Udon Entertainment has officially announced its plans to publish Hayato Aoki’s Macross Frontier manga series in English. This highly anticipated localization was confirmed during the Bigwest Macross Panel at Anime Expo. The English release is expected to begin next year, bringing the popular science fiction narrative to a wider audience.
The Macross Frontier manga, which originally ran for five volumes, was serialized in Kadokawa’s Monthly Shōnen Ace magazine from 2008 to 2010. Zack Davisson is handling the translation for Udon Entertainment’s upcoming publication. This marks a significant development for fans, as a previous attempt to release the manga online in the United States by the JManga platform in 2011 did not come to full fruition.
The Macross Frontier Narrative
Macross Frontier is a celebrated installment within the long-running Macross franchise, known for its blend of mecha action, space opera, and music. The story follows the intertwined destinies of Alto Saotome, a young pilot, Ranka Lee, an aspiring idol, and Sheryl Nome, a seasoned superstar, amidst a journey through the galaxy. Their lives become entangled with the enigmatic Vajra, an alien insectoid species, and the fate of the 25th Macross Frontier Fleet.
The manga adaptation by Hayato Aoki offers a complementary perspective to the animated television series and films, delving deeper into certain character arcs and plot points. Fans can anticipate a detailed exploration of the series’ themes of culture, identity, and humanity’s expansion into the stars.
Udon Entertainment’s History with Macross and Japanese Media
Udon Entertainment is recognized for its extensive catalog of translated art books, graphic novels, and manga, often featuring popular video game and anime franchises. Their previous works include publications based on titles such as Street Fighter, Mega Man, Neon Genesis Evangelion, and Gurren Lagann.
Notably, Udon has also been involved in publishing Macross artbooks outside of Japan. For instance, they released “Hidetaka Tenjin’s Artistry of Macross: From Flash Back 2012 to Macross Frontier,” which collects illustrations from various eras of the Macross universe, including Macross Frontier itself. They also published “Artistry of Macross Frontier Films Macross Delta Archives,” focusing on the Macross Frontier films and Macross Delta. This established relationship with the Macross franchise’s licensors, Bigwest, positions Udon Entertainment as a fitting publisher for the Macross Frontier manga.
The forthcoming English publication of the Macross Frontier manga by Udon Entertainment is a key step in making the full breadth of the Macross universe more accessible to international audiences.
