Maximilian Jenius


 * This article is about the character from The Super Dimension Fortress Macross. See Max Sterling for the derived character in Robotech''.

Maximilian Jenius (マクシミリアン・ジーナス) is a fictional character in the science fiction television series Macross, voiced by Shō Hayami. In the new English adaptation by ADV Films, he is voiced by Chris Patton.

Macross
According to the fictional Macross continuity Max Jenius was born in Europe. He is a young fighter pilot, having joined Hikaru Ichijyo's Vermillion Team, along with Hayao Kakizaki, at the age of only 16. Jenius shows in his first sortie that he is a preternaturally talented ace pilot who is near invincible in combat, despite his need to wear corrective lenses on duty. He is quickly recognized as the top pilot of the force, as marked by being granted to distinctively repaint his mecha into his preferred blue color.

Jenius' skill at piloting mecha becomes even more celebrated with feats that no other pilot would have thought of, much less achieved. One outstanding incident involves his infiltrating a Zentradi battleship in his valkyrie and disguising it with a Zentradi uniform, allowing him to escape detection.

Jenius is not above an occasional egotistical musing when he is off duty, but he also respects his comrades and they return the favor. He is also an incurable romantic in his youth which shows when he meets his future wife. That occurred when the top Zentradi ace pilot, Milia Fallyna, hears about a formidable pilot aboard the humans' SDF-1 Macross space fortress and seeks to challenge him personally in battle. Max manages to defeat Milia not once, but thrice. The first in their respective mechas, the second in simulated combat (a video game) and finally in a knife fight to the death. It is this final fight where the two rivals fall in love. Immediately after the knife-fight in the park Max proposes to Milia who accepts. Afterward, Milia is allowed to join the mainline fighting forces of the SDF-1 Macross and becomes Max's wingmate on duty, piloting a distinctive red Valkyrie alongside Max's blue one.

After the Zentradi Fleet that nearly destroys the Earth is vanquished, Max and Milia settle down in the new city built around the SDF-1 Macross and begin a new life together. In March 2011, they give birth to a daughter (the first of seven) named Komilia Maria Fallyna Jenius. The name Komilia (which means "Little Milia") is chosen because with her green hair and green eyes, she looks so much like her mother (although it has also been suggested that the "ko" simply refers to the Japanese kanji character "child" that is often used on the end of Japanese female personal names - a suggestion which is supported by the title of episode 30: Viva Maria, as opposed to Viva Komilia). Komilia proves how related the Humans and Zentradi are. The "first stellar interracial child" is very unabashed baby, and proves resilient to Milia's sometimes rough and inexperienced handling. Max, despite his relatively young age, proves to be a happy and successful father, although he clearly has a strong dislike of Komilia's playfulness with his hair. Misa Hayase and Claudia LaSalle find Komilia adorable and are amazed that she isn't shy at all, and envy Max and Milia for having such a beautiful child.

Max and his family play a crucial role in the U.N.' capture of a factory satellite in November 2011. After blasting their way into the enemy command ship, Max and Milia proudly display their child, cradled in Milia's arms and wearing a tiny pink and white spacesuit, to the hostile Zentradi. Max smiles as Milia explains that Komilia "was created by the two of us." The hostile Zentradi, who have had no exposure to human culture and have never seen a baby before, become terrified of Komilia and flee in fear, causing chaos aboard the command ship and disorder throughout the enemy fleet. This allows the earth forces and the allied Zentradi to seize the factory.

In the original Macross series, Max and Milia have seven natural daughters and adopt a Zentradi girl over a period of twenty years from 2011 to 2031. The oldest is Komilia Maria Fallyna Jenius, who is the only one seen in the original series. The youngest is Mylene Flare Jenius, who becomes a major character in Macross 7. Emilia Jenius is seen briefly in Macross 7 the Movie: The Galaxy's Calling Me!.

Macross 7
Prior to the events of Macross 7, Max is appointed commander of the 7th Macross Fleet and captain of the flagship Battle 7, with a de-micronized Exsedol Folmo as his advisor. Although separated from Milia, he is in almost-daily contact with her, due to her position as mayor of the civilian ship City 7, and possibly continues to harbor feelings for her. Despite being in his fifties, Max appears to have aged very little from his original appearance. Character designer Haruhiko Mikimoto half-jokingly said that is the case "Because he's a genius. Growing old is a state of mind for average men...".

Max and Milia, in addition to being legally separated from each other, are also separated from most of their children - all but their youngest daughter, Mylene Flare Jenius, have moved away from the Macross 7 fleet. Max often checks up on Mylene, whom he feels very protective of. As the series progresses, Max becomes responsible for the establishment of "Sound Force", a trio of Valkyries piloted by the members of Fire Bomber which includes Mylene. Initially, he forbids Mylene from joining Sound Force, for fear of putting her life in danger, but is persuaded to allow her to join after witnessing her skill as a pilot and musician. Max often clashes with Milia about Mylene, but the two are able to remain civil (usually) around each other for the sake of their daughter, who unsuccessfully tries to bring them together again.

Late in the series, Max and Milia are able to overcome their troubled past and resume flying together in their distinctive blue and red VF-22 Sturmvogels in order to save the fleet from threat posed by the Protodeviln. In the final battle, Max, Milia and Mylene fight side-by-side against Lord Geperunitch.

The Jenius Family
Between 2011 and 2031, Max and Milia have eight daughters (seven biological, one adopted). The names of the 8 children, and their birth dates, are:
 * Komilia Maria Fallyna Jenius - 2011 (first born human/zentran child)
 * Miracle Jenius - 2017
 * Muse Jenius - 2022
 * Therese Jenius - 2022
 * Emilia Jenius - 2024
 * Miranda Jenius - 2026
 * Mylene Flare Jenius - 2031 (youngest daughter)
 * Moaramia Fallyna Jenius (adopted daughter)

Macross: Do You Remember Love
In The Super Dimension Fortress Macross: Do You Remember Love?, an animated film adaptation of the original series, Max and Milia met in a completely different way. After the Macross returns to Earth, the Meltrandi, under the command of Lap Lamiz, launched their own campaign against the Macross. The Meltrandi fleet sends in their highly trained Queadluun-Rau power armor fighters, led by their ace pilot, Milia Fallyna, to retrieve a Protoculture tablet containing an ancient song they believed could help them defeat their Zentradi enemies. In the ensuing battle with the Macross and subsequent death of Hayao Kakizaki, Max and Milia fight against each other. In the last phase of the battle, Max and Milia enter the Lap Lamiz's ship and there, Max manages to down his opponent. Upon breaching the armor, Max is enamored by Milia as she is with him, and expresses his awe at the Meltran pilot.

In the final battle between Boddole Zer and the Macross fleet, a macronized Max is seen with Milia battling together in their respective specialized blue and red Queadluun-Raus. This scene is one of the few scenes showing Max without his glasses.

Another difference in the movie is that after Roy Focker's death, Max is promoted to leader of the Skull Squadron, thus having Hikaru Ichijyo and Hayao Kakizaki briefly as his subordinates.

Legacy
Max is quite possibly referenced in Macross Frontier by another character known as Mikhail "Michael/Michel" Blanc. Michael wears glasses, is quite friendly, and has a romantic charm that surrounds him. He also pilots a blue VF-25G and is also shown to make good use of his battroid's sniper rifle.

Michael cares about his Meltrandi friend and possible love interest Clan Clang (a likely reference to Milia). However, Clan's adult body transforms into a child-like physical appearance upon micronization (due to faulty genetics) which gives them both a hard time to develop a serious relationship, unlike their symbolic counterparts.