Gatchaman (ガッチャマン?) is a three-part original video animation (OVA) based on the popular 1970s anime Gatchaman. It was released in Japan and the United States during the mid-1990s. This version of Gatchaman is set in the year 2066 where the evil leader of the nation of Hontwall is threatening to take over the planet. Scientists from the International Science Organization are disappearing and only five teenage heroes, the Science Ninja team, can stop the disaster.[2]
Plot[]
| # | Title | Original Airdate | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Dragon King "Gatchaman Vs. Turtle King" (ガッチャマン VS タートルキング) |
October 1, 1994 | {{{FirstEngAirDate}}} | ||
| An enormous dragon-shaped warship decimates a city with plasma beams and giant robotic arms. Its target is the Mantel Plan, a network unifying the world's energy resources. As the sinister ship heads for its next target a team of specialists rise to the rescue: the Gatchaman. Piloting their ship, the Phoenix, the Gatchaman launch a counterattack. Once inside the enemy ship they come face to face with the Galactor's entire army of assassins.[3] | |||||
| 2 | The Red Specter "Secret Red Impulse" (謎のレッドインパルス) |
January 1, 1995 | {{{FirstEngAirDate}}} | ||
| The Gatchaman are in trouble and receive help from a mysterious group known as Red Impulse. While cruising near a strange island a submarine is vaporized by a large blast. Summoned to avenge the attack the Gatchaman Group comes upon the secret undersea headquarters of the alien Galactor. In a fierce air and undersea battle the Gatchaman struggle against the Galactor's Jupiter Death Brigade and the evil Black Bird Battalion. Battered by combat, the Gatchaman appear to be on the brink of defeat when, out of the sky, a new force appears led by a mysterious warrior in red. | |||||
| 3 | The Final Countdown "Final Count 0002" (ファイナルカウント0002) |
April 1, 1995 | {{{FirstEngAirDate}}} | ||
| The Gatchaman have to confront Berg Katse in a final battle to save the earth. The huge mechanical devices installed at each of the Galactor's bases are infiltrating the Earth's interior, disrupting weather patterns and transforming the Earth's landscape into an environment hostile to the human race. In the midst of these disasters Joe is beginning to regain his childhood memories and must deal with the realization that he may be descended from the blood of his enemies. Joe decides to use his knowledge of the Galactor society to help save the human race. Joe single-handedly infiltrates the Galactor headquarters and manages to transmit its coordinates to the Gatchaman moments before he is captured by Solaris and his henchman.
Meanwhile the Gatchaman group teams up with Red Impulse to attack the Galactor's home base – it's a brutal fight to the death in which both the Gatchaman and the Red Impulse will pay the ultimate price. | |||||
Characters[]
The re-naming of the various characters and terms in Gatchaman OVA are highlighted and correspond to their Gatchaman equivalents.
| Gatchaman | Battle of the Planets | G-Force | Eagle Riders | OVA (Dub) | Rank | Bird Uniform | Weapon | Mecha | Japanese seiyū | Voice actor (BOTP) | Voice actor (G-Force) | Voice actor (OVA Dub) | Voice actor (Eagle Riders) | Voice actor (ADV Dub) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ken Washio | Mark | Ace Goodheart | Hunter Harris | Ken the Eagle | G1 | Eagle | Razor boomerang | Airplane | Katsuji Mori | Casey Kasem | Sam Fontana | Eddie Frierson | Richard Cansino | Leraldo Anzaldua |
| Joe Asakura | Jason | Dirk Daring | Joe Thax | Joe the Condor | G2 | Condor | Pistol | Race Car | Isao Sasaki | Ronnie Schell | Cam Clarke | Richard Cansino | Bryan Cranston | Brian Jepson |
| Jun | Princess | Agatha June ("Aggie") | Kelly Jennar | June the Swan | G3 | Swan | Yo-yo | Motorcycle | Kazuko Sugiyama | Janet Waldo | Barbara Goodson | Lara Cody | Heidi Noelle Lenhart | Kim Prause |
| Jinpei | Keyop | Pee Wee | Mickey Dugan | Jimmy the Falcon | G4 | Swallow | Bolo | Dune Buggy | Yoku Shioya | Alan Young | Barbara Goodson | Mona Marshall | Luci Christian | |
| Ryu Nakanishi | Tiny Harper | Hoot Owl ("Hooty") | Ollie Keeawani | Rocky the Owl | G5 | Owl | Pistol | God Phoenix | Shingo Kanemoto | Alan Dinehart | Jan Rabson/Gregg Berger | Richard Epcar | Paul Schrier | Victor Carsrud |
Other character variations across different versions[]
| Gatchaman | Battle of the Planets | G-Force | Eagle Riders | OVA (Dub) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dr. Kozaburo Nambu | Chief Anderson | Dr. Benjamin Brighthead | Dr. Thaddeus Keane | Dr. Kozaburo Nambu |
| ISO Director Anderson | President Kane | Anderson/Cmdr. Todd (some episodes) | Anderson | Director Anderson |
| Red Impulse / Kentaro Washio |
Col. Cronos | Red Impulse / Mr. Goodheart |
Harley Harris | Red Spectre |
| Berg Katse | Zoltar | Galactor | Lukan | Solaris |
| Sosai (Leader) X | O Luminous One / The Great Spirit |
Computor | Cybercom | Lord Zortek |
| Galactor | Planet Spectra | Planet Galactor | Vorak | Galactor |
| Gel Sadra (Gatchaman 2) |
Mallanox |
Other notable changes[]
| Gatchaman Identity change command |
Battle of the Planets Identity change command |
G-Force Identity change command |
Eagle Riders change command | OVA change command (English) | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bird, Go! | Transmute! | G-force Transform! | Eagle Mode, NOW! |
|
Cast[]
English cast[]
- Ken – Eddie Frierson
- Joe – Richard Cansino
- June – Lara Cody
- Jimmy – Mona Marshall
- Rocky – Richard Epcar
- Dr. Nambu – Michael McConnohie
- Chief – Michael Forest
- Kirland – Clifton Wells
- Solaris – R. Martin Klein
- President Beolute – Jeff Winkless
- Kesslor – Kirk Thornton
- Commander – Barry Stiger
- Lord Zortek – Ralph Votrais
Japanese cast[]
- Fumihiko Tachiki as Ryu the Horned Owl (G-5)[1]
- Kouji Ishii as Joe Asakura the Condor (G-2)[1]
- Masaya Onosaka as Ken Washio the Eagle (G-1)[1]
- Michiko Neya as Jun the Swan (G-3)[1]
- Rica Matsumoto as Jinpei the Swallow (G-4)[1]
- Ikuya Sawaki as Dr. Kouzaburou Nanbu[1]
- Kaneto Shiozawa as Berg Katse[1]
- Nobuo Tanaka as Sosai X[1]
- Takeshi Aono as Donaldson[1]
Design[]
In the OVA series, the characters' designs and ages were changed along with other elements as part of the process of "updating" the series for modern audiences. Ken, who had long hair in the original series, was given short hair. Joe was redesigned with more of a "bad boy" image, given a tattoo and made a smoker — His car was also updated to a Shelby Cobra. Jun originally had long green hair but has short brown hair in the OVA, has developed physically and has worked as a model in the past. Jinpei is renamed as Jimmy and given more of a "street kid" look while his position on the team becomes "hacker". Ryu is now the oldest at 25, he was originally 17, and his hairstyle is changed to a blonde and purple mohawk. The GodPhoenix was also redesigned and appears to be larger than the original. The Red Impulse squadron had only three members in the original series while in the OVA continuity there are more.[4]
Music[]
New music was composed for the OVA by Maurice White (of Earth, Wind & Fire) and Bill Meyers, with additional music by Bob Sakuma from the original TV series. The ending theme "Let's Fly" was performed by Lance Matthew. A music video at the end of the third episode features an updated version of the "Gatchaman Song" by Ichiro Mizuki.
Availability[]
The OVA was released in Japan on the following dates:
- Volume 1, "Gatchaman Vs. Turtle King": 10/1/94
- Volume 2, "Secret Red Impulse": 1/1/95
- Volume 3, "Final Count 0002": 4/1/95
In the US, the video was distributed by Urban Vision, with the following release dates:
- Gatchaman OAV Vol 1, "The Dragon King": July 29, 1997
- Gatchaman OAV Vol 2, "The Red Specter": August 26, 1997
- Gatchaman OAV Vol 3, "The Final Countdown": September 16, 1997[5]
Initial batches of the subtitled VHS release were recalled due to subtitle timing errors.
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 "ガッチャマン". Tatsunoko Production (in Japanese). Retrieved 2009-07-12.
- ↑ "Gatchaman Collection". Mania. Retrieved 2010-07-30.
- ↑ "ROBOTECH.COM – The Official Robotech Web Site!". Robotech. Retrieved 2008-07-13.
- ↑ "Science Ninja Team: Gatchaman". Ex.org. Retrieved 2008-06-21.
- ↑ "Gatchaman". Tatsunoko Production USA. Retrieved 2008-07-12.
Further reading[]
- G-Force: Animated (TwoMorrows Publishing: ISBN 9781893905184)
External links[]
- Gatchaman at YouTube
- Gatchaman – Home of the White Shadow
- Gatchaman Gatchaman Online and Gatchaman, BotP, & G-Force
- Gatchman (anime) at Anime News Network's Encyclopedia
- Gatchman at the Internet Movie Database
- Gatchman at TV.com
- Harmony Gold Entertainment Catalog
- Crunchyroll to Host Gatchaman Video Series Online
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