…which also happens to be the source of our blog’s namesake.
Any anime fan who’s remotely interested in Macross would’ve seen the movie by now, it’s been almost 25 years since release, so I’m not gonna review it.
My introduction into the Macross world was Macross Zero about 4 years ago when SZ suggested it to me. While the animation blew my mind, the plot left me utterly clueless as to what happened. And when I think about it, this movie wasn’t my first view of the Macross anime. I vaguely remember these transforming jets/ half-robots when I was a little kid, back in the early 90’s. Given that Macross 7 was released in mid-90’s I’m going to be blissfully ignorant and believe it was the original Macross series.
Anyways back to the movie, I just learned that this was a shortened version of the original 36 episode tv series that aired from ’82 to ’83. Looking at it, I was glad I saw this after Macross F, otherwise I would’ve just thought that Frontier was simply a rip off of the original and the studio was trying to relive the golden days. Which it sort of was.
My main draw to the film was the songs. Now usually I’m not a big fan of song inserts in anime, and I particularly avoid romantic animes/ movies. But this was Macross, my first mecha anime, plus Macross F was great, so I had to see the source material.
The songs, they were good, not great; perhaps that was because of their weak implementation. Obviously the main song, Ai Oboete Imasuka was brilliant. I also realised that for Frontier, they remade the song with the vocalist of Ranka Lee. Man those 80’s pop songs were really good. Last month I saw the original Bubblegum Crisis OVA, and damn their songs were wondeful! It wasn’t the beats, but the vocals that won me over. Guess I will always resonate with the 80’s since I was born then.
Another thing I appreciated was the whole Zentradi and Meltrandi tribes thing, and why the songs actually make these “aliens” respond to it the way it does. We all share the same genetic code, and music is the universal language of the soul.
Frontier required that you already had this base knowledge, which I didn’t, thus sometimes certain things didn’t make any sense; like that old Zentradi dude who liked to play with trains when Alto met him. However, some things will still confuse me, like just wtf was the deal with Grace anyways.
Regardless, Do You Remember Love? is a great movie and should be seen by all Macross fans. And while it may have more substance than the new series, Frontier still wins due to superior music (and of course better animation).
Super Dimension Fortress Macross: Do You Remember Love?
Macross Frontier: Ai Oboete Imasuka – Deculture Edition
deculture 
Today the SDF-1 Macross takes off. It really does so on February 7, 2009.
I discovered Macross as a kid around ’83-’84 and fell in love at first sight. Glad to meet another blog dedicated to all things deculture.
Wow, I had no idea today’s such a historical day in Macross lore! I was gonna say ‘what a coincidence!’ but I’d like to believe this was fate 🙂
I quite enjoyed your write up on Macross. I too recently watched Macross Frontier, and found many pleasing “revamps” or “tributes” to earlier scenes and themes in the franchise. Now I’m not at all fluent in Japanese, but the music was quite enchanting – so I took the time to order some of the soundtracks (my favorite is Dynamite Explo sion by Firebomber in Macross 7.).
Macross DYRL? is definitely my fave, so much so that I’m spending quite a bit on acquiring the new 1/60 scale completed models (toys) by Yamato of the Valkyries featured in Do You Remember Love…
On that note, have you get the opportunity to see Macross Plus, it’s a nice side story.
Love Trianges, music, Valks… what more does one need?
Nice model you’re getting there; I wanted it too but shipping will kill me :p
I haven’t seen Plus yet. Heard it’s a mixed bag; some people liked it, some didn’t. If I see a cheap boxset, I’ll most likely get it, but not for the time being.
I haven’t heard Macross 7 OST, but man the vocal collections of Macross F are heavenly! I have to listen to the atleast once a week! “Aimo” for life!
hello,
Another macross fanatic here, I wish there was a real Misa Hayase in real life, The most coolest female I have seen, I wish I could meet someone with all her qualities. I would definitely marry someone like her….
Lets keep the macross legacy for eternity….
Back in the OLD days of Anime, this was a great movie. Keep in mind that it was also completely hand drawn. The battle and flight sequences are just amazing.
Another classic anime would be Wings of Honneamise (The Royal Space Force) also available in the USA on DVD.
Back in the 80s, DO You Remember Love was subtitled by a fan in Texas, before fan subs took off with Amiga computers. He had re-done the end credits with a AMV since many of the early 80s Anime had black or blue boring end credits. The fan had access to pro video/TV hardware.
Macross Plus, loved it. Never finished Macross Zero, but it was quite good.
Classics that people should check out:
Project A-Ko
Bubble Gum Crisis (Original 8, best are: 3, 5 and 7)
Gun Buster
And of course, anything by Miyazaki.
Good choices there. I saw both Gunbuster and Diebuster, absolutely amazing. Can’t believe Gainax had such mind blowing anime even back in the 80s.
Also, wow at the Texas fansubber! It’s good to know that fans have been spreading the anime love since so long ago 🙂
Ah yes, I saw Bubble Gum Crisis (original) some time last year; really loved the ED songs. The anime itself wasn’t so great, having watched some of the newer animes in the same settings, but a great classic nonetheless.
I think, that you commit an error. Let’s discuss.