MACROSS PLUSNot very often it is that a title achieves recognition and success virtually overnight. The "Macross" moniker is often enough to turn heads, however, and though Macross II proved to be somewhat disappointing, fans of the original eagerly awaited the release of Macross Plus. Judging by its current popularity, most of them weren't disappointed. Perhaps one of the most eagerly anticipated OVA series of its time, Macross Plus became an instant success since day one.
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  The YF-19 in hyperspace.
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The Visuals Visually speaking, Macross Plus is fantastic. Though not the first anime to use computer graphics, Macross Plus is one of the few titles that succeeds in integrating it with traditional cel-based animation; unlike other anime titles in which the CG stands out (the helicopter scene in Golgo 13 comes to mind), the use of CG in Macross Plus feels more like a part of the animation itself. More important than the CG however is the
action. The performance put on by the two rivals Isamu and Gald in their
fighter jets is simply exhilarating, carried out with attitude and
style. And those who thought the first three episodes were good in this
regard will be stunned when they watch the sensational episode 4 -- with
action sequences that easily top those of Gundam 0083 in both look and
feel, the duel between the adversaries in the final episode succeeds in
delivering a feeling best described as "over the top."
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 The Sharon Apple Concert.
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The Music The background music in Macross Plus is traditional fare, but it fits the respective scenes well. Where the music really shines is in the vocals of Sharon Apple. The first virtual idol to emerge in anime since Eve Tokimatsuri of Megazone 23, Sharon Apple's mix of techno and pop is fabulous, providing a welcome change from the usual J-pop style music found in anime. Myung herself only has one song in the show, but her haunting yet beautiful song "Voices" is a definite winner.
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 Isamu exchanging blows with Gald in a duel.
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The Mystery In the opening sequence of episode 1, it is clear that Isamu, Gald and Myung used to be the best of friends. 7 years later, the former friends are openly hostile towards one another. Why does Isamu treat Myung so cold? Why does Gald call Isamu a traitor? And why does Myung try so hard to avoid the two? The sparse details surrounding the past event that split the trio apart add an element of mystery to the show. This aspect of the plot has received critique for keeping the viewers in the dark until the very end, but yours truly begs to differ -- although perhaps not as obvious, there are still quite a few hints dropped in the first 3 episodes that give the viewers a clue as to what happened. All this is up to debate, however, and if only because of this, yours truly urges the viewers to watch episode 4, which delivers the final puzzle piece of the mystery. (continued)
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