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Macross Delta (tv). Coming in 2016.

Macross Delta episode 2 has aired.

The intro has also finally been included:
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Oooooh, dang. That's a great OP and the "It's gotta be Macross!" final card in the sequence is as unoriginal as it's a staple of the franchise. :) Can't wait for the subs, this is going to be family viewing tonight. :)

Mark
 
Fansubs for Episode 4 are out!

A ton happened in this episode...what'd y'all think of that ending?
 
Well, five episodes in and so far I’m liking this new series. Macross Delta has been a bit of a mixed bag, that’s for sure, but in my opinion the good is outpacing the bad. There’s a lot of Frontier DNA here, which is hardly surprising considering the vast popular and commercial success of that series, but it’s clear that the creators were paying attention to what was working and what wasn’t and have tried some course corrections here.


My reactions so far have mirrored those I had to Frontier almost to a tee. Frontier’s first few episodes left me lukewarm at best: the setting was really cool but the characters and plot were mediocre and the songs didn’t grab me. Then I got to episodes six and seven. I’ve been a strong Frontier fan ever since. Good news for Delta: it only took until episode three to hook me in, so we’re making progress! I really like the setting and worldbuilding we got right from the beginning, but was put off by the strangeness of the magical girl idol group and really didn’t feel much from the music (a big danger sign in a Macross show, since music is half the point). As the episodes progressed, though, I’m definitely finding a lot to like in the characters, and it’s notable we seem to be rushing through the usual Macross tropes (newbie outsiders accidentally get involved in singing/piloting and turn out to be aces). I’m hoping that this means that there’s something new in store for the storyline this time out, and episodes four and five seem to confirm that. Plus, both Ikenai Borderline and the ED theme have managed to get stuck in my head lately, meaning that the music is growing on me, too.


I really like the ensemble in Delta. Frontier’s cast had a few wasted faces that didn’t add much (hello, Luca), but so far Delta has done a good job of drawing distinctive personalities and quirks from pretty much everyone that’s been on screen, including the obligatory bridge bunnies and the background mechanics. This is especially true of our main characters. Whereas Ranka was so moe it hurt, Frejya is strong and confident with a clear motivation. Likewise, Mirage may have a chip on her shoulder, but the vulnerability that finally made Sheryl a likable person has been evident from the start. I guess having a galactic legend for a grandmother is a hard thing to live up to. Hayate is the weakest of the trio, but even he is already more dynamic and proactive than Alto. Don’t get me wrong, these characters are clearly their own people and not just updated copies from Frontier, but the parallels are obvious and I feel a certain sense of the creators consciously trying to address the weaknesses of the previous group. And though I’m still not sold entirely on Walkure, I appreciate that the show has explicitly shown the technological underpinings of their ‘magic’, and I also really like that none of the women is ‘just’ a singer. All of them have other competencies and roles to play. These aren’t idols, they’re integral team members of the Delta Platoon, and I’m thinking that they’re going to do a lot more than sing before the series ends. I hope so, anyway.


And, of course, it’s not Macross without transforming mecha, and the VF-31 Seigfried has started to charm me. At first, it looked a little too samey to the VF-25, but it’s growing on me fast. I like the outboard arms, that’s a much more sensible arrangement and makes room for the added components between the engine pods (like Chuck’s collapsible radome!) and helps smooth the transformation. The SV-262 Drakken is less impressive, but I have to give credit that it’s at least like nothing we’ve seen before. I like the implied lineage back to Macross Zero’s SV-51 as well. And all of the mecha animation has been superb. Especially the VF-1EX that we got in episode three, the first CG VF-1 the show has ever had (that moved, anyway).


Lots more to say about the setting, the worlds, the details but for now, the bottom line is that I’m liking what I’m seeing and will be sticking with it to the end. This is definitely a departure from previous Macross shows, while still giving us plenty of call backs and references to make us feel at home. Episode five just dropped a lot of information on us that points in all sorts of interesting directions, so I’m looking forward to seeing what comes next.


Tl;dr:

Great ensemble, characters with agency and motive, awesome mecha, and a few good songs manage to overcome an iffy premise (you put magical girls in my Real Robot show!) to deliver an entertaining and, most importantly, fun watch. I’m sticking with it.
 
At least the old magic girl transformation trope makes sense in Macross Delta - they are girl-band Walkure's elaborate costume changes meant to be part of their on-stage entertainment act.
 
I don't know, they do seem kinda screwed right now as of episode 13. I really wish they'd try to connect the various series from the franchise a bit more though, maybe have some of the characters from previous series show up to help. Or would that just seem cheap?

The wait begins for 14's subs....
 
The way the characters talk about older characters make it seem like it's been a long time. For example, it's been centuries since Minmei and Firebomber's era. And decades(?) since Sheryl Nome and Ranka Lee's time. Are those two girls even alive?
 
The way the characters talk about older characters make it seem like it's been a long time. For example, it's been centuries since Minmei and Firebomber's era. And decades(?) since Sheryl Nome and Ranka Lee's time. Are those two girls even alive?

Macross was from 2009-2012, Macross 7 was in 2045, Fronatier was in 2059, and Delta is set in 2067. So not that much time.
 
I don't know, they do seem kinda screwed right now as of episode 13. I really wish they'd try to connect the various series from the franchise a bit more though, maybe have some of the characters from previous series show up to help. Or would that just seem cheap?

The wait begins for 14's subs....
I think that would be awesome, but to my knowledge that's not how anime producers generally roll with things. Plus, bringing back the previous series' actors would probably cost a ton on top of what they're paying for this series's cast.
 
Probably not as much as you'd figure, but IMO I really doubt they'd want to have anyone from a previous series show up lest they trump the actual main cast of the show. There are ways to handle this competently (Ahsoka's story arc in Rebels Season 2 comes to mind) but I'd think they'd just as likely keep older storylines in the past - they've had their time.

Well, except for Mylene. In 2067 she'd be 37 years old, Mirage's aunt, an awesome pilot like her mum, and I'm sure she'd be smoking hot. My inner fanboy still wants her to be the mysterious Lady M who has only been referenced but remains unseen, revealing herself in a white and pink VF-31 in the finale episode to drop an Itano circus on the Sigur Valens like no one's business. While singing.

Mark
 
Probably not as much as you'd figure, but IMO I really doubt they'd want to have anyone from a previous series show up lest they trump the actual main cast of the show. There are ways to handle this competently (Ahsoka's story arc in Rebels Season 2 comes to mind) but I'd think they'd just as likely keep older storylines in the past - they've had their time.

Well, except for Mylene. In 2067 she'd be 37 years old, Mirage's aunt, an awesome pilot like her mum, and I'm sure she'd be smoking hot. My inner fanboy still wants her to be the mysterious Lady M who has only been referenced but remains unseen, revealing herself in a white and pink VF-31 in the finale episode to drop an Itano circus on the Sigur Valens like no one's business. While singing.

Mark
Min May and Misa also start with M, though at this point in the timeline I don't think they'd be smoking hot anymore, just old grannies.
 
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