Gatchaman II
Two years later, Galactor returns with a new leader.
Gatchaman II is a Japanese animated science fiction television series and the direct sequel to Science Ninja Team Gatchaman. It is notable for introducing a new antagonist, Gel Sadra, and for serving as part of the basis for the English-language adaptation Eagle Riders.
Quick Facts
- Genre
- Adventure, science fiction
- Creator
- Tatsuo Yoshida
- Executive producers
- Kenji Yoshida
- Director
- Hiroshi Sasagawa
- Producer
- Ippei Kuri
- Masanori Nakano
- Masaru Shibata
- Music
- Bob Sakuma
- ja
- ボブ佐久間
- Hiroshi Tsutui
- ja
- 筒井広志
- Company
- Tatsunoko Production, Fuji Television
- Network
- FNS (Fuji TV)
Facts from the source article.
Plot
Two years after Galactor's defeat and the apparent death of Condor Joe, a cruise ship is attacked by Leader X, killing nearly everyone aboard. One survivor, a young child named Sammy whose gender is left ambiguous but implied to be hermaphrodite, is captured by X and rapidly aged into the androgynous new Galactor commander Gel Sadra, a name loosely based on the German word for 'lust' or 'greed' and 'sadism'. Gel Sadra replaces Berg Katze after his suicide and, despite an adult appearance, throws childish tantrums when plans fail. The Science Ninja Team is recalled, and a replacement for Joe named Hawk Getz is revealed as a Galactor agent and killed by a feather shuriken. Joe reappears in the fourth episode, having survived his injuries through rescue by an ex-Galactor scientist and cybernetic augmentation. Later, Dr. Pandora, a scientist who lost her husband and child in the cruise ship disaster, is introduced; her child Sammy is Gel Sadra. The team receives new mecha including the space-worthy New GodPhoenix with a robot pilot named Pima, and individual bird-motif mecha. Character designs changed slightly, and the team aged two years, with Jinpei now about thirteen.
Production
Following the first Gatchaman feature film in 1978 and a radio show previewing new installments, the sequel series was released on October 1, the same date as the original 1972 broadcast, and ran for 52 episodes. It was immediately followed by Gatchaman Fighter. Neither sequel was licensed by Sandy Frank, but some Gatchaman II merchandise, notably the New GodPhoenix model, was sold under the Battle of the Planets name. In 1978 the original Gatchaman was released in South Korea; in 1980 a compilation film called Eagle 5 Brothers was made from Gatchaman II and Fighter, with episodes released to South Korea in 1996. Both versions of Eagle 5 Brothers were uncensored but had subtle changes including different hair colors, uniforms, and a redesign of Dr. Pandora's child as a boy. Eagle 5 Brothers was dubbed into Spanish as 'Space Heroes' and released under other titles. In 1996, Saban Entertainment licensed Gatchaman II and combined it with Gatchaman F to create Eagle Riders, translating 47 of 52 episodes with heavy edits removing violence and objectionable elements. Episodes 6, 16-17, 28, and 35 were unused; episode 21 replaced original episode 6. Edits included removing the cruise ship disaster and Sammy's transformation, editing destruction scenes, and stating Galactor soldiers were androids that would be 'deactivated'. Character names were Westernized and the soundtrack changed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who created Gatchaman II?
Gatchaman II was created by Tatsuo Yoshida.
Which network aired Gatchaman II?
Gatchaman II aired on FNS (Fuji TV).
When did Gatchaman II end?
Gatchaman II last aired on 23 September 1979.
More in Japanese Children's Animated Science Fiction Television Series
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