Gatchaman, the battle of the planets
Original title: agaku Ninjatai Gatchaman
Characters: Ken the eagle, Joe the condor, Jane the swan, Jin the swallow, Ryu the owl, Kozaburo Nambu, Sosai X, Berg Katse, Red Impulse
Production:
Tatsunoko
Author: Tatsuo Yoshida
Regia: Hisayuki Toriumi | Country: Japan
Year: 1st October 1972
Broadcast in Italy: October
1981
Gender: Science fiction / Superheroes
Episodes: 105
Duration: 22 minutes
Recommended age: Children from 6 to 12 years old |
The cartoons of Gatchaman (original title Kagaku ninja tai Gatchaman) were broadcast in Italy for the first time on Canale 5, in October 1981. The cartoon started and produced in Japan in 1972 by Tatsunoko under the direction of Masami Ano and Hisayuki Toriumi, is divided into three series: Gatchaman - The battle of the planets 1st series with 85 episodes, Gatchaman - The battle of the planets 2nd series with 52 episodes and Gatchaman Fighter, 3rd series with 48 episodes. In Italy the first series was broadcast with the inclusion of most of the animations made in American studios, so it had to undergo several cuts and variations compared to the original Japanese series, starting with the inclusion of a new character, such as robot 7 Zark 7, while the second and third series were broadcast respecting the originals. 
The story is set in the future, where we find a world ravaged by environmental pollution and short of energy resources. To cope with this emergency, the world scientific organization called ISO is studying a project to restore the earth to its former glory, but does not know that a criminal organization called Galactor is plotting to take possession of the ISO and command the earth. This is commanded by the evil Sosai X, an alien from the planet Spectra, who gives the orders to Commander Berg. Doctor Nambu of the ISO becomes aware of this danger and forms a team of 5 space warriors, called Team 5 Gatchaman who will have to fight against Galactors on board the Phoenix spaceship. These are: Ken the eagle, Joe the condor, Pretty Jane the swan, Ryu the owl and Gimpy the swallow.
In addition to fighting with the spaceship Phoenix, in case they come across some Mega Robot, the five in the hand-to-hand fight, take advantage of the ninja technique, which allows them to make the most of their sophisticated arsenal. Ken the eagle is actually Ken Washio, a boy of about 18, who pilots the G-1. Ken is an excellent warrior and thanks to his courage and charisma he is the leader of the group. His father was killed by Galactor's men, so he doesn't hesitate to accept enrollment in Gatchaman, as he must avenge the death of his parent.
 Joe the condor is a Joe Asakura of Italian origin, the most introverted and surly of the group, as he is also an orphan of his parents because of the Galactors. With his G-2 he is an infallible sniper, but also in the fight he is a skilled fighter thanks to his powerful weapons. Jun the Swan is a 16-year-old girl who pilots the G-3. In love with Ken, she is a computer expert and proves to be resourceful and courageous, as well as knowing how to keep the group together. Jinpei the swallow is the smallest of the group, in fact he does not exceed 10 years of age and like Ken and Joe he is an orphan, but he was adopted by Jun, therefore he made the group his real family. Jinpei has a passion for animals and he happens to adopt any puppy, even a ferocious animal. Finally Ryu the owl, aka Ryu Nakanishi, a boy who was a fisherman and lived with his family on a small island in Japan. Ryu is a good and jovial guy, even though he sometimes has heated verbal fights with Joe. His portly appearance denotes his passion for food, which however does not affect him in the slightest in his fighting ability.
In one episode the ships of the ISO disappear near the "cemetery of the sea". Scientists Anderson and Dr. Nambu ask Gatchaman to patrol the area. On board the Fenice they go to the place where they meet a mysterious submarine, which leads them to the "sea cemetery" where they find the missing ships. Suddenly the fog rises and Gatchaman are attacked. Due to poor visibility, the quintet is in serious trouble, but manages to destroy the device that produced the artificial fog. Two flying saucers appear from the ghost fleet and hit them with light rays, putting them in trouble. Fortunately, three planes come to their aid and fire missiles at enemies, destroying them. In another episode we find an entire city without electricity.
Ken thinks it's a Black Out at the power plant, but gets a message from Doctor Nambu that a nuclear base has been attacked by a giant group of ants. Once the Gatchaman team has gone there, they have to face a multitude of tiny ants, which they manage to eradicate thanks to the water of a dam. What they thought ants were actually mini robots, so they pinpoint the signal that will take them to their base. They then arrive inside a cave and here they are trapped by Katse inside a dome, but they manage to free themselves.
Katse then takes the helm of a giant super ant, which the Gatchaman will have to face with the spaceship Phoenix, which will destroy him with a powerful heat beam. After a series of adventures where the Gatchaman prove invincible, Generalissimo X decides to destroy the earth, but unfortunately the plan is thwarted thanks to his commander Bern, who understands the madness of his boss. Unfortunately, however, Joe the condor dies sacrificing himself for the whole of humanity.
In the second series we find Sosai X destroying a plane in order to save a little girl with psychic powers. Thanks to her skills, she immediately becomes an adult and puts her in command of Galactor, with the new name of Gelsandra. The Gatchaman are left in 4 due to Joe's death, therefore they are defeated by the Galactors. When all their hopes seem lost, a mysterious character comes to their rescue and saves them. This is Joe, who has now been turned into a cyborg by a Galactors scientist. Joe tells his friends about the evil Sosai X's plan. He wants to divert the orbit of the sun, to use it as a weapon against the empire of another solar system. During the adventures, the Gatchaman will have to intervene against the Neanderthal cavemen, the pyramid spaceship, the giant plants, the snowstorms and a thousand other dangers. Gatchaman have a hard time against Gelsandra, but soon Pandora, an ISO scientist who recognizes her daughter as the commander of Galactors, enters the scene. Generalissimo X, however, kills Pandora under the eyes of Gelsandra, who, recognizing her mother, swears revenge and allies herself with the Gatchaman. Strengthened by this new ally, the Gatchaman defeat the Galactors and discover the true identity of Sosai X. This is a mega computer that puts the 5 boys in difficulty, who nevertheless manage to defeat, even if unfortunately Gelsandra will lose her life. 
In the Gatchaman Fighter series we find once again Sosai X, who has turned into a giant pyramid, but is now called Sosai Z, who allies himself with the head of state Ego Bozler in order to conquer the world. Armed with a very strong army, he invades other continents, sowing death and destruction, until Bozler also discovers that Sosai's plans are to destroy the earth with antimatter. The Gatchaman and Bozler's men penetrate the pyramid, but manage to defeat Sosai Z only after the sacrifice of the 5 Gatchaman.
Gatchaman is copyright 1972 TATSUNOKO PRODUCTIONS All rights reserved.
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