Basara continues his seemingly impossible quest to awaken
a dormant Sivil with his song. When
Mylene discovers his secret project, the fallout could tear Fire Bomber
apart. When Basara suddenly vanishes on
a journey of self discovery, Mylene and Gamlin pursue, leaving the Macross
without its most important asset against the Aliens. A recruitment drive begins for a backup team
for Sound Force but will it be enough to hold back the Protodevlin until Basara
can be found?
I have surprisingly mixed feelings about this set of
Macross 7 episodes.
It’s Macross 7 so it
still puts way too much stock, storytelling and a borderline sense of zealotry
into the power of Basara, amongst other nonsensical distractions.
But then there are a few moments where the
story picks up just a little bit to keep you going from one episode to the
next.
Maybe it’s because of my more
emotional investment in better characters like Mylene and Gamlin.
It’s hard to say but much like Basara’s
sudden need to go find himself and his reason for singing, I can’t pin down why
I wasn’t totally annoyed with this set.
I guess we can kick off another round of the Basara BS
List with his decision to suddenly just leave the Macross and go find himself
or whatever. Is he totally oblivious to the fact that he is pretty much the
only thing keeping the Macross safe from the Protodevlin?
And yes, I do say that knowing that everyone
says Fire Bomber is their last hope but really everyones talking about
Basara.
Is it because no matter what he
does he couldn’t wake up Sivil?
How
about trying another song besides Submarine Street, you know you know other
songs right?
Why does it have to be that
one?
And what happens if the Protodevlin
do attack again?
Will Basara just come
running or just zone out and keep walking in his mech like he has been
doing?
But then again, this is the
double edged sword of having everyone rely on Basara’s music and Basara alone.
At one point an article even calls him the
“Second Coming of Lynn Minmei”.
Mimmei
may have been a brat and had her flaws at times but she did change as a
character…unlike some other people how have stubbornly remained stagnant for
almost 40 episodes now.
This set of episodes touched on topics I’m surprised the
show had sense to discuss.
The character
of Colonel Barton is meant to be a human antagonist for the series, a guy who
is more gung ho than anyone else we’ve seen under Max’s command.
The problem is: yes he’s a jerk but his
logic…I cant argue with it.
He’s right
to say that Fire Bomber shouldn’t be the sole musical defense group of the
Macross 7 and its fleet.
The need for a
secondary back up team is a good idea.
But there are a bunch of drawbacks such as none of the Jamming Birds
have ever been in combat and are more content to scream than sing whether in a
simulated or real battle.
I also didn’t
like Dr. Chiba asking female applicants about their “measurements”.
He can go on and on about how a good figure
inspires confidence…but the dudes just a freaking pervert.
Anyway, I couldn’t fault Barton’s thinking.
His execution is just wrong.
And just to remind you he’s a bad guy, he
lets the military attack Gigil while he’s holding Mylene hostage, which
perfectly warrants Gamlin punching the asshat rightfully so.
Gigil had a pretty sizable role this week though much of
that role boiled down to his overly obsessed Syvil obsession hitting critical
mass.
Ever since he woke her up forever
ago, Gigil has seen himself as the only person who should be allowed in Sivil’s
life.
That notions been challenged by
Basara’s quest to wake her up, to the point where Gigil pummeled the heck out
of Basara out of jealousy while Basara was singing (cause we all know Basara is
going to die as he lived, playing his guitar).
This actually led to an intense standoff with Mylene as a hostage and a
brawl breaking out over a captured Sivil.
If it weren’t for Gigil straining his voice screaming Sivil’s name, it
could be better.
It’s hard to admit
Gigil might be growing as a character himself now that he’s actually started
singing Basara’s music while severely injured and wandering after a free and
distant Sivil.
Dude, take the hint
already.
She’s just not that into
you.
Also calling it now: Sivil’s gonna
end up with Basara somehow given their…well his music turns her on (again,
ewww).
One upside to Basara going off the reservation means that
we get to explore planet Lux a little bit after being on the planet for several
episodes.
We got to see Valkryies square
off with the wild life and see some more fun moments of genuine goodness with
Mylene and Gamlin’s search for Basara.
Gamlin leaving the military for what he saw as insubordination, even if
it was right for him to punch Batron, is a big deal for him but I’m sure he’ll
have his own combat team again before the finale.
Mylene meanwhile felt guilty for thinking she
drove Basara away but the journey to find him is helping her improve her own
musical talents seen in how she called a massive native Lux monster from a
murderous rage with “Reaching for You” (btw its such a non Fire Bomber sounding
song I’m surprised Basara hasn’t vetoed it cause it’s not rock).
More importantly, Mylene’s little mascot
tribble, Gubaba, got to go on his own little adventure.
I haven’t talked about Gubaba but dammit he’s
the most adorable little thing in Macross and one of the few cute distractions
I tolerate.
His facial expressions,
little meep sounds and how he mirrors/echoes Mylene’s mood and expressions is
very well done and seeing him ride rivers, run from monsters and use his mental
powers to find Basara and then Mylene.
Point is, how does Macross 7 have a bunch of OVAs but none of them are
Gubaba shorts?
I’d watch those.
Macross 7 challenged me to agree with the antagonists and
take it’s Basara developments more seriously.
I accepted and still dislike what I dislike but am still giving props
where possible (hence why again, bookending this reviews with Basara hate
followed later by Mylene/Gamlin love seems to have become the norm).
Really though, I’m just waiting to see the
entire fleet get wiped out now that Basara needs some me time away from the
ship, freaking Prema donna.
But good
news.
Friday we cross over into August
and begin the final stretch of episodes for Macross 7.
Part 8 arrives Friday with Parts 9 and 10
coming Next Monday and Wednesday before we get to Otakon 2025 right here at the
Gundam Anime Corner.
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