Macross Zero - A new legend blooming in an age of war "Macross Zero" was released as an OVA in 2002, directed, written and designed by Shoji Kawamori, and produced by Satelight. This work, which consists of five episodes, is set eight years after the Earth Unification War and depicts the battle over unknown over-technology and the inner conflicts of the people. Below, we will introduce detailed information and reviews of "Macross Zero", as well as recommended points. story In 1999, a super-large meteor fell on South Atalia Island, and it was discovered to be an alien battleship called the ASS-1. This unknown over-technology caused internal conflicts all over the world, and the Earth Unification War began. Eight years after the war, veteran pilots were lost one after another, and teenage boys were also called to the battlefield, when an energy reaction similar to that of the ASS-1 was observed in the waters of Mayan Island. The Earth Unification Government and anti-unification forces fought to get hold of this unknown relic. The Earth Unification Alliance, which developed a new type of variable fighter called the VF-0, organized the VF-0 special task force, the Skull Platoon, to prepare for an attack by the anti-unification alliance. Meanwhile, the unification forces' ace pilot, Shin Kudo, pilots his beloved F-14 and engages enemy aircraft on the battlefield... Commentary "Macross Zero" was produced in 2002, 20 years after the TV broadcast of "The Super Dimension Fortress Macross". Director Shoji Kawamori, on the 20th anniversary, sought a new "Macross" and created this work. For the first time in the series, the complete transformation animation of Valkyrie is realized in full CG, and the film depicts a powerful aerial battle between real fighter planes such as the F-14 and MiG and the variable fighter Valkyrie. The immersive sound of 5.1ch sound and the high-quality images using 2DCG and 3DCG boast a quality that surpasses even theatrical works. The story is set one year before the TV series "The Super Dimension Fortress Macross", and a new "Macross" legend was born, aiming to return to the origins. cast- Shin Kudo: Kenichi Suzumura
- Sarah Nome: Sanae Kobayashi
- Mao Nome: Yuuka Minami
- Edgar LaSalle: Sosuke Komori
- Aries Turner: Naomi Shindo
- D.D. Ivanov: Ryuzaburo Otomo
- Nora Polyansky: Minami Takayama
- Dr. Hasford: Nachi Nozawa
- Katie: Romi Park
- Roy Focker: Akira Kamiya
- Raizo Nakajima: Kinryu Arimoto
- Nutuk: Tamio Oki
Main Staff- Original story, director, mechanical design: Shoji Kawamori
- Assistant Director: Tokoro Tomokazu
- Screenplay: Hiroshi Ohnogi
- Character design: Takuya Saito
- Roy Focker Design cooperation: Haruhiko Mikimoto
- Special effects director: Ichiro Itano
- Mechanical design: Junya Ishigaki
- Birdman design: Kazutaka Miyatake, okama
- Mechanical art: Hidetaka Tenjin
- Main title design: Makoto Kamata
- Art director: Ohta Dai
- Art setting: Akihiro Hirasawa
- Color design: Umihoko Shigenobu
- Director of photography: Tsuneo Maeda
- Edited by: Yasuaki Takeuchi
- Music: Kuniaki Haishima
- Sound Director: Masafumi Mima
- Produced by: Kamon Onishi, Minoru Takanashi
- Production producers: Shinichi Hirai, Hisanori Kunizaki, Michiaki Sato
- Animation Production: Satelight
- Produced by Big West, Bandai Visual
Main Characters- Kudo Shin is the main character of the story and a second generation Japanese-American in the US military. Although he is a soldier, he hates the military and has a strong competitive spirit. He has a slight complex about his small stature. He was an ace pilot at a young age and had a lot of pride, but after being shot down by the enemy for the first time, his feelings are wavering. Having lost his family in the Unification War, he has closed himself off and become misanthropic, but through his interactions with Sarah, Mao and others on Mayan Island, he gradually opens up and regains his original cheerfulness.
- Sarah Noam is a beautiful girl who lives on Mayan Island. She is kind and good-natured, but deep inside she has a fiery temper. She can feel the whispering "songs" of birds, forests, and wind, and her singing has a mysterious power to heal the wounds of plants and animals, make flowers bloom, and make huge rocks float. Having lost her parents in the Unification War, she is now in the position of protecting the island's legends and traditions, but like her younger sister Mao, she longs for modern civilization and love. Her heart is shaken by her encounter with Shin.
- Mao Noem is Sara's younger sister, a lively and tomboyish girl. She likes to play pranks, and sometimes scares Shin. She is lively and cute like a chirping bird, but sometimes she can seem feminine. She has a strong sensitivity to nature, but she is unaware of it. She falls in love with Sara and is in a love triangle with her.
- Edgar LaSalle is a cheerful black man with curly hair, one of Shin's few friends and the radar controller in the back seat. He is a caring and friendly type. He likes primitive art such as clay modeling, but is not good at singing or dancing.
- Aries Turner is a scientist for the Joint Forces. She is a brilliant woman, but not a sharp one, and has a soft, airy personality. She has a high IQ and excels in the fields she likes, but is no good at things she is not interested in. She has low blood pressure and is moody. She is forceful and will use any means to achieve her goals, but she is also a romantic who wants to solve the mysteries of life and the evolution of the universe. She is Fokker's senior, and dumped him because she chose to pursue research, but they reunite on the aircraft carrier Asuka, and a new drama begins.
- D.D. Ivanov is an ace pilot on the side of the anti-Unification Alliance, and a veteran warrior who has fought in conflict zones around the world since before the Unification War. He has had several aerial battles with Fokker. He is a ruthless man when it comes to war.
- Nora Polyanski is a 25-year-old female pilot on the anti-Unification Alliance side. Although she appears cool at first glance, she can get angry and go overboard on the battlefield. She is skilled enough to shoot down Shin's F-14. Her background is unknown.
- Katy is a skilled female member of the Joint Forces Marine Corps who fights with Shin on board the ship and beats him to a pulp.
- Roy Focker is a top ace of the Joint Forces who loves alcohol and women, and is a model pilot. He was originally a stunt pilot, but lost his comrades as the Joint War intensified, and became a pilot after the war. During his school days, he was a serious student with an interest in prehistoric civilizations and archaeology, but his personality changed after he was heartbroken by Aries.
- He is the maintenance team leader of the Nakajima Raizo Asuka ship, and is a top-notch mechanic, having tuned and equipped the VF-0 with a modern jet engine. He has a stronger affection for his aircraft than anyone else. He always speaks nasty words to the pilots, but that may just be the flip side of his affection.
- The elder of Ntukmayan Island, a stubborn old man who is still energetic despite his age. A mysterious old man who can see the stars in the middle of the day and who tells the legend of the Birdman to the people of the island. For some reason, he is kind to Shin, an outsider.
- Dr. Hasford is an old archaeologist who advocates the "Protoculture Interference Hypothesis in Human Evolution" and does not mind hurting a young girl for the sake of his research. In the past, he visited Mayan Island to prove his hypothesis. He is Aries' mentor, and it is revealed that he is a member of the anti-unification alliance and is participating in the seizure of the "Bird People."
Main Robot Items- VF-0/S type
A new type of variable fighter currently under development, incorporating over-technology obtained from an alien warship that crashed in 1999. Originally, the VF-1 was to be developed first, but due to delays in the practical application of thermonuclear engines, the VF-0 type was prototyped, which is equipped with an over-tuned conventional jet engine. It can be transformed into three forms, Fighter, Gerwalk, and Battroid, and is designed for combat in all situations. As it uses a regular jet engine, it has a short range and the engine is delicate, requiring advanced piloting skills.- Designed and manufactured by Northrop Grumman, Stonewell and Nova
- Length: 18.69m
- Weight: 16,191 kg empty
- Engine: EGF-127 turbofan jet modified (91.08kN, 148.9kN with afterburner) x 2, Mobile rocket motor for Go-Walk and Battroid (Shin-Nakasu ARR-2) x 3
- Maximum speed: M2.74 (altitude 11000m)
- Cruising range: 2075km (with standard rear conformal tank)
- Ascent limit: 25,000m
- Armament: Fixed armament: Maurer laser machine gun x 1 (A type) or x 2 (S type), Standard armament: 35mm Gatling gun pod (Howard GPU-9, 550 rounds, AHEAD ammunition can be used) x 1, Standard air-to-air specification: Medium-range air-to-air missile AMRAAM2 (Raytheon-Before AIM-200A I/ALH guided) (maximum number of missiles carried: 12), Extended armament: Atmospheric combat super parts (micro missile launcher/conformal tank) x 2, Micro missiles (Raytheon-Ericone GH-30BI/IR guided) can be stored in each, or a spare magazine for the gun pod can be stored, Most of the former US/NATO standard aviation weapons can be equipped.
- Defensive armament: Flare and chaff dispenser system (AN/ALE55×1, IDECM) (AN/ALQ220A), Active Stealth System (ASS/PS110), SWAG Energy Conversion Armor System (AWAG/RA105), etc.
- Underwater operation: A few minutes of underwater operation is possible in silent mode. The maximum operating depth is about 20m.
- Number of aircraft produced: (Estimated) A-type 24 single-seater, 4 two-seater, 2 two-seater reconnaissance aircraft, S-type 4
- VF-0/D type
The VF-0A and S models had sufficient air combat capabilities that the military required from a prototype variable fighter, but the VF-0D model was developed with the aim of further enhancing its high-mobility air combat capabilities, attack capabilities (increased payload), and electronic warfare capabilities. The two-seater model was the basic model, but this was because the military claimed that the attack and electronic warfare capabilities were stronger than those of the A model, and that a single-seater would not be able to fully demonstrate its capabilities.- Designed and manufactured by Northrop Grumman, Stonewell and Bellcom
- Length: 18.69m
- Weight: Empty weight 16805kg
- Engine: EGF-127 turbofan jet modified (91.08kN, 148.9kN with afterburner) x 2, Mobile rocket motor for Go-Walk and Battroid (Shin-Nakasu ARR-2) x 3
- Maximum speed: M2.62 (altitude 11000m)
- Cruising range: 2,400 km (with standard rear conformal tank)
- Ascent limit: 26,500m
- Armament: Standard armament: 1 x 35mm Gatling gun pod (Howard GPU-9, 550 rounds, can use AHEAD ammunition), Standard air-to-air specification: Medium-range air-to-air missile AMRAAM2 (Raytheon-Before AIM-200A I/ALH guided) (maximum number of missiles carried: 12), Extended armament: 2 x atmospheric combat super parts (micro missile launcher/conformal tank), 24 micro missiles (Raytheon-Ericorn GH-30BI/IR guided) can be stored, or a spare magazine for the gun pod can be stored. The maximum payload of the D type is about 20% higher than that of the A/S type, and most of the former US/NATO standard aviation weapons can be equipped.
- Defensive armament: Flare and chaff dispenser system (AN/ALE55×1, IDECM) (AN/ALQ220A), Active Stealth System (ASS/PS110), SWAG Energy Conversion Armor System (AWAG/RA105), etc.
- Underwater operation: A few minutes of underwater operation is possible in silent mode. The maximum operating depth is about 20m.
- SV-51
It is a transformable fighter developed in secret by anti-unification forces, and can transform from a shape similar to the former Russian military's Sukhoi 27 to a Gerwalk or Battroid. It is said that information on the transformable system of VF-0 and 1 was leaked to the enemy, but the details are unknown. It is one size larger than the VF-0 and has stronger firepower.- Designed and manufactured by: Sukhoi/Israel Aircraft Industries/Dornier joint development
- Length: 22.77m
- Weight: 17,800 kg empty
- Engines: 2x Aviadvigatel D-30F6X turbofan jets (102.5kN, 204.7kN with afterburner), 2x VTOL fan jets (operates as high-mobility jets in Battroid mode)
- Maximum speed: M2.81 (altitude 11000m)
- Cruising range: 1910km (with standard micro missile launcher and fuel tank composite pod)
- Ascent limit: 22,500m
- Armament: Fixed armament: Minigun (Gsh-231 12.7mm machine gun) x 1, Standard armament: 55mm gun pod x 1 (Gsh-371, 120 rounds) (1 spare magazine standard equipped at the rear of the aircraft), Micro missile launcher / additional tank combined pod x 2 (2 of the 6 hard points under the main wing are used as standard), Micro missiles (Turopov SA-19M I / IR guided) can be stored in each 18 rounds, Most of the former Warsaw Pact standard aviation armament can be equipped.
- Defensive armament: SPO-15C 360-degree passive radar warning receiving system, chaff and flare dispenser (APP-60) x 1, active stealth system (RP-51), SWAG energy conversion armor system (SW-51), etc.
- Underwater operation: There are a few SV-51s that have been further modified to be able to launch underwater from submarines. They can launch underwater from periscope depth to a depth of about 30m, and after being launched from the submarine using compressed air, they are launched into the air by a rocket motor, and then transition to flight using a normal turbojet engine. In addition to being more waterproof and pressure-resistant, this type of aircraft also has a modified wing folding mechanism so that it can be stored compactly in the launch dock inside the submarine.
- Number built: (Estimated) 32 single-seaters (12 later converted to SV-52), 6 two-seaters
- SV-51 (Nora)
The SV-51 is the main fighter plane of the anti-unification alliance that wiped out the F-14 unit Shin was piloting in Volume 1. The SV-51 piloted by Nora has a red color.- Designed and manufactured by: Sukhoi/Israel Aircraft Industries/Dornier joint development
- Length: 22.77m
- Weight: 17,800 kg empty
- Engines: 2x Aviadvigatel D-30F6X turbofan jets (102.5kN, 204.7kN with afterburner), 2x VTOL fan jets (operates as high-mobility jets in Battroid mode)
- Maximum speed: M2.81 (altitude 11000m)
- Cruising range: 1910km (with standard micro missile launcher and fuel tank composite pod)
- Ascent limit: 22,500m
- Armament: Fixed armament: Minigun (Gsh-231 12.7mm machine gun) x 1, Standard armament: 55mm gun pod x 1 (Gsh-371, 120 rounds) (1 spare magazine standard equipped at the rear of the aircraft), Micro missile launcher / additional tank combined pod x 2 (2 of the 6 hard points under the main wing are used as standard), Micro missiles (Turopov SA-19M I / IR guided) can be stored in each 18 rounds, Most of the former Warsaw Pact standard aviation armament can be equipped.
- Defensive armament: SPO-15C 360-degree passive radar warning receiving system, chaff and flare dispenser (APP-60) x 1, active stealth system (RP-51), SWAG energy conversion armor system (SW-51), etc.
- Underwater operation: There are a few SV-51s that have been further modified to be able to launch underwater from submarines. They can launch underwater from periscope depth to a depth of about 30m, and after being launched from the submarine using compressed air, they are launched into the air by a rocket motor, and then transition to flight using a normal turbojet engine. In addition to being more waterproof and pressure-resistant, this type of aircraft also has a modified wing folding mechanism so that it can be stored compactly in the launch dock inside the submarine.
- Number built: (Estimated) 32 single-seaters (12 later converted to SV-52), 6 two-seaters
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