OVA
Description
Professor Hasford, commonly referred to as Dr. Hasford, is an elderly scientist who appears as an antagonist in the anime Macross Zero. He was originally an academic professor, and during his teaching career he served as the mentor of Aries Turner, a cultural anthropology researcher whose later work focuses on the mysteries of the island of Mayan. Hasford is best known as the originator of the Protoculture interference hypothesis, a theory proposing that an ancient alien civilization influenced the evolution of Earth's life and the development of humanity. This theory shapes his entire professional life and drives his actions throughout the story.
In pursuit of evidence for his ideas, Hasford traveled to Mayan on numerous occasions. During those visits, he persuaded a young Sara Nome to give him a blood sample in exchange for a trinket, an act that was strictly forbidden by the island's traditions. Sara's father had been deeply wary of allowing the blood of the island's shaman lineage to fall into the hands of outsiders, but the exchange happened without his knowledge. The sample helped confirm the unusual qualities of the islanders and ultimately made them the focus of both scientific research and armed conflict.
Hasford is described as an old scientist who had no qualms about disregarding the sensibilities of others in his pursuit of knowledge. He is highly dedicated, even obsessive, in his research, and he is willing to manipulate people and break cultural taboos to obtain what he wants. His fascination with the legendary Bird Human goes beyond simple curiosity; he appears to envision both destruction and creation resulting from its awakening, and he actively seeks to bring that awakening about.
When the Unification Wars broke out, Hasford joined the Anti-U.N. forces and became their leading expert on the Bird Human's secrets. By that point he could no longer walk on his own and relied on a motorized wheelchair. His reappearance in the story comes as a shock, particularly because he had once convinced Sara Nome to break her island's rules and thereby learned the secret of the Bird Human. Seeing him again traumatizes Sara and reopens the wounds of that childhood betrayal.
In terms of his role in the narrative, Hasford serves as a scientific driving force for the Anti-U.N. side, using his expertise to guide their efforts to understand and control the ancient alien artifact. He is a key link in the chain of events that leads to the escalation of the conflict around Mayan. His relationship with Aries Turner is significant because he shaped her academic direction profoundly; even after he defects to the opposing side, her work continues to follow the path he set. His connection to Sara Nome is equally important, as his past manipulation of her is one of the reasons she is so distrustful of outsiders.
Hasford's development is marked by his transformation from a respected academic into a researcher willing to align himself with a wartime faction in order to realize his theories. His notable abilities lie primarily in his intellect: he is a brilliant scientist with deep knowledge of ancient civilizations, alien artifacts, and the Protoculture hypothesis, and he combines that knowledge with a manipulative skill that allows him to extract secrets from others. His legacy within the story is that his research and actions set the stage for the larger confrontation over the Bird Human and the fate of Mayan's people.
In pursuit of evidence for his ideas, Hasford traveled to Mayan on numerous occasions. During those visits, he persuaded a young Sara Nome to give him a blood sample in exchange for a trinket, an act that was strictly forbidden by the island's traditions. Sara's father had been deeply wary of allowing the blood of the island's shaman lineage to fall into the hands of outsiders, but the exchange happened without his knowledge. The sample helped confirm the unusual qualities of the islanders and ultimately made them the focus of both scientific research and armed conflict.
Hasford is described as an old scientist who had no qualms about disregarding the sensibilities of others in his pursuit of knowledge. He is highly dedicated, even obsessive, in his research, and he is willing to manipulate people and break cultural taboos to obtain what he wants. His fascination with the legendary Bird Human goes beyond simple curiosity; he appears to envision both destruction and creation resulting from its awakening, and he actively seeks to bring that awakening about.
When the Unification Wars broke out, Hasford joined the Anti-U.N. forces and became their leading expert on the Bird Human's secrets. By that point he could no longer walk on his own and relied on a motorized wheelchair. His reappearance in the story comes as a shock, particularly because he had once convinced Sara Nome to break her island's rules and thereby learned the secret of the Bird Human. Seeing him again traumatizes Sara and reopens the wounds of that childhood betrayal.
In terms of his role in the narrative, Hasford serves as a scientific driving force for the Anti-U.N. side, using his expertise to guide their efforts to understand and control the ancient alien artifact. He is a key link in the chain of events that leads to the escalation of the conflict around Mayan. His relationship with Aries Turner is significant because he shaped her academic direction profoundly; even after he defects to the opposing side, her work continues to follow the path he set. His connection to Sara Nome is equally important, as his past manipulation of her is one of the reasons she is so distrustful of outsiders.
Hasford's development is marked by his transformation from a respected academic into a researcher willing to align himself with a wartime faction in order to realize his theories. His notable abilities lie primarily in his intellect: he is a brilliant scientist with deep knowledge of ancient civilizations, alien artifacts, and the Protoculture hypothesis, and he combines that knowledge with a manipulative skill that allows him to extract secrets from others. His legacy within the story is that his research and actions set the stage for the larger confrontation over the Bird Human and the fate of Mayan's people.