Macross: Do You Remember Love? - The 1984 animated film

November 29, 2020

Macross - The movie (in the original Japanese: 超時空要塞マクロス愛・おぼえていますか Chō Jikū Yōsai Makurosu: Ai Oboete Imasu ka). Also known in the English version by the title Macross: Do You Remember Love? is a 1984 Japanese animated (anime) film based on the Macross television series.

The film is a film adaptation of the original Macross series, with a new animation. The film's plot doesn't fit directly into Macross's timeline. The film was originally a retelling of the story in an alternate universe, but was later established as part of the Macross universe.

Within the Macross universe is a popular film (i.e. a film within a television series), a fact shown in Macross 7. However, new Macross productions such as Macross Frontier have used elements of both the first TV series and this one. movie.

In the Macross tradition, it features transforming mechas, pop music, and a love triangle. The film gets its name from its romantic themes and also from the song. This is sung during her climax battle sequence by Lynn Minmay (voiced by Mari Iijima). In Macross Frontier, a later series in the Macross universe, the first episodes use revived key scenes from this film and Flash Back 2012 to give viewers glimpses of past events.

History

The film begins in medias res with the SDF-1 Macross space fortress trying to evade Zentradi on the edge of the Solar System. Macross is home to an entire city with tens of thousands of civilians who have fled the Earth. This is after performing a space fold on the first day of the Earth / Zentradi war, taking the South Ataria island city section with it.

During the latest assault, Valkyrie pilot Hikaru Ichijyo rescues pop idol Lynn Minmay, but they are both trapped in a section of the fortress for days. Even after their eventual rescue, this fateful meeting leads to a relationship between the singer and her number one fan.

The Zentradi, meanwhile, discover the debilitating and disruptive effect that human music has on base troops. Their supreme leader, Gorg Boddole Zer, suspects that human culture is deeply tied to an ancient music box it has kept with it for eons.

Then, the Zentradi find an opportunity to further examine the humans when Hikaru borrows a Valkyrie training unit without permission and sends Minmay flying through Saturn's rings. The Zentradi capture Hikaru and Minmay, along with Lt. Misa Hayase, Minmay's cousin / manager Lynn Kaifun, and Hikaru's superior Roy Föcker in the ensuing chaos.

On board Britai Kridanik's ship, humans are questioned about their culture. This happens when a squadron of Meltrandi, led by Milia 639, invades the ship, giving humans a chance to escape. Hikaru and Misa flee the ship, but Föcker is killed. Minmay and Kaifun remain aboard, while the two officers are captured in a space fold.

Coming out of the fold, Hikaru and Misa arrive on a desolate world that turns out to be Earth, as the entire population was wiped out by a previous Zentradi attack. As the two officers roam the remains of the planet, they get closer.

They also discover an ancient city of Protoculture, where the mysterious origins of the alien giants are revealed. In town, Misa discovers an artifact that contains the lyrics of an ancient song.

Many days later, Macross arrives on Earth. Just as Hikaru and Misa are telling their story to Captain Bruno J. Global, the fortress is attacked by a Meltrandi fleet.

During the battle, ace pilot Maximilian Jenius defeats Millia aboard the Meltrandi's main ship, which destroys the Macross's main guns with one hit. The Meltrandis are forced to retreat when the Zentradi arrive, with Minmay's singing voice as their weapon.

Captain Global announces a truce and a military pact between the Macross and the Zentradi. Hikaru and Minmay reunite, but Minmay realizes that he is now with Misa. Meanwhile, Misa works on the translation of the ancient song to be used as a cultural weapon, as requested by Boddole Zer.

However, when the Meltrandis return to attack, Boddole Zer loses his temper and his capital ship recklessly wipes out half of both factions' fleets.

Once again, Macross finds itself in the midst of a brutal war. Hikaru convinces Minmay to perform the translated song. As the Macross flies across the battlefield, Minmay's song causes a union with Britai's fleet and the Meltrandi against Boddole Zer.

After the Macross breaks into Boddole Zer's ship, Hikaru flies his Valkyrie into the supreme commander's chamber and destroys it with his entire arsenal.

After Boddole Zer's ship is destroyed, Macross Bridge Officer Claudia LaSalle asks why the song caused such a twist to the war. Misa explains that it is a simple love song.

The film ends with a Minmay concert in front of the reconstructed Macross.

Production

Shoji Kawamori, Kazutaka Miyatake and Haruhiko Mikimoto worked on the mecha and character design for the film. Narumi Kakinouchi, one of the creators of Vampire Princess Miyu, was the assistant director of animation for this film.

During one of the action scenes towards the end of the film, Hikaru fires a volley of missiles as he heads towards Boddole Zer. As a joke among the animators, two of the missiles are designed to look like cans of Budweiser and Tako Hai (a drink that literally translates as "Octopus Highball"). The animated film was made with a budget of 400 million yen.

Technical data

Original title The Super Dimension Fortress Macross Do you remember love
Chō Jikū Yōsai Makurosu: Ai Oboete Imasu ka
Original language Japanese
Country of Production Japan
Year 1984
Duration 115 min
145 mins (Perfect Edition)
Gender animation, science fiction
Regia Noboru Ishiguro, Shoji Kawamori
Subject Shoji Kawamori
Film script Sukehiro Tomita
Production house Studio Nue, Artland, Tatsunoko Production, Shogakukan
Music Yasunori Honda