Macross Zero

Taking place one year before the events of the original Macross series, Macross Zero chronicles the final days of the war between the U.N. Spacy and anti-U.N. factions. After being shot down by the anti-U.N.'s newest fighter plane, ace pilot Shin Kudo finds himself on the remote island of Mayan, where technology is almost non-existent. While Shin stays on the island to heal his wounds, the tranquility of the island is shattered by a battle that involves the UN's newest fighter - the VF-0.

Macross Zero (2002-2004) is a Japanese animated mecha prequel series created by Shoji Kawamori and produced by Big West and Bandai Visual. Set in the final days of a war between the U.N. Spacy and anti-U.N. factions, it follows ace pilot Shin Kudo (voiced by Kenichi Suzumura), who is shot down by the anti-U.N.'s newest fighter and washes up on the remote island of Mayan, where technology is almost non-existent. While he recovers from his wounds, he becomes entangled with the island's priestess Sara Nome (Sanae Kobayashi) and her sister Mao Nome (Yuuka Nanri), whose quiet world is shattered when a battle erupts over the UN's new VF-0 fighter. The engine of the story is the tension between a pilot's longing to return to the sky and the pull of a community that has rejected modern warfare. Each of its five roughly thirty-five-minute episodes mixes sleek aerial dogfights with intimate scenes of longing and loyalty. Its tone is wistful and melancholic, with a romantic undercurrent set against the spectacle of jet combat. Viewers who enjoy the military grit of Macross Plus and the mecha drama of Mobile Suit Gundam will find resonance here. A compact, self-contained entry in the franchise, it works as a standalone story for newcomers and a richer chapter for longtime fans.

Viewers broadly praise the mecha dogfight animation and the return to the Macross universe's aerial combat, while the short run leaves its romance and worldbuilding feeling compressed.

• Macross Plusshared mecha dogfight action and real robot military tone
• Mobile Suit Gundamshared mecha war setting with romance and ace pilot protagonist
• Ace Combat 5shared military aerial combat with love triangle and wartime melancholy
• Macross Frontiershared alien technology mystery and island setting with young pilots

Created by

Shoji Kawamori

Release Date

2002-12-21

Episode runtime

35 min

Rating

7.6 / 10 (41)

What is Macross Zero about?

A wounded ace pilot hides on a technologically isolated island while a battle over the UN's newest fighter erupts around him, one year before the original Macross.

What is Macross Zero like to watch?

Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Macross Zero as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.

Is Macross Zero violent?

Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Macross Zero as moderate.

What did critics think of Macross Zero?

Viewers broadly praise the mecha dogfight animation and the return to the Macross universe's aerial combat, while the short run leaves its romance and worldbuilding feeling compressed.

Which shows are like Macross Zero?

Shows with a similar feel include Macross Plus, Mobile Suit Gundam, Ace Combat 5, and Macross Frontier.

How long is Macross Zero?

Macross Zero: 1 season, 5 episodes.

Is Macross Zero still running?

No, Macross Zero has ended.

Where can I watch Macross Zero?

In United States, Macross Zero streams on Hulu.