A little insight from 1983: Macross SDF versus Frontier
I recently acquired the dvds of the original SDF-1 series, and it even makes my eyes bleed at times. Although one has to be impressed when the animators can use exactly three frames (and I do not mean looped) to animate a Valkyrie walking down a hallway.
In any case, I have regained some of the insight I once had in the series and a chance to fill in all of the gaps. Quite the refresher at only episode 11. By episode 21, you can pull a lot of comparisons between the relationships in SDF, and the slowly developing ones in Frontier. The enjoyment of Frontier goes up quite a bit as well, just being able to catch all the homages.
For instance, the entire bridge crew of the Quarter, from right to left into the bridge.
http://img107.imageshack.us/img107/8...idgeua6.th.png
The captains look identical, though Frontier's Capt. Glass has a scar, no other discernible differences. Cathy Glass is of course modeled directly after Misa Hayase, from the vaguely wavy hair (compared to Hayase's end of her hair cinnamon buns) on through their personalities of being by-the-book and a total tsundere. In SDF-1, a very forward and open black helmswoman becomes an extremely effeminate black male in Frontier. Same afro, same personality.
Even the operators each take up one aspect.
http://img162.imageshack.us/img162/4...0539dr3.th.jpg
In Frontier, one is very cutesy (left), just like in SDF-1, one is a bit more serious but jokes around a lot (right) and has short hair, just like in SDF-1. The one in the middle is a special case. Why do her eyes look like that? Her appearance is in fact an homage to the art style of the original 1983 SDF-1 series. She has very simplified features, but what stands out the most are her half-lidded eyes, in the style of 70s and 80s shoujo characters, which the art of the original series carries. Whenever any character in SDF smiles, their eyes look exactly the same way.
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Where I am going with all this:
Just a little insight for everyone into the original series before I get to my real point.
It's really easy to compare Ranka to Minmay when you don't remember the story all that well. Both rising idols, etc etc. But that simplification couldn't be more wrong. In fact, you'd need to combine Sheryl and Ranka to even get close to a similarity between the two heroines of Frontier and Minmay.
I would not even hesitate to say that Sheryl is Minmay's exact opposite in personality. While it is true that both come off very fickle and selfish (more than enough reason to despise Minmay), Sheryl works in the opposite ways that Minmay did.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kraco
That's probably true, but on the other hand Sheryl has no time for somebody else's problems. Maybe if Sheryl changes her thinking and starts to consider Alto not a plaything but a possible partner, then it could happen. But being such a big star in the show business, I'm far from sure she could do that even if she wanted.
If anything, Sheryl's behavior is almost a response to Minmay's. Minmay treats Hikaru like a rainy-day plaything. She's very quick to abandon him when things are good, and only seems to go back to him when she's feeling down, lonely, or some other desperate situation. Much like Sheryl, when Minmay said "jump," she expected Hikaru to do so.
The difference lies in Sheryl's patterns. Sheryl spends her best times with Alto. When she starts to feel sad, she expresses it on stage...or alone until Alto or someone else approaches her. Minmay may be one of the biggest teases in anime earlier on in SDF, and while Sheryl seems that way, she focuses her entire attentions on Alto alone. Rather than a "rainy day boytoy," Alto is the only thing that ever interests Sheryl (other than encouraging Ranka). We saw how quickly she snubbed the current Miss Macross, and the other stars of the film. Sheryl has made new friends aboard the Frontier Fleet, and she keeps them incredibly close.
So that's why I think that Sheryl very much takes the time for others' problems, at the least the ones that concern her personal affairs. With all her work, she should not really have any time to spare, but she spends whatever free time she does have with Alto or Ranka, and now she is able to include a larger group with Alto and Ranka's friends at the school. Sheryl also specially requests Alto to be her escort, much to his continued dismay, in order to keep him close to her.
She's very aware of all of it. Perhaps her feelings are still subconscious, but Sheryl shows very deliberate efforts to keep what makes her the happiest around her.
So where does Ranka fit into all of this? Ranka too is like a early Minmay. Her budding career is quite obviously pulling her away from Alto, but fortunately, she is recognizing it this early, unlike Minmay ever did. It's well too soon to say whether Ranka will be forced to choose Alto or singing, but Ranka will benefit from realizing this a little sooner.
Ranka's connection with Brera (whatever it may be) is similar to Minmay's relationship with her cousin a little.
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I'm thinking Sheryl has the upper hand overall since she already knows what she wants (to keep things and people she likes close to her) and leaving open the possibility for her to recognize her own affections for Alto as a partner rather than a plaything.
