Kurogane's Anime Blog

This post is dedicated to the good, the bad and the WTF’s of this year. It’s really been an interesting year…..

Heh, I was supposed to post this yesterday, but with all the shopping, satelite tracking, celebrations and epic rickrolling, I only finished it today. I guess this will be my first real post of 2009, hehehe.

Anyways, the point of this post is to relive the more memorable moments of 2008 for me, in terms of anime and such. Another year filled with good things, bad shit and “just WTF were they thinking?!” craziness.

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Another year passes. Man, it’s hard to believe I’m already in to my 9th year of being an otaku as well as my 4th year of blogging. Time sure flies. I’m now well over 1500 posts with nearly 16k comments, and it’s thanks to everyone’s support that I’ve gotten so far.

This year was marked by an increased number of good shows, but surprisingly, it wasn’t as “happening” as last year. To put it in another way, while the average increased, the top end of the bell curve wasn’t as high as last year. Nevertheless, this year still had its moments.

My choices here aren’t particularly graded using a strict measure, it’s more of an overall rating of shows of this year that I greatly enjoyed in one way or another, so please view it as that rather than a solid indicator of quality.

Of course, being a mere mortal with a real life outside of the Internet, I will inevitably miss a few gems here and there, so feel free to voice up any other shows that you, my dear reader, believe I should have watched and not missed for this year.

With that said, here’s the list.

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If there’s ever a reason to buy Nyan Tama, Nyan Nyan Service Medley (Toku Mori) warrants more than enough to justify the 3800 yen. It has Iteza, Triangler and… SHERYL SINGING AIMO!

Why couldn’t they have used this version in the final episode instead? :(

So according to a magazine scan (source is unknown but it would be greatly appreciated if someone can tell me), we’ve been misspelling her name all along. It’s “Clan Clang”, not “Klan Klan”. I guess that solves one mystery amongst the English viewers, ROFL. The scan is linked below.

It’s a ruddy hillarious scan though, with entries such as “watermelon”, “peach” and “I love middle-aged men”. God, I seriously wonder which magazine is this from. And I seriously wonder if people will start using “Clan Clang” to refer to Klan, LOL.

P.S.: Shin has posted some translations from the scan. They really say for themselves, but it’s good to have them translated anyways ^^.

OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! They just announced May’n’s gonna be in Singapore for Anime Festival Asia 2008. I am totally freaking out (in a good way) about this. Now I have a good excuse to go to Singapore and visit all my kouhai bloggers there, ROFL.

It’s too bad only May’n’s going, they could’ve brought Megumi along as well and then we might be able to see Triangler (fight on stage) live!

More information over here, looks like AFA 2008 is gonna be a pretty darn huge event. Definitely not gonna miss it, but looks like I’m gonna be especially broke afterwards ._.

Sure is crazy how fast Macross Frontier CD’s are leaking. Not that I am complaining though….

Tracklist：

01 Prologue F
02 ノーザンクロス／シェリル・ノーム starring May’n
03 トライアングラー(fight on stage)／ランカ・リー＝中島愛＆シェリル・ノーム starring May’n
04 HighSchoolLife
05 トランスフォーメーション
06 アナタノオト／ランカ・リー＝中島愛
07 Test Flight Delight
08 星間飛行／ランカ・リー＝中島愛
09 イヌミミランカ
10 妖精／シェリル・ノーム starring May’n
11 追憶のトランペット
12 真空のダイアモンド クレバス／シェリル・ノーム starring May’n
13 愛・おぼえていますか～bless the little queen／ランカ・リー＝中島愛
14 蒼のエーテル／ランカ・リー＝中島愛
15 is this LOVE?
16 shadow of Michael
17 アイモ　O.C.／ランカ・リー＝中島愛
18 Battle Frontier
19 娘々サービスメドレー／ランカ・リー＝中島愛＆シェリル・ノーム starring May’　[(1)ﾗｲｵﾝ (2)ｲﾝﾌｨﾆﾃｨ (3)私の彼はﾊﾟｲﾛｯﾄ (4)ﾀﾞｲｱﾓﾝﾄﾞｸﾚﾊﾞｽ (5)星間飛行 (6)what'bout My Star? (7)愛･おぼえていますか (8)ｱｲﾓ]
20 プロトカルチュア

My favourite OST tracks are Prologue F, High School Life and イヌミミランカ. Those three tracks are probably the “signature” tracks of the show for me and it’s good to finally get to hear them in full. High School Life’s full version was a bit different than I expected though.

This time, the number of vocal tracks nearly equal the BGM ones. Aptly named Triangler (fight on stage) ver. is the Sheryl x Ranka duet of the song, and damn, it would be fun to actually see them “fight” on stage with that song, LOL.

It’s also good to hear the full version of Anata no Oto finally, and it’s a catchy song as I expected. Sheryl’s Yousei and Ranka’s Ao no Ether is also in the album, but I’ve already heard the full versions. Still, it’s good to get the official releases.

There’s also the remixes. Without doubt, Shinkuu no Diamond Crevasse is the official, best version of Diamond Crevasse ever, and it’s good to see they actually gave justice to it with a full track. Ranka’s Do you Remember Love ~ bless the little queen~ doesn’t really evoke much excitement to me, since it’s basically Ranka singing the full version isntead of a excerpt. Aimo O.C. is best described as a “demonized” version of Aimo, and I do think that description fits it the best, considering the context it was made. Wonder what does the O.C mean? “Over Clocked” maybe? Or “Over Charged” ?

Finally, the highlight of the album is THE MEDLEY, “Musume Service Medley”, which is the clean version of the one played at the end of the series. Needless to say, it’s an awesome listen, but I do feel the medley more better in the context of the series. Frankly, the medley song changes got a bit weird to me during the early parts, mostly during the transition to “My Boyfriend is a Pilot” and when “Seikan Hikou” comes in.

Overall, another awesome sound track from this series. Of course, we still have the movie to wait and anticipate much. Man, I hope we get more Sheryl tracks. I still feel there’s not enough pieces from Ranka and Sheryl.

Yes, it’s been leaked, again. Awesome medley is awesome.

But I still feel the “clean version” feels lacking. I think it’s the awesome Alto shouting.

Maybe I should just rip the audio straight from the show.

Rewatched the episode. 4 times in fact. In HD glory. I can’t stop listening to the medley, god damn it.

You gotta admit, despite the inconclusiveness of the love triangle (god I feel so damn trolled), the mecha porn was good. Damn good. Especially with that medley. The part where Alto becomes so angry that he breaks his helmet was just awesome. “HITORI DAKARA KOSO! DAREKA WO! AISHETERUNDAAAAA!!!” At least Lion was used properly.

I wish they will put that medley as a track on the second OST. I might just be suckered enough in to buying it for the keeps.

Now, I just hope we get more details of the MacF movie. I guess details will be announced in the upcoming magazines. Will it be a true sequel or “historical movie”? God, if they do a sequel, I hope it’s not gonna be like this episode. I can’t take more of this trolling!

Finally, Sheryl’s (ﾉゝ∀･)~キラ☆ was just so awesome. So so so so awesome.

• Battle Frontier almost suffers a direct hit from a Vajra warship. Quarter bails them out at the last minute.
• Alto didn’t die because he escaped his unit and remote controlled it using his suit while hiding in the wreckage of a battleship. God damn it, we didn’t think of remote control! He further tells Quarter to shoot the giant Ranka which reveals it’s true form; Battle Galaxy.
• Leon gets arrested on assasinating President Glass when Cathy breaks it out.
• Grace interfaces with the Queen. Galaxy simultaneously launches multiple Ghosts to help counter the attack by Frontier and Quarter.
• Alto gets a special delivery from Klan (LOLI IN A VALKYRIE!!!); his VF-25. Empowered by both Sheryl and his VF-25, Alto rejoins the fight.
• Ozma: “TOTSUGEKI LOVE HEART!!!” ROFL
• Battle commences in full ferocity. Alto calls out to Ranka using the fold quartz earring.
• Grace finally controls the Queen and she uses it to gain full control on the Vajra and she sends Vajra attackers to Macross 11 (why only that ship?) and to Earth as well.
• Interesting tidbit: Tori no Hito from MacZero is actually Vajra as well?
• Under control by Grace, the Vajra launch a ferocious barrage to our heroes. Sheryl collapses in the attack and her hair turns grey.
• In midst of the despair, Ranka’s voice is heard. Brera, now finally freed from his slave system, tells her to sing her heart out. Ranka’s voice manage to reach the Vajra and they go back under her control.
• In fold-space, Ranka calls out to Sheryl. Sheryl says that her job is finished and Ranka slaps her (WTF!!!!). Ranka tells her to not to give up and Alto echoes the same thing. Ranka magically moves the V-type virii from her brain to her stomach, and Sheryl is revived.
• Ranka-Sheryl medley begins, with nearly all their songs making an appearance. Accompanied by this medley, Quarter punches a hole in Galaxy for Alto to rescue Ranka. Oh god, My Boyfriend is a Pilot -Sheryl ver.-!!
• Grace is pissed and targets Island 1 with the Queen’s main weapons. However, the Vajra form a shield and absorbs the blast, saving the humans.
• Ranka explains to Alto that the Vajra also have feelings, but they don’t understand why we fight each other so much so they tried to rescue/kidnap her in order to understand humans. Thanks to hers and Sheryl’s songs, the Vajra have finally understood us.
• Song medley continues. GOD DAMN IT STICK TO ONE DAMN SONG DAMMIT!!! Seriously it’s a bit distracting for them to change songs so much.
• Final counterattack: The Vajra open a hole in the Queen’s barrier, for Quarter and Battle Frontier to enter. Galaxy moves to cover it and they both take a direct hit from it’s main cannon. Canaria rushes forth and opens a chance for Quarter to destroy Galaxy’s weapon using a MACROSS ATTACK! and Frontier finishes it off.
• Alto and Brera cooperate together (mmm fanservice!) and they both take out the Queen’s head where Grace is at. Thankfully, Brera explains that the Vajra think with their guts than their head, so the queen will be fine. Alto finishes Grace off using Micheal’s favourite gun.
• The queen begins to sing Aimo. Ranka further explains that the song is actually mating song which is used when the Vajra meet with others of their kind from other galaxies every few hundred million years.
• Bilrer’s true intentions: to meet Lynn Minmei again. LOL. Kawamori is such a bloody tease.
• Show ends with Alto flying in the skies of the Vajra planet, while Ranka and Sheryl look at him. Ranka declares love-war on Sheryl and she accepts graciously with a “KIRA~!” pose ROFL! The ending theme is Triangler duet by Sheryl and Ranka. Alto Harem End(?)

The ending is so… inconclusive. Worst type of end in my opinion dammit. Urge to kill Kawamori seriously rising. It’s never revealed who Alto chooses and everyone just manages to survive and land happily on the planet. I just feel like my feelings have all been trampled over and thrown away like a used dirt rag. Oh man, I was at least expecting some deaths.

Anyways, there’s still the just-announced Macross Frontier movie as well. I guess it’s probably a retelling of the series or even maybe an DYRL-style “historical movie”. But I hope it continues the story instead. I need more Alto x Sheryl!!!

P.S. WE ALL HAVE BEEN TROLLED HAVEN’T WE? HAVEN’T WE?!!!! *breaks down in a corner and cries*

• More 111th Fleet flashbacks. Ranka definitely summoned the Vajra that attacked the fleet. Grace is terribly injured in the attack which results in her hatred of the Vajra.
• Ozma returns back to the wreckage of the 111th fleet to retrieve back the surviving research data. They find out about Grace’s paper on the combination of implants + Vajra’s zero-time fold network, surmising that it will solve the communication lags but whoever controls the root node will control the galaxy if everyone is implanted. Ozma and the rest decide to not let it happen.
• Sheryl is confirmed to be Mao Nome’s grand-daughter, from the surviving personal letters Cathy finds in the wreckage.
• Frontier warps out near the Vajra planet. Operation details are relayed to all forces. The plan is to break through the Vajra encirclement then drop Island 1 and the remaining Islands on to land while the military takes care of the Queen (the big-eye shaped formation) at the same time.
• Before the operation begins, Alto visits Sheryl to promise her that he’ll return from the battle and he states to her that he finally realises that people cannot fly alone. Sheryl gives Alto a very passionate kiss. Alto tries to reply, but Sheryl stops him, saying that if he says it now, she won’t be able to sing anymore. Sheryl tells him to save Ranka and sends him off with her remaining earring (oh noes!!!).
• The battle commences. Sheryl begins with “Iteza Gogo Kyuji Don’t Be Late”. The Frontier forces have the upper hand at the beginning.
• Leon orders the Islands to be dropped to the planet as they have the upper hand. Slave Brera makes Ranka sing to reorganize the scattered Vajra forces, most ironically using “Ai Oboeteimasuka” as the catalyst. Grace comes face-to-face with the true Vajra Queen while this happens.
• The Frontier forces sustain much losses. Alto is angered by Ranka’s action. Brera emerges to face him off, telling him to lay his hands off her younger sister. Alto loses the first round and Klan takes over, but Brera dispatches her as well.
• Alto returns back in to the fight, but Brera lands a perfect hit on his unit. It spirals away and explodes. Sheryl goes “ALTOOOOOO!!!!!!!!”
• Next episode preview: No footage of the show, instead it’s replaced with someone flipping away at a collage of the happier scenes of the series of the three leads. The narration sounds very… “final”.

And so, the penultimate episode of MacF ends with a terrible cliffhanger. I sure didn’t expect Alto to explode up so nicely, especially after he promises Sheryl he’ll definitely be back and technically confessed to her already.

Speaking of that part, that was definitely the scene I have been waiting for all this time to happen, Alto strongly confessing his feelings for Sheryl right before the final battle begins. It’s a bit predictable, but damn, I am thoroughly satisfied with that.

Also, it’s finally confirmed that Sheryl is a true Nome, and she is Mao’s grand-daughter. Of course, that also leaves the question of how she ended up in the trash alleys of Galaxy unanswered.

Well, another week wait for the finale, and that’ll wrap up one of the signature shows of this year. Please please please please please please let Sheryl live. And I hope she also has a new song too. I suspect we’ll just probably get a duet of Aimo, maybe Lion too though.