Makoto Fujiwara -- Macross（マクロス）

Oh, goofy me. In the years since I put up the article for the ending theme for the original "Macross"（超時空要塞マクロス）TV series, I had completely forgotten to give tribute to the opening theme for the series. Well, time to rectify this omission.

Mind you, as I did mention in "Runner"（ランナー）, I still prefer the ending theme over the opening theme...not particularly because I think "Macross" is bad or anything but I have always been the sap for a sappy sunset ballad.

In any case, as was the case with "Runner", "Macross" was heroically sung by the late Makoto Fujiwara（藤原誠）and was created by Akane Asa and Kentaro Haneda（阿佐茜・羽田健太郎）. I had described it as such in "Runner" but I will quote myself here as well: "The opening theme, "Macross" was this spirited steed of an anison which combined some of the old stomp-and-march vocals with a bit of a new pop orchestral sweep."

Listening to the original "Macross", I also discovered that Haneda had included that staccato trumpet phrase which signified the Valkyries getting ready for battle.

Strangely enough, though, I had never seen the anime series in its entirety. The 1984 movie treatment "Ai wo Oboeteimasuka?"（愛・おぼえていますか...Do You Remember Love?）was my first exposure to "Macross" after watching the US treatment of it via "Robotech". And yikes, was it an upgrade from the series! The animation struck me as being rougher and more glorious at the same time.

Additionally, it was my first time hearing the opening theme from the 1982 series although I hadn't known it was at the time. Haneda, as he did for the series, also took care of the soundtrack for the movie. His opening suite at the beginning of "Ai wo Oboeteimasuka?" combining the opening notes from "Macross" and what would become the overarching love theme for the movie is still awesome and manages to raise the hair at the back of my neck. It starts off ominously then hopeful before becoming cheerfully humdrum and urbane at the same time. I hadn't realized that an anime soundtrack could start off so sweeping and romantic. The overture almost seemed to say "OK, you liked the series but this is no longer....your elder brother's....Macross now. Buckle up!"