Macross Plus: Movie Edition

Introduction by Shinichiro Watanabe. From the minds of “vision creator” Shoji Kawamori and co-director Shinichiro Watanabe (Cowboy Bebop, Samurai Champloo) and featuring music from acclaimed composer Yoko Kanno (Cowboy Bebop, Escaflowne), Macross Plus is an all-star production that remains one of the finest examples of anime as an artform almost 30 years after its creation. Former childhood friends Isamu Dyson and Guld Bowman find themselves rival test pilots in a grueling competition to decide the next generation of transformable fighter planes. Old wounds open as their mutual love interest, Myung Fang Lone, reappears as the manager of Sharon Apple, the AI pop star and the galaxy’s biggest singing sensation. When Sharon’s artificial intelligence gains consciousness, a prescient AI menace only more terrifying today, Isamu, Myung and Guld must confront their past traumas and join together to save the whole of humanity. 

A groundbreaking tour de force, Macross Plus is a feature film sequel to 1982’s Super Dimension Fortress Macross, one of the most seminal anime of all time. Set a generation after the original, Macross Plus perfects its pillars of action, romance and music and blends white-knuckle aerial dogfights with aching emotional revelations and a show-stopping soundtrack by the legendary Yoko Kanno.

Dir. Shoji Kawamori & Shinichiro Watanabe, 1995, 115 min., DCP, color, in Japanese with English subtitles. With Takumi Yamazaki, Unshou Ishizuka, Rica Fukami.

Introduction By:

Shinichiro Watanabe – Creator, Lazarus & Cowboy Bebop
Shinichiro Watanabe is an anime director, screenwriter and music producer. He made his directorial debut as co-director of Macross Plus and has since directed numerous series titles such as Cowboy Bebop, Samurai Champloo, Kids on the Slope, Space Dandy, Terror in Resonance and Carole & Tuesday  as well as shorts for The Animatrix – Kid’s Story, A Detective Story and Blade Runner – Black Out 2022. His latest series is Adult Swim’s Lazarus.

Part of Foreign Exchange: Anime Inspirations & Visionaries with LeSean Thomas Foreign Exchange explores the cross-cultural dialogue between Japan and the U.S. through the popular arts. Join us for a weekend of talks and screenings with trailblazing anime visionaries Shinichiro Watanabe, Justin Leach and LeSean Thomas.

Foreign Exchange All-Access Ticket
Join us all weekend with an All-Access Ticket. This ticket includes admission to all public talks and screenings. Limited availability.

Co-organized with the Japan Foundation, New York and the Imagination Project Inc. Foreign Exchange promotional support is provided by a grant from the New York City Tourism Foundation.

Japan Society’s Japanese Literature Series is generously supported by a grant from the Toshiba International Foundation, and All Nippon Airways Co., Ltd., the official airline partner of the series.

Film programs are generously supported by Anime NYC, ORIX Corporation USA, and Yen Press. Endowment support is provided by the Lila Wallace-Reader’s Digest Endowment Fund and The John and Miyoko Davey Endowment Fund. Additional season support is provided by Jono Abrams and Elizabeth Linn, Ayumi Arafune, Darin Arita and Kanako Arita, Mike Audet, Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey Catanzaro, The Globus Family, George P. Hirose, Akiko Koide and Shohei Koide, David Toberisky, Joseph Rajaratnam and Dharshini Iolanthe Sivakumaran, Japan Society Film Council, and other Film supporters.

Transportation assistance is provided by Japan Airlines, the official Japanese airline sponsor of Japan Society Film Program. Housing assistance is provided by the Prince Kitano New York, the official hotel sponsor of Japan Society Film Program.

Support for cultural programs is provided by the Sandy Heck Lecture Fund; Jean Fan Colson and Daniel Colson; and Faith L. Taylor.

Japan Society arts and culture programs are supported by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature, and in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.

Japan Society’s 120th anniversary initiatives and related programs are generously supported by Champion Sponsor, MUFG Bank, Ltd.; Advocate Sponsor, Mizuho Americas; and Friend Sponsor, Mitsubishi Corporation (Americas).