Animelab.com: Anime Reviews: Gatchaman

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ginnyjollykidd

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Score: 2
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Gatchaman was created in 1972 by the same company that created Speed Racer: Tatsunoko Productions, headed by Tatsuo Yoshida.

Gatchaman was a groundbreaking anime in the 1970's. It pioneered the five-member hero team and included a female member on that team, equal in both technical contribution and fighting prowess.

Their weapons were unique; only one member, Joe, used a gun, and he didn't often shoot with bullets or lasers, but used various other attachments and techniques. Ken, himself, threw a modified boomerang with blades that could take one's head off. Jun used a yo-yo with a lethal spike, and Jinpei used a bola. Ryu didn't need a weapon; he was a juggernaut in his own right.

Gatchaman also broke ground with giant, transforming mechanized monsters (mechas). Galactor, their greatest enemy, threw at the team any number of animal-inspired mechas which often changed form. The God-Phoenix itself, when throttled to "red-line", would turn into the Firebird--reminiscent of the legendary Phoenix bird--a technique which saved the Science Ninja Team many times but also put them at deadly risk in the process.

Some of the enemy mechas were also reminiscent of the mobile suits that dot the current anime landscape.

Gatchaman, the first series (there is also Gatchaman II and Gatchaman F), lasted 105 episodes with several short but key back stories that bring out the characters' dimensions.

Each episode, however, encompassed this ninja team, Berg Katse, and a new mecha that Berg Katse left in the charge of a colorful commander--a different one for most every episode.

Gatchaman is very visual: the art is detailed and three-dimensional, the action engaging. The team is neither virtuous nor ruthless, though there are times when they skirt with these extremes as well as recklessness, insurrection and mutiny.

There are few speeches. The dialogue moves the story along and ties the action together. Contrasting both with dark, angsty anime and cutesy, sex-filled anime, Gatchaman is an action-packed hero story that is loads of adventure and fun, even today.

Contributions: Reviews: 2

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