This is the final episode of the series. Robotech calls this episode, “To The Stars”.
Misa looks at the ocean, and thinks about her situation.
In Robotech, Lisa says to herself, "Face it, you've lost him."
In Robotech, Rick thinks to himself, "Boy, Roy was right--once you get this Robotech stuff in your blood, it's there to stay."
Minmay wants to settle down!
In Robotech, Rick explains that so many people are counting on the both of them.
Hikaru and Minmay remember the time when they were trapped in a section of the Macross.
Now this is interesting: after all that Minmay has been through with her successful career, she wants to go back to the days before she was a singer, and before Hikaru was in the military. In Robotech, Minmay says she wants to get married!
It's tough to go back to the way things were, especially if a long time has passed...
Nice transition here. We see Hikaru's street number is 251, and then some snow falls and reveals Kamjin's ship in the jungle.
Kamjin restores power in his battle ship!
Kamjin wants to destroy the Macross. In Robotech, he wants to rejoin the Robotech Masters, but first, he wants to destroy the SDF-1.
Misa is still moping.
Claudia tries to console Misa.
Misa compares herself with Minmay
Now this is a fact that wasn't explained in Robotech: Misa is older than Hikaru!
Yep, you're not a singer, Misa.
In Robotech, Lisa says something similar--that she couldn't stand working with Rick and watching him go home every day to Minmay.
Global gives Misa her next assignment, and it's a big one.
Misa hesitates
I like this camera viewpoint; it's low near the ground, looking up at Misa. Macross has some very interesting camera-work, indeed!
The promotion Misa's been always wanting?
In Robotech, Lisa is surprised that Gloval knew about her romance with Rick. But in Macross, she's shocked about an opportunity to command her own ship.
In this scene in Robotech, Lisa is more open to a new assignment.
Global is very perceptive!
This stereotyping wouldn't go over well with American audiences..
Misa blushes at Global's statement. In Robotech, she is shocked that she's getting her first command. Gloval explains she's the most experienced officer that's most appropriate for the assignment.
Global explains more about Misa's assignment.
Global doesn't like the odds of surviving another attack from the Zentradi or the Supervision Army.
In Robotech, Gloval wants to find the Zentradi's home planet and he wants to destroy their ability to make war. In Macross, he wants to colonize other planets so that Earth's culture is preserved. Now that's some forward thinking!
We can tell Hikaru would miss flying. In Robotech, Rick thinks to himself that he couldn't quit now, not when every available pilot is needed. By the way, Hikaru's playing with a VF-4 Lightning III, the successor to the VF-1.
Misa visits Hikaru to tell him the news about her assignment.
Misa is mature in that she realizes her limitations, and she applies herself where her strengths are.
Here comes the truth, Hikaru.
But you knew that already, Hikaru.
Hikaru's priceless reaction. Wouldn't it be better if he looked at Misa with both eyes?
Even Misa encourages Minmay to keep singing.
Great camera-work here, too.
Hikaru runs after Misa, but Minmay stops him
Suddenly, missiles rain down on the city. Hikaru goes after Misa.
Hikaru finds Misa, and holds her head in his hands. What a great close-up.
In Robotech, Rick says he'll take care of Lisa because he loves her.
Minmay catches up with Hikaru and Misa
Minmay is too naive to understand
In Robotech, Lisa challenges Minmay to let Rick go if she loves him, because Rick's a pilot and "that's his life".
In Robotech, Lisa goes on to explain that she and Rick are working to put an end to all the fighting, but Minmay in desperation, says there is no future.
I like the explanation in Macross better because Misa challenges Minmay that their purposes are similar: they need to protect other people.
Hikaru sends Minmay away
Minmay wants Hikaru to come with her
Minmay wants things to be the way they were before Hikaru joined the military, but Hikaru doesn't.
Minmay doesn't want to be left alone
In Robotech, Rick explains that he wants a normal life, too, but he can't, not when the whole future of the human race is at stake. Hikaru is being self-less, whereas Minmay is being selfish.
Hm, I don't buy the argument that Minmay is not alone because she has her songs...
Such a powerful, dramatic scene. Emphasis on Hikaru letting go of Minmay with the bright light in the background.
Very effective facial expression, especially with Minmay's large pupils.
Misa makes it to the command center, and Vanessa informs her of Kamjin's single battle cruiser.
Doesn't Kamjin look a little like Kaifun?
Kamjin fires his main cannon at the Macross...
...and scores a direct hit on the Macross!
There's a big explosion outside, and we see engines inside the Macross explode, too.
Inside the command center, there's a blast of air from the explosions.
View from Hikaru's valkyrie. In Robotech, some announcer says that the "SDF-2" has been hit. That's the SDF-1!
There's extensive damage inside the command center. Interesting how the big screens look like torn pieces of paper.
Misa, Vanessa, Kim, and Shammy run to the old bridge.
There, they find...
Claudia and...
Global! Apparently, there's enough energy to take off!
Liftoff!
People inside a shelter hear that the Macross is taking off!
Among them is Minmay
Hikaru does some massive damage all by himself on the surface of Kamjin's ship.
Hikaru learns that Misa is still alive!
Kamjin's ship looks like a mean fish
The VF-1S's head's lasers look a little short
We see Milia and Max are also in the fighting
Max is so calm during battle
The Macross' main cannon hits Kamjin's ship
But it's not a completely direct hit
The Macross' main cannons start disintegrating
Kamjin is injured pretty badly. He calls out to Oigul...
...who doesn't respond. In Robotech, Khyron doesn't call out to Grell.
Laplamiz, you do realize that ramming a ship head-on is suicidal, right? In Robotech, Khyron and Azonia agree to gloriously die together.
There's no such line in Robotech!
Kamjin holds Laplamiz's hand.
The Macross has no power.
There's that Orguss battroid again
... and it gets destroyed
In Robotech, both Khyron and Azonia exclaim, "Victory!"
Kamjin's ship explodes behind the Macross, which lost its right arm.
Hikaru and Misa meet once again. How'd Misa get down to the ground so fast?
Of course, Minmay has to find them...
Close-up on Minmay
Before this scene, in Robotech, Lisa explains to Rick that Captain Gloval pushed her into an escape module. There's no such explanation in Macross.
Minmay finally appreciates what Hikaru does.
Minmay decides to continue singing
Hikaru is glad. In Robotech, Minmay says she wasn't all that eager to get married, and that she isn't ready to get married because of her singing career!
Did someone write all of Minmay's songs for her?
Now there's a mature question! Now Flashback 2012 makes a whole lot more sense to me!
Misa cheerfully accepts
In Robotech, Lisa tells Minmay good luck with her career and that she'll take care of Rick for her. Minmay wishes them good luck on their mission. Lisa says, "I'm sure you'll be a bigger star when we return."
Such a sweet farewell... In Robotech, Minmay makes Rick promise her that he won't forget her.
It starts snowing as Minmay leaves.
Interesting camera viewpoint
Misa tests Hikaru's commitment
Hikaru re-assures Misa.
Misa acknowledges
Hikaru and Misa hear Minmay singing. In Robotech, Rick mentions that they'll build the SDF-3 and will go to the stars and beyond.
Awww...
In Robotech, Minmay's song, "To Be in Love" plays in the background
The final episode ends with a book closing the back cover on the scene
"So long"
So there you have it! The next episode preview in Robotech shows the scenes from “Dana’s Story”, the first episode in the Southern Cross series, where Dana is Max and Miriya’s child. The narrator also mentions that the Robotech Masters have made a 15-year journey to the Earth to retrieve the “protoculture factory”.
So do you like Robotech better or Macross better? Do you prefer Protoculture as our ancestors, or as an energy source? Did you find any of the scenes/dialogue that Robotech changed/omitted bothersome? Do you like Macross’ episode titles, or Robotech’s?
Finally, for those of you who like credits, here are the Japanese voice actors:
An Eye for Things 
Really enjoyed your coverage of the entire tv series. Thanks!
The original SDFM, but in a way that doesn’t involve denigrating the Robotech dub. The Robotech dub was still fun to watch–enough to get me interested in finding more Macross, too, but SDFM articulates its themes better, and much of the dialogue is better. Robotech also has missing scenes, of course.
Thanks for the episode summaries.
About which I like better, I would have to watch Robotech to find out, but after watching the original first and learninig about all those dialog and plot changes, my interest decreased to the point I would only watch it if it gets broadcast on some local tv channel, which is highly unlikely.
I have a big issue with the infamous cut between Kamjin’s suicide strike and Hikaru/Misa encountering each other on the ground. Why do both series cut away so quickly? Why don’t we see what happened to Gloval and the rest of the girls? Was it edited? Does anybody know?
The series cuts away for time restraints. Global and the others on the bridge all survive the attack in Macross, with Global even going on to become the head of the UN Government for a time. Additionally they rebuild the Macross (again!) and it sits at the center of Macross City for decades after, being the centerpiece of the final episode of Macross Plus, and making a cameo in the last episode of Macross Frontier.