[NB This is the exact text of the press release - the typo was too amusing to correct]
"From the director of the legendary 1882 TV series Macross and written by the Manga legend Shoji Kawamori, Macross Plus is a four part action-packed series with authentic mecha designs.
"Macross Plus takes place 40 years after the original Macross, 2040 A.D. on the colonial planet Eden. The Ministry of Defence are testing and developing transformer aicraft - a new advanced defence to conquer alien attacks.
"Isamu Dyson is a jet fighter, and also a maverick, assigned as a new test pilot on project Super Nova. The competition hots up when Isamu discovers that his old rival, Guld, is the test pilot for the competing project. The arrival of Myung, a mutual ex-girlfriend, adds even more tension to the conflict as the battle for the skies begins."
Director: Shoji Kawamori
Screenplay: Keiko Nobumoto
Copyright: Big West Macross Plus Project
VHS version:
Language: English language
Label: Manga Video
Running time: 45 mins 45 mins 45 mins 45 mins
Certificate: PG PG PG 12
Catalogue no: MANV 1072 MANV 1074 MANV 1100 MANV 1184
Price: £9.99 £9.99 £9.99 £9.99 each
Release Date: 6th Mar 1995 1st May 1995 7th Aug 1995 10th Mar 1997
Movie version:
Contains all four episodes edited together with new footage
Language: Japanese language, English Subtitles
Running time: 90 mins
Certificate: 12
Label: Manga Video
Catalogue no: MANV 1194
Price: £13.99
Release Date: 13th October 1997
DVD version:
Contains all four episodes and the movie
Language: Episodes: English and Japanese language, optional English subtitles
Movie: Japanese language, English subtitles
Running time: 315 mins
Certificate: 12
Label: Manga Video
Catalogue no: MANG 2009
Price: £19.99
Release Date: 24th June 2002
Macross remains one of the most enduring anime series ever in recent years. Despite the failure of Macross II, it was deemed worthy of a third series. Fortunately, lessons have been learned, and if this first episode is anything to go by, this should be a worthy addition to the Macross canon.
The setting is the year 2040 AD, 40 years after the original Macross saga. The plot takes no risks - rival test pilots Isamu and Guld compete for both the superiority of their mecha and the affections of Myung, a mutual ex-girlfriend. Myung is the manager of Sharon Apple, an immensely popular computer generated idol singer.
The animation and design work are both very slick, and the use of computer graphics is seamless. The English dubbing is also some of the best yet done. [Jonathan Weeks]
Lavishly produced latest in the MACROSS saga, this time about rival teams of valkyrie fighter developers. This is very recent; so new that episodes are still being made in Japan. It has excellent animation, with superb aerial combat sequences, and the dubbing is so good that few viewers would stop to think that there had been a Japanese language original.
Unfortunately the attention given to production values has designed the life out of the characters, leaving collections of unconvincing motivations and attributes who don't come to life on screen. This was certainly not a trait of earlier incarnations of MACROSS, as even when the characters were as irritating as Sylvie and Hibiki in MACROSS II, one could not help but think of them as real persons.
By all means see this for the production values. I, however, was not tempted to see more. [Geoff Cowie]
michaelm@host.yab.com:
I have Macross Plus Volumes One and Two Dubbed, and I can honestly say
that it is the best dub I have seen to date. Its flawlessly done, the
only translation glitch I've heard is that they toned down one sentence
minorly, a character has said something to the effect that he would
revoke another characters lisence (that's how they translated it), but he
actualy said something sterner (I'm leaving it vague to avoid spoiling
anything, but to show how minor the only glitch was). The music is,
what's the word, UNBELIEVABLE!. The only irk I had with it was that they
sang the opening theme in volume one in English instead of Japanese (Same
singer, but I think it sounds better in Japanese).
Ender Wiggin:
The dub is one of the better ones I have seen, but it's not the
best. The voice acting for the main hero (Isamu, mochiron) was weak
(has there been a good main hero voice?). Myun is pretty good, most of
the time. The woman tech was weak. The hacker was good. Guld is
stilted, but that may actually fit.
Ameratsu:
The writers of Macross Plus got Shakespearean on us. They examine the
battles not of monsters in space this time, but rather the demons within
us. We have to stop looking at anime as just surface value fluff. It will
become a self-perpetuating thing that feeds on itself, turning out nothing
but eyecandy that is fun to watch.
Samuel Lysinger:
I thought it was good because there is nothing great about it. There is no
hidden message, just a silly action show that has some TOP Gun elements in it.
Pure entertainment without discussing the state of mankind or the world is a
nice change.
Keith Rhee:
Au contraire, Sam. Most of the screen time isn't spent on action,
rather the relationship between the former friends. And the underlying
theme, if you pay attention, is about ideals and dreams, and how some
of them got broken, others gave up on them, but one person stuck
through it all and never compromised on his ideals and dreams (namely,
Isamu).
In other words, the focus here isn't an apocalypse theme, or saving
the world, but much more down to Earth -- it focuses on the trio's
dreams and relationship.
In the meantime, the LD sales in
Japan are skyrocketing, and most people I know loved the show. I think
the people's pocketbooks are speaking for their opinions, and if the
discussions on the IRC channel #anime! are any indication, there's a
LOT more to Macross Plus than you make it out to be.
EDWARD MOORE:
I think that its appeal lies in the love triangle and the conflicts between
Guld, Isamu, and Myung. Added to the fact that the writers are deliberately
leaving out VERY important bits of information and exposition (ie. What exactly
did happen with these three people so many years ago) generates a great deal of
suspense and interest on the part of the viewer. It's how you draw an audience
into a play/novel/tv show/anime, whatever. Make it a mystery. All three of
them are very complex and intriguing characters. For example, why is it that
Myung supposedly despises Isamu, yet Sharon (who we assume is a manifestation
of Myung's subconscious desires) makes a "holographic" pass at Isamu during the
concert in volume 2? Or why does Isamu supposedly say to Guld that he is only
interested in the project, yet the way he behaves around Guld clearly indicates
otherwise? Not to mention the host of other less character-driven, technical
questions (ie. how did Guld blast Isamu at the end of pt. 2)
It's these questions that run in the viewers mind that keep us coming back for
more.
Personally, I think it's a brilliantly crafted script and very intelligently
told story. Not to mention that the music is incredible, Sharon Apple rocks,
and the computer graphics and animation are amazing. The overall quality of
this series is uncommonly high for an OAV, approaching levels only achieved by
theatrical releases.
Ash:
hmm the reason why it appealed to me is
1. cool mechs
2. top gun Macross style
and plus you've got to love sharon apple
i just love the beat to the thing and hey
the music is nice
but many people don't really think it's that great of an anime
yes it's a bad take off from the macross storyline
but hey better then some shitty think like G-gundam
Godai:
What is the plot anyway? Just testing new mecha? There doesn't
seem to be much conflict, except between two, IMO, poorly designed
characters. The only way this series could ever appeal to me is if
one guy killed the other (doesn't matter who, I want to see them
both dead). Give me a series with a plot and some real characters,
like Legend of the Galatic Heros.
Flame away if you feel so compelled, but I had to voice my opinion.
Just tired of hearing how great it is when I don't like it.
Different people, different tastes.
SR Dominguez:
What I like about M+ is the fact that there are no heroes - all the
characters are as screwy as each other. Both Isamu and Myung's lives are
hell, but Isamu enjoys his life because he is completely at the other
end of the dynamism scale to Myung who has just accepted a life of
hardship. And in the middle there's Guld, who according to a few
friends of mine could best be described as the hero of the show, being
at the crossroads. He always tries to act honourably, but in the grand
byronic tradition he has an inner flaw which dooms him - his hot
Zentradi blood.
It's easy to perceive M+ as being vague in its plot. This is missing the
point. The show is an ant farm, the idea being to sit back and watch
the doomed little charcters go round and round.
Kwesi Ako Kennedy:
It's a shining eample of what animation
should be. The characters for the series are effectivly introduced and
presented in a way that makes you want to find out more about them. The
animation and the overal designs for mecha, interiors, and even control panels
were phenominal. But the thing that always takes my breath away about Mac+ is
the wide color palette they use. Is this an unusually wide range of colors or
am I just overreacting.
Any way, if you liked what you saw in the original Macross/Robotech series,
you'll love how the concept has matued ovrer time. Especially the fight scenes
and the integration of Zentradi technology with Macross technology in order to
get the intimidatin YF21. All great jets should be black. IMHO.
Plenty of people have already seen this though and non-anime fan who do see it
get hooked immediatly.