Anime

We start this episode a few seconds before the end of the previous one. We see Alto get shot down again and we see Sheryl’s shock as she loses the man she has come to love. It looks as though everything is lost when a shot from a Macross Cannon comes in from an unexpected direction and saves Sheryl and Battle Frontier. The SMS and Macross Quarter have returned and have joined the fight! Captain Wilder radios Battle Frontier and tells them that they have returned to stop Grace and the Galaxy’s plans. Leon tries to sidestep their accusations by demanding proof, but Alto and Cathy, both of whom Leon thought dead, chime in that they have plenty of proof against Grace and against Leon. 

Alto, who survived by bailing out of his fighter and flying it on remote, relays what he saw when he passed through the hologram of Ranka. He has Macross Quarter fire upon it revealing the hologram to be a mask used to hide the existence of Battle Galaxy! Cathy then reveals Leon’s assassination plot to the officers on Battle Frontier who are all too happy to turn on their new president. 

SMS’s entry into the fight only gives the Frontier fleet a short lived advantage since Grace still commands Battle Galaxy which releases a swarm of advanced Ghost fighters whose quick movements tear apart Frontier’s forces. 

Alto gains a new fighter thanks in part to Luca and Klan, then asks Sheryl to reach Ranka with her songs. With Sheryl’s backing and Ozma and SMS’s renewed push, Alto manages to approach Battle Galaxy and awaken Ranka from her brainwashed slumber. Unfortunately, Grace has finally succeeded in gaining control over the Vajra queen. With it under her control, she seemingly no longer even needs Ranka’s connection to the Vajra. She takes full command of the Vajra and launches a devastating attack against the Frontier fleet. The power of Grace’s fold network is so strong it can block dimension eater attacks. It even knocks Sheryl off of her feet. With no hope of victory now, Sheryl gives up and resigns herself to giving into death. 

All across the galaxy, Vajra under Grace’s control fold in to hold humanity hostage to her power. For a brief moment, there is an eerie silence following Grace’s full scale attack on the Frontier fleet. Almost everyone has lost hope of victory. But then, Ranka’s voice again fills the surrounding space. She is singing “Your Sound” and her voice reconnects her with her brother who has escaped Grace’s control, and with many of the nearby Vajra that Grace was controlling. The Vajra begin to support Frontier’s forces as Ranka forms a connection between herself and Sheryl.

Sheryl, near death, has completely given up hope. She asks for Ranka to leave her alone, saying she has nothing left to give. This earns her a satisfying virtual slap from Ranka who explains that she was only able to achieve so much thanks to Sheryl’s support. Ranka conferences in Alto who agrees, telling both girls that they are his wings. Ranka uses the power of the Vajra network to command the fold microbes poisoning Sheryl’s brain to move down to her stomach where they will safely grant her power. Sheryl, now apparently healed, kicks off perhaps one of the greatest battle sequences in all of Anime. 

For the next eight minutes, Alto, the SMS, the Vajra Ranka has liberated, and what remains of the Frontier fleet’s forces do battle against Battle Galaxy and the Vajra Grace still has under her control. This sequences, which features most of Frontier’s songs back to back, is stuffed with action and with far too many callbacks to past Macross shows to mention in this summary. Highlights include:

• Alto rescuing Ranka from Battle Galaxy. 
• Tens of thousands of Vajra sacrificing themselves to protect Island 1 from one of Grace’s largest attacks
• Ranka revealing that the Vajra kept attacking humanity in an effort to rescue her from them. 
• Macross Quarter and Battle Frontier teaming up to defeat Battle Galaxy in the most spectacular and most Macross fashion ever.
• Alto using Michael’s sniper rifle to put an end to Grace and her plans of galactic domination. 

With Grace dead, the Vajra retreat and leave their planet for humanity to colonize. We also learn the origin of Aimo. Even though the Vajra throughout our galaxy were effectively one giant organism with no need to communicate, there are apparently Vajra swarms in other galaxies, and our Vajra wrote Aimo as a love song for the mingling of galactic swarms. 

We get a final look at the survivors of this giant battle and a promise from both Ranka and Sheryl to continue to compete for Alto’s heart. Then, Macross Frontier ends with Alto swooping by overhead with the song Trianguler playing over top the credits. 

Specific Scenes I Loved: 

• Macross Quarter coming to the rescue. 
• The Nyan Nyan Service Medley. (Aka: The eight minutes of awesome set to music.) 
• All the callbacks to past Macross shows. See the notes for what is probably an inexhaustive list of them.
• The inconclusive end to the Sheryl, Alto, Ranka love triangle that had Frontier fans howling for almost three years until Frontier’s second movie The Wings of Goodbye finally gave us a proper conclusion. 

Episode Impressions: 

Let’s start with the negatives. This episode was rushed. Too many plot points were dropped in the middle of the final battle. Too many scenes were previous battle scenes with reworked backgrounds. What should have been one of the most awesome scenes of ship to ship combat, one full sized Macross battleship punching the heck out of another one, was only on screen for a handful of seconds before the camera had to rush to chase after the show’s rapidly approaching conclusion.

But… then there’s the Nyan Nyan Service Medley. Stringing together Lion, Infinity, My Boyfriend is a Pilot, Diamond Crevasse, Interstellar Flight, What ‘Bout My Star?, Lion (again), Do You Remember Love?, and Aimo together with some great action and several classic Macross callbacks was exhilarating. 

Even though it was rushed, this episode also did drop in most of the answers to lingering plot questions. Oh, and the villain got what was coming to her delivered by the gun of the popular secondary character that died because of her plots and schemes. 

In some ways, Macross Frontier ends on a weak note with a rushed episode and a non-resolution to its love triangle. But, in others, the combination of Macross’ classic three pillars of awesome transforming robot space combat, songs and singers saving the day, and a love triangle, were more center stage and better done here than in anywhere else in the entire franchise’s 25 year history up to that point. And the more recent Macross Delta series released a few years later is widely agreed to not have topped Frontier in any of those three categories. 

Next: The False Songstress

Macross Frontier’s first movie is an alternate retelling for the series’ story done the right way. New animation and a better plot await those willing to dip in for a bit more Frontier.

Like last episode, we start with another flashback from Ranka’s past. This time, we see how her singing Aimo brought the Vajra down on the 117^th research fleet. In the present day, though, Ranka is being held in what looks like Grace’s virtual space and is either being mind probed or brainwashed (or both) by Grace. 

We cut to Macross Quarter which has returned to the ruins of Gallia 4. Ozma and Cathy are exploring what remains of the Macross Global and we learn a little more about what happened to it and the fleet it lead. It seems that humanity encountered the Vajra and sent the research fleet to study them eight years later. Grace was one of the members of that fleet. As were Ranka’s mother, Ranshe Mei, and Sheryl’s grandmother, Mao Nome. We also learn more about Grace’s theories on using the Vajra’s network to connect and possibly control all of humanity through the use of cybernetic implants. The key to making Grace’s plan possible seem to be Ranka’s connection to the Vajra. 

We head back to Ranka where Grace and Brera are continuing to use her to analyze the Vajra’s communication / control protocol. Grace mentions how easy it has been to decipher the protocol once they added Ranka into the network. Also, it looks like the Vajra attack that killed Ranshe and Mao might have injured / burned Grace and driven her insane with a need to prove her fold network theories correct. 

Back on Macross Quarter, Monica sends their findings about Grace and the Vajra on to earth, but between the fold lag and government needing to deliberate on a decision, it looks like it will be up to SMS to save the day alone. We also see that Ozma and Cathy have gone through some personal items left behind by the members of the 117^th fleet and they found a letter from Mao Nome to her daughter. Mao says she is sending her earrings as a gift. We also see a postcard that was to be sent back to Mao informing her of the birth of her granddaughter, Sheryl. With that, we finally have conclusive proof that Sheryl really is Sheryl Nome, a descendent of the same line as Sara and Mao Nome! 

Next, the Frontier fleet folds in above the Vajra homeworld and makes preparations to attack and defeat the Vajra’s queen. As various parties complete their preparations, Alto goes to meet with Sheryl. She is getting ready for her part of this final attack and worrying about what Alto said about possibly having to kill Ranka. But, when Alto comes to meet her, he tells her that he will come back to her and that he has realized he can’t fly alone. That he needs someone to come back to. Sheryl teases him briefly but then kisses him and tells him not to finish whatever it was he was going to tell her. Instead, she’ll hear what the has to say after he rescues Ranka and comes back alive. She finishes by again teasing him, saying that it is hard to find a girl as good as her. 

As the Frontier fleet approaches the Vajra homeworld, Sheryl literally leaps onto her stage and begins singing to disrupt the Vajra’s defense fleets. As she does so, she commits to giving her performance her all. There is at least some connotation that she is preparing to burn herself out and die in this final performance, but that it’s ok because she has no more regrets. 

As Sheryl begins singing, Alto, Klan, and the rest of Frontier’s military begin the assault on the Vajra homeworld. Though the battle starts out roughly even, Sheryl’s singing soon begins having an effect, and Frontier’s forces begin rapidly advancing as the Vajra’s defense lines buckle slowed and disorganized. Frontier’s forces also unleash missile version of the dimension eater bombs that do heavy damage to the Vajra’s defense fleets. 

Unfortunately, as the Frontier Fleet near’s its goal, Grace is there with Ranka to stop them. She suggest that Ranka sing and help the Vajra to make up for calling the Vajra down on the 117^th research fleet. As Island 1 begins its descent, a chilling version of the song “Do You Remember Love?” begins playing for all to hear. Through Ranka’s singing, the Vajra begin to reform their defense lines and start to overwhelm the Frontier fleet. Soon, a giant hologram of Ranka appears in space above the Vajra homeworld letting everyone know just who is giving the Vajra back their strength and coordination. As powerful as Sheryl has become in the last few days or weeks, Ranka’s natural born connection to the Vajra is far stronger, rendering Sheryl ineffective. 

Alto watches as one of Frontier’s smaller islands is shot down by the Vajra’s renewed defense of their homeworld. He files to investigate the Ranka hologram after seeing one of the Galaxy fleet’s remaining warships taking cover near it unopposed by the Vajra. It seems that Grace is on this ship or launched her personal Valkyrie from this ship and is moving to take over the Vajra for herself. When Alto flies into the hologram he sees both an image of Ranka imprisoned…  and something else. He sees what appears to be the head of a purple Macross class battleship! 

Before Alto can report his findings, Brera engages both him and Klan, badly damaging both of their fighters. He insists that he and Ranka are merely defending the Vajra against the human invaders. Then, he shoots Alto down. Alto’s fighter flies near Ranka’s hologram and explodes as it flies between her outstretched arms. Back on the bow of Battle Frontier, Sheryl sees and maybe senses what has happened and collapses while screaming Alto’s name. 

Specific Scenes I Loved: 

• Grace’s transition to madness as she burned alive during the Vajra attack on the 117^th research fleet. 
• The Macross Quarter’s bridge crew fawning over Monica and Captain Wilder. 
• Sheryl and Alto’s final scene together and their kiss with the Frontier fleet behind them. 
• The way Grace manipulates Ranka by using her knowledge about what caused the destruction of the 177^th research fleet. 
• The Vajra firing their big counterattack as holographic Ranka stretches out her hands towards the Frontier fleet. 
• The live action photo album in the next episode segment after the credits. It’s a direct callback to the way every episode of SDF Macross ended. 

Episode Impressions: 

Ok, that’s more like it! Even though this episode starts out a bit exposition heavy with SMS discovering Grace’s plans with a lot of dialogue, it moves on and we get another good Alto and Sheryl scene as well as a big battle as the Frontier fleet bears down on the Vajra homeworld. 

I like that Alto seems to have pushed Sheryl past worrying about what he thought about Ranka. To me, Alto makes it clear that he can’t fly without Sheryl. It seems these two need each other to complete their missions. 

The battle itself, and Sheryl’s singing, is a lot of reused footage, but some of the reuse is really good. Sheryl’s singing on the bow of Battle Frontier is largely shots from her opening concert, but the shots still look awesome with the way they replaced the stage with Battle Frontier’s bridge.

The giant hologram of Ranka and the new version of the song “Do You Remember Love?” are great callbacks to SDF Macross and the “Do You Remember Love?” movie. And, they are a chilling reversal of singing winning the day. Here, singing is still winning the day, but it is winning it for the Vajra. 

There’s also something to be said and some thought that need to be given to the righteousness of Frontier’s fight against the Vajra in this episode. At one point, one of the Frontier pilots mentions something about their attack being out of revenge. That’s certainly true. Frontier has surely suffered thousands if not millions of casualties thanks to the Vajra’s repeated attacks. The Vajra did not leave Frontier alone or explore other ways to contact Ranka. They attacked over and over again. At the same time, Humanity captured Vajra, experimented on Vajra and eventually discovered ways to disrupt and control the Vajra’s fold network. If the Vajra exist as something similar to a single distributed organism, might Ranka’s and Sheryl’s singing be like damaging or disrupting a part of the Vajra consciousness? Is it possible that the Vajra have largely been defending themselves and seeking to destroy the evil humans who repeatedly attacked them? 

Next Episode: Your Sound

We didn’t see the next episode. Instead we saw the delightfully silly callback to SDF Macross’ picture book credits sequence.

As we open this episode, we see a young Ranka watching her mother and Grace O’ Connor argue. Of note are the Vajra being kept in bubbling tanks near Ranka and near her mother. One of the Vajra is what looks to be a Vajra queen. It turns out, this is a dream Ranka is having. She recognizes the slightly older boy standing behind her in the dream, and as she awakes, his voice merges with that of Brera! The two finish their fold into the Vajra’s home system like we saw at the end of the previous episode. 

Back on Frontier, the fleet freezes and jettisons another of the smaller islands and it is now clear that Frontier’s ecosystems are not going to be able to recover. Leon is heading up a government meeting and while other officials wish to end Frontier’s mission, Leon insists that they will soon find a planet to call their own. 

Outside, Alto is flying a patrol with the two wingmen we saw last episode. One of them notes that there’s rumors that Alto is going out with Sheryl, the other prompts Alto for Sheryl’s autograph. Alto teases them in kind by telling them they will be shot down if they bother their fellow pilot about a woman while in flight. But just then, one of the wingmen spots Sheryl waiting for Alto in one of Frontier’s domed areas. 

We see further evidence of Frontier’s worsening situation as now oxygen masks are needed for the general public to travel out in the open areas of Island 1. We transition to Alto and Sheryl having a fancy dinner where it seems that Alto is the better cook! Eventually, Sheryl has a bit too much to drink and Alto is forced to carry her to bed. In one of her final lucid moments before drifting off to sleep, Sheryl again asks Alto not to leave her. 

Back in the Vajra’s home system, a Vajra defense fleet folds in and surrounds their home planet. Ranka sings to them, but unbeknownst to her, the fold waves of her singing are picked up by Grace, Macross Quarter, and the Frontier fleet. All three work to pinpoint Ranka’s location. Unfortunately for Ranka, the Vajra move to attack. Then, when she thinks she sees Ai-kun coming to her, it turns out to be some other Vajra that rips her away from Brera. Brera is almost cornered by the Vajra, but Valkyries commanded by Grace save him before Grace takes control of him once again after telling him that he is indeed Ranka’s brother. 

Back on Frontier, Alto attends a meeting with Leon, with Richard Birler attending as well via hologram. The two ask for Alto’s support and explain that the Vajra operate as one giant fold wave connected organism and that they may be using Ranka as a tool to learn about and destroy humanity. Later, at Island 1’s hospital, Sheryl berates Luca for attempting to treat her V-type infection. As the infection worsens her power grows, so Sheryl insist that kindness is a crime because while it may help her, weakening her newfound powers would end up harming far more people. 

Nearby, Alto meets his brother and the two watch as his father is being discharged from the hospital. Alto comments on how small or frail his father seems now. Yasaburō again tries to insist that Alto return to acting. He asks Alto if he would have become a pilot if there had been no enemy to fight. Alto checks in on Nanase and then steps outside with Klan. The two of them talk about why they joined the military and Alto reveals that even though he joined to protect Ranka, he now realizes that he might have to kill her in order to protect Frontier. 

We return to Ranka who has been taken to the Vajra queen. Ranka is finally able to recall her memories of the day the Vajra attacked the 117^th Research Fleet. She had been singing Aimo and it looks like she was the one who drew the Vajra to the fleet. Her brother gets her to an escape pod and she watches as the ship she was on is destroyed by the Vajra. Back in the present, Grace is monitoring Ranka through her VR sensor interface and seems excited as Ranka is overcome by her emotions. If anything, it looks like Grace is able to monitor the full extent of Ranka’s connection to the Vajra fold network.

At around the same time, a Ghost fighter from Frontier transmits back the first view of the Vajra homeward and Leon orders the Frontier fleet to execute an emergency 30 lightyear jump to the Vajra home system. He intends to finish his “holy war” and take the Vajra homeworld for humanity. 

Specific Scenes I Loved: 

• When Sheryl refuses treatment for her V-type infection so that her ability to disrupt the Vajra will continue to grow. She is shortening her own life in order to help the rest of Frontier. 
• Alto and Klan on the hospital balcony looking over to Griffith Observatory while talking about Ranka. While Alto’s conclusion and Sheryl’s tears confuse me a bit, I do appreciate the symbolism of Alto talking about Ranka while gazing at the place they used to meet. 

Episode Impressions: 

Coming off a good run from, sheesh, Fastest Delivery to Northern Cross, this episode fell flat for me in a lot of ways. 

We don’t get much insight into the argument between Grace and Ranshe Mei. There’s wasn’t much tension or meaning to Alto and Sheryl’s dinner other than they seem to be living together now. Or was one just visiting the other? It’s not really explained how Grace manages to infiltrate and stay within the Vajra’s home system in order to save Brera. Yasaburō’s final plea to Alto just sorta goes unanswered. Alto’s big speech where he concludes that he will kill Ranka if he has to borders on being powerful but doesn’t quite make it. And, finally, I did not really understand Sheryl’s words or tears as she overheard Alto and Klan’s conversation. 

That last point is probably the most disappointing to me. I think maybe Sheryl has decided that she is just someone Alto is being kind to while she is still around, but that it is on Ranka’s behalf that Alto made all his key decisions? Sheryl throws her airplane which has been a symbol of “going for it” and doing something bold to try and achieve one’s dreams. Was that symbolism supposed to play more into Sheryl’s tears? For all the good back and forth Alto and Sheryl have had in this series, there just wasn’t enough here to draw a good conclusion. 

But, if nothing else, this episode did something a little clever in that it let Ranka’s singing alert both the good guys and the bad guys to her location. Now, both sides will be drawn to a final battle, most likely. So, I guess this episode at least provided a reason for things to move forward. 

Next Episode: Last Frontier

Well, maybe that preview made up for this episode. We see a big battle, several dimension eaters going off at once, Sheryl singing, Sheryl emotional, and more big battle. I can’t wait!

Grace and Leon are still in communication, but I get the feeling that Leon doesn’t really trust Grace anymore. We learn that Frontier is all but dying due to the damage sustained by the Vajra in their last attack. Leon, however, thinks the three month estimate until Frontier is out of resources is more than enough time for his plan. 

Out on patrol, it looks like Luca’s L.A.I. has once again implemented better weapons to fight against the Vajra. Alto and his two new subordinates are able to take out a trio of red Vajra with hardly any troubles. It looks like Luca and Alto are developing a closer friendship in their combined desire to destroy the Vajra threat and rescue Ranka. 

We see that Sheryl is singing again, though this time her concert is a more intimate affair with a slow, weighty song instead of the more upbeat pop presence she had before. Sheryl is singing for charity these days, and has taken on Elmo as her manager. And there’s something else about Sheryl’s singing: She is now creating fold waves when she sings! Soon, Leon and Luca send for her.

Bobby finds Ozma and Cathy still hiding out in the ruins of Frontier. Back on Macross Quarter, they reveal what they know about Leon and his assassination of Cathy’s father. Ozma learns that Ranka has run away with the Vajra, while Captain Wilder tells of how the SMS is to be disbanded and merged into the New UN Spacey. 

At Leon’s office, Luca explains the science of the V-type infection to Sheryl. Fold microbes living in her brain are slowly poisoning her. Sheryl more or less knows this already from what Grace told her back at the hospital, so she asks if Luca is having fun using big words to tell her that she is going to die. Leon breaks it to Sheryl that because of the late stage of her infection, her voice can now disrupt the Vajra like Ranka’s has been able to!

Later, across Frontier, we see that Cathy and Ozma have sent messages to all of the remaining SMS staff. Apparently, something big is happening. Alto gets the message too, but he is more concerned about Sheryl’s wellbeing at the moment. Sheryl is still trying to put on a strong face for Alto, and is still acting as if she is going to be ok, but Alto knows the truth now thanks to Klan. He encourages Sheryl to stop singing, but now that Sheryl has realized that singing is all she has, she insists on doing it. But, she also admits that she is scared and lonely. In response, Alto promises to stay by her side until her final moments.

Somewhere out in space, Ranka and Brera are still searching for other Vajra. Ranka implies that she felt Alto and Sheryl’s feelings all the way back on Frontier. She then tells Brera that Ai-kun has told her the final step to get back to its world. 

Back on Frontier, Leon is giving his official inauguration speech as the 5^th president of the Frontier fleet. Remember, up until now he had just been acting as Frontier’s president. Here he actually, officially accepts the role. He talks about fulfilling Frontier’s mission to find a new habitable world. As he is doing so, he sends his security team to eliminate Grace, which they do in a hail of gunfire! Leon continues to lay out his plan, that for Frontier to find a planet and find peace, the Vajra must be eliminated. Frighteningly, the crowds watching Leon’s speech cheer in agreement. Leon concludes his speech by introducing Sheryl as Frontier’s new hope of defeating the Vajra. 

On Macross Quarter, around 70% of the ship’s crew joins with Captain Wilder in order to go pirate. They steal the Quarter to oppose Leon’s violent plans. Leon sends a group of N.U.N.S fighters with orders to bring them back. The group includes Alto and Luca. A tense battle breaks out between N.U.N.S. and SMS, where Luca is nearly shot down. Alto and Ozma square off in a one on one dogfight where Alto demands to know why Ozma and SMS are abandoning Frontier. The two exchange nearly deadly fire, but ultimately Ozma comes out on top by disabling Alto’s Valkyrie. Ozma tells Alto that he and Ranka have chosen their own paths before asking Alto what path he plans to choose. 

The episode ends with Macross Quarter folding away, but there is an important scene after the credits where Ranka and Brera find the Vajra homeward… and so does Grace O’ Connor! Apparently it was Leon’s security team, not Grace, that went down in that earlier blaze of gunfire!  

Specific Scenes I Loved: 

• That early look at the sheer state of devastation the Vajra attack left parts of Frontier in. 
• Sheryl’s new song “Yousei” which roughly translates to “Fairy”. 
• Bobby moving to comfort Cathy after she gives her report about her father’s assassination. 
• Sheryl’s scene where Luca and Leon tell her about her new ability to generate fold waves. She is so subdued at the beginning, and then leans back uncaringly/acceptingly as they explain to her that she is going to die. But then, she is intensely interested as Leon informs her that she is now Humanity’s last hope. 
• Alto and Sheryl’s night scene. These two have the best emotional conversations. 
• Sheryl appearing on the side of the building as she sings at Leon’s inauguration. 
• Ozma’s speech about being a man rather than an adult. 

Episode Impressions: 

I’ll make this section easy. I like this episode so much because it rewards Sheryl for completing her character transformation. She’s gone from an outwardly prissy intergalactic superstar, to a jealous, bed-ridden idol on the decline who found that someone else’s voice held power she could never have, to a crushed, discarded girl who knew she didn’t have long to live. But then, she began to rebuild her self worth as she lied to selflessly protect Alto from her fate. Later, as everything went to hell, she realized that there was still value in her singing even in the midst of despair. Now, after going through everything from having her home fleet destroyed, to having her career that she strongly believed in ripped away from her, she finds out that her singing, the thing she holds most dear, actually can make a real difference. 

The thing is, Sheryl is in such a different place than she was at the beginning of the series. If Sheryl Nome, the “Galatic Fairy” we saw in Episode 1, had found out her voice was the key to humanity’s survival she might have just taken it for granted. What’s the first thing that this Sheryl in Episode 22 says upon finding out that she actually is Frontier’s last hope? She worriedly asks if Ranka is on the verge of death like she is! Sure, part of her question is that she already knows she is going to die soon so there’s no point in worrying about herself, but I think there’s still a lot to be said that the first thing that Sheryl voices is concern for Ranka. 

I also love the scene between Alto and Sheryl that night. The best part is where Alto yells at her to stop from outside the room. Listen to Sheryl’s voice and inflection just before that. She is almost “Sheryl Nome” again. Her voice is sweet and upbeat as she thanks Alto for helping her find her singing, and then she lies about just hanging around the Saotome mansion until she gets better as if everything is just fine with her. But when Alto yells for her to stop, without saying exactly what it is he is asking her to stop, it’s telling that she immediately knows that he knows everything about her sickness. Any time two characters can communicate without using words like this says something about the strength of the relationship they’ve developed. And the strength of the many past scenes that set it all up.

It’s also interesting that, for a moment, Alto actually doesn’t get it. He’s still one step behind, almost as if he is still thinking about their last conversation by the koi pond. He’s telling her that it’s ok not to sing. Sheryl, though, has gone through a long journey that has taught her just how important her singing is to her. Fortunately, Alto catches up quickly. There was a lot of debate in the Macross community about who would win the love triangle between Sheryl, Alto, and Ranka. I think that contest, if it ever really existed, ends in this scene where Alto pledges to stay by Sheryl’s side until she dies. 

The last big set piece of this episode, the SMS crew abandoning Frontier, confused me the first time around. I got why Alto and Luca choose to stay with Frontier. The people they loved were there. But Captain Wilder and the crew of the Macross Quarter leaving felt like a bit too much of a betrayal to me. It was only later that I realized that they were leaving because the man who had lied and murdered his way to the top was now trying to bring them under his direct command. Ozma says as much to Alto during their duel, but I don’t think I really understood it on my first viewing. Are they completely justified? No… I don’t think so. We learn at the first of the episode that Frontier’s ecosystem is fatally damaged, and there must still be hundreds of thousands of people left that the SMS does abandon. I do think their reasoning is a lot better than Ranka’s however. 

Next Episode: True Begin

Hard to tell exactly what’s coming next. It does seem important that Brera is having to fight again. We don’t really see who or what he is fighting against, though.

Leon arrives on the bridge of Battle Frontier and orders its immediate departure, explaining that President Glass was killed by the Vajra. “My turn,” he says as we head to the opening. 

At SMS headquarters, Alto and Luca prepare to head to Island 3 with Klan blazing a trail for them. Klan is now at her full size, is carrying a Valkyrie’s gunpod, and has strapped a Valkyrie’s armor pack with its missile pods to her back. She ascends in an elevator with a look of pure rage on her face. When she emerges into the open she takes flight and opens fire on hundreds of Vajra all while screaming Michael’s name in her head. 

Outside, Macross Quarter is in a tight spot, but is rescued by Battle Frontier. Leon is apparently going to put up a fight against the Vajra. He also plans to enact a strategy developed by Luca. We cut to the Island 3 research facility to see that Luca (and L.A.I.?) have constructed another Dimension Eater bomb. The plan is to use Ranka’s singing to lure the Vajra onto Island 3 and then destroy them all with the fold bomb. Alto hates the idea of using Ranka that way, but Luca says he helped develop the bomb (and the others like it?) in order to protect those he loved. Ultimately, Ranka agrees to be the bait, even over Alto’s objections. 

As things are prepared, Alto promises Ranka that he will protect her. Ranka, though, is still struggling with her smashed emotions. She wanted to reach Alto with her songs, and wants for him to return her love, but because that did not work, she has now resigned herself to sing for Frontier because it is what Alto is asking her to do. The distinction is very bittersweet. Ranka is still torn up inside, but the plan works this time and the bulk of the Vajra threat is eliminated. Frontier’s other forces are able to root out the remaining Vajra over the next few hours, but the cost to the fleet’s ecosystem has been disastrous. 

Some time later, Leon gives an extended eulogy for those that died during the attack. We see many scenes of devastation and cleanup. As his speech ends, we see that he, Ranka, and the media are gathered in Frontier’s cemetery. Leon asks Ranka to sing for them. Ranka takes the microphone, but then she hesitates for a few moments before declaring that she cannot sing anymore. Then, in a stunning turn of events, she runs off the stage and into the nearby woods! There, she meets Ai-kun who has grown to be nearly as big as she is. Suddenly, Ai-kun rears back and splits open in something of a metamorphosis. 

Some time later, Ranka phones Alto which sends him rushing to their normal spot at Griffith Observatory. There, dressed in her white dress, Ranka asks Alto to teach her to make a paper airplane. Ranka has Alto explain to her why he wanted to fly. It was because his mother could not do much and dreamed of seeing a real sky. Alto inherited her dream, something that Ranka finds beautiful. Ranka finishes her plane then set it flying before asking Alto a more dangerous question. She asks if everyone wants to live free, before then asking Alto to come with her as a new 2^nd stage Vajra catches her paper airplane and flies near. 

Alto draws his gun, but Ranka blocks his line of fire! This Vajra is apparently what Ai-kun became. Ranka demands to know if Alto would still kill it even though it did nothing wrong. To Alto, humanity and the Vajra cannot co-exist, so he aims his gun and fires only to have Brera rush in and knock his shot wide. Brera offers to take Ranka where she wants to go. Ranka explains to Alto that she has regained most of her memories and that she wants to take Ai-kun back to the other Vajra. 

Brera brings his Valkyrie nearby and he and Ranka board it. Then, in an emotional moment, Ranka finally voices her love for Alto before saying goodbye. As the beautiful song “Azure Ether” plays in the background, Brera takes Ranka up through one of Island 1’s airlocks and folds away, leaving the Frontier fleet without their one truly effective weapon against the Vajra. Across Frontier, Sheryl, Ozma and Cathy, and the bridge crew of Battle Frontier notice the departure. 

In what feels a lot like a final moment for Ranka, we see various scenes of her while the end credits play. At the very end of the episode we see a beautiful rendering of Ranka in her white dress almost as if we will never see her again. 

Specific Scenes I Loved: 

• Klan rising in the elevator with nothing but Michael’s death echoing in her mind. 
• Ranka tears as she leads tens of thousands of Vajra to their deaths. 
• Klan cradling Michaels helmet as she morns for him in the cockpit of his Valkyrie. 
• Alto’s imaginary glider among the clouds.
• Ranka’s trembling lips as she says what she seems to believe is her final goodbye. 

Episode Impressions: 

The Good: 

This episode feels extremely important. Ranka’s choice to abandon the duties that were thrust upon her is very believable. As much as she has achieved, she never intended to be a weapon of war. I don’t think she was ever really comfortable even playing the role of a songstress of hope, but she did so because she was too kind not to. 

Her decision to leave Frontier also feels very significant. She was the fleet’s most potent defense against the Vajra. Reaction weapons and fold bombs could kill concentrated groups, but only Ranka’s singing could give pause to entire Vajra fleets. With her gone, Frontier will be in a dire position. 

I’ll talk a little more about Ranka’s departure below, but for all I didn’t like about it, it was a very beautiful, very well animated moment that felt weighty and final, even though it’s pretty much a sure thing that we’ll see Ranka again next episode. 

The Bad: 

As much as I respect Ranka for abandoning her position as the songstress of hope, abandoning Frontier all to return one Vajra to its people seems… extremely foolish and selfish. Early on we were lead to believe that individual Vajra don’t have the mental capacity to think or feel. Even if that was a mistake, and if we assume that Ai-kun has learned that Humans are good, thousands of Vajra just killed thousands of Humans across Frontier! Maybe it’s ok for Ranka to protect Ai-kun and search for a lasting peace through that connection, but to run away just to return one Vajra home after such a devastating attack? I would believe that Ranka was under mind control if we had seen even the slightest bit of evidence of it. 

As it is, this episode makes me question Ranka’s goals and even her sanity. We know that she is seen by Grace as the Vajra’s “little queen” so maybe that will play into it in the episodes to come? Right now, Ranka’s actions just feel a little too extreme to me.

Next Episode: Northern Cross

Looks like Sheryl is back somewhat, next episode. And we see Ranka too in a new scene, so she isn’t complete gone. Other than that, it’s hard to tell what is going on.

Where last episode ended on a multipart cliffhanger, this episode begins by showing us all the pieces that were left hanging. Most of the scenes are unchanged from episode 19, but this time we do see that Alto and Sheryl’s closeness was less a passionate embrace and more Alto catching Sheryl as she had yet another dizzy spell. The jump from Ranka’s disbelief to the opening credits is still pretty dramatic, though. 

Ranka tries to run away from her shock and embarrassment at seeing Alto and Sheryl near each other, but trips and falls. Her hurt feelings and pained thoughts call out to the Vajra we saw hidden away in the previous episode and soon there are multiple small, 2^nd stage Vajra in the skies over Mihoshi Academy. Ironically, one of the first Vajra to appear kills the gunman Leon sent to assassinate President Glass. Leon finds out about his failed plot a few moments later when the President calls him and informs him about the new Vajra attack. This gives Cathy and Ozma a chance to flee from the guards that Leon calls to his office. 

Within a few minutes, there is a small swarm of Vajra spreading out across Island 1. Alto goes to Ranka and implores her to sing so they can stop the Vajra, but Ranka at first refuses. Ranka’s conflicting emotions well up and tears fall from her eyes as she tries to explain that she doesn’t want to be a tool to fight the Vajra. It’s only when Sheryl walks over and calmly slaps some sense into Ranka that the younger girl begins to collect herself. Ranka tries singing Grace’s arrangement of Aimo, but once again her negative emotions call out and an entire huge swarm of 2^nd stage Vajra flood Island 1’s skies!

Over at his office, Leon demands to know if this new attack was Grace’s doing. She denies it, but says it wasn’t outside the real of possibility. Leon, however, sees the new threat as his opportunity to continue his plan. Outside Frontier, a new group of Vajra fold in and begin to attack Frontier’s defenses with the Macross Quarter attempting to hold the line against them. 

Back near Mihoshi Academy, Alto, Ranka, and Sheryl along with Michael, Klan, Luca, and Nanase come up with a plan to head to SMS headquarters where they can pickup more weapons and a fold amplifier to hopefully let Ranka’s voice calm the Vajra. But then, Nanase is injured in a nearby blast that separates her and Sheryl from the others. In a touching moment of heroism, Sheryl indicates her willingness to stay behind and take care of Nanase while the others continue on. Ranka, who now appears to be in emotional shock, has to be lead by Alto away from the scene of destruction before them. 

Later, as President Glass makes his way from Island 1 to the still docked Battle Frontier, he is met by Leon Mishima. Leon gives President Glass one final bow then he and and his guards open fire on the President and his protection detail. Some minutes later, Cathy and Ozma travel down the same emergency access way only to find Cathy’s father dead on the ground with multiple fresh gunshot wounds. 

At SMS headquarters, Klan comes up with a plan to fit herself with spare weapons meant for a Valkyrie. She and the others push deeper inside only to be forced to guard their rear against encroaching Vajra. As Klan undresses in preparation of macroizing, she finally openly admits her love to Michael and kisses him. Michael and Alto once again hold a hallway against the Vajra while Klan transitions from her small size to her full size in a tank behind them. 

Elsewhere, Sheryl has managed to bring a still unconscious Nanase to a large emergency shelter. The people inside are becoming increasingly frantic and the power goes out and explosions rock the floor beneath their feet. Sheryl instinctively reaches for her earring and thinks back to what Alto told her earlier. That she can’t help but sing because of how her songs have touched so many people. Sheryl retrieves her remaining earring from her pocket and thinks to herself that if Ranka is to be Frontier’s voice of hope, then at least she herself can help calm the people around her who are slipping into despair. Sheryl stands up in the dim emergency lights and begins singing Diamond Crevasse, diverting the refugees attention away from the sounds of battle around them.

Back at SMS headquarters, a few Vajra manage to burst in through the ceiling and begin to attack Klan’s macroization tank. Michael takes flight in an attempt to stop them but is stabbed by one of the Vajra. He kills it with sustained gunfire, but it then explodes, tearing a small hole in the exterior wall. Michael has just enough time to return Klan’s earlier proclamation of love before he is sucked out into the vacuum of space! All Klan can do is watch helplessly as the man she has loved for years meets his end defending her.

The episode ends with a sparkling tear streaming down Sheryl’s face as she continues to sing. 

Specific Scenes I Loved: 

• Ranka’s turmoil as her feelings for Alto are smothered by her heartbreak at seeing him with Sheryl. 
• Sheryl’s slap followed by the comforting hug and honest, regretful acknowledgment that only Ranka’s singing can help save everyone. 
• Sheryl demanding to know just who Alto thinks she is when she insists on staying behind to take care of Nanase. The answer, of course, is that she is THE Sheryl Nome. It’s nice to see Sheryl with some of her confidence back.
• Leon’s ultimate betrayal of President Howard Glass. 
• Sheryl’s realization that her singing still has a use even if her voice doesn’t have the magic qualities that put a stop to the Vajra. “Ranka, if you are the songstress of hope, then I will sing in the midst of despair” is one of the most powerful moments in all of Macross Frontier. 
• Michael’s tragic death, but also that one quick moment where we see that Klan is pushing so hard against the walls of her tank that she cracks them one step further! 
• Sheryl’s final tear that transitions to a solitary light that quickly goes out in space.

Episode Impressions: 

Episode 20. Wow. We knew that lot of things were being set up last episode to go off with a bang in this one, but I didn’t expect it go like this! 

I feel sorry for Ranka. Seeing Alto and Sheryl together at just the wrong moment broke the joyful enthusiasm that carried her through her best concert yet. Yes, she initially refused to help all the people around her who were suffering and dying, but I think her refusal was a very well earned, emotional character moment. She is not some superhero, but is instead a teenage girl who has been thrust into an incredibly traumatic series of events. For the rest of the episode, especially after her song fails, she is just straight up in shock and is barely even able to function without someone to lead her to safety. 

And then there’s Sheryl, who was basically left an empty shell after Grace’s revelations that she was a failed experiment who would soon die. To her credit, Sheryl tried to shield Alto from her impending death by lying to him. But then, here in this episode, we finally get to see Sheryl’s absolute true character. When push comes to shove, she reverts to being Sheryl Nome, the Galatic Fairy who guides fate with her own hands. Her scene telling Alto to go put a stop to the Vajra attack is just great because she leaves the “I’m Sheryl, Sheryl Nome.” part unspoken. Both she and Alto know it is implied, which speaks some to the closeness of their relationship at this stage. 

Sheryl finding a new reason to sing. Grace’s words hit Sheryl hard. They took singing to entertain away from her. There was probably even a good bit of truth to the idea that Grace’s manipulations had a lot to do with Sheryl’s rise to stardom. But, in that emergency shelter, we see that Sheryl really did earn a name for herself. That in the midst of despair, her songs were able to bring a desperate, worried crowd to awed silence. Ultimately, we see that Sheryl really is more than just Grace’s failed experiment. 

Finally, there’s Klan and Michael. The two of them hid their true feeling from each other for too long. Both knew the danger inherit in their line of work, but both used it as an excuse to not be honest with each other. Maybe a bit more Michael than Klan, but they still both shared some of the blame. It will be interesting to see how Klan reacts to Michael dying right before her eyes. Given that she sees herself as a true Zentradi, I think the aftermath will be quite spectacular! 

Next Episode: Azure Ether 

It looks like the Frontier fleet survives the unexpected Vajra resurgence, but at a terrible cost. We see a brief scene of Sheryl in a dressing room which implies she will continue singing. Ranka looks almost happy as Alto makes her a new paper airplane, so maybe she springs back from her emotional trauma? And then there’s those two dramatic images of Klan, first in her small form cradling Michael’s helmet, and then in what I can only assume is her large form as she unleashes Zentradi hell upon the Vajra. Just look at the fury in her eyes! 

We open this episode with Ranka dreaming about her mother not being able to come to her because of work. Disconcertingly, the dream seem to end with young Ranka reflected in a Vajra’s compound eye. Nearby, Ai-kun receives some kind of signal and runs off. 

Alto sneaks back into his family’s home, but Yasaburō is there waiting for him. He leads Alto to Sheryl who not only has recovered, but is still acting as if everything is fine. She tells Alto that she no longer wishes to sing, that she has achieved everything she wanted with singing, and that all her proclamations about achieving greatness through her own strength were nothing more than creative lies. Alto doesn’t believe her and manages to provoke her somewhat, but is unable to get Sheryl to tell him what is really going on. Alto leaves angrily, but not before demanding that Sheryl come to Ranka’s upcoming victory performance. 

During the parade to her own performance, we find that Ranka has run off with Brera in search of Ai-kun. Meanwhile, several other things are in motion. Cathy and Ozma uncover a plot that Leon has set in motion, while Leon and Grace perfect new miniaturized dimension eater bullets that will penetrate the Vajra’s upgraded armor. It also seems that Grace has discovered something important about the Vajra queen. It is soon revealed that Leon’s plan involves assassinating President Glass! 

At Griffith Park, a little before her concert, Ranka and Brera share a moment where Brera’s inadvertently familiar treatment of Ranka helps her realize that she has been singing for Alto all this time. We cut to Ranka’s concert and she is more energetic than ever as she pours her emotions for Alto into her songs. In the sky above the concert, Alto and the other SMS stunt team members perform some nice skywriting that further convinces Ranka that she is doing everything for Alto. 

As the concert wraps up, we find that Sheryl did in fact come, but she is going to leave without saying anything to Alto until Klan stops her and convinces her to go back. Up on one of the academy’s launch arms, Michael explains to Alto that Ranka is in love with him and insists that he must make a choice between her and Sheryl to avoid hurting Ranka. Just then, Sheryl arrives, and Michael leaves to let Alto and Sheryl be alone. Around this time we see that Luca realizes that Nanase’s drawing of Ai-kun marks it as a young Varja! And there are other Vajra still growing on Frontier. And they are hatching!

Elsewhere, Cathy and Ozma confront Leon over his planned assassination, but they are too late. Leon has already put his plan into motion.

With her last song over, Ranka ascends the stairs excited to tell Alto how she feels… only when she bursts through the doors she sees Alto holding Sheryl in his arms. Alto and Sheryl move apart, but all Ranka can do is stand there as her emotional high meets an unexpected brick wall. And that’s where the episode ends! 

Specific Scenes I Loved: 

• Brera finding the cat. For such a fearsome pilot, it was fun to see him get surprised for once. 
• Alto’s conversation with Sheryl. She has both given up on herself and is trying to shield Alto from the knowledge that she is dying. And she does a pretty good job of it. But then, we see her hold herself at the end and know that everything is not as good as she says it is. 
• That short scene where Yasaburō talks to Sheryl about the thrill of being on stage. For a minor secondary character, he got a nice little speech there. 
• Ranka emerging on Alto and Sheryl. It’s just sorta a classic, shocking, love triangle moment.

Episode Impressions: 

This episode has a lot of moving parts that all overlap, but I like it a lot despite how much it jumps around. We get another really great, subtle, simmering emotional conversation between Alto and Sheryl. It was sorta similar to the one they held before Alto first went off to rescue the Galaxy ships, except here Sheryl all but closed herself off from Alto instead of unexpectedly opening up. I also like how even though Sheryl puts on a convincing performance, Alto knows her well enough to yell at her to cut the crap. He even gets her angry and lashing back at him as her emotions almost overcome her, but she turns away rather than admit that she is lying about not wanting to sing anymore. The scene is not even two minutes long, but there’s a lot of great unspoken emotion and pain there. 

This episode also has a great cliffhanger of an ending. The hidden Vajra are emerging somewhere on Frontier, Sheryl and Alto might be admitting their true feelings to each other, a sniper is taking aim at President Glass, Cathy and Ozma are trying to stop Leon’s coup d’état, and Ranka has her newfound realizations and emotions for Alto come crashing down around her in an instant. It’s taken 19 episodes to get here, but all the setup has lead to these interesting moments. And the wonderful cutaway to the end credits that leaves us hanging on multiple fronts all at once! 

Next Episode: Diamond Crevasse

Whoa. Unless we’re seeing a flashback, and I don’t think we are, Frontier gets hit hard by the Vajra again!

This episode picks off right where the last episode ends. Sheryl confronts Grace demanding to know “why”. In response, Grace tells Sheryl that she is nothing more than a manufactured idol who would have gotten nowhere if Grace had not pulled her out of Galaxy’s slums. And then Grace tells Sheryl she is going to die. 

After the new opening, the real one this time, not the silly Ranka one, we come back to Sheryl and Grace. Sheryl dismisses what she thinks is Grace’s idle threat about dying until Grace explains that she literally meant that Sheryl’s life will soon end. Apparently, when Sheryl was still young, Grace had her taken to a hospital where she was treated for some illness but was never actually cured. 

Elsewhere, we see that Luca is still providing his or his company’s advanced technology to Leon for something called “Cinderella’s Horn”. We also see that Leon and President Glass have managed to get the political votes they need to authorize the Frontier fleet’s next super long distance fold. It seems they are going to try and leave the Vajra behind and return to their original mission of finding a new world to settle. Except… it seems the fleet hasn’t accumulated anywhere near enough energy to make such a jump. Not only will they be making a 20% shorter jump than they originally intended, they’ll put the entire fleet into heavy rationing to do it. Which, of course, means a giant fleet wide pre-fold sale is about to start! 

We catch up with Alto visiting Ozma who is still in the hospital. Ozma asks Alto to protect Ranka when Leon and the others try to use her to repel the Vajra that will be drawn to the Frontier fleet as it prepares for its long distance fold. We also see Sheryl taking a cab away from the hospital. She looks worse than ever and in her flashback we see that Grace’s pronouncement of her untimely death had a dramatic effect on her. We also see that Michael and Klan are continuing to investigate the drugs that Grace had been giving to Sheryl. Apparently they were meant to suppress V-type infections. Ones that come from the Vajra! But, side effects include the symptoms and sicknesses that Sheryl has been experiencing for the last several episodes. 

Doing even more research, Michael and Klan find original scientific papers on managing V-type infections submitted by Dr. Mao Nome! Even more important though, Grace O’ Connor is listed as one of the other contributors to the research along with someone named Ranshe Mei! They even find a report that directly confirms what Grace told Sheryl. That she was treated for a V-type infection several years before. Sheryl happens to walk in on their research, and a few moments later begs them both not to tell Alto before continuing on her way. Michael understands that Sheryl loves Alto enough to wish to spare him the knowledge that she is dying, but Michael calls Alto anyway and tells him to find Sheryl without breaking his promise as to the why. 

Back out in the rain, Grace’s words continue to haunt Sheryl. Sheryl catches a news report of Ranka being chosen to help protect the Frontier fleet and that along with the knowledge she is going to die, and her obviously weakening physical condition sees Sheryl collapse crying on the sidewalk only to see one of her own posters torn and tattered on the ground before her. It seems Sheryl’s self confidence has finally been broken by all that Grace inflicted on her. 

We see Alto racing through the rain searching for Sheryl, and then someone stands over Sheryl with an umbrella and offers his hand to her. When Sheryl looks up she at first thinks she sees Alto, but it is in fact his adopted brother Yasaburō who has found Sheryl. Alto arrives just in time to see Yasaburō load Sheryl into his car. He tells Alto if he wishes to see Sheryl he’ll come home. 

Just then, the predicted large group of Vajra appear and Alto is forced to head outside to protect all of Frontier. As the battle heats up outside, it quickly becomes apparent that most of Frontier’s forces might as well be firing blanks since the Vajra have become immune to nearly every weapon. And, if Frontier folds before killing the Vajra, they will just be followed to their new destination. Things are looking bad, but then Ranka appears with Brera escorting her. Her singing allows Frontier’s forces to herd the Vajra into one area where Battle Frontier’s full-sized Macross cannon obliterates them all in a single shot! We see that Ranka is, once again, affected by the mass deaths of the Vajra. With the Vajra out of the way, Frontier makes its fold to safety, but it looks like maybe the Vajra have once again hidden away on the underside of one of the Frontier ships. 

Specifics Scenes I Loved: 

• The Sheryl vs Grace scene and it’s various flashbacks are pretty well done. You can see how defiant Sheryl is in the beginning and how crushed and scared she is by the time Grace is through with her. 
• The new opening. A lot of it is kinda abstract and plays with the triangle tropes, but those first shots of Ranka preparing for a concert, the sparkle off the gunpod of a Valkyrie’s add-on Super or Armor pack, Sheryl’s earrings, and Frontier lighting up for a concert… it’s about the most Macross thing in all of Macross. And it’s set to the quick, sharp opening piano notes of “Lion” which is one of my favorite songs from Frontier. 
• Sheryl’s breakdown in the rain. By that point she had lost her manager, her health, her fame, and even knew she was going to lose her life, but she was still holding on to her self-confidence, and she finally lost that as well. It’s a surprisingly powerful scene for someone who started out as a seemingly haughty performer.  
• Battle Frontier destroying a swarm of Vajra in a single shot. 

Episode Impressions: 

The Good: 

This episode is more emotional than I remember it being. It doesn’t exactly make you well up with tears, but Sheryl’s emotional crash, Klan’s longing for Michael’s love, Alto searching desperately for Sheryl, and Sheryl still trying to put on a brave face and protect Alto from the truth of her impending death all worked for me. And it was all earned, which is just as important. 

The Bad: 

Sorta like Alto randomly finding Ranka on the cliffs in Legend of Zero, Sheryl stumbling upon Michael and Klan was a little forced. Sheryl just happened to stumble into that library at that time? That’s a bit hard to believe. 

Next Episode: Triangler

Well, this next episode looks to be a bit of a combat breather, but it may very well replace ship to ship combat with emotional combat all its own.

We start this episode by watching as Ozma reminisces about his early days after adopting Ranka. Notably, he first manages to break through her catatonic state by baking her what was apparently a terrible tasting pineapple cake. 

Oh! And look! We’ve got a new bizarrely colorful opening. I’m guessing this episode is somewhat Ranka centric? :p

At SMS, both Alto and Michael are being forced to do laps in their unpowered Ex-Gear as administered by Cathy as punishment for bringing Sheryl aboard the Macross Quarter. When they are finished, Michael remembers the medicine pill he kept after Sheryl either lost it or refused to take it back on Gallia 4. He arranges a meeting with Klan and asks her to introduce him to someone with pharmaceutical training. Klan had hoped Michael was asking her out to a date and is upset when she thinks Michael is just looking to use her to meet more women. The two of them being to argue but then spot Luca getting a government escort across the way. 

Cathy and Ozma have another one of their increasingly frequent government conspiracy meetings. This time, they meet in Cathy’s quarters where she has ripped all of the cameras and microphones out of the walls. It’s clear now that Leon and one or more people from the Galaxy equipped with implants are involved in some sort of conspiracy. Cathy and Ozma seem to be reconnecting after their breakup years ago. At the same time, Ozma can’t understand why Ranka needs to put herself in danger when new anti-Vajra weapons should be enough for Frontier to effectively counter their attacks. Ozma again reminisces about pineapple cake. It seems the one he made for Ranka so long ago was based on the cakes and recipe that Cathy had made for him and given to him back when they were together. 

Elsewhere, Alto sneaks up to Ranka’s apartment where the two of them talk about the Vajra and Ranka’s singing experiment from the previous episode. Alto shares his belief that the galaxy isn’t really big enough for both Humanity and the Vajra if the Vajra keep attacking them on sight like they have in the past. Ranka cheers up and tells Alto that she’ll keep singing if her voice can help in the slightest. 

Next, we see just where Luca has been going. He is again meeting with Leon where we learn that fold quartz is produced within the bodies of the Vajra and that it is the key to dramatically faster travel through fold space. Luca guesses that’s what Leon is after, but Leon and Grace seem to indicate that their plans are much bigger than that. 

Over at the Island 3 Vajra research facility, we find that Ozma is attempting to break in to further his search for answers. Unfortunately, Brera is there following him and the two nearly come to blows. Well… more like Ozma fires multiple shots at Brera and misses placing the two in something of a Mexican standoff. Ozma demands to know why Brera and the others are using Ranka’s dreams as a weapon when Frontier can oppose the Vajra on its own now. Brera seems to indicate that Frontier’s new found strength vs the Vajra is only temporary. Before the two can finish their fight, a call comes in. A new force of Vajra have appeared and are approaching the Frontier fleet. 

Ozma, SMS, and Frontier’s Spacey fly out to head off the Vajra attack and launch reactive missiles as their opening salvo, only to find that the larger red Vajra have somehow adapted and are now able to shrug off some of humanity’s most powerful weapons! They shed a layer of their armor to do so, so repeated hits might still destroy them, but even the Vajra’s secondary layer of armor seems to have gained heavy resistance to the other upgraded anti-Vajra bullets and missiles that the Frontier fleet was counting on to give them an edge. 

One of the Vajra breaks through the defense line and launches a full power directly at the Macross Quarter’s bridge only to have Ozma intercept the shot with his Valkyrie’s pinpoint barrier system just in time to save Cathy and the rest of the Quarter’s bridge crew. Brera joins the battle and we see that his more powerful beam cannon can still kill Vajra, but he reveals that every time a Vajra is killed it instantly sends information about what killed it to the rest of the hive mind which allows the Vajra to become immune to repeated attacks. Even Brera’s beam cannon will likely become useless, eventually. That’s why Ranka’s songs are necessary, Brea tells everyone. 

Ozma, however, won’t stand for it. In a moment of pure awesome, he vows to fight on as an old Fire Bomber song beings to play in the background. He kills a nearby Vajra with a combination of weapons including his energy knife, his head mounted point defense lasers, and even the Vajra’s own severed arm! Ozma turns his Valkyrie towards Cathy on the bridge of the Macross Quarter and says that the hit he absorbed was just a scratch, then asks what kind of a man he would be if he couldn’t protect his sister and the woman that he loves. I think Cathy’s engagement to Leon is about to go out the window! Alto and Michael comment on how awesome Ozma is, and they too charge the Vajra with knives drawn while Brera and his support fighters help in cleaning up the remaining Vajra. 

Back on Frontier, Ranka finally gets to have her concert, and Ozma joins Cathy in attending. Intercut with Ranka’s singing, we get an ominous look as some techs begin to make repairs to Ozma’s fighter. One of them gets to his cockpit and is shocked at what he sees. Back at the concert, Cathy playfully chastises Ozma for making such a bold declaration during battle and then offers to go back to her place to have some pineapple cake. When Ozma doesn’t respond, Cathy turns to find that he has passed out and is covered in his own blood! Apparently, that hit from the Vajra was more than just a scratch after all! We fade to black with Cathy desperately shaking an unresponsive Ozma… 

…only to cut to Frontier’s main hospital where Ozma is alive and being treated for his wounds. It turns out, this entire episode has been one big tongue-in-cheek callback to the tragic events that occurred during the SDF Macross tv show. Back then, ace pilot and mentor Roy Focker, who was also one of the lead characters in Macross Zero, bleed out and died on his girlfriend’s couch just after returning from an intense battle defending the Macross from a Zentradi attack. The kicker? His girlfriend Claudia, who was a bridge officer aboard the Macross and who served more or less in Bobby’s role as the ship’s lead tactical officer, had just finished making Roy a pineapple salad. We get Michael joking about how tragic it would have been if Ozma had died and one final pineapple cake set to the silly SMS music to finish up the heavily referential joke that this episode played on long time Macross fans. 

The episode ends, however, on a truly tense moment as Sheryl confronts Grace along one of the hospitals upper walkways. Sheryl forcefully insists that she and Grace need to have a long chat. 

Specific Scenes I Loved: 

• Ozma and Cathy’s meeting in her quarters with all the disconnected wires and cables laying on the floor around them. Not only was their chat layered with multiple meanings, I liked the attention to detail the art team put into Cathy shielding herself from Galaxy’s hackers. 
• Ranka standing dreamily on the stage of the theater that not to long before hosted the intergalactic superstar Sheryl Nome. Sure, this scene wasn’t quite as powerful as Ranka being led on stage after the debut of Bird Human, but I kinda consider that scene and this one connected. It’s neat to see just how far Ranka has come in only a few short weeks or months. 
• Ozma’s rock n roll moment! 
• The final scene where it looks like a severely pissed off Sheryl is going to reassert herself. 

Episode Impressions: 

Yeah, you pretty much have had to have seen the original Macross tv series to get this episode’s huge in-joke, but I still think this episode represents an example of Macross Frontier at its best. Even while making a joke that it knew many or most might not understand, it still managed to show us Ozma’s early relationship with Ranka, and his deteriorating and renewing relationship with Cathy. It was also able to fill us in on more about why the Vajra are so dangerous and why Grace and Leon have gone so far to find and guide Ranka into using her voice as a defense against them. This episode accomplished a lot, and also managed to wrap it all in perhaps the most inside joke in Macross’ long history.

Next Episode: Fold Frame

Frontier going shell down again makes me think we’re up for another battle, but the we’re also told that Frontier is carrying out some sort of super long distance fold. It’s also looking like Sheryl might figuratively lose her confrontation with Grace. Those last shots of Sheryl looking out towards the rain and then being in the rain don’t look very happy.

While returning from a mission to collect Vajra corpses, Alto thinks back to his time with the shadowy Mr. Birler, a full size Zentradi who has a dream of connecting the furthest points of the galaxy. Mr. Birler seems sure that somehow the discover of the Vajra will help him do that. On the bridge of the Macross Quarter, the bridge bunnies are impressed by Alto’s combat performance but also wonder why he, and other SMS crew members, are being continually tasked with killing and retrieving Vajra corpses. 

Back at Mihoshi Academy, Michael notes that Alto has had more of a bad attitude than he normally does. It seems that Alto’s secretive meeting some days ago has left him unhappy. Things get worse when Ranka comes to class for the first time in a while. Instead of coming alone, she has Brera following her closely as her bodyguard. Later, in class, Alto tries to force Brera to leave only to be pinned to the floor by the cyborg. 

After class, Ranka meets up with Grace who has been assigned as her new manager. Grace gives Ranka a rearranged version of Aimo to practice singing. This new version is dark and weighty and is a far cry from Ranka’s more airy version. The lyrics, too, are about Frontier declaring victory instead of the far more peaceful things Ranka usually sings about. Ranka tries singing the new version at a recording studio Grace brings her to, but it’s obvious that Ranka just can’t get into it. Even Brera notices and comments on how out of it she sounds. 

In the meantime, Sheryl is still stuck in bed at the hospital. She appears to be slowly becoming more and more bitter, going so far as to think that flowers delivered to her are not real gifts of sympathy. This also appears to be the first time Sheryl has seen that Grace has become Ranka’s manager. Apparently, Grace never informed Sheryl of that fact. 

That evening, Alto stumbles across Sheryl on his way back to his room on Macross Quarter. She is slumped on a fountain bench near the large domed window that she, Alto, and Ranka met at before, and she is not doing well at all. It seems her fever and weakness have returned in full force. It’s all Sheryl can do to explain that she doesn’t want to keep being locked away in hospitals and hotels. 

When Sheryl next wakes, she finds herself unexpectedly in Alto’s room on the Macross Quarter. She initially freaks out, but then thanks Alto for worrying about her. It’s then that Alto notices that the main stone of Sheryl’s earring appears to be made of the same purple fold quartz as Mr. Birler large ring. Alto leans in close to get a better look only for Michael to walk in on him and Sheryl at just the wrong moment. Worse, Cathy calls on a wall monitor on the other side of the room (with only one brief ring before she starts a two way video conference?!) to alert Alto and Michael of a secret mission involving Ranka’s singing. 

In Leon’s office, Ozma voices his fury at the Frontier government experimenting to see if Ranka’s singing really does affect the Vajra. Leon calmly tells Ozma that his objections won’t make any difference. Later, in space, Alto and Michael discuss the upcoming experiment while Ozma helps secure Ranka in Canaria König Monster. He switches his and Ranka’s suits to a private channel and asks Ranka if she really wanted to do this. Ranka seems reluctant, but she confirms that she agreed to perform this test. Soon, Brera and a few other Valkyries from what’s left of the Galaxy’s forces join the SMS test group, much to Alto’s great annoyance. 

Back on the Macross Quarter, Sheryl uses her charm to sneak onto the Quarter’s bridge where she request permission to watch the test. Captain Wilder ask her if she wants to see out of curiosity. Sheryl instead replies that she wants to see the test out of a sense of stubbornness or pride. It seems clear that Sheryl is skeptical that Ranka can have an affect on the Vajra, but Sheryl also seems unhappy with the idea that Ranka’s voice potentially might have a beneficial affect that hers doesn’t. Over at Frontier’s military command, President Glass also seems skeptical, but Leon convinces him to let the test proceed. 

Ozma and the other members of the SMS arrive at an asteroid being used as a hive by the Vajra and proceed to launch an attack. The Vajra pour out and move to counterattack, but then Grace has Ranka begin singing the new, altered version of Aimo. To most everyone’s surprise, the Vajra all but cease their attacks and movements! Alto, however, recognizes that Ranka’s original song has been significantly altered. 

With the Vajra all but immobilized, Brera and the SMS pilots begin eliminating the swarm. Things go well for a while until the shock of seeing a Vajra killed nearby causes Ranka to stop singing. One of the red Vajra recovers and launches an attack on Ranka’s ship. Alto moves to assist, but is cut off by a heavy beam attack from Brera. Brera takes a defensive position, then tells Alto that he is not worthy to protect Ranka. 

As the battle ends, President Glass changes his tune. Now, he is thrilled that Frontier finally has a real edge on the Vajra. Most of the SMS members are exuberant as well. They heap praise on a still reluctant Ranka while comparing her to past legendary singers like Lynn Minmay and Basara Nikki who both helped end previous space wars with their songs. Despite all the encouraging words, Ranka privately wonders if using her voice for warfare is really the right thing to do.

Specific Scenes I Loved: 

• Ranka’s cellphone once again showing how versatile it is by it reaching out, grabbing, and then “eating” a music cd in order to play it.
• Ranka singing the new version of Aimo without enthusiasm. They did a good job of making her singing flat and a bit monotone in order to show how unsure she was of the new arrangement. 
• The brief battle sequence set to the new version of Aimo. There may not be a single frame of new animation in it, but there’s this great edge of uncertainty with the new song and its far more forceful lyrics. Everything just feels wrong even as we watch our heroes easily destroy Vajra who were previously able to destroy entire warships with a single shot.  

Episode Impressions: 

The Good: 

This episode answers more questions about why Leon and Grace have been looking for or keeping an eye on Ranka. We now know that there is something special about her voice that can help Frontier in its battles against the Vajra. It was also good to see that the show has not forgotten Sheryl and is slowly continuing her subplot of becoming more jealous and perhaps even bitter at Ranka’s success. 

The new version of Ranka’s Aimo is actually a little scary when you read the lyrics. We have Ranka singing things like “Now tolls the bells of victory, For this place is my new planet.”

The Bad: 

It seems like this meeting between Alto and Mr. Birler was important but it is being stretched out across multiple flashbacks across multiple episodes. So far, I don’t think we’ve really seen anything to make Alto so upset. 

Next Episode: Goodbye Sister

Looks like we are getting some more flashbacks. This time about the early days after Ozma adopted Ranka. It also looked like there may be another battle coming up. Maybe Ranka’s voice will make it go much more smoothly?