Lynn Minmay
In contrast to earlier mecha anime which focused on combatants, "Macross" portrayed a mecha conflict from the perspective of non-combatant civilians, such as the fictional singer Lynn Minmay. She went on to become the first virtual idol. Voiced by Mari Iijima, Minmay was the first fictional idol singer to garner major real-world success, with the theme song "Do You Remember Love?" (from the film "Macross: Do You Remember Love?") reaching number seven on the Oricon music charts in Japan. This was later further explored in "Macross Plus" with the virtual idol Sharon Apple, an artificial intelligence (AI) computer program who takes the form of an intergalactic pop star, and in "Macross 7" with the virtual band Fire Bomber who became a commercial success and spawned multiple CDs released in Japan. "Macross" set the template for later virtual idols in the early 21st century, such as Hatsune Miku and Kizuna AI.