Does this mean Alto no like Ranka?

While I don’t like Alto’s lie about the mall, I’d rather attribute it to his annoyance about the ruckus it caused. Also, I’m a bit puzzled how many people seem to consider him and Ranka in any way a couple. I don’t seem them as that, and neither does he, I think.

In Alto’s eyes, Ranka is more like a cute little imouto to him, someone to cherish, look out for and protect. Not dating material. Therefore, “two-timing” sounds a bit off to me.

For Ranka, Alto is an important person, but she’s not fooling herself into thinking that they might be a couple either. Why would she? However, she’s got a light crush on him, obviously – and it stings her to see the Alto-Sheryl developments. But not as a boyfriend going astray, rather as someone you’re secretly interested in does stuff which distances him from yourself.

Mikhail is rather a care-bear, and he’s sharp enough to notice that Ranka is affected by what she saw. And he wants to signal to Alto to be careful and considerate about it – since Alto is too thick-headed to notice it by himself.

No, I don’t see him interested in Ranka at all. Again, she’s imouto material for him, too. If anything, my guts tell me that we will see more and closer antics between him and Klan Klein in the future.

Maybe we are getting set up for a “the one I love was next to me all along” type of scene.

I expect better from this show, or at least I hope.

I think Alto is just trying to protect himself from a whole lot of inconvenience if he’s connected with Sheryl. His attitude says “I don’t want to bother..” about pretty much everything. From the tabloid mess Crusader mentions, down to hurting Ranka unnecessarily, it all seems like a big annoyance. Doesn’t exactly imbue Alto with a lot of charm, but he’s got bigger things on his mind. Like not dying.

Seems like the “bye bye Sheryl” was not her going away but rather Alto setting off to a, hopefully epic, battle (with pirates of the caribbeans-like music playing on the back ground.)

Also, how fucking cool is that table at the cafe?!!

Kabitzin: They were using NORMAL weapons before this… which is why they weren’t doing too well, except when using knives (Ozma), sniper rifles on the add-on organisms, and old Zentradi liquid-plasma rifles (Alto). Remember that their missiles didn’t do crap to Vajra, except to distract them for a few moments – probably due to the energy armor that they have for carapaces. The anti-Vajra weapons are probably those missiles we saw racked with SMS symbols – and given Mikhail’s comment after being notified that they were being deployed, I suspect that they’re the reaction weapons he was talking about.

Mentar: Alto doesn’t seem to think of Ranka as lover material yet, and only now (a few episodes later) is he even considering that Sheryl’s interested in him. Ranka really likes Alto, but whether like extends to beyond frienship is yet to be determined. She really needs to grow up a bit more to hit that stage, in my opinion.

Runningkid: “Bye Bye Sheryl” was the name of the concert, her farewell concert (and last stop) before returning to Galaxy… rather than her immediately leaving.

Right now, since this IS Macross, I think we can sum up Ranka’s attitude towards Alto in the following song: “Hero” by Mariah Carey, given the way he gently pushes her forward and she seems to admire and look up to him in a way she doesn’t her brother, who was anything but supportive up till now.

Sigue: The pineapple salad is on the table, but we have yet to determine who ordered it. I’m betting on Ozma having asked for it first, followed by Luca or Nene from Pixie. And damn, but Cathy looks better when she’s not being drawn funny like she was in Episode 4. She still has something for Ozma… and Ozma seems to feel the same way, given how easily she throws him off balance. Which, of course, means he’s probably doomed.

Well, the lyrics for that Mariah Carey song fit Ranka’s attitude to Alto almost to a T, given the way he motivates her and keeps her going even when he’s being a tsundere asshole like this. Mikhail’s calling Alto out as an idiot since.. well, he’s not being exactly NICE to Ranka here, even as she apologizes for not telling him first about her being contracted by a talent agency.

I honestly think Sheryl ‘lent’ Alto the earring and got over her case of nerves only after seeing the SMS logo on his jacket – which suggested to her that he had a purpose in coming beyond just giving her back the earring, since his membership signified that he would be on the front line and MIGHT not be coming back from the fight. So, with the earring handed back to him, she’s basically giving the ‘pilot who was born to fly’ a reason to come back to the city-ship he hates, beyond whatever other reasons he has – because he’s the type who tries to keep his promises (as he says here).

As for the weapons to be used on the Vajra, they KNOW conventional weapons don’t do much… at least not to the red ones. Plus, reaction weapons were only really employed en-masse one time – during the final battle which destroyed the bulk of that Zentradi fleet attacking Earth. The fact they’re breaking them out now signifies the type of threat the Vajra represent, which given the way they’ve apparently hijacked several Galaxy warships is quite significant. Their EW capabilities seem to extend to corrupting enemy computers as well, to the point where control is possible, instead of mere jamming.

blissmo: So? Nobody said you had to – just said that, since we’re in the Macross theme with music, that I might as well use a song to describe the way Ranka sees Alto.