Hikaru Ichijyo

This article is about the character from The Super Dimension Fortress Macross. For the derived character in Robotech, see Rick Hunter.
Hikaru Ichijyo[1]
Macross character

Hikaru Ichijyo holding a miniature model of the VF-X-4 prototype he would fly later.
First appearance Episode 1 – "Boobytrap"[2]
Voiced by Arihiro Hase[3][4] / Vic Mignogna[2][5][6]
Profile
Relatives Misa Hayase (Wife)
Miku Ichijyo (Daughter)
Takashi Hayase (Father in law)[4]
Sakiko Hayase (Mother in law)

Hikaru Ichijyo (一条 輝 Ichijō Hikaru) is one of the main fictional characters of the Macross Japanese anime series.[1] His voice actor was Arihiro Hase in the original Japanese version and Vic Mignogna in the English dub by ADV Films in January 2006.[2][3][5][6] After the death of Arihiro Hase in 1996, he was played by Kenji Nojima in the PlayStation 2 Macross video game from 2003.[7]

The original animation and the distributors Bandai Visual and Victor Entertainment romanizes his name as Hikaru Ichijyo, while AnimEigo and ADV Films also use Hikaru Ichijo and Hikaro Ichijo.[2][8]

Background

Hikaru Ichijyo as he appears in The Super Dimension Fortress Macross: Flash Back 2012.

According to the fictional continuity of Macross, Hikaru Ichijyo is Japanese. Hikaru grew up with his father as a talented aerobatic flier, having won seven amateur flying contests by the age of 16 in 2009.[8] When his "senpai" Roy Focker invited him to the launch ceremony of the SDF-1 Macross he found himself pulled into a galactic war against an alien race called the Zentradi. He later joins the UN Spacy after a talk with Focker and Lynn Minmay. Shortly after joining, he gains a reputation as a skilled pilot and leader, and he is promoted to second lieutenant and later first lieutenant. He pilots the VF-1S Valkyrie "Skull One" after the death of Focker, and is eventually promoted to captain at the end of the series.[4][8]

His personal feelings tend toward two women: his friend-turned-idol Japanese-Chinese girl Lynn Minmay, and Misa Hayase. While initially growing feelings for Minmay, he also begins to grow a fondness for Misa throughout the series. His inability to decide on his feelings or be forward with them eventually ends with him and Minmay growing apart and him and Misa having a complex relationship.

Captain Ichijyo became test pilot for one of the first prototypes of the VF-4 Lightning III variable fighter set to replace the VF-1 Valkyrie.[9]

After the war Hikaru eventually wed Misa Hayase and together with Lynn Minmay boarded the SDF-2 Megaroad-01 in 2012 to leave on a stellar exploration and colonization mission. Hikaru and Misa had a daughter in 2013 which they named Miku Ichijyo. Hikaru Ichijyo was also in command of the new VF-4 Lightning III Skull Squadron assigned as defense of the Megaroad-01 fleet,[10] which disappeared 4 years later in 2016 near the center of the galaxy with him, Misa, Miku and Minmay on board.[11]

Adaptation

When the Super Dimension Fortress Macross series was adapted into the first third of the 1985 American animated series Robotech, Ichijyo was renamed "Rick Hunter" and went through numerous changes to fit into the Robotech canon. While the original Japanese series featured a Japanese Ichijyo, Hunter was instead an American who grew up in California.[12][13] Roy Fokker, a childhood friend of Ichijyo in the original series, has since been retconned into Hunter's literal brother – adopted by Hunter's father after the death of Fokker's real father.[14]

Hunter and Ichijyo both have separate canon about their lives after the end of their initial series. By possible coincidence, these are slightly similar. In the spin-off film Flash Back 2012, Ichijo is seen departing with his wife on an interstellar expedition on the SDF-2 Megaroad-01.[15] Hunter and his wife, Lisa Hayes, make a similar trip in Robotech II: The Sentinels, wherein they depart the Earth in search for the home world of the Robotech Masters on board the SDF-3.[16] While Robotech II was released one year after Flash Back 2012, The Sentinels had been in production for years before the music video collection.[17] While the official Macross canon has the crew of the Megaroad disappearing four years into their mission,[11] animated and printed Robotech material has shown Hunter's expedition failing in a different light – being stranded at Tirol and failing to protect Earth from the Masters or the Invid. After the Invid invade, Hunter leads the fleet against the reclaiming of Earth.[18][19]

Appearances in later media

Hikaru Ichijyo's legacy within the ongoing future history of the Macross series has been a palpable presence. Both the Macross 7 and the Macross Frontier anime TV series contains numerous references to Ichijyo's career on the SDF-1.

In Macross 7, the Macross 7 fleet enact a play entitled "Do You Remember love?", which retells the events of Macross: Do You Remember Love? (which is revealed to be a film within the Macross universe retelling the events of the First Space War). Basara Nekki, the main character of Macross 7 TV series, plays the role of Hikaru Ichijyo in the film.

In Macross Frontier, the Mihoshi Academy on board the Macross Frontier has a VF-1S fighter atop the roof. It is revealed at one point to be Ichijyo's first mount as leader of the Vermilion Squad of Skull Squadron. In Macross Frontier, Alto Saotome, as most junior pilot of Skull Squadron (a position shared with Ichijyo), has his VF-25 Messiah fighter decorated in the same colors as Hikaru's VF-1A (and later S) from Macross: Do You Remember Love.

References

  1. 1 2 Character of Macross: Hikaru Ichijyo. Pages 102–105. Macross Perfect Memory. Reference Book. 260 A4 pages. Minori Library, Japan. Y2800. 1983, October 10.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Character Notes". The Super Dimension Fortress Macross Liner Notes. AnimEigo. December 21, 2001. Retrieved 2009-04-22.
  3. 1 2 The Super Dimension Fortress Macross: Cast. Page 254. Macross Perfect Memory. Reference Book. 260 A4 pages. Minori Library, Japan. Y2800. 1983, October 10.
  4. 1 2 3
  5. 1 2 ADV Films Official Macross English Dub Page.English/Japanese Cast Information. 04-09-09
  6. 1 2 "Voice Actors". The Super Dimension Fortress Macross Liner Notes. AnimEigo. December 21, 2001. Retrieved 2009-04-22.
  7. ↑ Sony PlayStation 2 Compatible DVD-ROM Video Game. The Super Dimension Fortress Macross. SLPM-65405. Sega-AM2/Bandai. Japan. Y6800. 2003, October 23.
  8. 1 2 3 ADV Films Official Macross English Dub Page.Artwork Section: Hikaro. 04-09-09
  9. ↑ Macross Outside Story: VF-X-4. Page 68. Macross Perfect Memory. Reference Book. 260 A4 pages. Minori Library, Japan. Y2800. 1983, October 10.
  10. ↑ Macross Chronicle Issue 14. Mechanic Sheet: FB: U.N. Spacy 01A: SDF-2 Megaroad. Fighter Complement. We've Inc. 2009.01.22
  11. 1 2 Official Date of the Megaroad-01's Disappearance
  12. ↑ Baron, Mike; Macek, Carl; Vokes, Neil D.; Schutz, Diana (1986). Robotech, the Graphic Novel. Norristown, PA: Comico the Comic Co. ISBN 0-938965-00-X.
  13. ↑ Yune, Tommy; Faerber, Jay (2004). Robotech: From the Stars. La Jolla, CA: WildStorm Productions. ISBN 1-4012-0144-X.
  14. ↑ Yune, Tommy; Spangler, Bill (February 24, 2014). Robotech/Voltron issue 2. Dynamite Entertainment. UPC 72513021104000211.
  15. ↑ The Super Dimension Fortress Macross: Flash Back 2012. Dir. Shoji Kawamori. Studio Nue, Artland, Tatsunoko Production, June 21, 1987. Videocassette.
  16. ↑ Robotech II: The Sentinels. Dir. Carl Macek. Prod. Ahmed Agrama and Hiroshi Ōnogi. By Ardwight Chamberlain. Harmony Gold USA, Tatsunoko Productions, Streamline Pictures, ADV Films, 1988. Videocassette.
  17. ↑ Macek, Carl (1988). Robotech Art 3: the Sentinels. Norfolk, VA: Donning Co. ISBN 0-89865-575-7.
  18. ↑ Macek, Carl. Robotech: The New Generation. Dir. Robert V. Barron and Ippei Kuri. N.d. Television.
  19. ↑ Yune, Tommy; Jason, Waltrip; John, Waltrip; Omar, Dogan (2010). Robotech: Prelude to the Shadow Chronicles. La Jolla, CA: WildStorm Productions. ISBN 978-1-4012-2816-3.

External links

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