Mr March

This mental image is only just occurring to you now? What do you think Misa did after getting smashed in episode 35 if not pole dance?

The gravity generators obviously functioned well enough (prior to the accident) to lift the SDF-1 Macross off the surface of the Earth and later vessels like the Megaroad in FB2012 and the New Macross Class in Macross 7 are shown doing the same without incident. How any of these events somehow implies that a Macross-style gravity control system couldn't function inside a gravity well is beyond me. In fact, gravity control systems are obviously specifically designed to function on a planet surface, otherwise the spaceships in Macross couldn't function anywhere near a planet. Hell, the Zentradi even used gravity mines to prevent the SDF-1 Macross from lifting off the surface of Mars. Maintaining certain active gravity zones inside the SDF-1 during an "upright" landing on Earth seems like trivial feat in comparison to the capabilities displayed by the gravity systems in the various Macross shows.

To my mind, gravity control means gravity control. The technology basically sounds like manipulation of gravity in an area affected by the gravity control generators, which are typically placed aboard a ship. It doesn't mean addition or negation of gravity; it means "control". But since we can't get more specific than the name, it takes some faith on the part of the audience to accept that it works. In either case, it makes perfect sense to me that the gravity control system can function inside a gravity well. If the gravity system can keep everyone aboard the SDF-1 safely upright while the ship is accelerating or maneuvering in space (especially all the crew aboard the Daedalus when it's doing it's anti-warship right hook), I see no reason why the gravity control can't function planet-side.

Going from the side schematic of the SDF-1, the main gun is 49% of the total length of the ship. If the ship is 1,210 meters, that's roughly 603 meters of main gun. The civilian city sections appear to be placed in the aft section/legs of the SDF-1. The legs (not including knees) are roughly 28% of the ship's length, resulting in approx 342 meters of ship (minus the engine machinery). The technology is gravity control so I would assume it controls gravity no matter where the ship may be. The system is localized within the ship (and possibly along the hull?), so I don't see any reason why they couldn't land on a planet upside down if they wanted, so long as the gravity system was functioning.

But in Macross, the creative staff often intentionally misspell English words as indirect references to real people, places or things. This was a practice used extensively in SDF Macross, but it's also a tradition that is continued to a lesser degree in the entire Macross franchise. Many of these names were also meant to be puns. The VF-1 Valkyrie design/manufacturing company Stonewell Bellcom = the real Rockwell International and Bell Aircraft Corporation The Mauler laser/beam cannon manufacturer that builds almost all the valkyrie weapons = Mauser, a German arms manufacturer The VF-25 Messiah's Gaabaa Assault Knife = the actual Ka-Bar Knife manufacturer Algus Selzer, founder of General Galaxy = the German Alka-Seltzer, a cold medicine Roy Focker = Fokker, the Dutch/German aircraft corporation named after founder Anthony Fokker And the list goes on. Isn't it just as likely that "Focker" is an intentional misspelling?

The M3 does mimic the Macross Compendium in regards to the ARMD fold drives (that it could accommodate them, but they were never implemented), but I've never heard of large power requirements draining a ship during folds or any kind of recharge time. The events of the anime indicate most ships can fold multiple times, fire their main guns multiple times or do both. The only system that appeared to have a significant recharge time in Macross was the Super Beam Gun on the New Macross Class vessels. There has been discussion suggesting that particular gun was meant to be more powerful than the original Super Dimension Energy Cannon on the Macross, but we don't know for sure.

*vaaap nuuup neeyuup* Freddy is the devil. *vaaap nuuup neeyuup* Freddy is the devil.

A new fan Can I ask what motivated you to finally watch the original series? I know you've been aware of the original for some time, as you wrote above. But what finally pushed you to make the plunge just recently?

Yep, that's why I didn't think it was even possible.

It's definitely some kind of illuminated cable. If they had magic tractor beams in Macross, what would be the point of Mikhail's cable anchor?

Close enough. Thanks Gubaba.

The problem with stealth in space is not power, it's heat. Stealth works in an atmosphere because of terrain and ambient temperature. In space there is no terrain and the temperature is incredibly low. Basically any heat source in space sticks out like a sore thumb against a surrounding environment which is both largely empty and very cold. Even the life support system of the cockpit in a variable fighter would be enough heat to see it on infrared from an extremely far distance. Rampantly speculating as a fan, the only way OverTechnology could possibly assist stealth in space would be the use of some kind of super dimension heat sink. Basically absorbing all the heat generated in all the valkyrie's systems and dissipating it into super dimension space. But that's a huge assumption with absolutely no canon support at all and I don't even think it's possible. Personally, I stick with the simplest explanation; the variable fighters are built for space and atmospheric operation, so they use stealth in an atmosphere but not in space. And quite simply, there has never been an animated example of stealth being used in space in Macross. The most prominent examples of stealth in Macross have all been in an atmosphere (Nora's SV-51 vs. Shin's F-14 Tomcat squadron in M0, Guld's YF-21 vs. Isamu's VF-11B Thunderbolt in M+, etc). The best stealth in space would be fold technology; you simply space fold on top of the enemy.

Ack! Okay. Well if you can let us know what it says, that would be great. Thanks Gubaba

Ah, good show. My fear was that everyone else had already seen this. I like the framing of the action sequences in particular. It's very anime-like

Ah, that's good to know. It's still vague, but at least we have the confirmation of a space fold. Good question Nexx.

D.D. Ivanov That's always my first question when someone says they know what a real space fighter would be like edwin3060 Sadly, that's the best I can do with that line art. The original image is smaller than the tip of one's thumb. Even at full 1,200 DPI resolution, that is the absolute best that picture will ever look. I'm actually surprised it turned out as well as it did. So I'm holding out for something better

I don't think anyone in Macross uses traditional radar. There is mention of gravity wave radar and particle system radar in SDF Macross (Quel-Quallie Theatre Scout), cross-dimensional radar in Macross 7 (episode 22), and fold wave radar in Macross Frontier (RVF-25 Messiah radome). Given the context of Frontier, the Vajra likely just naturally use fold waves while the SMS/NUNS use fold wave radar artificially. edwin3060 I don't follow the logic. That's like saying the VF-17 is a space fighter so it's wings aren't really meant for flying in an atmosphere. They certainly aren't for decoration It doesn't matter if the variable fighter is 50%, 75% or 90% space fighter, it's still made for all-environment operation. If that means it's stealth system is only worth it when the Nightmare finds itself rarely operating in the atmosphere, that's what multi-role is all about. Having said that, I'll grant you that in light of the inherent silliness that is Macross as a whole, it might be splitting hairs to say stealth in Macross isn't meant for space. However, if a rule hasn't been broken, there is always the possibility it was "by design". Maybe I'm just too much of a fan, but I'd rather give Macross the benefit of the doubt. Besides, it's been my observation that we assume too much when it comes to anime. I've had fans tell me Macross isn't real because space fighters don't have wings. I kid you not. So in contrast to those that never scratch the surface of the fiction, I prefer to err on the side of detail when examining Macross. I do run a mecha website after all Here's the best scan I can make of that tiny picture from Issue #8 of the Macross Chronicle. Sucks I know, but blame Big West

An old video, but I've never seen it before. Absolutely smashing nonetheless Enjoy

edwin3060 I don't think stealth in Macross is in anyway meant for use in space. Nearly all the fighters and ships in Macross are designed for use in space AND an atmosphere. So much like wings, stealth is a necessity for atmospheric operations but obviously has no use in space. I think the closest Macross has come to breaking the rule of stealth in space was in Macross Plus when the YF-19 tried to get past the planetary defenses with it's active stealth system. However, that event took place deep inside the Sol system, in orbit of Earth and they may have been talking about once they get in the atmosphere. sketchley I think that picture was way too small, but I'll take another look later today.

Yes, as briscojr84 has said, the dark, blue metal Monster with the "claws" in Macross Zero is the Destroid Monster Mk I. As with most of the Macross Zero mecha, the only line art scans available right now are tiny little things floating around the net that were long ago scanned from Japanese magazines. Since no proper book of Macross Zero line art has yet been released, the Mk I is still absent from my website. Come on Chronicle, get your act in gear! lebhead That's cool that you're catching up. I'm glad you had fun on my website, but I hope my site doesn't spoil too much for ya. Though you're lucky in some ways, because some of the official trivia SHOULD have been released before the show aired or during the first few episodes. I hope you enjoy Macross Frontier. But either way, make sure to post your praise or criticism once you watch it. ...regarding passive stealth If the VF-17D/S Nightmare can be declared a passive stealth craft in the Macross universe, I see no reason why the VF-171 Nightmare Plus cannot. At the same time, we have no information on the VF-171 Nightmare Plus, so it could have passive stealth or it could not. Based on the information released about the VF-171 Nightmare Plus, I'd say it's possible the fighter doesn't have passive stealth. It appears to be a stripped down VF-17 Nightmare, superior to the VF-11 Thunderbolt, but falling short of the YF-19/VF-19 Excalibur and YF-21/VF-22 Sturmvogel II. Over time (such as the intervening years between MD7 in 2047 and Macross Frontier in 2059) I'm sure the VF-171 Nightmare Plus was upgraded. While the VF-171 may have been a "lesser VF-17 Nightmare" when it first came along, it would make sense that the VF-171 Nightmare Plus would eventually benefit from upgrades that would at least improve it's performance beyond the old VF-17 Nightmare, if not it's armament. But that's all just a guess

Post of the year

There's definitely line art of the VF-0D Battroid. The MAHQ has had it for years (they got a scan of it from a magazine during release of Macross Zero). The problem, as with all the line art on my website, is obtaining a high-resolution scan of the line art so I can color it and make it look all pretty for the M3 That's what I'd assume the verniers are for. But you're quite right, the VF-0 and SV-51 have very few. And they both lack the big reverse verniers like the VF-1 has.

Absolutely. I'm going to be updating all the VF-25S pictures with the scans you may have seen me post in akt-m's thread in the fan works section and I'll be adding linear actuators, the 2057 date and other new information to the VF-25S. I'll also be able to improve the text description a little for the VF-25S. The only VF-0D line art I have is fighter mode. I suppose I can color it and post a profile up as a place holder until better line art from Macross Zero is finally made available.

Hmmm, good point. But I'll take a guess at what the Chronicle might be trying to explain. I think that particular section is supposed to be describing the impressive aerodynamic design of the VF-25. The VF-25 lifting body is so impressive that it can fly at subsonic speeds without it's wing if need be. I guess it's saying that it's not just a lifting body, but a "superior" lifting body that can actually provide lift at subsonic speeds unlike most lifting bodies that are designed for supersonic speeds. Maybe? Does that sound right?

Now that's slightly disturbing. And oh look, a Basara/Ozma clone too