| Sketchley's Translations Main Index | Macross Portal |
| By AARON SKETCHLEY (aaronsketch@HOTdelete_thisMAIL.com) | Ver 3.2 2014.08.30 |
| TF01A,B,C,D,E,F: Macross F Theatrical Edition ~The False Diva~ |
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Story
(...)
Commentary
This production was the first part of the movie version produced receiving the popularity of the TV series "Macross F (Frontier)", which was broadcast on TBS and the MBS system from April through September 2008. This movie became the first Macross movie in the 14 years after "Macross Plus MOVIE EDITION / Macross 7 Movie Version The Galaxy is Calling Me!". At first it was planned to be a compilation that summarizes all 25 episodes of the TV series. However, the new ideas of the staff, starting with Director Kawamori Shoji, were incorporating into the movie one by one, and were depicted in a large quantity of new cuts that amounted to 80 percent of the film. With such things as the suspicions that hang around Sheryl that she is a spy and the restructuring done to the human relations and episodes, one could say that this movie is another "Macross F", as the story is also different from either a sequel or a compilation of the TV series. Sheryl's live concert scenes, which are one of the highlights of this production, are diverse gorgeous ones that have been upgraded with new costumes and new songs such as "Universal Bunny" and "Pink Monsoon", in addition to 3DCG. On the other hand, Ranka appearing during her time at an idol's lowest level is also depicted in more detail and her character is more deeply delved into in her many appearances singing commercial songs as a campaign girl. Consideration of the fans on the mechanical side has also not been forgotten, with such things as the appearance of the new armament "Tornado Pack" on the VF-25 that Aruto pilots, and the new types of Vajra.
While 30 theatres screened the movie when it premiered, it gained control over the big titles that it was lined up with in theatres and set a record placing 9 in the weekend box office results. After that, it became a big hit, just like the TV series, with such things as having the power to draw in excess of 220,000 spectators within the first two weeks of it's release. Before and after the movie was released, advertising activities were carried out by each business that was tied up with the movie, and a large-scale campaign was developed on the advertising side -with such things as "ita-trains" with depictions of the main characters operated on the JR Yamanote line in Tokyo- that couldn't be inferior to the grandeur of this movie.
The riddles of such things as the conclusion of the love triangle and the secret of the power of song were saved for the concluding "Macross Frontier Movie Version ~The Wings of Goodbye~", which continued the story.
Song
"Diamond Crevice" Sheryl Nome (May'n), Ranka Lee (Nakajima Megumi)
What'bout My Star?" Sheryl Nome (May'n)
"Universal Bunny" Sheryl Nome (May'n)
"Welcome to my Fan Club's Night!" Sheryl Nome (May'n)
"Aimo" Sheryl Nome (May'n), Ranka Lee (Nakajima Megumi)
"My Boyfriend is a Pilot" Ranka Lee (Nakajima Megumi)
"Pink Monsoon" Sheryl Nome (May'n)
"What'bout My Star? @ Forumo" Ranka Lee (Nakakima Megumi)
"Starlight Natto" Ranka Lee (Nakajima Megumi)
"Heavy Development Machinery" Ranka Lee (Nakajima Megumi)
"Dainamu Chougoukin" Ranka Lee (Nakajima Megumi)
"Super Dimensional Restuarant Nyan Nyan" Ranka Lee (Nakajima Megumi)
"Daruma Seminar" Ranka Lee (Nakajima Megumi)
"Family Mart Cosmos" Ranka Lee (Nakajima Megumi)
"Interstellar Flight" Ranka Lee (Nakajima Megumi)
"Sagittarius 9 PM, Don't be Late" Sheryl Nome (May'n)
"Fairy" Sheryl Nome (May'n)
"Obelisk" Sheryl Nome (May'n)
"Lion" May'n, Nakajima Megumi
Characters and Mechanic that appear
Note: items that appear in colour with a yellow background are indicated with a (y) in the following. Items that don't appear are black and white.
Character
(y) Saotome Aruto / (y) Ranka Lee / (y) Sheryl Nome / (y) Ozuma Lee / (y) Catherine Glass / (y) Mihaeru Braun
(y) Luca Angeloni / (y) Kuran Kuran / Nene / Laramia / (y) Canaria Bernstein / (y) Geoffry Wilder / (y) Bobby Margo
(y) Ram Hwa [Hoare] / (y) Miina Roshan / (y) Monika Lange / Matsuura Nanase / (y) Saotome Ranzou / Saotome Yasoh / Elmo Kuradaniku
(y) Grace O'conner / (y) Leon Mishima / (y) Howard Glass / (y) Burera Stern / (y) Lanche May
Mechanic
(y) Macross Frontier / (y) Macross Quarter / (y,A) VF-25S / (y,N,S,T) VF-25F / YF-29 / (y,N,S) VF-25G
(y,N,S) RVF-25 / (y) Koenig Monster / (y) Kwadoran-Rhea / (y) VF-171 / VF-171EX / (y) AIF-7S / (y) Cheyenne II
(y) Works / (y) Macross Galaxy / (y,N) VF-27γ / AIF-9V / VF-19 / VF-1 / (y) Vajra (small)
(y) Vajra (large) / Heavy Vajra 1 / Heavy Vajra 2 / Hound Vajra / Vajra Destroyer / Vajra Battleship / Vajra Queen
N: Normal, S: equipped with Super Parts, A: equipped with Armour Pack, T: Tornado Valkyrie
Cast
(...)
[Captions and quotes from the episode]
Topics: Mentalities that have Grown to Adulthood
In this work, the setting differs in that Aruto and Ranka are acquaintances from the start, due to that convenience to story time. Thus the mentalities of Aruto, Sheryl and Ranka are depicted in forms that have grown into adulthood about a year to a year and a half further than the TV series version. This was due to a year having passed since the end of the TV series for the viewers, the voice actors that play the characters having also grown, and the judgement of Director Kawamori Shoji, who felt that reflecting that much growth in the characters' mental age would provide an interesting sensation of a live performance in the movie. A small amount of Ranka's seemingly adult speech and behaviour and Aruto's actions that overflow with decisiveness develop the story in directions that differ from the TV series.
Topics: The Third Pattern of the Mid-Air Rescue Drama
Although in the TV series Aruto rescues Ranka, who is being sucked up to space, in the movie version the scene is changed to Aruto rescuing Sheryl. The direction that the heroine falls has also been changed from Ranka rising to space to Sheryl falling from a rooftop. However, this time Aruto fails to rescue Sheryl by himself. This change was additionally tweaked in order to avoid the same developments as the scene in "Super Dimensional Fortress Macross", where Ichijo Hikaru rescues a falling Lynn Minmei.
Captions: M, F
Topics: For and Against the Setting Changes that Diverge
One of the points that is greatly changed from the TV series version is the point that Sheryl can also sing the song "Aimo" of Ranka's memories. It is a setting change that Director Kawamori Shoji came up with in order to present something that was impossible in the TV series. Giving the existing fans a fresh surprise, and Sheryl singing the song of Ranka's memories being able to leave a stronger impression in the people seeing the series for the first time were among the pros and cons within the main staff about the change to Sheryl's setting, which was an exceedingly delicate balance in the TV series that turned out well.
Topics: The Art That Shines On The Big Screen
Yoshiwara Shun-ichiro, who was the art director of this movie, considered the point that it was the movie version, and concentrated on increasing the feeling of density on the screen. One way that it was expressed was the drawn lettering of the signboards. Also, there were clips of the underground city and Deep Akihabara Electronics District in this movie - which existed only in the literature setting at the time of the TV series (lower picture). It was based on the scenery around the real Akihabara Station, and the shots even accurately depicted the details of the real station.
Topics: The Seven Changes Of Ranka
Ranka appeared in the costumes of various businesses in this movie. At the design stage, the Valkyrie girl was the first to be drawn (the transformation of the clothes was considered at this stage), and the construction site swimsuit appears to have been the last costume to be prepared. Incidentally, although the Daruma costume is used for the prep school "Daruma Seminar" in the movie, the design was initially assumed to have been for a business at the "Daruma City" assembly hall.
Topics: The Collaboration With FamilyMart
The major convenience store change FamilyMart collaborated with this movie. It also appeared during the movie in the setting as having expanded on a galactic scale. As a result of the staff investigating the scene where "Ranka first appeared to be popular", they tentatively planned for a convenience store, and its said that they acquired the ready consent of FamilyMart for that. The same chain also prepared the YF-25 Prophecy plastic model (lower picture) as a special favour for the advance sale tickets for this movie.
Topics: Visuals That Were Influenced By The Coverage Of The Series
The bay shore hall where Sheryl holds her Revenge Live Performance imitates the scenery of the vicinity of the "Pacifico Yokohama" event hall, which exists in Kanagawa Prefecture. The commemorative event "Kanno Youko Presents - Macross F Galaxy Tour Final @ Pacifico Yokohama" was held in this same hall on October 13, 2008, immediately following the conclusion of the TV edition of "Macross F". The circumstances at that time were also capitalized on in the scenery of this film.
Topics: The Blue And Red Of 2059
In this production, "Macross F the Move ~The False Diva~", Michael and Kuran used combination tactics that weren't in the TV version, called "Formation MM Jiinasu". The reason for this name seems to have been a plan unique to Michael and Kuran, who took over the blue and red that are the personal colours of Max and Miria.
Topics: Aruto's First Battle
The new equipment for the VF-25 in "Macross F the movie ~The False Diva~" was the Tornado Pack option, which enhanced the VF-25's aerial hand-to-hand combat. As a result, even though there is naturally an improvement on the spec side to greater than that of the normal VF-25, this specification was supplied to Aruto in his first battle. Even though it was agonizing at first, one can feel Aruto's natural talent, as he's immediately able to manage the new specification.
Topics: The Attractive Nose Art
Gorgeous nose art has been drawn on the nose of the Konig Monster driven by Kanaria, a member of S.M.S.. Although a design that imitated Ranka was used in the TV version, Sheryl became the motif in the movie. The setting of fuselage marks like this have existed from around the time of "Super Dimensional Fortress Macross".
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Macross F The Movie: The Wings Of Goodbye