Macross Frontier 04

Miss Macross. This episode has a lot in store both for old and new fans.

• Alto gets harsher training (well, harsher emotionally) than Ichijo ever did. What I like about Macross is that even though the hero does pilot a mecha out of necessity as has been done many times over in other mecha shows, at least in Macross they had prior qualifications that makes it plausible for them to be able to pilot mechs. Remember that Ichijo was an acrobatic flier before he piloted a mech, and Alto on the other hand is in pilot training.

• Earlier in the episode we learn that Ranka successfully enters the Miss Macross Frontier contest. In the locker room on the day of the contest we witness how Ranka physically compares with the other contestants. There’s lot of flesh shown but in retrospect it’s actually more in keeping with the atmosphere of beauty contests unlike in Code Geass (1&2) where the random fanservice are too obviously deliberate. Still the ‘boing’ sound effects grate.

• Alto goes on his last entrance test, and does a kabuki pose after taking out a Queadluun-Rau. For old time fans waiting for delicious action they’ll be quite happy at the sight of the Meltrandi mechs.

• Alto’s quick thinking led to the defeat of the Vajra. I guess that validates his abilities as a pilot. But the Vajra’s appearance was too random, IMO.

• Ranka does a rendition of My Boyfriend is a Pilot. It sounds good but still I liked Mari Iijima’s version. There’s something mischievous about Mari’s voice then that combined with the image of Minmay brings life to the song. Ranka’s voice sounds mature for her size. The ‘singing while a battle goes on’ is also not as effective as it was in the original series. Or is it because the original did it first? Though Macross F gets points for the heart-shaped light trails. Anyway Ranka not winning is a breath of fresh air–at least we’d have some more deviation from the older series.

• Klein Klan (or Klan Klan whatever). That is the new character that will be famous for the silliest of reasons: she’s a giant when she pilots a Queadlunn, but looks and sounds like a loli when micronized. At first I was rolling my eyes, what has Macross come to? But then I’d rather have funny characters than boring ones. If it also means getting more fans interested then even better. 🙂

• In conclusion, I like Sheryl. With the way she tripped Alto, she’s actually more mischievous than Minmay. 😀