Macross Delta | Review | Pinnedupink.com

Macross Delta

If you are a fan of Classic Mecha anime, then the name “Macross” is probably not something new to you. Mecha anime isn’t as much rage as it used to be in the current era of anime, but it can indeed find itself a cozy spot amidst the myriad of new trending genres. So here’s a look at the latest installment of the legendary Macross series! The Macross series has truly come far over many years, and loyal fans eagerly await the next installment each passing year.

“Macross Delta,” also known as “Macross Δ,” is a 26 episode TV anime series that aired from the 3rd of April until the 25th of September, as a Spring 2016 title. It was produced by Bandai Visual, Big West, flying DOG, and Techno Sound and brought to life by Studio Satelight.

The primary staff behind are Kawamori Shouji as Director and Original Creator, Mima Masafumi as Sound Director, Yasuda Kenji as Director, and Nakayama Ryuu as Episode Director Storyboard and on Key Animation. It features the genres of Action, Romance, and Sci-Fi and boasts the themes of Mecha, Military, Music, and Space. It received a rating of PG-13 for teenagers 13 years or older.

Macross Delta is an Original series that was adapted from multiple Manga series. The first is the “Macross Δ” Manga series, which spanned four volumes from the 26th of April 2016 until the 26th of January 2018. This was the work of Artist Tatsuwo, and the series was serialized in Shounen Sirius.

The next is “Macross Δ Gaiden: Macross E” Manga series, also known as “Macross Delta Gaiden: Macross Extra.” It consisted of two volumes that ran from the 20th of June 2016 until the 20th of January 2017, was serialized in Magazine Special, and was the work of Author and Artist Ichimonji Kei. This was a spin-off of the main Macross Δ anime series and took place five years before the events of the series.

Next was the 3 Volume Manga series titled “Macross Δ: Ginga wo Michibiku Utahime” (Macross Δ: The Diva Who Guides the Galaxy, Macross Delta: The galaxy is led by Walküre). Serialized in Comic REX, it ran from the 27th of April 2016 until the 27th of September 2017 as the work of Author and Artist Mizuki Shion.

Finally, there was the 2 Volume Manga series “Macross Δ: Kuroki Tsubasa no Shiro Kishi” (Macross Delta: White knight of the black wing). Serialized in Comic ZERO-SUM, Author and Artist Fuji Azuki brought this Josei series to life from the 28th of April 2016 until the 28th of March 2017. This, too, was a prequel of the main Macross Δ anime, which took place nine years before the events of the series.

The prequel series to Macross Delta is Macross F, which premiered in Spring 2008 as a 25 episode TV Anime series. A 9 episode Special series, which consisted of 5-minute episodes, titled “Macross Δ: Delta Shougekijou,” began airing on the 22nd of July 2016, which included short episodes from the limited edition BD/DVD volume releases.

An Alternate version was released in the form of a movie, “Macross Δ Movie: Gekijou no Walküre” (Macross Delta Movie) on the 9th of February 2018. It recompiles various scenes from the Macross Δ anime with new scenes to tell a different story. A sequel was released in the form of another movie, “Macross Δ Movie 2: Zettai Live!!!” on the 8th of October 2021, where the characters find themselves up against a new threat.

The story is set eight years after the events of the Macross F anime series when a mysterious new phenomenon termed the Var Syndrome is gradually eating away at the galaxy. The duty and calling of the latest generation of highly skilled Valkyrie pilots are to deal with and bury this catastrophic universal menace.

But of course, that’s not the only thing they have to worry about, as the Aerial Knights Valkyrie fighter team from the Kingdom of Wind have arrived to challenge the Delta Squadron as well. With the stakes as high as ever, the time for the Walküre and Delta Flight to use music to save the universe once more is here.

Macross Delta was a series that had great promise but lacked good execution and planning. From the surface, it had an intriguing concept with a great story to be told, solidified in a harsh reality. But the truth was an unfocused show, with unresolved subplots and zero character development primarily due to poorly managed storyboards and screen time, terrible pacing, important characters being ignored, bad execution of the main couple, character deaths for the sake of drama, and lack of proper resolution.

While some recalls from previous series and songs have a nice feel of nostalgia to them, it adds nothing to Delta itself. The initially laid-back and comedic vibe does not transition well into the latter dreadful situation at all. The ending was rushed as well, with the only answer provided being for the love triangle. Overall, it makes for a dull, unpolished, messy, and sometimes confusing series which is a real disappointment for longtime Macross fans.

Macross Delta has its roster of colorful characters. Protagonist Hayate is nonchalant but has an unyielding desire to fly. Freyja is energetic, loves to sing, and aspires to be in the Walkure ranks; Mirage is from a family of legendary ace pilots, and from the Walkure idol group, there’s the mysterious lead singer, Mikumo.

By virtue of their bland, unrealistic, and uninteresting personalities, too few viewers could ever hope to relate to any of them. They and everybody else have pretty overused archetype personalities which underwent zero development until the very end. So few of them even had a proper impact on the story and even lacked solid relationships. As for the love triangle, there is pretty much a firm connection between Hayate and Freyja, while the one between him and Mirage is underdeveloped and poorly written. It's terrible, to the point that Mirage remains irrelevant to the whole anime until the end.

The Art and Animation are a bit better compared to the previous aspects, but not much. As previously stated, all the characters are very vibrant, so much so that it can actually distract viewers from the story. The designs themselves are nice, but the nail polish was overdone to the point that it distracts viewers from facial expressions.

As for the Mecha, the VF-31 Siegfield is the main element with a forward-swept wing design and the ability to deploy drones for Walkure use. The lack of innovation in the Mecha design is disappointing in a Macross series, and in Delta, it hits hard. The animation has not improved much since Macross Frontier. Most battles look lackluster due to excessive shading, making everything look so dull and lifeless.

The 3D models and the CGI do not go with their backgrounds, and various battle effects look exceedingly underwhelming. Everything just seems so lazy—credit is given to the neat particle effects after the VF-31, though, an original addition for one. The Animation is not fluid at all, and this is terrible during battles because it is a fundamental part of the whole Macross franchise.

The Music and Sounds of Delta are probably its decent aspects. The sound effects are mostly reused from Frontier, and sometimes these don’t exist when necessary. They forego realistic sound effects, even for the Mechas, to highlight the songs played in the background. As for sound balancing, it seems nonexistent.

The songs are Idol group types, with catchy lyrics, which are all pretty good and enjoyable. However, compared to previous Macross music, Delta’s ones seem to fall a bit short. Even some of the better songs seem ruined by generic cute Idol trends that destroy the momentum. The deep and heavy emotions that usually get conveyed through Macross’s songs are just absent here. But as far as Idol group songs go, they are solid and fun to watch. The Opening themes are "Ichido dake no Koi nara" by Walküre and "Zettai Reido θ Novatic" by Walküre. The Ending themes constitute ten different songs, all of which are pretty good.

Macross Delta is not a great addition to the Macross franchise, but this doesn’t mean it's terrible. If only the planning and execution went better, this series held much promise. Regardless, it has its good moments and excellent music, albeit the many flaws and unoriginality.

Not recommended, but if you’re a big Macross fan seeking to watch the latest installment, steel your nerves for what's to come and simply binge this one. Also, if you’re a big mecha fan and like the themes addressed here, go for it. It’s not an awful watch but what it lacks is highly apparent.