The Story: In the distant future on Earth's first colonized planet, New Eden, three childhood/teenage friends find themselves reunited after seven years. They have grown apart somewhat, but old feelings and their troubled pasts and emotions resurface. Isamu and Guld have become test pilots and the two men couldn't be more different- Guld cold, hard, and formal, Isamu the carefree, risk taking opposite. The object of their youthful affections, Myung, has forsaken her career as a singer and become the producer/emotional template for a virtual pop singer called Sharon Apple. As Guld and Isamu compete on test fighters, each trying to outdo the other, they also compete for the affections of the insecure Myung. Guld forcefully wants Myung back, while Isamu is more obsessed with flying, yet still Myung is attracted to him, which only increases Guld's jealousy of the hotshot. Myung becomes a pawn of Sharon Apples creator and soon the virtual pop star fed by Myung's emotions begins to develop a deadly independence and brainwashes her listeners. Back on Earth, Sharon Apple begins to control an entire city, kidnapping Myung, and taking control of the massive Macross defense system. Isamu and Guld must put aside their differences and come to grips with their past if they want to have even the slightest chance at rescuing Myung and defeating the out of control artificial intelligence that may know their heart desires better than they do.

The Film: Macross Plus: The Movie is a 4 episode mini-series, cut down, with new footage, and formed into a stand alone movie that those unfamiliar with the daunting Macross universe can understand. As far as the story goes, there are three basic elements: a love triangle, Jules and Jim anime style, the competing pilots and their testosterone Right Stuff rivalry, and the virtual star, artificial intelligence of Sharon Apple gone bad, each of them fueled by the basic, primal emotions of the characters. And while each of these three elements are pretty predictable and melodramatic, put in a blender together, with some great visuals and action sequences, and you get an entertaining movie.

The fake, manufactured pop star of Sharon Apple, is one part Britney Spears and one part HAL form 2001. While it is an easy stab at consumerism, the legions of fans mesmerized by Sharon Apple and the producers behind her closely monitoring/manipulating the minds of her fans, it is still a nice wry observation, no matter how simplistic. Likewise, the slick technology versus raw emotion is played up well, in that the fighter Guld pilots is linked to his thoughts and emotions. While dogfighting with Isamu, Guld has a flashing thought of how easy it would be to harm Isamu, and the fighter carries this out, almost severely injuring Isamu. So, it very clearly spells out, it doesn't matter how complex and wondeful the things are that we create, we are still only human and prone to our emotional flaws. This is even further countered by the fact that then the government decides on a robot fighter, yet, the Sharon Apple program, a product of humans obsessions, takes control of it. Blah, blah, blah, Love triangle melodrama. The same old out of control technology morality play. So how is the action?

The visual elements are played up in the films Sharon Apple concert/possession of the Macross and the dogfights between the robo-jet fighters of Guld and Isamu. A pre-climatic dogfight between Guld and Isamu which takes place over the desert, high in the sky, and then in a glittering city (shattering windows, flying over streets), is a real sight to behold. While there is some ham-handed, mucho macho posturing that would make Bruckhiemer and Bay proud ("LETS ROCK!"), it is still a dazzling sequence. A good 25-30 mins is devoted to the action packed finale, which makes wading through the weepy love triangle very worthwhile.

Macross Plus is also a good example of the good and bad of anime. You can see how certain sequences were clearly mapped out by director Shoji Kawamori, with more attention being paid to the action, visuals than actual story. It doesn't take any genius to realize Sharon Apple will go HAL on everyone, and that the harder, less likable man in the love triangle will lose in the end, making the 'ultimate sacrifice', while the carefree pretty boy gets to save the girl. But, the fighters dodging fifty missles and screeching through the city puts anything in Top Gun to shame, and a neat little sequence of Myung trying to escape some brainwashed, machine gun toting security guards is positively Hitchcockian. Like in much anime, its the eye-candy that will often let you forgive its plotting weaknesses

The DVD: Manga Entertainment. Carries a hefty price tag and few extras, but this is fairly common in anime. Very decent presentation that should leave fans satisfied. Picture- 1:33:1 Very detailed animation, picture is somewhat softer than I would have expected. This is amplified by the heavy fx sequences, like the Sharon Apple concert and the dogfighting, in which there is slicker process. A little grain, but overall strong color and a pleasing image fans should no doubt enjoy. Sound-Dolby Digital Stereo 5.1 or 2.0 Japanese with default yellow English subtitles. Great. No problems. Perhaps the fx noise could have been amped up a little, but I'm certainly not complaining. Extras- Scene Access--- Episode Credits--- Characters Bios—Photo Gallery--- Macross Plus: The Series Trailer--- Then an assortment of Manga Entertainment extras: Video previews (5 1/2 mins), DVD Catalogue, 24 title gallery of text info and covers, Merchandise info, and Weblinks.

Conclusion- Fans will want to pick it up, and it is a good introductory work for people curious about the Macross anime universe.