Science Ninja Team Gatchaman: The Movie

Science Ninja Team Gatchaman: The Movie (科学忍者隊ガッチャマン 劇場版, Kagaku Ninjatai Gatchaman: Gekijōban) is a 1978 Japanese anime superhero science fiction film and a version of the anime series of the same name.[1][2]

Science Ninja Team Gatchaman: The Movie
Theatrical release poster
Directed byHisayuki Toriumi
Written byJinzō Toriumi
Satoru Suyama
Based onScience Ninja Team Gatchaman
Produced byIppei Kuri
Katsumi Ueno
StarringKatsuji Mori
Isao Sasaki
Kazuko Sugiyama
Yoku Shioya
Shingo Kanemoto
Tōru Ōhira
Mikio Terashima
Nobuo Tanaka
Edited byHajime Taniguchi
Music byKoichi Sugiyama
Production
company
Distributed byShochiku
Shochiku Fuji
Release date
  • May 12, 1978 (1978-05-12)
Running time
110 minutes
CountryJapan
LanguageJapanese

Plot

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Sosai X traveled millions of light years to reach the planet Earth and creates a mutant Berg Katse. Thirty years later he is the leader of the terrorist organization known as Galactor. They want to conquer the world. Since Galactor controls the mechanical monster "Turtle King," the nations of the world live in fear.

Earth's only hope lies with five teenagers who can move like shadows. They are Gatchaman, five superheroes who arrive in their spaceship "God Phoenix" to stop Galactor's Machiavellian plans of world domination.

Cast

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CharacterJapaneseEnglish
Ken the Eagle (G1)Katsuji MoriLeraldo Anzaldua
Joe the Condor (G2)Isao SasakiBrian Jepson
Jun the Swan (G3)Kazuko SugiyamaKim Prause
Jinpei the Swallow (G4)Yoku ShioyaLuci Christian
Ryu the Owl (G5)Shingo KanemotoVictor Carsrud
Dr. Kozaburo NambuToru OhiraAndy McAvin
Red ImpulseHisayoshi YoshizawaJohn Tyson
Berg KatseMikio TerashimaEdwin Neal
Leader XNobuo TanakaCharles C. Campbell
Director AndersonTeiji OmiyaMarty Fleck
SabuHiroya IshimaruChris Patton
NarratorKiyoshi KobayashiGeorge Manley

Production

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The movie is a feature-length retelling of the events of the TV series consisting primarily of footage from key episodes, namely the first two episodes, 51-53 (the V2 project arc) and the final four episodes. However, the first three minutes of the movie consists of newly animated footage depicting the arrival of Leader X on Earth and the birth of Berg Katse.

Instead of the music from the TV show by Bob Sakuma, an original score was composed by Koichi Sugiyama. It was notably the very first anime score to be performed by the NHK Symphony Orchestra.

Other credits

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References

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  1. "作品データベース". Tatsunoko.co.jp. Archived from the original on 15 November 2015. Retrieved 3 September 2013.
  2. "Sentai Filmworks to Release 1978 Gatchman Film With English Dub". Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  3. "科学忍者隊ガッチャマン". Kinenote. Retrieved 28 November 2021.

Further reading

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