Misa Hayase

Misa Hayase (Japanese: 早瀬 未沙, Hepburn: Hayase Misa) is one of the principal fictional characters of the Japanese anime series The Super Dimension Fortress Macross, which launched the eponymous franchise. She is a central figure in the series’ primary romantic storyline, forming part of a widely noted love triangle with pilot Hikaru Ichijyo and pop idol Lynn Minmay.

Created by Shōji Kawamori and designed by Haruhiko Mikimoto, Misa holds a higher rank than series protagonist Hikaru Ichijyo, a structural dynamic noted by Kawamori in discussions of the character’s design. She appears in the original television series, its film adaptation Macross: Do You Remember Love?, and the OVA Flash Back 2012. Beyond animation, she has been the subject of dedicated novelizations, manga reinterpretations by original designer Mikimoto, and several audio drama productions that expand her story and characterization across supplementary franchise material. In the original Japanese productions, both audio and visual, she was voiced by Mika Doi, who later reprised the role in several Macross video games. In the English-language dub released by ADV Films in 2006, the character was voiced by Monica Rial.

Merchandise based on Misa Hayase includes plastic models and figures. Her early popularity and critical reception within Japanese anime fandom are reflected in her 1983 win of the first Animage Grand Prix Award for Best Female Character, a standing that persisted as she ranked 7th overall in NHK's 2019 franchise-wide "All Macross Big Voting" poll. In subsequent academic analysis, Misa was noted as one of the first, if not the first, "strong female characters" of the Real robot anime genre, contributing to what has been described as the maturation of the genre through the integration of complex love stories and mecha action.