To me macross is is both nostalgia and a standard for space anime stories because it was the first space anime I ever watched. Macross 7 is an insult to whatever reputation the original macross series built. Macross 7 completely misinterpreted the relationship of music to the macross universe taking the idea that music is literally a weapon humans can use to an absurd level. I consider the movie "Robotech: Shadow Chronicles" to be the last known canon sequel to macross (Robotech series). After that every sequel to date is just a parallel story to the original, a spin-off so to speak. This knowledge is the only consolation for me when it comes to the horrible mistake that is "Macross 7".
Following "Macross 7", another spin-off was made in 2007 "Macross Frontier" that resembled "Macross 7" in background story but the plot was completely revised to make it more consistant with the original "macross" universe (including getting rid of the human faced abomination in Macross 7 and the gothic fantasy-ish storyline). The human colony ship can be recognized from Macross 7 but the background story of "Macross Frontier" completely denied any connection with "Macross 7" (unless colony ships are renamed during their journey). It is also a spin-off running parallel to the original series timeline in approximately the same time period as "Macross 7". In my opinion "Macross Frontier" was a revised "Macross 7" to reconcile the sequel to the original series in theme and core storyline. I believe "Macross frontier" redeemed the series from the horrible blunder of "Macross 7" and saved macross series from becoming a joke due to "Macross 7".
Incase anyone wants to watch macross series in chronological order here is what I consider the best timeline arrangement:
-------<MAIN STORY TIMELINE>----<SPIN-OFF SEQUEL TIMELINE>
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
.......................................................................................................
Macross Zero................................................................................... .............|.........................................................................................
.............v.........................................................................................
SDF Macross_____________________________________..........
(Robotech: Zentraedi arc)............................|...................|.............. .............|.................................................v...................|..............
.............v..........................................Macross 7.............|...............
Robotech: Sentinals(movie).............................................v..............
.............|................................................................Macross Frontier
.............v.....................................................................|................
Robotech: Untold Story(movie)........................................v................
.............|.................................................................Macross Delta........
.............v............................................................................................
Robotech(Masters arc, Invid arc)..........................................................
.............|.............................................................................................
.............v.............................................................................................
Robotech: Shadow Chronicles (Movie)..................................................
