sketchley

And as it may come up; Macross Zero's Mao is: マオ・ノーム = Mao Nōmu (Noomu) The EXACT same name.

That's because everyone's being Anglicising (Anglicizing), and not romanizing. シェリル・ノーム = Sheriru Nōmu (Noomu)* Anglicised, based only on pronunciation, I'd write it as Nohm. But hey, that's pretty similar to Nome (pronounced using the magic E rule, of course). * See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Japanese (vowels section)

Or the focus of the virtual model used to date was on the city section and the battle section was just thrown together quickly as they knew they'd be making a more detailed virtual model later. Take a moment to think about it: the gunship protrusion is how big compared to the battle section, which is how big compared to the city section proper?

It's there. I've spotted it as well. It could have just been added as an Easter egg for sharp eyed viewers. And as they already have the 3D CG model, it's not like they went to a bunch of extra effort to do it. That said, you don't consider Diamond Force to be of hero status?

looks like they ripped them from that keyhole viewer or a PC with a really, really bad connection to an antenna...

Quickie review (or how to justify buying Chronicles #2 when you have a bunch of Macross Books on the shelf): Note: this is all ignoring the Japanese text, which may or may not be the same as in the books mentioned.) VF-1J Tawnie (front), VF-1J Rocket Booster & Full Armour (back) = Macross Perfect Memory DYRL SDF-1 centerfold (front), alternative views, Ghost, Super VF and some destroids (back) = TIA-TS:DYRL and/or The Gold Book SNN Valkyrie (front), cockpit, booster & Gerwalk mode (back) = TIA: MII Soldier(s) of the Anti-UN (front & back) = aside from one piece that has been enlarged and colourized for this release, it is all new stuff. Macross Zero line art: woot! woot! Mireena Farena Jiinasu (2 pages, front and back) = aside from 2 or 3 pieces of fashion/character art, all in TIA:M7 animation Materials and TIA:M7 Macross Zero timeline (2 pages, front and back) = aside from a front view of a Tawny VF-0A and blue VF-0D, it's all captures from the anime and lineart from the 4th DVD's booklet. "Little White Dragon" history sheet (front and back) = Macross Perfect Memory Macross F Gallery sheet (front and back) = OT and ET CD singles & Newtype splash page Kawamori Shouji interview = (accompaning line art from rough art at the end of) Macross Perfect Memory Dakedo baby (front), Sweet Fantasy (back) song lyrics = surprisingly, they're not in the lyrics section in the Fire Bomber in M7 Roman album. Not sure if they're found elsewhere (aside from M7/Firebomber CDs) Yamato 1/60 VF-1S Super (front & back) = see toy box (released 2008.06) Yamato (front), YF-19, YF-21 & VF-11B (back) see toy boxes (all released 2008.06)

I've read through the Newtype articles on Macross F, and they specifically state "lasers in the head". So, it may be better to approach any arguements from the angle of why have the beam guns disappeared? Why are laser weapons mounted on the VF-25 where beam weapons have "traditionally" been mounted?

Not surprising. There was very little text in the TIA:MII book, either. It's also amusing that they have the predecessor vehicle listed as a question mark.

Indeed. Guess who's running to a bookshop before work!

as the others pointed out: the fan art section (search for the VF-5 design thread.) I agree that it is hard to come up with complex transforming designs. But the more practice you get, the better you'll become. Also, it's highly recommended to visually study real world things like aircraft and only use existing VF designs as a clue on how to best represent a 3D physical airplane in 2D lineart. Basically how to convey the sense of mass, shape and so on. And remember, Shoiji Kawamori has been designing transforming aircraft for more than 26 years. He's got up to a 26 year head start on the rest of us! (and yes, he did study airplane engineering in post secondary education.)

There will be a Macross Zero version as well. There's no telling if it'll be different, and if it is, how. From the print material that I have read (in Japanese, from official sources), it's only available from the BD#1 of MF and the M0 BD release. I just hope that it is released eventually on a BD, as the resolution quality of even the 1 MB version was way, way, waaaaaaaaaaayyyy lower than the stuff they flashed on the screen behind the sponsors during the last few episodes.

Wheeled mecha? Try Votoms.

Try http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Cross ?

The text I quoted came from a book published Showa 58.08.01. (1983 for those that don't know the Japanese calendar). Some facts: Megaroad-01 launch: 2012. Komiria: born 2011.03. Therefore, as the book was published before the DYRL/FB2012 timeline additions/revisions, it is different. Look at it as a romanticed version of events. Though, there's the possibility of the Jenius family being holograms (possibly combined with long distance communication), or even clones!

It's called good manners. Look it up: 謙虚. Despite his European origins, he's very Japanese.

Yeah... machine translations tend to take things literally. For example, Miku gets translated as future in both. Babelfish goes one further and only romanizes katakana words (Komiria and sukusuku). Ok in the former (it's a name), bad in the later (as it's a word written in katakana for emphasis. Like italics in English.)

New PC. Bought this year. Along with monitor. Your comment has made me start thinking that the problem is another of the oodles that Vista comes jam packed with. If I understand it correclty, Vista uses the video card (or something similar) for day-to-day display operations. I'll have to troubleshoot one of these days and see if I can turn it off and run the MP4. The problem is, the instructions I have are in English, and I'm running Jwindows. Beyond the language barrier, some of the options are different or are in different places! (For example, it took a couple of hours to figure out how to turn the damn file extensions on, because it wasn't in the same place as the English Windows!!!) Anyhow, I think I may just go for the PS3 or a proper BD player. As the MP4's are probably at the highest resolution that my monitor will display at... and a highvision show needs to be shown on the big screen! (Monitor = 1440x900, TV = 37 inches (approx.)). BTW everyone: pencil boards are great. Great if you want you're ball point pens to write with thin lines. Awesome if you don't want any of you're writing (or drawing) to indent on the pages below, allowing CSI or the OSS to make rubbings of your top secrets! Though, it sucks that Animate didn't add it into the purchase... all I got was a stamp card. Buy all the BR releases at the same store and get some freebie something something...

Don't forget the size difference.

Babelfish = no good. Try http://www.excite.co.jp/world/english/ "October 18, 0003 in new era. The vacation can be taken after a long time, and it strolls in Mr. and Mrs. max and the suburbs parks. It is a home party tonight. Comiria is three. anotherIt will be rapidly growing in my daughter and the future. " Though, ALL machine translations are bad. A human translation would be: "Oct. 18th, 0003 New Era. It's been a long time since we could take a holiday, and we're strolling in the park with Mr. and Mrs. Genius (Max). We're having a home party tonight. Komiria is already three. Our daughter, Miku, is growing up fast."

"Macross Graffitti" pg 77 "新紀元０００３年１０月１８日。久しぶりに休暇がとれて、マックス夫妻と郊外公園を散歩。今夜はホームパーティ。コミリアちゃんも、もう３つ。わが娘、未来もスクスクと大きくなっている。"

You mean the Cheyenne 2?

Unknown if the VF-0 can, without modification, operate in space. That said, there is a VF-0B in "Tenjin Hidetaka Valkyries" with "space proving wing" stenciled on the engine nacelle (image is of the VF-0B in fighter mode preparing to launch from an Asuka II type carrier.)