 Sadly, Macross 7 is not available in the US. |
Technically any good? Well, it's horribly cheesy, as I've mentioned, but the story ultimately got me caring quite a bit for the characters. This series takes place 35 years after the original Macross and features a few characters from that series. It is almost a complete tonal departure from the "space opera" feel of the original show, however. That said, some traditional Macross themes do show up and to great effect: transforming robot planes, music and a love triangle. The music this time out is some seriously dated 80s-style rock that, by the end of the series completely grew on me. I now rock out to "Holy Lonely Night" on my iPhone when ever I'm bored on the subway. The triangle works well, but sadly, the robot planes are secondary (or tertiary, I suppose).
The voice acting, as always, is spot-on. The Japanese take their cartoons very seriously. The story and scripts are generally solid and structurally strong, but the subject matter does take some effort to get used to. Still, it's this fanboy's opinion that it's worth that effort.
How did it leave me feeling? Pretty damn satisfied. Most anime series end with a relapse of "WTF is this?" Syndrome with endings that are either so baffling or so disappointing as to leave the viewer feeling the series ended one episode earlier. I don't think Macross 7 does this. While there are a couple of weird things that happen, the end is solidly satisfying. Of course, I may have been biased as I watched since I knew there were two more Macross 7-related projects I had yet to watch. I haven't decided if I will review them as they ultimately weren't very satisfying.
Final Rating? SIYCF - See If You Can Find - This series has not been licensed for broadcast or release on DVD in the US or in any English speaking country. However, you can get the soundtracks on Amazon.com and copies of the series are floating around. However, if you can find it, does that mean you should definitely watch it? Obviously, this anime isn't for everyone. I think if you enjoy fun, 80s rock, cheesy plots and/or are a Macross completist, you should definitely check this out. If you think the original Macross is sacrosanct and feel that its serious space opera tone should not be sullied by lighter, more fantastical plots, don't bother.
Learn more about Maross 7 (complete with spoilers) and learn why this series won't ever see the light of day in the US, check out the show's entry on Wikipedia here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macross_7
Orignal From: MACROSS 7 (1994)
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