Piercing through the Macro sky,
A thunderbolt strikes the Earth
To awaken us, the young mankind
The Light struck.
Macross! Macross!
The brave youths who arise
And fight to protect their loved ones
Will set out on their journey As the war rages on.
Will you love me tomorrow?
Slicing through the darkness they fly toward
That blue planet that shines in the distance
Macross! Macross!
Macross!
With the Macross having lost its Fold System,
those aboard have been forced to proceed using conventional engines.
However, the enemy Zentradi fleet has been tracking the Macross
and hindering its progress.
Though having to fend off repeated attacks,
the Macross has finally passed within the orbit of Mars.
LONGEST BIRTHDAY
They certainly don't give up, do they?
Their resolve is strengthening now that they're so close to their homeworld.
Perhaps we've allowed them to get just a little too close...
They won't get there.
I wonder how they'll act when they realize they're so near,
yet they'll never be allowed to return home...
I'm sure they will be quite frustrated.
There is just one thing that worries me.
Kamujin Kravshera...
Correct?
Today is Minmay's birthday, huh?
So, what sort of present would make a girl happy?
Attention. Will the following personnel please report to the UN Forces Command Center?
2nd Lieutenant Justy Borgnine...
2nd Lieutenant Taki Rossman...
1st Lieutenant Yang Loo...
Nothing to do with me...
1st Lieutenant Marcos Myer...
Sergeant Hikaru Ichijo...
Now what?
Commander, should we really be launching an attack without orders?
This is a training flight, nothing more.
We'll just happen to "accidentally" encounter the enemy.
I gotcha. Old Man Britai will be pretty steamed, though.
Forget that! This time, we fight by the rules of the Kamujin Clan!
Your group will be the decoys. Don't screw it up!
Roger that. Let's give them a real show!
Hikaru Ichijo reporting.
This way, please.
Y...Yes, ma'am.
It looks like everyone's here. Very well, let's begin.
All of you assembled here today distinguished yourselves
during the battle on Mars.
In recognition of your valor,
we hereby award you the UN Forces Titanium Medal.
Please step forward as I call your names.
2nd Lieutenant Justy Borgnine...
I'm getting a medal...!
Hikaru!
Come to my room for a second.
What did you want to talk to me about, Sempai?
Have a seat.
This is your new rank insignia.
As of today, you're a 2nd Lieutenant.
Put that on instead of the medal.
You shouldn't be walking around showing that thing off.
Oh, right.
One more thing...
You get a couple of subordinates. These guys.
Hayao Kakizaki, rank: Corporal. Simulator time: 378 hours.
Flight time: 66 hours. Skill ranking: A.
Maximilian Jenius, rank: Corporal. Simulator time: 320 hours.
Flight time: 50 hours. Skill ranking: A.
What's going on? They're a couple of total rookies!
The way I see it, you're not that far ahead of them.
But...
You can find more detailed information on them in the computer,
along with an operations manual. Things a team leader needs to know.
I wrote it. Study it well.
Oh, they're here. Come in!
Hello, sir.
This is 2nd Lieutenant Hikaru Ichijo, your team leader.
He's a hero who just received the Titanium Medal.
Ichijo, take good care of them.
It's an honor, sir. Damn! Uh... I mean, I'm Corporal Hayao Kakizaki.
Now that I'm here, you can just leave everything to me!
And I am Corporal Maximilian Jenius, sir.
Please call me Max.
I am rather inexperienced, so I would appreciate any guidance you could give me.
Uh, sure. I look forward to working with you.
Yes, sir!
Sempai, there's somewhere I have to be, so...
Oh, that's right. I'll join you later.
Excuse me.
Leader!
Mind if we join you?
It'd be nice to show Minmay that I've moved up a notch or two.
Sure, come on!
Thanks very much! Well then, let's be off!
By the way, where are we going?
Hey, just leave that to me. I'm taking you somewhere really great.
I'm looking forward to it.
Gonna take us to a real party, huh?
Uh-huh? Well, follow me!
So it's somewhere nice?
Yup, of course it is!
Jeez, they're already running off like a gaggle of schoolgirls!
Thank you.
What's this all about?
What?
How could Hikaru Ichijo have been promoted to team leader?!
It's probably a reward for rescuing you on Mars.
A rookie like that becoming team leader...
This isn't the military I joined.
Hey, Leader! That's the "great place," right? The one you were talking about.
I tell ya, I just love places like these!
Hey, lookie here! This one's just opened up!
C'mon, hurry!
I think you've gotten the wrong idea about this.
Huh? It's not here? Hey, wait for me!
Leader!
You seem to know a lot about those sorts of places.
Of course. Women go wild over us soldiers!
Now hold on, you aren't a soldier until you actually fly a mission.
Sir! Yes, of course!
I would like to get into battle as soon I can!
I wouldn't want to end up like that.
Relax! With me around, we'll do just fine!
It's nothing to get depressed about. Just stay close to me.
Aye aye, Leader!
Hey, I like the sound of that.
So, this is it? The "great place"?
That's right.
Hikaru! You're late!
Minmay...
What do you think, Hikaru?
Wow, you look super!
What?! Who is this guy?
Let me introduce you. These are my subordinates...
Corporal Kakizaki!
Subordinates? Hikaru, you mean...
That's right. I got promoted.
And this right here is Corporal Jenius.
I'm Maximilian Jenius.
Wow, he's handsome!
I am honored to be in the presence of someone so lovely.
You're such a flatterer, Maximilian... um...
Please, just call me Max.
Max, then. Come on, have a seat.
Hey there! Li'l Hikaru! Li'l Hikaru!
Hello.
Hikaru?
Happy birthday...
You forgot, didn't you?
Of course I didn't forget! I just...
Oh! Yeah, I came here straight from work, and left it in my room.
Later, okay?
Minmay, don't be so hard on Li'l Hikaru.
Mr. Mayor, could you please stop calling me "Li'l Hikaru"?
I'm a team leader now, you know.
Anyway, Minmay, how about a song or somethin'?
I hear ya can even put pros to shame!
You sing, Hikaru! That can be your present to me.
Good idea! C'mon, do it!
No, I really can't...
Well then, why don't I sing in his place?
How cool!
Li'l Hikaru, if you don't watch out, you're gonna lose her.
Y'follow me, Li'l Hikaru? C'mon, get with it!
That's strange...
What is it? There's nothing out there.
That's what's strange. There's something about the radar response.
It's as if the waves are just being dispersed. Maybe it's...
High-powered jamming!
Almost time...
Disengage jammers!
Decoy group, attack at will!
I'll gather their bones.
Funny, huh?
Yeah, really!
Delicious! Really delicious!
Attention! All Valkyrie combat personnel, scramble!
All Valkyrie combat personnel, scramble!
All right!
Hikaru!
Sorry!
Ooh...!
That's the bad thing about soldiers...
Taxi!
Okay, it's a scramble!
Hey, give us a ride too!
No shoving!
This isn't going to work!
What?! Look, we're fine. Just get movin'!
Say, Leader, that Minmay girl was really hot!
Is she your girlfriend?
You know, we've just met! Where is your mind at?!
Max, are you okay?
Yes. I am nervous though.
Max, with me in this battle, it'll be like having a thousand extra guys!
Man, I wish I were that confiden... Ow!
This is Gunsight One! Black Squadron, intercept the enemy at Block 4!
Roger!
Max, Kakizaki, follow me!
Roger!
So, which section are we defending?
The final line of defense for Block 2.
What? That's all the way in the back!
Jeez, they're already seein' action over there!
What are you talking about?
Normally, I'd be out there where the fighting is, too...
What was that, Leader?
Nothing!
Captain, there's just too many of them.
Deploy the Defenders onto the hull.
Defender Team 2 has been wiped out!
An enemy formation has broken through!
VA-102, you have enemies incoming at 3 o'clock high!
They're here! They're here! They're here!
This is Kakizaki, target acquired!
Kakizaki, don't charge at them!
L...Leader, do something!
Idiot! That's why you shouldn't go rushing in by yourself!
That was a close one. Sorry, Leader!
Max, what are you doing?!
It's easier to get 'em where you want them this way.
Like shooting fish in a barrel...
or whatever!
Okay, one more time!
This guy's incredible...
Ichijo!
You're looking slow out there.
You're a team leader now, so get on the ball!
Lay off! It's hard to lead a team!
Any minute now...
Commander! They appear to have been weakened in the area below the Ramidon section.
All right, in we go!
This'll embarrass the old man.
Everyone, attack!
Enemy sighted!
Kakizaki, don't waste your ammo!
But it's all right if we DON'T waste it, right?
Got them, Leader!
All right, pursue and maintain fire!
If we've made it this far then victory is ours. Raise hell, men!
Close-quarter combat's my specialty!
Let's do it!
Kakizaki!
I... I made it somehow...
It's hard being an officer on the Macross.
You little punk!
I'm impressed.
The first one who moves, dies.
This is typical of Kamujin.
I thought it was strange he was so willing to lead a training flight.
Shall we recall him?
Of course.
His campaign seems to be going unusually well.
He has to follow the same rules as the rest of the Zentradi military.
Prepare to send a wide-area beam signal.
That seems rather flashy.
I don't want him claiming that his comm system was damaged.
Wide-area beam signal is ready, sir!
What message shall we send?
An order of immediate withdrawal.
If they refuse, tell them they'll be sent back where they came from!
We were so close! Damn that old man!
All units, retreat!
But why? I thought we were done for.
It looks like perhaps they have some internal troubles of their own.
In any case, we're saved.
Yes...
Oh, man! The body of my fighter was completely wrecked!
What will I do if it comes out of my salary?
You sure did well out there, Max.
Yes, I was lucky. I shot down seven targets.
Seven?! I got zero!
You really are a "genius."
Right?
Yeah, no ordinary person could have done the things you did.
Anyway, how did you fare, Leader?
Four kills.
That must've been my fault.
Normally, you'd get more than Max, right?
I guess...
So I'm a genius, huh?
Really? A genius?
I never knew!
Huh?
All right then, goodnight, Leader.
Goodnight. Kakizaki, take care of yourself.
Aw, this is nothing!
All right, men.
Dismissed.
Why'd they choose me to be team leader?
I was a lot happier taking orders instead of giving them.
Oh, no!
Of course they're closed.
What should I do?
What are you doing, Hikaru?
Minmay! I'm sorry about today!
You couldn't help it. After all, you're a soldier.
And about your present...
You didn't forget! You brought it with you, didn't you? Thank you!
That's right! This is your present.
Here!
Wow, it's so pretty!
I can really have this?
Yeah!
Thank you, Hikaru!
Minmay, is somebody up there?
Gotta go, Minmay. Happy birthday!
For Hikaru, seeing Minmay's happy face
and knowing that he was the one who brought her joy
means more to him than the medal he never expected to receive.
Now, the voyage of the Macross enters its eighth month.
Next Episode
Preview
To celebrate the launch of a ship-wide television network,
it's decided to hold a Miss Macross contest.
Minmay is also one of the contestants.
Suddenly, however, a Zentradi recon unit appears,
and Hikaru flies out to intercept it,
wondering all the while about the outcome of the contest.
Next time on Super Dimension Fortress Macross:
"MISS MACROSS"
MISS MACROSS
I won't follow it anymore,
The shadow you cast as you run away
We all keep running until the end
But we still can't see the goal
What awaits us after today?
What awaits us beyond tomorrow?
Even now, I keep running toward
The light that shines so far away