Mr March

I gotta say that is really throwing off my understanding of the Protodeviln/Supervision Army. As I understand it, the Protodeviln are basically technological vampires for all intents and purposes. Everytime they come in contact with a species, they simply possess them, control the rest, use all their technology and even develop their own technology with parity. Which makes perfect sense; if a Protodeviln controls a Protoculture engineer, all that protoculture engineering is now Protodeviln knowledge. Unless we talk about subsuming culture, which apparently the Protodeviln can't do, all indications are that the Protodeviln/SA will possess whatever technology possessed by their subsumed civilizations. The only possible way around that would be limited, low-production technology or experiemental fringe sciences not widely available. Was the AFOS one such technology?

Detachable limbs are absolutely necessary for the YF-21. Not as any real world design issue to make the toy more perfectly transformable. It's just a feature that's needed to recrate the action of the anime and the line art variant. The legs and arms are blown off in Guld's fight with the X-9 Ghost, like the pictures that Ignacio Ocamica posted. Please Yamato, you've got to include this feature!

No, the definition of retcon is NOT something useless, especially in the hopes of doing…what, exactly? I can only assume this attack upon the word “retcon” is due to some negative connotation associated via fandom. But like I’ve said before, not all retcon is “bad.” Nonetheless, the definition is valid. As for the rest, this is going in circles. The Compendium quote has been covered. If it went as far back as 1982, they would have said 1982, not “longer before.” Hence, retcon. GERWALK to Battroid transformation uses less power!?! Energy Converting Armor somehow relevant to transformation? The exact moment between GERWALK and Battroid that ECA is powered? You’re right about one thing; your argument is devolving into minutiae. There’s no point in even tackling these wild assumptions. And just because it’s clear in the anime, Misa told Hikaru to transform the VF-1 to regain control of the unresponsive fighter mode (since the battroid mode uses a different set of controls). She was certainly hoping he wouldn’t crash! Stealth has been dealt with and it’s not specific stealth technology active nor passive nor predating ECM even with declassification. It's ECM, specifically stated. Radar has been dealt with; specifically stated. Simply the name implies function contrary to your assumption. This is more repeated points. Glad you like my website. I think I’ll spend some valuable time working on it now

Fair enough, but I completely disagree. There's nothing to suggest they are less or more useful, like I already said. Your mileage may vary. As for explosions, that's not my department in this thread

My website has a complete pilot listing under each VF-1 variant. With just a bit of effort, you could do a simple spreadsheet for yourself. That's about as easy as I can make it without doing it for you. Follow the link in my signature and have fun.

You're welcome wolfx. There's also some old 3D model pictures swimming around the internet for years. From the old Gundam Explanation website as I recall. Have you seen em? Gundam Explanation II Gundam Alex model Not until you mentioned it. That's weird.

Wow! I really hope you do! Best of luck my good man. More Gundam Alex awesomeness is always a good thing

Sorata, yes, proceed with life normally. Good things sometimes take time Lonewolf you won't be disappointed. You're gonna see stuff no one ever expected to see profiled kensei Oh yes, this has been corrected for the next update. At the time I had no access to VF-11C line art so I used the VF-11B. I've since obtained more line art and the "VF-11C Macross 7 Fleet" profile has been completely revised with all new colored line art. New FAST Packs, gun pod and even missiles

Retroactive continuity, or retcon, is the adding of new information to "historical" material, or deliberately changing previously established facts in a work of serial fiction. So addition after the fact, is by definition, retcon Yes, perhaps it was mentioned. Maybe something was said. It's possible that was the case. It could be so. And it's retcon once it is stated after the fact. Correction, it was GERWALK mode in which the Valkyrie actually impacted the building/ground, still in mid-transformation no less. Energy Converting Armor would not explain that, nor Hikaru's dive through a bridge in GERWALK mode in DYRL? Like has been said, retcon. Retcon. retcon, retcon, when you see that sexy thang We might as well debate words, because you're getting them wrong. Yes, ECM is effectively avoiding detection by the enemy, but it is not stealth technology (stealth hulls, internal stealth design, VF-17/YF-19/Mac7 Capital Ships, et cetera ad naseum) nor was stealth around when ECM was originally used. In other words, retcon from M0 to SDFM. Interestingly enough, I WAS discussing ECA and Cyclops, not Stealth. Yes "it is said that". Radar. Not "we'll use our our uber-Subspace Sensors using FTL tachyon emissions." As far as I'm aware, there's no implied statement that Cyclops radar cannot detect anything other than PCS readings.

*salivates at the idea of a Protect Armor VF-11*

Oh yeah, I assume that if you've done an exhaustive google search you've also located possibly the best RX-78NT-1 Gundam Alex fan art on the internet. But just in case you haven't: Raymond Yap's Gundam Alex on deviantART

I'm not seeing any pictures here. I also have the Master Grade Alex line art that I can scan if you need them. It differs though from the original line art (which I too would kill for in high resolution).

Like I said, I would tend to agree that style and drama play a good part, but calling FAST Packs completely needless is stretching a good theory into implausibility. We don't really have enough information to judge how much fuel the valkyries use or need (or even the degree to which efficiency has improved over generations of variable fighters). The YF-19 fuel tanks in 2040 could actually provide more range than the large VF-1 fuel tanks in 2010. Comparing the VF-1 FAST Packs to the YF-19 FAST Packs in size alone is ignoring the design and function of each set. The VF-1 set added full boosters to increase velocity, while the YF-19 set does no such thing. This does not make the YF-19 set "less useful," it merely means the YF-19 packs serve a different function which may or may not be more or less relevant than previous generation FAST Packs. Ultimately, dismissing certain FAST Packs as "looking" useless pretty much is useless as any sort of definitive conclusion. I'd also keep in mind that Macross (for the most part) is set in the real robot genre and it clearly results in more consideration of technology than the average vapid science fiction show. Statistics continue to be publicized and nearly every new installment in the franchise has only added more description to the fictional technology.

Hehehe, a little impatient are we? Not to worry, I consider eagerness for more a very good sign. The update is almost ready. I've got four profiles left to write and two sets of colored pictures to complete. Should be ready to party in about a week or two.

They have to produce a much better sculpt than the 1/72. They did it with the YF-19. At least, Yamato BETTER produce an improved sculpt

This film is going to be pure melodramatic cheese by all indications. Aishwarya Rai indeed is pretty much the only interesting thing of note, with the possible exception of Colin Firth as an example of appropriate casting

As much as style and that ever present "cool" factor may be a part of Macross, I would stop short of calling FAST Packs needless. Space is huge, more so than most people can grasp. Interplanetary distances within the Sol system alone are vast. Even utilizing the magic of OverTechnology and the remarkable power/efficiency it has granted vehicles in the Macross universe, the distances variable fighters must travel almost demands specialized fuel equipment. Particularly in the Macross Plus/Macross 7 era, variable fighters are increasingly independent and can be seen in operation without carriers at all. The Fold Booster is yet another range extension technology. If anything, FAST Packs would remain relevant as the UNS continues to deploy further and faster with each new variable fighter generation.

But it's anime accurate my good man

I saw the news spread on AP. This is fantastic news. The proportions look really good so far, definitely on par with Yamato's 1/60 scale YF-19 toy. I can't wait to see more pictures of this thing.

You're very likely on to something here. I think that in the case of SDF Macross, the FAST Packs helped to sell the VF-1 as an all-environment fighter. The VF-1 looks much more like a science fiction fighter all decked out in the "Super" variant for space flight and much less like an "F-14 in space."

As far as canon according to publication goes, to my knowledge it's recton. It doesn't matter how long ago Kawamori had the idea in his head. If the idea of energy converting armor was as old as 1982, they would have said 1982. Kawamori has stated a lot of his ponderings about Macross through various interviews, but as I understand it these mentionings don't become canon until it's "on record" via a Macross book or a Macross anime. As far as canon according to the creator's mouth, Kawamori or the creative staff would have had to mention energy converting armor during the original run of SDFM to avoid labelling the concept as retcon by definition. It's also important to note that the Compendium only included that trivia about energy converting armor AFTER Macross Zero was released. Also, as I understand it the Cyclops has the capability to detect PCS readings, but no where is it stated or implied as a limit of it's function. The Cyclops is specifically identified as "radar" and uses cross-dimensional technology. As radar, it can detect anything conventional radar can detect. Just as fold communications are cross-dimensional radio units and function as radio with the ability to reach over vast interstellar distances. I don't recall Kamjin mentioning active stealth in any episode of Macross. Many characters (Misa, Global, Britai, Kamjin) make mention of ECM in SDFM, but I doubt we can specifically imply "stealth" from that. Which episodes of SDFM specifically make mention of stealth?

"What is this a picture of?" LOL

Isn't all fiction ultimately limited to human perspective just by virtue of being written by humans? Perhaps it's really obvious to state as much, but as foreign as any aliens might be in any fictional story they are always fundamentally human. Even if there is only one aspect of the aliens that they share with humans relevant to the story being told, it still humanizes them. Which makes sense, since many sci-fi stories teach through metaphor. In the case of Macross, I'm not sure there's much room for any doubt that the Protoculture were fundamentally humans. They created the Zentradi and guided the evolution of humans on Earth, both into forms which are identical. The Protoculture also suffered under war, dangers of their own technology and other problems that we suffer from in our own history. Perhaps it might be more accurate to say the Protoculture suffered from the realities (or flaws if one must call them) common to all sentient life rather than saying they are human with a tone of racial self-centeredness

I agree that most often explosions are utilized in action sequences because they are dramatic, even if unrealistic. I would think dramatic effect is most likely the reason for exploding FAST Packs in Macross Plus. But just as a note, wouldn't it be possible for FAST Packs to explode, even were it to be filled with water as a reactant? If the FAST Pack (and the reactant inside) were penetrated by something sufficiently hot (say, a laser or other beam weapon) the hydrogen in the water could very well ignite and cause an explosion, yes?. The temperatures have to be very hot (a thousand or more degrees if I understand correctly) but I thought this may be a plausible explanation, if we go with the water assumption anyway (a very big "if")

I’m not sure if I can concretely say whether those two missiles from the YF-19 were launched from the Internal Engine/Leg palette or FAST Pack by just looking at the animation frame by frame. One frame they are not there and then suddenly they appear already outside the craft. No tell tale signs are given to indicate where they came from. I will say this however, the FAST Packs on the YF-19 do not need to lift or open to fire their missile ordnance. They have several launching ports on the exterior. However, the internal leg palettes could likely not launch anything but micro missiles through the FAST Packs (since the FAST packs only carry micro-missiles), so larger ordnance would require the FAST Packs to lift so that the YF-19 internal palettes could launch the larger missiles. Makes sense I think. I’m sure the FAST Pack sets are not any less vulnerable than the regular valkyrie armor, but I don’t see how they offer any significant protection. As a target being fired upon, the Valkyrie is still largely uncovered by the FAST Packs. This holds true in all modes, with the possible exception of a direct rear attack upon the battroid mode. In fact, FAST Packs like those of the VF-1 and VF-11 make the Valkyrie a larger target. I really doubt they serve as any significant protection. At least, I'm not aware of any specific mention of protection.