Alto Saotome

This is a list of characters from the anime series ''Macross Frontier''.

Main characters

;
:
:*''Age:'' 17, male.
:The series' protagonist, Alto is a high school student in the Mihoshi Academy Pilot Training course. As a result of his fine features and long hair he is often mistaken for a girl at first glance, even receiving the nickname , much to his embarrassment. His appearance was revealed to have been inherited from his late mother, Miyo. Despite this, he is otherwise a rather normal, though somewhat aloof and standoffish, boy. Born into a well-known Kabuki family, his persistent yearning for the skies has made for a thorny relationship with his father, who has disowned him. He constantly frets about living aboard ''Macross Frontier'' due to the lack of a true 'sky'. After getting the chance to pilot the VF-25 ''Messiah'' variable fighter (due to its original pilot, Henry Gilliam, being killed by a large type ''Vajra'' in the first episode) his flying skills draw the attention of Ozma Lee, who accepts him as a candidate for the S.M.S. Skull Platoon. When S.M.S. grows suspicious of Leon and breaks away from the ''Frontier'' fleet, Alto remains as one of the few S.M.S. members who stays behind on ''Frontier''. He later joins the N.U.N.S. forces and is assigned to the 4th Fighter Wing as squad leader (three fighters) with the call sign Sagittarius-1. As a result, he is given a new VF-171''EX'' variable fighter. After being told by Leon Mishima that Ranka may become a tool for the ''Vajra'' in their war against humanity, Alto vows to kill her if necessary to save the ''Macross Frontier'' fleet. He is presumed dead after his VF-171''EX'' is destroyed by Brera Sterne's VF-27 during the initial stages of the final battle between the ''Macross Frontier'' fleet and the ''Vajra''. However, Alto reveals he had ejected from the VF-171''EX'' before it was shot down. He resumes the fight in his original VF-25 Messiah, stopping Grace O'Connor with Michel's sniper rifle while being aided by Brera, who had broken free from Grace's control. As the ''Frontier'' fleet lands on the ''Vajra'' home planet, he ejects from his damaged VF-25 in his EX-Gear, giving the fighter a final salute as he fulfills his dream of flying in a real sky. He is last shown flying over Ranka and Sheryl at the Vajra planet.
:As part of the 25th Anniversary Tribute, Alto is shown mimicking scenes from the previous Macross series:
:*The scene where Alto saves Ranka for the first time is a nod to when Hikaru Ichijyo rescues Lynn Minmay.
:*While controlling his VF-25 in slave mode, he uses the same flying hand motion as Isamu Alva Dyson.
:*His salute to both girls in the final episode is a nod to a similar scene in The Super Dimension Fortress Macross: Do You Remember Love?.
:*When his fighter is rising to the surface to be launched, that scene and the one in which Alto raises his head is very similar to those shown in the opening of the original Macross when Hikaru and his Valkyrie rise to the surface.

;
:
:*''Age:'' 16Macross Frontier (TV Series). ''Macross Frontier Official Site''. Story Section. Story List. Episode 04. 04-24-08
/ref>
:Known as the , Ranka is a petite, lively and cheerful (although naive) teenage girl with green hair. She suffers from post-traumatic stress syndrome as a result from witnessing the destruction of the 117th Long Distance Research Fleet in which her biological family perished. She is one-quarter Zentradi, which gives her the ability to have her hair move on its own according to her feelings, as well as an above-average resistance to the vacuum of space. As the adopted younger sister of S.M.S. ace Ozma Lee, she initially attends an all-girl's high school at the urging of her brother while working part-time at the Chinese restaurant "Nyan-Nyan". She later transfers to the Mihoshi Academy to facilitate her singing career after being discovered at the Miss Macross contest and the "Bird Human" movie where she plays the role of Mao Nome. Ranka starts off as a huge fan of Sheryl Nome as she has loved singing since childhood and had dreamt of becoming a singer. She has a crush on Alto Saotome, especially after being rescued by him when the ''Vajra'' first attacked the ''Macross Frontier'' fleet. It is revealed that she has a deep connection to the ''Vajra'' as her songs confuse them and she feels severe pain whenever large amounts of ''Vajra'' are killed in her vicinity; the exact nature of this ability is explained as the result of her mother's exposure to the "V-Type" infection during pregnancy. As such, Ranka is referred to as the "Little Queen" by Grace O'Connor, suggesting that her relation to the ''Vajra'' may be more than it seems. In episode 21, with her heart completely broken, she leaves the ''Macross Frontier'' fleet (along with her bodyguard Brera Sterne) while trying to deliver her ''Vajra'' pet "Ai-Kun" to the rest of its species. She and Brera eventually find the planet of origin of the ''Vajra''. Ranka is captured by them just as she recalls her past and realizes that Brera is her biological brother. While being held on the ''Vajra'' planet, she realizes that everything that happened to the 117th fleet resulted because her singing attracted the ''Vajra''. Using Ranka's self-perceived blame for the incident, Grace O'Connor manipulates Ranka into compromising the ''Vajra'' fold communication network, allowing Grace to send the ''Vajra'' against the incoming ''Macross Frontier'' fleet during their final battle. However, with the help of Alto, Sheryl, and Brera, she manages to break free from Grace's influence and rallies the ''Vajra'' to side with the ''Frontier'' fleet to defeat Grace. In the last episode Ranka saves the life of Sheryl from the "V-type" microbes that she had, sending from her brain into her abdomen. In the final scene, she is seen welcoming Alto to the Vajra's home planet, as he flies over to her and Sheryl.
:Ranka shares many characteristics with Lynn Minmay of the original ''Macross'' series. Both characters started out working in a Chinese restaurant and both participated in a local beauty pageant (with the exception that Minmay won the ''Miss Macross'' pageant while Ranka finished as a runner-up in the ''Miss Macross Frontier'' pageant).

;
:, ''singing voice:'' May'n
:*''Age:'' 17
:Known as the "Galactic Fairy", Sheryl Nome is a pop idol from ''Macross Galaxy'' fleet who constantly tops music charts, leading people to say that it was impossible not to hear her songs if you lived in this galaxy. As such, her popularity was soaring just as high in the ''Galaxy''s sister fleet, ''Macross Frontier''. Due to her beauty and singing talent, she is a very proud and self-assured person. Sheryl recognizes the singing talent of Ranka Lee and often offers to help her 'behind the scenes' to realize her dream of singing. Sheryl's first encounter with Alto Saotome occurs when he serves as a backup 'performer' at her first concert in ''Frontier''. It is later revealed that Sheryl is apparently a failed experimental subject called ''Fairy 9'' and is "discarded" by Grace O'Connor on ''Galia 4'', the latter stating that she had outlived her usefulness. However, Sheryl survives and makes her way back to ''Frontier'' together with Michael in his VF-25G. Confronting Grace O'Connor for sabotaging her career, she is reminded that she used to be an anonymous and homeless orphan girl living in ''Galaxys slums, where Grace picked her up for the ''Fairy 9'' project. Grace also reveals that Sheryl is suffering from a terminal "V-Type" infection and will soon die in the absence of a cure. Crushed by the revelation, she almost quits singing altogether if not for Alto's encouragement and the desperation brought on by a vicious ''Vajra'' assault on ''Frontier''. While Sheryl is singing for a charity concert, Luca Angelloni discovers that her infection gives her similar abilities to those of Ranka Lee in producing fold waves through her singing, albeit to a lesser extent. Leon's administration immediately seeks her help, instantly resurrecting her singing career for the final assault against the ''Vajra''. A letter and photograph written by Mao Nome's daughter is found by Cathy Glass in the remains of the 117th Research and Exploration Fleet and confirms Sheryl Nome is in fact Dr. Mao Nome's biological granddaughter, her fold quartz earrings inherited from Mao. The series hints that her mother fell on hard times shortly after the death of her grandmother. During the final battle, Ranka Lee cures Sheryl's infection by sending the "V-Type" microbes from her brain into her abdomen, resulting in Sheryl having the same capability as Ranka to link up with the ''Vajra'' through singing. Sheryl joins Ranka in rallying the ''Vajra'' to side with the ''Frontier'' fleet and defeat Grace.
:The prequel manga reveals that her parents were residents of the Macross Galaxy who were opposed to mandatory cybernetic implants by the government and were ordered to be either executed or captured by the authorities under the cause of treason. Her parents were both killed for their resistance and Sheryl spend a part of childhood living in poverty until she met Grace O'Connor, during that time she met Lylith Amagi, the daughter of the Amagi family who competed with the Saotome family as famous Kabuki actors, but was disowned after her father's second wife gave birth to a son. Like many disowned children of the aristocracy, Lylith was enrolled into Erato Academy, where she taught Sheryl that she must stop burdening her natural talent with feelings of sorrow as they affected her singing skills. During a major audition for the lead role in an upcoming musical, Sheryl's singing abilities attracts Vajra, which Grace took a notice to. Lylith sacrificed herself to save Sheryl, telling Sheryl that her songs must convey feelings to others; Sheryl promises to Lylith and her parents that she will be the best singer in the galaxy. During her time as a student in Erato, Sheryl unwittingly met Alto Saotome as a Kabuki actor on stage, making their destiny entwined since then.

Mihoshi Academy

;
:
:Alto's Human classmate and friendly rival who wears corrective glasses. He is an excellent marksman, and his motto is to always acquire his targets, be it an enemy or a woman—maintaining his reputation as a considerable ladies' man. He is the originator of Alto's nickname, "Alto-hime" (Princess Alto). Aside from leading a normal school life, he is also the 2nd Lieutenant of the S.M.S. Skull Platoon and pilots a blue VF-25G (gunner/sniper version). He initially expresses doubt over Alto joining the Skull Platoon, but later accepts him.

:Michael is also one of the most observant characters, noticing the love triangle between Alto, Ranka, and Sheryl as well as catching on to Grace's insidious plot behind the scenes. He is a childhood friend of Klan Klang and have liked her for a long time, although it is not clear whether he knows that their feelings are mutual. He chose to hide his feelings regardless, since he believes that as a soldier who always has to put his life on the line, confessing such feelings would only bring pain. He nonetheless reciprocated after Klan eventually confessed to him, only to be stabbed by a stage 2 ''Vajra'' later while saving her from a ''Vajra'' assault in the S.M.S. micronization/macronization chamber, after which his body is sucked into space via a hole and is never found.Macross Frontier (TV Series). ''Macross Frontier Official Site''. Story Section. Story List. Episode 20. 08-21-08
/ref> His VF-25G is eventually piloted by a micronized Klan, and its sniper rifle is used by Alto to destroy Grace, thus ending the conflict with the ''Vajra''.

:Due to translation inconsistency, his first name is translated as either Michel or Mikhail.

;
:
:Alto and Michael's junior classmate. He is often frustrated with his seniors, who like to give him a hard time. He is a genius with computers and military electronics. As with Michael, he is a member of the S.M.S. Skull Platoon. He pilots a green RVF-25 (reconnaissance version). His fighter is custodied by three pet Ghost Drones (which he calls ''Shimon'', ''Johanne'', and ''Petero'', or ''Simon'', ''John'', and ''Peter'') that respond to his verbal commands. He is also the heir to the L.A.I. corporation, which means he has access to exotic, prototype technologies and is somewhat involved in Grace and Leon's plans. It is also strongly hinted that he has a crush on his classmate Nanase Matsuura.

:After Nanase is injured and Michael is killed due to the ''Vajra'' attack inside the ''Frontier'', Luca, together with Alto, joins the New U.N. Spacy as part of the 4th Fighter Wing and vows to destroy the ''Vajra''. He flies the new Recon version of the VF-171''EX'' until the final battle with the ''Vajra'', when he switches to his original RVF-25 and with Klan Klang tows Alto's VF-25 to him. During the final battle, Luca disengages the A.I. limiters on his Ghost drones to counter ''Macross Galaxy''s V-9 ''Ghost'' attack drones. While the drones are eventually destroyed, they succeed in covering Alto to complete the mission. After the fleet lands on the ''Vajra'' homeworld, he is seen rushing to Nanase Matsuura bedside as she awakens from her injuries.

;
:
:Another classmate of Alto, Michael, and Luca, Nanase is also Ranka Lee's friend. A shy, quiet and voluptuous

HOME


Content is Copyleft
Website design, code, and AI is Copyrighted (c) 2014-2017 by Stephen Payne


Consider donating to Wikimedia



As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases