Science Ninja Team Gatchaman
tv show

205 total episodes
-
3 seasons
First Aired October 01, 1972
Overview
Science Ninja Team Gatchaman is a five-member superhero team that is composed of the main characters in several anime created by Tatsuo Yoshida and originally produced in Japan by Tatsunoko Productions and later adapted into several English-language versions. It is also known by the abbreviated name Gatchaman. The original series, produced in 1972, was eponymously named Kagaku Ninja Tai Gatchaman and is most well known to the English-speaking world as the adaptation titled Battle of the Planets. The series received additional English adaptations with G-Force: Guardians of Space and ADV Films' uncut 2005 release. Tatsunoko also uses the official translation Science Commando Gatchaman, as shown in numerous related products and media. Because the English-language versions are notoriously inconsistent not only with one another but also with the original Japanese series, viewers most familiar with the English versions often experience some confusion upon re-examining the series after a long hiatus. The original 1972 Kagaku Ninja Tai Gatchaman series was followed by an animated film, two sequel series, Gatchaman II, and Gatchaman Fighter. In the 90's, episodes from both series were dubbed into English by Saban as Eagle Riders. In 1994, the original series was remade as a condensed OVA series.

The Bug Operation
Season 1 - Episode 17 - 0h 26m
Air Date
January 21, 1973
Overview
X, intending on using the strong destructive tendencies of humans, especially children, releases Kabutoron in the city. It destroys things using the children's brain waves. The children are happy when they find big stag beetles in one of the open areas, something which rarely happens in town. Also Jinpei finds one of the bugs and brings it home. In that night, each of the children's stag beetles grow large and they pull the children inside their bodies, fly out the room and start to destroy the city. While flying, Ken discovers how Kabutoron attacks a nuclear plant. But since Jinpei is missing, the God Phoenix cannot take off. Ken transmutes into his G1 plane and uses his X-ray on Kabutoron. Because he sees a child in the interior, he ceases to attack. The four members of the Science Ninja Team shadow Kabutoron and discover a base hidden in an ancient ruin. In the interior of the base, an operation intending to remove the children's brain and install them into Kabutoron is about to begin. A drill is just touching Jinpei's head when he's saved by a hair's breadth by Ken and Jun. They save the other children with Joe's help. Ken and the others get into the God Phoenix. Bombed by Red Impulse, Kabutoron blows up together with the base.