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Information

• Member: Pwolf
• Studio: Pwolf's Anime Music Video's
• Title: Macross: Angel's Voice
• Premiered: 2009-02-22
• Categories:
  • Drama
  • Romance
  • Sentimental
• Songs:
  • Fire Bomber Angel Voice (Karaoke)
  • Mari Ijima Angel Voice
  • Yoshiki Fukuyama Angel Voice
• Anime:
  • Macross 7
  • Macross Dynamite 7
  • Macross Frontier (TV)
  • Macross M3 (game)
  • Macross Plus
  • Macross Plus - Movie Edition
  • Macross Zero
  • Super Dimension Fortress Macross (Original, TV)
  • Super Dimension Fortress Macross: Flash Back 2012
  • Super Dimension Fortress Macross: The Movie - Do You Remember Love?
• Comments: It all started about 18 years ago when I first moved to California with my family. We went to the local video rental store to pick up a movie and this vhs tape caught my eye. It was Robotech. All i can remember is wanting to rent it every time we went to the video store. Little did I know, what I was watching would actually shape my interests and hobbies for the rest of my life.
  
  I never really realized that what I had watched so long ago was Macross. Even after I had watched the Macross saga of Robotech many years later. It wasn't until only a few years ago when I thought back on it that I realized what I had seen.
  
  From the day I first watched that VHS tape, my interest in sci-fi and especially aerospace has influences me in a way cannot even imagine. The only thing I can think of is that if I hadn't watched Macross then, I wouldn't be the same person I am now. So, i don't feel like I'm fooling around when I say Macross has been a very important aspect of my life.
  
  Ok enough with the sap... The video came along after I had attended Otakon 2008. Yoshiki Fukuyama, also known as the voice of Nekki Basara (Macross 7), was performing with Jam Project. I wasn't planning on going, I didn't know he was performing and I was quite irritated after listening to the audio in my video at the AMV contest (it was bad...). I was talked into it by AtomX and Dwchang and I'm glad I did. Fukuyama sung an acoustic version of "Angel Voice" for us and it was awesome.
  
  After listening to Fukuyama's performance, it motivated me to something I had wanted to do for a long time, which was watch all of Macross. I had been keeping up with Frontier and I figured I could watch everything before the last episode aired. I had seen most of everything already, except Macross 7. I watched the OVA, which is how I recognized "Angel Voice" at Otakon but never got to the TV Series. So I started with SDF Macross and made my way through Macross 7 and Macross Plus, and then finally Macross Zero. Then the last Macross Frontier episode aired.
  
  So after watching a ton of Macross, Macross was on my mind and I really wanted to do something. I wanted to make a tribute to this awesome show. "Angel Voice" is, in my opinion, the best song in all of Macross. I feel like it really envelops everything about it. So I wanted to use it for my video right away.
  
  Originally the video was going to be the video to end all Macross videos. That was my plan. I wanted this video to be the video any fan would turn to for their Macross fix. It was going to span every series/ova/movie. It was going to be epic... unfortunately, the song is only about 6min long. After playing with it a bit, I decided that if I was going to do what I wanted, I would have to extend the song. I was only able to get 7 1/2 minutes out of it. I think any longer and the song would really feel like it was edited. Unfortunately, my grand idea wasn't possible. I think if I wanted to attempt it again, I would do more of a MEP style video.
  
  Anyway, onto the video. As mentioned before, I feel like "Angel Voice" really envelops everything about Macross. One of the major themes in Macross is that throughout the series the lead female character(s) are usually providing the main lead male with the strength to fight on (usually through song). Macross 7 takes this to the edge and really shoves the idea that music can give you strength and energy. Personally, I don't think it's that far out there. Back to the theme... There's a great quote from Macross Frontier where Alto (the male lead) tells the two lead female characters, "You two are my wings!". It's usally the female lead/s singing and the lead male flying around in a Valkyrie kicking ass. It's even more apparent at the end of Macross Zero when Shin's half destroyed VF-0 spits out feathers, lol. You cannot express that point any stronger!
  
  Using that idea, I tried to show these characters in there relationships and hardships (when possible) and then eventually break into the men fighting to save their women. Unfortunately I was unable to use every single character I wanted to. I ended up using Roy from Macross Zero instead of the original series or movie. I didn't even touch Guld from Macross Plus. I wanted to, but with the time contraints, i had to fit other people in. I also didn't bother with Mao from Macross Zero or even incorporating Minmei other then one scene and obviously her singing the song. The same was with Basara. To be honest, I never really liked Minmei to begin with so i'm not crying over it. I was also planning on leaving out Ranka from Macross Frontier but ended up caving in when I realized I could use her. I eventually left her out completely during the ending climax and only focus on Alto and Sheryl. This video is also lacking good Hayase clips. Unfortunately the original TV series I had on DVD looked really bad so i tried to stick with the Movie the best I could. I think it worked out though.
  
  If you have watched the video already, you probably noticed the lipsync. If not, there's lipsyncing... I wanted to have Minmei and Basara singing the song, otherwise I wouldn't have made it a duet. Yes, that's correct, I made it a duet. There is a live version of the song, sung by both of the artists but I couldn't find a studio version of it. So, I took the Basara version and the Minmei version from the 20th anniversary tribute album and made a duet. I also took a Karaoke version of the song and used it to extend it.
  
  So, using that idea, I wanted them to sing the song. I tried to cleverly throw them into scenes from the other series. The most notable would be in the beginning with Minmei and then towards the end where Basara is singing in front of Sheryl from Macross Frontier. I really wanted to show that all of these shows are connected. They might all share the same name but these characters all live in the same universe and they all feel the same pain and excitement as well.
  
  The basic outline of the video is that the first 3 minutes is for introduction and then it's followed by setting up the relationships... either through good times or bad (around 3:30ish). After that I try to lead into that whole "gives them strength" thing I mentioned before. Then at the 4 1/2 to 5 minute mark, we get right into what I was mentioning before... The guys are all getting ready to fight and the women get to sit back and do their thing. Then of course, the tragedies of war... Will they die? Will they live? And of course, it's not happy ending (for most) unless the good guys kills the bad guys and he gets to come back to his women.
  
  I think you get the point by now.... Anyway, if you were crazy enough to read all of that, give yourself a pat on the back. Overall, all I really want out of this video is for the Macross fans out there to enjoy it and feel like it's really doing the series justice. And for the non-fans out there, or those who have only seen Macross Frontier, to become interested in the older series and give them a shot.
  
  Special thanks should go out to:
  
  - My random beta testers... I can't remember everyone but you know who you are
  - Nessephanie
  - Moonlight Soldier
  - Koopiskeva
  - My Brother (Nydyne)
  
  Song Translation:
  
  (Basara)
  If you listen carefully, you can faintly hear it
  Hey, that voice
  I always feel something
  That can't be put into words
  That's an angel's voice
  
  (Minmei)
  Like a melody fading into the darkness
  It leaves and echo
  As it calmly descends
  in a deep blue aurora
  I'll also sing
  
  (Basara)
  There is something I believe
  (Minmei)
  Although I've been called a fool
  (Basara & Minmei)
  The dream I had that day hasn't changed
  
  (Basara & Minmei)
  Angel Voice
  (Minmei)
  I found it
  It was shining
  (Basara & Minmei)
  over the horizon
  (Basara)
  Your appearance wasn't a dream
  (Basara & Minmei)
  As we drift away we'll meet again someday
  If I close my eyes
  (Minmei)
  I can hear it in my heart
  (Basara & Minmei)
  That Angel Voice
  
  (Minmei)
  The heart changes just like the scenery
  It can't be helped
  (Basara)
  "Where is God?" is a whimsical question
  Don't count on an answer
  
  (Basara)
  Lets just keep running
  (Minmei)
  It's not time to stop
  I want to get past
  (Basara & Minmei)
  The darkness
  
  (Basara & Minmei)
  Angel Voice
  (Basara)
  I felt it
  The beating of our hearts
  (Basara & Minmei)
  Join together in rhythm
  (Minmei)
  As we finally meet here
  
  (Basara & Minmei)
  The sight of you burns into my eyes
  Even on a heavy night
  (Minmei)
  It gives me strength
  That Angel Voice
  
  (Basara)
  WHOA WHOA WHOA...
  
  (Basara)
  If you listen carefully
  (Minmei)
  You will always hear it
  (Basara & Minmei)
  Hey, that voice
  That's an Angel's Voice