List of Macross Frontier terminology

The following is the elaborated list of fictitious terms, background information and specific definitive technological terminology from the anime series Macross Frontier.

Macross Frontier Fleet Government
The 25th New Macross-class Colonial Fleet or Macross Frontier Fleet has a democratic government. The elected branches include a House of Representatives and an Executive Branch. The fleet is led by an elected president, who is primarily responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of the fleet and maintaining social and economic policies. The president has an appointed military secretary, Chief of Staff, responsible for liaising with the fleet's New U.N. Spacy detachment, passing on orders in the name of the president, and providing military counsel. The legislature, while providing the normal roles of policy making, also participates in the decision making process for certain important fleet-wide actions. For example, taking the entire fleet on a costly long-range space fold must be voted on before preparations begin to accomplish it. By the end of the series there had been five presidents, four voted into office and one succeeding the position after the assassination of the 4th president. It is believed the elected presidents serve for five (Earth) year terms.

Macross Frontier Military
The New United Nations Spacy (N.U.N.S. or NUNS) is the current galactic military force during the time of Macross Frontier (2059); it is the successor organization to the old UN Spacy. The space forces are in command of the local forces unless it is superseded by the N.U.N.S headquarters back on Earth (via hyperspace communication links).

The Macross Frontier's fleet consists of warships of various types and sizes. Although the series has never specified the actual amount of these escorts, it is estimated at more than a dozen. Throughout the show the fleet was nearly decimated by constant attack by the Vajra.

The ship Battle Frontier (also known as Battle 25) acts as the flagship and command center for the Macross Frontier military and the government officials.

The military resources have been thought to be more restricted and limited prior to encountering the Vajra due to the use of Private Military Providers such as S.M.S. (Strategic Military Services) by the Colony fleet's civilian government as part of cost saving efforts.

Macross Frontier Culture
Macross Frontier's people have a wide diversity of cultures with an apparent mix of Asian/American/European Human and Zentradi backgrounds. The Zentradi themselves had established a recreational and agricultural colony ship/section named Island 3 which allowed them to live in both macronized (giant) and micronized (normal) form. Also, it is revealed that the Zentradi have families and clans which have traditions such as military service or even farming.

The Island 1 main colony ship was designed to resemble Earth culture before its near annihilation (during the early 2000s (decade)) to invoke a psychological sense of security. Old Earth structures can be clearly seen such as buildings from the American city of San Francisco and Japanese city of Shibuya.

Likewise, human culture has been shown to have similar traditional families such as Kabuki families from ancient Japan living among the population, performing their art from generation to generation.

Each ship reflects these cultural backgrounds by landmarks found across the fleet, such as a replica of San Francisco's cable trolley cars and a replica of the Golden Gate Bridge found on Island 1. In particular, this ship holds the Tenkumon concert hall and the Mihoshi Academy facilities.

Sense of community and music is an important factor to people of the Macross Frontier. Various musicians can be seen regularly playing at the Zentradi Mall on Island 3 which is where Ranka Lee got her start as pop singer. Music from earlier eras of the Macross franchise can be heard being played everywhere, including Macross 7's Fire Bomber (Basara), Sharon Apple from Macross Plus, as well as Lynn Minmay's songs.

Strategic Military Services
S.M.S. (Strategic Military Services) is a Private Military Provider owned and operated by the mysterious Zendradi named Richard Bilrer. Bilrer originally created the S.M.S. as private security service to protect his transportation corporation. The SMS organization has been contracted as outsourced military protection for the Macross Frontier Fleet and supplements the fleet's military assets. The organization consists of former N.U.N.S. veterans and talented soldiers. The organization's assets include more than two squadrons of the new VF-25 Messiah variable fighters, a VB-6 König Monster variable bomber, a small complement of Meltlandi Queadlunn-Rea power-armors, small company of Cheyenne II Destroids and a transformable warship named the SMS Macross Quarter. The S.M.S. maintains its headquarters on Island 1 (the primary colony ship of the Macross Frontier Fleet) with additional port facilities where the Macross Quarter is docked.

S.M.S. is the heir to, and modern form of the most illustrious unit of Space War I - Skull Squadron. Ozma Lee is Skull Leader - his VF-25S carries the same colours as Skull 1, flown by Roy Focker. William Guilliam, and later protagonist Alto Saotome (who replaced the former when he was killed in action early in the series), fly a VF-25F in the colours of Hikaru Ichijo. Michel's VF-25G Valkyrie bears the all-blue colour first flown with by ace Maximilian Jenius. There is no all-red Valkyrie, but Clan Clang's Queadlunn-Rea is all red, echoing the colours of Milia Fallyna Jenius' fighter.

In episode 22 "Northern Cross", S.M.S. was dissolved by Bilrer after the events of the Vajra attack on Island 1. The SMS was to be merged with Colony's N.U.N.S. forces. However, evidence was uncovered that exposed the coup d'état led by scheming Chief of Staff Leon Mishima that had resulted in the assassination of President Howard Glass. This prompted Captain Jeffrey Wilder and a majority of SMS personnel to go rogue and leave the fleet in an attempt to find the missing Ranka Lee. Only a few members of the SMS remained behind and were ordered to confront their former comrades as they attempted to leave the fleet with the commandeered Macross Quarter.

After having escaped, the crew of the Quarter investigates the space wreckage of the 117th Long Distance Research Fleet. This leads to the discovery of series antagonist Grace O'Connor's theory of creating an intergalactic communication network using the fold crystals cultivated by the Vajra. As a result they are able to discern her plan to control the galaxy by means of this network. They then send a report of their findings though hyperspace communications to Earth's N.U.N.S. headquarters and Earth Parliament. However, believing that their message to N.U.N.S. HQ would arrive too late to help, Wilder decides that the Macross Quarter crew must now do what they can to put an end to O'Connor's ambition for galactic dominance.

Episode 25 marked the return of the Macross Quarter and the S.M.S. to the Fleet. Their timely arrival led to the rescue of Battle Frontier from destruction at the hands of a Vajra Battleship. Also, using the evidence they had uncovered, Wilder and his crew revealed that the Macross Galaxy fleet (composed of the compromised military/government) had indeed been behind the Vajra attacks. They also identified Mishima as having been in league with the corrupted Galaxy faction as well as his assassination of Macross Frontier's former president. This evidence would serve as a validation of S.M.S "desertion" from the Macross Frontier Colony Fleet later.

Macross Galaxy Long Range Colony Fleet
The 21st Long Range Colony Fleet, which was sent coreward on a similar course as Macross Frontier Colony Fleet to the center of Milky Way Galaxy. The fleet departed several years before the Macross Frontier and was designed by private corporations and had the latest technology available. The main ship, the Macross Galaxy consisted of two main sections: the Battle Galaxy, a modified Battle class Battle Carrier with a command bridge in the shape of an oversized VF-27 head, and the Main Galaxy Island, the primary residential area where the civilians lived. Main Island design is radically different from other colony fleets, it is a unique design not seen before or since its launch. Along with Macross Galaxy several Deneb class cruisers and Dulfim class cruisers served as escorts of the fleet. The main fighter used in the fleet is the VF-27 along with the advanced automated V-9 Ghost Attack Drones.

Macross Galaxy's culture and standard of living are shown, from what is seen in the series, to be not as good as Frontier's. Its government also does not regulate or restrict the use of cybernetic technology and is more dependent on it versus Frontier's pro-biological only cultural set-up. Galaxy Fleet was known to be home of Sheryl Nome, the famous intergalactic pop singer, as well as the home of V-Type virus researcher/Sheryl's manager/series antagonist Grace O'Connor, a survivor of the 117th Long Distance Research Fleet. Some of Galaxy fleet's population were shown to have lived in poverty in the streets (which Sheryl formerly lived before she was discovered by O'Connor), while the colony was described as a hermetically sealed chemical plant.

The fleet was supposed to have been destroyed by a Vajra War Fleet in 2059 just prior to a scheduled rendezvous with the Macross Frontier Colony Fleet. Only the Dulfim was rescued by the Macross Quarter and the Antares squadron was later added to the Frontier fleet forces. In episode 16 it has revealed that part of the Macross Galaxy fleet survived the attack and was hiding in an asteroid belt.

In the final battle against the Vajra, it is confirmed that at least the Battle Galaxy and several escort cruisers survived the Vajra attack and were behind the attacks on the Macross Frontier fleet. The secret cabel O'Connor belonged to, compromised the majority of Macross Galaxy colony fleet's military including its flagship, Battle Galaxy which was destroyed after the Macross Quarter and Battle Frontier performed multiple Macross Attacks/Daedalus Attacks against it. The location of the rest of the civilian fleet and any other surviving cruiser during the final battle is unknown.

117th Long Distance Research Fleet
Between the years (2047 - 2048 ) the 117th fleet dispatched to study the Vajra alien race that was discovered c. 2040. The fleet was headed by Dr. Mao Nome and her team of scientists, which included Ranshe Mei and Grace O'Connor. Researcher Ranshe Mei was already infected by the V-Type microbes and her daughter Ranka Mei (renamed Ranka Lee) was a carrier of the disease as well. However, she was resistant to its lethal effects after developing some sort of immunity since she became infected in utero during her mother's pregnancy.

The fleet's flagship was the SDFN-04 Global, a first-generation Macross Class SDF transformable space warship. The Global was named in honour of Bruno Global, commander of the first SDF-1 Macross during Space War I. The fleet's true function was not publicly known, only that it was doing deep space research of some kind. The fleet was able to capture some Vajra while its research team's publicly known mission was to research the V-type virus.

A few years later, a Vajra fleet would appear over the planet Galia 4 where the fleet had settled as a research base/colony. The 117th defense forces fought the surprise attack of the Vajra war fleet but lost and the Global having been shot down from orbit crash landed on that planet. While the surviving members of the fleet were trying to escape, Ranka's biological brother, Brera Mei (renamed Brera Sterne), put her into an escape pod and ejected her from the doomed starship they were escaping on. Ozma Lee, a fighter pilot of the 117th's defense forces, later discovered the escape pod containing Ranka who had somehow escaped the fate of the rest of the fleet. She would be later adopted by him, thus becoming Ranka Lee. Only a very few survivors were known to exist, none of which were very well known. Publicly, the fleet's location when it was lost was not known neither. It is believed that the New U.N. Spacy was aware of the location of the 117th's last stand and quietly sent what became the N.U.N.S. 33rd Naval/Marine Battalion (a macronized Zentrandi force) to be stationed on planet Galia 4 to confront further attacks. It was unknown if anyone knew that the wreckage of the Global still existed on the planet surface or if the Vajra had ever left the planet at all.

The Vajra
The Vajra are a strange and mysterious space-bound life form first encountered by the Frontier fleet in 2059. They are an insectoid bio-mechanical alien race whose existence had been kept secret by the New U.N. Spacy. These creatures began to be encountered near the central core of the Milky Way Galaxy in 2040, and again, roughly eight years later by the 117th Long Distance Research Fleet. The species can survive in the vacuum of space and grows through various stages of metamorphosis. Most of the evolved states appear to have large insect-like bodies (with exoskeletons) with the warrior-types growing as large as human mecha. The Vajra can produce destructive super-dimension energy which can overwhelm Human/Zentradi starships and their N.U.N.S. variable fighter forces. In the early part of the Macross Frontier television series set in the year 2059, Vajra drones (roughly small-mecha sized) are difficult to destroy due to their thick hides made of energy conversion armor as well as their powerful super-dimension weapons which obliterated a great number of the Macross 25 fleet's large warships. Only the latest New UN Spacy equipment, such as the new VF-25 Messiah variable fighters, are able to fend off the increasing attacks by an enemy that is later revealed as being able to adapt to every encounter. They appear to fester in hives, such as in asteroid fields as well as on planets. The Vajra have a connection with the V-Type microorganisms which were first discovered as part of a fatal alien brain disease. 117th Large Scale Research Fleet scientists were known to be researching this infection at the time of the destruction of their fleet by the Vajra. Only one member of the main research team survived, Grace O'Connor, who later joined the Macross Galaxy colony fleet.

The Macross Frontier fleet and its sister fleet, the Macross Galaxy fleet, had been attacked by the Vajra in large numbers. This is when Vajra "battleships" first appeared. Frontier witnessed these large ships attacking the Macross Galaxy Fleet's escaping escort ships. Macross Galaxy's fleet re-appeared near the middle of the TV series after supposedly being nearly completely destroyed by the Vajra forces.

Later episodes showed that the Vajra have Queens which act as thinking/guiding intelligences for their race, themselves linked to their children through special crystals (fold quartz) found in Vajra drones.

The final episodes have revealed that the Vajra communicate using a fold network activated by the fold quartz in the V-Type microorganisms that they carry inside the organs of their body. While each creature is of an elementary (simple) mind by itself, the whole race's fold communication network creates a large collective consciousness that has an advanced level of intelligence. This collective mind which is coordinated by a single Queen. The main Queen has minor Queens who coordinate the actions of the drone war fleets from giant Motherships.

The minor Queens are smaller than the main Queen, and each is tasked to lay eggs of her respective hive. There is a possibility that at least one Queen attacked Frontier, as seen by eggs laid inside the Island ships. However, since Grace O'Connor does not yet have the ability to control a queen, it is more likely that the eggs were planted by Brera Sterne or other cyborgs.

It is learned that the Vajra collective live on an unnamed Earth type world near the center of the galaxy. The planet has three moons and a large artificial ring which encircles its equator with a spiral emblem on its main superstructure. The planet is defended by a large Vajra war fleet which hides in super-dimension space. This world seems to be related to the Protoculture, which was a long-extinct civilization that created all humanoid life in the galaxy.

It was also explained that the Vajra produce the mysterious fold quartz using interstellar matter and raw materials from fixed stars. This fold quartz allows the maintenance of a real-time intergalactic communication system which allows the collective mind of the Vajra coordinate drones as one entity who act as the collective's body. Because Vajra are hatched with the communication system in place, fold quartz must be present inside the egg from the point of creation.

The Vajra possess the ability to adapt themselves to new threats. As all Vajra are linked by the species's fold communication network, information is instantly shared across the species, even at the moment an individual Vajra is killed. Through this the Vajra can eventually develop defenses to any enemy weapons that they constantly face. This is evidenced by the Vajra becoming immune to "reactive weapons" (in actually nuclear warheads due to Japanese sensitivity over the subject) of which the N.U.N.S repeatedly deployed in its battles against the Vajra.

It is explained in end of the series that the original Protoculture knew of the Vajra and that they feared, adored and defied their power to the extent of imitating its form, Protoculture technology being an example of this with their Space fold devices, Super-Dimension weaponry and the "Birdman" mecha from Macross Zero, which itself resembles a Vajra Queen.

The Vajra are considered collectively as a Super Dimensional Life Form due to their ability to travel through Super-Dimension space. It was speculated in the series finale that they had been living for hundreds of thousands, if not of millions of years. The Vajra Queen, a super giant life form and main node of their intergalactic hyperspace communication-link (real-time), actively sought out other Vajra life forms to crossbreed by using the song "Aimo", which was a Vajra love song according to Ranshe Mei. Humanoid alien races were the first independent-individual thinking races the Vajra encountered and since first contact could not understand how to communicate with them. The Queen had actively sought out humans like Ranka Lee whom were able to communicate via fold waves and tried to rescue them as part of their cross breeding mentality. It was through Sheryl Nome and Ranka Lee's combined song that the Vajra finally understood the truth of Human/Zentradi's method of communication and of humanity's individual nature.

The V-Type infection was revealed to be part of the Vajra method of communicating but it ended up being fatal in most humanoid life forms except for Ranka Lee, who was infected in utero causing the Vajra infection to settle in her abdominal area where it would not be fatal for her. In the final episode, she is seen to effect the migration Sheryl's V-Type infection from her brain into her abdominal area, curing her terminal illness. Ranka and Sheryl then proceed to sing together, and now the Vajra can hear both songs for the first time (implying Sheryl's power is now like Ranka's). V-Type infection is thus treatable by Ranka's and possibly by Sheryl's Song too.

Series antagonist Grace O'Connor briefly compromised the Queen, taking over her physical body and overriding the Vajra fold communication network. However, after Ranka Lee was freed from captivity, both hers and Sheryl Nome's singing connected to the Vajra communication network, freed the Vajra, allied them to Macross Frontier to rescue the Queen, and lastly, ended O'Connor's dreams of galactic domination (which would otherwise have led to the total genocide of the Vajra).

The Vajra Queen and her race are finally seen leaving their home world for parts unknown. Only Ranka's pet Ai-Kun remained with her. Her pet does appear to have its own elementary mind thus suggesting that drones have some degree of individual intelligence that contributes to the overall intelligence of the Vajra hive-mind.

AFOS
An ancient alien artifact that came to Earth ten thousand years before the events of Macross Zero and is referred to by the characters of the series as the Bird Human. It lay dormant under the surface of the Pacific Ocean until it was awakened thanks to the Anti-UN forces. The creature was revealed to be an ancient and powerful Protoculture biomecha armed with a variety of force fields and energy guns until it was finally taken out by a HWR-00-Mk.I Monster. The final episodes of Macross Frontier hinted a connection between it and the Vajra, showing how the Protoculture designed the AFOS to resemble a Vajra Queen.

Secret Cybernetic Cabal
This conspiratorial cabal (whose official name is never revealed in the series) has been lurking within the confines at least two colony fleets. It appears to be manipulating the encounters with the Vajra. Its members been shown to be adept in using the advanced cybernetics and virtual technologies that Macross Galaxy Colony Fleet was known for. The cabal's roots originated from the lost 117th Large Scale Research Fleet and government/corporate elements of Macross Galaxy, which was deeply linked to General Galaxy and Critical Path Corporation. Some of the survivors of the 117th migrated to the Macross Galaxy Fleet where the high use of cybernetics of the fleet benefited antagonist Grace O'Connor's cause. This is when the cabal/conspiracy began to take shape. The cabal compromised a large portion of Macross Galaxy's military through cybernetics and enslaved them to it. Like the 117th, the Macross Galaxy fleet was a sacrificial experiment to lure and manipulate the events with the Vajra. Many of the cabal's members appeared to be in government and media positions and were seen to be, at the time, seeking to use the bio-energy/influence of music for some mysterious reason. For this purpose, the cabal had involved itself in the careers of intergalactic media stars (singers) Sheryl Nome, "The Galactic Fairy", and newly discovered Ranka Lee. Its true intentions remained an unknown mystery and knowledge of its existence was a secret to the majority of the population of the Macross Frontier Colony Fleet until the end of the series.

Scheming Chief of Staff Leon Mishima is manipulated by O'Connor visible a member of the cabal, who helped him take over the Macross Frontier fleet government. However, after achieving his own goals, Mishima severs ties with the cabal members which he personally allowed to stay in Frontier after learning of the Macross Galaxy fleet's apparent destruction by the Vajra.

Near the end of the series it is revealed that most of the cabal objectives revolved around controlling the Vajra fold communication network for controlling the whole galaxy, and that it was willing to destroy all the Vajra and the Human/Zentradi populations to achieve its goals. O'Connor, who was part of the original research team of scientists of 117th Large Scale Research Fleet, was proven to be part of this secret cabal. It was revealed that her wish was to take over the hive mind using Ranka Lee to channel her will through the Vajra network and create a human-collective hive mind to dominate the whole galaxy and achieve what the Protoculture could not for thousands of years.

Over the course of the series, it was shown that the cabal had already achieved a cybernetic collective of minds based on Vajra research. At least five voices are heard throughout the series (four male and two female including O'Connor's) as part of this group. Other than O'Connor, none were ever identified by name nor physically shown. Series creator Shoji Kawamori has recently revealed that they are in fact the executive directors of the Macross Galaxy fleet. It is through this link and the use of cybernetic implants that they were able to enslave unwilling individuals like cyborg Brera Sterne to act as their agents. It is believed that it was only with the arrival of O'Connor with her research theory of the Vajra being a collective space life-form that their objective rose to a galaxy-wide scale. Also, O'Connor's apparent death at the end of the series did not mean that it was the end of the conspiracy, since it was stated that her real "body" was still on the intact Main Galaxy Island according to the novel adaptation of the series.

The Protoculture
This is an ancient humanoid alien race that artificially created the majority of the known intelligent humanoid lifeforms in the galaxy, including the Zentradi, the Zolan and the Human races.

The Protoculture civilization's influence and legacy on the Macross Frontier timeline is seen through the use of space fold technology, overtechnology and macronization/micronization technologies by all the races they created. The even older race of insectoid alien lifeforms called Vajra influenced the Protoculture themselves to create their Super-Dimension energy based technologies such as the "Fold System" which allows starships cross interstellar space through another dimension as well as the Super-Dimension energy weaponry seen in most space warships.

The Vajra made use of one of the Protoculture's planets as its homeworld "nest" after the civilization had disappeared long ago. Grace O'Connor, the main antagonist from the series, had also researched the Protoculture to such extent that it became her driving obsession to surpass them.

[ Details on The Protoculture ]

Fighters and Mecha

 * VF-171 Nightmare Plus - The standard variable fighter used by the N.U.N.S. Colonial Defense Forces of the Macross Frontier Fleet. It is a newer but downgraded and cheaper to produce version of the old VF-17 Nightmare from Macross 7.
 * VF-171EX Nightmare Plus EX - Advanced Anti-Vajra variant of the VF-171 that is equipped with enhanced energy and MDE (Mini-Dimension Eater) weapons. A Recon variant been shown as well. These variant was introduced near the end of the series in episode 22. It is also revealed in 24 that they're not well-customized.
 * VF-25 Messiah - Employed by the S.M.S. for trials as a main combat unit. Variants include the Standard VF-25F, VF-25S (Squad Leader), the VF-25G (sniper) and RVF-25 (recon).   These Mechs have numerous armor/engine modules to increase performance. These modules uniquely do not need to be jettisoned like previous variable fighters, the original VF-1 Valkyrie being the only exception.    The fighter seat/ejection system is an interactive flight Ex-Gear Exosuit which allows the pilot to fly the vehicle remotely.
 * VF-27 Lucifer - A secretly developed N.U.N.S. variable fighter, the most prominent one piloted by Major Brera Sterne of the Macross Galaxy fleet's Antares Squadron. The craft was developed onboard Galaxy from the YF-24 Evolution prototype whose blueprint was delivered via the Galaxy Network. The VF-27 appears to be a top-of-the-line N.U.N.S. variable fighter, with four engines, multiple plasma cannons, an internal short-range Space Fold FTL drive, scaled-down Heavy Quantum Cannon (revealed in-series midway), immersive virtual reality cockpit and brain-computer interface control system, similar to that of the YF-21. The fighter itself slightly resembles the old VF-4 Lightning III (which was similar to the real life SR-71 Blackbird) in its airframe. Episode 17 revealed that the Macross Galaxy had several of these, while episode 20 revealed they can be flown by remote cybernetic link. Despite being a very powerful variable fighter it has the disadvantage that only cyborgs can safely tolerate its maximum speeds and the stress of its maneuvers.
 * YF-29 Durandal - A new prototype variable fighter developed to exceed the YF-24, which being developed at the time. After the Gallia 4 incident in 2048, which was not made public, a new airframe was necessary to combat the Vajra-threat. The YF-29 was developed in secret to exceed the YF-24, which being developed at the time. For development, it was the sibling unit to the similar VF-25 Messiah, where L.A.I. and the Macross Frontier fleet engineers played a central role. The biggest difference between the VF-25 is the equipping of 4 thermonuclear reaction turbine engines and the breakthrough maneuverability performance through the greater thrust. Although the VF-25 Messiah was an excellent craft, additional equipment such as the Armor pack and the Tornado pack were needed to oppose the Vajra. While the VF-25 Messiah's Tornado pack was a trial-production for proof-of-concept and data collection, the airframe became terribly large when it was attached. The YF-29 applies Fold Quartz extracted from the Vajra into various equipment, such as energy converting armor or fold wave projector, demonstrating capabilities greater than equivalent standard equipment. The most important part to achieving the specifications are the "Philosopher's Stone"; natural-shaped, highly-purified fold quartz whose refinement has been difficult but successfully acquired from the Vajra corpses. An innovative device called the Fold Wave System enabled an inexhaustible supply of energy was created and the YF-29 was completed at last. The Fold Wave system is an overdrive system with 4 Fold Quartz and is equipped with a total of 4 fold wave devices. Those devices were named after the 4 relics contained in golden hilt of saintly sword Durandal, "Saint Peter's tooth", "Saint Basil's blood ", "Saint Denis' hair", "piece of the Blessed Virgin Mary's raiment". But it is the anti-Vajra performance that stands out in the YF-29's distinctiveness. Other than the important communications tracing, it can jam Vajra communications by fold waves. That performance delivered the fold song to the front lines played a major role at the end of the conflict with the Vajra. The YF-29 development had been advanced for anti-Vajra use. Alto Saotome's unit was hastily built arranging parts from the VF-25. Therefore, it has unique performance unlike the original design. But the combat performance of the existing airframe was surpassed in actual combat.
 * VB-6 König Monster - A variable bomber, the Monster is a hulking, transforming, heavily armored long-range artillery platform. This mecha only requires a single pilot although it can accommodate an additional two passengers. The variable bomber is armed with 4 massive railguns fire smart shells capable of self-guidance to each shell's individual target. It has a pair of triple barrel launchers in each arm and lasers mounted on its upper torso which can be fired while being in "bomber" (fighter) configuration. The vehicle is so destructive, the president of the colony fleet must give permission to launch it into combat. A direct descendant of the older HWR-00-Mk. II Monster, this unit spent most of its on-screen time participating in massive battles.
 * Cheyenne II Destroid - Ground-based mecha which resembles the older Tomahawk destroid from the first Macross TV series. The mech's two forearms appear to house multiple weapons, namely lasers, flamethrowers and a rapid-fire projectile weapon. In addition, there are shoulder-mounted missile launchers, and wheels on the feet to allow faster movement than walking or running. The original Cheyenne design was introduced in the Macross Zero OVA, but never appeared in the original Macross TV show.
 * AIF-7S Ghost - These are AI-piloted drone fighters used for recon and supplementing manned fighters, based on the original X-9 Ghost design. The X-9 was made as an outright replacement for manned craft, proving very dangerous due to extreme aggressiveness and agility. Frontier's few Ghosts have safety limiters built-in. SMS Pilot Luca Angelloni controls three of them with his personal fighter craft, and can release them from their limiters in emergency situations.
 * V-9 Ghost Attack Drone - Based on and visually similar to the original X-9 Ghost Drone prototype from which the AIF-7S was developed. This fighter was only seen in the last episode when the Battle Galaxy launched them in large numbers alongside VF-27s. Agile, well-armed and deadly.
 * Queadluun-Rea - A power-armor used by the S.M.S. employed Zentradi of Pixie Squadron and also employed by N.U.N.S. Zentradi forces. This mecha is very similar to the original Queadluun-Rau Zentradi mecha from the original Macross TV series (which was used by the Meltlandi in the Do You Remember Love? movie adaptation of the series).
 * Destroid Work - A manned civilian mecha for construction purposes. This is the non-combat version of the Cheyenne II Destroid. Usually painted in red with yellow and black striped hazard signs on it. Instead of the Cheyenne's weapon barrel arms and missile launchers it has two fully functional hand and arm manipulators which are suited for precise work. It also has the same wheel/feet for added mobility. It is seldom seen in the series.

Ships

 * Island 1 - The primary city section of Macross Frontier. It resembles an enlarged New Macross-class Super Long Range Colony Ship's city section, similar to the one in Macross 7, though by all appearances, it is significantly larger. It is the Flagship of the Macross Frontier Colony Fleet and is also referred to as Macross Frontier by name. The ship has two primary sections; the massive Island 1 Colony unit and the Battle 25 warship. Island 1 houses the colony's residential area, districts in the city comprise of composites of San Francisco and Shibuya complete with mountains, internal sky, forests and a small sea. The city section has a massive transparent teardrop-shaped dome, which is covered by an armored "clamshell" top that closes over it when needed. Waste processing is handled by a "bioplant", which biologically recycles the air, water and biodegradable items within the environment. The Battle 25 is docked to the front the ship, and acts as a command center. The ship houses the primary mechanisms to allow the entire colony fleet to fold or jump to Hyperspace at long distances. The Macross Frontier is also one of the newer Island Cluster-class colony ships.
 * Island Colony Ships - There are at least another 20 Islands within the fleet. Semi-cylindrical shapes that can like-wise deploy armored sections when needed, these much smaller (but still huge) vessels that can be attached to or be towed behind Island 1 in two crooked lines. The ships appear to be capable of independent flight, but is unclear if they can fold on their own. The ships are connected by an inter-Island tube transport/resource network which isn't the same type used by the Macross 7 fleet. Things within these include natural environments like jungles and beaches, as well as miscellanies like government research labs, malls and farms. The ships help supply the entire population with food stuffs, manufacturing or needs to keep the colony fleet independent of outside assistance. For containment purposes, an Island's systems can be cut off and if need be, the whole thing jettisoned. Most notable being Island 3, for its full-sized Zendradi population, and Colony's alien research facilities. These ships are very important to sustain the colony fleets quality of life and sustainability of its mission to find world to colonize. Only seven of these ships survived the final battle over the Vajra homeworld. According to characters in the series, remaining Island ships would barely be enough to start a technology-based civilization on a new world.
 * Battle Frontier - Battle Class Transformable Battle Carrier - Like all New Macross class ships, a battle carrier was constructed along the Island 1. It is also known as Battle 25. The ship is normally docked to Island 1's bow and acts as the command and control section. It is able to undock and keep the defense forces away from the Colony flotilla. The ship is equipped with a Fold system for independent operations beyond the fleet's confines. The ship is transformable, changing from "Carrier/ship" mode into a "battroid/mecha" mode. The ship has pin-point barrier system which it uses to protect sections of the ship and allow it to do physical attacks against other ship/objects when in its battroid/mecha mode. The ship is armed with a large number of secondary missile and turreted energy batteries, a large complement of variable fighter craft and its primary weapon system: the oversized detachable Macross Cannon. The ship is an upgraded version of the same class of ship as Macross 7's original Battle 7.
 * SMS Macross Quarter - Variable Space Carrier She is a variable "transformable" hybrid Aircraft Carrier, Cruiser, and the old SDF-1 Macross. The Quarter is the smallest ship of her kind at only 400m. The ship would be classified as a cruiser, if not for her transformation abilities, robotic/mecha form, and powerful primary energy weapon. She is similar in shape to the bigger Meltran gunboats or monitors. The Macross Quarter ship is designed like a variable fighter with her smaller cousin's maneuverability, being able to transform into carrier/gerwalk/battroid (robot/mecha) forms. The ship's primary weapon is a Heavy Quantum Cannon housed in its right/starboard arm. The left/port "arm" is a flight deck which houses its smaller craft complement. The Quarter is also armed with ten gun turrets and dotted with numerous point-defenses. Unlike her peers, the Quarter's small size makes her rather agile and much faster than her hulking cousins. When not needed, the ship stays docked to Island 1. A complement of Cheyenne II Destroids found on the outer hull perform anti-air defense & fire their missiles/weapons in a Macross Attack (Daedalus Attack in the original Macross), in a similar way the original destroids of SDF-1 Macross were used. It is also equipped with a Fold system to allow it to jump ahead of the fleet to scout and survey for security of the fleet. The ship has advanced pin-point barrier system which can be used to protect large sections of the ship from weapons and physical damage. It barrier system can be used as cutting/piercing weapon when applied to one of the arms of the ship which referred to as a Macross Attack. The Macross Quarter is operated by a private security firm known as the S.M.S. It is to note that the ship's primary weapon, the Heavy Quantum Cannon is not as powerful as a Macross Cannon such as the one used by Battle 25.
 * Guantánamo Class Stealth Carrier (CV/CVR) - The primary spacecraft/fighter carrier of the New UN Spacy fleet, they are the successors to the original and older ARMD-class carriers. They are boxy-shaped carriers not unlike old ARMD ships. They have appeared in Macross-related material since Macross Plus.
 * Uraga Class Escort Carrier (CV/CVS)- The primary escort carriers of UN Spacy colonial forces. They appear like mid-sized naval aircraft carriers, and have been used as command ships when docked to various colony ship classes. They have appeared in other Macross related manga/anime since Macross 7.
 * Bolognese Class Stealth Frigates (FF) - The primary escort warships of the N.U.N.S. colonization fleets. These ships appear like sleek, swept-back angular vessels. Like the above mentioned, they've appeared in the franchise since Macross 7.
 * N.U.N.S. Stealth Cruisers (SC) - The N.U.N.S. Stealth Cruiser is the newest type of space warship in the N.U.N.S. Macross Frontier fleet. Compared to a frigate, it has higher firepower and mass. These ships have been seen with painted steel gray & dark navy blue hulls among the Macross Frontier forces. The ships of this class are shown as some of the largest warships escorting and defending the Macross Frontier fleet through the series. One of the ships of this class, the Akizuki, was lost during episode 20.
 * Battle Galaxy - Battle Class Transformable Stealth Attack Carrier - The Macross Galaxy fleet version of the Battle Class Carrier. It had advanced Stealth combat systems and carried a complement of several V-9 Ghost drone fighters and VF-27 Lucifer variable fighters in its fighter bays. Battle Galaxy was docked to the main Macross Galaxy Island before the Vajra attack on the Galaxy fleet. It was destroyed by the Battle Frontier ship during the battle between the Macross Galaxy and Frontier fleets at the end of the series.
 * Macross Galaxy Island - The primary city section of Macross Galaxy that was docked with the Battle Galaxy ship. In 2059, the Macross Galaxy Mainland was presumed destroyed during an attack by the Vajra. However, Grace O'Connor had the Macross Galaxy Mainland hidden. Its current whereabouts remain unknown.
 * Dulfim Class Carrier (CC) - These ships are of a catamaran like design similar to Star Trek's Romulan Warbirds and to the Varauta command ship from Macross 7. They are large massively armored and armed carriers which are present in the Macross Galaxy colony fleet defense forces. These ships use a number of turreted laser cannons and missile weaponry. They carry a small fighter complement aboard like the Bolognese Class Frigates. They have been seen using the distinctive red & white paint scheme of the Macross Galaxy fleet. A single Dulfim Class ship from Macross Galaxy Fleet was rescued after fleeing apparent destruction of Macross Galaxy. This ship was later used to take Grace O'Connor to the Vajra's homeworld and to the main Vajra Queen.
 * Deneb Class Cruiser (CC) - The Kaitos was one of several Deneb Class Battleships that functioned as frontline warships for the Macross Galaxy fleet. It was destroyed during the Vajra attack on the Galaxy fleet. The Deneb is a green colored and single hulled cruiser, which appears to be heavily armored and equipped with several turreted laser cannons as well as missile launchers. It is distinctive for having a horizontally wedged nose and four winglets near its four main engine nozzles.
 * Queadol-Magdomilla Class Zentradi Fleet Command Battleship - This medium scale warship, often found in the role of a fleet command flagship, is actually two individual vessels able to be separated to serve different functions. The forward section of the Queadol Magdomilla (the Assault Module) can detach from the main vessel (the Orbital Module) and act as an aerial assault craft for combat inside a planetary atmosphere. The modular system allows the two sections to operate independently and both are heavily armed with hangar bays carrying large mecha complements. While the orbital module can still enter a planetary atmosphere like most Zentradi warships, the ship has limited maneuverability. Although this class has been in use for hundreds of millennia (like most of the Zentradi fleet) the Queadol Magdomilla was born in the middle stages of the Protoculture Stellar Republic's Schism War and is thus one of the newer ships of line among both allied and enemy Zentradi fleets. This ship was also the Zentradi flagship of the N.U.N.S. 33rd Naval/Marine Fleet stationed in planet Galia 4 and its landed Assault Module was destroyed during the "Dimension Eater" explosion caused by Grace O'Connor.
 * SDFN-04 Global - Macross-class SDF (Super Dimensional Fortress) Starship - A transformable warship that appears to be a production version of the original SDF-1 Macross, the Global was the flagship of the lost 117th Large Scale Research Fleet. It was found on the planet Galia 4 in its transformed state, covered in greenery and disused for many years. Inside the abandoned ship were discovered Vajra samples in a laboratory. The Global wreckage fell apart after a Vajra mothership located underneath pushed it aside as it lifted off into space along with its hive. During a flashback later in the series, the heavily damaged Global was shown descending from the failed battle that the 117th waged against the Vajra over the skies of Galia 4 into the lake in which it was later discovered more than a decade later by Alto and Ranka.
 * Macross 11 - New Macross Class Super Dimensional Colony Ship: This ship was only seen for a moment, but unlike Macross Frontier, it has also been modified with what appears to be sensor arrays in the shape of wings. Macross 11 also carries over 15 colony islands. At least one Guantánamo class Stealth Carrier is seen among other unidentified vessels escorting the fleet. The Macross 11 colony fleet is noted for its main language being American English and is the home of the Fire Bomber American rock band.
 * SDF-1 Macross - Super Dimensional Fortress - The original ship of the Macross series. It still exists in 2059 and continues to be located in the artificial lake in Macross City on Earth. The ship visually appears to be identical to its previous appearance in 2040 during the events of Macross Plus. A Vajra warfleet appeared above the SDF-1 during the events of Episode 25 of the series, but quickly withdrew when O'Connor lost control of the Vajra.

Creatures, Fighters and Ships of the Vajra

 * Vajra Larvae or Stage 1 Vajra - Smallest and most harmless of Vajra species, they are lime green with 3 eyes, with cute squeals, and a squirrel-like body (including the tail). The Larvae do not appear to have any insect-like qualities at first. Definite non-mammalian morphological features include the uneven number of eyes on the head, as well as six small legs. Ranka Lee unknowingly had one as a pet and named it "Ai-kun".


 * Vajra Flyers / Dandiform or Stage 2 Vajra - Second smallest known Vajra, they are 2.5 meters long with retractable wings, 6-8 limbs, a flat head and a beak that can chop a human in two. They fly very fast and use their beaks as rams or crush their opponents by trapping them with their legs. While these creatures do have exoskeletons, they aren't made of energy conversion armor like that of the larger, combat Vajra although they do wield a pair of bio-energy lasers for shooting targets that are far off. These creatures are known to fly and attack in swarms similar to locusts.


 * Vajra Walker or Stage 3 Vajra - 3rd largest Vajra which evolves from the Larva stage, which becomes a large mecha. While it has a large flat head like the Stage 2 form, it also has an extended long body, no wings, pincers, and approximately 6 legs and 2 arms. It wields a pair of bio-energy powered lasers emitting from its flat disk-like head. They are primary used as ground assault troopers. Stage 3 Vajra may be the early stage that leads to the Vajra Space Mecha-Drones.


 * Vajra Fighter-Drones - The most common of the Vajra in space that also act as main fighters for the species. They are the same size as non-transformed variable fighters and are incredibly fast and agile. Their arsenal includes powerful energy weapons and biologically grown missile-type weaponry. The drones are hatched from eggs laid in derelict spaceships or asteroids. They are yellow in color and more insect looking than their previous forms, now having wings and an exoskeleton in addition to its multiple appendages as well as a dangerous bio-energy tail or flagellum that can be used by them efficiently as a close-range weapon. Vajra drones don't seem capable of folding by themselves, so they are usually seen following the bigger Vajra Space Mecha-Drones or inside Vajra Battleships and Motherships.


 * Vajra Space Mecha-Drones - These large bio-mechanical Vajra drones perform as enforcers and assault troops. They can fly swiftly with or without an atmosphere and can fold without the need of a mothership to transport them. Twice the size of a variable fighter, they have insect-like exoskeletons with large arms and legs that they can fold up when not in use. Their external structure is made of a very strong energy conversion armor similar to the one found in most valkyries that also makes them highly resistant to many types of weaponry. They are red colored and have several yellow colored "spiral" shaped marks in their armor. These large Vajra are strong enough to tear a mecha apart and have bio-energy weapons, lasers, bio-missiles, and an incredibly powerful cannon capable of destroying a NUNS capital ship with a single shot. On the ground, these creatures can act as a ground-assault tank on legs. It was revealed later in the series that the Vajra units have the ability to transmit the damage they receive to the whole species before they die, so their "hive" may create a better adapted or evolved version of the destroyed unit.


 * Vajra Destroyer Mecha-Drones (In the Macross Frontier Movie) - Largest mecha-type Vajra that resembles a wasp in its appearance. They have the ability to fly swiftly with or without an atmosphere and has the ability to fold without the help of a larger Vajra vessels. Its 'armaments' consists of multiple bio-missiles as well as two large claws which also can fire anti-ship grade energy beams. They also appear to have the ability to transport a small object within their stomach part of the body as seen in the movie where it captures Ranka Lee and trys to escape to a Vajra Carrier stationed just outside the protective dome of Island 1. One of these Destroyer Mecha-Drones were destroyed by Michael during the ambush on the Frontier Fleet.


 * Small Vajra Queens - These creatures are coordinators of all the Vajra thinking processes for large swarms and fleets of the species. They are usually found on Vajra Motherships and are directly controlled by the main Vajra queen. Small queens superficially resemble the main queen except in their size, color and possibly in their overall mobility. They also can produce baby/larvae eggs through crane like appendages.


 * Vajra Carrier/Cruiser - Bio-mechanical warships used as the Vajra's heavy gunships in their 'fleet' of ships. They can fold by themselves and are slightly larger than the main S.M.S.'s warship, Macross Quarter. The warship's primary weapon is a heavy converging energy beam cannon (mounted within its forward bow), many secondary bio lasers for anti-fighter/starship defense and its known to carry many mixed-sized Vajra drones. It can fly swiftly in air and space, and can fold to reach intergalactic destinations. Whether the Vajra battleship is an evolved type of Vajra or just an organic extension of their hives is still unknown.


 * Vajra Mothership - Very large bio-mechanical vessel, built to be vertically longer than it is wide, with a central "eye" structure. No apparent weapons have been seen to be used by this ship. It is known to carry a hive with thousands of drones aboard it as well as a small Vajra Queen which coordinates the Vajra fleet it is attached to and also spawns more Vajra by producing their eggs. This type of ship was first seen lifting off from planet Galia 4 where it abandoned the derelict Macross Class SDF Global where it was hiding, destroying it in the process. It also can fly swiftly in air and space, and can fold itself to any desired destination.


 * Vajra Super-carrier/Super-battleship (In the Macross Frontier Movie) - Extremely large Vajra super-carrier/super-battleship that is same in size to Battle Frontier if not bigger. Its main weapon is the triple-barrel supercharged energy beam cannon mounted on the top of the ship, capable of firing energy beam with the power equal to the main weapon of Battle Frontier's main cannon. The ship also boasts many energy cannons ranging from point-defense cannons to large-calibre anti-ship cannons. It also has the capacity to carry large numbers of mixed-sized Vajra drones as well as the ability to fold rapidly. This ship is also capable of generating 'Fold Barrier' which acts as a defensive shield powerful enough to withstand a direct hit from the Battle Frontier's main cannon. A large Vajra fleet led by one of these ships ambushes the Frontier Fleet, but it is destroyed after receiving a combined attack from Macross Quarter and Battle Frontier.


 * Vajra Queen - Resides in a massive artificial ring that encircles an Earth-like planet which is the Vajra homeworld. The ring around the planet is suspected to act as an amplifier for the Vajra Fold Communication Network with the Vajra Queen in its center. The main queen is physically twice the size of both the Battle Frontier and Battle Galaxy transformable battle carriers in their battroid/mecha mode. Its body is green/white with a giant, rounded, legless lower abdominal body, a smaller yet slightly longer torso with 4 feathered wings, a long neck with an insect-like head with multiple eyes and a long extended mouth/feeder. Like all Vajra, the Queen's head does not contain its "brain", rather it is located in the abdominal part of her body which contains a mass of fold crystals. The large quantity of fold crystals allows it to be become the command node in the Vajra Hyperspace Communication Network which allows the entire race to think as one. It is not known if it gives birth to Vajra spawn like lower grade queens or if she houses drones to defender herself with. It appears to have complete control over her race in real-time. The main queen can also create a super-dimensional rift which can be used as an impenetrable barrier which only her own Vajra drones can breach. This rift ability can also be used to fire "super-dimensional" fold blasts which can atomize anything other than a super-dimensional rift field (which only the Vajra are capable of producing). She also sings a song which is translated as a love song to court other Vajra lifeforms to breed. She, in fact teaches Ranka Lee this very song through her connection with Ranka due to the V-Type infection. The queen's wings are also very similar to those seen in the gigantic protoculture Bird Man mecha which was seen at end of Macross Zero, showing how the protoculture imitated the power of the Vajra. Grace O'Connor, in episode 24, merges and overcomes the queen's will and compromises the Vajra fold network hivemind with the unwilling aid of Ranka Lee. The queen and the rest of her race become slaves to Grace and her organization's will, with O'Connor commanding the Vajra Queen to send her drones to attack all of humanity at multiple fronts at the same time, from the Macross 11 Deep Space Colony Fleet to Macross City on Earth. Only through the efforts of Sheryl Nome and Ranka Lee was O'Connor's control over the Vajra network overwhelmed, freeing the Vajra drones to liberate the queen. The queen's head, where O'Connor placed her body, was severed and then destroyed by Alto Saotome. The queen was later seen ascending into space flapping her four enormous wings, apparently leaving with her Vajra spawn for elsewhere, their former homeworld now under the care of the people from the Macross Frontier colony fleet.


 * Battle Frontier/Vajra Queen (In the Macross Frontier Movie) - Appears at the end of the second Macross Frontier Movie (Wings of Goodbye). Battle Frontier was used to merge with the Vajra Queen, in order to control the queen directly and thus allowing the control of Vjra without the use of the Implant system. It is armed with multiple pinpoint defense beam-based turrets, but its main weapon is the oversized Macross Cannon fused with Vajra Queen's materials, which dramatically increased its firepower. It is powerful enough to destroy multiple warships with one blast, but also have extreme range, allowing the blast to hit targets in orbit even if it was shot from the surface of the planet. It is also capable of folding on its own, due the to combined fold systems of the Battle Frontier and the queen.

Other Terminology and Technology
The following is a brief introduction to other technologies and terms shown during the Macross Frontier series.


 * Macross Cannon - Also known as the "Main Cannon". This is the most powerful energy weapon devised by the humanoid civilizations of the Macross universe. The basis for this weapon is creating Super Dimension Energy to act as a beam weapon. This weapon has been known to destroy small fleets of large warships with a single volley. Originally the weapon was thought of as a kind of heavy particle beam gun by most audiences. The original Japanese name for this type of weapon (which is also used by the Zentradi) was "Heavy Converging Super Dimension Energy Beam Cannon".


 * Pinpoint barrier - A type of force field using Super Dimensional energies which can be moved to especific parts of a defending ship or fighter. This energies can be used as physical protection should a ship come into contact with another minimizing the physical damage. It can also be used to increase the resistance and sharpness of melee mecha weapons. Seen on mecha sized blades as well as the "fists" of Super Dimensional Fortresses. The barrier system used during the time of Macross Frontier can also cover a larger portion of the ship than the original pin-point barrier system used by the SDF-1 Macross.


 * Fold Waves - Fold Waves is a fictional interdimensional "sound wave" exclusive to the Macross universe. Though Macross Frontier first introduced the concept, the series has never clarified exactly what the nature of Fold Waves is. What is known about it, is that it's an interdimensional time/space reaction when something disrupts the boundaries of dimensions. Fold waves are created when starships are using their space-fold drive/Fold System or when Super Dimension space is manipulated for hyperspace communication, specially when using fold quartz cultivated by the Vajra. Fold wave physics with use of fold quartz makes it possible for the Vajra hive-mind to think in real-time. Also humans who have fold crystal implants or who are in near-fatal stages of the "V-Type" infection can create fold waves and interact with other individuals in real-time. Fold wave communication can be disrupted by singing depending on the quantity or broadcasting power of the source when fold quartz are used.


 * Fold Crystals or Fold Quartz - Fold Crystals are minerals produced and harvested by the Vajra race. They are mined from nearby asteroids and even from elements gathered from stars and cultivated by them biologically. They are then infused into their newborn spawn to allow them become one with the hive mind of the Vajra. Humans have been shown through the course of the Frontier series to be able to manipulate the ability to communicate with each other using fold crystals crudely, when emotion is applied. The main Vajra queen and the lesser caste queens have an incredible quantity of these crystals in their bodies to allow them coordinate lesser drones of the hive, which allows the formation of the Vajra interdimensional fold communication network. The crystals are part of the structure of the "V-Type" infection microbes where they act as a conduit for this fold communication network if enough of them are connected. The crystals are also implanted in the intestine of the Vajra, which makes them act in coordination with the rest, resulting in a higher "Vajra" intelligence shared by their whole race.


 * Space-fold Drive or Fold System - This is a Super Dimensional device which allows a spacecraft to "fold space" to travel Faster Than Light. It is one of the basic overtechnologies that the ancient Protoculture civilization left behind for the latter humanoid races to travel across the stars. Long distance "jumps" up to 800-1000 light years are highly power consuming.


 * Macross Attack - Also known to audiences of the original Super Dimension Fortress Macross as "Daedalus Attack or "Daedalus Maneuver". The Macross Attack is when a large transformable warship, such as SDF-1 Macross or the SMS Macross Quarter goes into close quarter combat or melee combat. An example of this was the Macross Quarter "punch" against the Macross Galaxy gunship while activating the Pinpoint Barrier system on its "weapon arm" or "fist" in the final episode of Macross Frontier. Once penetrating the hull of the enemy ship deeply enough, large quantity of smaller mecha inside the punching arm would be allow to fire their weapons inside the enemy vessel, thus guaranteeing its destruction.


 * Deculture - (De-kerlchuun) This is a one word description of the entire merged human/zentradi/meltrandi civilization/culture. The Zentradi expression is used extensively in the series. It is specially used when referring to certain musical themes that connect with people in large numbers. Most of the time is said by Zentradi as an expression of disbelief, amusement, awe, surprise or disgust.


 * Holographic Technology - First seen in Macross '84: Do You Remember Love? during a Lynn Minmay concert and when Hikaru and Minmay were at an amusement park building which was using advanced holographic amusement machines that allowed them to try different outfits/clothes/costumes which were projected realistically on them as if they were worn. This technology is still the same in the Frontier series, where Sheryl Nomes does her concerts where she sings and dances with different outfits inside stage settings that are changed in seconds. She is briefly seen wearing a Virtual Reality skin suit when she is forced off stage during the first episodes.


 * Gravity Control System - A creation of the Protoculture, this device allows for ships/spacestations to possess artificial gravity. In addition to providing internal gravity it allows large vessels to operate and fly within a planetary atmosphere. The technology also allows the use of entertainment and launch/recovery spacecraft. Variable fighters can be seen launched from flight decks of Battle Frontier through guided spacelanes created by a combination of artificial gravity generators and holographic projectors.


 * Heavy Quantum Cannon - This is a new weapon introduced in Macross Frontier, which originally was thought to be another form of the older Macross Cannon. It is based on Quantum physics, which cause the beam itself to disrupt atoms like the Macross Cannon does but with a completely and more devastating method of destruction.


 * Cybernetic Implants - Technology which enhances interaction with advanced equipments (for example the VF-27 Variable Fighter). It can be used to amplify ones physical body strength or to give a perfectly normal appearance to a person whose body has suffered severe damage regardless of age. Simple devices can be invisibly planted into people such as telephones or computer terminals. The technology allows users to be transported into virtual reality environments while interacting with computers. It can also be used to enslave an individual to the will of others such as the case of the servitude of Brera Sterne to Grace O'Connor. Cybernetic implants are banned in the Macross Frontier Colony Fleet for unspecified reasons. However, they are allowed in the Macross Galaxy Colony Fleet and most human/zentradi civilization.


 * Vajra Hyperspace Communication Network - This constitutes the Vajra's hive mind itself, which allows all of its drones to collectively think as one entity. This network of real-time communication through long distances is possible though the use of fold quartz which are harvested and produced by the Vajra drones and implanted into newborn larvae. The network has a series of sub-nodes and ultimately the main Vajra Queen who is the central node and the controller of all Vajra as a whole. The network was not known to the humans except to Grace O'Connor only in theory. She used her knowledge of this to ultimately and briefly take over the Vajra Network using Ranka Lee as a bridge to connect to them by compromising the Queen's control. Grace ultimately wished this network to be duplicated by forcing humans to have fold crystals implanted into them to dominate the whole galaxy. However, ancestral music which Vajra used as part of their mating process was able to override O'Connor's control when sang by both Sheryl and Ranka. It was shown that when Sheryl and Ranka sang while pouring their emotions into their songs, it gave them the power to override the mundane control O'Connor had achieved while she briefly took over the primary Vajra Queen.


 * Dimension Eater and MDE (Mini Dimension Eater) Missiles - This technology was shown first in a device originally created by Macross Frontier's LAI Industries and employed first by the secret organization that controls Macross Galaxy and who were behind the Vajra attacks. It is unclear how the device exactly works other than the fact that it employs Super Dimension energy similar to the Fold System used for FTL travel, but it consumes and destroys anything on its projected path up from 500 meters to 1000 kilometers. A large prototype device was used on Galia 4 to escalate the Vajra War between the Vajra and Macross Frontier Colony Fleet. This resulted in the destruction of a large portion of the planet and the loss of the N.U.N.S. 33rd Marine Battalion. Aftermath of use of the weapon was seen in episodes 14 and 23 as Galia 4 had lost its atmosphere and a quarter of the planet's mass. Grace O'Connor working with Chief of Staff Leon Mishima developed technology that ultimately lead to the MDE ("Mini-Dimension Eater") missiles for Macross Frontier defense forces to use against the Vajra. This development also resulted in a slightly smaller prototype of the Dimension Eater bomb which was created in the research labs of Island 3. This device had the range of 50 kilometer, an area larger than the entire Macross Frontier convoy/fleet. During the Vajra invasion of Island 1, Luca Angelloni explains to Ranka and Alto that MDE utilize micro-particles extracted from the remains of Vajra, which likely includes the fold crystals. Ranka Lee successfully lured Vajra which had infested Island 1 to Island 3. Then Island 3 was detached from the fleet and safely destroyed by the prototype Dimension Eater bomb. It should be noted that superficially, the MDE Missiles resemble the atomic bomb "Little Boy". The MDE ("Mini-Dimension Eater") missiles were deployed in the final battle of the Vajra/Human War. The military forces of Frontier gave the weapon the nickname "The Dimensional Cutter".

Macross Universe Parallels
The Macross Frontier anime TV series, apart from providing the audience an original story set in the Macross universe, also celebrates the 25th Anniversary of the franchise by repeating (often with inverted plot elements) several classic scenes from past productions as a tribute. Many elements from previous Macross television shows, movies and OVAs are showcased during certain episodes in the Frontier 25 episode run, giving the audience who have seen previous installments of Macross some Déjà vu moments. Examples of these are listed below.
 * Alto Saotome and Hikaru Ichijyo (From SDF Macross) are both involved in acrobatic flying. In the first episode of each series the main character is introduced using his civilian flying equipment. Hikaru is shown coming in to land, while Alto is shown taking off. While Hikaru then proudly boasts to Roy Fockker of winning the amateur flying contest seven times, fellow flyer Michel Blanc scornfully refers to Alto as "Princess Alto, the perennial Number Two."
 * The scene where Alto saves Ranka Lee for the first time is a nod to when Hikaru rescues Lynn Minmay in the original Macross. Unlike Hikaru, Alto explicitly chooses to go into battle, echoing the scene in 2003 OVA Macross Zero where Shin Kudou rescues Mao Nome.
 * The setting of the pilot episode's space battle (an asteroid belt near a Gas Giant) is very similar to the classic battle at the Saturn rings from the original Super Dimensional Fortress Macross series.
 * The restaurant where Ranka worked as a waitress is called Nyan-Nyan. Coincidentally, the restaurant where Minmay worked before she became an idol goes by the same name in the original Super Dimensional Fortress Macross.
 * In episode 3, Alto becomes trapped in an airlock with Ranka and Sheryl Nome. This is loosely reminiscent of a scene in SDF Macross where Hikaru is similarly trapped with Minmay. In SDF Macross, they avoid starvation by eating some tuna they manage to bring in through the airlock. In Frontier, Ranka provides a meal to try and calm heated tensions between Alto and Sheryl: Nyan-Nyan tuna buns.
 * Ranka's rise to fame as a singer parallels Minmay's similar rise, including a beauty contest, movie premiere, and a reference to Minmay's pop hit, "Watashi no Kare wa Pilot" or "My Boyfriend is a Pilot."
 * On the roof of Mihoshi Academy which all of the main characters attend, there is a preserved VF-1 Valkyrie Fighter - and as seen in Episode 9, it is not just any VF-1 - it is in fact Hikaru's first mount (in red and black lines, which Alto now flies in with Skull 4).
 * The scene where the flight school students (or stunt pilots, as their role in the concerts appears to be) raise their hands to the sky in imitation of a fighter jet flying, is a clear reference to a similar scene in Macross Plus where Isamu Alva Dyson is practicing, in his head, the test maneuvers he is going to use in his first flight of the YF-19.
 * Sheryl's introduction phrase "Listen to my song!!" or "Watashi no uta wo kike!!" in Japanese (私の唄を聴け!!) during her concerts, is very similar to Basara Nekki's (Macross 7 protagonist) catch phrase "Ore no uta wo kike!!" (俺の唄を聴け!!) before he sings. The difference between the phrases is the first-person Japanese pronoun (the formal "watashi" versus the masculine "ore").
 * The N.U.N.S. VF-171 is based on the U.N. Spacy's VF-17 Nightmare from Macross 7.
 * While controlling his VF-25 in slave mode, Alto uses the same flying hand motion as Isamu Alva Dyson from Macross Plus.
 * Alto's VF-25 (in battroid mode) saluting Ranka and Sheryl in the final episode is a nod to a similar scene in The Super Dimension Fortress Macross: Do You Remember Love? where Hikaru saluted his commanding officer/sweetheart Misa Hayase.
 * In episode 4 "Miss Macross", Alto in the beginning of his flight training, was forced to wear a number of "Dead" signs for being killed 25 times in row. This nod to the 25th anniversary of Macross Frontier.
 * The relationship of Captain Ozma Lee and 1st Lt. Catherine "Cathy" Glass is strikingly similar to the ill-fated relationship of Roy Focker and Claudia LaSalle from the original Macross. Unlike Roy and Claudia, however, Ozma and Cathy survive to be together at the end of the series.
 * Elements missing from the Roy Focker equivalent Ozma Lee can be seen echoed in the character Michel Blanc. Both Roy and Michel are acrobatic flyers, both are ladies men, both act as a "big brother" to the main character, and both die, leaving their mantle to the main hero for the series end. Roy leaves Hikaru his Skull-1 Valkyrie while Alto wins the main battle using Michel's Sniper Rifle which was given by his surviving sweetheart Clan Clang.
 * Cathy somewhat physically resembles Misa from the original Macross and occupies the same position as part of the Macross Quarter bridge crew. Her callsign as the Macross Quarter air controller, Delta-1, is the same as Misa's in Do You Remember Love?.
 * The events of "Goodbye Sister" mimics many elements of episode 18 ("Pineapple Salad") of Macross. The name of the episode is similar to the American version adaptation TV episode "Farewell, Big Brother". It is, however, amusingly averted at the end, with Ozma hospitalized rather than dead, and the other characters standing around talking about how such a death scene would have been incredibly dramatic. This time it involves pineapple cake rather than pineapple salad.
 * The VF-25 Messiah variable fighter (in fighter mode) strongly remembles the VF-1 Valkyrie variable fighter.
 * Captain Jeffrey Wilder strongly resembles SDF-1 Macross Captain/Colonel Bruno J. Global from the original Macross, including the habit of smoking with a pipe as well as wearing a similar military uniform. At least one other officer (the un-named Brigidier General of the Macross Frontier's N.U.N.S forces) is seen during the series who is also a Global clone.
 * The scenes with Ranka and Sheryl singing on the bridges of both Macross Quarter and Battle Frontier during the final battle of the series is similar to the scene of Minmay singing on the bridge of the SDF-1 Macross during the final battle of Space War I in both the original Macross TV series and The Super Dimension Fortress Macross: Do You Remember Love? animated movie.
 * When main antagonist Grace O'Connor was assimilated within the main Vajra queen's head it occurred in a similar way as it happened to Priestess Sara Nome while entering a Protoculture bio-mechanical mecha in the Macross Zero OVA series.
 * In the very beginning of episode 25, a Vajra Battleship moves in front of Battle Frontier with its main cannon about to blast the Frontier ship while Sheryl is singing on its bridge, but is rescued by the arrival of Macross Quarter blasting the Vajra ship with its Heavy Quantum Cannon. This scene is very similar of a moment from Space War I shown in the Macross: Do You Remember Love? movie where Vrlitwhai Kridanik rescued the SDF-1 Macross from a rogue Zentradi Standard Battleship that was about to fire its main cannon while Minmay was singing on its bridge.
 * The "Bird Human" Protoculture biomecha that appeared at the end of the Macross Zero OVA was very similar to the main Vajra queen from Macross Frontier. It was explained in-universe that the Protoculture came to fear, adore and deify the power of the Vajra to the extent of imitating their form while creating the "Bird Human."
 * Ozma is quite a fan of Fire Bomber music as he often plays songs in his car and at home. He even goes as far as naming battle formations after the songs such as "Planet Dance" and "Totsugeki Love Heart" which he yells out during battle.
 * SDFN-04 Global descending on to the surface of Galia 4 (specifically into water) in a flash back seen in episode 24, "Last Frontier" resembles a scene which SDF-1 Macross descented into the lake after battle with main Zentradi fleet over Earth in episode 27, "Love Drifts Away".
 * The scene in which Alto rescues Ranka from being sucked into space by grabbing her hand while flying mirrors a similar scene where Hikaru stops Minmay from falling to her death by opening his hatch and grabbing her.
 * Episode 10 "Legend of Zero" has the characters making a movie "Bird Human" which is a telling of the events depicted in Macross Zero.
 * Isamu's YF-19 made a brief cameo at the second movie.