Summary:
Grace is talking to the voices in her head while waiting for her next clone to download the latest firmware. Although Gallia-4 was Grace’s birthplace, the bomb was all part of Operation Carnival. Amazingly, Grace was responsible for leading the Vajra to Macross Frontier when she brought Sheryl, aka Fairy 9, for a scientific experiment disguised as a concert tour. Unfortunately, Grace has decided that Sheryl is now ripe for elimination.
Having watched a ton of anime, Leon knew early on to pay attention to the loli with the memory problems. Leon scored a lucky bullseye when Ranka turned out to be the secondary element assumed to be dead 11 years ago, Code Q-1. Grace is assigned as the team project leader for Ranka and Brera becomes Ranka’s new bodyguard. It seems Leon has Ranka under some very special surveillance. Meanwhile, Alto is called to SMS owner Richard Bilrer’s super-secret mansion where he gets to play with maids and toy trains.
Reaction:
I feel like this episode was a recap episode, but the new music and interweaving of important story elements kept the pace snappy. I liked the first duet, and I was pissed that the ED got interrupted by Grace’s mental conference call. I can’t believe that Grace dumped Sheryl like that, but you can’t trust anything with tentacles. Between the baby Vajra and Grace, Ranka better be very careful…
Although having voices in Grace’s head was a bit lazy (as was the crappy animation), I am intrigued at all the questions raised in the episode. I now suspect Leon might secretly be a good-guy double-agent working for Richard Bilrer while pretending to work with Grace’s faction. Of course it is possible Leon is playing for Team Leon and will betray both Grace and Richard. The constant earring flashing was not subtle at all, and I wonder if Sheryl and Ranka are able to gattai through the crystal. I’m worried now for Sheryl’s chances of surviving all the way to the end, as she is totally getting set up for a massive noble sacrifice.
15 Comments
Ranka’s kiddish voice didn’t work for me being shoehorned into Sheryl’s more forte song. She should stick with cutesy songs like Aimo or My Boyfriend is a Pilot.
I think Leon is on team Leon. He thinks he’s so good-looking. Anyway, I hope Grace dies. And I wasn’t even paying attention to all the talk, but the Ranka and Sheryl battle for Alto-hime’s love was hilarious.
I won’t be getting the DVD if Sheryl dies, so lets hope there’s no noble sacrifice…
I don’t think Sheryl is marked for death as Macross goes it really isn’t that heavy on death of the mains. Sheryl’s a main also it seems rather unlikely that the Kawamori is going to let her die.
Leon is probably hard at work trying to help Team Leon win. I bet the bugger is just waiting for the perfect moment to stab Grace and Bilrer in the back. Once Grace set up the 33rd Marine fleet the bomb her betrayla of Sheryl was just about assured, however, what was ratehr unexpected it s that Sheryl might be a cyborg as well, but what is certain is that her blood is not normal enough for Grace to let Sheryl have a blood test.
Mr. Bilrer does have an awesome train set though.
I assume that once Sheryl goes to Canaria for her physical we will finally know what Sheryl really is. In the mean time though being a has been is going to be tough for Sheryl, but if Alto-hime can walk away from all that fame I am sure Sheryl can find other passions in her life, like constantly teasing Alto-hime. Perhaps she might be a pilot too or take up acting and be Sakura-hime’s prince…
So did whatever Klan Klan was feeding Mikhail contain any pineapples? I don’t really know the significance, but I heard it was ominous…
Shin: No, those were apples. As far as everyone knows, it’s Ranka’s brother Ozma that’s reserved a bowl of Pineapple Salad.
The really sad thing about this whole Fairy 9 thing is that it calls into question Sheryl’s claim of being “all natural.”
And that she is a success (now, she’s a failed project) and that she has always been in control of her own destiny (but her destiny has always been controlled by Grace).
But don’t worry, Sheryl Nome is still Sheryl Nome. Staying down for the counts is never her game.
Apparently the Ranka fanbois resort to smear campaigns now. Just because your Ranka is a deceiving Alien Queen giving birth to face huggers, this doesn’t mean Sheryl is a cyborg, an android or genetically modified. Now her hair might possibly be reactive…it would explain the odd glow but who’s perfect anyway?
Considering the large amount of reused footage, the animation was indeed pretty poor in the new segments.
SING OFF FOR TEH WIN!
I think Leon is just in it for Leon, and in the end he’s going to die a stupid death.
Oh nooo, this is quickly turning into the plot of Alien Resurrection!
Mmhhh Ranka-chan look kawaii @_@
Man, I downloaded this epiSODE (there! Happy Chris?
) as fast as I can, just to skip to the Sheryl/Ranka “What bout my Star” scene, and OH MAN!!! My man juices were overflowing!!! The Cheese!!! The backwards BUTT HUMPING!!! IT WAS THE FINEST!!!… and somewhat reminded me of the beginning of the Full Metal Alchemist movie where those gypsies (i think) were dancing and doing some suggestive bouncy movements… I just love the sloppy animation! I wouldn’t have it any other way! =3
I agree with bakaneko, Ranka should not touch Sheryl’s ED song! It just wasn’t meant to be!
Hehe, I noticed the surveillance thing too - reminds me of that classic ‘rock on’ thing I heard about in an old Gundam show once.
The way in which aerial combat plays out in front of the music is one of my favourite Macross trademarks - Ms Kanno is once again more than up for the task.
I had to laugh at Alto standing awkwardly as the bishie in the middle during that impromptu sing-off…the only downside being, there’s a whole shedload of stuff going on in the background that I keep missing. Whether Cheryl survives or not (I hope the three leads all do, seriously) I’ll be picking up the DVD and rewatching to catch the espionage/double crosses and whatnot. Right now I’m still totally engrossed in the character dorama and the prettyshiny animation and music.
Amen to that.
alto isn’t good enough for sheryll. he’s just to dense. she deserves better.