Macross Plus – Anime Backlog

While in New York last month, I had the opportunity to attend Macross Plus Special Guest Film Screening Shoji Kawamori. I haven’t seen this movie in its entirety before, although I’m somewhat sure I saw the climax on some satellite channel when I was about 12 years old. only Experience and Macross Regardless, I admit I wish I had watched it under better conditions.

I made the terrible mistake of not eating much before entering the theater. The Japan Society is a historic building and I forgot that I couldn’t eat or drink inside the theater for the next two hours. If it’s dark and my stomach is empty, I’m prone to dozing off. It took sheer mental strength to stop me from doing this and by the time I quit the show I had hengry.

Guys, don’t do what I did. Eat a good meal before going to the theatre.

Note: This column often contains spoilers. Readers are advised to use their own discretion.

Why is it important?

Macross Plus brings together some of the luminaries of animation to create a fast-paced (and indeed prescient) sci-fi film starring a world-weary virtual idol. Movies come together cowboy bebopof Shinichiro Watanabe, Nobmoto Keikoand Yoko Kanno, Gainax Frequent visitor Higuchi Shinji, Masayoshiand Kazutaka Miyatake and “Itano Circus” Itano Ichiro. It also makes use of early CGI effects that surprisingly hold up well to modern viewing. Kawamori revealed to the audience that they originally wanted to incorporate more computer graphics into the film, but frankly, that would have been too time-consuming given the technology at the time.

In addition to its pedigree, Macross Plus is a sequel to the original series, although it can stand entirely on its own without any experience with previous franchise projects. Nearly 30 years after the film’s premiere, the story’s main plot — an artificial intelligence that becomes sentient and hostile to humans — seems even more relevant now.

Does it live up to its name?

as a complete Macross Newbie, I won’t talk about add in the context of the entire series, but I could write a persuasive thesis on why you should see this movie. First of all, for those of us who want anime that focuses more on adult characters with adult issues, Macross Plus It’s a godsend. this media This film mainly tells the love triangle between Ming Fanglong, Issam Dyson and Gould Bowman. The latter two (one human, one half-human, half Zentraedi) are pilots who compete to allocate funds to their respective aircraft manufacturers from the cosmic equivalent of the United Nations. At the same time, Myung, a former talented singer, is now the “producer” of Sharon Apple, a popular AI pop idol around the world. What most people don’t know is that Sharon Apple’s character is closely tied to Ming’s own mental state, and the distraught emotions that center around Isam and Gould begin as she attempts to gain full consciousness. Influence April’s own choices.

Macross PlusThe music and flight sequences alone are worth the price of admission. This is Yoko Kanno does some of her best work, and it’s enough for me to debate in depth whether or not to release it on vinyl. “Idol Talk” and “Information High” were both certified hits.

Itano is definitely at his best in the action scenes, creating a sense of chaos and urgency for Gould and Dyson and Sharon’s outbursts. There are multiple great moments from the entire animation team, from Sharon’s concert scene to the intense chase through a city skyline filled with skyscrapers.

The film’s narrative, which bounces between action and science fiction, is even more mixed. These are three adults messy The relationship between the two of them is a bit bad. Dyson is frustrating, to say the least, and Gould is burdened with a weight of guilt that he cannot face. It was only when all the pieces were put together that I recognized (and deeply sympathized with) Myung. I hope the movie ends up focusing more on her emotions. Much of the conflict comes down to both men being inattentive to their emotional needs, with Dyson and Gould eventually resolving their mutual slights and repairing their relationship. The conclusion ultimately fails to center the actual victims of the entire conflict. This feels like a very serious narrative flaw, but it wasn’t enough to make me bored with the entire movie.

View or delete?

Definitely a must see! Diving into these shorter animations gave me a new appreciation for films that can be completed in one sitting or a viewing experience that I can complete in an afternoon. Also, if you want the tl;dr version: watch it for the amazing animated spectacle and great music. You won’t be disappointed.

Final verdict: Watch. Once again, I was angry about cancer.