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| Reviewer: RPL |
Run Time: 25mins per ep |
Format: Fansub |
Distributor: N/A |
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M A C R O S S Z E R O |
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Welcome to the past of the future. In the spirit of prequel mania, the latest Macross is set some few years before the events of the seminal TV show. However, any worries of dodgy 70's haircuts and huge collars are quickly laid to rest, as Macross Zero is by far the strongest showing, visually, of any of its relatives. This show is quite literally breathtaking, with an array of incredible CGI animation blended seamlessly with traditional cel based techniques to create a sharpness and clarity that even Macross Plus can't equal. Macross Zero is penned in as a 5 part OAV series, and the first episode opens with a stuning CGI dogfight that sees the CGI shown off to full effect. Standard F15 planes are squaring off against enemy planes of similar power, but after an excellent victory the arrival of a new adversary proves too much - the pink fighter slices through the fleet effortlessly, but despite its superior manouverability is caught in the sights of Shin Kudou, an ace and yet somewhat depressed pilot. What he's not prepared for is the sudden transformation of his target, and as he watches awestruck, his craft is destroyed in a hail of bullets. The next thing he knows, he's awoken on a strange island. Its hard to put into words just how good this really is - its slick, fast paced and yet still has time for some interesting characterisations. The inclusion of Roy Focker gives a tenable link to Macross lore, and the famous Skull & Crossbones valkyrie also makes a brief appearence, if only to blow up another craft and perform a highly detailed CGI transformation. At the time of writing, this is the first part available, and as such represents just how far Japanese animation has come in recent years - its incredibly sharp, and the aerial combat scenes put many live action films to shame. Ordinarily I'd describe the problems with the anime around here, but there really aren't any to speak of - the music is nice, the animation top-notch, the storyline inventive and interesting, the direction stunning in places and the character designs are all pretty cool too - in short its pretty flawless. Obviously if mecha isn't your thing then you may find there are other things you'd rather be watching, but for those of us drawn into Macross through the adult-centred storytelling of Macross Plus. its exactly what we've been waiting for. 9/10 - of its genre, its practically flawless - it'd get a 10 if it were longer than 25 minutes... Since this review was written, part 2 has become available, and if anything is even better - more mech, more incredible CGI and the story sees to be moving somewhere interesting... Oh, and alien sex too ^_^ Back to Menu |
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| For more romantic space adventure... |  |
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Gonzo's Vandred takes the genre of space rom-com in a bizarre new direction,
pitting both sexes against each other with the aid of giant CGI mecha!Read the Review |
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