Science Ninja Team Gatchaman

TV Series

1972–1980

TV-PG
IMDb RATING
8.4/10
84
YOUR RATING
Rate
POPULARITY
39
Animation
Action & Adventure
Sci-Fi & Fantasy

Science Ninja Team Gatchaman is a five-member superhero team that is composed of the main characters in several anime created by Tatsuo Yoshida and originally produced in Japan by Tatsunoko Productions and later adapted into several English-language versions. It is also known by the abbreviated name Gatchaman. The original series, produced in 1972, was eponymously named Kagaku Ninja Tai Gatchaman and is most well known to the English-speaking world as the adaptation titled Battle of the Planets. The series received additional English adaptations with G-Force: Guardians of Space and ADV Films' uncut 2005 release. Tatsunoko also uses the official translation Science Commando Gatchaman, as shown in numerous related products and media. Because the English-language versions are notoriously inconsistent not only with one another but also with the original Japanese series, viewers most familiar with the English versions often experience some confusion upon re-examining the series after a long hiatus. The original 1972 Kagaku Ninja Tai Gatchaman series was followed by an animated film, two sequel series, Gatchaman II, and Gatchaman Fighter. In the 90's, episodes from both series were dubbed into English by Saban as Eagle Riders. In 1994, the original series was remade as a condensed OVA series.

Sun, 01 Oct, 1972
S1.E1Gatchaman Versus Turtle King
A huge turtle-shapes mecha, the "Turtleking" attacks a uranium storage facility. The ISO and the delegates of various countries are very concerned. Nambu, the only person who previously knew of Galactor, now officially anounces the existence of both the criminal organization "Galactor", as well as the Science Ninja Team that has been formed to resist them. The Science Ninja Team receives Nambu's orders, unites in the God Phoenix, and flies off right away to a missile launching base where the mecha was sighted. Ken stops Joe, who's eager to get into his first real fight. Ken takes Jun along and they sneak inside the mecha. With Ken's help the God Phoenix then enters the mecha and Joe, Jinpei and Ryu join the battle against the Galactor members. Elsewhere, the commander of the mecha tells Berg Katse of the Science Ninja Team's existence. Katse then relays the message to Governor X. In accordance with X's instructions, Katse orders the Science Ninja Team to be destroyed. The order is to have the mecha make a suicidal plunge, taking the God Phoenix with it, thus burying the Science Ninja Team. But at the very last moment, the God Phoenix escapes the mecha by using the Firebird Effect.
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Sun, 08 Oct, 1972
S1.E2The Apparition of a Demonic Ghostly Airplane Carrier
A spaceship disappears, along with a device that can report and record the location of the Earth's resources. The Science Ninja Team receives Nambu's instructions and heads towards the bottom of the sea, in the vicinity of the spot where contact with the spaceship was lost. There, prawn-shaped bulldozers leave a huge aircraft carrier located on the sea bottom to build a uranium factory. Ken stops Ryu who wants to fire a Bird Missile, and sneaks into the aircraft carrier alone. Ken discovers the spaceship's capsule inside the aircraft carrier, but the astronauts have been taken hostage. Ken is caught then too. In reality however, the pilots have already been murdered. Showing them as if they were still alive has been a trap. Jinpei has sneaked into the aircraft carrier following Ken on Joe's orders. He is able to rescue Ken as he is being led underground. The two of them collect the device and escape, destroying the computer in the aircraft carrier. The commander of the carrier gets blamed by Katse, and he gets into the head of the Turtleking to hurl himself at the God Phoenix. But due to Ken's quick thinking, the God Phoenix becomes the Firebird and the flames consume everything.
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cast-pic
Katsuji Mori
Ken Washio, the Eagle (voice)
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Isao Sasaki
Joe Asakura, the Condor (voice)
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Kazuko Sugiyama
Jun, the Swan (voice)
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Yoku Shioya
Jinpei, the Swallow (voice)
Shingo Kanemoto
Ryu Nakanishi, the Horned Owl (voice)
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Nobuo Tanaka
Leader X (voice)
Hisayoshi Yoshizawa
Red Impulse (voice)
Toru Ohira
Dr. Kouzaburou Nambu (voice)
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Aiko Konoshima
Female Berg Katze (voice)
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Masako Nozawa
Seiji Nakanishi (voice)
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Kyôko Terase
Joe's mother (voice)
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Teiji Ōmiya
Director Anderson (voice)
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Toshiko Sawada
Female Berg Katze (voice)

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Details

Release date

October 1, 1972 (United States)

Country of origin

Japan

Language

Japanese

Production companies

King Features Entertainment
Tatsunoko Production

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