ranka… RANKA!!! (macross frontier 21)
Categories: anime, episodic review, macross
Tagged: macross frontier
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I wanted to go with you! I wanted to be together with you, always!
When Alto was screaming “RANKA!!” at the end, it was probably his most pathetic moment. It’s the exact opposite of an Awesome Kogarashi Moment (AKM).
When Ranka was flying away with Brera, didn’t it remind you a bit like when Simon broke free from the alternate reality world that the Anti-Spiral had trapped him in? Except there’s a girly-man shouting “RANKA!!” down below. Can you imagine Kamina doing that? Hell no. I think Alto-hime is becoming more and more fitting.
(If Sheryl’s melonpan bring the masses hopes and dreams, what does her ass bring? Peace and happiness? Freedom and justice?)
It was a nice moment… almost made me forget that exactly three minutes prior, they just used Ranka to lure out the Vajra, detonated a huge bomb that destroyed part of the colony, and turned all the Zentraedi into refugees. I think Macross Frontier has a similar problem as Code Geass and The OC: pacing. Just too much going on, and the plot doesn’t get a chance to settle. In that regard, I don’t think filler posts are all that bad– they help pace out the main story so we don’t go from Klan ‘zerk mode to boom boom bomb to folding paper airplanes.
How would you guys classify these eyes? Complete opposite of these, right?
Klan’s ‘zerk mode as pretty solid– if Shinji against Sachiel was a 10 out of 10, then Klan would be about a 7.5 out of 10. OJ Simpson going after the real killers, of course, would be a -98 out of 10.
Mixed feelings… part of me wants to make a “that’s one lucky helmet” joke the other part of me wants to make a “I hope that doesn’t turn Maya’s cell phone” joke. Though I may just settle for a generic, “even though lions are strong, they lick each other” line.
“RANKA IS RAPING THE TREE!”
“IT’S HER SACRIFICE!”
“SHE’S VIOLATING IT IN THE MOST DEMONIC WAY POSSIBLE!”
“RANKA! RANKA! RANKA!”
(Probably good time to mention that Detroit Metal City might have had an effect on me.)
Her funeral dress is basically the same as the white dress except for a palette swap. They also covered up a cleavage a bit more with the light overcoat…
(What kind of funeral has photographers and paparazzi at it? How is this acceptable at all? This was pretty lame.)
Is this Macross Frontier or The Place Promised in Our Early Days?
(Palette swapped dresses…)
“Made in Frontier” whew! At least it wasn’t China.
(I have the Canon 17-85mm lens… though that one is made in Japan.)
“Just as I planned!”
Except he was bailed out by a maniacal Luca who had also gone ‘zerk after Nanase got injured.
Last time anyone on this show admitted that they loved someone, he got sucked out in a vacuum after being impaled. Somehow, I don’t think it’ll happen again… cuz… uh,… RANKA’S THE DEMON QUEEN!!!
Wonder if Alto has any clue why he was screaming. Was he screaming because Brera is eloping with his DFC Ranka-puppy? Is he screaming because he couldn’t kill the Vajra? Is he screaming because he has to “settle” for an emotionally rattled Sheryl? Or was he screaming just because it would make him seem less manly?
This week’s Ranka-puppy is cute montage.
27 Responses to “ranka… RANKA!!! (macross frontier 21)”
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I don’t get it. Why did Ranka betray humanity for a cute little pet she picked up a couple of months ago? What a self-centered spoiled little brat.
Awesome, if rather tightly packed (I can actually see this stretched out in 2-3 episodes… now why didn’t Satelight do that instead of prolonging the lame school romance drama instead?) Mecha Musume KK! Little Queen Ranka, the Queen of Blades! Luca’s balls dropping! Ozma lives! Alto-hime! Kawamori does know what the fans want. Well, the last one is a stretch, but still.
…What? No mention of the Ai-kun Vajra molestation scene?
Roy: probably because she wants to find out why she (1) was captured and not killed by the vajra, (2) felt empathy for the vajra and pain when they died, and (3) is able to affect them with her song.
Still, she’s key to the possible annihilation of both the human and the vajra species, but she essentially decides to run off on her own? Ranka chose…poorly.
Leon wasn´t bailed out, blowing up Island 3 was the Plan from the very beginning. That is why they build the “smaller” bomb in the first place.
You may also look at Graces reaction.
@GDP: Is it really “running away”? In my opinion, Ranka is actually running towards something; basically, she wants to know what the hell she is, and in her mind the best way to do that is to go to the Vajra. And don’t forget, she’s not alone; her brother’s with her. XD
Anyway, on to some of my thoughts about the episode:
I thought the Klan-having-Michael’s-glasses-on-a-necklace thing was kinda sweet, but what’s she going to do with them when micronized? Wearing glasses as a necklace charm is a bit different when the glasses are normal-sized relative to your body.
Also, Zentradi-sized EX-Gear is awesome. (Did anybody else get Evangelion vibes when Klan launched? I mean, I know it wasn’t exactly like it, but the whole platform-elevator-rising-up-in-the-middle-of-a-street thing, combined with the Zentradi-size EX-Gear, made me think of an Eva launch sequence.)
And did Alto not notice that the explosion effect of the Little Girl *eyeroll at the obvious bomb reference* looked exactly like the one back on Gallia(sp?) IV? (Aside from the difference in scale.)
In any case, while this episode has indeed upped the chances of RankaxAlto, it has also, conversely, extremely lowered said chances, considering Ranka is now off in the unknown while Alto is still on the Frontier, as is Sheryl.
*has indeed, in my opinion, upped the chances of RankaxAlto
Little Queen Ranka, the Queen of Blades, the unburnt, mother of dragons, ruler of westeros, ect… oh wait wrong series, wrong genre. Although puppy dog Ranka owns the galaxy in general with an army of the unsullied would be a pretty awesome plot development. (song of ice and fire series on HBO some time soon, and the new book might come out sometime before CERN super collider destroys us all! or it could send us to a dimension without shrimp… )
Blargh…forgot one other thing: what makes Klan’s EX-Gear even more awesome is the fact that SHE WAS USING A VALKYRIE GATLING GUN.
What’s the opposite of “bedroom eyes?” Celibacy eyes? Castration eyes? 40-year-old-virgin eyes?
Personally, I think that those eyes are closer to Neuro Nogami eyes or Hanyuu eyes.
Especially in the second red-eye image.
poor klan…
Space eating bombs are a fad nowadays, don’t you agree? First freya (fliea)and now little girl… Massive ownage without the unnecessary radioactive fallout. I wonder, where does the matter sucked up go to?
Considering it’s referred to as a fold bomb (or one that relies on folding technology, or whatever), it probably folds the matter consumed without having a set destination, so the matter basically gets dispersed in foldspace. That’s just my conjecture, though; dunno if that’s how it actually works.
EDIT: And it’s “F.L.E.I.J.A.”, by the way. XD
@cat megex
That is a good theory. Its cool and scary… If matter is indeed dumped in foldspace, in time the foldspace would be polluted with vajra parts.. =D Hahaha FLEIJA.. I gotta remember that. XP
Cat Megex: That was Klan using Mikhail’s Super pack to wreak revenge in his name. I got a few Revy vibes from that… and that’s good. Although seeing Klein cuddling up with the helmet later was a tad heartbreaking though – but better than seeing her holding the glasses like Shinn with a cell phone.
Roy: Wait till next week or something. You might see her go Kerrigan… in which case, Alto’s shooty-shooty reflexes this week will probably be reinforced.
At least Ranka DID something this week, even if running off with her brother after telling Alto she’s taking a Vajra home to its nest following Mikhail’s death along with hundreds is likely to make Alto hate HER as well as the Vajra.
…so in the future if I see a bomb similar to that I’d go…. OMG!! FLIEJA DA!! XD
Unentschieden, no Grace explicit says she did not planned for that (Vajra attack) but she expected it (meaning, she knew the Vajra had a nest on Frontier and would eventually attack).
There was a bit of luck on but remenber, Grace does not care less about Frontier … its only useful for collecting data on the Vajra.
The answer to what Sheryl’s ass brings is ‘love and sex appeal’.
Still, if she’s staying with Alto’s dad, it means he did go back for her… and may be going back home too.
i’ve lost the plot…is this macross F or CG?
Yay! Looks like there actually is a chance for a Ranka×Vajra ending :D
@KG
Were there ever any sort of actual plot before this episode?
I wanted him to scream “BRERA!!”.
Hey, am I honestly the only person who sees the basic Macross TV Series pattern emerging? Not the OVAs, though the Movie probably counts. I think it’s a bit much to start criticizing Ranka now, especially since Ranka defecting to the Vajra might be the only chance Frontier has to survive.
And it’s clear that the Vajra are not the real enemies–they’re just pawns, and cattle, for the manipulators to the whole scheme. And with this business on the Grace-Kyon-LAI end, things will come to a head. People oughta pay attention, I’m thinkin’. Yes, I know the plot’s “off,” but this is a Macross TV series we’re talking about. And here’s the precedent as to why Ranka’s defection is a good thing.
The whole “Vajra or us, only one will survive” mentality is completely at odds with one of the core Macross themes, which is why it’s a red herring for you young’un viewers. (Here’s lookin’ at you, Roy.) Remember how the war with the Zentraedi ended. And the war with the Protodeviln. Or, if you don’t remember, then at least Wiki it.
The first Macross was about songs bringing peace and understanding between enemies–also, punching enemy battleships with your own battleship.
Macross 7 was about songs bringing peace and understanding between enemies–also, pink-haired lolis and Guitar Hero.
Macross Frontier might be taking a long time getting to it, but I’d wager it’s at least a variation of the “songs, love, and peace” theme. Ranka leaving just sets up the inevitable–or, well, what’s inevitable for Macross anyway.
Considering that Ranka empathizes with both humans and Vajra, and she’s also the daughter of the original Vajra Queen (and can thus command them to do her bidding, as opposed to, er, the more “Discovery Channel” definition of the term), it makes sense that Macross Frontier would have someone singing to bring peace and understanding between enemies. Human(oids) and Insect(?)oids.
Hell, there’s already one not-a-murderous-bioweapon-killing-machine Vajra introduced. And he was carrying a little paper airplace–he’s playing fetch!
Ranka is not a puppy. She is a puppy trainer!
And now that she’s out of the way, Sheryl can earn more Alto points.
Somebody shut Alto up.
Dude, first half is angst and action and second half is Alto x Ranka.
WHAT HAPPENED??? Any more of this and I might give up before the finale. Sheryl had what, 3 seconds of screentime? Nanase had more screen time than that, and her prime function is to provide fanservice. UGH.
Why is this blog not renamed “Derailed by Ranka” yet?
Did I miss something somewhere? I thought that was just speculation, not established fact yet. That’s kind of the problem I have watching Macross F, I always get the feeling I know less than I should, being a relative Macross newbie.
I completely agree with you here though. “Destroy the enemy! Kill the aliens! Survival of the fittest!” isn’t a message I get by learning the Macross lore, so why would it be one now?
All signs point to her being the daughter of Ranshe Mai, that green-haired scientist person who was working with Grace O’Connor and Mao Nome back when the 117th Fleet was still around. As well, even though it’s not explicitly stated, it’s fairly safe to assume that Ranshe Mai’s consciousness was somehow part of that Vajra Queen (this time, in the “Discovery Channel” definition of term) encountered inside/beneath the derelict SDF Global on Gallia IV. (This is based on that vision-type of thing Ranka had inside that one Vajra mothership.) Note that the specifics of Ranka’s vision may simply have been caused by that particular Vajra queen trying to calm Ranka down by using images from Ranka’s subconscious that would be likely to make Ranka calm (such as an image of Ranka’s mother, even if Ranka didn’t remember her because of the amnesia).