Why is she so dog-like in appearance

This week’s Macross F is mostly a build up episode, setting in place the foundations for the separate, yet intertwined storylines of the cast. If the multiple repetitions of the “Take your destiny into your own hands” line didn’t make it obvious enough, this episode was meant as a pivotal point where everyone’s civilian lives, especially Ranka and Alto, have come to an end.

The remnant force of the vajra that attacked during the afternoon comes back at night, seemingly drawn by Ranka’s voice. The SMS are first to deploy and engage the enemy, Ozma takes a beating but manages to grapple on to the remaining vajra as Mikhail takes aim and put a projectile through its head. But surprisingly, even the direct hit isn’t enough to put the vajra down for good, and it manages to punch a hole in the dome, the pressure difference between the colony and the space creating a vacuum, which Alto, Ranka and Sheryl manage to escape by hopping into a nearby emergency shelter.

As the fight rages on outside, Alto tries to keep the girls calm. The shocks from the explosions put the three in some humorous positions at first, notably Sheryl’s dress slipping off and Alto getting some unprecedented service. However, when one of the explosions cuts off their air supply line, it’s clearly no laughing matter. But luckily, Sheryl’s manager was trapped in a shelter along with some military personnel and just as the fight ends she rushes to Sheryl’s aid.

In the calm of the aftermath, Sheryl gives Alto a friendly reminder that should visual data of what he saw in the emergency shelter ever leak out, she’ll wreck him. Also, Sheryl calls Ranka on her love for singing and gives her a nudge, saying she should be more honest with herself and what she wants to do in life.

The pleasantries don’t last very long though, as the SMS forces retreat to base, Mikhail and Luca radio to the military informing them that Ozma was injured in the battle. Ranka breaks down, crying for her brother not to leave her, not to die, wondering why he lied about not piloting anymore, eventually succumbing to the shock and fainting in Alto’s arms.

Afterwards, Alto heads to see Ozma in the hospital, who has more or less made a sound recovery. Here he learns of Ranka’s tragic past, Ozma isn’t her real brother, Ranka lost all blood relatives in a vajra attack when she was a child, Ozma was only an amateur pilot back then and could do nothing to protect her, so he continued to fly so that he could develop the strength to make it up one day. Alto thinks that he should have just told her the truth, that it’s unfair for her destiny to be left in the hands of another. Ozma gives Alto a day to think about what he’s learned of so far and if he wants to delve deeper into this world and join the SMS. As they’re leaving the hospital, Luca is excited about the prospect of having Alto join the SMS, but Mikhail isn’t so thrilled, given Alto’s record of running away from conflict, he believes it’ll only be a matter of time before he either gets himself killed, or someone else.

Elsewhere, Sheryl is back at her hotel living the star life, watching TV while taking a bath when she suddenly remembers the reason she went after Alto the day before, he has her earring.

Alto wanders the colony, thinking about what Mikhail said earlier, annoyed that he’s partially right about always running away. In the distance he hears a soothing voice, Ranka’s voice, and heads over to talk to her. Ranka tells him how she doesn’t remember anything from her childhood except this one song, and that she always comes here to sing, alone so no one can hear her. But given what happened yesterday, she’s been about how she wants to be able to reach as many people as she can and show the world that she exists in the here and now. Alto encourages her to follow her own path, and affirms his decision to follow his own, as Ranka continues to sing, the SMS hold their funeral for the fallen Gilliam.

After the funeral, Ozma approaches Alto to hear his decision. Even after being told that there’s no glory for them when they die, Alto stands by his decision and wants to live by his own means, and with that, joins the SMS’s ranks.

Ranka sets her life into motion as well, auditioning for the Miss Macross Frontier competition with Sheryl looking on, content to see her being more honest with herself.

Ranka being the center of attention seems to be quite the trend, as her file is currently being looked over with great interest by the inner circles of the military.

Thoughts

Macross is shaping up to be pretty win, one of the best in the season by far, for reasons very different from my other fav, Kure-nai. The storyline is pretty simplistic so far, but has plenty of potential for depth, in particular I’d like to see more on the politics side of things. I’ve only watched a few anime where colony politics have come into play, and it was one of the more interesting aspects to watch unfold.

And of course there are the action scenes to look to for some eyecandy as well. The fight this episode was lackluster compared to the one that spread across the first and second, opting to do the whole Gundam esque close quarter grappling/long range sniping thing instead of the infinitely more entertaining dog fights. But the main focus this week was story and character lead up, so I guess it can be forgiven…

…this time.

I’m curious as to whether or not Macross F will have a romance subplot. The beginnings of a Sheryl-Alto-Ranka triangle can be seen, and given the polar opposition in the personalities in the female leads, it would make for a nice rivalry. Though, I question if Sheryl could bring herself to look at Alto, or for that manner, anyone else, romantically. Sheryl comes off as very annoying, self-centered and arrogant, we didn’t really see it in the pre-release version of episode one, but from broadcast on, there hasn’t been much attempt to make her a likable person. So if it wasn’t obvious enough before, I’m heading over the the Ranka camp, all hail Nyan Nyan.

Not much can be said on the overall direction of Macross F’s plot yet, we haven’t been given much in terms of what the vajra are, the goals of the military and the government, and the significance of Ranka Lee. Though, one thing that is becoming apparent is that Ranka seems to be drawing the vajra. Which might not be much of a problem now, but consider what happens when that scales up to her performing in the Miss Macross Frontier competition.

Delicious buns, you must eat them

~ Shirukii ~