When the original Super Dimensional Fortress Macross was released back in 1982, it became an immediate success for several reasons, the main ones being the story, the music, and the variable fighters. Unlike other mech shows, the Macross franchise focused more on human relationships… More
When the original Super Dimensional Fortress Macross was released back in 1982, it became an immediate success for several reasons, the main ones being the story, the music, and the variable fighters. Unlike other mech shows, the Macross franchise focused more on human relationships than it did on war and combat, and because of this the series has been able to produce some truly excellent stories. The one thing that has long been missing though, is the story of what came before SDF Macross. Macross Zero is a big departure for the franchise in terms of it's story, being at times more brutal and less forgiving than other outings. In almost every other Macross series, the enemy has invariably been alien, but here the enemy is other humans, and because of this there is a certain harshness to the tone of the series which is actually rather refreshing. The OVA is extremely well scripted and paced, and although the story has an element of predictably to it, there is a distinctly fresh feel to it because of the premise and plot. There are also a number of surprising elements that actually explain several aspects about the entire Macross universe, especially Macross Frontier. In all fairness, Macross Zero could actually be considered as not simply a prequel, but also a re-envisioning of the entire Macross franchise. Granted there are the staple plot elements of variable fighters, music and love triangles in the OVA, however these actually play second fiddle to what is a truly gripping story.
