Mythology Gag / Macross Delta

• Walkure isn't the first example a "Tactical Sound Unit" of singers supported by pilots in a Macross series. That honor goes to the Jamming Birds from Macross 7.
• This isn't the first time the "Delta" call sign has been used in Macross, previously it (specifically "Delta 1") was the call sign of the SDF-1 Macross in Do You Remember Love?
• Hayate's hair clip looks almost like the external bit of Brera's brain implant.
• Besides being a Shout-Out, Makina Nakajima's surname is the same as Raizou Nakajima's from Macross Zero; this may not be a coincidence, as both of them are mechanics. Episode 21 even reveals that Makina comes from an entire family of mechanics...
  • The movie appears to confirm she is a direct descendant.
• During the first intro sequence, Hayate and Mirage perform the same tandem rolling sequence with their fighters that Max and Millia used to do.
• Hayate gets mistaken for a molester after trying to save Freyja, just like Alto when he saved Sheryl in the forest in Macross Frontier -Itsuwari no Utahime-.
• During the first episode, right before Mikumo (and Walkure) start singing, she taps her toes on the ground, just like Minmay during the start of the latter's final concert in Macross: Do You Remember Love?.
• Hayate does Isamu's airplane hands gesture from Macross Plus.
  • Freyja also does it while watching Hayate's flying in episode 3.
• Some fans have noted that the first ending credits sequence (set to "Rune Ga Pikatto Hikatarra") showing scenes showing slice of life scenes of Freyja in casual settings, is similar to both ending sequences from Macross 7 that feature Mylene doing the same.
  • The visual style of the ending theme uses real life footage run through a filter, combined with cel animation of the characters, in a manner similar to certain sequences of Macross: Flashback 2012. Or, alternatively, in the manner of the Macross 7 Dynamite ending, which also featured similar Medium Blending.
• Freyja's "final audition" in Episode 2 calls back to a couple of scenes from Macross Frontier; Ranka breaking out into song at the Folmo Mall in Episode 5, and Sheryl singing in shelter in the middle of a Vajra attack in Episode 20.
  • Additionally, Freyja finding the will to sing while knocked down in a fetal position on the floor is similar to Myung finally singing Voices in the final battle of Macross Plus.
  • All these scenes are thematically similar to each other, as they involve a character choosing to sing in the midst of despair and, in doing so, change their fates as singers.
• Episode 3 has Hayate and Mirage flying VF-1EXs, upgraded versions of the iconic Valkyrie from the original fitted with the EX-Gear system from Macross Frontier.
• During Hayate's final exam, he beats Mirage using the same maneuver that Nora used to beat Shin in Episode 1 of Macross Zero.
• The restaurant that serves as the dormitory for the Delta Squadron's male pilots, Ragnyannyan, is clearly named after the Nyan-Nyan cafe, which was featured both in the original series and in Frontier.
• The enemy forces seem to have parallels with the Emulators and Protodevlin, in that they have naturally poor fold wave resonance, outside of a genetic trait which allows them to create abnormal biological fold waves, which are the direct cause of the Var outbreak.
  • Freyja Wion's whole role in the series seems to be as a version of the female lead of BOTH series AT ONCE.
• The VF-1EX that Mirage flies has nearly the same color scheme as the original G1 Jetfire toy that itself was simply a repaint of Takatoku's original VF-1 Valkyrie toy.
• One of the beaches near Barrete City is named "Ranka Beach".
• When discussing the music that inspired her, Freyja mentions Lynn Minmay, Fire Bomber, Sheryl Nome and Ranka Lee, basically just about every main singer and group from previous Macross TV series.
• Freyja's debut live has her continuing the Macross tradition of an idol tripping and falling on stage.
• Mirage tries to just disable a Var Syndrome infected VF-171 in a similar manner to how Max disabled Zentraedi battle pods (instead of shooting them down outright) due to Milia's request. In this case however, Mirage fails where her granddad succeeded.
  • Later on, the rest of Delta do this when faced with Var controlled NUNS troops over planet Ionideth.
• In episode 5 Mirage officially confirmed her heritage with shots of her grandparents Max and Miria. The scenes of their meeting/battle are patterned after DYRL(Max in a Strike Valkyrie and seeing the injured Miria as a giant), but their wedding dress/tux are taken from the series.
• While flying with Freyja in episode 5, Hayate increases the fan power on the air-conditioner in the cockpit of his VF-31 to help them feel the wind in their faces. Sharon Apple did a similar thing to Isamu's YF-19 in Macross Plus.
• The shot in episode 6 where Freyja is eavesdropping on Mirage and Hayate's conversation mirrors a similar shot with Ranka eavesdropping on Sheryl and Alto in Macross Frontier.
• When Alpha Squadron tries to intercept the Aerial Knights in episode 6, we see a shot of a "missile intercept" display similar to the one in the opening battle of Do You Remember Love?.
• In episode 10, one of the pilots flying alongside Bogue gets shot down in a similar manner to how Kakizaki was shot down in Do You Remember Love?.
• Episode 10 closes off with a regular credit roll instead of the ending theme, like in quite a few episodes of Macross Frontier. And the song that saved Messer from the Var Syndrome AXIA, happens to be his sendoff.
• Chuck's siblings sing Fire Bomber's song "Remember 16" in episode 11.
• In episode 13, one of the poses Mikumo and Freyja strike is quite similar to one taken by Sheryl and Ranka in Wings of Goodbye, complete with holographic wings.
• The form the Sigur Valens takes when it connects to Ragna's Protoculture ruins looks suspiciously similar to the Bird-Human. Perhaps not coincidentally, Heinz and Gramia say something about a "King Rudanjal Rom Mayan" right before the above happens; "Mayan" happens also to be the name of the island where said Bird-Human was located.
• After Ragna falls to Windermere in Episode 13, the Macross Elysion finds itself having to take care of a multitude of refugees, similar to the situation the SDF-1 was in for much of Super Dimension Fortress Macross.
• Hayate's fold quartz pendant looks suspiciously similar to Mao Nome's earrings, widely featured in Macross Frontier (Sheryl being Mao's granddaughter).
• From Episode 14 onwards, the way the Macross Elysion and the refugee ship are forced to be docked together directly references City and Battle 7's docking pattern.
• Episode 19 is full of direct references to Super Dimension Fortress Macross, Macross Plus, Macross 7, and Macross Frontier as the history of the series is recapped in-universe, all with the common similarities of music being used as a weapon.
  • It also continues what Macross 7 did, and has elements introduced in Macross: Do You Remember Love? as important aspects of canon.
  • The ultimate mythology gag for this episode is when Kaname talks about how she saw a series named The Lynn Minmay Files, implied to be Super Dimensional Fortress Macross's own in-universe depiction, the first time it's even implied that Macross itself exists in-universe.^note Word of God has always said Do You Remember Love? was made by the Macross Broadcasting Service as a propaganda film.