マクロスプラス / Macross Plus

The coolest OVA from the 90's.

Background

The first official sequel to Super Dimension Fortress Macross, Macross Plus is a four episode OVA series released in 1994 for the tenth anniversary of Macross: Do You Remember Love?, with a theatrical movie adaptation released the following year, which added around 20 minutes of new animation, particularly during the climactic battle at the end of the story.

Macross Plus forgoes the background of interstellar war present in the rest of the franchise for a more personal story based on the rivalry of two childhood friends — Isamu Alva Dyson and Guld Goa Bowman — both in their work as test pilots for the latest variable fighters, and in the central Love Triangle with their mutual friend Myung Fang Lone; as well as facing the obsolescence of manned pilots against artificial intelligence-guided, unmanned fighting craft.

The animation consisted of a then groundbreaking combination of traditional cel animation and computer animation, and paved the way for much greater integration of CGI in Japanese animation. It also launched the directorial career of Shinichiro Watanabe and the composing career of Yoko Kanno (her work for Please Save My Earth was released around the same time and didn't have as profound an impact.) To this date, Macross Plus is still widely regarded as the pinnacle of the Macross franchise and one of the finest sci-fi anime ever made.

a new love triangle...

...In a very familiar world.

The review

Macross Plus is a 4-episode OVA series, produced by Studio Nue. Triangle Staff
and Bandai Visual. It was released in 1994, with an exceptional standard of production for its time, then oft considered the pinnacle of anime. Going back and watching the anime 12 years after it was produced, I wasn’t too sure what to expect. I knew very little about it, only that it had a good reputation. I soon discovered that I would not be underwhelmed by the OVA, which presented a lavish production, strong (although not flawless) characterization, and a unique plot. I feel now that my expectations were too low, and although it could have been better, the show was certainly a remarkable achievement upon its release, and remains even now a stunning anime, with real emotional impact, and provoking science-fiction themes. While it has a number of flaws that stop it from being as great as other anime I have seen, it has not been outdated in its themes or in its animation, and is an irrefutably entertaining watch.

The animation is just fantastic; I can truly understand what older fans are referring to when they reminisce on the hand-drawn animation of days passed. Although some (minimal) CG was used in Macross Plus, it was traditionally produced before the age of digicel. As such, this means the show lacks the crisp and vibrant look of some of the better more modern anime, but in contradistinction, there is a higher level of detail than what we could nowadays expect from all but the finest in anime. This is especially true of mechanical objects, such as the mecha and jets, which are rendered in beautiful detail with every frame, allowing for some of the most spectacular mecha and aerial fight sequences I have ever seen. The level of detail is high, and the fluidity is astounding at times, to the point where there seems to be more happening on screen than you can possibly appreciate. The aesthetics of the anime shine in other ways as well, such as the colourful and vivid displays of Sharon’s concerts, which prove that there is more to the animation than technical excellence. Of course, this was all made possible by the bloated production values this OVA was blessed with, and they are certainly one of the reasons that this OVA is really elevated above the crowd.

VF-19

YF-21

There is one more element to the production that deserves appraisal, and that is the music, composed by the masterful Yoko Kanno, which compliments the visuals so beautifully at times that it transforms the events unfolding into a profound experience. Given that a part of the story revolves thematically around a singer, much of the emotion the OVA evokes is triggered through song, particularly the beautiful vocals. Few composers/singers can accomplish this so powerfully as Yoko Kanno/Gabriela Robin, and while the score overall is not one of her best, when it really counts, the music is there to move the viewer. Most notably, the track Information High launches the viewer into the fourth episode with a climatic and energetic feel, while the exotic, alien-esque singing of ‘Torch Song’ makes one of the final emotional climaxes unforgettable. Music is always very important to me, and without Kanno’s excellent score, and the vocal talent involved, Macross Plus would not have been nearly as memorable.

The story is an aspect of the show that is not so great. While the core ideas that the plot is built upon are highly original, and the show does explore some excellent science-fiction themes (such as the nature of artificial intelligence verses the real human consciousness), the problem is in its execution, and in the array of smaller details that surround the plot. I felt that the pacing of the show was flawed, as it did not seem to progress in the optimal storytelling pattern of building up to a climax, but until the final episode just sort of meanders. Fortunately, the very strong ending episode, which pulls in all the loose plot threads for a fantastic conclusion, does make up for the lacklustre plot progression of the majority of the series and, being an OVA (rather than a TV series) the effects of such flaws in the pacing are not so unfavourable. The other problem with the story would include the plot threads relating to the personal involvement of the main characters, and the way their relationship in the past is used as a plot device in the present. While the dialogue on the show was well-written, the way Myung, Guld and Isamu’s history is gradually brought to light seemed sloppily done, remaining obscured for too long, so that their dramatic conflicts were often baffling rather than profound. And when we finally found out about what had torn them apart, it was laughed off and did not provide any extra emotional ‘kick’ to the resolution. It was almost as though the twist that Gurd was the one at fault all along was added as some kind of afterthought or as a last resort to wrap up the conflict between him and Isamu.

Sharon Apple, the mother of Hatsune Miku.

And Macross new singing sensation!

I have several nitpicks when it comes to some of the show’s logic, most prominently is the question of HOW the Sharon hologram was able to be projected from all angles in all places? It might sound pedantic but I thought that was a rather major flaw for a show that supposes itself science fiction. I mean, sure, technology is much more advanced, but I don’t see how they could possibly create such a hologram (unless it is powered by tiny robots in the air, but they would have to be able to move as fast as a jet plane in that case (as her image was projected from inside the moving jet in several instances). Or was the audience supposed to assume that at that point Sharon had become some kind of hallucination caused by her tampering with their brainwaves through her singing? I was lost.

The characters were somewhat of a mixed success, in that the fundamental characterization is really very strong, but before long it becomes apparent that they lack a certain depth and believability that comes with well-developed characters. Isamu is easily the most interesting of the three; he is hot-headed and reckless, and he makes no excuses for himself. He exhibits character traits not often found in anime, and that makes him instantly stand-out. At times his thoughtless actions were very annoying, but he has enough redeeming qualities to be enjoyed as the ‘hero’ of the story. He is a character you both love to hate and hate to love. Gurd, on the other hand, is very plain, following the age-old stoic and ‘mature’ archetype. While his presence is definitely felt, his indifferent nature makes it hard to sympathize with him, and for most of the series his sole purpose was to get in the way of Isamu. Both of these pilots were annoying at times, because of their aggressive nature towards each other, which did not feel at all justified in the end. While it was perhaps part of their characters to be physically competitive, their immature melees made it hard to appreciate them as protagonists.

Myung’s character was nothing exceptional, but she was sufficient for the role. It was almost refreshing to see a female character in anime not being written with ‘moe’ as the crux of her character, but that’s what you tend to get going back in the anime time machine a few years. Having said that, she is also lacking in appeal in almost every sense of the word; she is portrayed as being almost completely vulnerable and indecisive when it comes to Gurd and Isamu, and even to her own life. She does not display any strong traits of elegance, sexiness, or cuteness, but is a rather unlikeable character who serves purely as the object of affection of the two male characters, and to allow for the themes of artificial intelligence superseding real humans. As such, most of her character points revolve around how her work with ‘Sharon’ has affected her, and whether or not she loves Gurd or Isamu.

New transforming robots!

New action scenes!

I was impressed by this OVA series, for its amazing production values, unforgettable music, and highly original storyline. It took a whole new angle in approaching a traditional sci-fi subject matter, and made it emotional gripping and oddly poetic. Despite its flaws in characterisation and pacing, the anime was simply awe-inspiring at times, and is overall highly enjoyable. I recommend this to all anime fans, as it has been recommended to me, but in addition, let me say that it is not exclusively for mecha or science-fiction fans, it has a story that I think everyone can appreciate. 
 
Trivia

From fiction to reality:

• Sharon Apple is a Vocaloid, just like world famous idol Hatzune Miki.
• Many airplane manufacturers are now trying to find a way to make systems that allow the pilot to see through the cockpit, similar to the "transparent" cockpit of the YF-19. The most notable being the Lockheed F-35.

• Executive Meddling - The story was originally written as a feature length movie, but the studio was unwilling to risk the production budget for a theatrical release straight off, so it was re-edited into a four episode OVA, with the theatrical version edited to be closer to the original screenplay following a year later. This lead to the removal of most of the contents of the first OVA episode, a post-sex scene between Lucy and Isamu (and the only boob shot of the movie), a more stylized rendering of Guld's final battle, some minor scene editing/shuffling, and some music changes. 

Listen to my song!

The power of music.

• No Export for You - Compared to the rest of the franchise from which it comes, this is a rare exception - the retail DVDs had a large print run in the early to mid 2000s and are still widely available, and the movie version is often a staple of the Sci-Fi Channel. By all indications, the only reason it got through the infamous Macross legal snarls surrounding Tatsunoko Production, Harmony Gold, Studio Nue/Satelight and Big West was due to absolutely overwhelming pressure for release from basically every other corner of the industry; fans wanting a legitimate release in an era just before digital downloads were prevalent, critics wanting another excellent production to be released internationally, and similarly other animation distributors wanting an excellent product out strengthening the marketplace rather than being held back and producing no profit at all for anyone. It helped that at the time Manga Entertainment was able to snap it up, Harmony Gold was in chaos after a staff-hunting raid by Haim Saban, and nobody was paying attention to make a legal challenge; once they did realize what happened, the above kicked in to make challenging it far too dicey a proposition from a PR perspective. It also helps Macross Plus has very few vocal songs (some already in English or Cypher Language) and most of the themes are instrumentals, compared with later series.

• The Other Darrin: Episode 4 of the OVA was later redubbed by Bandai. Several of the English dub actors were replaced; most notably, David Hayter took over from Bryan Cranston as Isamu.

• What Could Have Been: According to Animaze, they wanted to get Bryan Cranston (Isamu's English voice) to also dub the movie version, but trashed plans for it since at the time, he was involved in the production of Saving Private Ryan.

• The Haydonites from Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles are similar to Sharon Apple's true form, suggesting that if it hadn't been for Saban raiding the staff, allowing Manga Entertainment to license the OVA, Harmony Gold would've tried to incorporate the OVA into the Robotech canon.

The girl.

The boys.

After SDF Macross II, a rather divisive sequel from 1991, three years later Shojo Kawamori would return to bring balance to the franchise and thus allowing it to expand for several years in a series of new Animé, OVAs and even live concerts. 

Most casual and hardcore anime fans that I’ve met that aren’t really Macross fans tend to like this OVA. Personally for me as a Macross fan, and keep in mind I’m not speaking for all Macross fans when I say this, is that even though this is fan friendly to non fans of the franchise, I feel it offers very little of what Macross is truly about. For the most part, it exclusively takes place on a planet similar to earth and the aliens are not really emphasized enough, so it’s value of being a space opera, especially taking place 30 years after the original doesn’t really feel all that present.  Also gone is that it isn’t really taking place during a war, but whatever action is present will mostly be between Isamu and Guld. But what’s still present in the tradition of Macross are of course the love triangles. But since the love triangle this time is between 3 former friends there’s a whole lot more directly involved in this one, while the love triangle between Hikaru, Minmei, and Misa in comparison to this feels more superficial which is the only thing I can say in which this installment is superior to the original. In this case, Myung is of course very hesitant who she loves, and seems to be more open to Guld, but still shows concern and care for Isamu. Guld is very more open about his feelings for Myung, while Isamu shows he does care, but seems to be more of a big brother figure to her and doesn’t seem to exhibit any romantic interest directly as much as Guld does. 

As above mentioned, this is probably the most friendly to non Macross fans because it’s a short OAV and covers a descent amount. Even though I do give this anime a high score which I’ll give soon, but compared to other Macross installments, I don’t think this is the best Macross has to offer. It sort of falls apart at the end and I can’t elaborate why because they would be spoilers. But it’s other qualities are still an eye catcher.

Here's the opening featuring "Voices" :

Here's the ending with "Voices":

Here's the VHS tape trailer:

The Manga Entertainment trailer for Volume 2:

The Manga Entertainment trailer for Volume 4:

Information High!

 

Superman Returns

Homage returns!

Today in pop culture history many things happened. In 1982, at the age of 32, the greatest Rock and Roll drummer the world ever witnessed, Mister Jason AKA "Bonzo" Bonham, legendary drummer of Led Zeppelin,  died of a Vodka overdose. In addition, Christopher Reeve, the original Superman everyone still praise as the ultimate live action actor to portray DC's mightiest hero, would have turned 64 years old, that is, if he didn't die in 2004 after struggling with an infection. If you want to read the reviews we did of his Superman films, just click on his name and you'll be taken right away to them. Today's entry will be a homage to the man who made me believe a man could fly. I loved the Superman movies when I was a kid. I devoured every re-run TV had with them, I rented every VHS tape I could find at least once or twice a year. The impact his portrayal as the man of steel had over me, still stands strong within my persona. I even travel to other countries to purchase the movies when they came out on DVD!!

So, another man who was deeply touched by Christopher Reeve's unique take on Superman was Bryan Singer. Famous for The Usual Suspects & specially for his X-Men movies, the film maker quit directing a third X-Men movie in favor of pursuing the gargantuan task of bringing back to life the greatest superhero of all times. (Click on his name, and you'll be taken directly to our X-Men honest reviews)

Coming home after a 5 year space trip.

Some things have changed: Lois Lane is a mother now.

Superman Returns is a 2006 film that is best described as a "tribute movie" just like those tribute albums you can buy at Walmart's cheap baskets. The only purpose this film has, is to serve the legacy of the master minds that created the Superman cinematic universe in a time where superheroes where thought to be a kid's only entertainment source. The "master minds" I'm talking about are Richard Donner, Christopher Reeve & John Williams.  A creative triumvirate that has rarely been seen since then. Donner masterfully directed, Reeve put his heart in the acting department and obviously, Williams composed a score as legendary as his work with Star Wars. Every scene Singer conceived, was carefully tailored to fit the overall tone the first two Superman movies have. If you're a fan of the original films (who isn't?) you will easily identify every joke, dialog, look and action sequence that seems to be directly inspired by the original films.

Introductions set aside, Superman Returns would update our caped wonder to state of the art special effects promising a Superman we've never seen before. To make the tribute stronger, Singer hired composer John Ottman to update the iconic original score, paying instant homage to John Williams while brain washing our nostalgic brains with an opening sequence completely stolen from the original Superman film. Oh, sure, what about the new Superman? in order to follow the tradition that got the role to a then unknown Christopher Reeve, Brandon Routh suited up delivering a fantastic performance that pays homage to both Clark Kent & Superman as they were originally envisioned and portrayed by Mr. Reeve. But wait, there's more! Kevin Spacek (a great actor I might add) delivers an astonishing Lex Luthor absolutely inspired by Gene Hackman's now legendary performance. Now, the question is, would you stand 152 minutes of homage scenes only the most hardcore Chris Reeve's Superman fans would understand? and as a bonus question, Can Bryan Singer make a good superhero film?

Super Cheesy romance.

The worst live action Lois Lane of all time.

First, let me just comment on what I liked about the movie. The special effects were fantastic (for a 2006 movie that is), and very rarely did I feel like I was watching a video game. Clearly, for people who watched the original films, the action scenes seen here are what everyone wanted to see Superman do in those seminal films. However, this isn't an action packed film, so while there are great action scenes, these are very few compared to the romance drama in which Superman Returns is wrapped.

I have innumerable complaints about the film, but four major complaints jump to mind. My first major complaint has to do with the incredible cheesiness of the "plot twist" (if you can call it that since most people probably saw it coming a mile away) where Lois's 5 year-old son turns out to be the super-powered child of Superman. When the crying super-child throws a piano at Lex's henchman to save his mother, I almost got up and left the theater. Singer could have made a much better Superman movie without resorting to cheap gimmicks like a seemingly fragile but latently super-powered illegitimate child. 

Clark Kent is back!

And so is this bald son of a bitch.

My next major complaint has to do with the fact that Superman lifts a continent made out of kryptonite up into outer space. It doesn't take comic book guy from the Simpsons to point out what's wrong with that. I don't know how many comic books Brian Singer has read, but when Superman is exposed to even a small amount of kryptonite he barely has the strength to stay on his feet. Whoever had the idea to have him fly a large island made out of his greatest weakness into space has no business being associated with any Superman-related projects ever again. The concept is as ridiculous as making a Dracula movie where the title character has a stake through his heart and still manages to fly a spaceship made out of garlic into the sun. Why not just have Superman eat kryptonite? He can eat it and then brush his teeth with it, and then go to sleep in kryptonite pajamas. That's not any more absurd then having him hoist a continent of kryptonite into space and then fall powerless through the atmosphere without burning up in re-entry or splattering all over central park when he hits the ground.

My third major complaint has to do with the fact that Singer slaps movie-goers across the face with religious symbolism the entire movie. I have to take issue with his characterization of Superman as the only son of a God-like Jor-el sent to Earth to be a savior. Jor-el wasn't all-wise, he was just a scientist. And he didn't send his son to earth to be a savior, he threw him in a rocket and hurriedly fired it into space because his planet was about to explode. I'll buy the Christ allegory if Bryan Singer can show me the part in the Bible where God sends Christ to Earth because Heaven was about to explode, and then radioactive pieces of Heaven become Christ's primary weakness. Furthermore, the "crucifixion" scene where Luthor stabs Superman in the side with a kryptonite "spear" just makes me want to slam my face into a brick until I'm too brain-dead to notice the brazenly obvious and inappropriate symbolism that will be tainting the man of steel for the foreseeable future. They might as well rename this movie "Superman Returns: the Passion of the Christ."

It smells like bald rats here.

Lex Luthor: a fucking back stabber!

And speaking of Luthor, my last major complaint has to do with Singer's depiction of Lex Luthor. Lex Luthor is a shrewd, cold-hearted business tycoon who is more apt to run for President (which he does in the comics) than try to destroy the world. The man wants money and power; he wants to be in charge, not wreck everything. Yet the Luthor we see in Superman Returns, as well as all the previous Superman movies, is a wacky theatrical dunce who comes up with zany schemes to destroy the world but, hey this is a tribute movie, so instead of going to the comic book source to deliver a more accurate villain, let's just settle for the idea of paying homage to every character that appeared in the original Superman movies.

Now, as the rest of the cast, uhm, well, Kate Bosworth delivers the worst lifeless Lois Lane celluloid has ever seen! she's a cold bitch who seems to be depressed all the time. Despite being way more beautiful than Margot Kidder (the original Lois Lane) I settle for Kidder's take on the character. By the way, where in the world is Kate Bosworth now? has her acting gotten any better? Oh yeah, she's taking pictures in bikini suits and also in the nude at home.

Not another blonde in bikini.

Why Superman doesn't love me?

James Marsdem (Cyclops in the X-Men movies) is also in the film as Lois Lane's fiancee Richard White and, well, that's pretty much what he does. his character is a cliched successful business man who is in love with the right girl, living the right life and bla bla bla. If Singer wasted him in his X-Men films, guess what? he tries too hard to compensate that here giving him a role nobody gives a fuck about.  There are other characters of course but, they're too expendable to deserve a mention in this honorable blog. By the way! there are also some very well crafted Marlon Brando scenes where he reprises his role as the original Jor-El.

Plot wise, Superman Returns is also, a tribute. Lex Luthor, who for reasons left unexplained, is free again, steals  Superman's fortress of solitude crystals to use their power to grow new land somewhere in the north Atlantic ocean. This resembles what happened in the original film where Luthor planned to bomb Saint Andrew's fall in order to be able of selling land he bought on the cheap. On the other hand there's the broken romance between Lois Lane & Superman who left one day to return after five years without kissing his girl goodbye. You see, Superman, wanted to use his Kryptonian space ship to travel into deep space to find surviving Kryptonians. Obviously, he failed and returned to earth only to find Lois Lane's been fucking a new man who can fly (airplanes that is) and she is also a mother of an enigmatic asthmatic boy. Lane also earned a Pulitzer prize for the "Why the World doesn't Need Superman" article.  

And it's gone.

Gosh I better rush to the Legends of Tomorrow casting!

Overall, Superman Returns as a tribute movie, works fairly nice. However, as a new Superman movie, it really doesn't offer much. Weak plot, weaker acting and an urgent & forced sense of nostalgia that isn't enough to keep the viewer entertained. The romance sub plot is cheesy and boring as fuck. The action scenes are good but there are very few of them in a two hour & a half movie.  I've said this before: Bryan Singer doesn't like comic books! he's never read a single one in his entire life! Take a look at the suit! the darker colors resemble the suit Superman wore in Superman III when he was exposed to red kryptonite and yet Singer claims Superman Returns takes place right after the events of Superman II, completely ignoring Superman III & Superman IV The Quest for Peace. Someone please tell this son of a bitch, to stop making , or should I say, raping comic book characters till the point they're barely recognizable by actual comic book fans. Fortunately, the sequel never happened and Singer quit the superhero business for a while. Zach Snyder's latest take on Superman is far superior, and I totally support and recommend watching Man of Steel & Batman V Superman. Comic book fans know better. Also, Brandon Routh has been doing pretty well on DC's Legends of Tomorrow as The Atom.

Here's the movie trailer:

And here's the "Honest Trailers" trailer of the film:

Stay tuned for more and eat your vegetables!