Macross Frontier – 16: Sheryl’s Lost Everything
Ranka Attack means failure.
There’s sadly no doubt that losing to your enemy twice will leave you walking the rest of your life on earth Macross in shame. Having lost to Brera again, I do pity Alto-hime and hope that he will eventually beat Brera in whatever way, but what I’m more worried and confused about is the reason for Sheryl’s existence. Perhaps she will be the one for Alto-hime to lean on during troubled times, or she will do something in order to bring back those glorious days when she was ‘everything’, for it is unquestionable that she holds some sort of jealousy towards Ranka. Admitting to her stubbornness in this episode, Sheryl will surely do anything besides watching events involving Ranka tumble one after another. After all, in the past Ranka was just an ordinary girl who was and still is blessed with a beautiful voice.
Before being the songtress of hope, she was a lost puppy, and it was Sheryl herself who bestowed Ranka with enough courage to sing her heart out. Imagine seeing someone who used to cower before you and admire you so much as if you meant the world all of a sudden rise ahead of you. In addition to that, Grace has made it pretty clear that she no longer gives a toss about Sheryl, which is why it’s so horrible for Sheryl to now see her standing beside Ranka instead. It’s almost as if Ranka is unintentionally stealing everything that once belonged to Sheryl, and if Ranka ends up winning Alto-hime’s heart before the series ends, Sheryl would probably long be gone after that. I feel that Sheryl’s purpose in Macross Frontier is to be the one who not only watches, but provokes Ranka to compete with her to win over Alto-hime, who seems to be oblivious to the so-called ‘love-triangle.’ That being said, would Alto-hime then be Ranka’s one major weakness if Ozma should perish in the following episode as both the title and preview implies?
Brera obviously feels very close to Ranka, using those corny comparisons to encourage her to sing more lively and powerfully, but I’m not sure that he’ll be able to continue doing this mission if he knows that Ranka is just being used as a tool. Being ‘connected’ to her like a brother and now taking his role as a bodyguard seriously, I have a feeling that Brera will eventually turn over his ‘bad’ deeds and become one of the good characters. I also get this terrible vibe that Grace has her own separate plans to the one with Leon, and that Leon doesn’t know everything he thinks he does. As Omni suggested, the purple stone on Sheryl’s earring will definitely show some importance later on, possibly a key to awakening the Vajra’s young while Ranka’s lullaby sings the Vajra or their movements to sleep. I’m certainly looking forward to the next episode because more Klan Klein screen-time, Michel’s flirtacious and charm, and an exlcusive baby Ranka.
Man, you make Sheryl’s existence in Macross F seem so….bleak.
C.I.s last blog post..[Since matchups seem to be catching on] Koihime Musou vs. Strike Witches – Who shall emerge victorious.
Poor Sheryl didn’t even know that Grace had taken on Ranka, and had to find out on the news (after everyone else). You can’t help but feel bad for Fairy-9, even if you’re a Grace fan.
Kabitzins last blog post..Macross Frontier 16
The flipside is that Ranka’s rise to the top came at the expense of the people around her. In order to assist with Ranka’s rise to the top, Grace poisoned Sheryl and sabotaged her career. There’s also the little issue of Elmo, who helped Ranka make her first big success, only to be tossed by the wayside. Nothing ever comes of ill-gotten gains, even when it’s unintentional. It’s understandable that both Sheryl and Elmo feel betrayed by the ordeal.
Ranka has always wanted to be just like Sheryl, and now she’s achieved that. She sang Sheryl’s concert for her, used her catchphrases, did covers of her songs, and in this episode, she even started wearing the same outfits and even took her manager. But what she lacks is Sheryl’s spirit, and now she’s being used as a pawn because of it. Sooner or later, she’s going to have to stop trying to become Sheryl Nome and start becoming Ranka Lee.
The way things are going if Ozma gets offed and Brera is the only shoulder that Ranka can cry on then Ranka’s chances to get her Kabuki-hime will decline drastically. Right now it seems that Sheryl has decided on her future and it seems that rather than fight Ranka Sheryl’s just going to find safe haven with Alto-hime.
Ranka needs to learn how to be more decidive and forceful because right now her inaction put Elmo in the dump and is going to scuttle her chances with Pilot-hime as long as Brera can beat up Alto-hime with impunity.
@C.I.: Probably because right now it does seem to be really bleak lols
@Kabitzin: I just think Grace is some psychopath that needs therapy treatment real soon
@jacobian: Nicely said! I agree that Ranka does lack the spirit and she needs the people around her to help her, especially Alto-hime. Although it’s sad for me to say this, I really do sort of hope that Sheryl wins Alto-hime in the end since she’s the one being herself and original while Ranka can somewhat just be copying Sheryl, in a way.
@Crusader: True, I sure hope Ranka does gain more confidence because it seems like she can become the Accidental Queen Bitch soon.
It’s kind of funny you say stealing, because in the beginning people said Sheryl “stole” things like the spotlight in episode 8 or Alto’s attention a few times, away from Ranka.
When you think about it, Ranka has “stolen” Sheryl’s very existence and the only person she trusted, Grace, from her. Though obviously it’s not Ranka’s fault. I also don’t think Sheryl would begrudge Ranka her fame, since she does see something special in her. I think she’ll end up surprising those who wnat her to go on some jealous rampage or something. She is far better then that.
@woo: Yeah but the walls are now plastered with all this Ranka, Ranka, Ranka, but Sheryl did ’steal’ the spotlight a lot of times as well I suppose. I do like surprises, so I sure hope Sheryl will not go on a jealous streak.
[...] had been. In the end though I don’t think Sheryl got entirely dumped on like Kabitzin, and Blissmo think, she did get more alone time with hime than [...]
The best moment for me was seeing the way Ranka’s phone gobbled up that minidisc like a cookie. I looped that sequence for about god knows how many times.
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@jacobian “she’s going to have to stop trying to become Sheryl Nome and start becoming Ranka Lee”. Sheryl is THE clone, not Ranka
@blissmo ; “I really do sort of hope that Sheryl wins Alto-hime in the end since she’s the one being herself and original while Ranka can somewhat just be copying Sheryl, in a way.” copying ? Sheryl’s fans interpretation of the story is really funny ^^ WAKE UP sheryl is the final cylon!! More seriously, sheryl is a clone, so here, she is the one who was supposed to copy someone else ( Sara Nome ?!)
Ranka lack of confidence was until episode 13-14, now like Ozma said she is more like a woman(in her behaviour i know she does not have the body) Of course she is being use like a tool by Grace and Leon but it’s like sheryl was by grace . should I remind you grace’s word about sheryl in episode 15: ” discarded” therefore, sheryl was use for such a long time and didn’t even knew it …
@crusader “Ranka needs to learn how to be more decidive and forceful because right now her inaction put Elmo in the dump and is going to scuttle her chances with Pilot-hime as long as Brera can beat up Alto-hime with impunity.”
She tried to speak about him and grace is a pro so nothing can be done about that, you’re speaking about inaction but the inactive one here was sheryl who could not do anything even though she was the galaxy fairy
For the love triangle altoxranka is pretty obvious now i don’t even understand people who still hope for a sherylxalto end even though they know she is a clone, has a unrequited love, Alto with his Rankaaaaaaaaaaaaa during the battles cares muche for her than Sheryl and I read Kawamori the director was bound to add Sheryl in the plot because the plot will be more stimulating.
Brera may be her brother or not but he is not the only one for Ranka ^^ He can keep off alto from ranka but it can also show a jealous hime-sama which will be developped at some point!!
About the new ED it’s also a hint , we see a Sheryl with punch and romantic scene with her hime sama and all people think thats it it sure now it will be sherylxalto but it’s obvious that putting this ED this early just show how things are going too fastly, I recommend you to wait for the new OP or the ED with Megumi Nakajima…
rankaxalto is without any doubt the main pair in this serie, a Altoxsheyl pair is possible only if ranka dies or be gone with the vajra but it’s more a consolation price for Alto than what sheryl is looking for
You don’t know Alto that well to be calling him hime… its annoying, even to hear Michael say it constantly, … even if he doesn’t exist, you say it every time… As if you were living in that universe and were his “senpai”. You suck. Snap out of it. We’re watching anime here. “Alto”
I have to agree with your points on Sheryl… all we can do is hope for the best for her, but so far, it only looks pretty bad with how they wrote her part. I want to say more about Sheryl’s future but, thats up to the next episodes… I really like Sheryl, far less annoying then Michael and Brera and the whole galaxy baddies.
Ranka = minmay version 5? This idea of singing = power, is starting to get dry. I watch Macross for Dogfights mixed with intense mech battles.
Oh right… so far Macross Zero is better. Of course I’m comparing early part to early part. Later on maybe Frontier will get more like Zero’s beginning.
Kancho! Doubt waves are forming at some random coordinate!
@Gapp: Oh yeah, Sheryl does look like Ranka’s mother
@Shockwave: I haven’t seen macross zero, but a lot of people are saying that it’s good lols
@ shochwave “You don’t know Alto that well to be calling him hime… its annoying, even to hear Michael say it constantly, “You suck. Snap out of it. We’re watching anime here. “Alto” ”
Uh, I don’t even know you but you’re calling yourself shockwave : a plugin
We’re talking about an anime but who I am to tell you that you assumed name suck ? So let me breath dude, i will call him alto hime or hime sama if i want to 
“all we can do is hope for the best for her,…. I want to say more about Sheryl’s future but, thats up to the next episodes…”
I wouldn’t hope too much for her, either she is going to die or working somwhere (SMS,army…) but she will not end up with hime sama
“so far Macross Zero is better” MZero was 6 episode if I remind well when MF is 26 so for me MF is very good even if Zero was good too .
@blissmo ” Oh yeah, Sheryl does look like Ranka’s mother” It’s why I’m saying she is a clone because in episode 8 until 13 her future was bright but now it became dark and gloomy for her…
Ehh, I’m supporting Ranka for Alto till the end. She crossed a war for Alto’s sake and it would be so unfair if Sheryl still ends up with Alto just because she’s losing her fame? I mean, what did Ranka ever do wrong? Become famous? Ranka has become the victim of bionicle Grace. And cuz of that, Ranka’s about to lose Ozma next episode, I swear if that Sheryl pulls her ninja moves on Alto to snatch him at this critical time, I’mma spit fire!! LOL Sheryl’s earring will probably prove that she can still be useful in this show later on. That’s about the best thing that can happen to her with how things are going. Compare to Ranka’s love for hime, Sheryl’s doesn’t even come close. >/
@Gapp: Sheryl’s life is completely gloomy yet — she still has Alto lols
@Liz: I’m a huge supporter of Ranka as well, and I would also get upset if she doesn’t end up with Alto; however, Sheryl knows how to play her cards right. Ranka never did anything and she might lose Ozma in the next episode, but I think that for her it would be better if she didn’t rely so much on other people and did things on her own — almost like learning to overcome her fears. This pathway would be better for Ranka, I think, but I still wish that she ends up with Alto.
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