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Well now, this is unexpected.

The newest Variable Fighter book is actually two illustrated stories.

The first, set in 2039, is a prequel to Macross Plus that details the development of the YF-19 and includes familiar characters such as Guld, Lucy and Yang.

The second story is set in 2068 and follows up with some of newer characters from the first story as well as an older Yang.

Still have yet to really go over the text but at first glance there appears to be a lot more to this book than anyone was expecting.

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Is that a low viz VF-171 or something entirely different? Call me very curious!

That's definitely a Nightmare Plus.

Incidentally, has anyone found an online store that's actually carrying this one? I've struck out on my usual two.

EDIT: Never mind, even though the book is titled in English it only shows up if you search on the book's title in Japanese on HMV.

Edited by Seto Kaiba
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Is this something related to the Master Files?

Sort of?

From the sound of it, it's more focused on the circumstances of development than the technological nitty-gritty details of operation... the former bit definitely had overlap with the VF-19 Master File, in that it's talking about some of the pilots who got hurt testing YF-19 No.1 (the two deaths and two severe injuries Jan talks about).

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It's also totally unlike the Master File series. I'd estimate it's about 1 half-page sized image (colour or B&W, VF or character) per every 2 to 3 pages of text. I'd define it more like 'a novel with pictures', than a 'picture book' like the previous VFMF are.

So, if you're not a hard core collector of Macross Books (or the VFMF series) and/or your Japanese isn't up to snuff, I, sadly, have to recommend that our overseas purchasers pass on this one.

That other Macross book that was released in the past month, the papercraft SDF-1 book, is definitely a lot more bang for the buck, and that's not even taking into consideration that you can make a paper SDF-1!

Edited by sketchley
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I've bought all of the Master File books, pretty much because of the pictures, because I can't read Japanese. This one isn't worth it for an ignoramus like me?

Up to you. As I said, if you're not a collector of Macross books (specifically the VFMF series) you may want to give it a pass.

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Up to you. As I said, if you're not a collector of Macross books (specifically the VFMF series) you may want to give it a pass.

LIke I said, I have all the other Master File books. I just wish they would do more technical manuals, like for the VF-4, VF-17, etc... Are the pics of the fighters 3D renders still?

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LIke I said, I have all the other Master File books. I just wish they would do more technical manuals, like for the VF-4, VF-17, etc... Are the pics of the fighters 3D renders still?

There's only a credit for the CG Modelling Work at the back (compare to the VF-22 book, which as both CG Modelling Work and Modelling Work credits).

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Very curious what that X-like symbol on Charlotte Grace's pilot suit and that VF-25 is... can't make out what's written on the plane, but it's "_____ Independent Space Force?"

This is gonna drive me nuts while I wait for the EMS package with my copy.

Edited by Seto Kaiba
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Very curious what that X-like symbol on Charlotte Grace's pilot suit and that VF-25 is... can't make out what's written on the plane, but it's "_____ Independent Space Force?"

This is gonna drive me nuts while I wait for the EMS package with my copy.

Sewell Independent Space Force

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SMS competitor?

That's one possibility... I'll know for sure once my copy rolls in in a few days, but "Sewell Independent Space Force" almost sounds like it could be the local military (not NUNS) of some emigrant planet.

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It is nice to see them doing scenarios books. This is probably one of the ways to expand the Macross franchise/universe without an anime. They do it better than Gundam as there is more consistency due to supervision from Kawamori.

They'll probably do something later on SMS period Isamu, though the Frontier manga and novels have touched on him briefly already. There has been too much material on things related to the Macross Plus VFs. I think this is partly due to writers trying to avoid the sound energy aspect introduced by Macross 7 and the Valuta Conflict.

Edited by calubin_175
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or maybe if they can come up with an actual rational about Sound Energy (like M7 was a childrens show telling of what actually happened)...

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or maybe if they can come up with an actual rational about Sound Energy (like M7 was a childrens show telling of what actually happened)...

You'd probably find the explanations in Macross Chronicle fairly satisfying then... I know I did.

They'll probably do something later on SMS period Isamu, though the Frontier manga and novels have touched on him briefly already. There has been too much material on things related to the Macross Plus VFs. I think this is partly due to writers trying to avoid the sound energy aspect introduced by Macross 7 and the Valuta Conflict.

Eh... I wouldn't bank on that. Thus far, SoftBank seems to be largely trying to stay away from locations and events that are prominently featured in the existing body of Macross animation. We get the occasional nod to things from the shows in the squadron paint schemes and so on, but on balance they're sticking with events that AREN'T part of existing Macross stories. The VF-25 book, for instance, was written from the perspective of a fleet that wasn't involved in any of the events of the Macross Frontier series.

The Episode Archive book sort of glosses over the events of the Macross Plus OVA, but puts more emphasis on the period of testing before Isamu got involved (the fatalities and smash-ups Jan alludes to), and the second half is completely out in left field.

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Technically SoftBank (Creative) is only the publisher, and GA Graphic are the people actually producing it...

Ah, good catch. Dunno where my brain was that day. :lol:

What explanations are given?

The gist of it is that the sound energy/spiritia is a kind of fold wave... and from the sound of it, the sentient mind has some kind of low-level connection to super dimension space that can reflect/affect the emotional/mental state of the person. Kinda like the warp in Warhammer 40,000, but without the extradimensional horrors that want to eat your soul.

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The gist of it is that the sound energy/spiritia is a kind of fold wave... and from the sound of it, the sentient mind has some kind of low-level connection to super dimension space that can reflect/affect the emotional/mental state of the person. Kinda like the warp in Warhammer 40,000, but without the extradimensional horrors that want to eat your soul.

You've used that comparison somewhere else, and I can't remember where, and that will drive me nuts...

I do like that armed up VF-19F, really cool. Also really cool to see VF-25's and VF-171's in print.

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