Watch Macross in release order: start with Super Dimension Fortress Macross (1982, 36 episodes), or its 1984 film Do You Remember Love?, then continue with Plus, 7, Zero, Frontier and Delta. Each later series tells its own story in the same universe, so newcomers can also jump straight to Frontier, Plus or Delta.
Image: Fan art (AI-generated)
Macross is one of the oldest and most important mecha franchises, and one of the most confusing to enter. There are TV series, OVAs, recap-style films, alternate versions and one sequel that the creators treat as a parallel world. This guide sorts them by release order and by story order, explains which films retell which series, and covers the Robotech question. It also ends with a short "where to start" section. Like the Gundam watch order, the real answer depends on what you want from the franchise.
Release order vs story order
Macross is not one continuous plot. The main entries are separate stories set in different decades of the same fictional timeline, and each one introduces new characters. The only big spoiler risk is Macross Zero (a prequel) and Macross Frontier or Delta (which reference older events). That is why fans mostly recommend release order, with story order as an option.
Release order (recommended)
This is the order the works came out in Japan. It is the order the creators' ideas, music and animation techniques developed in, and it keeps prequels from spoiling the original.
Story order (in-universe chronology)
Setting years below come from the franchise timeline as summarized on Wikipedia. Macross Zero is first (2008), then the original series (2009 to 2012), Plus (2040), Macross 7 (2045 to 2046), Frontier (2059) and Delta (2067). The 1984 film is an alternate telling of the first war and Macross II sits outside the main line (see below). I would not start with story order: Zero is a better watch once you know the original war it leads into.
The full watch order
One line per entry, in release order. Runtimes and episode counts are from Wikipedia unless noted. Items marked "not in our catalogue" have no page on MyAnimeTime yet.
- Super Dimension Fortress Macross (TV, 1982 to 1983, 36 episodes). The original. In 1999 a giant alien ship crashes on Earth, humanity rebuilds it as the SDF-1 Macross, and a war with an alien fleet begins in 2009. Idol singing becomes part of the war, which is the franchise's signature.
- Macross: Do You Remember Love? (film, 1984). An alternate telling of the original story (it covers roughly episodes 2 to 27) with new animation. It is a re-imagining, not a straight recap.
- Macross Flash Back 2012 (OVA, 1987, 1 episode). An epilogue to the 1984 film. A curiosity for completionists, not a starting point.
- Macross II: Lovers Again (OVA, 1992, 6 episodes). Not in our catalogue. Set in 2092 with a new cast and made without Studio Nue. Studio Nue declared it a parallel-world story and later works are not based on it. Optional.
- Macross Plus (OVA, 1994 to 1995, 4 episodes of about 37 to 40 minutes). A rival-test-pilots story set in 2040, directed by Shoji Kawamori and Shinichiro Watanabe with music by Yoko Kanno. Rated R in our catalogue and widely seen as a standout side entry.
- Macross Plus Movie Edition (film, 1995, 115 minutes). A re-edit of the OVA with added and alternate scenes. Watch either the OVA or this, not both back to back. (A separate English-cast "International Version" of the OVA also exists; not in our catalogue.)
- Macross 7 (TV, 1994 to 1995, 49 episodes). Set in 2045 and 2046: a rock-music-driven fleet story. The longest series in the franchise.
- Macross 7 Movie: The Galaxy Is Calling Me! (film, 1995). A film tied to the TV series.
- Macross 7 Encore (OVA, 1995, 3 episodes). Sequel episodes to the series.
- Macross Dynamite 7 (OVA, 1997 to 1998, 4 episodes). Not in our catalogue. A further Macross 7 sequel set in 2047.
- Macross Zero (OVA, 2002 to 2004, 5 episodes). A prequel set in 2008, just before the original series. Best after the original.
- Macross F: Close Encounter, Deculture Edition (special, December 2007). A preview version of Frontier's first episode that aired before the series. Skip it unless you want a look at an earlier cut.
- Macross Frontier (TV, 2008, 25 episodes). Set in 2059 aboard a colonial fleet heading to the galactic center. A common modern starting point.
- Macross Frontier: The False Songstress (film, 2009, 120 minutes). Retells episodes 1 to 13 with significant changes.
- Macross Frontier: The Wings of Farewell (film, 2011, 115 minutes). A sequel to the first film that takes a different path from the TV series, with an alternate conclusion.
- Macross Fb7 Listen to My Song! (film, 2012). Not in our catalogue. A crossover-style film of Macross 7 with Frontier characters.
- Macross Delta (TV, 2016, 26 episodes). Set in 2067, eight years after Frontier, in a planetary setting where the idol group Walküre sings to calm a mysterious affliction.
- Macross Delta: Passionate Walküre (film, 2018, 120 minutes). Not in our catalogue. A compilation of the TV series with some plot changes.
- Macross Delta: Zettai Live!!!!!! (film, 2021, about 124 minutes). The sequel to Passionate Walküre.
- Macross Frontier: Labyrinth of Time (short film, 2021, about 14 minutes). A theatrical short released alongside the Delta film. Runtime listings vary between 12 and 14 minutes. A bonus once you finish Frontier.
Which films retell which series
| Film | What it is | Needs the series first? |
|---|---|---|
| Do You Remember Love? (1984) | Alternate telling of the 1982 series | No, it works as a substitute (and is a fine second watch) |
| Macross Plus Movie Edition (1995) | Re-edit of the 4-episode OVA | No, it replaces the OVA |
| The False Songstress (2009) | Retells Frontier episodes 1 to 13 with changes | No, it can stand in for the first half |
| The Wings of Farewell (2011) | Sequel in an alternate continuity with a new ending | Watch after The False Songstress |
| Passionate Walküre (2018, not in our catalogue) | Compilation of Delta with changes | No, it can replace the TV series |
| Zettai Live!!!!!! (2021) | New story that follows Passionate Walküre | Yes, the TV series or Passionate Walküre first |
The practical rule: if a film is called a "retelling", "compilation" or "movie edition", you can use it instead of the TV version. If it is called a sequel, you need what came before. The two Frontier films deserve a spoiler flag: the second one deliberately departs from the TV ending, so if you want the TV story intact, finish the series before the films.
Robotech and Macross
Robotech is a separate American product, not a Macross watch order entry. Harmony Gold licensed three unrelated Japanese series, Super Dimension Fortress Macross, Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross and Genesis Climber Mospeada, and combined them into one 85-episode show for syndication, first released in the US in the mid 1980s. The first part, "The Macross Saga", is the adaptation of the 1982 Macross series, with edits, story changes and rewritten dialogue.
That means watching Robotech is not the same as watching Macross, and it does not count toward any later Macross entry. The two companies also had long licensing disputes over Macross imagery. In 2021, Big West, Studio Nue and Harmony Gold announced an agreement ending years of disagreement over worldwide rights, which allowed most Macross sequels and films to be distributed outside Japan. If you came from Robotech and want the original, start at the top of this list. One of Robotech's three sources, Mospeada, is in our catalogue as Kikou Souseiki Mospeada.
Where to start
These are editorial recommendations, not rules.
- You want the origin and the classic: watch the 1982 series, or the 1984 film if you want two hours instead of 36 episodes.
- You want something modern: Macross Frontier. It tells its own story, so you can start there.
- You want a short, mature, high-end story: Macross Plus, four episodes.
- You want the newest TV series: Macross Delta. It is easier with Frontier first because it is set eight years later and leans on similar ideas.
If you like large-scale mecha franchises with long histories, see our mecha hub and the Gundam guide. Macross debuted in 1982; the original Mobile Suit Gundam started on April 7, 1979, so Gundam came first.
Questions people ask
What order should I watch Macross in?
Release order: the 1982 series, Do You Remember Love?, Plus, Macross 7, Zero, Frontier, then Delta, with the films after their series. Story order is possible but spoils the original.
Do I need to watch the original Macross first?
No, but it helps. The later series are separate stories with new casts. Zero is the one that is better after the original, and Delta works better after Frontier.
Is Macross II canon?
No, in the sense that matters: Studio Nue treats it as a parallel-world story, and no later Macross work is based on it. It is not in our catalogue.
Is Macross the same as Robotech?
No. Robotech combines three Japanese series, one of which is the original Macross, and changes the story and dialogue. See the Robotech section above.
How many Macross Delta movies are there?
Two: Passionate Walküre (2018), which compiles the TV series with changes, and Zettai Live!!!!!! (2021), a sequel.
Was Macross before Gundam?
No. Mobile Suit Gundam began in April 1979 and Macross in October 1982.
Is there a new Macross series?
A new Sunrise-animated project was announced in 2023, and auditions for its songstress opened in March 2025. As of this check there is no confirmed release date, so treat details as unconfirmed.
Sources
- Wikipedia, "Macross" (anime entries, release dates, relationships, new project notes). en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macross. Accessed 4 November 2026.
- Wikipedia, "Super Dimension Fortress Macross" (36 episodes, October 1982 to June 1983, Robotech adaptation). en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Dimension_Fortress_Macross.
- Wikipedia, "Macross Plus" (4 OVA episodes, Movie Edition 115 minutes). en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macross_Plus.
- Wikipedia, "Macross II: Lovers Again" (1992, parallel-world status). en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macross_II:_Lovers_Again.
- Wikipedia, "Macross Frontier" (25 episodes, 2008, the two films, the 2021 short). en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macross_Frontier.
- Wikipedia, "Macross Delta" (26 episodes, 2016, the two films). en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macross_Delta.
- Wikipedia, "Robotech" (three source series, Harmony Gold, 2021 agreement). en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robotech.
- Anime News Network, "Big West, Studio Nue, Harmony Gold Agree to Global Distribution of Macross, Robotech", 8 April 2021. animenewsnetwork.com.
- Anime News Network, "New Macross Animation Project to Be Produced by Sunrise", 4 June 2023. animenewsnetwork.com.
- Wikipedia, "Mobile Suit Gundam" (broadcast start 7 April 1979). en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_Suit_Gundam.
Last checked: 4 November 2026
