Some Thoughts on Robotech: The New Generation.

The series' regulars, as seen in the titles of Genesis Climber
Mospeada (Robotech flips this image for reasons unknown).

The third Robotech arc, "The New Generation," tends to land in the middle of fan rankings: better than "The Masters," not as good as "The Macross Saga." Personally, I think... that's actually about right. It takes just shy of a third of the series for it to find itself. Once it does, however, it improves immediately and keeps on improving until the end.

Closely adapted from source series, Genesis Climber Mospeada, this was the series that was least changed for Robotech. Because of this, I'm going to refer to Mospeada and its character names as the default, save for when I am specifically mentioning the Robotech version.


A WEAK FIRST ACT:

Mospeada doesn't get off to the best start. The first three episodes do their job of establishing the premise and introducing the core ensemble. Once that's done, the series delivers a steady diet of standalones that could mostly be shown in any order.

The goal of this phase of the series is clearly to build up the characters. Stig meets his childhood hero; Jim goes in search of the father of a dead war buddy; Houquet returns to her childhood home. All three of the aforementioned episodes - and two of the three series-establishing ones - boast the '80s stock plot that I've dubbed "The Evil Town Episode," with the regulars visiting isolated towns that are either under the control of a malicious figure or that hide dark secrets.

It's a stock plot for a reason. It's a reliable way to build tension, and some of these episodes are good ones. The problem is the repetition. Even The A-Team and Knight Rider didn't repeat this setup five times in nine episodes! By the time it was Jim's turn to be shunned in an insular little town, I started wondering if the group shouldn't just forget about the Inbit and declare war on their true enemy: small towns.

Around the series' one-third mark, I started to wonder why this repetitive series was considered to be better than Southern Cross. For all of its faults, the adventures of Jeanne and her squad at least had energy, a quality that seemed sorely lacking here.

Then, in Episode 10, the series found itself in a big way...

The mysterious Aisha (Marlene in Robotech)
joins the group just in time for an Inbit attack.

ENTER MARLENE - AND SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT:

Requiem of the Battlefield, the series' tenth episode, brings Mospeada to life. More prosaically titled Enter Marlene in Robotech, it is by any name the first "great" episode of this arc. It's expertly paced, and it manages to work in terms of story, characterization, and theme.

The episode sees Stig fall into a depression after he discovers the force of soldiers he meant to join has been wiped out. Jim and Yellow leave him to sulk and go to work cannibalizing the battlefield, upgrading the group's abilities with several new mechs, which helps to make the group's later victories more plausible. Most notably, Houquet and Ray discover Aisha in the nearby town wiped out by the Inbit. This amnesiac girl reminds Stig of his late fiancée, Marlene, who was killed by the Inbit... so Robotech, which has always tended to be more on the nose than its origin series, renames her as Marlene to make sure no viewer can miss the connection.

Aisha's introduction creates new dynamics among the group: Houquet and Yellow are protective of her, she becomes a friend to Mint, and the mutual attraction between her and Stig helps to humanize the previously stoic soldier. There's also a bit of added tension; we know right away that she's an Inbit in human form, but the group doesn't know this and neither does she.

Episode 11 goes right back to the "Evil Town" format, as the group seeks passage through a mountain range that is home to an Inbit fortress. Even here, though, there seems to be a sense of direction and energy that wasn't there before. Instead of the episode-specific conflict existing in isolation, it's actually followed up in Episode 12, in which the characters must find a way past the fortress to continue their journey. This begins creating the sense of the episodes building toward something, which thankfully continues from this point on.

It helps that this marks the point at which the series stops relying on small towns with secrets. There are still plenty of trope-filled plots, but Episode 11 stands as the series' final "Evil Town" episode (though Robotech arguably reformats Episode 21, Hired Gun, into one).

The introduction of Aisha helps to humanize Stig.

CHARACTERS:

Mospeada initially has a problem with its lead. Stig is a mostly stoic protagonist, and he's particularly closed off in the early episodes. The writers seem to struggle with making such a person, who is inclined to neither chat nor joke, as the lead. As a result, early scripts show preference to the more outgoing Ray, with him taking either the lead or primary supporting role in most of the early episodes.

There are two episodes in which I specifically felt that Ray was favored at the expense of other characters. Ray takes the primary supporting role in the Jim-centric Fallen Hero's Ragtime, which revolves around the fate of a fellow soldier's father. I felt this role should have instead gone to Yellow; not only was he underused at that point in the series, as a former soldier, he might have had a more interesting reaction than Ray.

A handful of episodes later, Sandstorm Playback sees an unconscious Ray have an episode-long dream that is influenced by Aisha. Given that Aisha was already being paired with Stig at this point, I felt this should have been a Stig-centric installment. This might have strengthened the bond between Stig and Aisha, while the dream adventure might have pushed Stig to start confronting both his anger and his hostility toward civilians, both of which are shown in the episode's opening scene. But no - Ray's easier to write for, so the episode goes to Ray.

Thankfully, this tendency evens out in later episodes. Stig thaws as he bonds with Aisha, and I suspect the writers had fewer problems writing for this less reserved version of the character. At this point, he actually emerges as the lead, rather than just being identified as such. The full ensemble is generally better balanced after this. Jim gets good character moments in The Ballad of Breaking Up and Trap Reggae; Yellow, underused in the series' first half, receives increasing focus in his interactions with humanoid Inbit Sorji; and even comedy sidekick Mint gets a handful of decent moments.

Arpeggio of Murder: The only Mospeada episode
that was significantly rewritten for Robotech.

THE LEAST CHANGED ROBOTECH SERIES:

Here's where I'd usually talk about the ways in which Robotech changed the characters... except this time, the American show really didn't much change them.

"The Macross Saga" sanitized Roy and performed all-out character assassination on Minmei; "The Masters" eliminated the already weak character arc that Southern Cross had created for Jeanne, in which she went from treating the war like a game to realizing that there were real consequences worth taking seriously... by pretty much presenting Dana Sterling as taking the conflict seriously from the very start. Even more aggravating was the way "The Masters" reduced Jeanne's well-written second-in-command, Andrzej, into generic meathead Angelo.

"The New Generation" maintains the characters as originally presented. Robotech moderately tones down Mint's obsession with matrimony, and Scott has more of a tendency to make '80s action movie quips than Stig, but the characters are basically the same in the American series as in the Japanese original.

This applies on a story level, as well. Genesis Climber Mospeada is easily the least changed of the three series, with most of its alterations being a question of matching the general Robotech continuity. The only individual episode that was substantially rewritten was Hired Gun, likely because Mospeada's Arpeggio of Murder tried to make sympathetic a guest character who was murdering dozens of men for entirely selfish reasons. Hired Gun rewrites this as revenge - which, while not admirable, at least makes his victims culpable for their own fates. Outside of this one episode, the remaining chapters are close matches in content, if not always in quality.

Lt. Commander Jonathan betrays his men...
but he feels really bad about it.

A LITTLE TOO MUCH SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL:

The case of Arpeggio of Murder/Hired Gun does draw attention to one of Mospeada's more bizarre tendencies. This is a series that, in three separate episodes, asks us to sympathize with characters who are guilty of terrible things: Jonathan's Elegy's Lt. Commander Jonathan, Lullaby of Distant Hope's Dogarbo; and Arpeggio of Murder's Rainy Boy.

Jonathan's Elegy is the least objectionable example, because Lt. Commander Jonathan actually has an argument for his actions. Giving the most dangerous soldiers to the Inbit allowed the rest of the population of the town to survive - and any doubt that his deal protected the town is dispelled by the fate for the town that the episode's closing shots heavily imply. Even so, Jonathan remains a man who sold out soldiers who trusted him, and yet the regulars end up memorializing him with a respect that's denied to any of his victims.

Arpeggio of Murder is worse - so much so that it became the one episode that Robotech significantly changed. In the original, Rainy Boy murders soldiers because the Inbit have promised to make his body whole if he manages to eliminate 100 of his fellow troops. What happened to Rainy is horrific, and his desire to be whole again is understandable - but his mass murder of innocents nullifies any chance of me sympathizing with him. Robotech changes his motives to vengeance, with his victims being the comrades who abandoned him. This makes it less repellent when he's framed as a tragic figure. Even so, I found it laughable when the regulars labeled him as a "hero." He's still a murderer in this version - He just has a better motive.

The most egregious example comes in an otherwise very good episode, Lullaby of Distant Hope. This episode's town is located at the base of a mountain that's home to an Inbit base. Little surprise, then, that people and families want to get past the mountain to settle someplace safer, a desire that wealthy and unscrupulous Dogarbo preys upon. He takes people's life savings in exchange for maps of a safe route. The maps are fake, and he's actually sending his victims straight into the hands of the Inbit.

At least Lt. Commander Jonathan and Rainy end up paying for their crimes, losing their lives while saving the series' heroes. Dogarbo also saves the series' heroes, at the cost of... some nifty unmanned fighters that he uses to fool the Inbit into thinking they killed their targets. The loss of those fighters is his only punishment. His crimes are not exposed, and he continues to subsist on the giant hoard of cash he's fleeced from desperate people that he sent off to die. He even gets to marry the woman he loves. I can't be alone in thinking: What the ****?

A single example could be put down to spotty writing. Three times indicates that the series thinks these monsters in human form deserve forgiveness, even heroes' burials, even as their victims remain unheralded. I was able to overlook it to enjoy the series itself - but it's fair to say that I was not on board with this aspect.

The Inbit attack civilians in New York Bebop.

OVERALL:

Though I thought it had a weak start, I ended up enjoying Genesis Climber Mospeada. I liked the characters (for the most part; I never really warmed to Mint), and I think the show found a good balance of character material and action as it went along.

Unsurprisingly, I found myself generally preferring Mospeada over its Robotech version. The characterization seemed just a little bit sharper, the music was usually better integrated with the action, and I almost always prefer an unnarrated drama to a narrated one. Still, the viewing experience in total was largely the same between the two series.

"The Macross Saga" remains the strongest of the three Robotech arcs, simply because Superdimension Fortress Macross is a better show than the other two source series. Still, Mospeada is an enjoyable mix of '80s action tropes with some decent character writing, and it gets better as it goes. Of the three series, Macross is the only one that I'm likely to revisit, but I'm glad to have taken the time to watch them.


Previous: The Masters
Next: The Movies (not yet reviewed)

Review Index

To receive new review updates, follow me:

On BlueSky:

Follow @RandomMusings09 on BlueSky

On Threads:

Follow@randommusings09 on Threads

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.

Genesis Climber Mospeada/The New Generation Overview

Previous Episode: Dark Finale
Next: Codename - Robotech

Review Index

To receive new review updates, follow me:

On BlueSky:

Follow @RandomMusings09 on BlueSky

On Threads:

Follow@randommusings09 on Threads

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
Next Episode: Symphony of Light

Review Index

To receive new review updates, follow me:

On BlueSky:

Follow @RandomMusings09 on BlueSky

On Threads:

Follow@randommusings09 on Threads

3-23. Black Hair's Partita/Reflex Point.

Shinobu Takeuchi records a battle a little too coolly for Stig's liking.

Genesis Climber Mospeada: Black Hair's Partita.

Original Air Date - Genesis Climber Mospeada: Mar. 11, 1984. Writer: Sukehiro Tomita. Director: Yusaku Saotome.

Robotech: Reflex Point.

Original Air Date - Robotech: June 26, 1985.
Story Editor: Steve Kramer. Supervising Director: Robert V. Barron.


PLOT - MOSPEADA:

As the team draws near to Reflex Point, they observe a battle between the Inbit and survivors of the Second Earth Liberation Force. They rush to the site, but they are too late. They arrive to find a field of destroyed mechs, with no apparent survivors.

Except one, that is: Shinobu Takeuchi, of the 36th Moon Base Squad's News Group. Her mission is to gather as much information as possible about the enemy and send it to the moon base, where the Third Liberation Force is preparing its assault. In the time since Stig's mission failed, the humans have developed a new weapon: the Dark Legioss, which can hide its HBT signature to avoid detection by the enemy.

Shinobu also reveals the existence of another weapon: the synchrotron cannon. When Stig left Mars, it was still being developed, but now it is a reality - and the Inbit are searching the battlefield for it. Since allowing the enemy to take the cannon is unthinkable, Stig and Shinobu come up with a plan to destroy it and break through the Inbit forces to escape. But the plan is risky, and Stig isn't certain that she can be trusted...


PLOT - ROBOTECH:

As the team draws near to Reflex Point, they observe a battle between the Invid and forces from the Robotech Expeditionary Force. They rush to the site, but they are too late. They arrive to find a field of destroyed mechs, with no apparent survivors.

Except one, that is: Sue Graham, an intelligence officer. Her mission is to gather as much information as possible about the enemy and send it to a moon base to help Admiral Rick Hunter prepare his assault. The Robotech forces have modified their Veritechs into Shadow Fighters, which can hide their protoculture signature to avoid detection by the enemy.

Sue also reveals the existence of another weapon: the Synchro Cannon. The Invid are searching the battlefield for it. Since allowing the enemy to take the cannon is unthinkable, Scott and Sue come up with a plan to destroy it and break through the Invid forces to escape - but the plan is risky, and Scott isn't certain that she can be trusted...

Shinobu shares plans for the next attack.

CHARACTERS:

Ever since the death of his fiancée, Stig has compartmentalized his entire identity into "soldier." This episode confronts him with someone who truly has made "duty" into her entire persona... and he doesn't like what he sees, finding Shinobu to be almost inhuman in her coldness.

The idea is interesting. The actual writing is a bit heavy-handed, though. Stig's anger at Shinobu for continuing to record instead of joining the doomed battle is irrational. Does he think one woman with a camera joining the fray would have resulted in anything other than one more corpse? She is absolutely right to make transmitting information to her superiors (as ordered) into her priority, and Stig should already know this.

A better version would have Stig reluctantly acknowledgement that Shinobu is right while still being disturbed by her callousness. As it stands, his brain seems to basically fall out for the first 2/3 of this episode.

Advantage: None.


NARRATION:

The Robotech narrator and connects the Invid base of operations at Reflex Point to previous series, discussing how the protoculture the Invid have harvested comes from the Flower of Life. The narration is actually well written, with some effective descriptions, and the use of continuity points from the previous "generations" is cleverly done. Later bits of narration covering transitions are unnecessary, but at least they don't annoy.

Advantage: None.

The Inbit leader assumes human form. Robotech's Invid Regess
does this for the sake of universal domination.

CUTS AND ALTERATION:

The Invid Goal Is Universal Domination: Mospeada opens with the Inbit revealing how they have worked to improve this planet while seeking the ideal life form to exist upon it. This isn't villainous enough for Robotech, whose Regess all but cackles about "universal domination" as the aliens' ultimate goal.

The Invid Battle Admiral Hunter's Forces: In Mospeada, the opening battle sees the Inbit wiping out survivors of the Second Liberation Force. Robotech changes this so that they are from the Robotech Expeditionary Force sent by Admiral Hunter.

Mint Tries to Surrender to the Inbit: When the Inbit arrive on the battlefield in force, a panicky Mint tries to climb out of hiding to surrender, with Ray restraining her. Robotech wisely changes this misjudged comedy bit, with Annie instead just making panicked noises that Rand muffles.

Admiral Hunter's Forces Are Coming from Deep Space: In Mospeada, Shinobu reveals that the Third Liberation Force is gathered on the far side of the moon, preparing for an attack, with her assignment to gather and relay information to them. This is similar in Robotech, except that Admiral Hunter's forces are gathering by a moon base (presumably Moonbase Aluce) in preparation for the attack.

Scott Accuses Sue of Making the Attack Up: Most of the changes here are sensible enough adjustments to allow for the larger Robotech story - with the exception of this one. Bizarrely, after Sue finishes telling the group about the upcoming assault, Scott accuses her of making the whole thing up. Um... okay?

Rand's Dialogue Emphasizes the Plan: While both versions are basically the same in showing Ray/Rand using the cannon to draw the enemy to him, Robotech takes pains to have several lines in which Rand specifies that this is exactly what was intended. It doesn't hurt the episode, but it is another reminder of Robotech's tendency to clarify plot points that aren't actually in any way confusing.

Advantage: None.


INCIDENTAL MUSIC:

As if often the case with action-heavy episodes, Robotech's tracks inject more energy into the battle scenes. Mospeada does use Mine Matsuki's song, Go Together, to good effect at the end... but episode-wide, I'd still give this category to Robotech.

Advantage: Robotech.

Stig's group witnesses the end of a battle,
but they are too late to do anything but watch.

OVERALL ADVANTAGE - NONE:

Save for namedropping "Admiral Hunter" to an almost ridiculous extreme, this is the same episode across both versions, with identical strengths and weaknesses.


OTHER MUSINGS:

This episode offers some excellent action scenes and decent material for Stig. Shinobu is a memorable guest character, both as a reflection of Stig and as a person unto herself. The ending is strong, providing a good "hook" to carry viewers into the final two installments. There are only two problems: Stig's ridiculously over-the-top reactions to Shinobu and some odd continuity.

Yellow first saw a humanoid Inbit in Trap Reggae. Even if he somehow neglected to tell the others, the group has certainly been aware of their existence since White Night Serenade. And yet this episode has the group absolutely shocked to see the alien forces under the command of a humanoid, with Ray wondering why a human would be working with the enemy. Um... Did you hit your head really hard on something and lose your memory of the last several episodes, Ray?

It's still never less than entertaining, and the ending is particularly good. But if the continuity didn't have a bizarre disconnect with other recent episodes, and if Stig's reactions were just a bit more subdued, then I think this good episode might have been a great one.


Overall Rating: 7/10.

Previous Episode: New York Bebop/The Big Apple
Next Episode: Dark Finale

Review Index

To receive new review updates, follow me:

On BlueSky:

Follow @RandomMusings09 on BlueSky

On Threads:

Follow@randommusings09 on Threads

3-20. Birthday Song of the Night Sky/Birthday Blues.

Aisha tries to comfort Mint, who is depressed at the thought
of another birthday going uncelebrated.

Genesis Climber Mospeada: Birthday Song of the Night Sky.

Original Air Date - Genesis Climber Mospeada: Feb. 19, 1984. Writer: Sukehiro Tomita. Director: Mari Kobayashi.

Robotech: Birthday Blues.

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


PLOT - MOSPEADA:

It's Mint's birthday, but it looks like celebrating will have to wait. The group's route has put them in close proximity to an Inbit fort. Stig decides they should move through an abandoned town to try to avoid the alien patrols - and because the enemy can detect HBT emissions, they are forced to go on foot.

Ray leads Mint and Aisha to a house. Mint enters, terrified that Inbit may be lurking... only to be greeted with a surprise party. She's overjoyed, and they all spend a happy evening indulging a girl who has never gotten to properly enjoy a birthday before.

But the Inbit are closing in, and humanoid Inbit Batra is already eagerly anticipating the coming battle...


PLOT - ROBOTECH:

It's Annie's birthday, but it looks like celebrating will have to wait. The group's route has put them in close proximity to an Invid hive. Scott decides they should move through an abandoned town to try to avoid the alien patrols - and because the enemy can detect protoculture emissions, they are forced to go on foot.

Rand leads Annie and Marlene to a house. Annie enters, terrified that Invid may be lurking...only to be greeted with a surprise party. She's overjoyed, and they all spend a happy evening indulging a girl who has never gotten to properly enjoy a birthday before.

But the Invid are closing in, and Invid Prince Corg is already eagerly anticipating the coming battle...

A younger Mint shares a miserable birthday with no one but her cat.

CHARACTERS:

Flashbacks show Mint coming home on a past birthday to a note from her mother, telling her to celebrate alone. This explains her behavior in the first Act, with her calling out to everyone about it being her birthday and (in Mospeada) throwing a mini-tantrum when it seems the group won't celebrate it. When the others spring the surprise party, she is overcome with emotion, fleeing from the house before literally jumping for joy.

Stig started to wonder at the end of the last episode if Aisha might be a humanoid Inbit like Batra and Sorji. He's now secretly keeping watch on her, which doesn't go unnoticed by Yellow. He advises Stig to leave the situation be: "She's an innocent girl. That's all. Don't dig any deeper."

It seems that almost the entire group has at least silently absorbed the possibility. Aisha is clearly wondering about her own origins, expressing doubts about whether she should stay with the group. Houquet stops that train of thought, advising her not to think about it. Sadly, Robotech removes that conversation, leaving only Rook, Annie, and Marlene talking about men.

Advantage: Mospeada. Mostly because of the removal of the Aisha/Houquet exchange.


NARRATION:

Robotech adds a recap of the previous episode, along with some quick transitional narration when cutting between the humans and the Invid. None of it seems particularly necessary, but at least it doesn't intrude. The same can't be said for the end of episode narration, however, which overeggs the final scene when the visuals and music alone were more than adequate.

Advantage: Mospeada.

In Mospeada, the group sings Happy Birthday.
Because of copyright, the Robotech group doesn't sing.

CUTS AND ALTERATION:

The Regess Gives Orders: In Mospeada, the shots of the Inbit outpost are silent. In Robotech, the voice of the Invid Regess gives orders as she anticipates the arrival of Scott's group of rebels.

Annie Doesn't Throw a Tantrum: After Stig and Yellow spot the Inbit fort, they inform the others that they'll have to take a different route, with Stig telling Mint that this is "not a good time" for a birthday party. Mint throws a brief tantrum about her birthday being ignored. Robotech removes this, cutting to the next scene right after Scott states that they'll have to take the mountain road. I actually think this is an improvement. There are still several moments establishing the emotional importance of Annie's birthday, so no information is lost; and this bit in Mospeada pushes Mint over the edge into obnoxiousness.

"I'm Not Mint": As Ray and Mint ride along the mountain road, she urges him to go faster. Robotech changes this, with Rand telling Annie that he's going to go faster and referring to her as Mint - her unwelcome nickname - with her furiously responding that her name is Annie, not Mint. I'm pretty sure this was done to set up her nickname for the sake of the lettering at the end... though the need would have been avoided had the series simply kept her name the same in the first place.

Lancer Does Not Speak Directly to His Device: When Yellow plants the device to attract the Inbit, he addresses it like a person on a suicide mission, telling it that it may save their lives. Lancer does not talk to the machine, instead just remarking that he hopes it fools the Invid.

"Happy Birthday": In Mospeada, the group sings Happy Birthday to Mint. But as of 1985, Happy Birthday was still under copyright in the United States, so Robotech replaces it with a bunch of royalty-free "happy birthday" chatter.

Annie Doesn't Sing (nor does she flash Scott): During her birthday party, a happy Mint sings a song for the group, faux-flirting with each of the men. When she moves to Stig, she closes his eyes and then flashes him. That shot is thankfully removed. The song is also replaced by Annie playacting an interview during an imaginary beauty contest.

The Bathtub Scene Is Almost Entirely Cut: Houquet, Aisha, and Mint share a bath in a lengthy scene in which Mint asks Aisha if she has feelings for Stig, and Houquet comforts Aisha and tells her not to think about her self-doubts. It's a good scene... but the three are nude for virtually all of it. Robotech keeps the bath, but just enough for a quick bit with Rand attempting to peep, followed by a very small exchange as they talk about men. I don't think there was an easy way around this - the heavily cropped and zoomed shots are glaringly obvious as it stands - but it's a shame that a genuinely good scene had to be effectively removed.

The Regess Suspects a Trap: Mospeada shows Batra and his squad of Inbit falling into the trap Stig and the others set. Robotech has the Invid Regess, in voice over, suspecting a trap, a warning that Prince Corg ignores. This adds a last moment of suspense... though since it requires Corg behaving like an imbecile, I'm not sure it's worth the tradeoff. After this, it will strain credibility for the Regess to continue trusting his judgment.

Advantage: Mospeada.


INCIDENTAL MUSIC:

Both episodes do well with their respective scores. Robotech edges this one out for me thanks to the ending, which is elevated by an arrangement of We Will Win that's sung by Michael Bradley. The song fits the visuals and tone of the final scene perfectly.

Advantage: Robotech.

Houquet, Mint, and Aisha enjoy some fireworks.

OVERALL ADVANTAGE - MOSPEADA:

For most of its running time, I'd have labeled this as a tie. But a good scene from the original also featured sustained nudity, meaning that most of it had to be cut, chopping away one of the more interesting exchanges and character moments. I don't think there was a good solution available to the Robotech producers, particularly given the tight turnaround time; even what they kept features shots that are distractingly obvious in the zooming and cropping. But the loss of that scene weakens the interesting secondary thread surrounding Aisha.


OTHER MUSINGS:

This is another solid episode in what's shaping up to be a strong final run for Genesis Climber Mospeada. I had a few issues early on as Mint carried on about her birthday, but these were addressed as the episode revealed how bad her previous birthdays had been. Her emotional swings in the second half, from joy to tears to exhaustion, ring true.

A light tone is maintained throughout, even (arguably especially) in the ending action scene, but some serious moments surrounding Aisha give it enough substance to avoid seeming expendable. After having run into humanoid Inbit, Stig, Yellow, and Houquet are all at least considering the possibility that Aisha might be one, too. Yellow and Houquet prefer not to pursue that, as they're fond of her and are certain that both her innocence and her amnesia are genuine. Whether Stig, who has a more directly personal hatred of their enemies, will reach the same conclusion remains to be seen.


Overall Rating - Mospeada: 7/10.

Overall Rating - Robotech: 6/10.

Previous Episode: Forte of the Glacier City/Frostbite
Next Episode: Arpeggio of Murder/Hired Gun

Review Index

To receive new review updates, follow me:

On BlueSky:

Follow @RandomMusings09 on BlueSky

On Threads:

Follow@randommusings09 on Threads

3-19. Forte of the Glacier City/Frostbite.

Stig and Aisha enjoy an idyllic day out in an abandoned city.

Genesis Climber Mospeada: Forte of the Glacier City.

Original Air Date - Genesis Climber Mospeada: Feb. 12, 1984. Writer: Satoshi Namiki. Director: Yusaku Saotome.

Robotech: Frostbite.

Original Air Date - Robotech: June 20, 1985.
Story Editor: Steve Kramer. Supervising Director: Robert V. Barron.


PLOT - MOSPEADA:

The team is making its way through another set of icy mountains when they discover a city buried under the ice. Stig wants to just keep moving, while Ray wants to raid it for supplies. The argument is rendered moot when the ice gives way, with the Legioss falling onto the top of a building, damaging one of the legs.

While Jim and Yellow make repairs, the rest of the group explores. They stock up on supplies, but also goof off and enjoy themselves, sampling pleasures that they haven't known under the Inbit: chocolate, canned meat, soda, and even a video game. Stig disapproves at first. Then, after catching sight of a wedding dress in a store window, he softens, deciding to enjoy the city in Aisha's company.

It's an idyllic day and a much-needed break. But it's not destined to last, as Inbit forces led by the humanoid male, Batra, locate their position and move in to attack...


PLOT - ROBOTECH:

The team is making its way through the ice-covered Rocky Mountains when they discover a city buried under the ice. Scott wants to just keep moving, while Rand wants to raid it for supplies. The argument is rendered moot when the ice gives way, with the Alpha fighter falling onto the top of a building, damaging the landing gear.

While Lunk and Lancer make repairs, the rest of the group explores. They stock up on supplies, but also goof off and enjoy themselves, sampling pleasures such as soda, food, music, and video games. Scott disapproves at first. Then, after catching sight of a wedding dress in a store window, he softens, deciding to enjoy the city in Marlene's company.

It's an idyllic day and a much-needed break. But it's not destined to last, as Invid forces led by Prince Corg locate their position and move in to attack...

A shop window's wedding dress reminds Stig of his late fiancée.

CHARACTERS:

Stig's day out with Aisha allows the show to present a different side of the normally stoic soldier. He blushes when she tries on a dress, and he's amusingly awkward in zipping up her back. In Robotech, actor Gregory Snegoff delivers an amusing "voice break," a nice touch. Stig also keeps envisioning his late fiancée, Marlene, in Aisha's place, which feels more than a little unhealthy... particularly in Robotech, where he's gone so far as to name her as Marlene. Before he slides too far in the direction of James Stewart in Vertigo, though, he asks Aisha about love and is disappointed when she doesn't seem to understand the concept - though for her part, she smiles warmly while thinking about it.

Ray, Mint, and - with a little coaxing - Houquet have fun sampling canned delicacies. Mint also grabs a wedding dress for herself, something which ends up playing a role in the climax. Only Jim and Yellow keep working - Jim because he's the one with the skills to repair the damaged Legioss, and Yellow presumably because Jim needs an extra pair of hands and he's less carried away by the city than the others are.

Robotech wisely doesn't change the basic character beats, meaning that all of this material works about equally well in both versions.

Advantage: None.


NARRATION:

Robotech's opening narration specifically places this in the Rocky Mountains. The narrator specifies that the mechs are being pulled in a caravan rather than flying is to evade the Invid's protoculture detection, which is a nice added detail. I'm less fond of a later insertion, when the narrator tells us exactly what Marlene is thinking as she walks through a toy shop. I prefer Mopeada's version, with Aisha silently staring at the toys and the audience left to interpret her reactions.

Advantage: Mospeada.

Aisha and Mint enjoy some chocolate. Robotech
changes a lot of the dialogue in this scene. 

CUTS AND ALTERATION:

The Alpha's Landing Gear Is Broken: A minor difference that makes no difference. Mospeada's Legioss has one of its legs broken when it crashes through the ice to the town below. In Robotech, the Alpha instead has its landing gear broken.

The City's Generator Will Last Forever: In Mospeada, Jim is impressed when he finds the city's generator and remarks that it has enough power stored to keep running for another ten years. That apparently wasn't impressive enough for Robotech, with Scott remarking that the generator will last for 100 thousand years, which takes what was already remarkable and makes it... well, impossible. Oh, and the city is identified as Denver.

Annie Obsesses About Peppermint: There are minor dialogue changes throughout the scene with Ray, Mint, and Aisha in the grocery store. Mint introduces Aisha to chocolate, then is thrilled when she finds a bag of soft marshmallows, while Ray remarks on how sweet a can of soda tastes, observing that he forgot that any food could taste this sweet. In Robotech, Annie is obsessive about peppermint, with her specifically biting into peppermint chocolate, and with the marshmallows changed to peppermints. Ray's musing about how sweet the soda tastes has been changed to Rand generically wondering if he's in heaven. I prefer the original dialogue, though none of these changes really harm anything.

Added Dialogue and Quips During the Battle: Scott remarks that he was expecting Korg; Lunk and Annie ride into the battle on Lunk's jeep, with Annie calling out that they'll save him; and a few other one-liners are thrown in. It's nothing that either adds to or takes away from the scene - It's just an example of Robotech's bizarre need for constant dialogue, even in action scenes that don't require it.

Advantage: None. Changes are tiny and don't particularly alter the viewing experience.


INCIDENTAL MUSIC:

Robotech uses an instrumental version of It's You during the scene in which Scott takes Marlene to a shoe store and a dress shop. The music nicely suits the scene's mood, and for a moment I thought Robotech might win this category because of this bit.

Then, after the Act break, my ears were assaulted by a recording of Minmei's This Is My Time to Be a Star. You know, the hackneyed ditty that Robotech's "Macross Saga" played roughly a hundred times across its 36 episodes? I suppose there is a certain twisted logic to it: Much like the cockroach, of course that particular song would be the one to survive the apocalypse...

Outside of that, both versions use their scores well. But I feel duty-bound to penalize Robotech for bringing back that song.

Advantage: Mospeada.

Aisha is at the mercy of the Inbit, Batra.

OVERALL ADVANTAGE - NONE:

...which genuinely surprises me, given that character pieces don't tend to play to Robotech's strengths. This time, the Robotech writers wisely change very little of the original version. Additionally, the series' signature clunky dialogue is mostly absent, with most of the conversations remaining pretty well written. As a result, the viewing experience is all but identical - a good thing, since this is a good episode.


OTHER MUSINGS:

This is an enjoyable character piece. There are several amusing moments and also significant developments in the evolving relationship between Stig and Aisha. It's also just plain pleasant to see the regulars relaxing and enjoying themselves.

The Inbit are brought in at just the right point. They enter late enough for the bulk of the show to be given over to character development, arriving at the point that the group's enjoyment seems to be winding down. The final action scene is creative, with the regulars using the city itself and the ice above to their advantage.

It ends with a potentially important plot element, as at least one of the regulars begins actively speculating about Aisha's origins - and given how close we are to the end, it's probably time for the show to start exploring that, as leaving it for the finale would likely overload the ending.


Overall Rating: 8/10.

Previous Episode: Old Soldiers' Polka/Ghost Town
Next Episode: Birthday Song of the Night/Birthday Blues

Review Index

To receive new review updates, follow me:

On BlueSky:

Follow @RandomMusings09 on BlueSky

On Threads:

Follow@randommusings09 on Threads