AKA: N/A

Genre: Science-fiction musical

Length: Television series, 49 episodes, 23 minutes each

Distributor: Currently licensed by Right Stuf International within their Nozomi imprint, available streaming on Disney plus.

Content Rating: PG (violence, language)

Related Series: Macross, Macross Plus

Also Recommended: Gundam Wing, Knight Hunters: Weiss Kreuz

Notes: This is the direct continuation of Macross, though a whole lot of fans would like to forget this *ever* existed.

Rating:

Macross 7

Synopsis

The official sequel to Macross has a self-absorbed, angsty musician type by the name of Nekki Basara leading a band, Fire Bomber, that includes Max and Miriya Jenius's half-Zentraedi daughter, Mylene. (By the way, they're divorced now.) This band uses the power of music to combat the Protodeviln. Cue the groupies.

Review

BLEAH! (cough cough cough)

And I thought only Americans could screw up Macross. (Just kidding, Mr. Macek.)

I was trying to forget this show, when someone reminded me that we actually needed a review for it. (Gee, thanks.) Macross 7 is an utter waste of time that would be comedic if it didn't take itself so seriously. Then again, a show that can have a main character that pilots his Valkyrie with his guitar (nani?!?) can't be that serious, right? ("Oh my gosh, it's the grandson of Bluegrass from SilverHawks!!!!" screamed one THEMer at the screen while throwing her popcorn at it.) The Protodeviln make the original Zentraedi from Macross look absolutely normal and well-behaved, and this whole show has an aura of kitsch that depletes my brain cells just thinking about it.

What's worse is that the main character, Nekki Basara, is such a rampaging jerk that he makes the American Lynn Minmay positively sympathetic. If they'd focused on the cute Mylene, this series wouldn't be so bad, but having known more than a few self-absorbed, angsty musician types in music classes throughout high school and college, Basara leaves me sour. He has to be the worst character in any Macross series, bar none.

The art and animation are really low-caliber, and the plot is utterly laughable (though not as bad as the OAV sequel to this thing!). The firefights - well, again, there's Basara with his guitar, taking the "Power of Music" to even more ludicrous depths than possibly imaginable. It doesn't help that of all the music produced by Fire Bomber (which is actually a really decent band), they picked the two weakest songs for the opening and ending. (I'm not surprised that Protodeviln usually flee in terror before Basara has a chance to finish. I would too.)

In fact, the soundtrack is the only thing worthwhile in Macross 7, and that's the entire reason people seem willing to forget how bad this show really is. There are a ton of CDs out there for sale, even occasionally popping up in American record stores.

But Macross 7 is absolutely unworthy to be a sequel, or to even have the name of Macross. It's surprising to know that this was on television at the same time that Macross Plus was out on video, and it's worth note that the supposed "side story" is infinitely superior to this piece of trash.

Burn it, hang it on the strings of a guitar, whatever. This is NOT Macross. I won't accept it as such. Minmay, come back! — Carlos/Giancarla Ross

Recommended Audience: There's some violence and rough language. Should be okay for teens, if they can get past the idiocy of the scripting and the main characters being too cool for themselves.