Macross 7 Ep. 8: Virgin Bomber

Basara examines the missiles stored in his Excalibur‘s legs and prepares to remove them. Ray asks him if he was able to save Rex’s gang or Gamlin with just his singing. He tells Basara to leave them there because they might come in handy in the future. He compares it to taking an umbrella to a picnic, but Basara answers that he likes the rain and doesn’t use umbrellas. Elsewhere, Mylene goes to a fancy restaurant with Gamlin. He brings up their prior conversation on the Riviera and says that the guy who keeps interfering in battles is a rock singer. He asks Mylene if she knows him, but she lies and tells Gamlin she doesn’t. Gamlin mentions that he saw Basara near Mylene on the Riviera, but she lies again and says she didn’t notice. On the Acshio, Ray tells Basara that Mylene got some recording work, but Basara doesn’t approve because he feels he can only really get into it on a live performance. Ray urges Basara to give it a try and think of it as a challenge. At the restaurant, Gamlin gives Mylene a kimono before she leaves. After she drives off, he wonders why she lied about knowing Basara and if she’s trying to hide something. Suddenly, Kinryu walks by and tells Gamlin that he seems to be doing well. He says that Gamlin could become closer to Milia and be on the fast track to promotion as an elite officer, but Gamlin says he isn’t thinking about that. He offers to introduce Kinryu to Mylene, but Kinryu says he’s too old for her and walks off to join Sally and Miho. At the recording studio, Fire Bomber performs “Planet Dance” until manager Honey Suzuki interrupts. He says he wants something less passionate and more fashionable. He wants a melody anyone can understand, but Basara says that’s not what they do and leaves. Honey asks what’s going on, and Ray fumbles to explain that Basara has a lot on his mind. Mylene finds Basara sitting by a tree and yells at him for walking out of the studio. She tells him to take things seriously because it’s their big chance to get recorded. She says that no one will hear Fire Bomber’s songs if they don’t get recorded. Basara thinks about the word “bomber” and realizes he needs a sound that’s more explosive than missiles. Mylene asks what’s going on, and Basara walks off and says it’s none of her business. Veffidas and Ray show up, and Veffidas tells Mylene there’s no point in trying to argue with Basara.

At night, Basara sits out in the park and thinks about Honey’s statement that people like Fire Bomber’s audacious performance style. Mylene shows up wearing Gamlin’s kimono and asks Basara if he can give it another try with Honey, but he says it won’t work because their tastes are different. When he sees her sulking, he changes his mind and decides to give it one more try. On the Varauta flagship, Gigile points out to Geperuniti that every 500,000 years they attack their prey and take all their Spiritia, so he wants to know why they’re toying with their latest prey rather than attacking all-out. Geperuniti explains that he’s been dreaming of obtaining Spiritia without hunting, and their ability to do so will depend on the results of his investigations. Gigile thinks to himself that he doesn’t understand any of that and simply enjoys hunting prey. Fire Bomber records “Planet Dance” again, but Honey interrupts and says it’s no good. Suddenly, a battle alert is sounded and Basara runs away. Honey says he’s had enough, but Ray promises they’ll get it to work. The Thunderbolt squads launch, and as Diamond Force’s Nightmares prepare for takeoff, Kinryu tells Gamlin and Physica that there’s more enemy ships than usual. After launching, Gamlin recognizes Gigile’s Elgersoln and announces that he’s found the leader’s unit. Gamlin then attacks Gigile, despite Kinryu’s orders not to rush in. Basara arrives and fires speaker pods into the Elgersolns before starting “Planet Dance.” Gamlin breaks formation to attack the Varauta, and Kinryu orders Physica to back Gamlin up. Gamlin calls Basara and tells him to sing as much as he wants, because he’ll show him how a song is meaningless on the battlefield. As Basara sings in space, the rest of Fire Bomber sings in the studio and Honey records the song against his better judgment. Gigile wildly chases after Gamlin, and Basara dodges the Elgersoln attacks. Gamlin swoops in and attacks Gigile from behind, damaging his Elgersoln and forcing him to order a retreat. The sound engineer says that the recording has good presence, but Honey says it’s no good and won’t sell. Akiko then walks in and offers to buy it because she thinks it’ll be a hit. Gamlin calls Basara to gloat that it was U.N. Spacy that chased the enemy away, not music. Basara cuts off the transmission and vows that he’ll make Gamlin understand his music some day.