Down: Fold Booster

Down: GERWALK
Captions: {VF-27}, {VF-25}

(continued from Pg 080) ISC temporarily converts the inertia that hangs on the fuselage and pilot into a spatiotemporal distortion energy, and stockpiles it. Consequently, the Gs that hang on the fuselage and pilot are reduced. The stockpiled inertia is kept down to the amount the pilot can endure, and time is spent slowly returning it to the fuselage and pilot.

The inertia that ISC can store is limited, and the judgement skills of an advanced pilot are needed to determine to what degree and the timing when ISC is used. Experiments to try to protect pilots -who had boarded high-performance, high-manoeuvrability craft- from the high Gs were already experimentally used in the YF-21. The system wasn't built into VFs after that due to its practicality being limited, as it had poor performance and its maintenance was expensive and difficult.

The system built into the YF-21 was an improved type of the "Kimerikora Inertia Vector Control System" mechanism, which was built into the Quadoran-Rō to protect the delicate Mi-clone pilots. The system was sketchy and its capacity was absolutely insufficient, as it was originally a system developed for the high-G-specialized Female Mobile Air Combat officers.

Although it's classified information, ISC is a small-sized, lightweight and reliable system due to Fold Quartz being used in its central components. The VF-25 and 27 are Valkyries that had manoeuvrability that exceeded a momentary maximum of 25 Gs due to this ISC.

The VF-25 And VF-27 That Are Developed From The Same Base
Chiba: The VF-25 is a Valkyrie that's officially referred to as VF-25/MF25, because it is an arrangement of the YF-24 Evolution design by the L.A.I. Co. and the Shinsei Industry Munitions Factory within the Macross Frontier Fleet.

Although the basic performance isn't changed from the YF-24 Evolution, the VF-25 came to be able to sufficiently demonstrate its original performance as it is equipped with an improved version of ISC and is able to protect its pilot sufficiently from high Gs. Also, a lot of improvements were added to it at the time of mass production.

While the VF-27 is an improved design of the YF-24 Evolution, its outward appearance is also quite different. The improvements were performed by the Macross Galaxy Variable Fighter Development Munitions Factory Guld's Works in the Macross Galaxy Fleet. As the particulars of the VF-27's design data are a company secret, its presentation to the New Unified Forces has also been blocked. Currently in 2059, the New Unified Forces hasn't formally recognized the VF-27, and appears to be treating it as the YF-27.

The VF-27 is a Valkyrie that's larger than the VF-25, and is equipped with four of the same engines. With its surplus engine power -due to its total engine output- the VF-27 can use the Energy Conversion Armour and Pinpoint Barrier even in Fighter, if it is for a short time. (continued on Pg 082)

Pg 082

The next generation VF prototype YF-24 Evolution -descended from the VF-19- is the base of the VF-25 and VF-27. However, in the technology aspects, it also seems that a variant of the YF-22's technology has been added to them. This trend is especially strong in the VF-27.

Captions: {VF-25}, {VF-27}

(continued from Pg 080) As the VF-27 sufficiently maintains internal capacity in Fighter, it also has many built-in armaments. Even in its normal specification, it has armaments and high-manoeuvrability (its acceleration performance is somewhat inferior) that exceed those of a Super Pack equipped VF-25.

The Cyborg Pilot That Supports The VF-27's Performance
Chiba: Although even the basic fuselage performance of the VF-27 is greater than the VF-25, the introduction of a cyborg pilot is decisive in that performance difference.

The direct link between pilot and fuselage was already ambitiously tried by General Galaxy in what is called BDI -a neural connection between the pilot and the fuselage- in the YF-21. This time, they pressed forward even more in the attempt by making the pilot into a cyborg. Even though EX-gear is also an excellent pilot and fuselage interface, it doesn't match that of a cyborg-ized VF.

One example is outboard data processing. With the VF-25, the pilot confirms outside the aircraft by sight, and must read all sorts of monitor displays and make comprehensive judgements. With the VF-27, information -vision, infrared, electrons, gravitational fields, airflow, temperature and so on of the entire area outside the aircraft- is consolidated and sent directly to the visual and auditory areas of the pilot's brain. With piloting as well, in the VF-27 the pilot only needs to think so, and the fuselage responds with a minimum time lag.

Although the fuselage systems for the VF-27 are the same generation as the VF-25 (with a higher performance, nevertheless), when one considers that it's a cyborg-ized VF, it is a VF that has advanced by one generation.

Caption: {Protector specification{

Appearing in the latter half of the story! The VF-171EX

Caption: {normal [specification]}

Aruto's Fighter
The Valkyrie temporarily used by main character Aruto when he was attached to the New Unified Forces. The VF-171EX uses EX-Gear, has enhanced engines, has had its armaments also exchanged for Anti-Vajra MDE weapons, and so on. It is an enhanced Valkyrie by making a great number of Anti-Vajra countermeasure improvements to a conventional VF-171. Although the VF-171EX's outward appearance has hardly changed -aside from the outfitting- its impression is very different due to only the change in its colouring. Incidentally, as Aruto served as a platoon leader, he sortied in a Protector Specification VF-171EX.

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Pg 083

The Destroids and Battroids are weapons that were originally born as two sides of the same coin. Their origin, of course, goes back to the Over Technology that was obtained from the alien space battleship (later the Macross) that crashed on South Ataria Island in the Pacific Ocean.

It was ascertained through an investigation of the crashed spaceship that its owners were giants. Research into giant humanoid weapons that could deal with the aliens took place. At that time, the army, navy, and air force planned for the development of giant weapons that made the best use of the special characteristics that each branch traditionally possessed.

Consequently, the air force and navy arrived at the solution called the Variable Fighter, and the army developed robots with a concept that followed as an extension of existing ground weapons such as a tank. This was the birth of the Destroids.

Roughly two types of Destroid exist. They are the type that is equipped with immensely powerful firearms -the original Destroid concept- and the type that could be said to be a heavily armoured Battroid, which stresses hand-to-hand combat. These concepts, however, were proven to be practically ineffective in combat with the giant clan of aliens, and were consequently given different duties inside the Macross. Their value to society thus came to be seen in a new light.

Analysis! The Destroids: The Three Elements Concerning The Destroids

■ System: Operational Tactics While the Destroids were initially considered to be for anti-alien combat, faced with the alien's combat style -bombarding [a target] from beyond satellite orbit- there was practically no place for the Destroids to play an active role.

However, a different operational methodology was discovered with the Destroids that were loaded into the Macross. While it was initially assumed that the Macross's primary defence would be the application of a Barrier System, it didn't function well. The Destroids functioned as a substitute for anti-aircraft guns, and due to their walking system the unexpected merit of being able to effectively arrange their defensive firepower also appeared.

■ Weapon: Armaments and Ordnance Although one might say Destroid in general, their operational ideology is completely different depending on the particular Destroid model. For comparison, the breadth of the relative missions of the VF/Variable Fighters is set, and one has to consider how to raise their performance and develop it. That is to say, they have a fundamentally different ideology.

Actually, this is clear even if one looks at the Destroids' shapes. In contrast to the Spartan, whose arms are assumed to be for hand-to-hand combat, the Tomahawk -which stresses heavy artillery bombardment- has charged particle guns, the Defender has anti-air guns, and the later-released Phalanx has missiles. They are all different, and there are basically almost no cases where the Destroids perform an identical tactical action.

Caption: Tomahawk Arm
Caption: Spartan Arm

■ Module: Technology and Structure The greatest feature of the Destroids seems to be that most of them use an identical platform. In other words, the basic structure -starting with the lower half of the body- is the same, and they developed Destroids that support various missions by differentiating the upper half of the body by use and by changing the specification.

This is indeed an ideology worthy of the army—which uses tanks. While such things as tanks also have the same body, there are quite a lot of examples where they were developed into vehicles with various uses. In actuality, the Destroid Phalanx wasn't in the Destroid development plan at first, but was suddenly developed inside the Macross. This situation seems to be a suitable example that sufficiently shows the development ideology characteristic to the Destroids.

Caption: the lower half of the Tomahawk
Caption: the lower half of the Defender

Pg 084

The Destroids That Appear In "Macross Frontier"

Works
Based on the Cheyenne II, it is a work Destroid that has had its armaments removed and is specialized for work. It seems to take charge of the work that the Zentrādi don't appear to be able to take charge of.

Cheyenne II
A Destroid that one could also say is a variant of the Destroid Cheyenne, which is from the time of the Unification War. Even though the Cheyenne II's outward appearance is similar, one can say that the interior is a completely different thing, as about 50 years have passed from the previous generation's Cheyenne. Its existence makes one ask if there are different lines of Destroid lineages other than the Tomahawk, Defender and so on.

VB-6 Koenig Monster
While maintaining an offensive ability equal to a battleship, as a variant of the Destroid Monster the VB-6 substantially improved on manoeuvrability—the weak point of the Monster. Although the VB-6 can transform into three stages -like the VFs- due to that, its fuselage size was pinned down to about two-thirds the size of the original Monster. While its offensive abilities have somewhat declined, the Koenig Monster still takes pride in its overwhelming power.

Pg 085

It is the first practical model as a Destroid. Although its hand-to-hand combat capabilities have decreased due to both arms having been transformed into Charged Particle Guns, as the Tomahawk emphasizes firepower it compensates for that by being equipped with several kinds of machine-guns for close combat. Also, it has an abundance of armaments, such as anti-aircraft missiles. "The Tomahawk is a mecha with numerous armament types. It is probably a little uncool, but it creates an impression similar to that of a strong-man. (Miyatake)"

Close Hand-to-hand Attack Type
MBR-07-Mk II Spartan

Total Height: 11.31 m (to shoulder) Fully Loaded Weight: 29.4 t Crew: 1 Engine: Gugenheimer DT2004 Thermonuclear Reactor Output: 3,200 SHP

Armament: 2-shot Close Self-guided Rocket Shell Launcher x2, Astra TZ-4 Gun Cluster (Laser Gun, 32 mm Auto Cannon, 180 mm Grenade Launcher, 12.7 mm Machine Gun, Flamethrower) x2, RGV-10 Anti-aircraft Laser Machine-gun x2, Hand-to-Hand Combat Crow-hand x2 Manufacturer: joint development by the Sentential Co. and Kransman

A Destroid that appears later than the ADR-04 series. Precisely because it started later, its engine output and so on is more excellent than the ADR-04 series, and its manoeuvrability is also high. The Destroid unusually has both arms with a structure close to that of a human arm (hand), as its operating procedures make the best use of their power and manoeuvrability and the Spartan performs hand-to-hand combat. "This is a Destroid drawn by Mr. Kawamori. It seems to have an atmosphere where it can actually do hand-to-hand combat in the anime, however... (Miyatake)"

Pg 086

The anti-aircraft model Destroid that can fire 78 mm shells at a rate of 500 shots per minute. The basic composition of the lower half of its body is shared with the Tomahawk. Mass production was difficult due to the extremely high cost of its super-long-range fire-control radar—used for shooting in outer space. "If the Tomahawk is the Leopard (Main Battle) tank, then the Defender is the Flakpanzer Gepard*. It was submitted when I said that if there was a cannon type Tomahawk, then an anti-aircraft type is also absolutely necessary. (Miyatake)"

* Translator's note: a more literal translation is "the Gepard Anti-aircraft Tank".

Outer Space Close Defence Type
SBR-04-Mk XII Phalanx

Model Number: * Total Height: 12.05 m (to top of searchlight) Fully Loaded Weight: 47.2 t Crew: 1

Engine: (main) Clance-Maffai MT828 Thermonuclear Reactor, (auxiliary) Shinnakasu Heavy Industry CT103 Small Thermonuclear Reactor Output: (main) 2,800 SHP, (auxiliary) 970 kW Armament: Howard SHIN-SHM-10 Short-range High-manoeuvrability Self-guided Derringer Missile Pod x2, Texco DARAD3-C Electronics Disrupting Grazer Radar, Large 3-pane Variable Converging Laser Searchlight

* Translator's note: blank in the source text. It appears that this, along with the 12.7 mm machine-gun in the Astra Gun Clusters (Tomahawk and Spartan) were copy-paste errors on the publisher's side.

An anti-aircraft missile-equipped Destroid that was hurriedly produced due to the disclosure that the Macross had an insufficient air defence ability as a consequence of it leaving the outer orbit of Earth. The Phalanx was finished with a lower cost than the Defender, due to guidance equipment that is said to have directly exposed the target to gamma rays. The Phalanx also secured a means of attack through gamma ray exposure. "The Phalanx has a setting where it is a Destroid that was made from parts put together during the stage when the Macross had departed from the Earth. For that reason, the time that it appeared [in the series] was delayed from the other Destroid models. (Miyatake)"

Pg 087

* Translator note: can also be rendered "pyrophoric propellant"

As a ground armament that doesn't use tracks, the Monster is the largest class of Destroid. As a "walking fortress" that uses the Destroid technology, its greatest firepower is in the battleship class of weapons. However, the Monster's production was limited to a small number, due to its inferior manoeuvrability and operational difficulty due to its large build. "It was Mr. Kawamori who was pleased with the Monster more than I was. It's strange that people like it to the extent that they do. (Miyatake)"

The Initial Destroids
Even though the first Destroid to be defined and adopted by the Unified Forces is the Tomahawk, initial models -the equivalent to the prototype Destroids- were used respectively by the Unified Forces and the Anti Unification Alliance, from the time of the Unification War in "Macross Zero". Among them also exist Destroids that were developed as amphibious models that suit the Earth's environment, like the OCTOS.

Cheyenne
The equivalent to the MBR-04 prototype in the Destroids from the initial period. In addition to both arms being equipped with Gatling guns, a missile pod equipped Destroid also exists. Rollers are built into the legs, and the Cheyenne can travel at high speed.

Prototype Monster
The difference with the production model Monster is that both arms aren't 3-tubed missile launchers, but are Crow Hands that restrain the Destroid's recoil when firing its cannons. For that reason, while the production model boasts simple firepower, the Prototype Monster is going strong as it is possible to equip its 4 cannons with Reaction warheads.

OCTOS
As an amphibious model Destroid used by the Anti Unification Alliance power, the OCTOS has a submarine-like form during underwater navigation, and a four-legged form on land. Its bombardments in ground form are powerful.

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Pg 088

One-man Battle Pod
Rigādo

Total Height: 15.12 m Fully Loaded Weight: 37 t Output: 1.3 GGV

Main Engine: Esbelin Thermonuclear Reactor Armament: Medium-bore Charged Particle Beam Gun x2, Small-bore Anti-personnel Laser Machine-gun x2, Small-bore Anti-aircraft Laser Machine-gun x2 (specs are the standard model)

The most general Battle Pod in the Zentrādi Forces. It is produced at what is said to number approximately 3 billion automated munitions factories. Its greatest feature is that it can be produced at an extremely low cost. The Rigādo also has few breakdowns, and it is easy to operate. On the other hand, the Rigādo also sacrifices many parts -such as habitability, and piloting- and it has another reputation among the soldiers who use it: 'it'd be preferable to walk on my own [then ride in it].' "Mr. Kawamori said 'making it as simple as possible, however I draw it it will appear like the Rigādo', and made it into this shape. However, this shape is actually hard to draw. (Miyatake)"

Large Missile Equipped Rigādo
A firepower enhanced type that is equipped with Large Multi-warhead Missiles. However, the weight increase has a negative effect in manoeuvrability and controllability, as it makes the Rigādo's centre-of-gravity balance worse, and the pod's survivability is also reduced. For that reason, its reputation is poor among the soldiers who actually use it.

Small Missile Equipped Rigādo
A type enhanced with a small missile pod to supplement its firepower. It had a favourable reputation among the soldiers as it differs from the Large Missile Equipped type with an increase in firepower without a serious degradation -to the extent of the Large Missile Equipped Rigādo- in manoeuvrability (it maintains the same manoeuvrability level as the Reconnaissance model).

Rigādo One-man Reconnaissance Pod
A reconnaissance type that is equipped with radar and sensors in exchange for the removed weapons. Due to it truly not having any weapons, escort craft stick to it when it is mobilized. Its reconnaissance abilities aren't that high as the output on the Rigādo's side has a tendency to be insufficient as the driving force for the reconnaissance system, as designed.

Pg 089

A Battle Pod that was produced based on actual combat data feedback. For that reason, it is a high performance Mobile Weapon—one can say that the Gurāji is a model superior to the Rigādo. The Gurāji also has an abundance of armaments and options. However, because its production munition factories were destroyed, their number is wholeheartedly decreasing, and it has become a valuable Battle Pod. "Although the drawing of the Gurāji is awfully good, its joints lose strength relative to its posture when it's made into a model. (Miyatake)"

Gurāji Variations

■ Variable Gurāji
■ Neo-Gurāji
Variable Gurāji exist that can take the forms of GERWALK and a 3-hulled Fighter, and one can even transform up to the Battroid form. The basic fuselage structure and transformation mechanism are almost identical in both versions.

Pg 090

A Zentrādi Forces Powered Suit that was born as a result of trying to let the infantryman have maximum firepower, defensive capabilities, and manoeuvrability. Despite it being good as a Powered Suit, the Nūjaderu-Gā has a form where the pilot's arms aren't in the suit's arms, but are operating control sticks located in front of the [pilot's] chest inside the torso. Also, "Gā" applies to the final model in the Nūjaderu series. "We confirmed that the form where the pilot grasps the control sticks in front of the chest and runs around is actually reasonable. (Miyatake)"

Caption: "movie version"

Battlesuits and Combat Uniforms
The Battlesuit with armour-and-helmet-like armour is a combat uniform close to the Soft-suits. Even though the Zentrādi soldiers can even take action in outer space -but only for a short time- naturally they wear these combat suits in such a harsh environment.

Caption: Various Rough sketches*. Rather than saying Powered Suits, their form gives an impression like a robot that a person boards, and fights a war with.

* Translator's note: caption located under two rough sketches leading up to the (finished?) Powered Suit design that appeared in Macross Plus.

Pg 091

The Battlesuit used by the Zentrādi female (Meltrandi) corps. Even though the form with the arms and feet sprouting directly from the torso (chest) is a common characteristic with the Battle Pods, like the Rigādo, the Quadoran series are equipped with large propulsion devices and have high manoeuvrability. Among the Quadoran series, the Quadoran-Rō -introduced in the earliest period- in particular was preferred by the female corps' ace pilots for its orientation toward especially light armour and manoeuvrability, and it gained a well-known reputation. Although the number of Quadoran-Rō deployed was small, derivative craft, such as the mass production Quadoran-Nona and Quadoran-Kiruka, were later also produced. The Beam Cannon equipped Quadoran-Rhea possessed manoeuvrability that wasn't inferior to the latest Battroid in the 2050's: the VF-25. "The Quadoran has a figure that is to some extent separate from that of a human. It's a debate between whether the design has character, or shows feminine lines. (Miyatake)"

* Translator's note: there's a strong nuance of "adult female" that is being lost in the translation.

Caption: "movie version"

Caption: Quadoran-Kiruka

Caption: Quadoran-Rō

Caption: Quadoran-Nona
The mass production model of the Quadoran series that the general soldiers also use. It features double camera eyes and a single missile pod [on the back].

Caption: Quadoran-Rhea

Pg 092

Outer Space Heavy Attacker
A Zentrādi attack craft that appeared in the Playstation game "Macross Digital Mission VF-X". Appropriate for the Heavy Attack Craft name, it features such things as large thrusters and 2 Beam Guns.

Quel-quallie
Kerukaria
A Zentrādi Reconnaissance Pod. Its overall length in Flight Form is fairly large at 126.7 m, and it is also equipped with self-defence armaments. Although it has sophisticated sensors and radar and its reconnaissance ability itself greatly exceeds that of the Rigādo, a lot of Kerukaria are in a state were it is hard to say that they are exhibiting enough abilities because the Zentrādi Forces can't do maintenance.

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Pg 093

�{����M Kazutaka Miyatake
He exists like a mecha designer pioneer in Japanese animation. He's attached to Studio Nue. He participated [in Macross] from the planning of "Super Dimensional Fortress Macross". He was in charge of mechanical design together with Mr. Shōji Kawamori. On the other hand, he also conducted the investigation of the mecha setting for the series.

Writer: Sergeant Yamazaki, Composition: Hoshi �� Keisuke

Inside the Space Battleship Macross, which is made from alien Over Technology, are the Variable Fighter Valkyrie -based on an actual aircraft- and the Destroids, which pursue reality as land warfare robots. These 3 mecha, who find themselves in differing positions, appear in "Super Dimensional Fortress Macross". This is an unusual composition for a Real Robot Anime. In general, what kind of intention was that due to? This time, we try to infer that from talking with Mecha Designer Kazutaka Miyatake, focusing on the Destroids.

"The Macross, Destroids, or Battroids—which plays the leading role?"
Miyatake • To start with, enemies and allies are completely differentiated in the "Studio Nue" design philosophy. We want to avoid someone being unable to tell them apart at a glance. The rest is the story of the business. Generally speaking, if they weren't humanoid combat robots, then they won't become merchandise and they don't have any marketing power. Correctly speaking, there is no marketing power on the sponsor's side. In the old days, if it wasn't in a humanoid form, it wasn't accepted.

However, when you seriously think about it, humanoid combat weapons don't have an excuse anywhere, and their pervasive power is insufficient. False parts appear in them. One compensates for that by having comedy or fairly silly parts [in an anime] to cover it up. "The enemy are giants" was a result that appeared from our thinking about that. If it's so, than it becomes the reason for humanoid robots with the same size as a giant. As the robots could step on such things as a tank and be done, they also had to be able to wrestle. Also, if the anime has a giant and a combat robot wrestling, it becomes interesting from the comedy of seeing just that. Those anti-giant humanoid robots were prepared as armaments loaded aboard the battleships. That's the Destroids... having said that, that is the form of the plan for "Macross" at the stage before the Valkyries existed.

- One can say that there still wasn't a Valkyrie at that time?

Miyatake • Yes. Nonetheless, the argument that "the Destroids are a minor role" was made by Kawamori (Mr. Shōji Kawamori). So, speaking of the leading role, that was a space battleship that transformed. However, there is a problem where the size difference between a human and a humanoid battleship is excessive. For the size of the main mecha that a human boards and moves, Mazinger Z in the olden days and Gundam-like shows now-a-days have a reasonable size that's acceptable. When it comes to Ideon, it's somewhat too big, and we have to solve that ingeniously in various ways. So, we also talked about "not being able to keep only the Macross in the leading role." As "Space Battleship Yamato" had a special something that appealed to Japanese emotions -its motif is the "Battleship Yamato"- it has an image that stands with sufficient character for the lead role [in the series]. (continued on Pg 094)

Pg 094

However, the Destroids as-is are a little weak as the main mecha. If they were to be used in the leading role, then they need even more character and realism. Thereupon we came to incorporate the idea of a currently-used fighter aircraft transforming into a humanoid robot. Using an actually existing, currently-used fighter that transforms into a humanoid robot was from the calculation of "when something that has reality does an unexpected thing, that alone would be interesting". Mr. Kawamori endlessly spent time on the challenge of "a fighter transforms into a humanoid robot". Did it take about a year? So, because that was made, we considered the name Battroid for it -a new name that differed it from the Destroids- and organized it so that the Destroids were a rank lower than the Battroids. The three features of the show -Macross, Battroid, and Destroid- were formed via such a process.

"A chassis system that was excellent in both reality and in commodification."

- The lower half of the Destroid bodies being the same, and the upper half and armaments being different is strikingly realistic, isn't that right? Was an aim like that expected?

Miyatake • Whether it's the Defender or the Tomahawk, my approach was to make the basic chassis useful by making use of it in variants. Even in reality they exchange what is placed on the same chassis, and make a tank and an anti-aircraft vehicle, don't they? As an engineer, they ought to solidly make the chassis -which amounts to the foundation of a vehicle- and also come up with and design variations that are added to it from there. As I was in a world close to the armed forces due to a connection with my father's job, I know fairly well what the military personnel and armed forces might consider. Those people are the type of people who will use whatever is useful in everything.

- Indeed. But, there are hardly any scenes with the Destroids, right? I always found that frustrating.

Miyatake • It's because I wasn't very conscious of drawing the lines from the beginning. Honestly speaking, the Destroids are something that were produced as a countermeasure for the sponsors (laughs).

- Their highlight is the Daedalus Attack, isn't it? Something like the Monster taking two steps and that's all. Still, it was cool.

Miyatake • It's because the Monster had the concept of "it takes two steps and the floor gives way" from the beginning. As Animation Director (Ichiro) Itano said, "the extent of this mecha's world is two or three steps, and thereafter it can only stand as-is and fire artillery". He also said, "the Monster walking that far is more than enough!" (laughs)

"Even though the Destroid's time in the spotlight has become very limited, it isn't a problem!?" (continued on Pg 095)

Pg 095

- Yet, even though it was only that scene, it seems to have created the Monster's popularity?

Miyatake • In fact there were also two kinds of mecha pictures: those for models, and those for animating. With the skill to animate at that time, there wasn't enough time at all to draw pictures that sought reality. Even with Ichirō Itano, it was difficult to have the Destroids make a lot of movements.

- And that is on top of the awareness that they wouldn't be appearing.

Miyatake • If it's one of the robot animes made so far, then the way that the creator side requested realism wasn't very strong. The positional relationship was one where "the one presented on TV" is the pinnacle of realism, and such things as the models are the things that flatter that pinnacle. The representative example in those days is "Gundam".

However, with "Macross", they hardly appear in the original version (laughs), and there was a structure where the realistic combat robots -that reinforced the background of the production- were released as models, toys, and so on. It meant that the models had a higher position of realism than the mecha that appeared in the TV show. If so, then its necessary for the models and so on to have a reality greater than the anime. The fundamental methodology of "Gundam" and "Macross" was quite different.

- Surely, the Destroids are the ones that everyone paid attention to from the plastic models. They saw the box art and said "cool!" and so on.

Miyatake • Mr. Kawamori and myself tried not to do that on purpose in the original version. It's because we were open to the idea that from plastic models and toys to video games, all are treated equally in the production called "Macross". We often received requests like "please let me make this for that scene". Thereupon, I didn't think "I had to put in a lot of work just for that one scene", but thought that the scene is a part that steadily broadens the world inside the series. The Destroids are also something with a role like that.

- Well then, naturally there's also the meaning that they didn't have an opportunity to appear.

Miyatake • Recently, we've finally become able to do that, and we are able to get even the Destroid Monster to move on screen. It seems that Mr. Kawamori truly intended to make the Spartan do hand-to-hand combat at the beginning. While he had said, "because of that, I think the design should have few lines", I think even Mr. Itano disliked the Spartan. (laughs)

- But, didn't Hikaru pilot it once in the series?

Miyatake • Hmmm, only once... it was inevitable, wasn't it? (laughs) The sponsor also initially said that the models would sell and they would be happy, however it reached a point later when they said such things as, "it still hasn't appeared?"

- Although it's a Destroid, Mr. Kawamori did the design for the Spartan, right? In that case, how did you divide the work?

Miyatake • At that time, Mr. Kawamori's and my desks were 90° rotated from each other, and even though we worked with a feeling of being half back-to-back, we both said absolutely every little thing that came to mind to each other. So, we'd both say things like "well then, no!". It wasn't a seniority-based hierarchy. Although there were big quarrels until the problem was resolved, you might say that that was the usual thing.

- There were big quarrels!?

Miyatake • It's because we both had absolute confidence in the superiority of our ideas. So, although one might say it was a quarrel, it was extremely argumentative as it was a dispute to persuade the other person. The point where the other person viewed "it's no good there" as a problem, was often something that we ourselves hadn't noticed. Even if the person who had said 'it was no good' also didn't grasp the true reason why, it was because there was bound to be a question about something that was on their mind. Well then, drawing it out from there, it was a kind of probing of each other. By having quite a strong discussion with such a feeling, we steadily produced, modified, and incorporated ideas. Therefore, in the end we developed different ideas that had nothing to do with such things as who produced which idea. Hmmm... Morita (Studio Nue's Mr. Shigeru Morita) was always amazed. Even though he said such things as, "after having those quarrels, you often go to eat a meal together!", it was because it wasn't a quarrel as far as we were concerned.

- That's a sensation that's somewhat detached from an ordinary Japanese person, isn't it? As expected, the people who came up with the Zentrans are somewhat different, eh? (laughs).

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Pg 099~103

Pg 114~117

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