AllMovie

The first episode of the Macross saga story line opens in 1999, as an alien spacecraft emerges from hyperspace and crash-lands on Macross Island. Although embroiled in a bloody global war, the Earth's nations put aside their differences in the face of a potential alien invasion and devote the planet's resources to analyzing the advanced technology (which they call Robotechnology) on the ship. Ten years later, on the day the restored ship (now called SDF-1) is due to launch under Captain Gloval, an alien armada appears over Earth, triggering the ship's automatic defenses. Despite Gloval's reservations -- the crew is inexperienced, and they don't fully understand SDF-1's alien technology -- Macross' forces mobilize to meet the alien fleet head-on. Amateur pilot Rick Hunter, a guest of fighter ace Roy Fokker, finds himself in a fighter plane dogfighting with alien fighters over the city, only to be shot down. In desperation, he takes the bridge commander's advice and switches to configuration "B" -- which, much to his surprise, transforms the plane into a giant robot.