Mokuyobi Post - Macross Plus

Macross Plus is the 4 part OAV commemorating the 10 year anniversary of the original Macross TV series.  The OAV's were released in Japan in 1994.

    30 years after the original SDF Macross accidentally launched to the far end of the Solar System and fought the war against the Zentradi, humanity has begun expanding to the stars.  The U.N. forces are secretly testing new Veritech fighters, one a traditional machine, the other controlled with thought.   The tests are being conducted on the colony planet Eden by two pilots who grew up there.  Isamu Dyson is a loose cannon hotshot who was forced into the test due to insubordination.  Guld Goa Bowman is half Zentradi and pilots the one controlled by thought.  Once friends as kids, they are heated rivals as adults.  The AI pop idol Sharon Apple is going to be performing a concert on Eden leading up to the commemoration ceremony for the end of the Zentradi war on Earth.  Sharons agent/controller is Isamu and Gulds childhood friend Myung Lone.  An incident involving Myung is what caused all 3 to grow apart.  With all of them in the same place dormant feelings surge to the surface and threaten the test project.  When Sharons program starts to be effected byMyungs mental stress the AI begins to enact a plan that will make Isamu hers for ever.

    This is one of the only Macross titles to make it to America without trouble relating to Harmony Golds strangle hold on the franchise.  It was well recieved and has been a classic in America and Japan since its release.  In addition to the 4 part OAV, it wad recut into a full length movie with some minor changes.  Both versions are excellent and highly recommended.  The animation was cutting edge at the time, merging cell animation and CGU rather well.  The plot is well detailed and the characters are memorable and well developed.  As with most Macross since this one, much of the music was done by Yoko Kanno and plays a central role in the story.  I have always really enjoyed this story and have watched it countless times.  On a side note, it's interesting to see the development and advancement in the virtual idol world in Japan, particularly with vocaloids.

    The OAV's and DVD are readily available in both dub and subtitled format in North America.