Mr March

grss1982 Yeah I remember the Monster from Zero. But it's hard to use the old prequel and original Monster as a benchmark since it's three times as heavy as the VB-6 Konig and the original Destroid Monster was never deigned to fly. The HWR-00 Monster Mk II was 285.5 tons while the VB-6 Konig Monster is 101.9 tons. I guess we have to wait and see. Mark Nguyen Well the DYRL Q-Rau contains the pilot's arms inside the torso and not in the arm joints. And we know how much Kawamori loves to take design from DYRL Seriously though, the Q-Rau has always been a stretch for a plausible pilot cockpit, at least IMO. We're only ever shown the DYRL cockpit and it shows the pilot's legs sitting inside the Q-Rau legs. But IMO, the Q-Rau hips always seemed spread too far apart to fit a pilot. But anyway, it looks like the went with sitting for the Q-Rau Lambda, so maybe it is as you say a little bit bigger. The torso does look different; the torso of the Q-Rau Lambda appears to have a bit more vertical size. Here's a picture comparison with both Q-Rau's at roughly the same size: Looking at them, the Q-Rau Lambda also seem to have a deeper torso as well. The front looks like it comes forward more than the old Q-Rau. Kronnang Him, I doubt the whole body is a reactor, but whatever the Vajra is it's powered by some pretty mean stuff. Yeah, I keep looking on the Macross Compendium for new stuff, but there's not much there as yet. Which is to be expected. Kawamori and Co. aren't going to publish much until the show has run more episodes.

Yeah, what ever happened to all those funny pictures? Beams coming out of his eyes and fans bowing down to his froating head

Perhaps the Shinsen subs will be the go to versions for keeping on the old HD. The other versions are great for those of us that need an immediate fix.

Good episode. It's a little slower than the rest of the season so far, but that's okay too. I liked the character development with Laura Roslin. It was so tragic when she told Baltar she was wearing a wig. I mean, we all noticed her hair, but at the same time you're just hoping it's not what you think it means. I agree with the "Fight Club" feel of the Baltar scene. I am Jack's imaginary Cylon I also don't think that Six knows Tigh is a Cylon. If she did, the scenes just don't play the right way. plus, we all know how much Moore and Co. like to mess with us and throw us off

grss1982 I did notice that actually and I'm glad they show the cockpit as a seated machine. There's always been debate how exactly the pilot sits inside the Queadluun-Rau cockpit, especially since there isn't room for the legs to go anywhere. I recall a discussion we had when the Queadluun-Rau Lambda pictures were first posted from magazine scans. I myself speculated that the new Q-Rau Lambda appeared made for miclone pilots, since there was even less lower body room than the traditional Q-Rau. But we now know it's made for full-sized Meltrandi and they do indeed sit inside, not unlike the Reguld it seems, though much more comfortable Zinlibidinous But we've never seen the VB-6 in action. Except for the video game and I don't think we can rely on that as a benchmark for Frontier, since Kawamori and Co. will likely do their own thing. I wouldn't think the VB-6 Konig would be nearly as fast as a VF-25 or the Queadluun-Rau Lambda, but I don't see it crawling around like a turtle either. According to the statistics, the VB-6 Konig is only a third the weight of the original Destroid Monster, so it should be much faster and more maneuverable than the old beast slowly shuffling around on the SDF-1 outer deck.

I'm not at all concerned about the NUNS in Macross Frontier. The story is about SMS and they wouldn't exist if there wasn't a need for them. If they make NUNS suddenly the competent and professional institution it was in previous eras of Macross, it would undermine the credibility and the need for an institution like the SMS to play such a major role in the events of Frontier. I certainly don't want that, since it's the SMS and its members that Macross Frontier is all about. These are good words to live by, but it's important to understand that on the internet it's difficult to gauge the context of discussion. It's easy to forget that a portion of fandom bitches and moans as their way of expressing how much they enjoy anime. When you're face to face with a fan you know personally, that context is easy to understand. Online, bitching and moaning comes across as just that; bitching and moaning. Other members can't know the context of these complaints and don't know you personally. We have to assume these complaints are serious and genuinely as important as the considerable time devoted to complaining. Otherwise we'd have no way to differentiate fans who are complaining as "fandom enjoyment" from those fans who are geniunely complaining out of strong dislike that puts the show in jeopardy. Something we have to keep in mind.

I think the Vajra has size going for it. It's many times larger than the Valkyries and even the big Queadluun-Rau Lambda. It has to be easily 50 meters in overall length. So I'd guess it has a large reactor. Even so, I have to say the Vajra are pretty impressive technology overall. They are as fast or faster than the best SMS Valkyrie, they have as much firepower as a medium-sized warship gun and they obviously have very powerful armor which even the Energy Converting Armor on the Valkyries can't compare. I have to say, at this point in the series I am just itching to see the SMS's VB-6 Konig Monster take flight and have a shot at the Red Vajra. I want to see the VB-6 Konig Monster finally get some anime love and I want to see those big rail guns rip that red bug a new one

Hahaha, I caught myself doing the same thing. Here I am supposed to be reading the subtitles and watching Luca's character, but all I can concentrate on is the dish going round and round behind the cockpit. It was a very pretty piece of animation, what can I say. A true geek-out moment

Cheers to the fansubbers indeed! We need to express our thanks to you all. We're so lucky to have you all working hard. As a long time anime fan who was around when we once traded non-subtitled Betamax tapes to get our anime, it's truly a pleasure to have fansubbers around to help out us Macross fans. Merci!

I agree. I think it was a brilliant use of the established Macross fiction to create Klan Klein. It allows the character to be seen as a credible, experienced pilot when a full-sized Mentradi, yet she can be just as easily accepted as the chibi comic relief when a miclone. It's sheer brilliance and it gives Klan Klein all the benefits of a comic relief character but none of the problems taking her seriously when situations turn serious.

Yep, the "animation quality" debate has officially just become Macross World's new "small hands" debacle. I'm sorry but there's no way the Frontier animation did some huge nose dive below the level of Code Geass or Gundam 00, unless I was beaten unconscious during the last two episodes. I'm filing this one under minutiae and moving on. On the issue of Klan Klein, I'm loving her character so far. She's lethal in the cockpit, easy on the eyes and hilarious as a miclone. She's all win so far. Btw, "Klein" means "Small" in German

That's how I see it. I compare the 2D animation of Macross Frontier to Planetes, Code Geass or Gundam 00 and I'm just not seeing any major, in-your-face differences in animation quality. And the 3D animation in Frontier is leading edge as far as anything I've ever seen in anime television. I'm not expecting OVA quality from a TV series, but for what they do in Macross Frontier is top notch to my mind.

Yeah, I'd agree. After all, the VF-0 was made for CG and thus had to have proportions such that it could transform without the benefit of anime magic. It makes sense that the various modes would have more accurate proportions to each other. BTW Chronocidal, where did you get that funny picture for your avatar?

I've no doubt you are. That's why we love ya

Ditto (to eugimon). Macross Frontier is top quality television series animation as far as I can tell and has no more or less problems than any other series I'm watching.

It's awesome. To me, the new 1/60 is an improvement in every way. Better size, better proportions, better articulation. I'm definitely picking up one of these.

This is some really interesting news! http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2008-...online-releases

I think Klan was referring to the cannon that Alto used during the battle. It was drifting in space for thousands of years, but still worked. You'll note the scene focused on the gun lying upon the ground, then titled and panned right to show Klan's Q-Rau Lambda; she then proudly proclaimed the virtues of Zentradi technology. I agree about Macross Frontier; it is a big win so far. I only worry about the ending, but so far this series is much more than I expected. Thoroughly enjoying it.

I suppose considering the firepower that red Vajra can dish out, it's possible the thing has more than enough power to space fold. But really, this is just stopgap speculation. I mean, the Vajra have to be coming from somewhere. There has to be some kind of factory, base or ship from which they operate. Someone is building these bio-mechanical monsters and sending them out to cause mayhem. I wonder if they can fold on their own, or there is some behind the scenes stuff yet to be revealed that is deploying them. Great picture kresphy. This doesn't look all that different from the finalized design. Seems most of the design choice Kawamori created made it through to the final version. Coolr stuff!

Macross Frontier episode four continues to meet expectations and provides some great action and a lot of entertaining humor. The Zentradi make a very flashy return to the Macross universe as we're treated to three Meltrandi piloting newly designed Queadluun-Rau Lambda battle suits. Giant sized and all, the new Q-Rau proves it's just as deadly as the latest VF-25. Watching the Q-Rau in action is a true delight for long time Macross fans and the new CG animation doesn't fail to do this mecha justice. We also get some more setting embelishments as the main action in this episode takes place in amongst a 7,000 year-old Zentradi battle site filled with destroyed Zentradi warships and mecha. This provides more history for new fans and wlecome reference for old fans. The characters continue to develop at a very satisfying pace. We learn that Alto, though being harshly run through the training guantlet at SMS, is highly skilled and exceeding the expectations of his fellow pilots. The montage of Alto's training provides some hilarious situations for our hero. Alto just can't seem to catch his breath taking a beating (literally) both at SMS from Ozuma or at school from his teachers. Meanwhile Ranka begins down a path to attaining her dreams and enters the 12th Miss Macross Frontier beauty pageant. Lt. Glass and her boyfriend Chief of Staff Leon Mishima are on hand for judging, but Glass notices Leon has plans for Ranka. Ranka is nervous and not quite as composed as she should be for the contest, but nonetheless gives her all in a great rendition of My Boyfriend Is A Pilot a song made famous by the original Macross idol Lynn Minmay. In amongst the contest, we are also introduced ever so briefly to Ranzo Saotome, Alto's disapproving father. Looks like more pressure is on the horizon for our dear hero Episode four also provides a little background into Ranka's past and the Vajra. Seems the latest nemesis of the UNG has been attacking them in stages for a little more than 11 years now and is responsible for the death of Ranka's entire family aboard the 117th Research Fleet. It's also revealed that Alto has some more elaborate motives of his own, as he has a strong desire to defeat the Vajra and protect Ranka. It's likely no coincidence that Ranka was present at two major Vajra attacks, but we'll have to wait to see more. Lastly, the meltran pilot Klan Klein is introduced in this episode. While a deadly and beautiful female pilot when in her giant sized Zentradi form, the poor woman has a rare genetic discrepency which causes her to revert to an adolescent girl when she undergoes the micloning process for reduction to human size. Mikhail in particular delights in mocking poor Klan Klein in her miclone form and provides some of the funniest moments in Macross Frontier to date. No doubt we can look forward to more fun from these two as the series progresses. Again, the new Macross Frontier series pays plenty of homage to the original Super Dimension Fortress Macross series, but continues to charge in new directions. The homages often make us think we know what will happen, only to have the unexpected throw us right off. The series stands well on it's own, but as a long time fan I'm loving the way Kawamori is playing with audience expectations and constantly throwing us off what we think will happen. Next up, episode five. Deculture!

"I'm having a thought here, Barbossa" In episode #4, there was a fold reaction detected and then big, red and ugly appears. So, is the Red Vajra fold capable? Does it have a fold booster? Or was the fold reaction actually the defold from a from a larger vessel that then launched the Red Vajra?

No harm done. We do see the N-Ger's using rifles in DYRL, but they are separate weapons and different from back-mounted cannon.

Well, this fella isn't using schematic line art, correct? He's using Hasegawa model schematics, so each mode might be accurate to the other modes. I'm not sure if that's the case, but it might work.

Nope, not my website. IMO, I think the Q-Rau Lambda has a gun with a handle for firing because the mecha and its gun were made to combine arms with other military units of the military. Makes perfect sense that mecha would be designed so other units can user their removable weapons. As for the color schemes, that's strictly a production reason so the audience always knows who is who in their vehicles. Of course, Macross Frontier also seems to have the added bonus that each differently colored VF-25 seems to have a different function (Mikhail is the sniper, Luca is the ELINT, Ozuma is the Full-Armor, etc).

Yeah, I understand what you mean. It's just the thought of mining tickled a funny bone and then got me thinking about Planetes I actually really like the idea of space pirates. We have plenty of pirate problems today in our oceans. It makes sense that space travel will also be plagued by these bandits. Macross Dynamite 7 would have been so much better if the whole story was just a space pirate adventure. Just the UN Spacy (or NUNS or SMS) fighting a band of space pirates. It'd be a great story.