Super Dimension Fortress Macross (episodes 1 to 18)
The perils of entering into a fandom as entrenched as Gundam’s is that there’s a lot of extra curricular work to do to feel appropriately au fait. As a franchise, even at its most UC-focused, Gundam is in constant conversation with other non-Gundam shows. Perhaps the most notable, as evidenced by the shock of moving from First Gundam to Zeta, is SDF Macross. I've always been curious about the original's influence, having generally enjoyed non-committal dips into other stuff like Macross Plus and Macross Zero. With SDF Macross I finally felt obliged to eat my vegetables and check it out. Turns out it’s very entertaining and not at all a chore?!
I feel like I could write a whole post on Misa Hayase, first lieutenant of the aforementioned super dimension fortress and chunky bangs legend. By this mid-point she’s the most interesting character by far; highly capable and prickly in an interesting way, like she made a decision to be respected rather than liked at some point earlier in life. Where she becomes maddening is how boy-daft she is and how much this preoccupation often makes her ridiculous. So many of the male characters are sexist buffoons, mocking caricatures almost, but it’s hard not to feel that the show ultimately agrees with them when it does Misa dirty so often. I understand she’s the alternative love interest for Hikaru and I’m at least interested in the very circuitous route it’s taking to make that work, but I wish it wasn't at the expense of all the other interesting things about her. Minmay’s professional success making her less and less likely to be the romantic object she was initially set up to be feels quite heterodox and cool. It is frustrating to see Misa suffer the inverse - her own professional skill and strategic talent being subordinated to a relentless obsession with dudes. For as fresh and well-judged as SDF Macross feels compared to the contemporary gundam shows, it still embodies Tomino’s deeply aggravating approach to women (fascinating conception; infuriating execution).
My hope for the second half of the show is to keep being audacious - escalate and confound expectations. My favourite surprise so far is learning how marginal Roy Focker is as a character. His name is one you sort of absorb through the fandom, even before watching, so I expected him to be way more central than he is. His death was shocking almost because he wasn’t much of a focal point. I’m up for more of that as an approach (thanks to Gundam for giving me character death lust). The ship and its passengers being excommunicated by the UN also seems like a rich vein of drama (Misa tearing up her dad’s shitty letter got a cheer from me). What we need now is for the Zentradi is shake off this somewhat tiresome holding pattern they’ve been in. We hear so much about why they aren’t obliterating the Earth and humanity, but their total inaction beyond weird neurotic skirmishes doesn’t make much sense. As much as I like Milla, the internecine squabbling isn’t compelling as an antagonism either. The horny confused giants need to make a decision and propel this show to a conclusion.