Gatchaman (OVA)
Encyclopedia
is a three-part original video animation
(OVA) based on the popular 1970s anime
Gatchaman. It was released in Japan and the United States during the mid-1990s. This version of Gatchaman is set in the year 2066 where the evil leader of the nation of Hontwall is threatening to take over the planet. Scientists from the International Science Organization are disappearing and only five teenage heroes, the Science Ninja team, can stop the disaster.
(of Earth, Wind & Fire
) and Bill Meyers, with additional music by Bob Sakuma from the original TV series. The ending theme "Let's Fly" was performed by Lance Matthew. A music video at the end of the third episode features an updated version of the "Gatchaman Song" by Ichiro Mizuki.
In the US, the video was distributed by Urban Vision, with the following release dates:
Initial batches of the subtitled VHS release were recalled due to subtitle timing errors.
Original video animation
, abbreviated as media , are animated films and series made specially for release in home-video formats. The term originated in relation to Japanese animation...
(OVA) based on the popular 1970s anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
Gatchaman. It was released in Japan and the United States during the mid-1990s. This version of Gatchaman is set in the year 2066 where the evil leader of the nation of Hontwall is threatening to take over the planet. Scientists from the International Science Organization are disappearing and only five teenage heroes, the Science Ninja team, can stop the disaster.
Plot
| # | Title | Original Airdate |
|---|---|---|
Characters
The re-naming of the various characters and terms in Gatchaman OVA are highlighted and correspond to their Gatchaman equivalents.| Gatchaman | Battle of the Planets | G-Force | Eagle Riders | OVA Original video animation , abbreviated as media , are animated films and series made specially for release in home-video formats. The term originated in relation to Japanese animation... (Dub) | Rank | Bird Uniform | Weapon | Mecha | Japanese voice actor | Voice actor (BOTP) | Voice actor (G-Force) | Voice actor (OVA Dub) | Voice actor (Eagle Riders) | Voice actor (ADV Dub) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ken Washio | Mark | Ace Goodheart | Hunter Harris | Ken the Eagle | G1 | Eagle | Razor boomerang | Airplane | Katsuji Mori Katsuji Mori is a Japanese voice actor often accredited as the Casey Kasem of Japan. He is most known for the roles of Go Mifune , Joe Shimamura/009 , Ken the Eagle , Jouji Minami , and Garma Zabi .- Anime :*Nephrite in Sailor Moon*Seiji Hayami in Cutey Honey*Go Mifune in Mach Go Go Go/Speed Racer is a... |
Casey Kasem Casey Kasem Kemal Amin "Casey" Kasem is an American radio personality and voice actor who is best known for being the host of the nationally syndicated Top 40 countdown show American Top 40, and for voicing Shaggy in the popular Saturday morning cartoon franchise Scooby-Doo.Kasem, along with Don Bustany and... |
Sam Fontana | Eddie Frierson Eddie Frierson Edward Davies "Eddie" Frierson is an American voice actor and stage actor who is also known as Christy Mathewson, Ted Richards, and Eric Frierson Edward Davies "Eddie" Frierson (born November 22, 1959) is an American voice actor and stage actor who is also known as Christy Mathewson, Ted Richards,... |
Richard Cansino Richard Cansino Richard Cansino is an American voice actor. He is also known as Richard Hayworth because he is the nephew of Rita Hayworth, and occasionally goes by the name Steve Davis after the British snooker player of the same name... |
Leraldo Anzaldua Leraldo Anzaldua Leraldo Anzaldua is an American actor, stunt coordinator, and voice actor who works with ADV Films and Seraphim Digital. He is known for providing the English voice of Kazuki Sendo in Comic Party Revolution, Ken Washio/G-1, in Gatchaman, Takashi Komuro in Highschool of the Dead, and Zed in Kiba... |
| Joe Asakura | Jason | Dirk Daring | Joe Thax | Joe the Condor | G2 | Condor | Pistol | Race Car | Isao Sasaki Isao Sasaki is a Japanese seiyū, actor, and vocalist. He has had voice roles in anime such as Legend of the Galactic Heroes, Space Battleship Yamato, and Gatchaman. He has also performed the opening themes for anime such as Yamato, Star of the Giants, Getter Robo, Casshan, Grendizer, Gaiking and tokusatsu... |
Ronnie Schell Ronnie Schell Ronald Ralph "Ronnie" Schell is an American actor, stand-up comedian and cartoon voice actor . Early in his career he appeared as himself as a contestant on You Bet Your Life opposite Groucho Marx, demonstrating a comic barrage of jive talk.-Life and career:Schell was born in Richmond, California... |
Cam Clarke Cam Clarke Cameron Arthur "Cam" Clarke is a prolific American voice actor and singer, well known for his work in animation and video games. Clarke is well known for providing the voices of Leonardo in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Shotaro Kaneda in the 1989 original English-dub of Akira. He often voices... |
Richard Cansino Richard Cansino Richard Cansino is an American voice actor. He is also known as Richard Hayworth because he is the nephew of Rita Hayworth, and occasionally goes by the name Steve Davis after the British snooker player of the same name... |
Bryan Cranston Bryan Cranston Bryan Lee Cranston is an American actor, voice actor, writer and director. He is best known for his roles as Hal the father in the Fox situation comedy Malcolm in the Middle, and Walter White in the AMC drama series Breaking Bad, for which he won three consecutive Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama... |
Brian Jepson Brian Jepson Brian Jepson is an American voice actor who works for Elephant Productions. He has done voice over work for Tx DOT, PBS, The Lance Armstrong Foundation, ADV Films, Sony Entertainment Online and various other companies including Retro Studios, creators of the Wii video game Metroid Prime 3:... |
| Jun | Princess | Agatha June ("Aggie") | Kelly Jennar | June the Swan | G3 | Swan | Yo-yo | Motorcycle | Kazuko Sugiyama Kazuko Sugiyama , born is a voice actress who was born in Nagoya and works for Aoni Production.In February 2010, she received a "Merit Awards" from the 4th Seiyū Awards.... |
Janet Waldo Janet Waldo Janet Waldo is an American actress and voice artist with a career encompassing radio, television, animation and live-action films. She is best known in animation for voicing Judy Jetson, Penelope Pitstop and Josie McCoy in Josie and the Pussycats... |
Barbara Goodson Barbara Goodson Barbara Goodson is an American actress known mostly for her versatility in voicing original and dubbed cartoons. She is voted one of the ten best women to do the voices for young males in cartoons... |
Lara Cody Lara Cody Laura Ann Cody , better known as Lara Cody, is an American voice actress. She also goes under the name "Deanna Morris." She is best known for her role for playing "Rosemary" in Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty and Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of The Patriots.-Anime:*A Little Snow Fairy Sugar -... |
Heidi Noelle Lenhart | Kim Prause Kim Prause Kim Prause is an American voice actress and theatre actress. She has done several anime voice roles for ADV Films.-Voice roles:* Air - Kano's Mother* Angelic Layer - Chitose Tanaka* Aquarian Age: Sign for Evolution - Arayashiki East... |
| Jinpei | Keyop | Pee Wee | Mickey Dugan | Jimmy the Falcon | G4 | Swallow | Bolo | Dune Buggy | Yoku Shioya Yoku Shioya is a Japanese voice actor debuting in Umi no Triton . Recently he has done some voice directing in such anime as Basilisk: The Kouga Ninja Scrolls. His real name is Tsubasa Shioya... |
Alan Young Alan Young Alan Young is an English-Canadian actor and voice actor, best known for his role as Wilbur Post in the television series Mister Ed and as the voice of Scrooge McDuck in Disney films, TV series and video games... |
Barbara Goodson Barbara Goodson Barbara Goodson is an American actress known mostly for her versatility in voicing original and dubbed cartoons. She is voted one of the ten best women to do the voices for young males in cartoons... |
Mona Marshall Mona Marshall Mona M. Ianotti is an American voice actress. She is often cast in the role of young boys. Her roles have included parts in not only Japanese anime, but also in American cartoons as well. Mona Marshall has recently lent her voice to the talking bear Koby the Study Buddy... |
Luci Christian Luci Christian Louisa Michelle Christian is an American voice actress and ADR Script Writer who is affiliated with Funimation Entertainment, ADV Films, Seraphim Digital, and OkraTron 5000... |
|
| Ryu Nakanishi | Tiny Harper | Hoot Owl ("Hooty") | Ollie Keeawani | Rocky the Owl | G5 | Owl | Pistol | God Phoenix | Shingo Kanemoto Shingo Kanemoto was a Japanese voice actor originally from Fukuoka Prefecture. On February 24, 1991, he died of intra-axial hematoma at the age of 58. After his death, his ongoing roles went to Takeshi Watabe.-Notable voice work:*Space Battleship Yamato III... |
Alan Dinehart Alan Dinehart Alan Mason Dinehart was an American Broadway actor, director, writer, stage manager and later, a Character actor and supporting player featured in at least 88 films between 1931 and 1944... |
Jan Rabson Jan Rabson Jan Rabson is an American actor and voice actor.Rabson was born in East Meadow, New York. Jan's voice has been heard on thousands of commercials, films, TV shows and animated films and series... /Gregg Berger Gregg Berger Greggory "Gregg" Berger is an American voice actor, who is known for his longtime role as Odie the dog from the Garfield franchise... |
Richard Epcar Richard Epcar Richard Epcar is an American actor voice actor / director, mostly specializing in the field of voice acting in games, animation and anime. He is the husband of voice actress Ellyn Stern, with whom he owns and operates Epcar Entertainment, Inc., a voiceover production service company based in Los... |
Paul Schrier Paul Schrier Paul L. Schrier II is an American actor. He is perhaps best known for his role of Farkas "Bulk" Bulkmeier in the Power Rangers series. He portrayed the character for seven seasons from 1993–1999, returning in 2011 for the eighteenth season of Power Rangers Samurai, and was the last original cast... |
Victor Carsrud |
Other character variations across different versions
| Gatchaman | Battle of the Planets | G-Force | Eagle Riders | OVA (Dub) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dr. Kozaburo Nambu | Chief Anderson | Dr. Benjamin Brighthead | Dr. Thaddeus Keane | Dr. Kozaburo Nambu |
| ISO Director Anderson | President Kane | Anderson/Cmdr. Todd (some episodes) | Anderson | Director Anderson |
| Red Impulse / Kentaro Washio |
Col. Cronos | Red Impulse / Mr. Goodheart |
Harley Harris | Red Spectre |
| Berg Katse | Zoltar | Galactor | Lukan | Solaris |
| Sosai (Leader) X | O Luminous One / The Great Spirit |
Computor | Cybercom | Lord Zortek |
| Galactor | Planet Spectra | Planet Galactor | Vorak | Galactor |
| Gel Sadra (Gatchaman 2) |
Mallanox |
Other notable changes
| Gatchaman Identity change command | Battle of the Planets Identity change command | G-Force Identity change command | Eagle Riders change command | OVA change command (English) | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bird, Go! | Transmute! | G-force Transform! | Eagle Mode, NOW! |
|
English cast
- Ken – Eddie FriersonEddie FriersonEdward Davies "Eddie" Frierson is an American voice actor and stage actor who is also known as Christy Mathewson, Ted Richards, and Eric Frierson Edward Davies "Eddie" Frierson (born November 22, 1959) is an American voice actor and stage actor who is also known as Christy Mathewson, Ted Richards,...
- Joe – Richard CansinoRichard CansinoRichard Cansino is an American voice actor. He is also known as Richard Hayworth because he is the nephew of Rita Hayworth, and occasionally goes by the name Steve Davis after the British snooker player of the same name...
- June – Lara CodyLara CodyLaura Ann Cody , better known as Lara Cody, is an American voice actress. She also goes under the name "Deanna Morris." She is best known for her role for playing "Rosemary" in Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty and Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of The Patriots.-Anime:*A Little Snow Fairy Sugar -...
- Jimmy – Mona MarshallMona MarshallMona M. Ianotti is an American voice actress. She is often cast in the role of young boys. Her roles have included parts in not only Japanese anime, but also in American cartoons as well. Mona Marshall has recently lent her voice to the talking bear Koby the Study Buddy...
- Rocky – Richard EpcarRichard EpcarRichard Epcar is an American actor voice actor / director, mostly specializing in the field of voice acting in games, animation and anime. He is the husband of voice actress Ellyn Stern, with whom he owns and operates Epcar Entertainment, Inc., a voiceover production service company based in Los...
- Dr. Nambu – Michael McConnohieMichael McConnohieMichael D. McConnohie is a voice actor and is the President of the Nevada-based Voxworks voice-acting corporation. He is known for his recognizable deep booming voice and is generally known for playing more charismatic characters...
- Chief – Michael ForestMichael ForestGerald Michael Charlebois, better known as Michael Forest is an American actor who provides the voices for many animated titles. At the age of 71, he provided the voice of Prince Olympius in Power Rangers: Lightspeed Rescue...
- Kirland – Clifton Wells
- Solaris – R. Martin KleinR. Martin KleinRobert Martin Klein is a voice actor who is known to play characters in Japanese animation and video games. He is also known as Bob Marx...
- President Beolute – Jeff WinklessJeff WinklessJeffrey Alan Winkless was an American film and voice actor and music composer. He was born in Springfield, Massachusetts. Two of his younger brothers, Terence H. Winkless and Daniel Owen Winkless, worked with him on The Banana Splits Adventure Hour. He was also credited as Jeffrey Brock...
- Kesslor – Kirk ThorntonKirk ThorntonKirk Thornton is an American voice actor.-Bio:He is known for playing tough or grouchy men in English-dubbed anime and video games. His career includes Hotohori in Fushigi Yūgi and Jin in Samurai Champloo...
- Commander – Barry Stiger
- Lord Zortek – Ralph Votrais
Japanese cast
- Fumihiko TachikiFumihiko Tachikiis a Japanese voice actor and narrator.-Career:Formerly a blues singer and known for his low voice, Tachiki is best known as the narrator for the pre-fight movies for Pride Fighting Championships and currently for Dream...
as Ryu the Horned Owl (G-5) - Kouji Ishii as Joe Asakura the Condor (G-2)
- Masaya OnosakaMasaya OnosakaMasaya Onosaka , born October 13, 1964 in Osaka) is a seiyū who works for Aoni Production. In 2010 he won the "Best Personality" Seiyu Award.-TV Anime:*Agent Aika *Angelic Layer '...
as Ken Washio the Eagle (G-1) - Michiko NeyaMichiko Neyais a female Japanese voice actress born in Echizen, Fukui . Neya is a freelancer, although she worked at Arts Vision.-Anime:*Aka-chan to Boku *Cardcaptor Sakura *Chrono Crusade...
as Jun the Swan (G-3) - Rica MatsumotoRica Matsumotois a Japanese voice actress and J-pop singer who was born in Yokohama, Japan. Her name is also sometimes romanized as Rika Matsumoto. She was one of the original members of the popular vocal group JAM Project. After the way of the stage, she embarked on voice acting and a singing career...
as Jinpei the Swallow (G-4) - Ikuya SawakiIkuya Sawaki, better know by his stage name , is a Japanese voice actor who is affiliated with Arts Vision.-TV Anime:*Berserk *Cyborg 009 , better know by his stage name , is a Japanese voice actor who is affiliated with Arts Vision.-TV Anime:*Berserk (Boscogne)*Cyborg 009 (2001) , better know by his stage...
as Dr. Kouzaburou Nanbu - Kaneto ShiozawaKaneto ShiozawaKaneto Shiozawa , real name was a Japanese voice actor from Tokyo affiliated with Aoni Production. He had a distinctive cold, calm voice which usually typecast him in roles as villains or anti-heroes....
as Berg Katse - Nobuo Tanaka as Sosai X
- Takeshi AonoTakeshi Aonois a Japanese voice actor and actor from Asahikawa, Hokkaidō affiliated with Aoni Production. He graduated from Hokkaidō Asahikawa Higashi High School....
as Donaldson
Design
In the OVA series, the characters' designs and ages were changed along with other elements as part of the process of "updating" the series for modern audiences. Ken, who had long hair in the original series, was given short hair. Joe was redesigned with more of a "bad boy" image, given a tattoo and made a smoker — His car was also updated to a Shelby Cobra. Jun originally had long green hair but has short brown hair in the OVA, has developed physically and has worked as a model in the past. Jinpei is renamed as Jimmy and given more of a "street kid" look while his position on the team becomes "hacker". Ryu is now the oldest at 25, he was originally 17, and his hairstyle is changed to a blonde and purple mohawk. The GodPhoenix was also redesigned and appears to be larger than the original. The Red Impulse squadron had only three members in the original series while in the OVA continuity there are more.Music
New music was composed for the OVA by Maurice WhiteMaurice White
Maurice White is a Grammy Award–winning American singer, songwriter, musician, record producer, arranger. He is the older brother of Verdine White and Fred White and the leader and founder of the band Earth, Wind & Fire...
(of Earth, Wind & Fire
Earth, Wind & Fire
Earth, Wind & Fire is an American soul and R&B band formed in Chicago, Illinois, in 1969 by Verdine and Maurice White. Also known as EWF, the band has won six Grammy Awards and four American Music Awards. They have been inducted into both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Vocal Group Hall of...
) and Bill Meyers, with additional music by Bob Sakuma from the original TV series. The ending theme "Let's Fly" was performed by Lance Matthew. A music video at the end of the third episode features an updated version of the "Gatchaman Song" by Ichiro Mizuki.
Availability
The OVA was released in Japan on the following dates:- Volume 1, "Gatchaman Vs. Turtle King": 10/1/94
- Volume 2, "Secret Red Impulse": 1/1/95
- Volume 3, "Final Count 0002": 4/1/95
In the US, the video was distributed by Urban Vision, with the following release dates:
- Gatchaman OAV Vol 1, "The Dragon King": July 29, 1997
- Gatchaman OAV Vol 2, "The Red Specter": August 26, 1997
- Gatchaman OAV Vol 3, "The Final Countdown": September 16, 1997
Initial batches of the subtitled VHS release were recalled due to subtitle timing errors.