, also simply titled as Gatchaman is a 1972 Japanese anime television series produced by Tatsunoko Production which aired on Fuji Television and its affiliates from October 1, 1972, to September 29, 1974, for 105 episodes. The series centers on a five-member superhero ninja team known as the Gatchaman as they save the world from the mysterious secret organization known as the Galactor.
Following its run on Fuji TV, Tatsunoko would license the show to Sandy Frank Syndication, owned by producer Sandy Frank, which would create an adaptation entitled Battle of the Planets, which aired in the US in syndication during 1978. The original series was dubbed into English twice with the 1986 dub by King Features Entertainment and Turner Broadcasting System, titled G-Force: Guardians of Space and the 2005 ADV Films uncut release, both under license from Sandy Frank. Tatsunoko also uses the official translation Science Commando Gatchaman in related products and media.
The original Gatchaman series was followed by an animated film and two direct sequel series, Gatchaman II (1978) and Gatchaman Fighter (1979). During the 1990s, episodes from both series were dubbed into English by Saban Entertainment as Eagle Riders.
In the years since, the franchise has spawned many different productions, some that were left unproduced or evolved significantly from its development. This includes a 1994 original animated video remake, an unproduced 1998 television remake, a cancelled 2011 animated film reboot by Imagi Animation Studios, a 2013 Japanese live-action film reboot by Nikkatsu Studios, a comic book series by Mad Cave Studios, various spinoffs, re-imaginings, and merchandise.
Original series
Plot Recurring themes of Gatchaman involve conservation, environmentalism and the responsible use of technology for progress. The series centers around five young superhero ninja employed by Kōzaburō Nambu of the fictitious International Science Organization to oppose an international terrorist organization of technologically advanced villains (Galactor) who are trying to control Earth's natural resources, such as water, oil, sugar and uranium. The second-in-command of Galactor is an androgynous, masked antagonist named Berg Katse, who is later revealed to be a gender-shifting, genetically engineered mutant acting on the orders of the head of Galactor, Leader X, an alien Artificial Intelligence that is hell-bent on destroying the human race. The mechas produced by Galactor are often animal-based.
Most of the team are in their late teens, except for Jinpei (who is about ten or eleven years old). They include Ken Washio, the team leader and tactical expert; Jō Asakura, his second-in-command marksman and weapons expert; Jun, the team's electronics and demolitions expert; Jinpei, the youngest and the reconnaissance expert as well as an adopted brother of Jun; and Ryū Nakanishi, the ship's pilot. The main characters wear teen clothing with T-shirts numbered to show their rank in the team or caped, birdlike battle uniforms. The Science Ninja Team is often aided by a squadron of combat pilots led by and sharing the name of their enigmatic commander Red Impulse, who is later revealed as Ken's father.
The Gatchaman team employs a unique and effective martial art developed by Dr. Nambu, drawing on their ability to perform feats similar to their avian namesakes, such as high-speed running, flight, high jumping, and silent attacks. This fighting system, known as , is mentioned in the Japanese lyrics of the Gatchaman theme. The team members also use signature weapons and mecha-style vehicles, each with a mundane, disguised form. To change modes, each member is equipped with a wrist device that, in addition to communications and tracking, enables a change when the proper gesture and voice command ("Bird, go!") is given.
Their vehicles are docked in the team's main vehicle: the God Phoenix, a supersonic plane capable of underwater travel and space flight. The God Phoenix is armed with Bird Missiles, which are fired from a rack mounted atop the center section. After the original God Phoenix is destroyed by an octopus mecha, an improved version carries a pair of Super Bird Missiles in twin drop-down pods on the bottom center section. The ship also has an energy-beam weapon that opens the nose doors for the weapon apparatus mounted on the frame holding Joe's car; however, its solar power source is unreliable because of its sensitivity to cloud cover. The plane can also temporarily transform into a massive bird of flame (like the legendary phoenix) to escape danger or attack, although the process endangers the team because of extreme pressure in the passenger cabin and it consumes a great deal of fuel.
Characters
Episodes
Production Created in the wake of the Henshin (transformation) boom begun by Shotaro Ishinomori's Kamen Rider in 1971, Gatchaman was conceived as a blending of ninja adventure with science fiction.
Film version
In 1978, Tatsunoko released a condensed theatrical compilation of the first two-story arcs in the series with additional new animation.
The film was released in English for the first time by Sentai Filmworks in 2015. The dub featured the cast reprising their roles from the ADV dub of the original TV anime for the film.
Adaptations After its broadcast in Japan, Gatchaman was later exported to other countries and translated into several languages. In Taiwan, beginning in 1977 it was known as Ke Xue Xiao Fei Xia (/ kēxué xiǎofēixiá, Scientific Flying Fantasy Warriors).
The original series has seen several English adaptations with varying levels of modifications. Many of these versions later spawned foreign-language releases of their own:
Battle of the Planets
Sandy Frank and Jameson Brewer syndicated the series on American television in 1978, in heavily edited form, as Battle of the Planets (BOTP). In this version, the team was known as G-Force and protected the Earth from constant threats from the planet Spectra. Several scenes were replaced with new segments by Gallerie International Films, with additional characters: the robot 7-Zark-7 and his associates, 1-Rover-1 (a robot dog) and Susan (a sentient computer), all of which were stationed at the outpost Centre Neptune and provided both comic relief and linking narrative to the wider story. Other segments included the Phoenix flying in space. The quality of the new segments did not match the original content, with the G-Force and 7-Zark-7 never actually appearing together. New music by Hoyt Curtin was blended with the original soundtrack. Although all 105 episodes of Gatchaman were used as sources, only 85 episodes of BOTP were produced. An animated TV movie was made, combining several episodes into a new storyline. In 2003, Sandy Frank announced a series of eight compilation films that ultimately went unreleased.
Battle of the Planets was released on VHS and DVD from 2001 to 2003 by Rhino Entertainment in six volumes and a complete DVD collection. The DVD set includes a subtitled version of the corresponding Japanese episodes, alongside a single episode of the later English adaptation, G-Force. When Sentai Filmworks acquired the rights to Gatchaman in 2014, Battle of the Planets became available to stream on The Anime Network and temporarily on Hulu.
G-Force: Guardians of Space G-Force: Guardians of Space (1986) is the second American adaptation of the anime Science Ninja Team Gatchaman (1972), following Sandy Frank Entertainment's Battle of the Planets (1978) and preceding ADV Films' 2005 Gatchaman. Five teenagers, Ace Goodheart, Dirk Daring, Agatha June, Pee Wee and Hoot Owl, battle Galactor and Computor to defend Earth.
As Battle of the Planets wound down in the mid-1980s, Sandy Frank Entertainment partnered with Turner Broadcasting to make a more faithful Gatchaman adaptation, feasible thanks to the relaxed television standards of the Reagan era. Turner brought in Fred Ladd (known for Astro Boy, Gigantor, Kimba the White Lion) to produce it through his company Sparklin' Entertainment. Two test pilots were approved and production began in autumn 1986. Sandy Frank kept the copyright and international rights; Turner Program Services and King Features Entertainment held limited distribution and syndication rights.
Changes and additions in the adaptation Unlike Battle of the Planets, none of its American additions (7-Zark-7, 1-Rover-1, space-travel framing) were kept. Most plot, violence and deaths were retained, only softened where too explicit. Composer Dean Andre wrote a new score, kept some original 1970s music, and filled silent stretches with new cues, chiefly a repetitive synth instrumental derived from the theme song.
G-Force followed the original Gatchaman order, skipping only episodes 81 and 86, for 85 dubbed episodes. It never adapted the final 18, darker episodes, leaving no proper ending; reasons are unclear (contract limits, budget, or unsuitability for children). The two pilot episodes (Gatchaman #18 and #87) uniquely used all-new Dean Andre music rather than the original score, later abandoned. Between both US dubs, 99 of 105 Gatchaman episodes were adapted; ADV's 2005 release finally covered all 105.
Character names were newly Americanised rather than reused from Battle of the Planets. The heroes became Ace Goodheart (Mark), Dirk Daring (Jason), Agatha June (Princess), Pee Wee (Keyop), Hoot Owl (Tiny), and Dr. Brighthead (Chief Anderson); the villains became Galactor (Zoltar) and Computor (The Great Spirit). Only "G-Force" and "Phoenix" carried over from the earlier dub.
Pee Wee stayed close to the original child character Jinpei, unlike Battle of the Planetss altered Keyop. The Galactor–Computor relationship shifted from subordinate/master to master/consultant, partly due to religious objections to the "Great Spirit" framing. G-Force also had no episode title cards, unlike its predecessors.
It was produced and voice-directed by Fred Ladd; additional music by Dean Andre; post-production by Bruce Austin Productions; edited by Kurt Tiegs. Rights now belong to Sandy Frank Entertainment.
The voice cast is Sam Fontana (Ace Goodheart), Cam Clarke (Dirk Daring/Red Impulse), Barbara Goodson (Agatha June/Pee Wee), Jan Rabson and Gregg Berger (Hoot Owl/Dr. Brighthead/Computor, split), Bill Capizzi (Galactor), Norm Prescott (announcer).
Debut and reception TBS run (1986): G-Force quietly premiered on WTBS in July 1987, airing for only a week before disappearing, likely to satisfy a contractual requirement ahead of international sales. It was then syndicated abroad while the US had no Gatchaman adaptation for eight years. Cartoon Network run (1995–1997; 2000; 2004): buoyed by the success of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, G-Force properly debuted on Cartoon Network on 2 January 1995 alongside James Bond Jr., airing all 85 episodes. It was Cartoon Network's first anime, ahead of Robot Carnival, Vampire Hunter D and Twilight of the Cockroaches, and, with Speed Racer, helped pave the way for Toonami (1997). It moved to late-night/weekend slots in 1996 and was cancelled in mid-1997 for Toonami. Brief reruns followed in 2000 and 2004.
DVD releases and availability Since ADV's uncut Gatchaman is now the more accurate adaptation, a full G-Force boxset is considered unlikely. Sandy Frank Entertainment lost distribution rights around 2007; these were reacquired by Sentai Filmworks, which has released the ADV dub and streamed Battle of the Planets, but has no plans to reissue G-Force. Only 13 of the 85 episodes have appeared on home video, across The Best of G-Force (Rhino, 2004, seven uncut episodes out of order), the eponymous G-Force: Guardians of Space (PAL DVD, 2003, first three episodes), and Battle of the Planets Volumes 1–6 (Rhino, 2001–02, one G-Force episode per volume as an extra).
Battle of the Planets: The New Exploits of G-Force