マクロスF Episode 16
Macross F Ep. 16
Macross Frontier Anime

SPOILER Summary/Synopsis: Alto has his meeting with the SMS owner, who has a dream to make travel across the galaxy quicker. Alto is skeptical, but “Owner” (as the boss is also referred to as) feels that it is, thanks to the Vajra and an element known as “Fold Quartz,” which he apparent has a gem of in his ring. So, the SMS begin to bring in dead Vajra units after their fights, which has some of the crew of the Macross Quarter speculating on a reason.

Sometime later, Ranka returns to school and is escorted by Brera, who causes quite a commotion. In class, his presence is found to be disruptive by the teacher. Ranka tries to explain that she’s told Brera to stay outside, but he refuses. Alto has heard enough. Alto goes to attack Brera, only to find himself easily taken down. As Micheal would later explain, even Alto couldn’t take on a cyborg.

Meanwhile, Ranka is taken by Grace to the recording studio to perform her ballad. Ranka is concerned over Grace now being her manager since (1) Ranka had a good manager in Elmo (who is depressed at having Ranka taken from him) and (2) Grace is already the manager of Sheryl. Grace tells her not to worry about it, saying that if Sheryl recovers, she can handle two clients. In the studio, her song is monitored but it is not having the desired results. During a break, Brera gives her a beverage and remarks on her singing, complimenting her. Ranka wonders why Brera knew her song when they first met, leading him to tell her that this information is a secret.

Elsewhere, Alto is returning to his SMS dorm when he comes across Sheryl, who’s clearly not feeling well. He manages to get her to his room where she recovers but can’t remember how she got there and thinks Alto is trying to sleep with her. Micheal comes in (being Alto’s roommate) and seeing Sheryl, tells Alto he should have left a handkerchief on the door as a warning if he were going to have a woman in the room. Alto protests this but a message from Cathy has Alto and Micheal gearing up for a special mission regarding Ranka. They leave, Alto telling Sheryl to stay put and out of sight, which of course she doesn’t.

As the squadron heads out, trailed by Brera in his fighter, Ozama asks Ranka if this mission is what she truly wants. Ranka states that it is, so Ozama returns to his fighter. The other squadron members ponder the mission, wondering if this “Minmei Attack” will really work. Klan is skeptical, knowing that it had worked on her people but would it really work on the Vajra. Sheryl comes to the bridge of the Macross Quarter, having refused to obey Alto’s orders, and requests to be allowed to observe. Since she already knows about this classified mission, she’s allowed to stay.

The SMS attack a Vajra nest as the President, Leon, and Grace observe from Macross Frontier. The Vajra retaliate and Ranka sings. Her song, which somehow travels through fold space, does cause the Vajra confusion which allows the SMS fighters to have a serious advantage. This is noted by Brera, who’s watching wave monitor. When Ranka stops singing, the Vajra return to normal and furiously counter-attack. Brera is ordered to clean up and using his superior fighter, does just that with the SMS people assisting. When a Vajra goes after the craft with Ranka in it, Alto is unable to get there in time, but Brera is, reminding Alto of his belief that Alto isn’t good enough for Ranka.

On the bridge of Macross Quarter, there is much happiness at the success of the “Ranka Attack,” with people positively referring it to what Minmei did and calling Ranka “Super-Dimensional Cinderella.” Ranka is embarrassed by this and Bobby feels that using “Minmei” as a reference is too outdated. Instead, he prefers people use “Basara-sama” as a reference, which the others find outdated as well. Inside, Ranka is worried about things though as she thinks of Alto and Ozama, both of whom are worried about Ranka as well.

Thoughts/Review: An interesting episode to be sure. So I finally get some point of reference to why Sheryl’s earring has significance. So why does Sheryl have an earring made of this “Fold Quartz?” What is the SMS owner’s role in this? What, if anything, does this have to do with the Vajra?

I feel bad for Elmo. I’m hoping that by series end, he’s back to being Ranka’s manager when Grace is finally killed like the dirty dog she is.

It is interesting that everyone seems to know that Brera is a cyborg. Then again, the SMS may have given Brera a medical and determined this, or the government let them know.

It is still unclear as to what Leon and Grace are scheming. I find it difficult to believe that they want to rid the universe of the Vajra. That leaves having the Vajra rule, but somehow controlled by them through Ranka.

Even though I haven’t seen Macross 7 myself, I did appreciate Bobby’s reference to “Basara” just the same while everyone else was gushing over Minmei.