Makurosu furontia

This series focuses on three young people, a pop singer, a private military singer, and an aspiring pop star trying to defend a human space colony as they face a crisis of an alien origin. There is also a flamboyant helmsman who has unrequited feelings for another character. I personally like this series better than Macross Delta, but both series obviously have their positives. This is my favorite of the Macross series I have seen up to this point and I think the themes within it are strong enough to merit it its current rating, putting it above Cybersix in terms of the shows I like.

25 years after the original SDF Macross series, Kawamori steps back up to the plate and brings Macross back to the basics with Macross Frontier, and yields incredible results. After such lackluster sequels like Macross II and Macross 7, Frontier is a stunning epic that truly sits among the series' best.

Taking place in the year 2059 (50 Years after the events of Space War I in the original Macross) humanity is exploring and colonizing in space in order to insure its survival. Frontier is a colonization fleet headed towards the center of the Galaxy, things are going smoothly, until suddenly they are confronted with the deadly alien threat of the Vajra. Alto Saotome is a student at Mihoshi Academy (and a former Geisha actor) who suddenly gets swept into the conflict. He ends up joining SMS, a special military force formed in order to protect Frontier from the Vajra threat. What follows after wards is a string of conspiracies, love triangles, betrayals and mysteries that all culminates into one of the most epic finales in Macross history.

The first thing you'll notice is the amazing production quality. Frontier is a TV series, but the visuals can hold up even to the most beautifully animated anime film. That's due in part to the amazing CG work from Satelight and the blazingly fast and intense battle sequences. Macross fans will definitely scream with joy at the combat sequences, but within all of that Frontier never forgets the characters behind those transforming VF's.

The cast is memorable and lovable, even down to the most minor characters. From the innocent and cheerful Ranka Lee, to the surprisingly hot-blooded ship helm Bobby Margot. The good guys were very likable and the bad guys are truly detestable. The Vajra themselves are some of the most intimidating aliens you'll ever see in a Macross series. Every time they attack, you get a sense of dread that almost even dwarfs the Zentraedi from the original series. The direction is also amazing and clever as well, each event is further elevated with skill by the amazing score from Yoko Kanno, and the wonderful vocals of Megumi Nakajima and May'n. (Who both play the heroines Ranka and Sheryl)

The show also references many of the Macross series of the past, in which fans will have a ball pointing them all out. A lot of the plot seems to mirror the original Macross series, but Frontier manages to bring a lot of neat and surprising twists. The writers were smart enough NOT to completely copy the original.

The only thing I can find wrong with Frontier is that it ends too quickly. The story is told in a very tight 25 episodes, and there were a few plot points I wish the show could have elaborated on a little further. In the end, it left me wanting more. (Much of the show references the number 25, in which the show was created to celebrate Macross' 25th Anniversary) It stands as the shortest Macross TV series compared to the original and Macross 7. However, these were some of the most enjoyable 25 episodes I've seen in any anime. People new to Macross will love it, but longtime fans will get more of a treat out of this show.

Overall, Kawamori has crafted a Macross sequel worthy of the original, and stands as one of the most exciting anime shows I've seen in awhile.

This series does not take any cues from the Robotech adaptation. Unique unto itself like all previous Macross titles that came before. It is arguably the best of the franchise thus far.

Ultimately, with all Macross productions, the show invariably comes back to the enigma of the ancient Protoculture race and their far reaching influence and legacy over the galaxy.

The series focuses on the activities of a group of combat test pilots of the SMS (Strategic Military Services) group who are testing out the new cutting edge variable fighter VF-25 in combat exercises, the amnesiac orphaned teenage girl who is the ward of the squadron commander, a visiting pop idol Sheryl Nome on tour among the colony fleets and their comrades.

The mysterious Vajra appear to attack for no apparent reason and yet have far superior firepower to any enemy that humanity has ever encountered before. Equally mysterious is this girl's ability to affect the enemy's behavior through this unusual song she only vaguely remembers from her dead mother.

Over the course of the 25 episodes, we learn what the Vajra really are, how Ranka Lee can affect them with her singing and the many manipulations that have brought the Frontier Colonization fleet into conflict with this unusual species...

Macross Frontier is the latest story in the Macross Saga. This Series is a visually stunning masterpiece. Having watched the original macross series and the stunning animation that has become this series signature, I was not disappointed when I watched this animation gem.

The story continues the tale of humans and zentradi coexisting and now fighting a new enemy called the Vajra. This plot combines with the focus on the lives of the pilots entwined with a couple of female leads involved in the music industry. This focus on giant hightech robot warfare as well as song is nothing new to the regular fans.

The interesting thing about this storyline is that although the setting is original I find the story to be heavily inspired by the American Robotech series. Now I know that some of you will say that it's the other way around. I am not denying that. I'm simply saying that Robotech fans will easily recognize much of the frontier storyline as it closely follows the Robotech series story line. But the Macross Frontier story line non the less stays true to the Macross storyline. As a Robotech fan I thoroughly enjoyed watching scenes which was pretty much identical in both series (but of course hugely better animated an executed in the Macross Frontier series). And yet the macross storyline will also deviate quite a bit and make up a completely new story.

I do however have a problem with the characters of the show. I quite simply don't find the feelings between characters to be as engaging and realistic as some of the previous series... then again, I believe that part of this reaction is due to the fact that I watched the first macross shows with English dub. I believe that there is a big gap between the American and Japanese way of conveying believable drama and emotion. Likewise I find the music inferior to the beautiful soundtracks in the Macross Plus series. But if the Japanese style works for you then my critique might very well be of little relevance to you.

My conclusion as such is that this show is definitely worth watching. The animation is a 10 for me. The story is 7 while the characters receive a 5 for lack of believability (so far). The Macross Plus as well as the Robotech series did a much better job with realistic characters in a realistic drama. I hope that an English dub will be forthcoming which will better suite my taste...

Well i haven't seen the original but this show is amazing!! Animation is wonderful and even though i am not a big fan of animes with mechs and robots this show is far from it. It has a battlestar galactica feeling all the way, though the story seems much more complicated. The set is in the future with mankind searching for new habitable planets and Macross Frontier being one of the convoys, with of the things displayed are pretty convincing. The songs are awesome too and most of the characters are pretty convincing taking into consideration their true motives.

animation 9/10 story 10/10 music 10/10 characters 9/10 villains 10/10

definitely worth watching!!