Mr March

That's okay, I think it's been narrowed down to issue #124, as detailed in the replies above. I know the two sketches are all that exist of this early VF-14, but those are what I need. I need high resolution scans of those 2 sketches if I'm going to color them and add them to my website. Thanks for your help.

Okay, what is that in the background? It looks like a Revoltech AV-98 Ingram with a leg that can open for the gun to fit inside. Um, want it!

All of Macross Plus takes place in 2040 according to the anime and the Macross Compendium. I meant to say the Macross Plus OVA Ep 3 aircraft looks like the VF-14 from Macross 7 Plus Episode 32. It could be the VF-14 Macross M3 Video Game version, but it's hard to tell for sure. I agree that the VA-14 is likely the percursor to the Panzerzorene and that we've never seen it. Yeah, a very good idea. I'll post a "Wanted" thread. I just hope the information is correct, otherwise I could be purchasing a magazine without any Macross in it

That's a really good mock up. Impressive.

They have to. It's imperative. Imperative, I say! I wouldn't count on scale either, but just so you know, not all Revoltechs are "exactly" the same size. They do sit at roughly 4-5 inches give or take, but some are definitely taller than others. I have a VF-1J Valkyrie, Patlabor Unit 2 and Evangelion Unit 00. The Eva stands a good head and shoulders above the Patlabor and the VF-1J is the runt of the litter, standing one head shorter than the labor.

Wow. I've no choice but to go with the official word from Egan in that case, but I just have to say I find that very odd. If the black aircraft in Macross Plus OVA episode 3 isn't a VA-14, it sure is a dead ringer for one. Not only is it black just like in the Macross 7 Plus section of episode 32, but it has the same hull shape, the same multi-panel cockpit, the same over/under engine nacelle shapes and the same rear stabilizers at the exact same cant. It sure looks like the VA-14. Check it out:

I found the issue number! B-Club Issue #124 March 1996! Anyone got it? Huh? Anyone? Bueller...Bueller?

Thanks sumdumgai, especially for that translation. I had known from discussions on Macross World (years ago) that this black fighter was the VF-14 pre-M3-redesign, but it's really cool to hear that it's officially canon in the Macross 7 series. I'm making a note of this translation chatter for the entry.

Well, that does help narrow it down some. I'm going to assume you don't know the particular magazine number? Thanks for the help in any case.

I have the book and sadly it's not there. You're right that there is a large number of design sketches in the SKMDW book, but not this fella Ouch. That's what I was afraid of. Kinda difficult to say. As azrael has said, we technically never see the VA-14. There is a craft both in the Macross Plus OVA episode 3 (behind a scene with Yang Newman catching Isamu's helmet) and in a flashback sequence in Macross 7 episode 32 ("Macross 7 Plus", time index 25:57) that appears to the craft that is in the sketches seen on the MAHQ (in my link above). The craft looks like a black UN Spacy version of the Fz-109 Elgerzorene fighters (obviously BEFORE the Varauta started building the Fz-109). I believe this black fighter has been designated the VF-14, but the VF-14 PRE-Macross M3 (the video game where the VF-14 appears, but in a very different design). Since there are technically two versions of the VF-14, I'm using the "A" designator to help differentiate the two fighters so people aren't confused by my request (and because the MAHQ designates the line art I'm looking for as the VA-14).

No luck, huh? How about this then; does anyone know from what book those two pictures were taken?

That's pretty much Kawamori's MO. He's done it with SDFM and Zero. I think he likes ambiguity because it ensures the story is still talked about years later.

Fair enough. But the Trek analogy isn't working for me; I despise it

Yeah, I think Pat's dead on with this one. As long as Kawamori has controlling interest in Macross, the Hikaru/Misa/Minmay story is over, done and finished. I don't know about anyone else, but I'm more than content with the Hikaru/Misa/Minmay story. I see no reason to revist it at all. I do find it rather tiresome when the subject of Hikaru/Misa/Minmay comes up with notice of EVERY new Macross sequel and I'm not really sure what the fixation is with more of their story when the best tale about them has already been written. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm grateful for fan enthusiasm and interest in Macross after all these years. But over time I've become more than happy with the original story and really don't want to see more of the same. I'd much rather Kawamori take Macross in a new direction, whether the result is good or not. That's just my opinion.

Actually, that only makes any argument more difficult to prove as opposed to less. It opens up a whole can of worms and calls into question the interpretation of each individual scene in the Macross Plus anime as well as interpretation of how all those individual scenes work for or against any one particular theory, or if the scenes actually imply anything toward either theory. Good luck with that one

Cool! You've definitely got a lot of good basic skills for drawing. You can do angle well and you have a good eye for composition. Those are really hard things to do, at least they always were for me. I have basic spatial and lighting understanding in 2D art, but I could never draw them myself. The picture of the girl in shorts gets a laugh from me. Especially the blurb. It reminds me of Seinfeld ("These pretzels are making me thirsty!")

Ah I see. I really appreciate the mecha design of Evangelion actually. It's very imaginative and stylish, it's probably some of the best giant robot design in anime since Macross and Gundam, IMO. But too each his own. This is the first Evangelion toy I've ever owned, so I had to decide which unit to purchase very carefully. They all look very cool and I like the original yellow colors of Unit 00 too. But in deciding which one to purchase, I had to weigh in on features. I really like the arm "wings" on the Evangelions, so I decided against the original yellow variant because of that. To decide between the rest, I went with the head unit I liked the most (Unit 00) and my favorite color (Blue) helped seal the deal. The M82-style sniper rifle sweetened the deal as well. Currently, I have Unit 00 in a kneeling position holding the smaller rifle in both hands with his head lined up behind the rifle sight, carefully taking aim. It's my favorite pose I've done yet I find it really odd that Kaiyodo would build VF-1J and VF-1S figures with rotating cannons, but not the VF-1A. I think it would be ridiculous for them to abandon this feature. I think odds are good that the VF-1A head unit cannon will feature some kind of rotating mount. It just wouldn't make sense otherwise.

Actually, I don't think you nor David Hingtgen nor eugimon can claim to have totally accurate theories; at least not according to canon. We've had this discussion on MW before (as DavidH has mentioned) and I believe I brought up the point that regardless of what the bars actually meant, the scene featuring the competition bar graph was meant to be a simple throwaway montage designed to visually to denote the passage of time and show that the YF-19 was doing better in whatever scale the graph meant. That's all that could be determined analyzing the anime on it's own without futher explanation from either Watanabe or Kawamori. I wouldn't hold my breath for any such discussion of minutiae from either of them However, that by no means invalidates a "time to test" interpretation. The answer to the question of the graph's meaning may be more complex, especially considering Kawamori himself is an engineer and aviation buff. It also means the graph could be interpreted as a straight score board because it's the most obvious answer. But the most obvious answer isn't the same thing as an official answer. The ultimate meaning of the graph is something left to fan debate, but DavidH's interpretation is just as valid as your own.

It's straight from the Compendium, in the Programme section of the YF-19 Profile

Welcome to Macross World Levo! Your artwork is good for a simple line sketch. It's not great, but you've got some basic skill that could grow into something. It's much better than I could draw, for whatever that's worth

I dislike Evangelion as well, but I purchased the Evangelion Unit 00 (Blue variant) and I have to say it's fantastic. I'd recommend it for any non-fan like myself.

Perhaps I'm under the influence of fanon, but isn't the main reason the BDI system was rejected because it was too impractical for mass use? Also, as I recall the YF-19 went through 7 pilots who couldn't handle the thing until Isamu came along.

Because as I wrote above, Isamu's strength as a pilot is his willingness to push the envelope, test boundaries and fly a craft even beyond it's own design specifications. The YF-21's BDI system is built with a limiter that enforces a very regimented and controlled method of fighter operation. He would have hated everything about the YF-21's clinical, catergorized approach to fighter operation and wouldn't have been able to maximize the performance of the craft. Guld loved that kind of strict, disciplined control and excelled in such an environment.

Ask them if they are going to produce a 1/60 scale VF-0 with improved shoulder joints. I'm still holding off purchasing any VF-0, hoping the problem is eventually solved. Other than that, I'd ask if they have any plans to produce a smaller scale line of Macross Valkyries.

I always got the impression from Macross Plus that Isamu and Guld were almost equal in skill and ability, but Isamu was more talented and notable a pilot for his tendancy to take risks and push fighters to the limit. I don't think the YF-19 would have been as successful had it been flown by Guld and I think Isamu is mentally incapable of flying something like the YF-21. I think these two different personalities also had something to do with the message of Macross Plus, specifically about the virtues of risk and chance. The whole show is dedicated to pioneers and that fringe spirit, embodied by Isamu, permeates the entire production. As far as fighters, I've never been under the impression the YF-19 was superior. The YF-19 is basically an advanced innovation of existing technology but still utilizes conventional design, conventional materials and conventional controls. I've always felt the YF-21 was more advanced, utilizing truly next generation technologies. However, I think the YF-21 was too advanced for it's time; too experimental with too many expensive technologies (BDI/BDS, composite material wing, etc). I agree with ruskiivFaussie that the difference in performance benchmarks had more to do with the pilots than the machines. It's clear that Isamu was pushing the YF-19 even beyond what it was capable ("pushing spec") while Guld flew the YF-21 in a very controlled, limited fashion. But as was seen when the limiter was cut, the YF-21 can be truly awesome in the hands of a pilot who is cutting loose. I think that also speaks about the Zentradi nature of Guld and that he needed to cut loose in order to reach his potential. On the issue of the Battroid arm wrestle, the YF-21 was always the defender in that contest and it's arms were always placed under more force than the arms of the YF-19. The YF-21's arms had to not only compete against the strength of the YF-19, but it was on the receiving end of the weight and kinetic force from the initial swing of the gun pod. It would be interesting to see how the YF-19 would fare under similar stress.