History Anime / Macross

[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/macross_2.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:300:And that's just what they look like ''before'' transforming.]]

* A new ''Macross'' [[https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2023-06-04/new-macross-animation-project-to-be-produced-by-sunrise/.198798
project]] which would be produced by Creator/Sunrise.

* [[https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2023-06-04/new-macross-animation-project-to-be-produced-by-sunrise/.198798 A new ''Macross'' project which would be produced by Creator/Sunrise.]]

** This is no more clearly on display than in their respective versions of the climactic battle against the Zentradi. In ''Robotech'' the attack is headed by Minmay singing a song about winning victory in battle. In ''Macross'' the attack is headed by Minmay singing love songs.

* FasterThanLightTravel: Done by "folding" into "superdimensional space", with long jumps eating up ''a lot'' of power (which is part of why humanity's FTL-capable colony ships still often take ''generations'' to find a habitable world).

** Specifically, ''SDF'' focuses on a Music/MichaelJackson-esque multi-talented performer and the stresses she suffers, ''7'' focuses on a high-energy J-rock band and the various personality struggles that the makers of such music face, ''Frontier'' focuses on "solo idols" of the [=2000s=], the way they evolved ''from'' the MJ/Minmei mold, and the issues with how seemingly interchangeable they are now and the fleeting nature of fame in a more modern music era, and ''Delta'' examines the Music/{{AKB48}}-style "idol groups" that exploded in popularity in the [=2010s=], the difficulties of even joining such a group, and what it means to be "famous" in that kind of context.

** Averted in earlier shows. The lack of this actually plays into the plot of ''Anime/MacrossPlus''.

* BroadStrokes: ''Macross'' tends to play fast-and-loose with canon. This started as early as the original series vs its movie adaptation ''Do You Remember Love?'', which depict the same war but with vastly different events taking place. ''Macross Frontier'' and its movie adaptations similarly depict mutually exclusive sets of events coming to pass. ''Macross 7'' tried to explain away ''Do You Remember Love?'' as an in-universe movie, thus rendering its progression of events fictional, but the Zentradi keep their movie exclusive designs and ships, rather than the original series' look.

* BackgroundMagicField: Fold Waves, a naturally existing energy wave in super dimension space that travels effectively Faster-Than-Light. This serves as the basis for the series's main form of FasterThanLightTravel (folding into super dimension space). Additionally, the ability of certain people to generate this through song ([[InsistentTerminology Human Space-Time Resonance]], also known as [[InsistentTerminology Fold Receptor Factor]]) is used to explain the more [[ClarksThirdLaw mystical]] things added to the franchise such as Anima Spiritia from ''Anime/Macross7'' and the Mayan priestesses' powers in ''Anime/MacrossZero''.

* CompilationMovie: The franchise has a strange relationship with these. Moreoften than not, this will be averted, as seen by the ''SDF'' and ''Frontier'' movies that use brand new animation and tell a different take on the story of each respective series. ''7'' and ''Plus'' (as well as ''II'', but that was an [[{{Macekre}} American made recut]]) play this more or less straight, with ''Plus'' in particular being a big offender. And then there are the ''Delta'' movies which use pre-existing assets and animation like the ''7'' and ''Plus'' compilations, but tell a different story much like ''DYRL'' and the ''Frontier'' movies.

* {{Deconstruction}}: The TV series tend to take the popular anime and IdolSinger tropes on their day and deconstruct them.

** ''Passionate Walkūre'' (2018) and ''Absolute Live!!!!!!'' (2021) are a pair of movie adaptations for ''Delta''. Like ''DYRL?'' and the ''Frontier'' movies, these movies follow a different plotline and resolution from the original show's, with the latter, much like ''DYRL'' and ''[=WoF=]'', being a totally new production.

** ''The False Songstress'' (2009) and ''The Wings of Goodbye'' (2011) are a pair of movie adaptations for ''Frontier''. Like ''DYRL?'', these movies follow a different plotline and resolution from the original show's.

** ''Passionate Walkūre'' (2018) and ''Absolute Live!!!!!!'' (2021) are a pair of movie adaptations for ''Delta''. Like ''DYRL?'' and the ''Frontier'' movies, these movies follow a different plotline and resolution from the original show's, with the latter having brand new content.

** ''Passionate Walkūre'' (2018) and ''Absolute Live!!!!!!'' (2021) are a pair of movie adaptations for ''Delta''. Like ''DYRL?'' and the Frontier movies, these movies follow a different plotline and resolution from the original show's, with the latter having brand new content.

* CompilationMovie: The franchise has a strange relationship with these. Moreoften than not, this will be averted, as seen by the ''SDF'' and ''Frontier'' movies that use brand new animation and tell a different take on the story of each respective series. ''7'' and ''Plus'' (as well as ''II'', but that was an [[{{Macekre}} American made recut]]) play this more or less straight, with ''Plus'' in particular being a big offender. And then there are the ''Delta'' movies which use pre-existing assets and animation like the ''7'' and ''Plus'' compilations, but tell a different story much like ''DYRL''and the ''Frontier'' movies.

** [[Anime/MacrossPlus Macross Plus]] features a virtual idol (predating Music/{{Vocaloid}} by a good 15-or-so years) as the ''antagonist'' rather than the protagonist LoveInterest.
** [[Anime/Macross7 Macross 7]] features a rock band as the protagonists instead (which still gave us a ton of SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic). [[MemeticMutation Listen to my SOOOOOONG!!!]]
** [[Anime/MacrossZero Macross Zero]] has by far the most radical departure from the high-octane blood-pumping songs of the rest of the franchise - it features tribal/folk-singing styled music instead.

** ''[[Anime/{{Robotech}} Robotech: The Macross Saga]]'' (1985), a western adaptation of the original series.

** ''[[Anime/{{Robotech}} Robotech: The Macross Saga]]'' (1985), a western adaptation of the original series. Is notable for all the wrong reasons, and for 35 years, was not considered part of Macross as a result.

** The popularity of the original's toyline (helped by the fact that Creator/ShojiKawamori helped Takatoku make an actual transforming Valkyrie toy) may have helped popularize this trope, seeing as Takara made their Diaclone line in response to this, that later became the basis for the ''Franchise/{{Transformers}}''.

It is probably worth mentioning the ''Anime/{{Robotech}}'' series is often associated with ''Macross'' by Americans due to ''Robotech'''s initial (and most famous) arc being an [[{{Macekre}} altered version]] of ''Super Dimension Fortress Macross''. However, ''Robotech'' is a separate franchise and is not considered part of the ''Macross'' franchise by any stretch.

The ''Macross'' franchise is a long running anime series created by Creator/ShojiKawamori with designs made by Kazutaka Miyatake and Haruhiko Mikimoto. Along with ''Anime/SpaceBattleshipYamato'' and ''Anime/MobileSuitGundam'' it's considered one of three unassailable pillars of anime SpaceOpera. The general plot of each series concerns a conflict waged with TransformingMecha (and usually involving aliens). In the middle of it all, ThePowerOfRock comes into play, as does the PowerOfLove, thus forming the three main elements of ''Macross'': HumongousMecha, superpowered music, and [[LoveTriangle Love Triangles]].

* ShoutOut: "Space Fold" technology is likely to have been lifted from Creator/FrankHerbert's ''Franchise/Dune'' franchise, in which space is "folded" to move ships FasterThanLight in much the same way.

** The popularity of t he original's toyline (helped by the fact that Creator/ShojiKawamori helped Takatoku make an actual transforming Valkyrie toy) may have helped popularize this trope, seeing as Takara made their Diaclone line in response to this, that later became the basis for the ''Franchise/{{Transformers}}''.

* CompilationMovie: The franchise has a strange relationship with these. Moreoften than not, this will be averted, as seen by the ''SDF'' and ''Frontier'' movies that use brand new animation and tell a different take on the story of each respective series. ''7'' and ''Plus'' (as well as ''II'', but that was an [[Macekre American made recut]]) play this more or less straight, with ''Plus'' in particular being a big offender. And then there are the ''Delta'' movies which use pre-existing assets and animation like the ''7'' and ''Plus'' compilations, but tell a different story much like ''DYRL''and the ''Frontier'' movies.

* BlandNameProduct: The names of the companies that produce the various mecha in the series are rather blatant plays off names of real life aircraft and weapons manufacturing companies. Just open up a mecha guide for ''Macross'' (like [[https://www.mahq.net/mecha/macross/macross.htm this one]]) select a series and a mecha and look at the producers.

** ''Macross 7 The Movie: The Galaxy is Calling Me! (1995), a short movie also set during the events of the anime that was released with the CompilationMovie version of ''Macross Plus''.

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