How will music save the human fleet in Macross Frontier? Music is the embodiment of culture (and also of emotion and love) in the Macross universe. Intelligent (or rational) creatures aren't the only ones who appreciate or are affected by it, as Macross Zero shows--there's a very strong connection between music and the spirit, what animates or gives life in all its forms (spiritia energy!).
The warrior races, the Zentrans and Meltrans, are converted through their exposure to music, having known only war-making prior to their contact with the humans. In a sense the Zentraedi are like the Spartans, priding themselves on their excellence in war (and missing out on everything important), while the humans are the Athenians, in so far as they have an appreciation for the fine arts. It must be remarked, though, that there is not much philosophizing in the Macross universe, and no religion. This is another story in which humans were created not by God, but by an alien intelligence.
One would prefer to think of culture as a tool and transmitter of intelligence, but how rational can culture in the Macross universe be when the warring Zentrans and Meltrans are turned into lovesick idol fans? (To witness Meltrans becoming giddy fans like high school teens, see the "Fleet of the Strongest Women" and the results of Basara Nekki's work.) Hence, their conversion is more an emotional one than a spiritual one; it is the suppression of their appetite for violence through the use of other emotions, rather than through reason and the will. Those who have a strong appetite for violence come to acquire other strong desires, particularly lust. (As we see in the original Macross series, with Quamzin Kravshera [Khyron]). But what sci-fi story these days does not reduce reason to feeling, human nature to a competition between different emotions?
The Vajra are apparently some sort of bio-weapon--whether they were created by the humans or by the Protoculture or developed on their own has not yet been revealed, though there is a hint that the humans had a hand in some sort of experimentation upon them. The drones are said to have no intelligence of their own, being directed by something else. Would this be the queen, or some other entity? Are they sentient? It is difficult to see how they could not be, if they are able to construct ships.
Fans have been pointing out how the scene with the Vajra queen recalls Aliens. The struggle between the humans and the Vajra is similar to the Starship Troopers movie (and cartoon), Starcraft, and a host of other science-fiction stories and games.
Are the Vajra lifeforms native to foldspace? Have they been genetically engineered or manipulated? By whom? Can there be harmony between sentient beings? This seems to be a sci-fi version of the Fall: subrational creatures turning against their creators, usually because they have a legitimate grude--being mistreated by their creators and masters, and so on. Does this part of the plot serve as a warning against genetic manipulation and the abuse of technology through human pride? Are the humans following the footsteps of Protoculture, whose creations also turned against it?
Will music once again transform enemies by re-establishing the harmony that should exist between all living things? Is Macross more consonant with a Buddhist worldview than one proper to Western sci-fi? Perhaps these questions will be answered in time, along with the following:
What is the connection between Ranka, the purple crystals, and the strange aura that glows in her abdominal region?
What did Grace mean in episode 13, "The hate grows." She is fostering hate between whom? All factions involved? The humans and the Zentraedi?
Macross Zero: Arkan
Macross Mecha Manual
Mecha Profiles
Macross 7 | Nekki Basara | Mylene Jenius | Fire Bomber | Spiritia
Macross 7 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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