Macross Frontier Discussion Thread

[Lanji]

I can't believe I missed this one, but Anime News Network is carrying a story about the new Macross F, aka Macross Fronter!

Best part is, its planned for October 2007 according to one website:

Links:
Anime News Network Listing: http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclo ... hp?id=8586

Anime News Network Announcement: http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/20 ... ew-macross (Yoko Kanno, and the new heroine's voice actress)

Message board post: http://robotjapan.proboards12.com/index ... 105&page=1

I've gone and uploaded the three pictures from that message board post here as well, and have linked them below. Pictures originally posted by Omni Existence at the Robot-Japan boards.











I'm still trying to make some initial impressions, but it sounds like its the ramp-up of the 25th Anniversary specials. It also sounds like its 25 years into the future from Macross 7, placing this colonization fleet around 2070 AD. Just enough to see some of the 'old timers' from Macross 7, but I'm guessing just old enough they will need a new generation of hero's to save everyone's collective backsides.

Then again, I could be wrong...

PS: Hope everyone had a good summer! If your summer was anything like mine though, your still trying to catch your breath.

-Chris

Edit: 12-26-07: Changed title of thread

[Xuric] Edit: 9-19-08: Changed title of thread again.

[Halo]

Sweet! Anything to breathe new life into the franchise is welcome!

[Cobalt]

From what I have seen so far, it looks like I'll finally bow to the inevitable and get cable. The things I do for Macross.

The screenshots don't tell us a lot but it looks promising so far. Maybe this will give us a shot in the arm too.

[Jouby]

Cool, that sounds interesting. Altough, I have yet to get my hands on a copy of Macross Zero... but all in due time

It just dawned on me, Macross has reached 25 years as a franchise. Are there any other animes that has reached this point? I was just thinking it was pretty impressive.

[inix88]

This is about the best anime news that I've heard in years. I've been getting a lot of good news recently. Have I died and gone to heaven?

[Phantomj]

So far so good for the stills, just can't wait to see it.

[COBRA]

Oh YES!!!!! Although there us not much of information that has been released so far (if nobody can give me can track down and translate some japanese anime-boards for me for more). But still, it is: Oh YES!!! XD

No, seriously. I smell CG all over the place, which is not bad sign though, since it worked quite well in Macross Zero. If not perfectly. Although, even if the graphics will be of interest, aswell the new VF design that will be introduced in the series, it's the story that interest me most. Like... will it be a continuous battle with the Varuta, or a great civilian war? Or are they going to introduce a new enemy to the UN. High expectations.

However, I hope they make the heroine fair and interesting. I don't want to re-experience a female version of Nekki Basara

[BEAR]

Man, I hope they put some new official VF's in there. I would love to see what 25 years into the future would produce!

[Foxxy]

macross F eh? sounds like shoji has finally decided to give me my own show ^_^. Im hoping we get to see the after effects of the protozens attack and how far chiba has taken his spiritia research.

[Cobalt]

For me, my sincerest hope is that they spend time developing the story. Because, in all honesty, Macross Zero was a mess in the story department. Macross 7 was mediocre at best story wise. The last great Macross story was Macross Plus.

The ideal package would be for them to have an excellent story and breathtaking art.

I have high hopes but I am not raising my expectations just yet. I'll wait until I see a little more. I do think it is interesting that the reported character designer is an H-Game artist (according the one of the links that Lanji posted).

[Lanji]

Its official: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjHQPDOD7E8

View the trailer as pulled from the official Macross Website. Looks like StudioOtaku is already translating some of the text (view separate thread).

Looks like the new Macross F series is going to be heavy in CGI, similar to Macross Zero. We have a new singer this time, who I think is shown a few times in an UN Spacy uniform. Looks like she's a cadet according to StudioOtaku's translation.

There are a series of new colonization ships that I admit that I haven't scene before as of yet either. The military uniforms were updated slightly, but mainly look like a cleaner design. There is of course a new VF, but it looks like the VF-22 slightly. At StudioOtaku's link the VF is listed as the VF-25, which looks like a cross between the VF-19 and VF-22.

Looks like there's yet another planet involved in this series, with a few ground based combats.

In the last few frames we get a bus advertisement that reads Sheryl: The Fronter Tour.

More details as I find them!

-Chris

[tralnon]

awesome. just purely awesome.

[COBRA]

That video just made my day on so many fronts. Thank you Lanji. Now I can't wait till it's aired ^^

[Bleu]

I just hope the storyline and character development is at least as good as the artwork. I was greatly disappointed by Macross Zero.

[Lanji]

http://randomc.animeblogger.net/2007/12 ... ontier-01/


"You’ll have to pardon my language, but holy shit that was amazing." Omni at Random Curiosity


I'm still waiting for a chance to see this episode, but some of the things from Omni's blog post:

* Private Armed Units
* EXGear: A new innovation in cross purpose pilot suits?
* VF-25: GOT ITS BUTT KICKED
* "Frontier President" vs. a Mayor...
* Enemies look biological in nature

Thoughts? Comments? Etc?

[Cobalt]

Is this going to be imported through a US distributor or are we going to end up having to buy our copies from Japanese Distributors directly?

[Lanji]

John of Animenation.com put it best:

http://www.animenation.net/news/askjohn.php?id=1671

Short answer: No, Nothing past the Robotech version of Macross is ever going to reach the United States, Canada or North America anytime soon.

I was able to watch a version of Episode 1 tonight though, so I wanted to add the following to my earlier post:

"This is what Macross Zero could have been...." -Lanji

That's right folks, I second Omni in saying "Holy shit that was amazing..."

New additions:

* Both the President and the Private "Commercial" Army unit were expecting this to happen. They didn't even blink as they sent out the orders to launch and fight whatever that thing was.

* The thing: Biomechanical that looks like one NASTY insect. One Nasty Transforming insect with a HUGE cannon on its back. Takes out capital ships in one shot. Tough as hell too. Turns out the VF-25's have a small edge on them, but not enough from what I saw.

* Looks like the standard unit in the M-Frontier fleet is the VF-22. Unfortinatly the VF-22's and the pilots flying them are like the VF-11's back in Macross 7's day. Getting the crap kicked out of them, good old cannon fodder they were.

* For Bleu: Storyline is kind of developing, but I'm prepared for a disappointment later if needed. The young pilot pulling off a Hikaru is a bit darker, but at least he's more then just "LISTEN TO MY SONG!"

* For those of you missing "LISTEN TO MY SONG...." Its in there. Start of the concert matter of fact. Sheryl just belts it out. Not as cheesy as I was expecting, but the show after that... My jaw dropped. WAY to many cool things happening at once.

* EXGear is indeed cross functional, and is meant most likely as a training gear before going into the military.


That said, we're going to have to look into updating our stats quite a bit. Anyone up for the job?

I'm going to stop right now and watch it again. I'll be posting more later!

[Kai]

Yeah, I'm not really around much, but Frontier looks wicked awesome. I'll be roundabout and say Shinsen's subbing Aside from all the coolness already said, the amount of tributes to past series crammed into 25ish minutes is impressive.

[Strider]

Not bad. Not bad at all. Maybe even enough to start getting people excited about Macross again. I'll look forward to the first brave soul who starts a game in this setting.
________
Lamborghini Cala Specifications

[tralnon]

I watched the first epsiode the other day, and it's definantly going to be interesting. ^^; I can't wait for more. and the EXGear is nifty.. kind of like an extra means of escape other than an escape pod... at least under military use. ^^; who knows?

Definantly need to update the stats, though. ^^;;;

[Nefaris]

Wow, things have changed since I have been away. Good to see some familar faces still here and some new ones as well. I like the new series alot cant wait for more. Always more cant get enough of Macross, or anything related to it. I hope to be making more posts soon.

[Flare™]

Finally got a chance to watch it.

In a word: Sweet!

[Lanji]

As reported via Random Curiosity, and the Wonder Festival Page, Macross F will start appearing in Japan on MBS in the Thursday 25:25 time slot April 3rd, taking over Shana no Shakugan II's timeslot.

Because 25:25 does not look like a valid time to me, I'm guessing its the 24:25 timeslot. As I get more details I'll post them.


The word going around is that Macross F is now a 35+ episode series. Of course, I hope they can keep up with the same level of animation quality going forward!

http://randomc.animeblogger.net/2008/02 ... -airdates/

[Nomad Soul]

Dang it I hope we finally find out what happened to Misa, Min May and Hikaru...

[Flare™]

Episodes 2 and 3 are out... Quality is the same level as episode 1!