Mr March

I fail to see how an 890 km tall ship isn't within the same category of ridiculousness as a 1,400 km tall ship. Is this new 890 km figure supposed to offset the far greater absurdity of a space fleet of 4,795,122 ships? Are planet-eating MDE bombs and the planet-engulfing Vajra Ring in Macross Frontier also attempts to "reduce" Macross absurdity? Seems to me that's going in the wrong direction. The line about the Factory Satellite building Motherships is on the new Macross Compendium, so I just assumed it came from the Chronicle. Perhaps it came from liner notes in the video releases of Frontier. At any rate, it's there. As for who built it, the Protoculture did that, not the Zentradi. The Protoculture set up everything the Zentradi needed. From that base line, the Zentradi have never progressed, only expanded. So we don't have to worry about how the Protoculture built the Factory Satellites (or whether they are self-building) because it's irrelevant in what was once a clear, linear food chain of Zentradi materiel. As for analysis, I think a fan arbitrarily declaring Macross Perfect Memory is superseded by the Macross Chronicle is a fan in error. Unified theory is the only method that works. If unified theory demands we acknowledge those rare instances where a contradiction exists without a final answer, then that's what we do. As much as fans may love the Chronicle, it's just a fallible as any other source (arguably even more so, after 25 years). Lastly, the Factory Satellite and Fulbtzs-Berrentz Mothership do no represent a slippery slope that calls into question everything in the Chronicle. Nearly everything the Chronicle has published only enhances the Macross universe, not alters it. The Megaroad-01, the Oberth, the Macross 7 fleet; these are all things that did not exist before. Right or wrong, if MPM says 1,400 km and the Chronicle says 890 km, we fans don't get the honor of arbitrary fan decree proclaiming one as right and one as wrong. Unification of facts demands that until such time as the contradiction is resolved, both figures must be recognized.

We could just as easily question the assumptions of the new figures. Was the 500 km figure a misinterpretation by a writer who saw the Factory Satellite de-fold scene in episode 30 and concluded it was clearly way smaller than the Moon? Did Kawamori forget, as he recently stated he does in his interview in Otona Anime #9? Did Miyatake size the FB and Factory Satellites, which Kawamori and Co. are now attempting to change without Miyatake's input? Was the 1,400 km figure correct to begin with? Is the Mobile Fortress also up for "refinement"? Is it at all likely that EVERY megastructure was somehow incorrectly sized 25 years ago and needs correction now? No, not likely at all The salient point is such questioning is an analysis without end. If we go down this "path of the most unknowns" we question it all and can never know anything for sure. If we throw out everything except the Macross Chronicle (including the official series bibles, created during the optimum time for publishing official fact some 25 years ago, when ALL the original creative staff were involved) that already raises it's own set of problems. Besides, the Macross Chronicle actually states a Factory Satellite exists that builds Motherships, not something else. The 3,000 km Factory Satellite worked perfectly within canon for 25 years. If some fans want to interpret it as a 5-500 km Factory Satellite, they're welcome to do so. But this is one instance where the Chronicle is reaching beyond it's grasp. It's a rare occurrence for the franchise and hopefully it doesn't happen again. The only option is to let the fans decide for themselves.

No botched film adaptations will ever devalue the work of Alan Moore. I'll always treasure The Killing Joke, V For Vendetta and Watchmen as some of the best comic books ever made. As for Watchmen, the graphic novel made it to where it now stands years before the film adaptation came along and years from now, the Watchmen book will still have it's vaunted place in history. We'll have to see how the film stands up to time, always the harshest critic

Always nice to see a fellow Alex fan. It really is one of the greatest "classic" Gundam designs. I like some of the new Gundams too, but for me the Alex is to Gundam what the VF-1 Valkyrie is to Macross.

There's no way a 500 km Factory Satellite can be considered a "negligible body" in an Earth-Moon lagrange system. But no, the anime is not specific as to a Sun-Earth lagrange system, it merely shows a lagrange point somewhere in the vicinity of Earth and some unidentified point in the top right hand corner sitting on the same orbit. However, let's use a little context here. Misa and the UN Spacy crew aboard Britai's ship spoke of their amazement at the Factory Satellite's size, even commenting; "It's huge! The Protoculture must have been incredibly powerful to build something like [the Factory Satellite]." Since Misa and Co. had all encountered the 1,400 km tall (or 890 km tall) Fulbtzs-Berrentz Class Mothership (big blue) twice before, their reactions to the Factory Satellite would make absolutely no sense if it were a mere 5-500 km long (half or less the size of the FB mothership). Basically, it comes down to asking what the heck was wrong with the 3,000 km figure for the Factory Satellite? For that matter, what was wrong with the 1,400 km figure for the FB Mothership? I'm all for the Chronicle adding new information or adjusting figures that don't make sense (should they choose to adjust the VF-4 Lightning length vs. width, the VF-11 Thunderbolt length, etc). As long as nothing in the anime itself contradicts their figures, the Chronicle writers can even over rule line art (such as the 1,700 meter long Megaroad-01 figure). I'll take all their changes and adjust my information accordingly, even if it contradicts my long held assumptions about the Macross universe. After all, my website is just a messenger. But the FB and Factory Satellite are two instances in which the given sizes did not require alteration, worked well within canon events of the series, and were already clearly stated in definitive Macross publications 25 years ago (see Macross Perfect Memory). Someone was smoking something when they wrote that Chronicle page and their sizes for the Factory Satellite are nothing like it was presented in SDF Macross series. A 500 km Factory Satellite clearly contradicts the reaction from Misa and Co and a figure clearly stated in Macross Perfect Memory. A 3,000 km Factory Satellite works perfectly within canon events and does not require the assumption of ANY additional unknown factors on the part of the audience. For my part, both sets of size figures for the Factory Satellite will be posted on my website. Macross fans can decide for themselves which set of figures they think makes sense. Attached a picture of a 5 km long Factory Satellite (accounting for the missing section on the left), just for fun

Yes, my website has a brief entry about Micro-Missiles in the "M" section of the Macropedia. The largest micro-missiles are 28 centimeters (0.28 meters) in diameter and approx 80 cm (0.80 meters) long or roughly three times their diameter (found in the GBP-1S Armored Valkyrie). The missile used in the VF-1S Super Valkyrie and most later valkyrie micro-missiles are an even smaller type of micro-missile. By comparison, the AGM-114 Hellfire missile is 1.63 meters long (64 in) and 17.8 cm in diameter (7 in). The popular AIM-9 Sidewinder is 2.85 meters long (9 ft 4.2 in) and 12.7 cm (5 in) in diameter. So the largest micro-missiles are a little bigger around, but much shorter than conventional missiles. Most Macross micro-missiles appear smaller than the 28 cm micro-missiles.

Even Kawamori must bow to canon. If he wants Han Solo firing second, he has to change it. Otherwise, he's stuck with it If the Factory Satellite were parked at a Lagrange point (as stated in the SDF Macross series) and were 5-500 km in size, the Factory Satellite wouldn't be identifiable from the surface of Earth as anything other than a prominent point of light in the sky. That's the only reliable, in-context scaling of the Factory Satellite in the entire SDF Macross series. The closest Lagrange point is 1.5 million kilometers away from Earth (roughly four times as far as the Moon is to the Earth). Since the Factory Satellite is shown as a significant portion of the size of the Moon and as a distinctly identifiable object clearly discerned from Earth's surface by the naked eye, there are two options: a) the Factory Satellite is 5-500 km in size and WAS NOT parked at a Lagrange Point, in contradiction of the anime. A 5-500 km Factory Satellite would need to be parked at some point much closer than the Moon is to the Earth if it were to be visibly identifiable from the planet's surface (depending upon the size chosen between the 5-500 km range). b) the Factory Satellite is 3,000 km in size and IS parked much farther out than the Moon at one of the Lagrange Points, just as the anime stated. Since the Factory Satellite is nearly as large as the Moon but is much farther away from Earth, the Factory Satellite appears significantly smaller to the naked eye, just as is shown in the anime.

The Macross Chronicle is becoming difficult to reconcile in some respects. It's giving new numbers to ships that already had numbers. Macross Perfect Memory specifically describes the Fulbtzs-Berrentzs Class Mothership (big blue) as 1,400 kilometers tall, yet the Chronicle splits the 1,400 km figure into 890 km high by 510 km long. Same thing with the Factory Satellite, which has been scaled down to such a ridiculously small size in the Macross Chronicle, it's unclear what then the Zentradi would use to build an FB mothership. What I'm likely to end up doing is posting both sets of figures for these two ships on my website and post the sources. Fans will then have to reconcile it themselves, unless clarification is forthcoming in an as yet unpublished issue or future book.

The VF-4 battroid is a guess; there are no official figures. In my chart I made the VF-4 Lightning just a little bigger than the VF-1, but this fella has his scaled up much larger. The VF-3000 Crusader Battroid is correct. There's some line art that clearly shows how big the thing is compared to the VF-1S Battroid.

I think Rorschach appeals to people in the same way Travis Bickle/Robert De Niro appealed to the masses in Taxi Driver. These characters personify our own rage and frustration with society at large. The idea of just letting loose and brutalizing the guilty because you're so fed up with all the pressures and repression in the modern age is an appealing, albeit violent fantasy for many people. I'm not forgiving or excusing Rorschach's "moral lapses" (to quote Watchmen itself), but there is a fundamental appeal to his actions if not his motives or state of mind.

I don't think any sci-fi franchise, even those franchises with silly made up figures, can be analyzed based upon "on screen" events only. No firepower figures are ever mentioned "on screen" and defensive technologies are never rated in any meaningful fashion. Those few REAL figures that are mentioned in sci-fi often contradict themselves or have effects above/below what is actually shown on screen. In other words, one fireball is as good as another The only way to compare would be to accept official statistics in common units for the franchises in question (if they even exist) and see how they match up. Without that, it's just a debate of fan opinion and any fan can claim any figures/amount/rating at that point.

Deconstructing the Watchmen?

I love news of a film that just screams quality in every way. This is like Uwe Boll directing The Hobbit. FTW!

Hmmm, not bad

Yes, I'll likely post some new scans of the VF-27 to replace the poor, Japanese magazine scans I'm currently using on the M3. But like I've said before, I won't be scanning/posting the majority of the Macross Chronicle. In fact, I'll likely be using very little of it. One, it's just not a good idea to scan and distribute a brand new product that is still being sold. Decades old line art that has rarely (or never) been republished for Macross shows that are now largely no longer watched by the 8-16 year old crowd is one thing; distributing Chronicle scans is another. Two, that is way more work than I will ever take on. Having said that, I don't see any harm in posting proper scans of the Battroid/GERWALK/Fighter pictures, since Big West has released such pictures into the public domain via the official Macross website anyway. The VF-25S Messiah pictures are going to be upgraded to new Chronicle scans I've made in the next update, but that kind of improvement is pretty much the furthest extent of what fans can expect to see of the Chronicle featured on the M3.

Just based off all the statistics for the Macross Frontier mecha, I am very much getting the sense that the 25mm beam or ballistic guns are the standard low/mid range anti-armor weapon in the Macross universe. Or at least, the Macross universe in 2059. But obviously to be a viable weapon against a mecha, 25mm guns in Macross are dishing out significantly more firepower than conventional 25mm guns, especially to maintain pace with advances in energy converting armor and to overcome defensive technologies like pin-point barriers.

I'm joking. How could I not tell you? "After all, I am your biggest fan"

Yeah, and Brera's cybernetic head implant breaks under very little g. Dramatic license, methinks.

The simplest explanation is that the ISC was never animated. Hence, the anime neither supports or disproves any ISC effect. Thus we have but one source: the official literature. The trivia does describe the ICS as “reducing” the effect of acceleration, which implies it does not totally remove the effects of acceleration. Only pretty much eliminates them, like I wrote. Why would I assume that? Because we never see any VF-25 pilot strain against significant gs in Macross Frontier; certainly nothing approaching 9+ gs like we saw Isamu or Guld doing in Macross Plus. Which would mean if the ICS doesn’t completely eliminate inertia effects, the remaining acceleration upon the pilot is nearly negligible. Perhaps no more than one or two g, but it's really anyone's guess. Now, throwing all this back into ONLY the scope and context of what I originally posted back on 27 (yeah...that!), I find it unlikely the pilot would be able to achieve an accurate sense of his craft’s highest end limits based upon a negligible number of gs we see affecting the pilots in Frontier.

Well, I suspect that while we may not need a source for EVERY fact on the Macross Compendium, the way we all nitpick over details means we'd need the source for the majority of the tech facts, if nothing else. Which is a big job in and of itself. It's a great idea, but a lot of work. Or the simpler explanation: the ICS effect was never animated, thus making it's function a totally non-diegetic aspect of Frontier. Thanks for posting the pictures and the translations. This trivia looks great. That's always the assumption from which I've been working. When speculating about how some of the later variable fighters might work, I always go back to the VF-1 Valkyrie, since it's the closest thing we have to a completely detailed benchmark for the Macross universe.

Looking great for issue 18. VF-27 Lucifer and EX-Gear goodies. Can't wait for new trivia on the VF-27, even if it's just a little.

Let's be honest, the pilots in Macross Frontier weren't animated any differently than they have been in SDF Macross or Macross 7 (with the exception of Macross Plus). So the animation doesn't suggest much of anything has changed, as if the ISC doesn't exist at all. Tactile and vibrational feedback on the pilot wouldn't be affected, but a sensation of acceleration doesn't make much sense to me if the ISC is active. Not saying it doesn't, just not sure I agree with this interpretation of the inertia buffer as a "slightly proportional effect". That sounds like a big job which might not be possible. Determining which source was used for each and every fact mentioned in the Macross Compendium sounds like an exhaustive task which is unlikely to happen. Not saying it's not a great idea, but it might not be feasible at this point. Re-read. I said I'd be wary of jumping to conclusions. And yes, we all have a bad habit of doing so (I was not exempt)-- Look, we all know you object to my opinion, but attacking me personally so often like you do ends up killing the discussion and having the effect of alienating yourself like back on page 25. So do us all a favor; post your own opinions and stop complaining when others do the same.

The Bay Cannon - Creates a massive gasoline fireball that slows time itself as it fires, resulting in disproportionate destruction that appears aesthetically pleasing. Warning: those within range of the Bay Cannon that suffer from ADHD may become hopelessly hypnotized by the firing effect

It's unlikely the VF-27 has any FAST Pack configuration. They say that the "low airframe versatility has made the VF-27 Lucifer unsuitable for mass production" which IMO says the VF-27 is not versatile enough to have a Super FAST Pack or Armored option. But if we look at the VF-27 and it's capabilities, it likely doesn't require Super or Armor packs. The VF-27's four engines already make the VF faster than the standard VF-25 Messiah and the Lucifer has four internal micro-missile launchers. There's really no need for the addition of more boosters or missiles, so the idea of a VF-27 Super seems superfluous. The VF-27 Lucifer already has one of the heaviest valkyrie weapons (the BGP-01β heavy quantum reaction beam gun pod / beam grenade), so there wouldn't be much point to adding heavy beam guns and more missiles like the VF-25 Armored Messiah.

No offers yet. But if they do, you'll be the last to know