Elektrix

From what I've read about BrainPowerd, it sounds like even Tomino didn't know for sure exactly what he wanted - although apparently some of the ideas/etc. he started off with in it were finally solidified when he made Turn A Gundam. I'd be curious about what Kanno had to say about what feedback she got from Tomino music-wise for that series, because I at least get the impression they were all firing on all cylinders with that one.

Yeah, that's the thing; I think Yoko Kanno is able to come up with music that specifically fits the series. Just personally, I've actually found some of the orchestral tracks to be quite well done and memorable, compared to some of her previous series - I think they have some of the most distinctive themes since all the orchestral work she did for Turn A Gundam (another example of her ability to pretty much perfectly match the music to the series and help give it a unique character). -Elektrix

Here's something that's been puzzling me for a while, hoping someone can help out. Listening to track 18, "The Target", I've been trying to pick out the influences/inspirations for some of the themes in it. The obvious one is from the soudntrack to "The Right Stuff", but there's another part that also sounds really familiar to me. But there's another part that sounds really familiar to me, from 0:43 to 1:29, which then segues into the Right Stuff homage. Does anyone know what this might be? I can't put my finger on it or where I think I've heard it before; another Yoko Kanno soundtrack, another movie soundtrack, another anime soundtrack. Thanks! -Elektrix

Yeah, you're right, all the quality and excellent shows in the US always get excellent ratings....

I think both versions have their merits, but ultimately I like the movie version more. I think especially after I read about the history of Macross Plus (that the movie version is essentially closer to what was intended, and it was initially split up into a 4-episode OVA for other reasons) I didn't feel so bad about preferring the movie version. I will admit though there are elements to the OVA version that I prefer - I actually kind of like the episode breaks and the sort of added tension they offer (and the Macross Plus logo sequences). -Elektrix

It is sort of interesting actually; compared to DYRL as a retelling of events that took major liberties (and at that, a retelling of incredibly widely known and public events), it is interesting that this "Bird Human" movie, as far as we know, is an almost perfect re-enactment of a classified event. Just sort of curious when comparing it to all the changes and liberties taken when DYRL was made within the Macross universe (I do understand the external reasons for this, but just looking at it within the Macross universe, it's a striking difference). -Elektrix

Macross F is flat and not engrossing?

Yeah - I bet that's a mistake then.... certainly if they both seem to be the same version. Honestly, I would be shocked if the track on the official CD called "What Bout My Star @ Folmo" was not the Ranka version. -Elektrix

Hrmm, that would be disappointing; I wonder if that's a mistake though; unless someone else goes back to Folmo to perform What Bout My Star, the Ranka version is the only one that makes sense with that track name. So what is it then? Another arrangement of Sheryl's version? Looking at the list of the leaked songs, it simply said: What 'bout my star? (Sheryl On Stage) What 'bout my star? Are you sure that second one is @ Folmo? I'm wondering if it's just another track (i.e. without the crowd noise of the Sheryl on Stage) version.

Voice Artist, not Voice Actor. And although there is one probably obvious reason for her to be included in a list of Voice Artists, it's probably more that that CD features a variety of singers anyway, and the credit is just Yoko Kanno because of the nature of the CM Yoko album (a compilation of various songs she has done for commercials).

I really don't think the GitS:SAC comparisons are fair; if I recall, wasn't it like one of the most expensive and highest budgeted anime TV series ever? I remember Production IG using it as a showcase really for what they were capable of, and giving episodes extraordinary budgets compared to typical TV series.

In the Macross universe it has to be a pretty natural instinct by 2059 to try and use songs against an enemy. -Elektrix

It's on the Macross F OST 1, due out June 4th in Japan. It's specifically track 8: 8. What ’bout my star? @Formo

Good question; I don't really know what the history was behind it - I just remember when the show was being released on DVD that a variety of sites covered the "fixed" animation with lots of comparison shots/etc. Here's a typical example: http://anime.thenexxus.org/blog/archives/2...a_dvd_impr.html It seems like the general issues had to do more with sort of incomplete animation; so the DVD releases seemed to fill in more details/etc. (or more fanservice). As a note, it seems like most of these were more about filling in details/etc. rather than wholesale modifications of poor character animation/etc. -Elektrix

The first Negima series is one of the most recent examples I can think of - there were a number of complaints about animation quality/character designs/etc. and they made a variety of fixes/etc. for the DVD release of the show. So I don't think it's unheard of. From some of the screenshot comparisons I saw, they literally did reanimate entire character parts/etc. to make things more consistent. Very early, right after the escape from Earth. -Elektrix

I've got to admit, I'm normally not one to be picky about animation quality (maybe that's just from being initially exposed to so many shows like SDF Macross, Kimagure Orange Road, etc. which had some pretty subpar animation from time to time), but even I did notice some issues with the character art. I didn't have any specific problems with other aspects (general fluidity, etc.) but the more jarring aspects probably are when characters' faces look noticeably different/etc. But personally it doesn't impact my enjoyment of the show; as long as I enjoy the story/etc. it works for me. It's basically the same for me with shows like SDF Macross and KOR - in the end, what mattered to me is that I liked the story/characters/etc. -Elektrix

Oh yeah, I get that it was spur of the moment and Sheryl wasn't going to think to ask Alto for some paper to write on. Just thought it was funny that once she starts writing, we just see him sitting there making a paper airplane when he presumably could have offered it to her.

Something funny just occurred to me about this episode; Sheryl is sitting there writing on a giant pair of Zentraedi panties because she needed something to write on...... and then we see Alto making another one of his paper airplanes....

It occurs to me I might be misinterpreting what Sheryl was saying. When Alto asks her if she has ever seen a Zentraedi before, she says no, and that she only encountered miclones on other ships. I had interpreted this to mean that she hadn't even encountered miclones on Galaxy, but thinking about it now, I realize she might have simply meant that there weren't any giant Zentraedi on galaxy, and that she had only encountered miclones on other ships. Looking back at it now, this doesn't specifically mean that there aren't miclones at least on Galaxy. -Elektrix

It's too bad Basara didn't have any of that DNA - might have been able to actually move that mountain.

Yeah, but Sheryl didn't just say no full-sized Zentraedi. She said there weren't any Zentraedi at all (and that the only time she met Miclones was on other ships). That's what seemed odd to me; I could understand a fleet with no full-sized Zentraedi, but one without even any Miclones strikes me as odd. How could Galaxy not have any Zentraedi at all?

One bit from this episode I'm curious about; when Sheryl tells Alto that they don't have any Zentraedi on Galaxy, and she's only met Miclones on other ships..... what's the deal with that? Why no Zentraedi at all on Macross Galaxy (it seems sort of hard to imagine)?

Track 8 for the Macross F OST1 (the song Ranka sings in episode 5) is "8. What ’bout my star? @Formo" so it makes sense.

Yeah, this is probably a good example of why it is always best to qualify opinions as such. I'm personally with you, and think Z Gundam is great (and I've always been under the impression it was fairly well-regarded in general), but Sketch certainly shows that there are plenty of people with contrary opinions. Personally though I still think Tomino's masterpiece is Turn A Gundam (and I'm still waiting for Bandai to release it in the US), but I can understand that other people have issues with it for one reason or other. -Elektrix

I wish Pizza Hut offered a lobster, squid and broccoli pizza in the US. -Elektrix