though the overall scene is similar, the argument between Sera and Corg in Robotech feels more slapdash. Batra's "anything living is my enemy" is replaced with a generic sneer about how Sera lacks "the stomach" for extermination. There is a notable change at the scene's end, though, with Sera deciding that she needs to find and talk with Ariel (Marlene), which sets up the later scene between them.

Corg Gloats: Mospeada's Batra laughs as he targets civilians, reveling in the destruction. Robotech's Corg is even pettier than that, mocking Sera as his forces attack: "There, princess, observe your lifeforms now!"

Sera Demands to Know Why Marlene Betrayed The Invid: When Sorji confronts Aisha, she confirms Aisha's fears about being an Inbit and demands to know why the humans have allowed her to survive among them. In Robotech, Princess Sera instead reveals that Marlene is an Invid, which Marlene cries can't be true. Sera barks about how "Ariel" betrayed them, demanding to know why she hasn't reported in. It's a pointless change that not only alters the meaning of the original scene - It takes an interesting interaction and makes it into dull cliché.

The Others Hesitate When Scott Decides to Attack the Invid Hive: Mospeada's Stig decides to use the enemy's HBT against them by attacking one of the pipes inside the Inbit fort, a plan that the others enthusiastically endorse. When Robotech's Scott announces that he wants to attack the Invid hive, the others are understandably hesitant, because he doesn't explain his plan. The plan doesn't really get explained in Robotech at all, and an action climax that already feels rushed in the original version seems even more so as a result.

Advantage: Mospeada.


INCIDENTAL MUSIC:

Both shows use their regular tracks to good effect. Both also use their songs well, with Mospeada's Yellow singing Blue Rain and Love Pebbles, while Robotech's Lancer sings Lonely Soldier Boy and Look Up, the Sky Is Falling... the latter of which is actually a better fit for the action/performance intercutting than in the original version.

Music ends up being a big strength for both versions of the episode - which is only appropriate, with a story that centers its action/sci-fi plot around musical theatre.

Advantage: None.

Batra and his Inbit target New York's civilians.

OVERALL ADVANTAGE - MOSPEADA:

I like both versions of this episode, but Mospeada's scenes with Sorji - both her argument with Batra and her confrontation with Aisha - are simply better-written than the corresponding bits in Robotech.


OTHER MUSINGS:

There's one glaring issue with this episode: Geography.

The regulars were last seen in the vicinity of the Rocky Mountains. Before this episode begins, they apparently traveled to New York (roughly 2,000 miles). They also engage in a pitched battle across the episode's second half. Now, Reflex Point's location hasn't been specifically identified, but we have seen it pointed to on maps, and it looks like it's somewhere in the north/central part of the United States.

There's no place it could be that wouldn't involve the team bypassing Reflex Point by anywhere from several hundred to a thousand miles to get to New York... meaning that if they have enough fuel to reach New York and fight while they're there, then they already have the fuel they need to attack Reflex Point. In short, it's clear enough that someone on Mospeada's writing staff really wanted a Broadway-themed episode set in New York City, whether it made any sense or not.

Still, when the resulting episode is this much fun, who really cares?

New York Bebop is energetic. It zips through its story, it includes action set pieces and dance numbers, and it still finds room for some pretty good character moments for Sorji, Yellow, and Aisha. Between the action and the dancing, the animation is ambitious for the rapid pace of mid-'80s television, and a few seams show - notably, the white outlines separating the dancers from the background. Still, sheer momentum makes it all but impossible not to have a good time.

My only reservation is that I think it is a bit rushed, and it might have worked even better as a two-parter. That aside, this is thoroughly entertaining.


Overall Rating: 8/10.

Previous Episode: Arpeggio of Murder/Hired Gun
Next Episode: Black Hair's Partita/Reflex Point

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3-17. White Night Serenade/The Midnight Sun.

Ambushed by the Inbit!

Genesis Climber Mospeada: White Night Serenade.

Original Air Date - Genesis Climber Mospeada: Jan. 29, 1984. Writer: Ryo Yasumura. Director: Masakazu Yasumura.

Robotech: The Midnight Sun.

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


PLOT - MOSPEADA:

The group advances toward Reflex Point, moving through a snowy mountain range. They believe themselves safe as they gather around a fire, eating and laughing. They are anything but.

Sorji, the female humanoid Inbit, attacks when their guard is down. Stig and the others are forced to flee, sliding down the mountainside, with the Inbit in pursuit. Only two things save them: an avalanche triggered by the exchange of fire; and Sorji's own hesitation to kill Yellow.

The humans split into three groups. Ray, Houquet, and Mint draw an Inbit Grab into one trap; Stig and Jim set another trap for the two Grabs that follow them. Meanwhile, Yellow and Aisha are caught on the edge of a cliff, with Sorji lying in wait!


PLOT - ROBOTECH:

The group advances toward Reflex Point, moving through a snowy mountain range. They believe themselves safe as they gather around a fire, eating and laughing. They are anything but.

Sera, the Invid princess, attacks when their guard is down. Scott and the others are forced to flee, sliding down the mountainside, with the Invid in pursuit. Only two things save the humans: an avalanche triggered by the exchange of fire; and Sera's own hesitation to kill Lancer.

The humans split into three groups. Rand, Rook, and Annie draw an Invid trooper into one trap; Scott and Lunk set another trap for the two that follow them. Meanwhile, Lancer and Marlene are caught on the edge of a cliff, with Sera lying in wait!

Aisha is startled as her memories awaken...

CHARACTERS:

The choice to split the characters up is a good one, allowing all the regulars a chance to show their resourcefulness. Ray and Houquet exchange quips while preparing their trap. Houquet acidly states that she won't rescue him if things go wrong - but when things do go wrong, she rushes to save him, firing wildly at the Grab, while Mint distracts it by flinging snowballs. Stig and Jim devise their own trap, one which relies on Jim's physical strength. Yellow shows his courage when he shields Aisha from Sorji, offering his own life while pleading for Aisha to be set free.

The most notable developments center around Aisha. Early in the episode, when she clutches her head and cries out, the others instantly look about for Inbit. Even if they're not talking about it yet, they have made the connection between her breakdowns and enemy attacks. At the end of the episode, seeing Sorji seems to revive Aisha's memories, or at least her consciousness of being an Inbit and not a human. Robotech's Marlene has a different immediate response to this than Mospeada's Aisha; but either way, I'm interested to see what this leads to.

Advantage: None.


NARRATION:

The Robotech episode uses its narration both sparingly and unobtrusively. It also uses the opening recap to slip in a transition between the summer ocean setting of the previous episode and the winter snowscape of this one. Mospeada has the characters comment on the change from just a few days ago as well, so the writers of both series apparently felt that the change in setting was jarring enough to at least lampshade it.

Advantage: None.

Sorji wrestles with conflicting emotions.
Robotech's Sera narrates the conflict for our benefit.

CUTS AND ALTERATION:

Sera's Internal Monologue: Mospeada shows Sorji as she reflects on meeting Yellow. Robotech adds an internal monologue for Princess Sera, in which she berates herself for wanting to see Lancer again - which is "not the Invid way" - because the viewer can't be trusted to understand her internal conflict.

Lancer Makes a Speech: After Aisha senses the Inbit and breaks down, the group goes on alert but sees nothing. Yellow then soothes Aisha by singing Love Pebbles, which carries over into the attack. Robotech isn't about to come up with a new Lancer song, so Lancer instead gives a pep talk about getting through difficult moments. Given Robotech's limitations, it's a fair compromise - and while Love Pebbles is a nice enough song, it doesn't mesh with the battle, which makes the Robotech scene a marginal improvement.

Sera Directs the Attack: The Regess gives Sera command, making it clear that she's responsible for the outcome. Sera then gives orders throughout the battle. I think this slightly helps the scene, as it makes the action feel a bit more ordered than in Mospeada, particularly when the humans split into pairs and Sera directs her forces to split up to follow.

Rand Adds "Injured Noises" to His Trap: Ray lures the Inbit Grab chasing him, Houquet, and Mint into a trap by making sure his footprints lead straight to the trigger. Robotech adds dialogue to make clear that Rand is springing a trap, with Rand making fake "injured" noises to further draw in the pursuing Invid.

The Regess Calls Out to Marlene: Near the end, Mospeada's Sorji meets Aisha's eyes, and the two humanoid Inbit share a moment of recognition that seems to restore at least some of Aisha's memories. Robotech adds the Regess to this scene, with her voice calling out to "Ariel" (Marlene), reminding her of who she really is and demanding that she return to them. Though this underscores Robotech's need to spell things out, it's still an effective scene, with the Regess's voice over a good match for the visuals.

Scott Tries to Pass Off the Incident as a Plan: In Mospeada, Ray briefly tries to pretend that the successful rescue of Yellow and Aisha was his plan, though he quickly admits that he's joking. Robotech sees the same claim made, only this time by Scott - which, given Scott's generally serious demeanor, feels a bit out of character.

Scott Does Not Refer to the Invid as "Monsters": The group wonders why Sorji didn't shoot Yellow and Aisha, and Stig responds that there's no way to know what goes on inside the head of the alien monsters. This reminds us of Stig's deep personal hatred of the Inbit - and it reminds Aisha of the same just as she's becoming aware of her true nature. Robotech changes this, with Scott shrugging Sera's inaction off as confusion caused by the group's cover fire. In this altered context, Marlene isn't reacting to his words but is instead still processing her encounter with Sera and the revelations from the Regess. Both versions work, though I find the Mospeada version of the scene more interesting.

Lancer and Marlene Talk: At the end of Mospeada, Yellow offers his hand to Aisha as the group moves off. She doesn't take it, a sign of rejection in the face of Stig's harsh words. Robotech completely changes the context by dubbing in a conversation between Marlene and Lancer, with her worried about bringing trouble to the group and him reassuring her.

Advantage: Robotech. Though I prefer a couple of Mospeada's late episode moments, those are outweighed by Robotech's improvements to the first half.


INCIDENTAL MUSIC:

Mospeada's normal score is applied in a heavy-handed way early in this episode, particularly the loud march when the Inbit appear. There's an attempt to do something interesting with the initial attack, with Yellow's song to soothe Aisha carried over into the early stages of the fight. Unfortunately, as I mentioned earlier, I don't think the song works either to accent or contrast with the battle, making it just an extra chaotic element in a weak opening Act. A reprise of the song at the end works better, but this is overall one of Mospeada's weaker episodes with regard to its score.

Robotech uses its tracks better, from the vaguely otherworldly music that accompanies the opening visuals of the snowy mountains to the various tracks backing the action scenes. Notably, Robotech uses a different "action/suspense" track for each of the character groups in the second half. The track for Scott and Lunk is a bit more intense than the one for Rand, Rook, and Annie; the track as Lancer and Marlene find themselves trapped raises the intensity still more.

Advantage: Robotech.

Ray, Houquet, and Mint struggle through the snowstorm.

OVERALL ADVANTAGE - ROBOTECH:

The first half is the weakest part of both versions, but Robotech's added dialogue for both the human and Invid characters lends a bit more sense of direction to the early going, making it more engaging.

I prefer the final Yellow/Aisha scene in Mospeada to the Lancer/Marlene conversation in Robotech... but except for that, I think the second half is about equal in both versions. Given the improvements to the first part of the episode, this ends up being the first time in a while that I've preferred Robotech over the original version.


OTHER MUSINGS:

I struggled with the first half of Mospeada here, finding it difficult to connect with the characters' situation. Weaker-than-usual musical choices further harm the opening Act, but there's also a lack of energy and focus. Robotech improves on that, presenting a more clearly structured and more immediately engaging opening.

The episode gets better as it goes. I enjoyed watching each group of characters deal with the enemies chasing them in their own ways. I'm also glad to get some follow-up to the previous episode, with Sorji continuing to struggle with her emotional reaction to Yellow.

By far the most interesting part is Aisha's encounter with Sorji. Mospeada visualizes her reaction rather than spelling it out with voice over, so there's some question as to whether she remembers her past or just has more of a sense of her true identity. Either way, it should lead to something interesting... and with only seven episodes to go, I'm guessing further follow-up won't be too long in coming.


Overall Rating - Mospeada: 6/10. A strong second half partially redeems a weak first half.

Overall Rating - Robotech: 7/10. Improvements to the first half make it more immediately engaging.

Previous Episode: Trap Reggae/Metamorphosis
Next Episode: Old Soldiers' Polka/Ghost Town

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3-16. Trap Reggae/Metamorphosis.

Yellow encounters a mysterious woman.

Genesis Climber Mospeada: Trap Reggae.

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

Robotech: Metamorphosis.

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


PLOT - MOSPEADA:

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

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

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

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


PLOT - ROBOTECH:

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

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

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

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

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

CHARACTERS:

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

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

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

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

Advantage: None.


NARRATION:

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

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

Advantage: Mospeada.

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

CUTS AND ALTERATION:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


INCIDENTAL MUSIC:

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

Advantage: None.

Two Inbit prepare for a metamorphosis.

OVERALL ADVANTAGE - NONE:

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

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


OTHER MUSINGS:

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

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

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


Overall Rating: 7/10.

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

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