Macross Plus

Macross Plus was produced in 1994 as a four-part original video animation series, marking a significant return to the Macross franchise. Directed by Shoji Kawamori and Shinichiro Watanabe, the project was designed to modernize the series for a 1990s audience, moving away from the idol-focused roots of the original 1982 series to focus on a more mature, character-driven narrative centered on the rivalry between two pilots, Isamu Dyson and Guld Goa Bowman, during a next-generation fighter testing program.

The production is widely regarded for its pioneering synthesis of traditional hand-drawn animation with early digital and 3D computer-generated imagery, a process spearheaded by the studio Triangle Staff. The design work, particularly the intricate transformation mechanics of the Variable Fighters, benefited heavily from Kawamori’s mechanical expertise. Upon its release, it received significant critical acclaim for its sophisticated pacing, Yoko Kanno’s genre-defying musical score, and its high-fidelity aerial combat sequences, which set a new technical benchmark for anime production in the mid-nineties.