Science Ninja Team Gatchaman

tv show

poster for Science Ninja Team Gatchaman

205 total episodes

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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.

tv poster

The People Eating Flower Jigokiller (Part 1)

Season 1 - Episode 39 - 0h 26m

Air Date

June 24, 1973

Overview

Outside of Earth's atmosphere, a Devilstar ship appears. Spores of the Jigokiller plant are released towards Earth by Katse's hand. In a rainy night, women (and only women) are attacked. Jun who is alone in her shop, is attacked as well. She brings tissue of one of the flowers that was burned by her bomb, to Nambu. In the analysis, it results that it's a flesh-eating plant from ancient times. But it's not yet decided what its weak points, habits, etc are. Because only women are attacked, Jun simply borrows a protective suit which allows the bearer to breath also deep in the ocean and drives quickly through the city on her motorcycle, acting as a bait. Jinpei follows her, and she is swallowed by the Jigokiller plant in front of him. The Jigokiller flees. While looking for Jun, the Science Ninja Team receives orders to burn some Jigokiller plants to finish them off. They are located at a water reservoir that serves 10 million people. The team members hesitate since Jun may still be alive in one of those plants, but Ken says that it's the duty of the Science Ninja Team and even though he's grieving, drops his plane's fuel onto the flowers. Knowing Ken's feelings, the God Phoenix sets the flowers burning with a missiles. Meanwhile, Jun is caught in the interior of one of the flowers. The flames are stirred up, and from the interior of the flowers white spores are released, spores whose secret is yet unknown to the Science Ninja Team.