Macross Frontier

Macross Frontier (マクロスF(フロンティア) is the 25^th anniversary series and the first TV series of the franchise to come out since 1994’s Macross 7. This 25 episode mecha anime originally aired between the Spring and Summer of 2008.

     Frontier takes us further into the future of the franchise, humanity has spread far and wide through out space in roving colonies, searching for hospitable planets which mankind can thrive one. One such colony, on the far side of the galaxy, is suddenly attacked by a mysterious enemy, which ruthlessly proves the convoys defense units ineffective. The colonial government calls to action a private military force known as SMS to aid in the battle. Some of the enemy breach the main colony ship and begins attacking the city its self. The enemy attacks during a concert by the current galactic pop star, Sheryl Nome. Students from the colonies high school are working as part of the concerts special effects using personal glider suits to fly stunts for the concert. One of the students, Alto Saotome, ends up saving Cheryl during the attack.  Everyone flees the building and Alto chases after Cheryl to tell her off about being a coward when the people who came to see her are still trapped in the concert hall. In defiance he flies off and soon stumbles upon a fight between an SMS pilot and one of the aliens, who are as big as the Veritech fighters. The pilot is killed in the fight and Alto quickly jumps into the fighter, ready to protect a girl who he ran into before the concert, as the alien is about to attack her. As he desperately fights off the attacker, more SMS pilots arrive and quickly take over the situation. The commander of the bunch, Osama Lee, tells Alto to take the girl, who is actually Osama's sister Ranka, to safety while the real soldiers protect the city. In a dramatic sequence of events Alto saves Ranka from the aliens and they are at last driven off. The events bring Alto to SMS’s attention and he enlists as a pilot, attempting to secure his only dream of flying in the open sky. Before he can officially join, the enemy, known as the Vajra, returns to attack once again. As SMS is called to duty, Alto finds him self trapped in one of the colonies ships with Ranka and Cheryl. A love triangle develops between the two, with Ranka infatuated with Alto, Cheryl showing interest as well and Alto indifferent to both women.

     After the second attack the government explains what the Vajra are, a mysterious race of bio-soldiers who are bent on destroying humanity for some unknown reason. Many years previously another of the colonial convoys was destroyed by the creatures, first contact, the only surviving member of that colony was Ranka, who has suppressed all memories of the event. After Cheryl pushes Ranka to pursue her dream of being a singer the government discovers that a song sung by Ranka controls the Vajra. Using this knowledge a clandestine operation by members of the government is enacted to use the Vajra and Ranka for unknown gains, thus threatening the entire convoys existence.  Ranka must now decide if she truly wants to pursue her singing career and further aid the colonial government to manipulate the Vajra, even though her conscious is telling her that she is doing more harm than good. Alto must decide if he will continue his life as a fighter pilot or bend to his fathers request and return to the family business. Cheryl must come to terms with her slipping status as idol in the wake of Ranka’s rise to fame, as well her own humanity and secret past.

     Half a decade after the last Macross series, Macross Zero, we have a very slick and well animated 25 episode TV series in Frontier. Where Zero gave us some updated CG, it didn’t mesh well compared to today’s standard. Frontier more then makes up for that by bringing a very well animated series to the franchise. The character designs are typical of the current styles, not necessarily connected to past Macross endeavors. The Veritech fighters, however, are well done and the newest fighter is the best looking out of the entire franchise. Animation and design wise, it makes all that have come before look like crap. The story on the other hand is not as riveting as Plus or Zero, but it is still a good story, with more hidden agendas and secrets waiting to come out than you normally find in the franchise. The singing did get a bit grating, mainly with Cheryl Nome’s cosplay bent antics. The more palatable and even enjoyable tunes are those sung by Ranka’s character.

    This series took a more mystery based stance than some of the other ones, with there being a fair amount of shadowy deals and hidden agendas, which play into one of the popular themes in anime these days. One big disappointment was in the titles apparent lead role, Alto, being pretty much a whiney, emo, punk. Bluntly put, his character is as much of a bitch as he looks. He doesn’t know what he wants to do with his life and thinks the world needs to revolve around him. He constantly pouts and can’t even get through something without acting superior and privileged. In the end he doesn’t even really learn from his ways, because nothing truly happens to him to point out his pathetic behavior.  Yet somehow he brightens up, but we will never know if he truly changed. Instead, the entertaining characters are the other members of SMS, especially Osama Lee, who is this series’ Roy Fokker (Macross Zero version). Another annoying thing in the series is the way it ends, I was actually disappointed with the grand climactic end to the story plus a little embarrassed by it…I mean come on a sing out between the two idols…is this Macross Idol or something? Anyways, the show was good, even if it does end on a bit of a flat note and the male lead sucks, then again annoying male leads have been in vogue since Shinji from Evangelion. If you are a fan of the franchise, especially Macross 7 check this one out. If you are inexperienced with the series but enjoy space and/or mecha anime this is a good one as well. Not too much will be left out if you have no prior Macross knowledge, the majority of what you don’t understand will actually be explained and has no relation to any past series.

    As with almost everything Macross, Frontier is not and will not be available commercially in North America.  Following the series broadcast two theatrical movies were released in Japan.