As the Zentraedi launch the final assault on the SDF-1 there is discontent in their ranks and the hope of a truce between their forces and those of Earth. Just when peace seems to be a realistic prospect, the renegade Zentraedi commander Khyron threatens to plunge the two races back into war once again.

These episodes mark the final stage of the Macross saga of the Robotech series, so the first great conflict between the Zentraedi and humans reaches its conclusion and we are given the first glimpses of the Robotech Masters and the new story arc that follows. The opening episode shows the whirlwind romance between ace pilot Max Stirling and the female Zentraedi warrior Miriya — a historic event for the story in general but seems a little rushed, especially considering that the entire subplot is dealt with in the space of one episode. It is however a perfect way of showing the glimmers of hope for the two warring species.

The whole disc is a generally well-written portrayal of the human consequences of war and how it affects both military and civilians. Because of its age the dubbing could be better and at times the animation is pretty poor. To dwell on such things would be to miss the point, of course; none of this can detract from the fact that the Macross Saga is a great story. During the course of the episodes up to this point we are introduced to a varied cast of characters with depth and clearly defined personalities, and now we witness where their journey has taken them.

The Rick Hunter/Lyn Minmay/Lisa Hayes love triangle has been an ongoing story arc for some time now and that is one of the issues that are finally resolved before this instalment draws to a close. This sort of human drama is by no means unknown in sci-fi series but that does not prevent the viewer from empathising with them or make it any less affecting. Even on board a battle fortress in the depths of space the same human emotions can be found, and the age-old problems that exist between them are often the same as they are on earth. This is all playing out at the same time as some events with much more far-reaching consequences.

For example, how do you deal with an uneasy truce with an enemy who wishes to settle among your own people? What if those you hated and feared prove to be not unlike you yourself? The warlike nature of the Zentraedi is shown in every episode but what Robotech puts to the viewer is are we, the human race, any different in our desire for war and conflict? Fortunately the main messages behind the series are mostly presented very eloquently without labouring the point and the end result is a show with some real emotional impact.

The showing of a shattered Earth after the war is also conveyed with a great sense of realism, as are the issues that arise from the settling-in of former Zentraedi warriors. This is not told in a simplistic fashion, and the process is certainly not a smooth one: some of the warriors are happy to be converted to human (or ‘Micronian’) size, while others see it as an affront to their dignity and independence. What the Macross Saga does (as have a lot of the great sci-fi dramas since) is raise issues that are relevant to our own society, without the change of setting detracting from their importance.

In Summary

The first era of the Robotech Saga concludes on a thought-provoking and enjoyable note, with a few peeks of the Robotech Masters coming through as well. Both a mecha adventure and a character-driven drama, the conflict with an alien race poses some profound questions concerning human nature and our will to survive: as Robotech enters its next story arc I am left pleasantly surprised at the quality of the subject matter here. Do not be put off by the dated visuals — even in this incarnation the Macross Saga still has a lot going in its favour.