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
Next Episode: Symphony of Light

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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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3-20. 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

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3-18. Old Soldiers' Polka/Ghost Town.

Yellow and Aisha encounter veterans
of the first Earth Reclamation mission.

Genesis Climber Mospeada: Old Soldiers' Polka.

Original Air Date - Genesis Climber Mospeada: Feb. 5, 1984. Writer: Kenji Terada. Director: Mari Kobayashi.

Robotech: Ghost Town.

Original Air Date - Robotech: June 19, 1985.
Story Editor: Steve Kramer. Supervising Director: Robert V. Barron.


PLOT - MOSPEADA:

Stig's group has reached a desert in the American southwest. Stig, Ray, and Mint scout ahead, visiting a small town in hopes of purchasing supplies. They are instead ambushed by the locals, who mistake them for a gang that has been raiding supplies. While the three are in the town jail, the raiders strike again, snatching their Mospeadas.

Meanwhile, Aisha has another of her headaches. By now, the group understands that they are caused by proximity to the Inbit. Yellow decides to take her out to try to identify where the enemy is. They end up captured by the raiders instead, who remove their masks to reveal... old men.

The men take them back to their trading outpost, where they sell the supplies they have stolen. Yellow is shocked to find that they operate out of a disused Mars ship. They are veterans of the first Earth Reclamation Force, survivors of a failed assault on Reflex Point who have decided to put the war behind them. When Stig catches up with them, he is outraged, but Yellow points out that the old men did their duty at the time and that their war is now over.

But when the ship's receiver picks up orders from a third Mars force, asking any survivors to attack Inbit relay towers to clear the way for them, Stig decides that he has to do what he can to make sure this new expedition doesn't meet the same fate as his own...


PLOT - ROBOTECH:

Scott's group has reached a desert in the American southwest. Scott, Rand, and Annie scout ahead, visiting a small town in hopes of purchasing supplies. They are instead ambushed by the locals, who mistake them for a gang that has been raiding supplies. While the three are in the town jail, the raiders strike again, snatching their Cyclones.

Meanwhile, Marlene has another of her headaches. By now, the group understands that they are caused by proximity to the Invid. Lancer decides to take her out to try to identify where the enemy is. They end up captured by the raiders instead, who remove their masks to reveal... old men.

The men take them back to their trading outpost, where they sell the supplies they have stolen. Yellow is shocked to find that they operate out of a disused battle fortress. These men are veterans of the war against the Robotech Masters, but they have now decided to put war behind them. When Scott catches up with them, he is outraged by what he sees as desertion, but Lancer points out that these old men are in no fit state to assault anyone.

When the ship's receiver picks up orders from a new assault force, asking any survivors to attack Invid military targets to clear the way for them, Scott decides that he has to do what he can to make sure this new expedition doesn't meet the same fate as his own...

Yellow convinces Aisha to help track the Inbit.

CHARACTERS:

Yellow, having seen both the humanoid Inbit, Sorji, and Aisha's reaction at coming face-to-face with her, is at least considering that Aisha might be connected to the aliens. The others don't seem to be there yet, probably because of their sense of protectiveness of her, but they now take on faith that the "headaches" mean Inbit are nearby.

I had thought that the ending of the previous episode had restored Aisha's consciousness of herself as Inbit, but that appears not to have been the case. She does participate more directly than in earlier entries, showing a willingness to go along with Yellow's plan to detect the enemy even though she knows it will be painful. She's also more relaxed in her interactions. When Yellow tries to probe for her memories, he asks about her birth, prompting her to ask if he can remember when he was born.

The other regulars are mostly backgrounded, though there are a pair of good scenes involving Stig. At the start of the episode, Ray and Mint tease him for his seriousness, telling him that he should take off his battle armor and enjoy the feel of riding in the open air. When Stig meets the old men, they are even more dismissive of his severity, outright laughing at the notion that "the silly old men" should do battle with the Inbit.

All of this is largely consistent between the two versions, though Robotech makes the old soldiers' dismissiveness of Scott even more blatant when their leader, Frank (Franky in Mospeada), tells him that they aren't interested in his orders.

Advantage: None.


NARRATION:

Robotech's narration is restrained: an opening recap, a quick bit of voice-over when the episode cuts from Stig, Ray, and Mint to Yellow and Aisha, and a slight bit near the end. It's not intrusive, nor is any of it overly melodramatic as has happened in some episodes, making this category a wash.

Advantage: None.

The old mens' "trading post." In Robotech, this is the SDF-3.

CUTS AND ALTERATION:

The Origin of the Craters: As Stig, Ray, and Mint ride through the desert, Mint notices all the craters surrounding them. Stig explains that this was the site of a fierce battle between the Inbit and the first Reclamation force. Robotech alters this, with the craters now caused by the war against the Masters. This isn't just to tie previous arcs into this one; in Robotech's more compressed timeline, the veterans they meet would be far too old to have fought the Invid, who were established as coming to Earth only ten years previously.

Annie Can't Wait to Meet a Real Cowboy: Mospeada's Mint is excited at the prospect of meeting a "macho man" who might sweep her off her feet. Robotech's Annie is just carried away with enthusiasm at being in an area that's such a close match to old westerns, enthusing about meeting a "real cowboy" when they get to the town they're approaching.

Scott Anticipates the Ambush: When Stig, Ray, and Mint reach the town, they remark on it being a ghost town. Stig calls out to anyone who might be listening, saying that they're looking to purchase supplies, only to be ambushed by the townspeople. In Robotech, Scott is instantly uneasy, saying, "I don't like this," mere seconds before they are ambushed and then sighing that he was afraid that was going to happen.

The Old Men's "Trading Post" Is a Disused Battle Fortress: In Mospeada, the old men are living out of an old Mars spaceship. When I first reviewed this, the dialogue confused me into thinking this was the SDF-3. Later references to the SDF-3 make clear that it isn't, but the exchange is a bit confusing. I retain the feeling that their "battle fortress" is a bit on the small side. Apparently, the humans started downsizing their battle fortresses.

Lancer Snaps that the Old Men Are Cowards: In Robotech, Lancer disgustedly exclaims that the old men are cowards and deserters... which makes it a little odd that they would continue dealing with him, let alone inviting him and Marlene to share their supper. Mospeada makes more sense, with Yellow listening to their remarks about being well out of the war and mildly remarking that they're lucky Stig isn't there to hear them.

"Gabby Ain't Too Fond of Shorty": Pierrot and Donald, the final two ex-soldiers, arrive on the Mospeadas stolen from Stig and Ray, Franky warns them to turn them off so that the HBT doesn't draw the Inbit. When Pierrot ignores the warning, mute soldier Darjeeling throws hot soup on his hands. Robotech changes this entirely, with Gabby (Darjeeling's Robotech counterpart) tossing the soup not to enforce safety precautions, but simply because he "ain't too fond of Shorty" (Pierrot's counterpart). Given that Robotech kept the plot device of the Invid detecting protoculture, I have no idea why this was changed - particularly when this scene explains the alien attack later.

Frank Wants to Go After the Invid: In Mospeada, Franky tries to destroy the ship's receiver when it picks up orders to attack Inbit relay towers to clear the way for a third human invasion force. Robotech's Frank instead wants to go on the attack against the Invid - which makes a bit of a hash of the animation, which shows him drawing a gun on the receiver while Scott restrains him.

Annie Whines about the Cowboys Not Being "the Good Guys": As Stig, Ray, Houquet, and Yellow prepare to attack the Inbit relay towers, Mospeada's Mint grouses about being left out of the action again. Robotech's Annie is instead put out about "the cowboys" (the old men) not joining in the attack, because cowboys are supposed to be "the good guys."

Advantage: Mospeada.


INCIDENTAL MUSIC:

Both episodes apply their scores well, with the series' respective action tracks nicely supporting the ending set piece.

Advantage: None.

Stig, Ray, and Mint get a different welcome than expected...

OVERALL ADVANTAGE - MOSPEADA:

Both versions are quite good, with most of the changes being minor. Unfortunately, a couple of Robotech's changes are not only pointless, but slightly disrupt the flow of the episode - notably the scene in which Darjeeling/Gabby burns the hand of Pierrot/Shorty, which is done for tangible reasons in Mospeada and which is just a pointless bit of "comedy" in Robotech. That moment and a couple of others make Mospeada the better variant, albeit only slightly.


OTHER MUSINGS:

The preview at the end of the last episode had me expecting that this would be a throwaway along the lines of many of Mospeada's early episodes. Instead, Old Soldiers' Polka ends up being surprisingly good.

The script follows up on the developments involving Aisha from the previous episode, giving both her and Yellow strong roles. It also continues the growing sense that the group is nearing its destination, with the old soldiers' previous failure a harbinger that Stig and his group are going to find the going a bit tougher the closer they get to Reflex Point.

In artwork and initial presentation, the old ex-soldiers deliberately evoke the old western trope of the aging outlaw gang. However, their backstory ties them to Stig's journey, with this group acting as a reflection of what the regulars might become if they fail but survive - living an existence that's as pointless as it is hopeless. None of the old men is characterized in anything other than broad strokes, but that's all that's truly needed, and the finale ends up being particularly effective.

Overall, this episode exceeded my expectations at every turn. I expected a mediocre throwaway. Instead, I think this ranks among my favorites of the series.


Overall Rating: 9/10.

Previous Episode: White Night Serenade/The Midnight Sun
Next Episode: Forte of the Glacier City/Frostbite

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