The Case for Macross

[Arbiter GUNDAM]

If I wanted to start getting into Macross, where should I start? I only saw a tiny bit of Robotech many, many moons ago but I remember that what I saw impressed me. So where to start? Beginning? Middle? Macross Frontier?

[TakaTahuNuva]

Can't go wrong with the original Macross. Technically speaking, Zero comes first, but it loses some of its impact and nostalgia factor if you see it prior to the original.

Plus/7/Frontier are all only very loosely related to each other, you can watch them in any order you like. I personally always recommend production order - that way you can see how a franchise evolves and improves in each of its incarnation.

[DuelGundam2099]

Original Series: See it if you like nostalgia and that other stuff, be warned as it has an ear stabbing pop idol and pointless jibber jabber that replaces most of the war. In fact, they feel like two different series ideas someone threw together at the last minute. It wouldn't be so bad if the last ten or so episodes were worth a darn. It isn't canon to the rest of the franchise strangely. If you want to try to test your patience, do it here.

Do You Remember Love? Or as I like to call it: Char's Counterattack with more jibbering but more pretty while still not being crazy good. The only reason for this movie's existence is to make the aliens come off as more realistic and for a new song (see title for track name) and good lord is it annoying. I'd save it for after the original series if you want to fill in the unexplained parts.

Lovers Again: Once more, not canon to the rest of the franchise. A "what if" of sorts. Despite what I've heard people say it's definitely one of the better Macross anime especially mech design wise. It kind of goes cyber punk, but be warned as it makes the alien species in the first series and movies more sympathetic (the reason most horror fans don't like remakes of their favorite slasher movies). Easily the most annoying cast out of all of them though. See the first movie before starting here.

Plus: I really don't see what people see in this and I'm not counting the lack of YF-20. Very poor talk to action ratio with bad pacing. The first three were kind of slow, but not to this extent. If you have to choose between the 4 episode or movie versions go with the former, more fightin' all around and overall less boring. The movie version cuts the YF-19 vs. YF-21 fight from the end of ep two as well as some stuff explained in the OVAs. I will give it this much, I did like Ghost X-9. Seeing the entries before it isn't 100% necessary but it helps.

7: Extremely formulaic and is the longest Macross series, but it's the second best Macross has to offer. Not only is it the only series where I actually think the music is worth a darn. More back story is given to the aliens and their arch enemies that lead the to war, well, lets just say they take all the wimpiness out of Twilight vamps. Of course, if you don't like the voices of the main characters get used to it, you'll be hearing their music every friggin' episode. 7 Plus also gives some background that wasn't present in the series. You will need to see Do You Remember Love to get a few episodes.

7: The Galaxy is Calling Me: Half hour anime movie, I seriously doubt it's canon because one of the new aliens that died earlier returns for a really weird fusion method. It had what the series didn't: guitar dueling.

7: Encore: Just some three 7 eps that never aired. Don't see it until after you finish the series.

Dynamite 7: Basically a four episode epilogue with a higher budget, it's a serious disappointment to what 7 was especially since it felt rather pointless. Make this the last 7 related one you watch.

Zero: The best of Macross: Good and long action, good pacing, decent music, and the Bird Human is a worthy final boss. It heavily tries to be realistic compared to other entries. I highly advise starting here.

Frontier: Just the original series on a higher and updated budget. If it isn't the new aliens, the pilot of the VF25G Messiah, or the pilot of VF27 Gamma Lucifer, the cast is mostly annoying and fail. Oh, and there's a lack of VF-26, ugh. Probably one of the extremely few anime where I find every single female member of the cast annoying as hell. I think people like it for moes or whatever. At least the final battle was pretty as hell. The False Songstress made the non-aliens I mentioned less likeable (gah!), but at least it had one of the best ending fights in the franchise. You need to see all the other entries before seeing the series, but you only need to see Do You Remember Love for the movie.

Also, whoever came up with the weird idea that griffons are called hydras needs to go back and do their friggin' research!



That is all.

[reeoyuy]

and I'm not counting the lack of YF-20.
...
Oh, and there's a lack of VF-26, ugh.

What's wrong with that? Even real world aircraft manufacturer skipped numbers for one reason or another. It's not something to be complained, really.

Zero: The best of Macross: Good and long action, good pacing, decent music, and the Bird Human is a worthy final boss. It heavily tries to be realistic compared to other entries. I highly advise starting here.

I like Zero too, but I disagree with it having good pacing. Actually, it's my biggest complain. Zero is a case of too much story cramped in too little time. Especially the beginning of episode 5, it felt forced and rushed.

I personally always recommend production order - that way you can see how a franchise evolves and improves in each of its incarnation.

I recommend that way too. While chronologically correct, watching SDF:M after Zero feels somewhat jarring.

[Darkerangel]

If I wanted to start getting into Macross, where should I start? I only saw a tiny bit of Robotech many, many moons ago but I remember that what I saw impressed me. So where to start? Beginning? Middle? Macross Frontier?

Well I did/am doing: SDF, Do You Remember Love movie, Macross II The movie, Plus (did the movie version instead of the OVA because I read that the movie has extra scenes), and currently on Macross 7.

Personally as a side note, wasn't feeling Zero.

[azrael]

Start where ever you want. You don't really need to see any of the previous series as the stories are fairly independent of each other. Zero, 7, and Frontier even provide historical recaps which is all you really need to know anyways.

[Red Comet90]

As most others have said you can start anywhere else, but if you want to get all of the in universe references to previous shows you should probably watch it in production order. Personally I'd say just jump straight into Frontier or Plus because I feel they are some of the best examples of what Macross is. I would tell you to watch DYRL, but I feel the show is necessary to watch it first and if you can avoid Macross Zero. Its not all that great and only if you really really like Macross should you watch it.

[1-4-4]

Do You Remember Love? Or as I like to call it: Char's Counterattack with more jibbering but more pretty while still not being crazy good. The only reason for this movie's existence is to make the aliens come off as more realistic and for a new song (see title for track name) and good lord is it annoying. I'd save it for after the original series if you want to fill in the unexplained parts.

You, sir, have no taste.

DYRL is also, on a technical level, one of the finest pieces of mecha anime ever produced...

[DuelGundam2099]

You, sir, have no taste.

Oh I have taste, I simply don't care for that movie.

DYRL is also, on a technical level, one of the finest pieces of mecha anime ever produced...

So? Just because it looks pretty doesn't mean it's automatically good.

What's wrong with that?

"I love consistent data." -Adam Savage

[TetraVaal]

DuelGundam reminds me of Michael Bay fans.

Action over dialogue? Blah... screw that, I'll take Macross Plus over Macross 7, any day of the week.

[DuelGundam2099]

DuelGundam reminds me of Michael Bay fans.

Normally I'd say "What's wrong with Michael Bay?", then I saw the word "fans".

Action over dialogue?

I'm definitely one of those people since actions speak louder than words. No hard feelings, TetraVaal.

[reeoyuy]

What's wrong with that?

"I love consistent data." -Adam Savage

Skipping numbers for VF designation is hardly an inconsistency. In fact, it made Macross universe more believable since it follows real world example. USAF don't really care with lack of F-19 and F-21.

[Chris]

What's wrong with that?

"I love consistent data." -Adam Savage

Skipping numbers for VF designation is hardly an inconsistency. In fact, it made Macross universe more believable since it follows real world example. USAF don't really care with lack of F-19 and F-21.

I guess someone better call up the Air Force right now and demand production of the F-23 through F-34 so that's all neatly sewed up before the F-35 enters production.

[Black Knight]

Well, since all that's required to use up an aircraft number in the US military is for a design to have a prototype funded (regardless of whether it's actually built), that won't actually be necessary. And since Macross stole so much of its background including just-barely misspelled names of the companies that built all the Valks, I actually found Macross skipping numbers all over the place to be fairly reasonable. Just as the YF-19/YF-21 flyoff in Mac Plus was clearly based on the YF-22/YF-23 fly-off in late '90, early '91.

[Wingzero00]

I guess someone better call up the Air Force right now and demand production of the F-23 through F-34 so that's all neatly sewed up before the F-35 enters production.

HAHA. So true isn't it.

I totally agree with some of the posters here though. I'd watch it in the production order of when they were made. That's how I did it and I think I appreciated it more that way.

[1-4-4]

You, sir, have no taste.

Oh I have taste, I simply don't care for that movie.

Ah. Quite right.

I should have said you have bad taste.

[DuelGundam2099]

I'm so used to people saying my tastes are horrid that I don't think "ZOMG I'm no longer respected in the critic community!" I think "This guy needs to be more creative with his insults". So yeah, I've heard it all.

[1-4-4]

I'm so used to people saying my tastes are horrid that I don't think "ZOMG I'm no longer respected in the critic community!" I think "This guy needs to be more creative with his insults". So yeah, I've heard it all.

Well, see, insulting you isn't my goal. I just accuse you of poor taste to emphasize how strongly I disagree with your viewpoint. Trust me, if I wanted to insult you, I'd think of something insulting to say. But I actually try not to do too much of that.

[DuelGundam2099]

Ah, I see. Can we at least agree that production order would be the best way to start?

[Red Comet90]

Ah, I see. Can we at least agree that production order would be the best way to start?

I can agree to that and I don't see why people are saying you have no taste. Its your opinion that you don't like DYRL. I disagree with you, but its your opinion. I see no reason to single you out for not liking something.

In any case production order makes the most sense, in a few cases it doesn't really matter though.