After witnessing the eradication of the inhabitants of Earth in the war against Bodolzaa, we skip forward two years to see society being rebuilt, alongside the new Zentradi converts.
This kind of situation is particularly effective at putting me on tenterhooks to see what happens next. How will Macross follow up this refreshing state of affairs with delicious fail, I wonder.
Episode 28 “My Album”
- Wait, we’re skipping two years ahead in the Macross timeline?! (Awesome)
- Tragic irony: the ones considered a threat and exiled from Earth (Macrossians) are now the only survivors left of humanity — a similar case for the Zentradi as well!
- At least there are some flowers who made it
- Awesome shot of Macross sitting in a lake docked to another town
- D-Does Misa live with Hikaru now?!
- Oh, I guess not
- Flipping through his photobook of Minmay got her real down and upset (tossed his keys in the mailbox levels mad)
- Ghost Focker delivers some much needed relationship advice to an insensible Hikaru
- New Minmay look, new Minmay song… so damn nice~~
- A Zentradi almost squashed Hikaru! – he apologized, but still WTF
- Misa by herself at a café, still bitter about the Hikaru/Minmay thing (I feel for you, Misa. I really do.)
- Max and Milia out for a stroll… with a baby!
- Misa sits staring at them imaging the baby as being hers and Hikaru’s instead
- Ah, because Minmay’s songs are so popular she’s practically everywhere and for Misa that mustn’t be easy to hear
- Drunk Kaifun: somehow 1,000 times worse than regular Kaifun
- Minmay: “It looks like we should go our separate ways.” Kaifun: [HILARIOUS SHOCKED EXPRESSION]
- Some Zentradi just stole some battlepods and are tearing up Macross city (ungrateful bastards)
- Ah, Hayase finally lashed out at Hikaru
- The way Hikaru pops out from behind a rock in his Valkyrie, shouting “stop your attack!” is one of my favourite details this episode
- Hayase handed Hikaru photos of her (of course, he’s not sure what to make of the gesture)
- Global sees this dissension as the beginning of factious incidents, unless the discordant attitudes of the restless Zentradi can be settled before things get out of hand
Most other shows would have been content to conclude with the end of the war. Macross, however, went a step further to continue the story in a post-war arc. I find it fascinating to see how Zentradi, a race that previously knew nothing but war, fares having now adopted culture as a substitute for battle. Evidently, it is harder on some than others – a drive for blood sports still flows through their veins.
Global doesn’t want their Zentradi pilots fighting the revolting Zentradi, because if they get a taste of the action, they may stray from culture and their new civilized life as well. The heat of battle could be a catalyst to reawakening their combative cravings, and he’s trying to ensure that doesn’t happen by preventing them from ever entering into the situation.
Minmay bears a heavy burden by acting as the prime center attraction of culture, which seems to be the only thing keeping many of the Zentradi reformed and satisfied. I suspect that she may succumb to the pressure in time, in no small part thanks to Kaifun’s exploits.
Episode 29 “Lonely Song”
- Spooky skeleton suited soldier sitting in the shade is some haunting imagery for a love story
- THE HAND FELL OFF! AHHH!
- It was holding a singing Minmay doll (that’s some terrific and creepy subtext there, Macross)
- Everyone’s just trying to work and (of course) the big baby Zentradi is having a fit (he storms off)
- Adapting to new ways of life ain’t easy for everyone – Honestly, I’m amazed that any of the Zentradi are able to work in harmony after two years of no war/fighting
- Sweet piano music
- Minmay froze (uh oh)
- Why is Kaifun still here? – GO AWAY (greedy, manipulative bastard)
- Reckless Minmay, willing to jump out of a moving car just to go where she wants; at least Kaifun has enough sense and decency to stop her and the car
- The Archivist makes more parallels between humans and Zentradi – this time one commonality: pleasure waging war.
- Drunk ‘kyun kyun’ singing at the Chinese Restaurant lol
- Minmay reminiscing about Hikaru and getting excited after thinking she heard his voice = sad times
- Meeting Loli, Conda, and Warera seems to have cheered her up a bit
- Ah, she saw Hikaru with Hayase and is running off in tears (aww)
- Hikaru stands up for the defecting Zentradi – then gets flicked like a bug
- Kamujin and the others are just gunning to have another war
- Less and less people are showing up to Minmay’s performances now – Is this the end of culture?!
Just as challenge begets change, so to is change met with challenge as more Zentradi begin resisting their combat prohibited conditions. Work is just not satisfying enough for them as battle was, and so they abandon their posts. Further uprise ends up reaching Kamujin and a few other Zentradi who have been lying in wait for an excuse to cut loose and fight again.
Meanwhile, Minmay is losing her motivation to perform as she continues to endure Kaifun’s profiteering schemes and begins to realize her feelings for Hikaru – the jealousy bug seems to have found its way from Hayase to Minmay now, as she flees upset at seeing her together with Hikaru. But at least she wants to sing songs for herself now.
Episode 30 “Viva Maria”
- Magnificent shot of Valkyries on the open deck
- Max with a serious face – This. Means. Business.
- BLAST OFF!
- Awesome piece of music
- Thumbs up and a smile from Zentradi to Hikaru – how far we’ve come
- Polite, hospitable Commander Britai is the best.
- Max and Milia brought the baby with them on the dangerous mission into outer space, aww
- Max wants to throw a party for the ex-prisoners, and to show Milia how Earth makes merry
- Misa’s staring at the baby with such intense longing
- LMAO rejected – Milia says for her to go make her own baby if she wants to hold one so badly
- Max sets her straight and then Milia TOSSES THE BABY TO HAYASE!!!
- Good catch – the baby seems to have enjoyed the trip there
- Max isn’t worried about the baby, because apparently she has excellent bone structure from Milia’s side of the gene pool… um, okay…?
- Claudia winked at Hikaru! “Have a good time” she says lol (best wingman)
- Hayase looks relieved to hear Hikaru likes babies (hehe)
- Britai and The Archivist talk Hayase out of going on an investigation of Bodolzaa’s destroyed ship for her own safety (could very well be booby-trapped)
- Hayase seems excited to carry out the “kissing” strategy with Hikaru (hmmm)
- Milia: “But why does Captain Ichijo hate kissing? It is a wonderful thing.”
- Some ‘zero-g love’ to set the mood lol
- Zentradi weary and fainting from seeing Hayase and Ichijo kiss LMAO
- Showing off the baby as the next step in Protoculture seems to have affected them rather strongly – they ran away and began mutinying almost immediately lol
- Aww, the baby’s smiling at all the explosive carnage and mayhem outside the cockpit
- And like that more Zentradi are embracing Protoculture
Britai plays an awesome host, while Hayase acts as a less courteous one. Max and Milia demonstrate some questionable parenting confidence, while Misa pines more and more over an increasingly insensitive Hikaru. And the target Zentradi are won over and defeated by a happy baby.
What more can I ask for from this delightfully dreadful tale of love and space drama?
Humble Ace 
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