Macross Plus: The Movie Review by Rashad Moore

	Audience:	16+
	Genre:	Sci-Fi/Drama
	Contains:	brief graphic violence, brief nudity, adult situations
	Rating:	B+

Probably the best Macross series next to the original, Macross Plus represents everything that makes Macross special, awesome mecha and combat, realistic drama, the continuous power of song theme and the familiar love triangle. What makes Macross Plus such a great anime is that it covers the familiar Macross territory in a much different style. It's much better than the good, but cliche Macross 2 and the silly, but effective Macross 7. The movie version of the series (like Macross 2) is basically the same plot as the OVA, but with new scenes added to connect key scenes. While it may turn off fans of the OVA somewhat, it's still the excellent Macross Plus, just condensed into 120 minutes.

Taking place on the colonized Planet Eden a couple of decades after the original Macross, three former high school friends, Isamu(now a hot shot sky-writing Valkyrie pilot), Guld(also a pilot on a rival team) and Myung (manager of the virtual singer, Sharon Apple.) are soon brought together by the arrival of a Sharon Apple concert on Eden. This brings up mixed feelings of jealousy, tension and hatred among Isamu and Guld. While an artifical intelligence will forever threaten Valkyrie piloting and the way songs are sung and listened to.

Macross Plus is a masterpiece, the character design is more realistic and western-style than the other series and the animation is very well done and fluid. There are also some very impressive CG effects which blend in very well with the animation. The Valkyrie combat scenes are also very well choreographed, with some of the best flying-action scenes you'll ever find in an anime. The music is also great and highly vary from a heroic, orchestral score to emotional, ethereal (and sometimes sinister) songs such as Myung's "Voices."

Probably the best thing about Macross Plus, is how realistically executed the anime is. The characters are very human. (Flaws and all) and it has very strong character development. Another reason is that it's so different. You'll notice that in this sequel is that there is no major war occuring or any obligatory laser battles. (There are a few references to the original Macross series.) Macross Plus is more Drama than Sci-Fi, and concentrates very strongly on it's characters.(Those expecting another Robotech or Macross will still find this a good anime.) It also manages to build up to a very intense climax. The movie or the OVA would both be good picks, but in some ways the OVA is better and in others the movie is too. The movie version does manage to be more satisfying, with a much better ending than the OVA series.

Overall, OVA or Movie, Macross Plus lives up to the excellence of the original, and much more in it's own way.

 Image not created by me. Aug 99. Manga Ent. Review by Rashad Moore.