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Dated 3 June 2007: Macross 7

Milia
This should surprise no one.

To all parties and their attorneys of record: Please take notice that henceforth there shall exist two levels of AWESOME: Regular, and Milia Class.

So ordered.

Dated 6 June 2007: Macross 7

Here is a comprehensive list of all the shows I'm watching right now:

  1. Macross 7
  2. Tokimeki Memorial ~Only Love~

That is all.

Basara
THIS BATTLE IS POINTLESS. LISTEN TO MY SONG!

Yeah....

Really, I don't have any excuse for not watching Macross 7 earlier. All I can recall is that I watched the first episode years ago and incredulously responded, "What in Hell? Is he flying that thing with a GUITAR? Where did he get a Valkyrie in the first place?" I still have the same questions this time around, but I figure all will be explained in time...hopefully. Besides, if I had the patience to give Eureka 7 a 48-episode test, I can do the same for Macross 7. C'mon, it's MACROSS, for crying out loud.

So far, Max and Milia and, uh, the head of Exodol are the only returning characters from Cho Jiku Yosai Macross, although all three seem too young for it to be 2045—absent some manner of Top wo Nerae-esque time dilation, that is.

Dated 11 June 2007: Macross 7

So, I'm watching Macross 7, and I've decided that Gundam SEED Destiny's Anime Jesus Kira Yamato and his holier-than-thou pacifism would be a lot less offensive if he was more like Nekki Basara.

And I don't even like Basara, although I do like him better than Renton from Eureka 7. Basara is obsessively single-minded—to an extent that it makes Macross 7 rather bizarre, even for a kid's show. In a way, Basara kind of reminds me of the inept substitute manager from Full Moon wo Sagashite. It's still better than making him a whiny, dumb kid like Renton. Okay, two out of three.

Mylene and Guvava
Mylene and Guvava.

Keeping Basara in check (read: constantly bitching him out) is Max and Milia's seventh (and youngest) child, Mylene.

Mylene is a 14-year-old aspiring rock star. To that end, Macross 7 again reminds me of Full Moon wo Sagashite, although Mylene is no Mitsuki, and Fire Bomber is not as good as Fullmoon. There aren't many different songs through the first 20 episodes of Macross 7, so the music is rather repetitive. There aren't many songs in the first 20 episodes of Full Moon wo Sagashite, either, but the music in Full Moon is a lot better, albeit less conducive to ROCKING OUT.

Dated 16 June 2007: Pacifism, Gundam SEED Destiny, and Macross 7

I really am tired of pacifism dominating shows about WAR. I mean, I understand a kids' show can't really glorify war (except on Palestinian stations, apparently), but conceited characters who just happen to be able to whale all other charcters, yet refuse to fight (except to thrust their hippie dogma on everyone else, 'natch) are infuriating as all Hell.

This, of course, was the biggest reason (albeit among many) why Gundam SEED Destiny sucked.

Anime Jesus Kira Yamato
"What? Why's everyone looking at me?"

Pacifism is only entertaining when it is rife with hypocrisy. SEED III Empress Lacus Clyne, I trust you will not disappoint.

Speaking of Lacus Clyne, I've also been looping Tanaka Rie's Lacus Clyne pacifist ballads for some time now. I hope this isn't contradictory....

Unfortunately, Gundam SEED Lacus Clyne Destroys the World is going to have to wait until after recently-announced ALL NEW GUNDAM, which I'm not at all excited about because apparently the show takes the shittiest part of Destiny and makes it the main plot. Sigh.

Basara
Someone finally punches Basara in the face.

Macross 7 manages not to annoy me because it's so goofy. I mean, the best way to win battles in the Macross 7 universe is to SING HARDER. Also, I've determined that Macross 7 doesn't belong in the Cho Jiku Yosai Macross continuity, so it doesn't seem a sacriligous as it might otherwise be.

Dated 18 June 2007: Macross 7

Gigil
Gigil is the best singer in Macross 7.

Well, at least he is through the first 36 episodes.

I didn't think much of Gigil at first. As far as antagonists go, he didn't seem all that interesting. However, the big ugly bastard has won me over with his incorruptible loyalty to Sybil.

Dated 24 June 2007: Macross 7

Guvava and Mylene
Guvava and Mylene.

Gigil isn't the only Macross 7 character that grew on me over time. Mylene also got a lot more likable when she stopped being so, err, one-note.

Mylene from the second ED
It helps that in the EDs Mylene is a real dish.

I'd much rather see Mylene as the lead character in Macross 7 instead of Basara. Unfortunately, for much of the series she's relegated to being one of Basara's foils. (Read: Spends all her time bitching him out for being self-absorbed.)

Mylene and Gamlin
Mylene and Gamlin.

It takes a while, but through her relationship with Gamlin, and brief moments revealed throughout the breadth of the series, the viewer gets to accept Mylene as a real character. Sadly, too many of the other players remain caricatures.

Guvava and Mylene
Let's rock.

Granted, complaining about a lack of character development in a show about teenagers piloting giant transforming robots controlled by guitars in order to drive off monstrous alien attackers via the power of ROCKING OUT may be a tad untoward.

Dated 4 July 2007: Macross 7 ED2 Reveals Path into Mylene's Pants

In contrast to the OP and the first ED, the second ED of Macross 7 is a straightforward narrative. And how. Allow me to break it down for y'all:

First, we see an alarm clock sounding.

Mylene's alarm clock
Bing bong! It's seven o'clock!

Next we see Mylene waking up.

Mylene Jenius
Wake up, Mylene!

Then we get Mylene in a zero-gravity shower.

Mylene showers.
Wash up, Mylene!

And we pan over to see Mylene getting ready for school.

Mylene gets ready.
Get ready, Mylene!

Mylene is almost ready for school.

Mylene goes to school.
Don't be late for school, Mylene!

Mylene's shoes
What shoes will you wear, Mylene?

Okay, this part doesn't really make sense.

GIANT KITTEN
Is that you, Gainax?

Man, that was heavy. Time to chill out.

Mylene chills out.
Mylene chills out.
School's a drag, Mylene!

Guvava chills out.
Guvava agrees, Mylene!

Here we have Mylene relaxing under a tree. A mysterious gentleman approaches! Mysterious Gentleman, did you learn everything you know about women from Bing Crosby, too? Mysterious Gentleman offers Mylene a Coke.

Mylene under a tree
Have a Coke, Mylene!

WHOA, Mylene must really really love Coke. No, I said Coke. C-O-K-E.

Mylene's space boobs
What are you trying to say, Mylene?

Assuming an accurate translation, the lyrics are also rather...unambiguous.

Mylene wants your love
Be gentle, Mylene!

THAT'S RIGHT.

Dated 12 July 2007: A few thoughts now that I've finished Macross 7

Mylene would have made a more interesting lead character. I would also like to know more about Max and Milia's other children. And I never figured out why Max and Milia looked so young even though they were supposed to be be 35 years older.

Basara
Basara contemplates his predicament.

Basara never fully won me over, although I did like him a lot better after the post-series Macross 7 OAVs and movie. Really, the series would have been a lot better if it had been more like those. There should also have been more Macross 7 Plus segments. Having just one omake for the bridge bunnies is not nearly enough.

I'm afraid I also wasn't too impressed with the music in Macross 7, at least during its 49-episode run. (Again, I felt the OAVs were stronger in this regard.) I would have liked more variety in the music, and I'm not a great fan of any of the songs, although I admit they grew on me a little with constant repetition.

Mylene and Gamlin
Mylene and Gamlin contemplate their relationship.
You should offer Mylene a Coke, Gamlin!

Overall, Macross 7 is light fare for a space opera, but amusing enough to justify watching, even if you're not a Macross fan. Most viewers will know after only a few episodes if they'll enjoy the series as a whole.