First Impressions / Macross

「月光 ダンシング」 (Gekko Danshingu)
“Dancing in the Moonlight”

Following in the wake of the Aerial Knights’ declaration of war, Chaos and its members start preparing for a reality where combat with other humanoids looms on the horizon, and Freyja’s association with the Windermeres starts making other people wonder whether or not she’s actually a spy. What results is a spectacular episode that highlights the insecurities of everyone involved, and the surprising personal connection between Arad, Ernest, and the head of the Windermeres.

As it turns out, Gramia’s a blast from the past in more ways than one, and it’s interesting how both Arad and Ernest aren’t denying any of the accusations being levied at them. Given the discussion about things not being necessarily black and white in war, it could very well be that the Windermeres’ accusations are far from false, and it makes you wonder just how involved the current leads of Chaos were with things seven years ago. If I didn’t know any better, it looks like they’ve both been expecting the past to catch up to them at some point, and I’d be surprised if this ultimately doesn’t result in negative consequences for Arad at some point. Considering how closely Kaname’s linked to him, this could very well be the trigger that also leads Messer down the darker side of things, and there could be some very intriguing developments in the near future.

Putting that aside, the group wide realization that future combat will no longer just be flashy concerts and rescue efforts aimed at combating the spread of Var Syndrome ends up being the other major highlight this week, and it’s quite telling how much tension builds up now that everyone realizes they’ll be actively fighting other humanoids. Whereas all of the previous encounters have involved some Aerial Knight influence, the fact remains that most of the activities on the ground involved merely attempting to cure allies of their respective Syndrome afflictions, and it’s a far cry from knowing that you’ll be intentionally going into face-to-face combat with not only other humanoids, but ones dead set sealing your defeat. Granted, the Windemeres haven’t exactly shed much in terms of blood—Vordor was taken without a fight—but let’s just say that could change very, very quickly.

Focusing on Freyja in particular, the stakes are exceptionally high given that she’ll be going against her own people, and I found it great how Hayate got annoyed at her attempt to hide her true feelings, and then gave her a venue to relieve those tensions as well. His illegal requisition of the Siegfried is another key development in a relationship that’s been shining since the beginning, and it’s only fitting that their decisions to stay with the Delta Platoon end up being inspired by each others’ respective actions.

Freyja dancing her lights out while flying was heartwarming to say the least, even though it highlights a spectacular (and unwarranted) difference in treatment compared to Mirage. Even if it is in part due to frustration at Freyja’s situation, his lashing out at Mirage for discussing her grandparents felt far from warranted, and here’s hoping that he realizes at some point that her story wasn’t to antagonize the two, but to express hope for a peaceful future. I suppose that until then, it’s at least nice that he’s supposedly willing to put aside flying the way he wants for the time being so he can win the war and “clear the skies”.

With that said, things are far from fine on the Windermere side of things as well, and with some of their pilots in advanced age, their King and Prince in fragile states, their ability to wage war could very well be a lot more limited than I had suspected previously. For now though, the tidbit that really got me thinking wasn’t so much their ability to fight as it was their supposed involvement in only some instances of the Var Syndrome spread. The fact that the origins of the syndrome itself is far from clear makes you wonder about the potential influences it’ll have on the war, and I wouldn’t be surprised if part of it might’ve come from something seven years ago. The use of a dimensional weapon to create a barrier around their planet could very well have led to something, and this could be the spark that makes both sides realize there’s a problem sitting there that could very well be larger than either side.

Until next week, have some more mercats and random Mikumo moments.

 

Preview

78 Comments

  1. freya and hayate compliment each other so well…too well even that it all feels like a red herring if this indeed does turn into a love triangle(is it just me who feels that way?)….hopefully not but this is macross. They should let the relationship dynamics between those two create its own drama rather than throwing in a triangle to do that. Watching hayate and freya’s relationship grow and face the hardships brought forth by the plot conflicts should be more than enough

    sonicsenryaku
    Reply

    1. A love triangle in Macross is a staple of it’s story telling and has been in every incarnation thus far. It would be a disservice not to include one.

      I’m rooting for Mirage myself and she’s a huge reason as to why I’m watching this so I’m hoping they do even out the love triangle and she gets more time to shine. I love Freyja I do, but I’m hoping for a little more focus on Mirage soon.

      Diyedas
      Reply

      1. ehhh..mirage has got that traditional tsundere thing going on that im just not into. Im sure once that phase is over, ill be able to stomach her a bit more and appreciate their dynamic as seen from the opening. They seem as if they could really mesh but as of right now it doesnt seem like the show knows how to do the whole “comrades who bicker” dynamic quite endearingly. Steins;gate is a good example of how to do that right

        sonicsenryaku
        Reply

      2. I’d take Mirage any day over ‘just another anime petite (annoying) genki girl’, to be honest.
        It’s the same reason why I root for Sherry in MF instead of Ranka, although I like the former as well.

        Hmph!
        Reply

      4. I agree with the red herring thing, Hayate and Freayja´s interaction has gone so weel so far that I think it´s only obvious thta they´re not going to end up together, besides, this Macross guys, we´re here for 3 reasons:
        1.-Great Songs.

        2.-Cool Planes that trnsform into robots.

        3.-And last but most inportant of all the Love Triangle.

        Take one aways and everything goes to hell! It´s only amtter of time before Mirage falls hard for Hayate and I think it´s going to be soon since things got real now. I´m a Mirage fan and the way their relationship have been horrible from day one is one of many thing I love of seeing those two together; Freyja may have many hardships ahead but pairing her with Hayate feels too easy and predictable, that and I can´t stand genki grils like her.

        haseo0408
        Reply

      5. @sonicsenryaku LOL “traditional tsudere”? If that is the case Freyja is a traditional I’m-so-loud-and-happy-petite-genki-girl then like we see in any other anime.

        Kiraboshi
        Reply

      6. There doesn’t seem to be much of a love triangle though at the moment. Hayate and Frejya have that sibling/good friend type relationship because they didn’t really know anyone else when they first arrived, and just stuck by each other. Hayate and Mirage seems to be very early stages, they clearly like each other, even if Mirage won’t admit it.

        Lyfe
        Reply

      8. Typical tsundere? She’s hard on Hayate sure, but she’s strict and serious about everything. He’s not the only one to feel the brunt of it. Hayate just gets it the most because their personalities clash and he’s irresponsible. Most of the time when she was harsh to him he kinda deserved it and she was mostly in the right. She just over did it a bit.

        Diyedas
        Reply

    2. Hayate did (sort off) defend Mirage after she was chewed out by Messer. While they aren’t really close yet, they are both at least comfortable enough with each other that they can snark at each others failings. I do enjoy that kind of relationship dynamic and even Freya herself find it amusing.

      fragb85
      Reply

    3. I’ll say, as much as they complement each other, I’m starting to get this nagging feeling that it may not end up in an actual relationship between them when it’s all said and done.

      Just something about how it’s working out so far puts Mirage in a very interesting spot, and Freyja’s age + involvement in everything here makes you wonder quite a bit.

      Zephyr
      Reply

    4. At the moment, those two are like a pair of close siblings. And I’m loving their interactions. I just can’t really see those two in a romantic relationship.

      Swarz
      Reply

      1. They´re the newbies in the same organization striving to fullfil a dream, they´re very simmlar in that way so it´s only logical they fin comfort in each others company.

        haseo0408
        Reply

    5. Frejya and Hayates relationship doesn’t seem romantic in the slightest at the moment. They have that Big Brother/Little sister type relationship at the moment. Or if you want to look at it another way, just good friends.

      They clearly spent a lot of time together because they didn’t know anyone else. Which is entirely understandable tbh.

      Lyfe
      Reply

  2. The clarification on the political situation of Windermere and their origin (more children of the Protoculture) was much appreciated. Less questions now. If we add the Ragnans, it’s a new take on colonization for the Macross series.

    I still want to know how the Windermeres can sustain a society in which people live until around 30, though.

    Also, Freyja seemed surprisingly cheerful after deciding to fight her own planet and I don’t know if Hayate understands what “war discipline” means. Messer’s scolding was harsh, but he was correct.

    Mistic
    Reply

  3. Windermere possibly is overextending in their bid at creation of local empire of sorts… While they have ace in the sleeve in the form of Var syndrome control, if it gets countered they are bound to lose to stronger multi-planetar government. And while the “Federation” could have allowed them a win in a struggle for independence, the direct challenge for the primacy amongst protoculture descendants is bound to ensure there will be no limited warfare. To paraphrase admiral Yamamoto, Windermere will run rampant for about 6 episodes, but beyond that nothing is guaranteed…

    ewok40k
    Reply

    1. Also doesn’t help their cause that they’re basically staging terrorist attacks via using VARL syndrome outbreak on unrelated planets (regardless if the out break was naturally occurring or not). All it takes is for the NUNs to show that they can control and force VARL breaks to have public opinion turn against Windermere.

      Devastator001
      Reply

  4. Windermere will almost certainly kidnap Frejya and weaponize her voice to create mass Vars outbreaks. It’d be quite useful in battle now that they’ve declared war on everyone. Freyja will get the homecoming she never asked for.

    Lyfe
    Reply

  5. Mirage finally confirms her parentage. (And it’s a flashback of Do You Remember Love?, to boot!)

    Also, doesn’t Windermere’s older SV-series(?) fighter look a lot like an F-104 Starfighter? If so, that’s a rather…apropos design to emulate (naming shout out and all).

    While I do like how Freyja remains a genki girl throughout this episode despite being suspected of being a Windermerean spy (and chased by paparazzi), I can’t help but wonder if there’s some hidden depths to her. I’m looking forward to finding that out.

    Incognito
    Reply

      1. I dunno if it’s because of the angle of the shot, but the tailplane seems to be located on top of the vertical fin/rudder (forming a T-shape when the aircraft is viewed from the front or back). The F-5‘s tailplane is located much lower (and hence, doesn’t form the T-shape tail section akin to that of the F-104).

        However, it does seem to be twin-engined like the F-5, though we’ve yet to see it in Battroid or GERWALK mode. (Maybe in a flashback from seven years ago?)

        Incognito
        Reply

      2. Looks like we’ll have to see more shots of it before we can figure out how it looks like exactly. Nevertheless, I would say that that model’s design is heavily influenced by both the F-104 and F-5. As for how it unfolds into a battroid, I’d say beats me considering the design.

        Nishizawa Mihashi
        Reply

  6. True to all recent shows, Macross Delta also has its political act in proper order, with skeletons in almost everyone’s closets. Also, sooner or later Mirage has to ignore a lot of expectations of being a grandchild of the infamous ace pilots, it’s not doing her any good right now.

    OTOH, I would enjoy Arad, Ernest, and especially Messer breaking down later on. (Gosh Messer’s WAY too uptight in rules and regulations)

    ps.Bad@ss Mercat’s back!!!

    info600
    Reply

    1. Oh yeah, I didn’t realize I was terribly wrong about Freyja’s origins of being a former bride of a apple orchard heir until I caught a bit of her back story (manga) being translated. Thx to the peeps in Animesuki forums – Macross Subforums.

      info600
      Reply

  7. Am more interested in the Dimensional device they used to force NUNS (Am still calling them that has a better ring to it XD) into an armstice in the War 7 years ago.

    From the looks of things the NUNS have the advantage when it comes to a prolonged war with the ability to field multiple fleets even factoring losing some to the VARL sysndrome (more so if they find out that the windemeres can’t use the mind control thing Nilly-willy

    Devastator001
    Reply

    1. If they wanted to, NUNS can call out all their music artists with Fold receptors like Sheryl, Ranka and even Fire Bomber as Tactical Sound Units like Walkure to counter the Var syndrome. No, Windermere doesn’t stand a chance on a prolonged war. Which is why I believe they have something else up their sleeve.

      fragb85
      Reply

  8. Forty years!? So the migration fleets uplifted both the Ragna and the Windermere (which seems to have a middle-age feudal society) into futuristic high-tech planets in FORTY YEARS? For Windermere that is barely one generation! The Protoculture races must really be that amazing.

    I do find Windermere’s stance of independence quite shady. NUNS has been consistently been portrayed as benevolent and even the Ragna are quite happy coexisting with all the other races. Something bad had to have gone down seven years ago, and I stll question what is the true endgame of the Aerial Knights.

    fragb85
    Reply

    1. Well Macross 30 did show that the protoculture were on the verge of perfecting time travel tech. (they halted further research on it when they realized the implications of messing with the time lines)

      Devastator001
      Reply

    2. NUNS has never been depicted as fully benevolent. Besides, if 7 years ago Windermere had to fight to get their independence, it means NUNS wasn’t willing to let them be independent. That alone puts NUNS in a negative light. It pains them as a colonialist empire.

      Lin
      Reply

      1. Ya agree with the NUNs on Frontier Leon (the mushroom head) was a scumbag and in MAcross 30 you were up against a Rogue NUNs Special OPs unit trying to activate the protoculture time travel device.

        But the Windermere way of thinking as the protoculture master race doesn’t paint them exactly in a positive light either 😕

        Devastator001
        Reply

    3. From what Roid said Windermereans believe they are the the true heirs of the Protoculture not Humans.

      Imagine this as a short lived race they live not wanting to waist time and their religion says they have a manifest destiny. Then come in the Humans who are uniting the various Children of the Protoculture starting with the Zentradi. They are loner lived and have greater accomplishments. It turns out you are just nobody despite having relics on your planet.

      As for the Unequal treaty they are spouting it is something that Japan and China say for opening their ports to the rest of the world. Both had isolationist tendencies and in Windermere’s case they do but also have imperial ambitions.

      Keith keeps saying they do not have time and it isn’t referring to their lifespan or health of his family but rather their planet. Why? Unleashing a dimensional weaponry they realize they doomed their planet. In Bogue’s case despite it being their fault they still blame the Earthers. His hate for Walkure is that they can’t colonize worlds as easy as they like as Walkure can undo the Var syndrome.

      ReddyRedWolf
      Reply

    1. In another off topic, I don’t know why but I have this urge to try cutting that glowing rune on the end of their hair… Every single time they appears I’m curious what will happen if that glowing thing got cut off…

      cryarc
      Reply

      1. careful…it might be a main artery like a man’s junk. It also seems very personal which is why freyja reacts to it being touched as if someone groped her or something

        sonicsenryaku
        Reply

      2. But it looks like hair… Not to mention it’s unprotected… Imagine that you’re going out with your most private part is being visible to public… and there’s possibily it’s cut off in accident or getting tangled into something…

        I dunno, I think they should’ve designed it in a different way, maybe like a gem embedded in their forehead or something? The confusion of hair=tentacle is disturbing me so much, or maybe it’s just because I’m seeing this as a fellow artist…

        cryarc
        Reply

      4. It’s different, we can easily refer to it as “tail” with proper real world comparison, and it’s not overlapping with other body parts. Windermerean one is overlapping between hair and tentacle. It’s “It looks exactly the same as hair, but it’s not hair, even though it looks exactly the same.”

        cryarc
        Reply

  12. Soooo, I finally got down to watching Delta and… Damn, those’re some good songs! Absolutely love the vocals! I still don’t know much about the little details of Macross, but once I’m done with some of the animes I’m currently watching, I’ll straight away get down to watching the first one. I thought I’d never like Delta but I guess you had me again Kawamori! Dang, ever since I met that guy at a local con in Malaysia last year, I’ve been really drawn to his stuff. He’s a fantastic dude, very ‘international’ in his outlook.

    Also, has anyone still tried to the Walkure sign? I still can’t seem to do it, possibly because my finger bones aren’t that flexible, bummer ( ; _ ; )

    https://randomc.net/image/Macross%20Delta/Macross%20Delta%20-%2005%20-%20Large%2031.jpg

    Nishizawa Mihashi
    Reply

    4. ‘Gang sign’ lol. And well what d’ya know? It seems that I finally managed to do it, but in my case the ring finger’s gotta be slightly lower and a bit off-center for it to work.

      Nishizawa Mihashi
      Reply

  14. I’ll be honest: After a great start of the show that got me truly excited, this was the first episode that I considered truly _bad_.

    1) I’m afraid that the scriptwriter expects me to sympathize or even identify with Hayate. Unfortunately I don’t. He is a selfish prick par excellence with zero concept of responsibility, who has his priorities completely off. Thinking back to Rick Hunter makes me want to cry.

    2) To top it off, he is stupid, as well. In a situation like this, the one thing that Freyja can _not_ afford to do is sneaking away from the limelight like a cat caught with the paw in the goldfish glass. Mikumo already spelled out the problem that Freyja would me suspected to be a spy. Why had Freyja no idea how to deal with this?

    3) Wordy, boring exposition concerning the Windermere side. Am I supposed to take sides here? Or feel in any way emotionally invested? Because I’m not. I’m not even interested in them, so far.

    I’m sorry. I really want to like this show, and I fully expected to do so. But at the moment, after the great start, Macross Delta has really started to lose the plot. I’m still watching for Mirage and Mikumo, and I still like Freyja. The rest of the characters leaves me completely cold however, and so does the whole conflict (I hesitate to call it a “war”).

    A friend of mine said “Japanese anime has lately gained a tendency to go for free-thinking misfit lead characters who demand that the world bends itself to give them the possibility to demonstrate how awesome they are”. Macross Delta is the posterboy show for that. Unfortunately, this is sitting very poorly with me.

    Mentar
    Reply

    2. I am with you. Our MC Boy just want to Dance with his Mecha. he even goes out of his line at the Concert. Well, perhaps he know there is no risk of an collision with the others planes. His selfishness just for dancing and do what he want to do is risky. Why hold the Captain on him, because of Freya? or because the Main Singer Walkyrie said a word?

      Worldwidedepp
      Reply

    3. Well, Hayate says he’ll put his free-flying ways aside, so there is hope for him yet. And yeah, I don’t get any “there are grey areas in both sides” with regards to this war. Based on their ideologies and actions, Windmere for me is still the definitive antagonist (despite their desire for bloodless conquest, but even that will probably not last long).

      paulrenzo
      Reply

      1. https://randomc.net/image/Macross%20Delta/Macross%20Delta%20-%2005%20-%20Large%2031.jpg
        also she do not need these Booster devices like Freya. Do we see here another Windmere? Perhaps the reason why the old King of Windmere declare war? Broken heart? ex-wife? How knows. but we got the visual proof, that she is in the same position as Freya. Natural reaction only with her voice, no need of Boosters like the other needs. Also they said, if Freya could stabilize her voice, she would help her stress

        Either way. perhaps she cut her runes like Galatea from Claymore cut her eyes, to hide her secret

        Worldwidedepp
        Reply

  20. So my theory was right! Windermere Macross fleet was overthrown by the indigenous species. It made sense. Now this episode was kind of a let down in pacing and I am really crossing my finger that Hayate does not turn out like the D-Bag Basara.

    Duzz
    Reply

  21. Using the ED song as an insert and then playing it again for the ED as normal was such a waste. When it started playing I figured “Oh, there must be an extra scene that’s going to play behind the credits instead or something” but nope… just the same song playing a second time.

    qwert
    Reply

    1. Not too sure about this but I think it’s covered in the Macross VFX 2 storyline that 2050 UN Spacy got involved with a mutiny/coup incident not too sure about the reason for the coup, but it ended with enemy forces using Macross 13 with sound jamming tech in a fight over Earth Orbit.

      Devastator001
      Reply

    2. UN Spacy didn’t disband. The UN Government decentralized into the New UN Government. To reflect that UN Spacy is now called New UN Spacy. As seen in Macross 7 UN Spacy takes orders from Earth UN Forces HQ now they take orders from the local governments. The UN Forces or now New UN Forces are basically space NATO. The New UN is space EU.

      ReddyRedWolf
      Reply

  25. Question for the Old Macross fans (the Origin):
    https://randomc.net/image/Macross%20Delta/Macross%20Delta%20-%2005%20-%20Large%2024.jpg

    When my memory do not fails me, then these “Green giant” Human alike one can shape her size. Because this is an Red Armor Suit, yes, Suit not an Mecha. They can grow that big that the fir in these things, where the Humans needed from the start the mechas…

    i am right, or i am confusing it with Gundam?.. Well i only know Macross and Gundam in my youth, also Crest of the Stars (or something alike) but there they was normal “Space Elves”

    Worldwidedepp
    Reply

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