Die Macrossenlied: Macross Delta review

Overall Score: 15/20

C+

Now here's a franchise I've been following since I first saw it in the late '80s as Robotech: The Macross Saga. It was a little tough figuring out how to write this review. Did I want to do it all as a standalone show? Or do I want to do it in relation to other series in the franchise? Ultimately I decided to do a little of both, but in some areas, like the music, score it on it's own.

Also I wish I could give it something higher than a C+, but to be fair, objective, and maintain integrity (unlike, oh I don't know... damn near the entire gaming journalism industry), I had to give it the score it deserved and not the score I wanted to give it.

Oh yes, and naturally, there will be spoilers.


Plot: 4/5
The plot itself is pretty interesting in that it has some close connections to the immediate predecessor in the series Macross Frontier. This is a bit different from prior entries since they're so far removed from each other in some form or another, as to be standalone shows that you didn't need to have seen the show prior to know what's going on. Here on the other hand, it really helps to have seen Macross Frontier to be able to fill in some gaps and make connections.

The plot takes place in 2067 (eight years after Macross Frontier and 55 years after SDF Macross) at a sector on the edge of the galaxy that the New United Nations Government (UNG/NUNG), a galactic government that's suggested to be of a federal nature, sees as a backwater sector. To the point where we don't see any of the New United Nations Space Forces (NUNS) garrisons in the region in possession a Macross type vessel, and still rely on the VF-171 as opposed to the VF-25. As Delta takes places 8 years after Frontier and the VF-25 was in it's final testing phase, just one step away from deployment at the time of Frontier, the VF-25 has presumably been in service for 8 years now, and these garrisons still haven't been reequipped. Not only haven't they been equipped but they haven't even been upgraded to specs on the level of the enhanced VF-171EX. The VF-171 having been rolled out in 2046 has been in service now for 21 years.

You know your posting sucks when your equipment hasn't even been upgraded. 

Around the time of Frontier, there was an independence movement in the sector with the Kingdom of Wind seemingly seceding from the UNG in a bitter conflict that seems reminiscent of the Vietnam War. The show was kind of vague as to this, but it was the catalyst for a power struggle between the UNG and the Kingdom.

Where the tie in to Frontier comes in, is in the form of the Var Syndrome brain disease. After the Vajra left the galaxy at the end of Frontier, their departure some how resulted in the spreading of fold bacteria into the various humanoid species across the galaxy. Whether by his own design or not, Roid, who becomes the main antagonist, continues the work of the Macross Galaxy government in trying to forcibly network everyone together into a massive galactic hive mind.

In Delta, we kind of go back to having a group of idols like we did in Macross 7, though instead of a band with a lead and back up vocalist, we get an idol group.

Why have just a solo act when you can have a whole pop group?

Though here instead of weird "Spiritia" space magic, the abilities behind the singers are now given a scientific explanation. That being the fold bacteria left over from the Vajra, essentially expanding on the ideas used with Ranka and Sheryl's infections. Essentially Delta can be considered a sequel to Frontier.


Storytelling: 2/5
The protagonists are generally portrayed in a generally likable manner. Neither of the three main characters, Hayate Immelman, Freyja Wion, or Mirage Falynna Jenius come off as irritation or otherwise unlikeable to the point that the viewer starts to not care. Both women act as a foil to Hayate in some form or another. When we first meet him he's an aimless drifter taking random jobs here and there and ultimately getting fired from them from not putting in any effort. In contrast he runs into Freyja who knows what she wants and is dead set on it. On the other side there's Mirage who's overly serious about her job (which really works for her since just about the entire galaxy has high expectations for her, given her grandparents are Max and Millia of the original series and in-universe legends) were as Hayate has a carefree demeanor towards just about everything. Their relation at first is almost like a variation of the straight man, funny man combo.

Left to right: Mirage Falynna Jenius, Hayate Immelman, and Freyja Wion. 

Each of the three develop their characters as the story moves forward. Freyja gets her wish but realizes why she wanted that to begin with. Mirage is able to loosen up and move out from under her family's shadow and be her own pilot as opposed to just "Max and Millia's granddaughter", she's also able to express herself more when she starts to be the third wheel in the triangle. Finally, Hayate starts to become more serious about his job as a pilot and becomes more professionally about it as opposed to just being a bum who doesn't take work seriously.

This time around though, they did also do something a bit different in that Hayate could end up with both girls in the end. At the end it is implied that Freyja didn't have long to live so Hayate could very well end up with Mirage after Freyja passes away. I would wouldn't be surprised if we saw a tear jerker on-screen death for her in a movie adaptation.

The supporting characters are also well done and likable characters. At first I was wondering how they would get in enough character development for Walkure on an individual level. But it was accomplished. Each member had their backstories fleshed out, and two members, Reina Prowler and Makina Nakajima are possibly the first same-sex couple to be shown in the franchise. While not explicitly stated, there does seem to be more between them than just friends. I don't know if there was also a joke there with pairing up the members with the biggest and the smallest cup size in the group together, with Makina's breasts being almost as big as Reina's head.

"Boobs..." let me say that again. "Boobs"

Though the other supporting characters, mainly combat role members of Chaos PMC have gotten decreased development in comparison to the other series. The command crew of the Macross Elyssion gets minimal development, to the point you don't even notice the "bridge bunnies" on this ship, and Macross-class bridge bunny crew members have been a staple since SDF Macross. We literally know next to nothing about them. Though the half-breed Captain Ernest Johnson does get enough development to delve into his background and the view learns he's worked as a mercenary and combat instructor and always sided with the underdog faction. Along with Delta Squad leader Arad Mollers, both men have histories with the current Windermere regime, being the military instructors of the Kingdom's military leadership. We also get some development on the brooding war veteran Messer and the more laid back Chuck who runs a restaurant on the side, but in contrast they get much less development than the Walkure members.

...and he's about 7 and a half feet tall. One of his parents was obviously a commander-type Zentraedi. 

Though this might have been the result of having an episode cap and the series ending at 26 episodes. But on the other they could have been fleshed out more instead of having all of these filler episodes.

Which brings us to the villains. This is where I knocked off the majority of the points for storytelling. A good story needs to have good villains, and good villains, Macross Delta doth not has.

Generally, I don't much care for these guys...

OK I've seen every entry into this franchise, and the Kingdom of Wind is easily the most bland and boring villains of this whole franchise. Where as every series saw both the protagonist and antagonist faction on some level of parity (weak in one area but stronger in another) with the exception of Macross Plus, Delta on the other hand simply just gives the Kingdom a pre-pubescent deus ex machina in the form of Heinz the Wind Singer, and the Var Syndrome mind control. And this deus ex machina is all the Kingdom ever does. Attempt to assassinate Walkure? Var. NUNS confrontation? Var. Planetary invasion? Var. More NUNS forces? Var. Acid indigestion? Var. Menstrual cramps? Var. Erectile dysfunction? Var. Var Syndrome is literally their only solution to every single problem. Crummy gas mileage on your car? Yeah I'm sure Var can fix that too.

In Macross Zero, we had the UN and Anti-UN factions racing against each other to secure alien artifacts on the planet. In SDF Macross we had Captain Global and Commander Britai on opposite ends of a cosmic chess board matching wits against each other. In Macross 7, we had had the mind control element but it wasn't the only trick the Protodevin had up their sleeves. 7 had had a strange mix of relentless enemies, vampires and monster of the week elements. Frontier gave us weird enigmatic, hive minded space bugs who would evolve countermeasures against the SMS/NUNS's weapons including evolving carapace that could withstand a nuclear blast after the NUNS used their nukes too often. Frontier also had the conspiracy element that we last saw in VFX2. Macross II was a little different in that the UN forces found themselves up against essentially their Mirror Mirror counterparts, where singers were used not to bring peace the way Minmay had,but rather in the same manner as the Doof Warrior from Mad Max.

As a whole we saw both sides having to adjust to each other. In Zero we had Shin constantly learning and adjusting to Nora and Ivan's styles. In SDF we saw Global over use the Macross's Daedalus Attack and Britai use this to his advantage to get a boarding party into the Macross. 7 had the Fleet having to deal with each Protodevlin and their abilities. Frontier saw their Fleet in a state of constant R&D. But in Delta we see none of that. All we see is the Kingdom just Var'ing everyone each time, and each time the NUNS just falls for it. Their colonial garrisons get Var'ed, and one fleet they send into the sector after another just get's Var'ed. The result just starts to become as predictable in story telling as the use of recycled footage for combat scenes. There's no suspense of drama anymore. Towards the end the NUNS sends another fleet armed with dimensional weapons (think BIG black hole bombs) and they just get predictably Var'ed instead of having a massive do or die fleet battle. To the point where the viewer already knows they're just going to get Var'ed yet again.

Police brutality? There's a solution to that! Var induced rioting. 

The way the Var was used as a literary tool is Delta's weakest point. It's overused to the point of making the Kingdom of Wind a pack of one-trick ponies. Even the accomplishments of their so-called elite Aerial Knights gets watered down when you consider that every accomplishment they've made after Epi.2 came with Var support, after Epi. 2 you hardly ever see them shoot someone down who isn't being Var'ed, so essentially they haven't really done anything a monkey couldn't do. They're starting to remind me of Japanese pilot Warrant Officer Toshiyuki Sueda. This particular one-trick pony racked up 9 kills against F4F Wildcat pilots using the same trick. Over Wake Island he tried the same trick on an F6F Hellcat and paid with his life when it didn't work and the Hellcat lit him up. For half of this series I've just been waiting for the proverbial Hellcat to show up.

The main problem I have with the Var is that we never really see any weakness with it, hence why I call it a deus ex machina. Supposedly to activate it, it causes physical strain to Heinz, and yet we never see him collapse on stage to make that point. Additionally it also seems to be the perfect mind control weapon, in that the infected don't just go completely berserk and attack everyone, they always seem to know who to attack. I would have had one instance where Heinz collapses on stage and the Windermearans are unable to hold off a non-Var'ed NUNS fleet that breaks though and links up with the Macross Elysion with supplies and reinforcements (maybe an elite unit of VF-25s or production YF-27s refined with either manual controls for non-cyborg pilots, or a refined Brain Direct Imaging and Brain Direct Interface systems from the thought controlled YF-21 of Macross Plus, sent from Earth to serve as kind of friendly rivals to Delta Squad, hell even make it the VFX Ravens, that would be an awesome cameo). I would have also had one scene where the Var activation goes wrong and the victims go completely berserk and attack everyone forcing both sides to withdraw from the area. Something to show it's not that perfect and using it needs strategic considerations.

It's clear the NUNS was supposed to look as shady as MS Gundam's Earth Federation Space Forces, the State military, that while technically being on the protagonist's side, has some dirt on it's hands and skeletons in the closet. The problem though with the Var being a deus ex machina we don't really get to see the NUNS acting sinister, all we really get to see is them getting annihilated. That doesn't make them look shady, that just makes them look incompetent.

The ending was also another point where I had to knock off some points. The biggest complaint with the end of Macross Frontier was that while it resolved the main plot, it didn't resolve the love triangle at the end. Delta does the opposite. The triangle gets resolved but the war itself is left ambiguous. Were there peace negotiations? Did both sides attempt at reconciliation, or did things settle into a state or cold war? Or are both sides just gearing up for the next phase of the war? We don't know.

Lastly, is the overall presentation of the story. The pacing feels a bit weird and there are too many filler episodes. There could have been more action oriented scenes but instead we ended up with more narration than needed.

The tie in with Macross Frontier at the end could have been built up more. Roid's goal turned out to be the same as Grace's in the Frontier TV series and the Macross Galaxy colony leaders in the Frontier movies. It would have made it more interesting if Roid had ties to Galaxy in some form or another, Maybe he came across their research and decided to finish their work, or he took in members of the conspiracy sometime between Frontier and Delta.

Instead he just turns out to be yet another Space Hitler. 

Instead we get a relatively weak tie in on the protagonists side to the SDF-02 Megaroad 01's crew, with some hinting that "Lady M", the sort of background manipulator on the protagonists side is possibly Lynn Minmay, but leaves nothing in regards to any of the SDF-02's crew confirmed. Given that this is dropped near the end of the series makes it a complete dick tease, since it happens too close to the end to be able to do anything with it. Its thrown in there, but has little to anything done with it. It's said that they received a signal from subspace from the SDF-02, and that's pretty much it. So what, did the SDF-02 end up in another dimension? Trapped in Fold space? Are they somewhere in the galaxy hiding out from the current New United Nations Government administration for a particular reason? Also if Lady M is indeed Minmay, she would be about 74 years old. Also, if Lady M is Minimay then just what exactly is Chaos? Was it part of the SDF-02 colonial defense fleet at some point in history?

Too many unanswered questions at the end, and is practically begging for a movie or two to resolve these questions.

Sound and visuals: 5/5
Like prior entries into the series, the music gets a lot of emphasis. It was a bit tough to rank the music, on one hand I want to rank it down to a 4, but on the other hand I do really like the music for what it is.

I wanted to rank the music down to a 4 since it follows the same J-pop style music that Macross Frontier had. In contrast each series seemed to have it's own musical theme. Macross 7's music was rock, and Macross Plus went across genres with Yoko Kanno at the helm, but the songs generally had a more electronic style to it. SDF Macross did have pop music but it was '80s pop. Lastly Macross Zero's music had a more tribal feel to it. Just once I'd like to see a Macross series with a hip hop or rap theme, like the viewer is introduced to the series idol destroying people in a underground rap battle like Emimen. Have her be a "tough girl" type like Priss from Bubblegum Crisis. I decided to just look at the music for what it was, divorced from the rest of the series and ultimately didn't think it warranted being knocked down a point.

Then there is visuals and they certainly live up to the visual threshold set by Macross Frontier (which in a sense kind of seemed like Kawamori trying to embarrass Harmony Gold and their Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles) we also see another first in Macross with a sword fight between VFs that felt kind of reminiscent of Escaflowne. Though things do get a little fuzzy, when there is fast action happening, though you'll only really notice it if you pause the video during these segments.




Art style and design: 4/5
The art style and design more or less follows what was established in Macross Frontier. The ships in services with the NUNS are the same as what we saw in Frontier and despite being some nine years later, the VF-171 is still their main fighter. Though that could be because the sector where the series takes places is considered a backwater region and the more "prestigious" postings, like the Earth fleet or New Edwards Base, got the VF-25. The VF-171 we see haven't even been upgraded to the more heavily armed and armored EX variants.

The main protagonist mecha, the VF-31 series is yet another rehash of the YF-24 Evolution. The VF-31 is the production version of the YF-30 Chronos, which itself was based on the YF-24 (in-universe, in actuality it was probably based on the VF-25). The result is a fighter that bears a strong resemblance to the VF-25 (given that the YF-24 was the in-universe progenitor of the VF-25, YF-27, YF-29 and YF-30) and gives the feeling that Kawamori got lazy. On the other hand while the VF-31 is yet another derivative, the Sv-262 is a wholly new design based on the Saab 35 Draken. The paint style of the Windermearan Sv-262s, especially Keith's personal unit have a more flashy design to them, reminiscent of Zeon aces from the MS Gundam franchise. I can easily see it in the red and black with gold trim of the Sinaju in Unicorn Gundam. Though even as a new design, Kawamori seems to have taken a liking to skinny battroid designs as of late, it's been awhile since we've seen a beefy design like the YF-19/VF-19 and YF-21/VF-22 designs. Though on a side note Kawamori seems to have broken with his naming and number conventions on the VF-31, with planes with forward swept wings being named for swords and having a 9 in the model number (VF-9 Cutlass, VF-19 Excalibur, YF-29 Durandal, though to be fair the VF-31A which could be considered the base line model does not have FSW). Though I can see why he would do that here, when you look at the names of the rival VF-31 Siegfried and Sv-262 Draken III, it's more than likely a reference to the Volsung Saga where Sigurd slays the dragon Fafnir.

VF-31 Siegfried

Sv-262 Draken III

The SDF/C-108 Macross Elysion herself seems to be an amalgam of design elements from the SDF-01 (TV and Movie variants), the New Macross-class and the Macross Quarter Type. Elysion takes her overall layout and transformation sequence from the Quarter. The design stylings of her legs and the way her Macross Cannon functions is similar to the New Macross-class Battle 25/Frontier, the over all styling of her main hull is reminiscent of the SDF-01 DYRL version, while her "arms" are clearly influenced by the SDF-01 TV version with them being held up in the same pose and having the appearance of maritime vessels. I'd say Elysion is easily my favorite Macross derivative next to the DYRL redesign. Though her in-universe origins are never explored, given her hull number she doesn't seem to be a one-off design having "108" as her hull number indicating she's at least the 8th of her class. One one hand she might be a production version of the Macross Quarter, she also about twice the size of the Quarter. We also see something relatively new with the Elysion's left arm, the Aether, acting independently. While prior Macross types have been considered compound warships with various blocks being separate ships, this is the first time we any of those components carrying out operations on it's own, not counting standalone ARMD-class carriers, except for maybe the Macross 7's gunship (memory fails me on that one) but even then it isn't on the scale that Aether operates on.


Even at the end of the series when the ship is grounded it's in a state similar to the SDF-01 Macross at the end of the TV series, lacking it's right arm and the booms on it's back blown off, and lying in a position similar to the SDF-01 when it was downed in DYRL.

Just chillin'

Though, whereas in Frontier the main civilian section was modeled on San Francisco, here in Delta it's more modeled on a South East Asian style coastal town. Right down to the cuisine being sea food based with the main dishes being fish and jellyfish, and survival rations being a tin of sea spiders. It gives the series a kind of backwater/resort town feel in contrast to the futuristic metropolitan areas we see in Macross Frontier, Macross 7 and Macross Plus. Plus especially since we get to see the UNG capital Macross City with holographic displays across the city.

Overall while the VF-31 is essentially another rehash of a tired design, the Sv-262 does bring something completely new to the table and the Elysion is actually a really nice blending of aspects from all the previous existing Macross-classes into an aesthetically pleasing package. Additionally we also see cameos of classic designs like Zentraedi Regult and Glaug battlepods, as well as a VF-22S serving as a Chekov's Gun in a few episodes.

Final Verdict: Flawed but still has it's high points. 
Macross Delta definitely has it's flaws, it certainly is nowhere near as good as the original SDF Macross was and I wouldn't even considering as good as Macross Frontier was. Despite that, it's flaws at least are largely localized to it's story telling. The plot itself was interesting enough, but it's in the way it was told that has problems. The fight scenes that do happen between the Knights and Delta are still exciting and great to watch. The music, while similar to Frontier's is still enjoyable and the fast tempo of the songs go hand in hand with the frantic combat scenes. While Elysion doesn't really do much compared to the Quarter, when it does do something, it's something to behold.

Overall Macross Delta is still an enjoyable experience and introduces several new elements into Macross canon. The "enemy singer" thing is new to the main canon but it was something we saw in the non-canon AU Macross II. It's a safe bet to say there will be a movie or two to flesh out the loose ends of the series. Pretty much every entry in the franchise got some point of movie or OVA adaptation or accompaniment, and this one needs it.


Originally posted Oct. 1, 2016