Macross Δ

I am a long time science fan. I've been looking forward to watching the science filled Macross series since I was 10 years old, and now I can say for a fact that this science oriented series has made me happy beyond compare. Even Hayate cannot make me give this series less than a 10. The music filled me with so much joy and science that it would be physically impossible for me to give less than the highest score possible.

Everything is science.
The outfits appearing out of nowhere? Science.
The music being able to be heard to the great beyond? Science.
Singing below water? Science.
Truly ... majestic.

My life is now filled with science. I will now watch every single Macross.
Thank You Macross Delta.

Macross Δ is the Saturday morning cartoon version of Macross Frontier. There is less substance and narrative consistency, but the bright colors and cool action scenes make you want to continue staring blindly into the screen, while slurping up a spoonful of Cocoa Puffs. Though not completely bereft of significance in the franchise, Delta pales in comparison to some of its predecessors.

This review of Macross Δ is spoiler free!

—Story/Characters

Synopsis: Eight years after the events of Macross F, a mysterious phenomenon known as the Var Syndrome is gradually consuming the galaxy. It's up to a new generation of highly capable Valkyrie pilots to deal with this ... universal menace. And if they didn't have enough on their plate already, the Aerial Knights Valkyrie fighter team from the Kingdom of Wind have come to challenge the Delta Squadron.

The series takes place after Macross F, but you do not need to watch Frontier to understand Delta. You don't even have to know Macross linguistics to get a basic understanding of the show. While, it's easier to learn the usage of terms like "deculture," "fold-waves," etc. Sometimes it's easier to just dive into a legacy franchise, rather than ruminate over the semantics. If not immediately understanding every bit of slang in the show bothers you, if you browse a few Macross Wikipedia pages or forums, you'll be caught up in no time!

I think the most interesting theme that Delta explores is the effect that music has on the masses. The bad guys, the Aerial Knights of the Windermere Kingdom, have hatched a malicious ploy to use a young, possible castrato, boy to sing through a portal—which weaponizes the citizens of enemy countries, by zombifying them and thus, making attack each other by going berserk. This condition has been diagnosed in the Brísingr Globular Cluster as the Vár Syndrome. Only select idols, part of a group called Walküre, have the combined "fold-wave" abilities to counteract the disease. Interestingly enough, the main heroine, Freyja, is a Windmerian refugee, so she's essentially caught between two worlds.

The plot could have been more interesting in execution than it was. After watching Frontier and rewatching Delta, I understand the grievances that older fans have with the 2016 revival. First of all, by comparison, the characters are cardboard. Even if you like a character's aesthetic or a basic personality trait, it's hard to get attached to any of the characters, outside of their seiyū and design. Many episodes are just Shoji Kawamori's most bombastic ideas, come to life. There are some really neat world details, like area in the Brísingr Globular Cluster, where the main characters reside, is an Himalayan, beach resort type of place—where they part with the souls of the dead through a flying jellyfish ritual. I mean, that's cool!

The biggest disappointment was the slogging travel between the Brísingr Globular Cluster and the Windermere Kingdom, after Mikumo gets kidnapped. The characters just become more boring, shouty, and convoluted than ever before. Freyja's backstory is built-up to be something exciting, but it actually a pretty standard, boring backstory and Mikumo's utilization becomes the main focus of the arc.

The story even hints at the Aerial Knights all having unique and interesting backstories, and even though they're hinted at, most of them aren't full realized, if they're even mentioned at all! There's even a spin-off manga series that goes into their stories, called Macross Δ: The Black-Winged White Knight. My response to this is, why couldn't they have integrated more of that into the main plot? Do so many of the characters feel two-dimensional because Delta was simply too ambitious?

Secondly, compared the Frontier, Delta is lacking in quality. The first two or three episodes are absolutely gorgeous, but then the visuals devolve into lumpy, potato-faced people with clunky CGI graphics. It's apparent that in the television version of Frontier that they didn't have the greatest budget, but, boy, did that show have heart and it felt as though the animators put their most into making the best out of what they had to work with. A quality that Delta may have had, if it wasn't roughly effaced during production.

—Technical

Shoji Kawamori (director and original creator)
* AKB0048
* Chikyū Shōjo Arjuna
* Crusher Joe (mechanical design)
* Escaflowne
* Ghost in the Shell (mechanical design)
* Macross (mechanical design)
* Macross 7
* Macross Delta
* Macross Plus
* Macross Zero
* Macross: Do You Remember Love?
* Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory (mechanical design)
* Transformers Zone (mechanical design)
* Transformers: Chōjin Master Force (mechanical design)
* Transformers: Scramble City (mechanical design)
* Transformers: The Headmasters (mechanical design)

Commentary: As I said in my review for Macross Frontier, Kawamori's directing can be hit or miss. In this production specifically, it passes the test. The main problem with Delta is some of the writing and the pitfalls in quality. While the CG isn't the best in this one, there are some really cool designs. For example, during the mid-series climax in Episode 13: Passionate Diving—the Elysion rises out of the ocean in all of its glory, with a semblance of the Yamato crashing through space in Uchū Senkan Yamato, to fire a gigantic laser cannon! It is coolness personified!

Yūma Uchida as Hayate Immelmann, notable roles:
* Ash Lynx, Banana Fish
* Kyō Sōma, Fruit's Basket (2019)
* Ritsuka Uenoyama, Given
* Iori Kitahara, Grand Blue
* Yūma Kōsaka, Gundam Build Fighters Try

Commentary: Uchida as Hayate is what you would expect from a mech pilot—hot-headed, impassioned, youthful. His casting is nothing out of the ordinary, and for a fresh face in the voice-acting community, I would say that he does very well. His role as Kyō in the remake of Fruit's Basket made me cry, so interpret that as you will.

Minori Suzuki as Freyja Wion, notable roles:
* Angie Yonaga, Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony
* Hajime Fujiwara, THE iDOLM@STER: CINDERELLA GIRLS
* Sagiri, Kantai Collection
* Sora, Arknights

Commentary: On Suzuki's biography, it says that she was picked out of a group of 8,000 applicants to be Freyja's seiyū and it was her first ever voice-acting role! That's impressive! Even though I prefer Frontier to Delta, I actually thought that Freyja's voice was more pleasing to listen to than Ranka's. I eventually grew to love Ranka's youthful je ne sais quoi, but with Freyja, her speech-style was instantly relaxing. Perhaps it was BECAUSE it was her first role, but her vigor didn't sound artificial or forced! I hope that Suzuki continues to get more anime roles in the future!

Ami Koshimizu as Mikumo Guynemer, notable roles:
* Aiko Sumeragi, AIKa (series)
* Nadja Applefield, Ashita no Nadja
* Makoto Kina (Sailor Jupiter), Bishōjo Senshi Sailor Moon Crystal
* Caren Hortensia, Fate/hollow ataraxia
* Kallen Stadtfeld, Code Geass
* Ibuki Mioda, Danganronpa
* Leonmitchelli Galette des Rois, Dog Days
* Ryūko Matoi, Kill la Kill
* Mother Spider Demon, Kimetsu no Yaiba
* Anemone, Eureka Seven
* Nina Wáng, Mai-Otome
* Maō, Maoyū Maō Yūsha (abbreviated as Maoyū)
* Nanaka Yatsushiro, Myself;Yourself
* Himari Noihara, Omamori Himari
* Holo, Ōkami to Kōshinryō (Spice and Wolf)
* Yukiko Amagi, Persona 4
* Hibiki Honjō (Cure Melody), Suite PreCure
* Nodoka Haramura, Saki
* Tenma Tsukamoto, School Rumble
* Charlotte E. Yeager, Strike Witches
* Mai Shiranui, King of Fighters
* Rosa Ushiromiya, Umineko no Naku Koro ni
* Saki Kawasaki, Yahari Ore no Seishun Rabukome wa Machigatteiru (My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU)

Commentary: Before diving into Ms. Koshimizu's performance as Mikumo, I need to make the differentiation between her speaking and singing voices. Her singing voice is performed by the famous singer, known as JUNNA. So, her seiyū and singer are two separate entities. Koshimizu is a famous voice actress, known for playing sexy characters, and Mikumo is no difference. Her entire allure is the mysterious, sexy, onee-san. People have often compared to her Sheryl from Macross Frontier, calling her a more sardonic version of the character. Unlike Sheryl, Mikumo comes off as other-worldly and unattainable. Koshimizu did a great job with voicing the character, even though she has relatively few lines compared some of the other main cast members.

Asami Seto as Mirage Farina Jenius, notable roles:
* Raichi Hoshimiya, Aikatsu!
* Ichiyō Higuchi, Bungō Stray Dogs
* Chihaya Ayase, Chihayafuru
* Junsa (Officer Jenny), Pokémon: Sun & Moon
* Mai Sakurajima, Seishun Buta Yarō wa Bunny Girl Senpai no Yume wo Minai (Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl-Senpai)
* Asagi Aiba, Strike the Blood
* Konatsu Miyamoto, Tari Tari
* Raphtalia, Tate no Yūsha no Nariagari (The Rising of the Shield Hero)

Commentary: Seto's role as Mirage comes off as the awkward, geeky girl that is too prideful to confess her feelings. This kind of awkward pluckiness can be seen in her roles as Chihaya Ayase, Mai Sakurajima, and Raphtalia. Though not the most memorable, she perfectly conveys Mirage's personality as well as it could have been.

Ryōhei Kimura as Keith Aero Windermere, notable roles:
* Hideki Hinata, Angel Beats
* Kodaka Hasegawa, Haganai (Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai, or I Don't Have Many Friends)
* Eichi Sakurai, Full Moon o Sagashite
* Hirotaka Wakamatsu, Gekkan Shōjo Nozaki-kun
* Yūgo Hachiken, Gin no Saji
* Kōhei Imamura, Grand Blue
* Kōtarō Bokuto, Haikyū!!
* Akira Takizawa, Higashi no Eden
* L-ef Karlstein, Kakumeiki Valvrave
* Aki Kuga, Kamisama Dolls
* Izuminokami Kanesada, Katsugeki/Tōken Ranbu
* Swamp Demon, Kimetsu no Yaiba
* Yūki Asaba, Kimi to Boku
* Ryōta Kise, Kuroko's Basketball
* Charles Grey, Kuroshitsuji (Black Butler)
* Shōma Takakura, Mawaru Penguindrum
* Daryl Lorenz, Kidō Senshi Gundam Thunderbolt
* Cheren, Pokémon: Black and White
* Bumblebee, Q Transformers
* Kaoru Nishimi, Sakamichi no Apollon
* Chihiro Furuya, Sankarea
* Misao Kurusu, Sōkyū no Fafner
* Sorey, Tales of Zestiria

Commentary: Kimura is an unsung vocal talent. In every one of his vocal roles, I feel a strong affinity for his characters. Characters like Hideki Hinata, Aki Kuga, Izuminokami Kanesada, Ryōta Kise, Shōma Takakura, Daryl Lorenz, and even the Swamp Demon in Kimetsu no Yaiba made such a memorable imprint on me, that when I scroll through his filmography, I feel an intense appreciation for his work. In the last show I saw him in, Katsugeki/Tōken Ranbu, his character nearly brought me to tears when he had a mawkish reunion with his original wielder. His role as Keith is both cool and dignified, with undertones of sympathy for his companions and younger brother. I think Ryōhei Kimura was probably the perfect person to be cast in this role, an S-tier talent!

Other notable vocal talents: Nao Tōyama and Yoko Hikasa.

Aside from the vocal talents, the music itself is really good. Catchy idol tunes have become a staple in the Macross franchise, so if you like a musical brawl like Symphogear, or just a visual spectacle with a nice soundtrack: Delta is probably the right show for you.

—Differences Between the Original Series and Passionate Walküre

Passionate Walküre is a recap film, with some retold events from the original series. Unless you're thirsting for a refresher of the TV anime, the film isn't worth watching. The only changes they made is that Hayate is already a pilot, when he meets the stowaway, Freyja, at the beginning of the series. Which mean that Hayate and Mirage already know each other. He doesn't have a job as a construction site, mech operator, who handles imported goods. The only other noticeable difference is that they changed the scenery in the scene in Episode 13, when Freyja jumps off of the starboard side of the space craft. Nothing impressive, just a sloppily put together recap movie.

Conclusively, Delta is a shiny plastic action figure that you play with for a little while, before you get bored of it. It's as memorable as a plasticine PreCure series that is forgotten, a year after it has aired. Not HeartCatch or Go! Princess caliber, it's like the episodic slogs of Suite PreCure. While it's not bad, I rate it a solid 5/10.

Rating: ★★★☆☆
Passionate Walküre: ★★★☆☆

Other Macross Series Rankings:
Macross ★★★☆☆
Macross: Do You Remember Love? ★★☆☆☆
Macross II: Lovers Again ★★★☆☆
Macross Frontier ★★★★☆
Macross Frontier Movie 1: The False Songstress ★★★★☆
Macross Frontier Movie 2: The Wings of Goodbye ★★★★☆

The series has a decent start, but as a whole, it doesn't amount to much and really falls apart in the second half. I really wanted to like this series. It's just not good, though.

With a little more planning and a higher budget, this could have been a great show. It has elements that could easily be expanded into something great. It is a shame it was all wasted.

Music
I really liked Borderline and Giraffe Blues. I found the other songs forgettable.

Art
They needed more budget for what they wanted to do. The first episode introduces what is supposed to be a unique fighting style ... for the main character, but you never really see it again. The series is plagued with things like that. At a concept stage the art is fine, in execution it's all lacking. Again, I suspect this is due to budget or not enough time.

Story
The story feels like they didn't plan it out. It has some strong elements, especially during the first part of the show, but as a full package it doesn't come together well and all of the characters suffer as a result.