Mylene Flare Jenius

Mylene Flare Jenius (ミレーヌ・フレア・ジーナス, Mirēnu Furea Jīnasu) is a fictional character in the Macross universe. She first appears in Macross 7, and also appears in the movie Macross 7: The Galaxy Is Calling Me! and the OVAs Macross 7 Encore and Macross Dynamite 7. She is voiced by Tomo Sakurai. Her singing voice is provided by Chie Kajiura.

Mylene Flare Jenius
Macross 7 character
Voiced by	Tomo Sakurai / Chie Kajiura
In-universe information
Species	Zentradi-Human hybrid
Relatives	Maximilian Jenius (Father) Milia Fallyna Jenius (Mother) Komilia Maria Fallyna Jenius (sister) Miracle Jenius (sister) Muse Jenius (sister) Therese Jenius (sister) Emilia Jenius (sister) Miranda Jenius (sister) Moaramia Fallyna Jenius (adopted sister) Mirage Fallyna Jenius (niece)

Background

Mylene is the seventh and youngest daughter of Maximilian Jenius and Milia Fallyna Jenius, the human and Zentradi couple (respectively) from the series The Super Dimension Fortress Macross. Both are war heroes during Space War I and over the years have raised a large family together. Mylene is the youngest child, born in February 2031. At the beginning of the series Macross 7, set in 2045 (approximately 34 years after the original Macross series), she is 14 years old and living in an apartment of her own aboard the eponymous spaceship City 7, a massive city ship carrying over one million people and escorted by a large battlefleet, led by Battle 7. Her parents (Max is the captain of Battle 7 and Milia is the mayor of the domed City 7) are also aboard but are now separated. All of their other children, now aged between 19 and 34, have moved away from City 7, leaving Mylene's parents to focus all of their protective instincts and concerns on her. Mylene is the only Jenius child to have pink hair but she has her mother's green eyes.

Mylene proves to be as wilful as her parents. Her mother wants her to settle down and marry career fighter pilot Gamlin Kizaki, a protégé of hers, despite the fact that Mylene is only 14 and doesn't want to get married yet. In episode 6, Milia arranges an Omiai[1] for them and Mylene, although apprehensive, agreed to meet him to appease her mother. Once they actually meet, the two became good friends, and Gamlin started to fall in love with her, becoming protective of her.

Her father worries about her wild nature as well. However, what Mylene wants to be is to be a rock star, so against her parents' wishes she joins the rock band Fire Bomber as a bassist and vocalist. It soon emerges that she inherited her parents' natural piloting skills and can pilot a variable fighter extremely well; though all are initially opposed to a young girl facing such danger, she is ultimately allowed to join Sound Force, piloting her own customized VF-11MAXL Kai whose control systems have been modified to resemble an electric bass guitar.

She is a cheerful yet headstrong young girl, still unsure of her own feelings. On one hand she likes and admires Gamlin Kizaki, the man her mother chose for her, and enjoys their uncomplicated and, for the most part, platonic relationship. However, she is also fascinated by Fire Bomber's lead vocalist/guitarist Basara Nekki, despite his constant selfishness and rudeness to her; she nags him constantly, and becomes jealous whenever she sees him with another woman. When it is suggested that Basara and Rex (a female biker who is a fan of Fire Bomber) were physically involved, she immediately becomes jealous, although she refuses to admit it. This leads to one of the Macross universe's infamous love triangles, and she is relieved when the two men end their bickering and become friends, though her hatred of uncertainty—in this case, whom she loves more—becomes a source of endless frustration for her (as well as her mother).[2]

Mylene thinks little of her Zentraedi heritage until episode 11, when she lands the lead role in a movie. She plays the part of Lynn Minmei in the movie, titled The Lynn Minmei Story which documents Minmei's role in the Space War I. Mylene is initially scared when she meets the full-sized Zentraedi, who are approximately 15 metres (50 feet) in height and will be starring in the film. Mylene apparently has never seen a full-sized Zentraedi until now and the sight makes her uncomfortable. Later, as she talks to Ray Lovelock, another member of Fire Bomber, she thinks about the fact that her mother, Milia Fallyna Jenius, was a full-sized Zentraedi before she was micronized. Ray then tells Mylene that she has the blood of giants running through her veins.[3]

Despite the danger of joining Sound Force, which puts her in direct combat with the powerful and deadly Protodeviln, who are virtually immune from all conventional weaponry and are only vulnerable to Sound Force's music, Mylene proves that she also has her parents' bravery. Throughout the year long struggle of City 7 against the Protodeviln and The Varauta Army, Mylene never once gives into fear. Mylene proves herself to be an excellent pilot throughout the war. In the final battle against Lord Geperunitch, Mylene fights alongside her parents.

Mylene is also distinguished by her pet Guvava, a Gyarashi from the planet Pukirases V. Guvava is an intelligent rodent whose fur is so thick he resembles a tribble with eyes. He also has a tail, which he can use to swing and propel himself with, and short legs. Guvava was rescued from his predator-rich environment by Maximilian Jenius in 2036, who found him injured and alone while on a mission. Upon returning home, Max gave him to his youngest daughter, Mylene, to care for. Mylene, then five years old, immediately fell in love with Guvava and helped nurse him back to health. Though Guvava was initially withdrawn, Mylene always stayed close to him, taking him with her almost everywhere, even to school, and the two soon became good friends. Guvava grew to become fiercely devoted to his "mistress" and can often be seen perching on her shoulder. He is telepathically linked to her and can seek her out when they are separated, and understand her speech, though he can only communicate in squeaks. In the presence of danger he rears up, his fur developing angry spikes, and he will even leap to attack if provoked. During Macross 7, set nine years later (in 2045-46), Mylene and Guvava are almost always together, even during concerts and space battles. Mylene states that Guvava is not simply a pet but rather, is a part of herself and she cares for him as much as she does for her human/Zentraedi friends and family.[4]

Despite his small size, Guvava helps to protect Mylene as much as Mylene protects him. In episode 12 of Macross 7, Mylene is kidnapped by infiltration agents of the protodeviln. Guvava uses his telepathic ability to transmit Basara's music to her and she begins to sing. Guvava is then able to lead Basara and Ray to her location.[5] In Macross Dynamite 7, Mylene is invited to dinner by a woman who works to promote her music. However, the woman secretly drugs Mylene with the intention of sexually molesting her. Guvava immediately runs off to alert Mylene's friends, Veffidas and Ray, who quickly arrive and smash their way into the room to save Mylene. Ray later states that if it hadn't been for Guvava, the woman would have likely succeeded in forcing herself on Mylene.[6]

References

1. An Omiai (or Miai) is a Japanese custom where individuals are introduced to each other to consider the possibility of marriage.
2. Macross 7, episode 15: A Girl's Jealousy.
3. Macross 7, episode 11: Minmei Video
4. Macross 7, episode 35: A Night for Just the Two of Us.
5. Macross 7, episode 12, Spirita Farm.
6. Macross Dynamite 7, episode 2: Cemetery.