Episode Notes
- Booby Trap
Production Number: 1
Script: Ken-ichi Matsuzaki
Storyboard: Noboru Ishiguro
Character Design: Haruhiko Mikimoto
Mechanical Design: Ichiroh Itano
The first two episodes of Macross were combined and premiered (in the Kanto area) on the same day under the title Macross Special, complete with an ending credits sequence of Hikaru's sunset-lit fan racer that was never used again. Exsedol refers a ship that landed "two terms ago," the first and only use of this Zentradi unit of time. By inferrence, the Macross Guidebook concludes that a term is approximately five years. If you ever wondered what a "nue" of Studio Nue (the co-creators of Macross) looks like, one of the buildings that Hikaru's Valkyrie destroys has an artist's depiction of this mythical creature.
- Countdown
After dealing with the first wave of fighter pods, Major Focker radioes "Skull Leader to Gunsight 1" (erroneously written as "Gunside" in early scripts). Gunsight, besides being the tactical codename for the bridge of the SDF-1 Macross, just also happens to be the fanzine title of the Gundam fan club that Shouji Kawamori, Haruhiko Mikimoto, and Hiroshi Ohnogi (Member #1, #2, and #3) founded while at Keio University.
- Space Fold
The original script called for Misa to report that ARMD 1 and two destroyers were destroyed, but during the actual audio recording, the line "ARMD 01, the Miranda, and the Akishima," was inserted. The second ending animation sequence which featured Lynn Minmay's album was first broadcast with this episode. Kawamori and Mikimoto provided the Artland-filmed artwork by shooting photos all around Tokyo's Harajuku and Shinjuku as a backdrop to Mikimoto's sketches.
- Lynn Minmay
The song that Minmay hums while showering will not be found on an Macross audio collection -- but can be found as "Marin" on Rosé, Mari Iijima's debut solo album. By contrast, the first song Minmay ever sings (while she and Hikaru are resting for the "night") is "Cinderella" -- also written and composed by Mari Iijima herself. In fact, this is the song that won Mari Iijima her casting audition in a real-life parallel (for she was the only Minmay candidate that not only sang but wrote her own song).
- Transformation
Minmay hums an original Iijima song again in the beginning of the episode. The very first Romanization of Minmay's name ever seen in anime is actually "MINMEI," as written on her pink bunny door sign. Less than a minute later however, we see the first of the "Minmay" Romanization that will remain prevalent over the rest of the series.
- Daedalus Attack
According to Macross Perfect Memory, there were originaly only two HWR-00-Mk. II Destroid Monsters onboard the Macross. However, there were also enough parts in the Macross onboard factory for a third one.
- Bye-Bye Mars
A quick glance at Minmay's birthday party invitation reveals an October 10 date, which outside source materials confirm as her birthday. With the Miss Macross emcee's comment two episodes later ("[She] celebrated her 16th birthday last week"), this pinpoints Minmay's birthdate to 1993 October 10. (Note: October 10 is Physical Education Day, a national holiday in Japan. Also, this may be pure coincidence or a rather vengeful twist of scheduling, but production planning called for Hikaru and Misa to marry on 2012 October 10 -- Minmay's 19th birthday.)
- Longest Birthday
- Miss Macross
MBS isn't just an acronym for Macross Broadcast System, but also one for Mainichi Broadcast System (Mainichi Houzou) -- the network that originally broadcasted the Macross TV series. The grand prize "Fanlinear" (sic) is described as being designed by one "Ikki Takemi" -- a kanji/phonetic anagram of the real-life Macross mecha designer, Kazutaka Miyatake. The second (and apparently final) instance of the Romanization MINMEI in the original TV series appears on her hankerchief that she asks Jamis to sign. Once again, it appears on an item of personal effect, whereas the MINMAY spelling appears on items related to her celebrity-conscious rise to stardom. Her aunt had used a stage name during her own childhood modelling and singing career. Although unnamed in the actual episode, the three Zentradi were credited in their first appearance; when their names are combined together and said quickly, the result is "Wareraroriikonda" or "Warera Lolicon da" ("We're pedophiles"). There is good reason for Misa chewing out Hikaru; not only was he launching without his unmmanned Ghost fighter support, but in his angry huff, he was took out an Armored Valkyrie that was designed for ground combat (not exactly ideal for space scouting missions).
- The Blind Game
Another staff member, music director Kentaroh Haneda, makes a cameo as Minmay's music teacher, "Kent Flyer" (a word play on his name). He even voices the character. Note the "Entrprise" (sic) onscreen reference, the first of several Star Trek references by Studio Nue, who are avowed science fiction fans.
PH TORP HIT ON ENTRPRISE
AT 8-31
COMPUTER DAMAGED 09
YEARS TO REPAIR
QUADRANT 3-4 SECTOR
1 YEARS
2 STARDATE
3 [CONDITION]
K = K 4 SHIELD
5 ENERGY
6
= = 7 AVAIL
E = 8 PH TORP
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 KLINGONS
BASES
KLINGON AT 4-7
217 UNIT HIT ON ENTERPRISE
COMMAND?-
- First Contact
The Zentradi video screens contains some of the first instances of written Zentradi -- even though it was not an actual language at the time, but simply Japanese or English words written in code. Anyone with a copy of the Macross Guidebook, the Macross Dictionary, or the rare Macross Stamp Kit can "decode" the hidden references in the alien text.
- The Big Escape
- Blue Wind
- Global Report
- China Town
Notice the painted radio call sign and the extra passenger in one of the Valkyries escorting Captain Global's plane. Minmay's manager is supposed to be modeled after Haruhiko Mikimoto. If Minmay is telling the truth, the city of Yokohama opened the New Marine Tower, the world's tallest, in 1993. So far, no one has spotted a 900-meter-tall tower here ....
- Kung-Fu Dandy
- Phantasm
- Pineapple Salad
Believe it or not, the nurse has a name: Haruka Mizuhara.
- Burst Point
"He's Catholic!" - John Wang
- Paradise Lost
- Micro-Cosmos
The director of "Shao Pai Loon" (sic) if seems familiar, there is a reason. "Shou Blackstone" is modeled after Macross chief director Noboru Ishiguro; in fact, Ishiguro lended his (credited) voice to his fictional counterpart.
- Love Concert
- Dropout
- Good-Bye Girl
Captain Global refers to the Super Valkyrie as the "Booby Duck," the first and only use of the UN Spacy code name. While camera pans inside the game center, it pauses on a fellow with black sideburns at a driving simulation game . On the video game screen, a minature yellow sedan with a black-hatted marksman weaves and swerves in traffic. Chris Meadows points the uncanny resemblance to Lupin and Jigen of Lupin III fame.
- Virgin Road
- The Messenger
Notice the Macross Cinema billboard that causes Exsedol has a virtual cardiac arrest; the mothers of the Macross creators would have a cardiac, too. It seems that by 2010, "N. Ishiguro," "H. Mikimoto," "S. Kawamori," and "I. Itano" will be making risque flicks.
- Love Goes Away
There are so many references and visual gags to list, but watch for references to Mari I[i]jima; rare cameos by a radome-equipped Valkyrie, more Armored Valkyries and Destroid variations; the first appearance of tactical anti-ship reaction missiles (indicated by the distinctive red triangular reaction symbol); and a certain transdimensional mecha referred to only as the "Orguss Valkyrie." For future reference, note the three-person crew seen deploying a Destroid Monster into position.
- My Album
- Lonely Song
- Viva Maria
The episode title refers not to Milia, but to her daughter's middle name, Maria. Hiroyuki Hironaga notes that the "ko" in Komilia Maria Fallyna Jenius could refer to the Japanese kanji character "child" that is often used on the end of Japanese female personal names.
- Satan's Dolls
Does the new bridge operator seem familiar? Ken-ichi Machizaki bears more than a passing resemblance to Macross series script developer Ken-ichi Matsuzaki (although his voice was Shigeru Nakahara).
- Broken Heart
- Rainy Night
- Private Time
- Romanesque
Among the toys that the three Zentradis peddle are homages to Godzilla, Mighty Atom and Tetsujin 28.
- Fly High
On how the decision was made to give "Yasashisa Sayonara" the English title "Fly High," I refuse to speculate. "Yasashisa Sayonara" roughly translates as "Tenderness, Farewell." The "Orguss Valkyrie" makes its final cameo before its cousin the Orgoid makes its debut in a few weeks on The Super Dimension Century Orguss. For the final closing theme of Macross (until now sung by Makoto Fujihara), Mari Iijima sings her own version of Runner.
Go to Main Title Page | Endnotes | Last Revised on: 1998 June 02
Copyright © 1994-98 Big West & licensees/Egan Loo. All rights reserved.
Egan Loo <eganloo@anime.net>
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