Nothing exciting happened in this episode, but it’s a vital one for the love-triangle between Alto, Sheryl and Ranka. With this, I don’t think there’s much chance of Ranka and Alto getting back together, now that the guy just stood up on her and went to fool around with Sheryl. Especially since the creators have been “subtly” hinting that Sterne will get involved with her somehow. I’ll eat my hat if that fluffy animal won’t make the two of them hook up in one way or another.
The rest of the episode was filled with the usual stuff, including lots and lots of fanservice (I knew that it was only a matter of time before the creators decided to stuff Sheryl into a school swimsuit…). Still, I’m surprised at how sneaky Sheryl turned out to be. At first I thought that she’d just let Ranka do with Alto as she pleased, but this episode made very clear that she’s trying to keep Alto away from Ranka. That’s what you get when you start dating a pop idol who’s used to get what she wants. ^^;
I also liked the small bit of politics that was introduced in this episode, with the 33rd fleet and all. It’s good to know a bit more about the Macross universe, especially since I haven’t seen the other series yet. At the same time, Alto also got some more background. So while it was a bit of a boring episode, it certainly wasn’t a waste.
I wouldn’t say Sheryl was sneaky. She didn’t know that Ranka was supposed to meet Alto. Sheryl offered him a gift that she knew would make him happy.
Alto and Sheryl pairing is still not a sure thing especially since Alto hasn’t shown any interest in either one of them. Any ‘twist’ can happen later in the show. The only reason he chose to go with Sheryl was because she gave him a chance to fly in the ‘endless sky’.
I don’t believe that there will be a Ranka and Sterne pairing. So far the show seems to hint that Sterne is Ranka’s real brother.
After your predictions for True Tears (Shin/Noe and Hiromi/Jun) and Kimikiss Pure Rogue (Mao = 3rd wheel with no chance) I’m now quite a bit worried about my SS SherylxAlto….
Anyway I think this episode showed that Sheryl knows Alto a lot better than Ranka does and their choice of presents show that. Ranka who 99% of the time talks about herself to Alto wanted to give him a ticket to her concert. Sheryl otoh knows Alto loves flying and wanted to fly in a real sky because she actually asks him stuff about himself.
Sheryl and Alto aren’t exactly in a relationship, I bet Ranka and Alto will be the first relationship (surely they won’t drag out the “poor Ranka is the underdog” for 9 more episodes…) of the series which causes Sheryl to re access what Alto is to her. Episodes 5-11 (and more than likely 12) have given them an great base to build off later on.
Actually, Sheryl was encouraging Ranka to get a gift for Alto. I’m not even entirely sure that Sheryl knows that Ranka is interested in being more than just Alto’s friend.
I don’t think Alto went with Sheryl because of an attraction to her. Rather, he went with Sheryl to prove to his “Nii-chan” and his father that he IS a pilot, and not an actor.
I’m not 100% sure yet if we’ll have a Sheryl/Alto ending or a Ranka/Alto ending, but I’m not going to call this episode a coup for Sheryl either. Alto’s reasons for going with her were family quarrel-related, not hot choosing-one-hot-chick-over-another related. At the very least, he sent Mikael over to apologize, which makes me think he’s at least thinking of Ranka and sincerely grateful for her thoughts.
I also think Sheryl knows Ranka is in love with Alto, but she’s torn over how to treat it: Encourage Ranka to follow her dreams, come out of her Shell, and go after anything she desires, be it a singing career or a boy, or follow after her own attraction to Alto.
He went with Sheryl because he has always wanted to fly under a real sky. Remember their talk in episode 6 about Galaxy and Frontier and how Alto doesn’t like Frontier because the sky isn’t real. Also remember his comment in the first episode that the sky is too low.
Alto was in full I’m not going to care what she gives me mode because she’ll probably be fucking with me and when he heard what the present was his tough exterior cracked. He was very enthusiastic at the end of the episode as well.
The flash back in Alto’s memory has the image of a woman. May be his desire to become a pilot has something to do with his mother?
@Jobrill: Both in episode ten and this one, Sheryl talked about Alto supporting Ranka, rather than talking about romance the way Nanase or Michael would. Sheryl made some initial inquiries back in episode five, and finding nothing, probably just went along with the nii-san vibe that Alto gives with Ranka. The acid test will be to see what sort of reaction Sheryl will give if she sees Alto and Ranka in some sort of romantic situation.
Fool around? It’s more that Sheryl bribed him with the one thing she knew he couldn’t resist, from his comments regarding city ships to her in Episode 5: offer him a chance to fly in a real sky, and he’ll happily murder Mikhail and Luca to get it, much less see his ailing father or even Ranka… assuming he’d gotten the message and was just an idiot, rather than an asshole who deliberately left her stranded.
Personally, I’m wondering if the guy in the preview is the antagonist from two games and one series… that familiar, smiling purple-faced bastard who can never die, despite being shot point-blank with a Macross cannon.
He clearly got the message Haesslich since he sent Michael to see her.
“The acid test will be to see what sort of reaction Sheryl will give if she sees Alto and Ranka in some sort of romantic situation.”
Yes this is the acid test and this is needed for Sheryl and Alto to ever get out of this “tsundere” relationship they are currently in. Episode 13 is the key here…
Boring? I think this ep is the only real cliff hanger at the end, well, not so much for you since you have watch the other series, but when the end show the Macross, I was like “no way”, more stuff from the pervious series.
I hate Ranka! to me she is just the typical cute girl (she looks like a dog, and with amazing luck)who is always asking others what to do, without any strengt to stand up ALONE, and sheryl has a lot more of personality, she is not only cute, but also knows how to keep going by herself, she doesn’t need to be rescue she handles her own fate.