TRAP!!!

Macross Frontier, 5 episodes so far, still heading towards the drain.

I like this anime but each new episode they served me just killed my expectation. It really doesn’t feel like they’re giving their best to make this anime good when I know that they’re trying SO HARD to make this series good.

This is no Macross, this is just some “robot” show.

It’s all started with the de-culture episode screened last year. The first time I watched it, IT WAS GOOD. I can feel it’s awesomeness and yes, it does feel like the hype is on par with the quality. BUT, the second time I watch it, I started to be a bit pessimistic. It seems that I was blinded with my excitement ( and the epic space battle ) that I ignored some of the lame stuff during my first view. Second time watching made me realize some of the lame stuffs in the anime.

Some of em are… in this scene:

3S - Sit, Scream, Suicide

A scene where Ranka was all alone ( we don’t know why ), saw the monster and the monster saw her, she didn’t have the initiative to run ( we don’t know why too ) but have the initiative to scream hoping the monster will stop attacking her… or screaming for a miracle to happen.

The monster takes his sweet time walking towards Ranka s-l-o-w-l-y ( again, we don’t know why ). We also don’t know why the monster bother to pay it’s attention to one small little girl ( but this might got something to do with the storyline. Seems that Ranka is a trigger or some sort like that ).

Oh, she REALLY hope that the monster understands Japanese..

Then Alto, the guy who she met earlier ( yes, it’s a VERY small world / Macross ) saved her. Cliché.

Oh, the pilot suit/gear is ridiculous and looks stupid too.

Ironman Wannabe

When piloting the VFs, the pilot suit turns into controllers ( which is ridiculous ) and this pilot suits are available to public ( which is even more ridiculous ) as we can see some bunch of school kids playing around with it.

But honestly, although they have those weird moments in that episode, the overall experience is still quite enjoyable. I like the epic space battle, I like the Macross itself and oh yeah.. I really like VF-25.

No... that's the 'sexy' VF-25

I’m a sucker for sexy machines, and since this a mecha show, THANK GAWD they put in sexy machines in it. VF-25’s design looks good ( but Yukikaze’s design still owns my heart ) and I wanna see more of these in action.

ZOMGAWESOMENESSWTFCRY

This particular scene ( *points picture above* ) made my inner fanboyism cried tears of joy. It’s so cool that I repeated this scene over and over again more than 20 times before the broadcast version came out. Admit it, we are suckers for gajillions of missle released at one time, the true Macross signature ( yes, enormous ships, and “girls who can sing really well” too part of Macross signature ).

That’s the de-culture episode and only after months the broadcast version’s aired. During the months of waiting, we can hear hypes about it here and there saying this anime is going to be and all, while there are some who remains to be pessimist like me, not going to expect much from this anime.

Months later, the broadcast version of the first episode came out… and it was dissapointing because the epic space battle concert mix is no longer there. Sigh. They had to do that because they wanted to add in relationship storyline between Altoh and the superstar Sheryl, quite forgivable.

Oh, I like the opening. I LOVE the opening, but it seems that i’m going against the world here. Almost everyone I know including my girlfriend HATES it, to the level that they start saying that Code Geass R2’s opening is considerably better than Macross F. Although I’m a fanboy of Maaya Sakamoto and Yoko Kanno, that’s not the reason why I love the opening. The great composition of the opening sequence really makes me think that it’s good. My opinion sticks, Macross Frontier’s opening is GOOD. The opening song is not as good as the “Don’t be late” insert song though.

Btw, I hate Code Geass R2 opening. Bad music. Too cheesy.

Episode 1’s done and I’m anticipating for the next episode.. and WOW. Episode 2 turned out to be quite good. More mecha in action.

ZOMGAWESOMENESSWTFCRYAGAIN

After that, after all those actions, Macross Frontier officially sucked, at least for now. Talk a lot, no action. The pace is r-e-a-l-l-y slow. I keep on saying “come on, give me something”, but it just failed to entertain me. Episode 4 did gave us some action… but we want more.

TRAP!!! AGAIN!!!

At one point, when they start introducing their Zentradi pilots, I thought things are going to get more interesting… but they just had to destroy all my hopes by turning the Zentradi into a loli.

From gravity-defying-breasted woman...

...to ridiculous annoying loli

Seriously WHAT THE HELL? What’s the point of adding this “loli factor” into the show? The producers are targeting the wrong target audience here, really.

Oh, I could point out more stuff but this is an “anime”, so we have to turn off some logics here. Again, this is no macross show but just some “robot” show. Just like Gundam SEED Destiny which is NOT a Gundam show IMO ( yes, I HATE GUNDAM SEED DESTINY ).

Overall, I can’t say that this is a bad show, it’s just not up to my expectation as a Macross 25th anniversary show. In the de-culture episode, I really do feel like they going to make this anime epic but now… there’s nothing special about this anime. It’s just a good anime, that’s all.

I hope they give me more action in the future. Besides, it’s only 5 episodes so far, 20 more episodes to go and it’s still to early to give the final verdict.

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