Last week I introduced the game Tatsunoko vs. Capcom and in particular the production studio that is Tatsunoko.
Reading up on the Japanese animation giant made me more interested in the characters that were in the game. Especially the ones that I've never heard of (meaning all of them). And so I ended last week's post with a tease into what I was going to talk about for the next few weeks, the faces of Tatsunoko starting with the anime Science Ninja Team Gatchaman.
Science Ninja Team Gatchaman (or Gatchaman for short)is an anime that made its debut in September of 1972. It would go on to last for two years and 105 episodes and would even have two sequel shows, Gatchaman II and Gatchaman F.
The series centers around our five main protagonists who are part of a fictitious organization called "The International Science Organization" under their employer Dr. Kozaburo Nambu. The main objective of the organization is to protect Earth's natural resources from the clutches of the evil group Galactor. (I never knew Ted Turner watched anime? but I digress)
Galactor would continually send giant battle machines to steal one resource or another (oil, water, sugar etc...) and our five heroes would come in and save the day using their super powered ship the God Phoenix, a ship equipped with missiles and a special Firebird mode that allows the ship to transform into a giant flaming bird
that seems indestructible. However, this mode does not come without its price, as the team takes the risk of being destroyed every time they use it. Each member of the team are highly trained in a new fighting style developed by Dr. Nambu called Science Ninja Arts which utilizes super speed, flight, jumps, silent attacks and the like, very similar to their bird namesakes. And every member is equipped with different weapons and their own vehicles that resemble the birds they took after. And each one had a communicator which allowed them to transform into their ninja costumes by saying the phrase "Bird GO!!".
The series even had a movie done back in the 70's and a new movie is set to premier in late 2010 or early 2011.
The series would have many twists and revelations throughout its run so I will not spoil them for you.
Now onto the characters:
Ken the Eagle
Ken Washio is the leader and tactical expert of the team. His leadership skills help bring the team off the brink of defeat many times. He often gets into arguments with Joe the Condor (see below)about tactics and the role of leader.
In the game, he is the character on the cover that is facing Ryu. He uses a bird-shaped boomerang and uses jump combos and a quick hand-to-hand combat style. I've found him very fun to use as a character in the game but at first he can be difficult to use but with enough practice he is one of the best characters to use.
Jun the Swan
The lone female on the team, Jun is the group's electronics and demolitions expert. Her array of bombs and knowledge of every electrical makes her a valuable member of the team.
She is seen alongside Ken on the cover facing off against Chun-Li of Street Fighter and is another character that can be very deadly in the game with enough practice. She uses her variety of bombs and her signature weapon (which is a yo-yo by the way) to fight her enemies. Just like Ken she uses an array of high speed kicks and jump moves to fight.
Joe the Condor
Gatchaman's second in command, marksman and weapons expert. Joe Asakura can best be described as the trigger-happy, at times psychopathic, member of the group. His fights with Ken always make the show fun as Joe's methods of blow up first, ask questions later approach does not go well with Ken. But his skills are very valuable to the group and is a member that Gatchaman can't do without.
In the game, Joe is a character that needs to be unlocked. You do so by beating the Arcade mode with six different Tatsunoko characters. And when you do, you have another player to have fun with. Joe maybe the slowest of the three playable characters of Gatchaman but he makes up for it with his strength and use of weapons (machine guns anyone?).
The last two members of Gatchaman are not playable in the game but need to be mentioned.
Jinpei the Falcon
Jinpei is the youngest member of the team but he has the duty of reconnaissance. His small frame is perfect for sneaking into enemy mechs as he gathers the information needed for the team to defeat it. Jinpei is only about 10-11 years old (as opposed to the rest of the team who are 16-17). Growing up without a family, Jinpei is Jun's adopted brother and she cares for him like a mother.
Ryu the Owl
Ryu Nakanishi is the team's pilot. He has the privilege of operating the God Phoenix. His mastery of planes helps him control the Phoenix with ease.
And that's that. Gatchaman is an iconic show in Japan that has been parodied by many shows, including shows in America. It's a staple and starting point for many "team based" cartoons such as Captain Planet and Power Rangers. So check it out and judge for yourself.
The original intro and outro to the show.
The next post will be about a character that I have grown to love in the game. The android Casshan. See you then.
Interesting... what are your sources?
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