#4 transformation
(Previous synopses: #1, #2, and #3)
As seems par for the course now, there’s very little new material here from the previous version of the manga, although the scene where Hikaru joins the military is made a little more oblique.
THE SYNOPSIS
#4 transformation(1)
Pages 1-5
Hikaru notes the tuna again. Minmay is gesticulating wildly from the window. He can’t understand her, but she’s suggesting that he grab the tuna and bring it back so they can eat it. Hikaru grits his teeth, thinking he’ll have to hold his breath much longer than normal. He pushes off and grabs the tuna… then starts to panic, since it’s difficult to move, and his ears are ringing from holding his breath so long. He makes it back, but passes out.
Pages 6-8
He awakes to Minmay calling his name. She exclaims that she really thought he was a goner, since he had no way to breathe. He points to his lips, “subtly” asking her to kiss him. She declines and calls him an idiot. Suddenly, he thinks of the tuna, and looks back to find that only the head made it into the ship. Minmay apologizes, saying she closed the airlock door too soon.
Pages 8-12
The Zentradi are catching up to the Macross, so Global is in the engineering staff room, talking with the Chief Engineer, Maj. Gina Baltrow (and her fishnet stockings), about how to get the main cannon to fire. She says (as in the show) that many of the energy conduits vanished with the fold system. The conduits were made from a special metal, and they don’t have any of it to spare, so repair is impossible. However, they can use the modular block structure of the Macross to connect the main reactor to the cannon. She calls this a “transformation,” and Global seems uneasy about it.
Pages 12-14
Minmay tries to cheer Hikaru up, saying that no one’s ever caught a tuna in space before, and he’ll be in the Guinness Book of World Records. When he still seems glum, she apologies again and says that if she hadn’t noticed the tuna, none of this would’ve happened. He notes that she actually saved his life, since even getting back to the airlock from as close as he was was a challenge, and if he had tried to go further, to find the next airlock, he wouldn’t have made it. Minmay calls him an idiot again.
#4 transformation(2)
Pages 1-2
Hikaru says that since he hasn’t been able to find food or an exit, their only hope is that Focker will find them. Then he remembers that the last time he talked to Focker, he called him a “murderer.” Minmay gets upset, saying that Hikaru is talking like he’ll never see Focker again. Hikaru apologizes, and Minmay starts singing the song “Cinderella” (as heard in Macross Episode 4, as well as Do You Remember Love).
Pages 3-7
Hikaru compliments Minmay’s voice and Minmay says that she really wants to be a singer, and even writes her own songs (which, I want to point out, is unusual for idols like Minmay, but Mari Iijima did indeed write “Cinderella” (and a few other Macross songs, as well as everything on her own albums) herself). Hikaru says that he’s always only been into planes. Minmay (as in the show) replies that she thinks throwing everything you’ve got into one thing is great.
Hikaru asks her if she has any other dreams. She blushes, hugs her knees, and says she’s always wanted to be a bride (again, just as in the show).
Then Minmay’s mood changes, and she points out that they haven’t found an exit, they can’t find food, everyone’s probably forgotten about them… and she wishes she could’ve worn a wedding dress.
Hikaru suggests that they have a wedding ceremony, but wonders if it’s okay that there’s no one but him for the groom.
Minmay isn’t buying his self-deprecation act and gets a little angry at him, saying that he should be more confident and say something like, “I’m the one who saved you!” Hikaru is ashamed.
Page 8-9
No dialogue on pages 8 or 9, so you’re on your own, champ. If you don’t understand this, I have to assume you’ve never seen Macross.
Pages 10-13
Hikaru tells Minmay she’s beautiful. They seem about to kiss. But reality always has its way of telling Hikaru he’s making the wrong choice. Here, the Zentradi attack outside shakes the ship, which alarms Hikaru and Minmay. Minmay finally goes crazy and (as in Episode 4, infamously), suggests that if they’re going to die anyway, they should throw themselves into space.
Hikaru (again, as in the show) points out how Minmay has survived so much so far, and that she needs to keep going.
Then (as in the movie), the gravity fails.
Pages 14-17
Because of the transformation, the gravity goes haywire, and the comic cuts between the (successful) transformation, and Hikaru and Minmay hurtling towards the ceiling. The bridge crew’s dialogue is straight out of the show (“Right side at 80%!” “Left side at 75%!”) while Hikaru just thinks that they’re about to ram into the ceiling, and that he needs to protect Minmay.
Pages 18-20
The transformation is complete and the Macross fires its cannon.
#4 transformation(3)
Pages 1-6
The Macross’s cannon destroys the Zentradi ships, and Misa notices VT-102. Hikaru and Minmay are shocked to see the city rebuilt inside the Macross, and Misa is so shocked to see VT-102 that she passes out.
Minmay reunites with her aunt and uncle, and regales them about her adventures. Hikaru isn’t sure how he feels about Minmay having “other people” in her life.
Pages 7-8
Aboard the Daedalus, some underlings are explaining to Roy that there are a bunch of destroids they can use, as well as the Daedalus’s own on-board weapons systems. Roy sees Hikaru’s wrecked fanracer and thinks “What about him?” and then says “!!” followed by “……..”
Page 9-10
It’s big, salacious news that an aerobatic pilot named Hikaru Ichijo was trapped with a beautiful 15-year-old girl in an unexplored hold of the Macross. The headline is “ZERO-G HUG!!!”
We see crowds going to Nyan-Nyan to catch a glimpse of this “beautiful 15-year-old girl.” Minmay says that she’s glad the restaurant is popular, but still…
Pages 11-14
Narration tells us that the city has been completely rebuilt inside the Macross. Hikaru is staying in a (rather plush) military dorm, free of charge. Roy confronts him, asking him if he’s going to enlist in the military, since he’s currently freeloading off of them. Hikaru waffles, and Roy points out that the room is meant to ease the souls of those who have to fight, and that maybe the previous occupant of the room died protecting Hikaru and Minmay and the other civilians.
Hikaru replies that in protecting others, HE would need to be protected (based on past experience). Roy tells him that he’s not wrong, and that he’ll have to get his hands dirty, and still use them, dirty as they are.
At that point, Hikaru gets a text from Minmay. Roy notices and excuses him from the lecture, saying that going after a girl is “a man’s true battlefield,” where one victory makes up for innumerable failures.
Pages 15-16
He also tells Hikaru to send a get-well card to Lt. Hayase, since she worked overtime trying to find him.
Hikaru shows up at the place where Minmay said to meet him, but he can’t find her. She replies back when she sees him and complains that she recognized him before he saw her. He points out that she looks different (that is, her hair is pulled up under a cap), but she retorts that she saw him, even though (as we’ll find out soon) he’s wearing Focker’s cast-off clothing, which is too big for him.
#4 transformation(4)
Pages 1-5
Hikaru and Minmay go on a date. She notes that he’s dressed strangely, and he says that Focker loaned him his old clothes. They reminisce a bit about when they first met, and then she asks him if he’s decided whether or not to join the military. She adds that she thinks it would be cool for him to do something that’s necessary, and that she likes Hikaru best when he’s flying, and that she’s fan number one of Hikaru Ichijo, Valkyrie pilot.
Suddenly, she notices the time, and needs to get back to the restaurant. She holds her hand out, mistaking the flowers Hikaru’s carrying (for Misa) as a gift to commemorate the opening of the restaurant. Hikaru gives them to her.
Pages 5-7
Having picked up another bouquet, Hikaru goes to visit Misa in the hospital, only to find that she’s already been discharged. He stares at the UN Spacy recruitment poster (but unlike in the original version of the manga, we don’t see him actually sign up). The slogan on the poster, by the way, says “for cutting through to the future!” which you might recall as a variation of Minmay’s catchphrase from Macross 30.
Pages 7-12
Hikaru gets something of a hero’s welcome at Nyan-Nyan, although the Mayor causes a little bit of worry by talking about how all the guys like Minmay. Hikaru gets roped into making a food delivery (to a family named “Ishiguro”(!!!)), and sees Minmay, who seems to be out on a date with a handsome older guy (we’ll find out who he is next time). Miserable, he goes off and sulks.
Pages 13
Misa’s back on duty, and Shammy finds Hikaru’s bouquet of flowers, and suggests that Misa has a secret admirer.
Pages 14-16
Hikaru sees an ad for the Miss Macross Contest and remembers the mock ceremony that he and Minmay had back in Chapter 2.
Page 17
Minmay is shocked that Hikaru was asked to help out at the restaurant, since he’s now become a soldier and has other things to do.
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