Minmay and Basara comparison
I noticed a lack of understanding that in-universe people of Macross 7 or even people in real life have about Minmay and what she did, and how she did it.
I’ve seen people in forums call Basara a “Minmay wannabe” and it really puzzled me, as comparing them is like comparing apples and oranges.
Yes, they both use music, but in different ways and against VERY different enemies.
It’s always other people bringing up Minmay. Basara has never shown much interest in her, and knowing his backstory we can see that his desire to reach people with his music has manifested very early on, before there was any outside threat from space in his life.
The story of Minmay was most likely NOT the driving force behind Basara’s beliefs.
I’ve seen people in forums call Basara a “Minmay wannabe” and it really puzzled me, as comparing them is like comparing apples and oranges.
Yes, they both use music, but in different ways and against VERY different enemies.
It’s always other people bringing up Minmay. Basara has never shown much interest in her, and knowing his backstory we can see that his desire to reach people with his music has manifested very early on, before there was any outside threat from space in his life.
The story of Minmay was most likely NOT the driving force behind Basara’s beliefs.
WHAT MINMAY DID:
There are two versions of her story so I’ll cover both, despite DYRL being treated as the accurate one within the Macross 7 canon (or at least that’s how I interpret Exedore and Chiba’s belief that only Minmay can stop the Meltrandi fleet)
In SDF Macross, the reason Minmay’s songs had an effect on the Zentraedi was due to them hearing music for the first time and suffering a culture shock. Music is culture, and it was much like a forbidden fruit to them. I want to point out that we haven’t seen what their reactions would be to another person’s singing, but judging by WHY they were moved by Minmay, I’d say it's very possible that other musicians could also move them. In DYRL continuity there’s much more of a meaning to one specific song she sings; the titular Do You Remember Love?. However it's not a song that she wrote. It’s a song originating all the way back from the protoculture times, and it echoed through the lost memories of the Zentraedi race, awakening the wish for culture within them. In both cases, while credit where credit is due, Minmay was the one to do the thing that helped end the war, I think that another person could’ve done it if they were in her place. In Minmay’s case it was never about who was singing - particularly in the DYRL continuity the only thing that mattered was WHAT they were singing. It was not her voice, her energy or even her song that moved the Zentraedi in DYRL, but the fact that the song she sang had it's own magical properties, like chanting a spell. |
WHAT BASARA DID:First things first, Basara is the Anima Spiritia, which instantly gave him a unique role that couldn’t be replaced by anyone else… supposedly.
Personally I don't interpret Anima Spiritia as being the reason why Basara's songs hold their power. There is little actual proof of that, and the information we get about the Anima Spiritia conflicts with what we see Basara do. (More on this can be read here) Basara’s attempt to reach his enemies through song has been distinctly different than Minmay’s from the very start. While Minmay’s songs appeared to be more of a rhythmic experience, having a nice melody and less interesting lyrics (While ‘My Boyfriend is a Pilot’ is an incredibly catchy song, I really don't see it being very moving to the Zentraedi), Basara’s songs are to be LISTENED, hence his infamous catchphrase. Taking a look at his lyrics, which we know he writes himself as it's been both mentioned and shown, they more or less carry similar messages; Love, passion, energy, joy, relationships - not always depicted romantically. His songs were written to empower people and bring them together, that’s why he wants the Protodeviln, and everyone else, to LISTEN to them. What the Protodeviln took from people was essentially their life energy - their passion. They had no passion of their own, which is why they had to take it from others to boost themselves. Once Basara’s music touched them, they gained the ability to create their own passion through his songs, and had no more reason to hunt for humans. It was never about Minmay. He would’ve done this regardless if she ever existed or not. |
Conclusion:
This is not meant to throw any shade at Minmay. I love Minmay and she definitely gets the credit for helping to stop the war, and she showed great strength of spirit to continue singing while a truly devastating battle was raging right before her eyes. Yes, Basara does that on a near daily basis from the looks of it, but Basara has clearly prepared for it, while Minmay was literally just a civilian pop idol, and her being exposed to such a battle was most likely absolutely terrifying. While Basara chose to do his incredibly dangerous stunts, no one told Minmay that she'll have to spend her Tuesday evening singing live in front of a raging war before her eyes, and her loved ones are in mortal danger.
She sang songs that, in either continuity, awakened the Zentraedi’s wish for culture, and therefore brought peace between the two races that remained allied from then on. That all happened because she decided to play her part in the war and didn't cower.
However as an individual, as a human, Basara has done so much more.
Not only has he not faltered for a second, always charging into battle and trying again and again despite continuous failures, because he truly believed he can move that mountain, but it’s also his lyrics that really show what lies at the core of his beliefs and why he is such a powerful character.
She sang songs that, in either continuity, awakened the Zentraedi’s wish for culture, and therefore brought peace between the two races that remained allied from then on. That all happened because she decided to play her part in the war and didn't cower.
However as an individual, as a human, Basara has done so much more.
Not only has he not faltered for a second, always charging into battle and trying again and again despite continuous failures, because he truly believed he can move that mountain, but it’s also his lyrics that really show what lies at the core of his beliefs and why he is such a powerful character.
俺の歌を聞けば
If you listen to my song
簡単なことさ
Its so easy to
2つのハートをクロスさせるなんて
Cross a heart with another
If you listen to my song
簡単なことさ
Its so easy to
2つのハートをクロスさせるなんて
Cross a heart with another