Macross Frontier — an ending postponed?
So, Macross Frontier has finally ended. Or has it? I have no idea. But what I do know is that the final episode is the most blatant 24 minutes of fan service I have ever seen, and that’s including that Gundam SEED Destiny episode where Lacus bares it all. Bravo Satelight! This is a new benchmark for all future human endeavours.
I don’t know what to say, really. Episode 25 has brought Macross Frontier to a completely different realm of existence from the unwashed masses of mere anime. It’s not a matter of entertainment value or literary merits; the show is simply in its own plane of being, beyond the limits of mortal comprehension.
Certainly, it’s not a very good episode if we consider the criteria used to judge regular story endings; in fact it’s a pretty bad one. I mean, who but the intellectual Hercules among us could’ve imagined that things would get spectacularly blown up and the day would be saved? But let’s put the predictable cop-out ending aside and appreciate the greatness of ultimate fan gratification.
Hey, that’s Mao Nome the ex-loli at the back!
Satelight really went all out with the homages for this episode. We have Earth’s Macross City, the good old Macross Attack (still as illogical as ever), and everyone’s favourite idol Lynn Minmay, whose classical character design makes her look like a different species from the rest. The only thing that can triumph this potent combination in tearing at the heartstrings of Macross fanboys is an actual sequel to the original series.
Macross Attack: because only humanoid mecha can shoot missiles
I am almost positive that every single piece of music composed for Macross Frontier is used in episode 25. Sheryl and Ranka diligently cover each of their trademark songs —so different in style from one another— in a chaotic cacophony worthy of at least five dozen Grammys. My feeble mind almost explodificated in the process, but it was worth it. I can now die happily knowing that I have experienced the entire human condition distilled into 10 minutes of seizure-inducing musical extravaganza.
Seriously though, what the hell?
That said, in spite of my cynical exterior, deep down I am just a vulnerable fanboy. I tried to steel my resolve against the onslaught of cheap fan baits, but Maaya‘s rendition of “AIMO” and the duet performance of “Triangler” at the end of the episode took me by surprise and totally melted my heart. Damn you Sunrise Satelight!
Macross F has suddenly become a yuri series
The ending itself is of course a bit of a letdown. The villains are defeated rather unceremoniously and most of the episode is spent on the familiar formula of “give airtime to everyone who shows up on popularity rankings”.
The crux of the story, the love triangle on which everything rests, is left unresolved. I blame this on the modern anime industry’s “let’s not upset the fans” mentality. The original Macross pulled it off without having to resort to a cop-out, so this is rather disappointing. It’s like when Ozma failed to die and went on to survive the rest of the series as a pointless character.
Apparently a movie release is in the works for Macross Frontier. I hope it’s a love comedy about how Alto and Sheryl get married and Ranka falls into a state of alcoholism, but chances are it’s about some other giant robot that Alto has to go blow up with his infinite supply of missiles.
Still, there is hope.
September 26th, 2008 at 9:20 pm
No! I hate yuri!
September 26th, 2008 at 9:22 pm
I found their “flawless” ending to be rather disappointing. The triangle scene had me going wtf for the rest of the episode because it was beyond me to understand how the hell that took place.
September 26th, 2008 at 9:32 pm
harem T_T
September 26th, 2008 at 10:36 pm
What the hell…
All that work to get the Fold Quartz, forming the SMS, conspiring with Grace…
All Bilrer wanted to do was manipulate time and space, and ogle at Lynn Minmei in the flesh? -_-
September 26th, 2008 at 10:43 pm
Don’t underestimate fanboyism. >_>
September 26th, 2008 at 10:50 pm
At least Macross Ace Frontier looks promising…
September 27th, 2008 at 12:58 am
wow to money-milking.. And yes, a love comedy would milk in lot’s of money for the producers.
September 27th, 2008 at 1:24 am
You forgot about Grace’s tentacles!
September 27th, 2008 at 2:41 am
This is a boring ending. Much to open ended to fit my tastes.
Who will he sleep with that night? Sheryl has to have the first shoot at him with Ranka lying in ambush waiting around the corner.
I really dislike endings like this, Sheryl turned into a vajran communication thing like Ranka? WTF is wrong with letting her die when she has got what she want and everything is well?
But a miraculus cure that gives her the same ability as Ranka? And they fight together against Grace? How much more of a Macross ripoff can it get?
So, to make things short, worst episode of the whole season. Rushed, unsatisfying, what was Grace trying to prove? Why if she hates the Vajra so much does she link with them in such a manner?
There are just to many questions to name and no answers.
The movie have to solve some of these questions, otherwise it´ll be a big waste of time to watch.
September 27th, 2008 at 5:20 am
My feeble mind explodificated. Now I watch in awestruck stupidity. THANK YOU MACROSS F.
Also, with regards to the movie, why can’t it be Alto X Ranka and Sheryl dies.
September 27th, 2008 at 5:41 am
C.I. simple answer is I cant stand Ranka.
September 27th, 2008 at 6:02 am
I knew a mediocre ending would take place since the moment I saw episode 1.
September 27th, 2008 at 6:23 am
I’m not that cynical about the ending. Maybe I spend too much life in real life life listening to who dates who to care if Alto chooses. Or maybe it’s because I’m at the point in my life where I have to start a career so I identify Alto’s <3 sky, ladies … whatever attitude.
September 27th, 2008 at 8:07 am
lol yea that was a hell of a lot fan servicing
but guess what, live up to fanboyism and i like it XDDDDD
looking very forward to the OSTs =w=
September 27th, 2008 at 10:21 am
lol, there’s a SEED destiny episode where Lacus bears it all?
which ep? i don’t remember a ep like that.
September 27th, 2008 at 12:07 pm
meh, I liked it, there was lots of explosions, three macross battleships duking it out, and plenty of GAR to go round, what more could one ask for?
plus i liked how grace was finished off with a bullet to the face, i get sick of there being mecha melee duels in finales
September 27th, 2008 at 3:04 pm
Oye Dark Mirage, is the green haired girl that was you original mascot an original artwork? if not can u tell me the source?
Oh and Alto spams more missiles that Anya spamming lasers and Nunnally mass spamming FLEIJAs. Its like george bush being stupid and launching the US n-missiles everywhere.
September 27th, 2008 at 5:11 pm
@ Tsukuyomi
the itano circus a.k.a macross missile massacre is a staple of the series, besides i saw ozma do it more than a couple of times in the series and i don’t see you complaining about that
September 27th, 2008 at 8:30 pm
@Tsukuyomi
How dare you not know who I am.
September 27th, 2008 at 11:36 pm
I was waiting for this like Christmas :) Those songs got me uncomparable to anything in last days… I had to watch “Do you Remeber Love” once again after this.
“Don’t make your fans angry” – yes, the Ending was just like that considering the love tiangle :P Or not? Hmm… I’m satisfied (more or less)
PS.: Sheryl forever!
September 28th, 2008 at 12:51 am
I supposed no one was spared from all that gradifying and rushed ending scenes. It’s like they poured everything from “Do You Remember Love” till “Sharon Apple’s” and cramped into a lousy 24 minutes show. Hell, if Satelite can pulls this for another 24 minutes and make it 25+26 episodes ending, it would have been more epic.
About the upcoming movie, it’s either could live up to DYRL or fall short behind Plus-Movie Edition. Let’s hope they (Satelite) won’t fail viewers for a second time.
September 28th, 2008 at 3:37 am
Please don’t inspire any ideas that would be too tempting for hentai manga writers: I can already imagine the doujinshi illustrating the hijinks that happen when Alto tries to be intimate with one of the girls, and all of the orgasmic sensations being felt simultaneously by the other girl. ^_^;;
September 28th, 2008 at 5:04 am
Hell yeah Sheryl >__<\m/
regarding the episode. I was blows away by everything. it’s all songs in one and everything goes boom and bam and kawoom. it’s a shame the whole conspiracy plot is kinda lame. they could have done everything right from the start couldn’t they? all the buildup makes no sense.
and WHY THE HELL didn’t Alto and Sheryl get together? srsly. lame. nevertheles: Macross F is the best Macross series so far.
September 28th, 2008 at 5:07 am
Wow I just watched it and I thought it was epic! It blew everything away!
September 28th, 2008 at 7:13 am
There seem to be more Sheryl fans than Ranka fans :(.
September 28th, 2008 at 7:35 am
@violet- well duh
I liked the explosion and am pretty dissappointed with the love triangle not concluding. I wish they got better suits like they have in gundam like wing to wing zero and strike to freedom. whatev. I just hope that they have a sassier zentradi like the jenius and whats-her-name.
September 28th, 2008 at 1:22 pm
I’m suddenly reminded of the Nico Douga compilation….
September 28th, 2008 at 7:34 pm
If you look at the ending advertisement for the movie, Sheryl’s sketch is there XD
I am 99.9% sure that the movie (or subsequent OVA or another movie) will resolve the triangle.
Plus the ending was so EPIC AND AWESOME that the end was really great – leaving the triangle open.
Leaving the triangle open and making the two characters say something about a “beginning” is very good opener for sequels or ovas or movies.
Besides, the movies and ovas will really happen so why not make a good introduction for them.
If the triangle were resolved at this point in time, future macross frontier ovas and/or movies will not be as pleasurable as the series (captivating Sheryl and Ranka fans altogether).
SK will hold the resolution to the triangle till the last ova/movie for Macross Frontier – maybe XD
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In other news,
CG R2 25
ep 25 ended not being mechatastic like macross frontier which is very much expected and should be how cg to end XD
heck jeremiah’s mech sequence for me is the mech-tastic in ep 25 hehe XD
one will be needing subs to watch this but you can infer even if its not subbed that “it ended that way.”
Lelouch died in the most dramatic, ironic and fantastic way possible (he met his end in the way he debuted as well – dramatic with too many audience and blood but I still am rooting for the Rollo end as the most dramatic of them all lol). I’ll need subs. But even without subs, I think Lelouch is the one with CC in the end.
Ok, ok I was wrong with zero requiem being as a weapon lolz
compare this with the macross frontier ending and you’ll see that having a sequel to code geass is very much out of the news and as Taniguchi even pointed out – there will be no third season.
=================================
Thus, for the shippers out there, if you didn’t find the macross frontier ending satisfying or great, better think again. XD
September 28th, 2008 at 8:40 pm
Okl, nuthing to do with Macross, but this race in Singapore is hilarious^^
September 28th, 2008 at 11:11 pm
I began to love macross frontier already!Don’t care much about CG anymore!^^*sorry*
September 28th, 2008 at 11:22 pm
Ai Ai Alto-hime kun!L0L!^^
September 29th, 2008 at 4:36 am
MECHA PORN!!!!
On a more serious note…
Macross Attack – It actually makes sense given the setting’s basic rules. Using the Quarter’s “arm” to punch a hole in the enemy ship means that you get to shoot up all of the unarmored internal bits as opposed to needing to blow your way through the ship’s armor. Keeping the destroids (the humanoid non-transformable mecha) inside means that you don’t risk damaging them with incoming fire or while punching the hole in the enemy ship. And we saw waaaaaaaaaay back in episode 7 that all of the “anti-mecha” emplacements on Quarter are destroids as opposed to turreted fixtures. On the one hand it’s probably more expensive to set up with than a set of turrets (since turrets don’t have legs). On the other hand, you’ve a little more flexibility moving them around (don’t need to keep them in the arm, for instance, if you’re not going to perform a Macross Attack) and repairing them consists of walking them to the hanger instead of sending out guys in space suits. So there are trade offs.
The triangle – imo, the statement of the two girls at the end means nothing. Ranka was gone during episodes 22 and 23, and so has no idea what happened. Sheryl’s been denying to herself that Alto actually was interested in her (having convinced herself that he’s only being nice in episodes 22 and 23 because he feels sorry for the dying woman) and refused to let him say anything in episode 24. Logically, the triangle is over at this point. The only question is which female Alto actually prefers. If he was “being nice” in episodes 22 and 23, then Alto prefers Ranka but she’s not around then. If Alto was not just being nice, then he prefers Sheryl. You’ll note that Alto himself doesn’t get a chance to contribute to their conversation.
For myself, I’m inclined to believe that Alto’s decision was made clear back at the end of Ranka’s concert moments before the Vajra attacked. When Alto didn’t run after Ranka, that for me pretty much said everything that needed to be said.
Bilrer – neat seeing the picture of Minmei hidden underneath the stone on his ring. imo a lot more could have been done with this character, and he’s probably the most underdeveloped character in the series.
On a side note… as I write this, an advertisement for Robotech: Shadow Chronicles is visible at the top of my screen.
:P
September 29th, 2008 at 6:43 am
and notice too how Alto called Sheryl’s name 2 times to reassure her condition (first when Sheryl almost died being consumed by the virus/bacteriophage and another one when the fold attack by grace happened). plus Sheryl gets the “misa salute” which she returned back as well XD
and the ending credit featuring the macross movie ad clearly shows a sketch of ONLY Sheryl and an ambiguous Alto sketch/figure in the middle
October 6th, 2008 at 11:58 am
Yeah, Macross Frontier’s plot line has always equaled, “Where are you?” I wish the conspiracy was explained more clearly (especially the technical terms; “implant network”?) and more exposure given to the three scientists.
But episode 25 was awesome. Lots of explosions and music overload—oh, yes.
And apparently, I either lacked credits or the epicness totally passed over my head and prevented me from looking at them, because I had no idea that beautiful rendition of AIMO was by Maaya Sakamoto. I will love it forever. (But that makes about five versions of AIMO, now? Talk about exploitation.)
October 16th, 2008 at 11:50 pm
This episode gave me a headache aside from the aimo and triangular that was pointed out by our lovely mirage. The love triangles will never be resolved, such is the plot of every anime that remotely has one in it. There might be a few exceptions but there is never any originality in this, i mean seriously. I wouldn’t have cared if he leaned towards either one of the women, as long as he got ONE of them. It would have made this episode worthwhile for me. D:
January 10th, 2009 at 1:37 pm
Alto pisses me off. I wish he’d just choose. That save me a lot of pain and false hope.
Though I like Sheryl much much more than Ranka, I think the midget’s gonna get the guy (no offense, as I’m short as well). I mean, remember the scene on the roof, with Klan and Alto discussing about Ranka?
**hint, hint*
Most animes have the cuter girl go with the main guy. It’s almost stereotypical. Hopefully, the movie will be different, though I’m not holding my breath. :<
And btw – anyone else think the ‘sudden Sheryl revival’ lame? I personally would have preferred Sheryl dying and causing a mourning scene. Instead, she’s saved by la Galactic Cinderella~ Psh. They could have done so much better.