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Macross Plus - Movie Edition

Macross Plus - Movie Edition

List Price: $29.95
Your Price: $26.96
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Macross Plus at its best
Review: An original OVA release, Macross Plus was the first Macross project to make heavy use of computer graphics, blended perfectly with a great storyline and a remarkable musical score by Yoko Kanno. Produced by Shigeru Watanabe and directed by legendary director and mechanical designer Shoji Kawamori, responsible for the original Valkyrie design back in 1982, it was a instant classic when released, both on US and Japan.

But there was something missing, and sometimes, there was too much going on, many would complain on how Isamu didn't died on so many accidents or the martial court that had nothing to do with anything (of course there was a reason for it, but in the end, it just ended up serving as a filler rather than useful, as nothing got changed after it).

Then came one of those Macross special events, where they released both a Macross 7 movie and a movie version of the OVA series that everybody loved. What everybody wasn't ready is that the movie version would be much better thant the original release.

Now the question: why? First, running on 4 episodes of 45 minutes, you got about 3 hours of story, and the movie runs for almost 2 hours, so you know that they cut a lot of fat on this one (and three end-credits of time). Also, they went all the trouble to make new scenes for this release, scenes that surely add more depth to the story, most specifically at two points at the ending (one of them is the ending itself, that's really quick on the OVA release).

If you are a serious Macross fan, you deserve yourself a copy of this DVD, even if you already have the OVA release. If you are being cautious on your budget, then you can get only one disc with the whole Macross Plus experience. Anyway, you're going to be pleased with this disc.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Macross Plus: Movie Edition
Review: First of all, I would like to mention that I have not seen the Macross Plus OVAs, so I do not know the differences between the OVAs and the Movie Edition. What I am reviewing here is the movie edition, and the movie edition only. Macross Plus is probably my most fav Macross production to date. I've really enjoyed this movie. It is about two life-long rivals, Isamu and Guld, who're not only rival test pilots, but also are rivals for romance, as they both compete with each other for the affection of the beautiful Myung, who is the director of Sharon Apple, the world's first virtuid pop singer. The movie is mostly about the love triangle involved with Isamu, Guld, and Myung, but there is lots of sci-fi and mecha action involved, too. The animation and music are simply beautiful. All of Sharon Apple's songs are execellent, although my fav Macross song is defientely Information High. The only thing I didn't ilke about Macross Plus: Movie Edition was the bad quality of the DVD. While the picture quality is still defientely better than VHS, it is still not up to par with the DVDs of today, and it feels like Manga Entertainment just took their Master VHS copy and slapped it onto a DVD disc. The special features are pretty poor, too, in which you just get the OVA Ending Credits, the trailers for the OVAs, and those annoying poorly written character profiles. I'd highly recommend seeing Macross Plus, but you may want to check out the OVAs before the movie edition. The only reason I bought the Movie Edition was because it was cheaper than buying the OVAS, IMO, but if you've already seen the OVAs, stick with the OVAs, or if you haven't seen Macross Plus yet, either buy the OVAs, or try and find this DVD at a good, cheap, price.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Careful it is sub-titled Only!
Review: I gave it 4 stars, because I have seen the cable version and enjoyed it. Unfortunately, this DVD IS NOT dubbed in English. The hardcore anime fan usually prefers the Japanese with English subtitles version. Well that's not me. I admit the English voice actors usually sound overly hormonal, but I tend to watch these movies at night, while I am lying in bed and particularly during the second, third, and so on viewing, the last thing I want to do have to concentrate and read subtitles. So I made it 1 minute in the movie, then re-boxed it and returned it to Amazon. It's a shame, because I looked forward to it.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Careful it is sub-titled Only!
Review: I gave it 4 stars, because I have seen the cable version and enjoyed it. Unfortunately, this DVD IS NOT dubbed in English. The hardcore anime fan usually prefers the Japanese with English subtitles version. Well that's not me. I admit the English voice actors usually sound overly hormonal, but I tend to watch these movies at night, while I am lying in bed and particularly during the second, third, and so on viewing, the last thing I want to do have to concentrate and read subtitles. So I made it 1 minute in the movie, then re-boxed it and returned it to Amazon. It's a shame, because I looked forward to it.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Simply Amazing
Review: I just bought this anime movie,I'd been waiting for the Movie Edition on DVD to come out a long time ago and I'm proud to say it was worth it.The movie is a delight of beautiful animation and music.The story is smooth and the DVD very easy to navigate.

About the animation used in this anime movie it's something that I haven't seen in any other movie.If I could relate it to another anime it would be "AKIRA" or "COWBOY BEBOP" because everything was meant to be perfect in this film.The music composed by Yoko Kanno is the second most notable thing from this anime.It's a mix of popular and traditional music with a little bit of everything.

The story,that for me was quite well written and intelligent,would caught you attention from its beginning to the very end.If you like anime with a touch of everything,romance,action,mecha,music....Macross Plus has it all.This is the perfect sequel for the original Macross(Robotech) serie that to the date had remaind one of the top favorites of the fans.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: The biggest disappointment in my life
Review: I was a really big fan of Macross Plus The Movie. It was the one of my favourite anime ever. I was waiting many years for this title to be released on DVD. They were saying that on DVD this film will be remastered etc. So I've preordered it from Amazon as soon as it was possible. It was the biggest disappointment in my life, when I watched the movie. It was looking exactly the same as on VHS! Even subtitles were encoded on the screen. The chinese bootleg was a lot better than this original release!

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: A sub-par DVD for the Movie Edition
Review: I've heard good things about the movie edition for Macross Plus for a while. How it's better then the 4 part OVA. I've never gotten to see it until now, and IMO it isn't better. It feels a little choppy in the pacing department. The new music for the montages wasn't as good as the music they had in the OVA. I don't like that the battle scene with the VF-11B Thunderbolt and the board meeting talking about the YF-19 and YF-21 tests were cut but I like what they did with the rest. The ending is worth (at the very least renting) the Movie Edition of Macross Plus.

My biggest problem is with the picture. The video for the DVD releases for the OVA looks great. But for the movie it looks like a VHS tape. It's not like another company released the movie edition. I know it was put out for the Macross fans but it doesn't mean the video has to look as bad is it does, esp. when the OVA looked so good. I don't think it can be blamed on source material. What is up with the video quality? No one is going to be using this as a demo disc.

My next problem is with the Subtitles. From what I've read there never was an English dub recorded for the Movie Edition and of course to do it for the dvd would cost more money (and I have a feeling it wouldn't be that inspired anyway). I'm fine with it only being in Japanese. What I do hate is burnt in subtitles. Why oh why? It looks tacky and makes the video quality look a little worst. Again, they were going for the VHS look I guess. The audio does sound good though.

The extras are a laugh. The character bio's would have been better if a fan of the the series wrote them, the photo gallery isn't that great and the rest of the extras are just commericals for Manga. But I guess that's what is to be expected as they are pretty much the same (if not the same, but I don't feel like checking) extras for the OVA dvds. Still, Macross is pretty big and it would have been nice to see at least an interview with the director.

Overall I can't recommend this disc. There is no excuse for the bad video and the burnt in subtitles. They must have ported the movie from a VHS tape and re-mixed the sound. If you like Macross I'd recommend picking up the OVA. If you are a Macross region 1 dvd completist then you'll pick this up no matter what, just like me.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Well Worth It...
Review: Macross Plus is the first Macross project that came from it's original creators after the Macross movie back in 1984. It is a side story to the Macross universe which pits two former friends as test pilots against each other in a heated variable fighter competition where the winning design becomes the next UN Spacy transforming fighter.

Thus is the backdrop for the ensuing Macross story which delves deeper than just two pilots trying to out-perform each other both in the air, and on the ground trying to obtain the affections of their former friend, Myung, who is now the producer for a virtual music idol. Macross Plus has often been compared to "Top Gun" as it does in fact share some similarities, namely the hot shot pilots.

Most people have seen the Macross Plus OVA. The movie edition simply edits out parts from it and has a slightly different ending along with scenes that did not appear in the 4 part OVA. Thus, many will ask, why get this when I have already seen the OVA?

The reason is that the movie edition has a different feeling than the OVA. Particularly the ending, which felt a little rushed in the original 4 part series. You still have the great music by Yoko Kanno and great mecha design by Kawamori (The YF-19 and YF-21 competing almost echoes the real life F-22/F-23 fighter trials). The trademark Macross love triangle is here, and music indeed plays a major role in the storyline.

If you enjoyed the Macross Plus story as much as I have, getting this disc will make you a happy fan indeed.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Well Worth It...
Review: Macross Plus is the first Macross project that came from it's original creators after the Macross movie back in 1984. It is a side story to the Macross universe which pits two former friends as test pilots against each other in a heated variable fighter competition where the winning design becomes the next UN Spacy transforming fighter.

Thus is the backdrop for the ensuing Macross story which delves deeper than just two pilots trying to out-perform each other both in the air, and on the ground trying to obtain the affections of their former friend, Myung, who is now the producer for a virtual music idol. Macross Plus has often been compared to "Top Gun" as it does in fact share some similarities, namely the hot shot pilots.

Most people have seen the Macross Plus OVA. The movie edition simply edits out parts from it and has a slightly different ending along with scenes that did not appear in the 4 part OVA. Thus, many will ask, why get this when I have already seen the OVA?

The reason is that the movie edition has a different feeling than the OVA. Particularly the ending, which felt a little rushed in the original 4 part series. You still have the great music by Yoko Kanno and great mecha design by Kawamori (The YF-19 and YF-21 competing almost echoes the real life F-22/F-23 fighter trials). The trademark Macross love triangle is here, and music indeed plays a major role in the storyline.

If you enjoyed the Macross Plus story as much as I have, getting this disc will make you a happy fan indeed.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: spoiled by sloppy DVD production
Review: Macross Plus movie edition was first released in Japan in theatrical double bill with the Macross 7 movie. Macross Plus itself is a prequal to Macross set between the original series and Macross 7. (incidentally Macross 2 is not part of the main continuity due to it's poor performance) Macross creator Shoji Kawamori directs once again with Co-Director Shinichiro Watanabe (assistant director for the OAV). Shinichiro Watanabe is probably best known for directing Cowboy Bebop a few years later.

I prefer the movie version to the OAV. There are quiet a few extra scenes and a lot of the story has been rearranged. There really isn't anything in the OAV that isn't in the movie and I felt the OAV dragged a little. Even though there is nothing dramatically new the tone is a little darker and the characters seem more rounded. The biggest changes are probably too Isamu. In this version he's a little more mature, in some ways he's seems like a prototype for Cowboy Bebop's Spike. In the OAV there was very little emphasis on Isamu and Lucy's relationship so watching it in episodes you could forget about it, in the movie it's more prominent and it seems more important. Overall the story is better and better presented and better served by the movie format.

Now for the kick in the teeth. The picture quality is awful (it is better than my VHS copy but not up to scratch for a DVD), the subtitles are hard and there is only one sound track (sound quality is pretty good though). I think all Manga has done is use their master for the VHS version. Why did they do this? Well just a guess but... Manga has the rights to both the OAV and movie in the UK. They released the lovely picture quality episodes on two discs and then strapped (literally) the movie DVD on in a nice package (if it's any consolation all the discs are mislabelled for example the movie has episodes 3 and 4 printed on the disc). The movie makes a fantastic extra but not so great at full price.

This is a great film, I really enjoyed it but I expect a lot more from a DVD release.


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