Macross Plus: the Movie Edition

By: ChichiriAXS

The year is 2040 AD. The setting is the colonial planet Eden, where the Ministry of Defense is developing transforming jet-to-robot machines to put up with alien attacks. A very stubborn, headstrong, blunt, and at times rude man named Isamu Alva Dyson is one of the test pilots for these machines. He is one of those laid back types who worry about the present, not the future, and doesn't like to dwell on the past. He pilots the YF-19. It is driven manually, but Isamu can still pilot it beautifully. He finds great competition when he finds one of his old time rivals is on a different project group shooting for the same goal. His name is Guld Goa Bowman, a very serious and determined Zentraedi. He pilots the YF-21, which is controlled using Guld's thoughts. This gives him more control, but at the same time, it adds more strain on Guld. Guld is constantly haunted by his past with Isamu and a woman named Myung, who connects the three together.She had always dreamt of being a singer, soothing and bringing peace to others through her music. Now she finds herself being the producer of Sharon Apple, the first AI singer, with whom almost everyone is captivated with. Myung tries to be happy and act as if everything is great in her life, but she soon finds that this will do nothing but darken her life even more by doing this.

The entire Macross Plus story revolves around a love triangle between Isamu, Myung, and Guld. At first the story is a bit confusing, because you don't quite know what the relationship between the three are. Some things are very obvious, such as that Guld is in love with Myung, Isamu is in love with Myung (even though he tries to hide it and is involved with a woman from his project), and that Myung is greatly torn. This is very basic, though. One does not know what their past is and why they haven't seen each other in seven years. Throughout the story, Guld has recurring flashes of the past. It isn't revealed until almost near the end of the movie what their history together is. Other problems arise as trouble brews with Sharon Apple. Sorry, no spoilers.

I feel that Macross Plus is a great mecha anime. Maybe it's because it isn't based solely on the mechas, but more on the relationship between the three main characters. I also felt that the story conveys two great importances and thoughts. First of all, I feel it teaches that sometimes the person we are most angry with is ourselves, but we don't know it. Second, it showed what it would feel like if AI developments got to the point where humans were no longer needed. Add these great themes with deep, in-depth characters and amazing animation and you're left with a great movie. I strongly recommend Macross Plus to others.

Macross Plus: The Movie Edition can be found at animenation.com for $26.95. If you don't want the movie, you can get the OVAs bundle (2 DVDs) for $50.92. After all, the Macross Plus movie comes from the OVAs, but remade and shortened. Some argue that the movie edition is superior and better explains the relationship between Isamu, Guld, and Myung. I can't comment because I have only seen the movie edition, not the OVAs.

If there is anything wrong with the information, not opinion, email me at ChichiriAXS@yahoo.com. If you have a difference of opinion on it, then write a review and send it to Meiko. Until next time.