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Macross Plus, Vol. 1

Macross Plus, Vol. 1

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

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Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Overrated
Review: Macross Plus has everything going for it-- brilliant animation and CG effects, super sountrack and overall top notch production qualities. Unfortunately Macross Plus miserably fails in the one most important aspect: the plot.

The storyline is dire. How they could not utilize such great production qualities to come up with a good story is the real disappointment. I leave the introduction to other reviews but to summarise: Macross Plus is essentially about a love triangle. Three characters and their pasts catch up with them. Isamu Dyson, the main character, is actually a likeable guy. You notice from the little things, he isn't such a bad guy even though initially introduced as a reckless hotshot. Guld is his counterpart and they exchange harsh insults from the onset-- yes they hate eachother. They are both test pilots in competition to win the grant for a revolutionary future fighter machine which will bring peace to the galaxy. In come Myung, their childhood friend who caught their hearts. Character development isn't the worst i've seen but again, its nothing special from an anime claiming to be one of the greats. Things do start to get heated when Guld attempts to murder Isamu using live ammunition on a test run.

The first episode starts off pretty well, the second episode takes things a little further but you're still waiting for the real 'meat' of the movie. Then comes the third episode; it feels like a complete filler episode. Apart from the ending of episode three, what more was there? Episode four offers a decent and somewhat convincing ending. (Episodes 3 & 4 are found on vol 2). Metropolis got away with a poor plot only by its truly amazing graphics, brilliant use of 3D and cg effects, and most importantly 'that' superbly conceived city-- you were almost in awe of such a technical feat. Macross Plus fell short in my opinion and the excellent anime quality couldn't save it.

Macross Plus doesnt do anything new, it doesnt even do anything old in a great way. How on earth its mentioned in the same breath as the likes of Cowboy Bebop, Rurouni Kenshin, Akira, Spirited Away, Neon Genesis (love or hate it), Ghost in the Shell and Escaflowne is beyond me. Its not a bad anime, just an average one. Like most though, my expectation was high on this one, and it just wasn't good enough, bearing no real substance.

Recommended for rent/view; somewhat entertaining if your hopes aren't too high, but I wouldn't buy it.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: EXCELLENT!
Review: I'll try to keep this short so you wont skip over it: Basically, i loved this oav [parts 1&2]. Instead of watching an anime that is mostly plot OR action, here you have both: A deep plot that connects and relates all characters WITH visually stunning action sequences. However, this action is all Mecha[robots], and there is NO martial arts anywhere to be found. So those who are mostly into martial arts type of anime, this OAV might not satisfy you as much as you would think.

I would recommend this rather then 'Macross Plus: The Movie' because the movie was shorter, therefore it was a little harder to get into. Basically, the movie is the OAV, but reduced [reduced quality as well].

Even though i gave this OAV 5 stars, there is only one problem, the transfer to dvd was not perfect. The audio was the only problem, the voices were hard to hear because of the overly loud background music or sounds. I dont know if this problem was because of my tv or dvd player, but i thought you'd like to know

In the end, an enjoyable anime to watch, but the dvd could have been better

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Perfection!
Review: I've been watching anime for 24 years, started in 1979 actually, I've seen most all anime titles ever made. Anyone who can say that this series is "retarded, a Top-Gun rippoff", AND said the animation was "sub-par", has NO taste in anime! The storyline is believable; with strong, flawed, funny, and vulnerable characters, emotions are portrayed effectively. The dialogue is precise, with excellent dubbing, sound is top notch in full surround, and the animation is colorfull, crisp, and shows amazing depth.
There are many equally fine anime titles: Akira, Patlabor, Blue Gender, Grave of The Fireflies, etc. But it doesn't and can't get much better than Macross Plus!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: An awsome movie everyone should enjoy!
Review: Macross Plus is possibly one of the best movies I have ever seen. Note: I did not say "anime movies" I said "movies". I am 14 and an anime fan, however not a "deep" or "avid" fan. I only consider myself a fan. I hate how some people say "I am the biggest anime fan in the world! I will rate this movie and you will believe everything I say!" All I am saying is that most people will like this movie, whether an anime fan or not. Now to the plot....

It is basically Top Gun, meets Robotech, meets the visual splendor of Ghost in the Shell, meets some of the best animation and artists int he world. Throw in some dramatic conflict, tons of action, and some slapstick humor and you've got one of the greatest films ever made, in my humble opinion....

Guld Bowman and Isamu Dyson are the worst of enemies, yet the best of friends, as the conflict between them clashes throughout the movie. They are both test pilots on the planet Eden flying two very different jets, trying to win the governments funding to replace the currently used fighter. Isamu flys the YF-19, a manually controlled jet with a lot of agility and a great amount of speed. Guld, on the other hand, flys the YF-21, a jet controlled by the mind, giving it an incredible amount of agility, very quick linear thinking, and stealth capabilities. The old friends are now constanly at eachothers throats, always making you wonder who the real enemy is. The other conflict involves Myung, a singer, now gone producer, with a strange past. She is the producer for the virtual pop diva, Sharon Apple. Macross Plus has a story that slowly and mysteriously unravles, leaving you curious and confused until the end.

The music in the story is some of the best to hit movies, beating the pants off anything else, with all original songs performed by Yokko Kanno, and almost all os the songs are dubbed to english. The dubbing is great too, and facial expressions are edited to match the voices in the english version. The ending of the movie is superb, leaving you wanting to watch it again and again, and do watch it at least twice, because the more you see it the better it gets. Lastly the animation is simply put: Amazing. You look at each individual frame on the DVD and think, "WOW. What group of people could take the time to draw over 240,480 frames of animation so damn perfect."

The DVD is one of the best I've seen, featuring full 5.1 Dolby Digital audio on the english version, and Dolby Surround on the Japanese version. It has both Japanese and English dubbing and subtitles, so you can enjoy it in both it's original form and the english version. It has 4 theatrical trailers, and selectable previews for upcoming Manga Video films, that aren't manditory to watch. It also has a fully animated interactive menu with music, and a great intro to the movie.

It is by far one of my favorite movies ever, and even both my younger sister and my father (who isn't big fan of animated movies) enjoyed it thoroughly. Buy it on VHS or DVD, get the cut movie or the 4 individual parts, or at the very least rent it, because I promise you, that you wont regret. If you dislike it, come over sometime and give me a swirly or something, because I know that you will like it as much or more than I did.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: One of the Best OVA's Ever Made
Review: Macross Plus was a very highly anticipated release back in 1994. It was the first Macross project in 10 years and one of the only uncut presentations brought to the US at the time. BOY did it deliver. I walked into this thinking it was going to be another overrated generic anime since everyone kept telling me it was so great. It's not overrated at all. Macross Plus truly is one of the best anime series ever made. On top of that, this is the 2nd pressing of the DVD's first volume. The first pressing had audio problems such as what was listed as a 5.1 mix was actually a 4.0 mix since the center channel wasn't used. Not to mention that the Japanese audio wasn't a heavy as the English version. Most of that has been improved and it now sounds excellent and up to par with the wonderful animation.(which by the way does not look like it came out in 1994). BUY THIS DISC!!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Excellent show
Review: This isnt really a sequel but an offshoot of the Macross franchise. The characters are very well done here and the soundtrack is very cool also. The animation is AWESOME here. Ive noticed some people complain but they dont know the history of Macross which happens to be my all time favorite show so this is a welcomed addition to the macross legacy.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The Review - Part 1
Review: To start, I think anime is a very underatted. Not enough goes to promote it beyond Pokemon and Dragonball. Any way, i digress.

Macross Plus would have to be one of the best produced anime EVER! Visually, Sound, and Story wise, it is very appealling. DVD doesn't offer too much extra, but it does let you compare dialogue between English and Japanese.

The First volume starts it off by introducing the three central characters, Test pilots Isamu and Guld, and Music Producer Myung. All of them linked by a past event that shattered their friendship, and the story brings them all back together to confront each other.

The drama in this series is done great, as well as the mecha battle sequences and the music. G-R-E-A-T

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: THE Greatest Anime Title of all Time
Review: Forty years after the events that took place in Macross (Robotech in the US), humans and the Zentradi have found peace. However, there are still rougue forces that still cause the UN Spacy problems. Isamu Dyson is a pilot in the service, but his recklessness has forced the Ministy of Defence to transfer him to a place where he will fit in perfectly, Planet Eden's Test flight facility. There he meets up with Guld, an old friend and rival. Both pilots are pilots for rival companies that are vying for funding for their new valkaryie transforming fighters. With the two of them battling for air supremecy, an old friend and flame between the two arrives, the 'manager' of the universe's number one singing idol - the virtual woman, Sharon Apple. With the three reunited, sparks begin to fly. On the ground, and in the air. This is a remarkable OVA. The animation is top quality. The story is deep and interesting. The music is fantastic. There are no flaws in this series. Even the english dubbing is good, which is very surprising. If love Robotech or Gundam, you will love this.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Perfection!
Review: I've been watching anime for 24 years, started in 1979 actually, I've seen most all anime titles ever made. Anyone who can say that this series is "retarded, a Top-Gun rippoff", AND said the animation was "sub-par", has NO taste in anime! The storyline is believable; with strong, flawed, funny, and vulnerable characters, emotions are portrayed effectively. The dialogue is precise, with excellent dubbing, sound is top notch in full surround, and the animation is colorfull, crisp, and shows amazing depth.
There are many equally fine anime titles: Akira, Patlabor, Blue Gender, Grave of The Fireflies, etc. But it doesn't and can't get much better than Macross Plus!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: In a word? Brillant.
Review: From the explosive opening to the sad but trumphant ending, Macross Plus is pure class all the way. You probably know the plot from some of the other reviews, so here are just a few comments from a humble viewer.

1. The english voice acting for this anime is spectacular, with Isamu standing even higher than the rest. His calm, reckless and confident personality comes across perfectly in the dialog and inflection. Simply put, this guy makes Tom Cruise in Top Gun seems like a wannabe. Guld is a good tough guy persona, but he's the weakest of the bunch. But even bit parts like Lucy and the Flight Commander have personality and style to spare.

2. The action is probably the best I've EVER seen in an anime. The opening dogfight alone is better than most big budget film's climax. It's short, but friend, it's oh so sweet. While there are only a few action peices per episode, the quality put into them is staggering. The later dogfight between Guld and Isamu is a gut wrenching action banaza and their dialog is hilarious to boot! Even the training mech/dogfights put most action scenes in anime to shame (Yes I'm talking to you, End of Evangelion and Gundam W: Endless Waltz).

3. The music is superb. The classical music during the dogfights fits the mood and setting perfectly. And what would an anime be without great Japanese pop music? Although Sharron Apple is definately a weird concept, if you give her music a chance you'll probably be bobbing your head along with her other zombie-like fans.

If you like great characters, awesome action, stylin music or just want something fun and differnt to watch. Give Macross Plus a go, it will not disapoint.


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