Macross: Do You Remember Love?

Genre: Mecha / Space Adventure
Parental Guidance Recommended
1982-1983. Noboru Ishiguro (creator). Shoji Kawamori (director). Tatsunoko Productions.

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Firesenshi's Description:
Earth is involved with two alien forces -- the Zentraedi whose forces are full of male soldiers and the Meltrandi, whose forces are full of female soldiers. Engaged in this war, the Macross Fortress is moving away from the Solar System and wants to go back to its original route. In the meantime, Hikaru Ichijo joins the pilots in the military. He has however been attached to two women, the beautiful singer Lyn Minmay and the elusive lieutenant Misa Hayase, who also happens to be his superior and greatest critic. It seems the only way to defeat the Zentraedi is through a song. Now three of them play critical roles: Lyn Minmay, who will be the song's performer and the military forces that Hikaru and Misa are mobilizing. Can there be victory? And who will Hikaru choose?

NOTE: Some of the reviews were written sometime in 2001 and was recorded in the classic Otaku Fridge as ??.??.2001. Unfortunately the database would not accept non-numerical values, so this review is now dated January 01, 2001 by default.

No less grander than the TV series. >>> by firesenshi (??.??.2001)
I have heard that this one isn't really part of the chronology of the original Macross series, along with its later Macross II, Macross 7 and Macross Plus, but was originally based on concept of the Macross series. Yet for for all its worth, this is one of the reasons I love mecha. (Actually this is really not mecha as in giant robots but it is part of that genre and the design of the machinery here are all still called 'mecha design.') If you've seen Robotech/Macross, a dub shown before on your TV, I guarantee that you will still love this one.

Let me start by being in awe of the Valkyries used here. The Macross fortress was drawn in greater detail than I remembered in the series, and the action, where a part of the fortress (a shopping mall) was being attacked, was part of the early scenes I remember very well. Here comes lead character Hikaru Ichijo with his Valkyrie. His entrance was amazing. In fact, you'll never tire of seeing the battle scenes here with the Valkyries. The mecha design is still its signature -- small, easy to navigate and powerful enough to work with a team of other Valkyries.

The characterization best remembered in Macross is still here in this movie. Hikaru Ichijo, the series' focused character, actually became more handsome to me in this movie's art. My favorite character is Misa Hayase, a beautiful lieutenant graduating on top of her class. I love her conflicts with Hikaru. Then there's every guy's favorite, Lyn Minmay, still beautiful and sexy. You don't want to miss her seiyuu's (Mari Ijima) song "Ai Oboeteimasu Ka" (Do You Remember Love) actually being used as a weapon against those aliens. As much as I don't like Minmay and love Misa Hayase instead, the scene where she sings that song along with battle scenes is one fine moment in anime.

Bear in mind that this was done during the 1980s and everything, from the mecha design to the characterization is a breakthrough. I do have one cautionary thing for Lyn Minmay fans... if you love her and want her for Hikaru... gee... let's just say that I, as a Misa Hayase fan, love this movie all the more.

Individual Rating: Art/Animation 10; Story 10; Characters 10; Sounds 10