Classic Timeline: 1 | 2, 3, 4/F/Final
Classic Subseries: Masou Kishin | Compati Hero Series
Alpha Saga: Alpha/Shin/Super Hero Sakusen | Alpha Gaiden | 2nd Alpha | 3rd Alpha
Compact Series: Compact 2/Impact | Compact 3 | MX
Z Saga: Z | 2nd Z | 3rd Z | Walking Spoilers
Nintendo Handheld Series: A | R | D | J | W | K | L | UX | BX
VTX Trilogy: V | X | T
Other Standalones: 64 | GC | NEO | OE | X-Ω | DD | 30
Original Generation Saga: Steel Dragon Battle Group | Earth Federation | Enemy Factions | Civilians and Walking Spoilers | Endless Frontier
The main protagonist of L. A fifteen years old middle school grade 3 student who lives in Misakicho. He was adopted by professor Graife after both of his parents were killed during the Giant's War five years ago. He is classmates with Shinji (until he transfers to another school) as well as Kouichi and Yajima. After GreAT kidnaps Professor Graife and destroys the professor's laboratory, he teams up with AL-3 Alice, a Robot Maid that helps out Professor Graife. After taking the Rushbird from the ruined lab, Ichitaka joins up with the JUDA Corporation and later the newly created special taskforce LOTUS. During his travels, he reunites with his brother Yuunagi, only for Yuunagi to attack Ichitaka in anger. After several fights between them, the brothers reconcile and join together to fight Lude Gloria and his army.
Tropes associated with Ichitaka:
- Audience Surrogate: Which is rather unusual among OG protagonists.
- Combination Attack: "Mode: Archeonis" with Yuunagi and the Straybird, although the attack is mostly performed by the Rushbird.
- Eleventh Hour Super Power: The above-mentioned combination attack is unlocked on the second-to-last stage.
- Falling into the Cockpit: Sort of. Rushbird was left buried under rubble, so Ichitaka jumped in with Alice to pursue Professor Graife's kidnappers. Justified in that he had pilot experiences from helping Professor Graife test his robot piloting simulator before.
- The Hero
- Leitmotif: "Walking Towards the Blue Sky"; also, "Beyond the New Door" for Dimension Storm and "Wings of Time" for Mode Archeonis.
- Mighty Glacier: Comparing to Straybird, Rushbird has more strength but is nowhere near as fast.
- Power Fist: Rushbird's lightning fist
A Robot Maid designed by Professor Graife. After the professor is kidnapped, she joins Ichitaka in his pursuit as the co-pilot of the Rushbird. During their adventures, Ichitaka's older brother Yuunagi and his partner HL-0 Haruno turn on them and while chasing Kenji and Balba, Yuunagi's relentless assault unlocks Alice's secret: she was intended to work with the Rushbird as Alice is needed to access its more powerful attacks. This does not come without consequences, as Alice overheats and is forced to shut down after the initial release. After a few more fights, Yuunagi reconciles with his brother while Haruno reconciles with Alice, and all four strive to stop Lude Gloria.
Tropes associated with Alice:
- Explosive Overclocking: After unlocking Rushbird's Dimension Storm attack, Alice overheats and has to power down to prevent further damage. After some time, Alice gets control of her powers and is able to use the Dimension Storm attack without problems.
- Expository Hairstyle Change: When using Rushbird's most powerful attacks, her hair turns pink.
Ichitaka's adoptive older brother. Both he and Ichitaka help out Professor Graife with his work on both the Rushbird and Straybird. After a surprise attack by GreAT on the professor's lab, Yuunagi teams up with HL-0 Haruno and takes the Straybird in pursuit of the professor's kidnappers. During his pursuit, Yuunagi helps foil the assassination attempt on Lacus Clyne by ZAFT commandos. However, when he encounters a new prototype GreAT mech, Yuunagi is utterly defeated and turns against his younger brother in anger. After several fights, Yuunagi and Ichitaka make amends and join together to save Professor Graife.
Tropes associated with Yuunagi:
- Aloof Big Brother: Mostly out of being unsure how to deal with having a younger brother.
- Beam Spam / More Dakka: The Straybird's preferred method of combat.
- BFG: Vulture Cannon, which is finishing blow of Flood Assault
- Combination Attack: With Ichitaka and the Rushbird, although the attack is mostly performed by the Rushbird.
- Curb-Stomp Battle Inversion. Yuunagi gets a nasty one from a prototype GreAT mech, which contributes to him becoming The Rival to Ichitaka.
- Eleventh Hour Super Power: The above-mentioned combination attack is unlocked on the second-to-last stage.
- Expy: Was initially thought to be one of Holland Novak, but this has since been confirmed false and the similarities are only cosmetic at best.
- Straybird, to R-Daigun. Interestingly, the latter is included in this game.
- Fragile Speedster: Comparing to Rushbird, Straybird is much faster and capable of teleport. But it has less armor than Rushbird.
- Guns Akimbo: First part of Flood Assault.
- Heroic BSoD: Falls into one after losing to a GreAT prototype and responds by taking out his anger on his younger brother Ichitaka.
- His actual motivation for attacking Ichitaka is to try to scare him off the battlefield so he won't get himself killed.
- Leitmotif: "Feathers Wandering Around in the Night Sky", as well as "Sure to Become Honest" for Straybird's Volture Cannon.
- The Rival
A newly-created android by Professor Graife. She is designed to link up with the Straybird and assist its pilot. After a surprise attack by GreAT on the professor's lab, she joins Yuunagi in his efforts to rescue the professor. During their pursuit, Yuunagi suffers a serious defeat at the hands of a GreAT prototype, Haruno agrees to go along with Yuunagi's plan to take on Ichitaka, while taunting Alice at the same time. After a few fights, the brothers make amends and Haruno reconciles with Alice, and they resolve to save Professor Graife as a team.
Tropes associated with Haruno:
- Bilingual Bonus: The spelling of Haruno's name in Japanese matches up with her ID number perfectly.
- Robot Girl
Tropes associated with Lude:
- Big Bad: As the leader of GreAt.
- Leitmotif: "The Throne of Greatness"
- Phenotype Stereotype Blond hair and Blue Eyes
- President Evil: President of the world that the Macross Frontier cast, Linebarrels villains, and Voltes V crew come from.
- Shout-Out: During his final battle, Lude says he wants his mech to achieve the same legendary status as the SDF-1 Macross. Consider how his unit would easily crush the SDF-1 with its insane firepower and durability, it isn't just boast.
- Take Over the World
- Grace Ful Loser
