Remember my Evangelion anecdote in my Macross Frontier Movie 1: Itsuwari no Utahime review? If not, let me recap. Evangelion had 3, soon to be 4 rebuild films that got progressively strayed from the original anime, the more the rebuild story went on, to the point that movie 3 was something new in its entirety. It's a similar thing here. Itsuwari no Utahime partly recapped the first 10 episodes of Macross Frontier, and then strayed away for the film's second half. This film, Macross Frontier Movie 2: Sayonara no Tsubasa or the equally awesome English translation, Wings of Farewell, is a new story in its entirety. So, with the final installment to this 2-part ambitious project, did they put off a stellar farewell performance, or did they come crashing down into the crevasses of forgotten stardom? Let's find out, shall we?
STORY: 8/10
Your enjoyment of the story comes down to how much you can handle all of the many twists and hidden agendas this movie throws at you. It rivals Code Geass R2 in the amount of those present here. Back in Itsuwari no Utahime, Sheryl and Grace, two of the more prevalent characters in the series, were suspected as spies from Macross Galaxy. This movie finishes what that film started. It turns out that like in the show, Sheryl has been afflicted with a fatal Vajra illness, and she'll eventually die, so Grace O'Connor wants to take her and her career out in one fell swoop. Luckily, Leon, whose role is somewhat changed from his villainous role in the show, brings this case back up, eliminates most of Grace's men, shot Grace multiple times, arrested Sheryl, and started a manhunt against a guy named Brera Sterne, a guy being controlled by Grace herself. Fed up with Sheryl's arrest, Alto, the rising star Ranka, and various members of Frontier's military team up to bust her out, and eliminate the still present Vajra threat. Unfortunately, Grace's body is brought back by Leon, thinking he still has a use for her. Considering the bullet her minion Brera Sterne put on Leon's head, it's safe to say it didn't work out well. Also, if there was anything recycled from the show during this movie, it would be the remaining sides during the final confrontation, seeing as there were four sides to this epic battle of wits and conquest. Also, this movie, like Code Geass R2, pulls an ambiguous ending, leaving you to speculate what truly happened. There's already enough spoilers on the review as it is, and I won't add any more.
CHARACTERS: 7/10
One of the biggest sections of dramatic tension, is Sheryl's arrest. She's heartbroken knowing that her career is going to end, and she's going to die, weather the illness or the new death sentence placed on her arrest kills her first. Luckily, she's even better than her portrayal in the show, with slightly more depth in this incarnation. Ranka is the same as before, and so is Alto, except for some choices he makes, even if it's pretty much confirmed that at some point after the ending of this film, you know, when he gets back home from his crazy decision, the Alto x Sheryl ship will set sail. Everyone else is the same as in the show as well, except for Leon. He is no longer a backstabbing villain who gets confronted near the end of the show with no further punishment. This time, out of the four sides, he's the second best, aside from the protagonists of course, only this time, HE gets backstabbed, or rather, shot.
ART: 9/10
The visuals of this movie have barely aged a day. The performances are marvelous and full of life, the CG looks stepped up from the show, and even more amazing than before. The mech fights are some of the best I've ever seen. So much beautiful flashy effects everywhere, it's just breathtaking! Nothing looks bad, and it's just a marvel to look at. It's like being up close for a fireworks show, only, no side effects like smoke or whatever.
SOUND: 8/10
No track is less than stellar in terms of vocals. Sure, the background music sounds just OK, but the vocals are the best in the series. Kindan no Elixir and Sayonara no Tsubasa are some of the best performances ever, and Ranka's performances are no slouch either. You have to listen to these songs for yourself. Also, a majority of songs are new this time around. I still listen to Kindan no elixir from time to time. It is that good.
ENJOYMENT: 9/10
The twists were enthralling, the action was amazing, and the music was just beautiful. What else do I need to say? If I can put up with some of the worst subs I've ever seen, just for this movie, that`s a testament to how much I loved this film, even if some of the twists are a bit more disagreeable than others. It was definitely the most fun I've had with Frontier as a whole, as well as some of the most fun I've had with the franchise period.
OVERALL: 8/10 RAW SCORE 81/100
There's not much left to say. This movie was epic. It truly brought a great conclusion to the series, and is a worthy addition to the franchise. Sure, not all twists were great, but they kept me at the edge of my seat, along with the amazing songs and battles. Sure, this movie is a bit more divisive than the first, despite it having a higher score than the first, but it was a real treat, and you should definitely watch it if you have watched movie 1 already. With that, I bid you adieu.
