Short Synopsis: Ranka and Brera arrive at the home planet of the Vajra.
Highlights: Well, finally it seems that the love-triangle is over.
Overall Enjoyment Value: 7,5/10
Okay, so this episode was meant to spice up the upcoming finale a bit. It was a it of a mixed bag, like usual with this series. There were some things I liked:
– Sheryl’s little bits of screen-time
– Some more exposition about the nature of the Vajra and Ranka’s background. The creators actually remembered that huge space-craft of ten episodes ago and explained what it was about. As it turns out, Grace once lived together with Ranka and her mother, and they lived happily together with the Vajra.
– A few scenes here and there about the casualties that the recent Vajra outburst caused.
There were also some things I didn’t like. Most importantly Ranka, getting captured by the Vajra like the damsel in distress that she is. Really, I want to like her, and her character isn’t badly written at all. It’s just the way that the creators use her that bugs me like no other. Especially since now it seems pretty much clear that she’ll end up together with Alto. Okay, Alto said that he’d rather kill Ranka than let the Vajra use her for destruction, but I really doubt whether the creators have the GUTS to kill her off.
There’s also this bit about Brera, being Ranka’s brother, which has been delayed way too much in my opinion. It was pretty obvious that the two were siblings more than thirteen episodes ago, and only now the creators decide to reveal it to the characters. This should have been clear much earlier, to allow for some development between the two. To think that even Brera didn’t know.
Please, Ranka. There are two episodes left. Please do something in that finale other than predictably provide a Deus ex Machina ending. Kick Grace in the ass, make the Vajra kill Leon, anything as long as you don’t end up being some god-moded damsel in distress!
Poor Sheryl T_T
Don’t worry, Sheryl, you still have me!
Well if that is the case I suppose Alto-hime killing Ranka is the best way to show just how much he loves her. Personally if I think by putting duty and fleet before Ranka means that hime’s love for Ranka is rather shallow, at first he was just going to bring her back, now he’s willing to kill her. Strange way to show one’s love… Sheryl still has a shot since there were enough Misa vibes during their short time of bliss. If Ranka comes back in the last 5 minutes she will be long remembered as the winner of the triangle through a huge ass pull to wreck what could have been a happy home, unless they cut out a ton of action in the next two eps. Personally I don’t think they have built up enough to justify a Ranka end at this point. I am less disappointed in her this time but come on she can’t be a damsel in distress de jour until the very end.
Glad to see that Sheryl isn’t falling to pieces over this. I don’t think that it will be a Ranka end since with two eps left to go there just isn’t enough time for such a shift to be done in a worthwhile manner. It’s sad that Ranka is still the damsel in distress even now next time it’s just going to be a big battle until the end so much for Ranka’s resolve…
Grace was just awesome she pwned Brera good. I cannot wait to see what happens to Ranka when Grace starts using Brera-nii as a puppet.
mmpph, i still believe alto will end up with sheryl, dont think he has a phedophile complex :S
Usually, couples don’t start by ‘I’m going to kill her’ – even Millia and Max had some sexual tension before their fight in the park. And this is Macross – they’ve nuked Earth already, have no fear of killing main characters (Mikhail), and tend to buck the trend when it comes to love triangles; see Macross Zero and Plus for how they’re willing to end with death or even ‘nobody’ per Macross 7 the series.
As for Grace being in a business suit, she’s in cyberspace – where she’s ALWAYS in her business suit. Look at earlier episodes where she’s been jacked in, and you’ll see that’s how she draws her avatar.
Am I going to get another “You were right Westlo” mention in episode 25? XD
Well… it doesn’t come to me as a surprise that this series has degenerated to this level of suckage. Ending up with Ranka is so predictable as she was always given more screen time compared to Sheryl. But i thought maybe just maybe one of the story writers from macross has some sense and would like to do the unexpected. In my opinion Sheryl seems a lot more suited for Alto then Ranka (she looks like a 12 yr old kid for goodness sake). Anyways this series will be remembered as a big disappointment (for me at least). When this first came out i instantly fell in love with the gorgeous detail in the animation and character design but i guess u learn from ur mistakes. The story never really managed to grab my attention from the start to finish. Overall rating 5/10 and that 5 would be for cool animations. I dunno if ill even continue watching this series.
FFS can people wait until they get the dialogue translated before they jump to conclusions. Alto is willing to kill Ranka to protect Frontier, willing to kill someone he had feelings for, joined SMS for, wanted to protect. It’s all about the past vs the present.
Also look at Sheryl’s comments about pity to Luca and how she would take advantage of that kindness, look at how she was with Alto at the start and than she hears PART of a conversation and her fears about Alto being with her out of pity are confirmed to her. It’s just a misunderstanding like Ranka’s in episode 19/20 but her actions afterwards once again show how she’s the superior character to Ranka.
Also for most serious triangles it’s common for the lead to have feelings for both ladies which explains why he’s so moronically indecisive in the first place. And it’s not like fans of the winning girls out of KGNE, True Tears and even the original Macross back in the day weren’t raging near the end when it looked like they were finished in the love triangle.
hawkeye: it’s indeed a bit too early to jump to conclusions, especially at this stage of the anime. I based my predictions about the love triangle not on the reactions of the different characters, but rather the huge amounts of hints that the creators kept dropping in their storytelling. So yes, if they’re smart (which I really hope is the case), these predictions will be totally wrong and Westlo is going to get his “you were right” in the end. 😛
For now, I’ll remain sceptical, though.
I agree with Westlo for the most part. It’s too soon to come to any conclusions about the triangle. The writers are just messin’ with our heads. How many times have we been mislead? Way too many times. But its all in fun, it keeps everyone guessing.
At times I want to rage about what is going on and how it would suck if Sheryl doesn’t get a happy ending, her life’s been manipulated by Grace so much, I’d punch the writers in the head if they screw this up! lol
I, personally, loved the anime, even though it made me mad when Sheryl got time alone with Alto. I am a Ranka fan, but I will not judge either of them. I think that Alto meant that he “cares for Ranka” and that he is willing to kill her for frontier and to save her…if that is what it takes. There might be a cure for Sheryl’s virus, but I believe that Sheryl is a strong character and that she will move on and know that Alto does not Love her, she’s stronger than Ranka and will move on forward with her head held high and sing till she dies because that was her desire all along. Not to impress Alto, but for herself and fans. It is hinted that Ranka was confused about her singing and that she wasn’t singing to herself nor did she want people to hear her, but to impress Alto and sing for him. Thus, the first episodes when she use to sing for herself and Alto while sheryl’s singing was for her and fans…not just for alto ( till the end of course that changed) just like alto entered SMS, not for flying, but to protect ranka. I don’t think Ranka will save herself because she is a weak character (but I still like her) and Alto would maybe (maybe not ) rescue her…if they kill her…you know that maybe later on Sheryl will die too. Or even Alto with Brera. In the end, I believe Ranka will end up with Alto (dead or alive) it’s not like Ranka will die and he will run immediately to Sheryl. It doesn’t matter…the creators can’t change that because in an interview they said that once the triangle was over with, the relationship of the two would blast from there…so there is no time to change his mind and go to Sheryl while he is saving Ranka.
There is no way that bastard is going to be able to shoot a missile to where Ranka is. Watch that idiot get pwned by his ‘love’ for Ranka puppy. He’ll bend hahaha I admire the faith of some sheryl fans here, if I were as hardcore as them i would’ve dropped this show already. Everything’s pretty much over now. I heard Yuuichi Nakamura said something about the conclusion of the LT being a WTF. It fits.
Good episode. I have only one comment. The scene on the rooftop of the hospital.
GG Subs and other people says that the translation from Klan is, “Alto, Is that your love?”. People have been spinning that to mean all sorts of things. I was discussing it on IRC and GP says that just like Sheryl misunderstood the comment from hearing only part of the conversation, the audience is also meant to misunderstand the wording.
I’m 99% convinced that wording implies a different meaning.
“Alto, Is that your desire?” meaning “Alto, Are you sure you want to do that?”
This is in response to Alto saying he is willing to kill Ranka to protect Frontier and the people and there should be the subtext of also believe Sheryl.
I have stood up for Ranka quite a bit over the series so don’t jump my throat for saying the above. I’m not taking sides. The conversation simply makes much more sense in that way.
In addition I believe that the reasoning he gave up on the roof, while rather hard to decipher meant to me the following: His dream has always been to fly. Protecting Ranka and hence joining SMS gave him a real life reason that wasn’t his own desire to actually get into a cockpit. He was rationalizing his own desires by masking them with the perceived want to protect Ranka.
Ok that’s it.
Kilroy0097: I do not think that the sentence can be translated that way. The Japanese word “ai” doesn’t really include that aspect of the English word “desire” you’re talking about. Kuran was quite certainly talking about love.
I still wont give up about Alto ending up with Sheryl.Maybe im just in denial, but she deserves him more! (imho at least =\)
I want sheryl and alto to end up together, because sheryl is a better match for alto, since if he ends up with ranka, he will live a life of only saving her cuz she is useless and ridiculous, she can’t do anything on her own and always needs someone, besides she really thinks that she is the only victim that no one suffers beside her.
as you can see I’m a Ranka HATER! beacuse she is just the typical cute girl (honestly i don’t think she is cute cuz she looks like a dog, i hate dogs) who needs to be saved from everything (damsel in distress).
Sheryl is strong, even if she falls she finds a way to stand up again, she is beautifull and smart and she really loves alto. more than anything she is everything that Ranka isn’t.
I kinda lost interest in this after Episode 15. I’m not sure why. Guess I’ll catch up when it’s done and after I read the summary review from here. xD
Maybe I just want Gundam 00 season 2 to start. o_o;