The appeal and reviews of the movie version of "Macross Plus": A must-see masterpiece for anime fans

"Macross Plus Movie Edition": A fusion of futuristic battlefields and music

■ Public Media

theater

■ Original Media

Anime Original

■ Release date

October 7, 1995 - January 1, 0000

■Distribution company

Shochiku

■ Eirin Number

114603

■Frequencies

115 min

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 1

■Original Story

Studio Nue, Shoji Kawamori

■ Director

・General Director: Masaharu Kawamori ・Director: Shinichiro Watanabe

■ Production

Produced by Bandai Visual, Big West, Hero, Mainichi Broadcasting System, Shogakukan Animation by Triangle Staff

■Works

©1995 Big West/Macross Production Committee

■ Story

In the year 2040, the final selection test for the next generation of main fighter planes was being held on Eden, the first planet where humans immigrated. Isamu Dyson and Gard Gore Bowman were selected as test pilots, and each piloted a fighter plane made by two competing manufacturers. The two were childhood friends, but had a history of parting ways due to a certain incident. Meanwhile, Myung Fan Loong, producer of the popular virtual idol "Sharon Apple," was heartbroken by the animosity between the two childhood friends.

■Explanation

This theatrical film was produced by re-editing the OVA "Macross Plus," a sequel to the "Space-Time Fortress Macross" series, and adding new footage. Some of the story has been changed. It was shown at the same time as "Macross 7: The Galaxy is Calling Me!" at the "Macross Festival '95."

■Cast

Isamu Dyson/Takumi Yamazaki/Gard Gore Bowman/Unsho Ishizuka/Myung Phan Loon/Rika Fukami

■ Main staff

・Planning / Yoshimasa Onishi, Takashi Mogi, Hirohiko Sueyoshi, Tatsuo Miyata, Isamu Asami ・Original work / Studio Nue, Shoji Kawamori ・General director / Shoji Kawamori ・Director / Shinichiro Watanabe ・Screenplay / Keiko Nobumoto ・Mechanical design / Shoji Kawamori ・Original character design / Masayuki ・Setting and mechanical setting / Kazutaka Miyatake, Shoji Kawamori ・Special effects director / Ichiro Itano ・Concert scene animation / Koji Morimoto ・Art director / Katsufumi Hariu ・Director of photography / Takashi Yasutsuhata ・Sound director / Masafumi Mima ・Sound effects / Kenji Shibasaki ・Color setting / Kayoko Nishi ・Editing / Shuichi Kakesu ・Setting / Kimiyoshi Tanaka, Yoshinori Sayama ・Digital graphic design / Yoshinori Sayama ・Computer graphics / LINKS Corporation
CG production cooperation: Build Up; Production: Triangle Staff; Music: Yoko Kanno; Music Supervision: Hajime Mizoguchi; Producers: Kaori Onishi, Minoru Takanashi, Yoshio Tsuda, Ryo Iguchi, Hirotake Kanda; Production and copyright: Bandai Visual, Big West, Hero, Mainichi Broadcasting System, Shogakukan


・OP01
・VOICES
・Singer: Akino Arai ・Lyrics: Wakako Kaku ・Composition and Arrangement: Yoko Kanno

■ Main Characters

Isamu Dyson is a pilot with the rank of lieutenant in the Joint Forces. He is in charge of test piloting the YF-19, a new variable fighter jet manufactured by Industries. Although he is a top-notch pilot, he is a troublemaker with a free-spirited personality and repeatedly violates military regulations. He is childhood friends with Gard and Myun.


Gard Gore Bowman is the head of development at General Galaxy. He also serves as a test pilot. He is in charge of the new variable fighter YF-21. He is half Zentraedi and half human. He is in a rival relationship with Isamu.


Myung-Fan Loan: A white woman of Chinese descent who is a childhood friend of Isamu and Gard. She had wanted to be a singer since she was young, but she gave up and became Sharon Apple's producer.

■ Main robot items

・YF-19
A new variable-speed fighter that competes with the YF-21 for the position of next-generation fighter. Manufactured by Industries.


・YF-21
A new fighter jet manufactured by General Galaxy, powered by a brainwave control system.

■ Related works

・TV series "Space-Time Fortress Macross"
・OVA "Macross Plus"

■ Theme songs and music

・OP01
・VOICES
・Singer: Akino Arai ・Lyrics: Wakako Kaku ・Composition and Arrangement: Yoko Kanno

The appeal and evaluation of "Macross Plus Movie Edition"

"Macross Plus Movie Edition" is a theatrical version of the "Macross" series released in 1995, re-editing the OVA "Macross Plus" with new scenes added. The film skillfully depicts the theme of the fusion of a future battlefield and music, and has received extremely high praise for its visual and audio quality.

Story and Characters

The story is set on the immigrant planet Eden in the year 2040 and depicts the drama surrounding the selection test of the next generation of main fighter planes. The protagonists, Isamu Dyson and Gard Gore Bowman, are childhood friends, but are at odds due to a past incident. Myung Fan Loong, who is torn between them, works as a producer for the virtual idol "Sharon Apple" and hopes for the two to reconcile.

Isamu is a troublemaker with a free-spirited personality who repeatedly breaks military regulations, but he also has the talent to be a top-notch pilot. Meanwhile, Gard is half Zentradi and half Earthling, and serves as the chief developer and test pilot for the new fighter plane, the YF-21. Myun gave up her dream of becoming a singer and has become successful as a producer for Sharon Apple, but is heartbroken by the conflict between the two childhood friends.

Mechanics and fighting scenes

One of the highlights of this film is the design and battle scenes of two new variable-speed fighters, the YF-19 and the YF-21. The YF-19 is manufactured by Industries, and the YF-21 is manufactured by General Galaxy, and reflects the technology and ideas of each manufacturer. The YF-21 in particular uses a brainwave control system, and is characterized by its futuristic design and movements.

The battle scenes are highlighted by the dynamic direction of special effects director Ichiro Itano. The high-speed movements of the fighter planes, the explosion effects, and the tense expressions of the pilots are depicted realistically, creating a visual impact. Build Up also participated in the CG production, allowing viewers to enjoy the beauty of the images, which made full use of the latest technology at the time.

Music and Sound

The music was composed by Yoko Kanno, whose unique sensibility permeates the entire work. In particular, the opening theme "VOICES" is a perfect match between Akino Arai's singing voice, Wakako Kaku's lyrics, and Yoko Kanno's composition and arrangement, making it a song that symbolizes the theme of the work. In addition, in the Sharon Apple concert scene, Koji Morimoto's animation works in unison with the music to enhance the visual appeal.

The sound design by sound director Masafumi Mima and sound effects specialist Kenji Shibasaki is also not to be missed. From the powerful sound effects in the battle scenes to the subtle sounds that express the emotions of the characters, attention to detail is apparent. The combination of these elements makes this a work that can be enjoyed both visually and aurally.

Evaluation and impact

"Macross Plus Movie Edition" re-edited the OVA version and added new scenes to create a more compact and dynamic storyline. The fusion of visual beauty and music made a strong impression on viewers at the time, and created many fans. In addition, the quality of the mechanical design and battle scenes had a major influence on the later "Macross" series and other robot anime.

This work is a culmination of Shoji Kawamori's talent as general director and Yoko Kanno's musical talent, and delves deeply into the theme of the fusion of music and the future battlefield. It is a work that is excellent both visually and aurally, and is highly recommended not only for fans but for anime lovers in general.

Recommendations and Related Information

For those who enjoyed "Macross Plus Movie Edition," we also recommend the following titles:

Related Titles

・TV series "Space-Time Fortress Macross"
This work is the origin of the Macross series, and the first to depict the theme of combining a futuristic battlefield with music. The battle scenes and character drama are the basis of this work.

・OVA "Macross Plus"
This is the original OVA series that "Macross Plus Movie Edition" is based on. It contains more detailed stories and character backgrounds, so you can enjoy it while comparing it with the movie version.

Recommended Works

・Macross F
One of the latest titles in the Macross series, this game takes the fusion of music and combat to the next level, with new characters and mechanics that make it a visual and aural treat.

・"Evangelion: New Theatrical Edition"
This work pursues new possibilities for robot anime, and the quality of the battle scenes and the use of music share some commonalities with "Macross Plus Movie Edition." It is characterized by deep themes and beautiful visuals.

Other Information

"Macross Plus Movie Edition" was shown alongside "Macross 7: The Galaxy is Calling Me!" at the "Macross Festival '95" in 1995. This event was a special occasion for fans of the "Macross" series, and many fans gathered at the event.

The music for this film has also been released on CD, allowing fans to fully enjoy Yoko Kanno's talent. In particular, "VOICES" is loved by many fans as a song that symbolizes the theme of the film.

"Macross Plus Movie Edition" is a work that delves deeply into the theme of the fusion of future battlefields and music, and has excellent visual and auditory quality. It is a work that can be highly recommended not only to fans but to anime lovers in general. Please give it a watch.