Lynn Minmay (Robotech)

Infobox animanga character
name = Linn Minmei / Lynn Minmay (stage name)
series = Robotech


caption =
first = Episode 1 - "Boobytrap"
last = Episode 36 - "To the Stars"
creator =
voiced by = Rebecca Forstadt
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nickname =
alias =
age = 16 (in episode 1)
gender = Female
species = Human
born = 1993 (Japan)
death =
nationality = Japanese/Chinese
class =
occupation = Singer/Actress
title =
relatives = Lynn Kyle "(third cousin)"
paux* name =
paux* =
divider =
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:"This article is about the character from Robotech. See "Lynn Minmay (Macross)" for the original inspiration for this character in "The Super Dimension Fortress Macross".

Lynn Minmay, also spelled Linn Minmei (Japanese: リン・ミンメイ "Rin Minmei", Chinese: 鈴明美/林明美 Pinyin: Líng Míngměi/Lín Míngměi) is a fictional anime character in the First Robotech Saga, which was adapted from the Japanese series The Super Dimensional Fortress Macross. Minmay has become an iconic character of that series. Rebecca Forstadt voices Minmei in under the alias, Reba West.

In Robotech, Minmay is the love interest of the main character Rick Hunter and becomes an idol singer and movie star onboard the spacecraft SDF-1. Her songs, which cause confusion amongst alien Zentraedi soldiers, play a critical role in the First Robotech War against Dolza's Grand fleet. [http://www.robotech.com/infopedia/characters/viewcharacter.php?id=8&seriescode=MAC Lynn Minmei] at "Robotech.com"]

First Robotech War

Born in 1993 during the Global War, Minmei is distinguished by her long black hair and green eyes.

In 2009, Minmei is staying with her Aunt Lina and Uncle Max at the restaurant on Macross Island, where the SDF-1 had crashed 10 years earlier and was about to be launched. The sudden attack by the Zentraedi results in Minmei being caught in the midst of the fight only to be rescued by a young brash pilot named Rick Hunter. Both she and Rick are swept into space along with the SDF-1, Macross City and a large portion of Macross Island when the SDF-1 initiates an emergency hyperspace fold. She and Rick find themselves lost on an unused hanger aboard the massive ship and spend several days together. Minmei, fearing that they will never be rescued, asks Rick to kiss her in a make-believe wedding. However, just as Rick is about to kiss her, they are rescued and Minmei goes back to her family in the newly rebuilt Macross City aboard the massive ship.

Minmei, who remains upbeat despite the circumstances, convinces her parents to reopen their restaurant, an act which serves to inspire other refugees into returning to a sense of normalcy while on the long voyage back to Earth. Minmei also convinces Rick to join the Robotech Defense Force, which Rick excels at and soon becomes an ace pilot. Minmei decides to enter herself in the Miss Macross Contest, where she becomes the unexpected winner. Minmei goes on to become a music star, with her songs becoming popular to all of Macross City.

However, Minmei's newfound fame and Rick's devotion to his new role as a veritech pilot cause their relationship to slowly split apart. In addition, Lisa Hayes, the first officer aboard the SDF-1, finds herself attracted to Rick, and Rick slowly finds that he has feeling for Lisa, who is almost the opposite of Minmei in many respects but shares his devotion to the military. As the First Robotech War rages on, Rick and Minmei continue to grow farther apart. Upon the SDF-1's return to Earth, the United Earth Government (UEG) denies permission for the civilians onboard to be evacuated to Earth as their knowledge of the alien threat (which has been kept secret by the military), could led to panic among the population. However, permission is granted for Rick to take Minmei to her home town in Japan to visit her mother and father. However, her third cousin, Lynn Kyle, who feels that he must protect Minmei, returns with them to the SDF-1. Rick dislikes Kyle due to his pacifism and his hatred of the military. Following their return to the SDF-1, Kyle and Minmei star in the first movie filmed in space. Kyle, who is attracted to Minmei despite the fact that she is a distant relative, attempts to kiss her but she pushes him away. Unfortunately, Rick witnesses this and decides that any romance they once had is over. Minmay's fame continues to grow and she sings at almost every important event on the SDF-1, including the wedding of Max Sterling and Zentraedi defector Miriya Parina, the first union of a Zentraedi and a human being.

Minmay's music turns out to be a powerful weapon against the Zentraedi, who have had no exposure to human emotions or customs. Minmei's music is enough to mentally incapacitate the Zentraedi, and thus she becomes a major force in the battle against Zentraedi Supreme Commander Dolza and his 4.8 million-ship grand fleet. Minmei becomes despondent after the Zentraedi Grand fleet blasts Earth, destroying 95% of the surface, and killing virtually all human life on the planet, including her parents. However, Minmei is able to sing "we will win" while the SDF-1 and the allied Zentraedi under Breetai launch an assault on Dolza's planetoid homebase. Her song incapacitate the Zentraedi commanders, throwing the fleet into chaos, allowing the SDF-1 to penetrate into the centre of the base and launch its entire quantity of missiles. The base explodes and Minmei's song is the last thing Dolza hears before he is vaporized. The explosion of the base, combined with the firing of Earth's grand cannon, destroys virtually the entire Zentraedi fleet.

In 2012, following the war, Minmei resumes her singing career with Kyle as her manager. However, Minmei becomes increasingly uncomfortable with Kyle's drinking and his obsession with making money. Minmei tries to rekindle her relationship with Rick, who still has feelings for her despite his feelings for Lisa Hayes, who by now is in love with Rick and is increasingly upset about Rick's obsession with Minmei. In 2013, Minmei and Kyle are kidnapped by the rebel Zentraedi leader Khyron. Minmei infuriates Khyron by calling him an "overgrown clown," and Khyron loses his temper. Holding Minmei in his hand, Khyron tightens his grip around her, causing her severe pain before she loses consciousness. Khyron, who views Minmei as a valuable hostage who he needs alive, releases his grip when he realized what he has done. He then pokes her with his finger until she revives and moans in pain. Although Minmei is not seriously injured, she is clearly shaken by the ordeal and becomes convinced that she will not survive. However, Rick Hunter again comes to her rescue by leading an operation, entitled "Starsaver," in which he blasts his way into Khyron's fortress in his veritech fighter and rescues her and Kyle. Later, after landing his fighter at a nearby base, Minmei runs crying into Rick's arms while Kyle and Lisa Hayes look on in anger and disgust. [Robotech, episode 32: Broken Heart [http://www.robotech.com/infopedia/episodes/viewepisode.php?episode=32] ] Rick and Minmei rekindle their love, and a short time later, on Christmas Eve, they share a kiss. Kyle decides that he no longer belongs in Minmei's life and sets out on his own to an unknown destination. Lisa, who is devastated by her perceived rejection by Rick, decides to resign her military position after she concludes her feelings for Rick are to strong to allow her to servce in the military by his side.

In January of 2014, when Khyron attacks the SDF-1 and New Macross City in his repowered warship, Rick must tear himself away from Minmei's arms to go into battle. Minmei begs Rick not to go as she cannot understand or accept that Rick must constantly risk his life in battle. When the battle is over, both Rick and Minmei realize that they cannot be together as Rick is dedicated to the military and Minmei is dedicated to her music. Rick realizes that his love for Minmei is based more on euphoria than on reality and that his love for Lisa is stronger than he had ever realized up until now. Rick and Lisa, finally realizing and accepting their love for each other, watch Minmei walk away and vow to work together to rebuild Earth. [Robotech, episode 36: To the Stars [http://www.robotech.com/infopedia/episodes/viewepisode.php?episode=36] ] Rick and Lisa would eventually become senior officers in the United Earth Forces while Minmei goes on to continue her career as a famous singer who is beloved by fans across the globe.

Robotech Expeditionary Force

In 2022, on the verge of the launch of the Robotech Expeditionary Force (REF), led by the newly completed SDF-3, Rick and Lisa are finally married and Minmei, despite her latent feelings for Rick, is able to sing with her new partner Janice at their wedding. Even so, she cannot help but feel sad as Rick and Lisa run off to their honeymoon and she says to herself "Goodbye Rick." This event can be seen in the pilot of .

Minmei and Kyle later stow away aboard the SDF-3 and travel with it on its mission to find the Robotech Masters' homeworld, which lasts almost 22 years.

In the Wildstorm comic, , set in 2043, Minmei is kidnapped by Colonel T. R. Edwards, who has betrayed the REF to join with the Invid Regent. Edwards also kills her cousin Kyle, who had tried to protect her. Minmei is held hostage for over a year before she is rescued. Minmei was subsequently taken to Tirol, the Robotech Masters' homeworld which has been freed from the control of the Invid. She is not seen or mentioned in , although it is believed that she is still alive.

References

External links

* [http://www.robotech.com/infopedia/characters/viewcharacter.php?id=8&seriescode=MAC Lynn Minmei] at "Robotech.com"