Science Ninja Team Gatchaman

Science Ninja Team Gatchaman (科学忍者隊ガッチャマン, Kagaku Ninja-tai Gatchaman, lit. Science Ninja Squad Gatchaman), also simply titled as Gatchaman is a 1972 Japanese anime television series produced by Tatsunoko Production which aired on Fuji Television and its affiliates from October 1, 1972 to September 29, 1974 for 105 episodes. The series centers on a five-member superhero ninja team known as the Gatchaman as they save the world from the mysterious secret organization known as the Galactor.

Following its run on Fuji TV, Tatsunoko would license the show to Sandy Frank Syndication, owned by producer Sandy Frank, which would create an adaptation entitled Battle of the Planets, which aired in the US in syndication during 1978. The original series was dubbed into English twice with the 1986 dub by King Features Entertainment and Turner Broadcasting System, titled G-Force: Guardians of Space and the 2005 ADV Films uncut release, both under license from Sandy Frank. Tatsunoko also uses the official translation Science Commando Gatchaman in related products and media.

The original Gatchaman series was followed by an animated film and two direct sequel series, Gatchaman II (1978) and Gatchaman Fighter (1979). During the 1990s, episodes from both series were dubbed into English by Saban Entertainment as Eagle Riders.

In the years since, the franchise has spawned many different productions, some that were left unproduced or evolved significantly from its development. This includes a 1994 original animated video remake, an unproduced 1998 television remake, a cancelled 2011 animated film reboot by Imagi Animation Studios, a 2013 Japanese live-action film reboot by Nikkatsu Studios, various spinoffs, re-imaginings, and merchandise.

Recurring themes of Gatchaman involve conservation, environmentalism and the responsible use of technology for progress. The series centers around five young superhero ninja employed by Kōzaburō Nambu of the fictitious International Science Organization to oppose an international terrorist organization of technologically advanced villains (Galactor) who are trying to control Earth's natural resources, such as water, oil, sugar and uranium. The second-in-command of Galactor is an androgynous, masked antagonist named Berg Katse, who is later revealed to be a gender-shifting, genetically-engineered mutant acting on the orders of the head of Galactor, Leader X, an alien Artificial Intelligence that is hell-bent on destroying the human race. The mechas produced by Galactor are often animal-based.

Most of the team are in their late teens, except for Jinpei (who is about ten or eleven years old). They include Ken Washio, the team leader and tactical expert; Jō Asakura, his second-in-command marksman and weapons expert; Jun, the team's electronics and demolitions expert; Jinpei, the youngest and the reconnaissance expert as well as an adopted brother of Jun; and Ryū Nakanishi, the ship's pilot. The main characters wear teen clothing with T-shirts numbered to show their rank in the team or caped, birdlike battle uniforms. The Science Ninja Team is often aided by a squadron of combat pilots led by and sharing the name of their enigmatic commander Red Impulse, who is later revealed as Ken's father.

The Gatchaman team employs a unique and effective martial art developed by Dr. Nambu, drawing on their ability to perform feats similar to their avian namesakes, such as high-speed running, flight, high jumping, and silent attacks. This fighting system, known as Science Ninja Technique (科学忍法, Kagaku Ninpō), is mentioned in the Japanese lyrics of the Gatchaman theme. The team members also use signature weapons and mecha-style vehicles, each with a mundane, disguised form. To change modes, each member is equipped with a wrist device that, in addition to communications and tracking, enables a change when the proper gesture and voice command ("Bird, go!") is given.

Their vehicles are docked in the team's main vehicle: the God Phoenix, a supersonic plane capable of underwater travel and space flight. The God Phoenix is armed with Bird Missiles, which are fired from a rack mounted atop the center section. After the original God Phoenix is destroyed by an octopus mecha, an improved version carries a pair of Super Bird Missiles in twin drop-down pods on the bottom center section. The ship also has an energy-beam weapon that opens the nose doors for the weapon apparatus mounted on the frame holding Joe's car; however, its solar power source is unreliable because of its sensitivity to cloud cover. The plane can also temporarily transform into a massive bird of flame (like the legendary phoenix) to escape danger or attack, although the process endangers the team because of extreme pressure in the passenger cabin and it consumes a great deal of fuel.