These comments were made by Jun Falkenstein in response to fan comments: Haha, poorly kept or not, I can't say anything official until I am allowed! I've watched the entire 1st series of (the mysterious property that I can't yet mention and will be rather anticlimactic when I actually can) and am pretty familiar with the characters. All I can say right now is, yes we are keeping the general idea of each of the characters intact, with one possible exception, but that exception is not one of the birdies. Let the speculation begin! You already have the characters looking like they do in the actual show, why do more of the same? I think it's fun to visually re-imagine them for a new audience, so long as the spirit of the characters remains recognizable. What does everyone else think? I'm guessing that the changed 'non-birdie' (Using 'birdie'? Way to give it away, Jun!) might be Red Impulse, which I would LOVE. I don't think it's a secret around here that I can't stand the guy as they wrote him. And I'm actually okay with a costume change. As long as they have the same overall design of the original (wings, tight bodysuits, perhaps a miniskirt for Jun, helmets, bracelets, same general colors) I'm fine with that. I have no problems modernizing their look. This is supposed to be the future, after all, and not a 70s version of the future.

I wish she'd been a little more specific as to what she means by "visually re-imagining" them while keeping their "spirit." I don't have a problem with costume or hairstyle changes, but I'll admit that it really bugged me in the 1994 OAVs that their faces were different. Why did they give Joe those slit-like eyes and pointy nose? (I'll admit that the shirtlessness, the tattoos and the big rosary didn't seem like Joe to me either) Of course, I could adapt much better to changes in their appearance if they still speak and act in character. I hope they release some concept art soon. I have a feeling that Nambu will be the "exception" character.

Namba. Definatly. Dear Gods, somebody buy that guy a new wardrobe...

I'm going to guess Katse gets the new look. And I'm already having OAV nightmares based on this remark..."re-visioning the characters" Sheeeeeite.

OH I am very scared now...I so hoped the characters would be recognizable... I have a feeling those OAV nightmares may be resurfacing...

I hope she has a good hard think about that comment. I know they like to get creative, but common, if she's seen the whole first series surely she must have guessed why the Character have to be able to be recognised by the fans!!! Being creative to point of making strangers is bad, even a new audience will appreciate them more when they go and buy the DVD's of the first series after the seeing the movie and they can relate to faces and team they are seeing.

I thought Katse too... I agree with TJ on the look... I don't mind if the "re-imaging" makes the more "now", but let's just hope it's not an OAV repeat! Ken is not a boy-band wanna-be, and Ryu as a surfer-dude?? I shall refrain from commening about Nambu (that pompadour still scares me!) Seeing the characters "re-imaged" like that once was more than enough!!!

Originally posted by Transmute Jun These comments were made by Jun Falkenstein in response to fan comments: You already have the characters looking like they do in the actual show, why do more of the same? I think it's fun to visually re-imagine them for a new audience, so long as the spirit of the characters remains recognizable.

Someone needs to send Ms. Falkenstein to Carolyn's site http://gatchonline.com//versions/versions_ova.htm and have her read "The Ugly", before she starts "re-imagining" the characters. Sheesh. What a nightmare.

true, some of those past re-imagining trials are soooo scary. Still I cannot wait to see the birds on the big screen! Hopefully RI will be their key changed character!!!

Same here, I can handle seeing RI without the weird helmet...

You already have the characters looking like they do in the actual show, why do more of the same? I think it's fun to visually re-imagine them for a new audience, so long as the spirit of the characters remains recognizable.

Just putting my two cents in. Frankly, I don't know what to make of these directors that they would veer the characters' looks away from the original vision. I don't mind them modernizing the costume a bit, but it should retain the simple stylishness of the original. What really makes me feel ill is changing the characters' appearance. Just look at the OVA. Ken is not the same without those big blue eyes and long hair. It wasn't Joe without those rugged good looks and I never could envision him as a redhead. And my God what did they do to Ryu?! The WORST was how they rendered Nambu. Personally, if any director in his/her right mind would want the fans of the original to watch their flick, just do a 3D rendition of the ORIGINAL characters. It's that simple. Which leads to a question: Did Tatsunoko Pro. COPYRIGHT the faces of the Kagaku Ninjatai? I find it strange that while anime/manga tend to have similar facial styles, NO ANIME/MANGA ARTIST was able to duplicate (for lack of a better term) the faces of the Kagaku Ninjatai. This is one of the reasons why I love them so much. They are truly unique, and were never duplicated.

Hi all!

Which leads to a question: Did Tatsunoko Pro. COPYRIGHT the faces of the Kagaku Ninjatai? I find it strange that while anime/manga tend to have similar facial styles, NO ANIME/MANGA ARTIST was able to duplicate (for lack of a better term) the faces of the Kagaku Ninjatai. This is one of the reasons why I love them so much. They are truly unique, and were never duplicated.

Yes, Tatsunoko copyrighted the faces of all the Gatchaman characters, along with the rest of the way they look. This means that no one else can exactly duplicate these characters for their own series without first receiving permission (Which Imagi has, in case you wondered, thanks to their buying the rights to do a movie based on the original "Gatchaman" TV series. What they do not have is a license that will allow them to copy elements from "Gatchaman II," "Gatchaman Fighter," or the "Gatchaman" OAVs), but it does not mean that another studio couldn't do characters that resembled them. As for why other studios haven't tried to duplicate the look, well, Sadao Miyamoto, the Animation Director for all three "Gatchaman" TV series, touched on this back at the 1998 GatchaCon, when he said: "What made "Gatchaman" a trendsetting animation compared to other shows in the 1970s, like "Devilman," and so forth, was its realism. We worked very hard to make it a realistic show. We wanted the audience to feel as if they were taking part in what was going on in the screen. And we wanted you to feel like you were right there. That's what I consider to be the most distinctive feature of the series. Also because the other studios, when looking at this animation production, were pretty flabbergasted with the results. But they figured that it was easier to watch it than to make it. It looked like it was a really tough series to make. It was very difficult, so..." I hope this helps! James

Originally posted by tatsunokofan Hi all!

Which leads to a question: Did Tatsunoko Pro. COPYRIGHT the faces of the Kagaku Ninjatai? I find it strange that while anime/manga tend to have similar facial styles, NO ANIME/MANGA ARTIST was able to duplicate (for lack of a better term) the faces of the Kagaku Ninjatai. This is one of the reasons why I love them so much. They are truly unique, and were never duplicated.

Yes, Tatsunoko copyrighted the faces of all the Gatchaman characters, along with the rest of the way they look. This means that no one else can exactly duplicate these characters for their own series without first receiving permission (Which Imagi has, in case you wondered, thanks to their buying the rights to do a movie based on the original "Gatchaman" TV series. What they do not have is a license that will allow them to copy elements from "Gatchaman II," "Gatchaman Fighter," or the "Gatchaman" OAVs), but it does not mean that another studio couldn't do characters that resembled them. As for why other studios haven't tried to duplicate the look, well, Sadao Miyamoto, the Animation Director for all three "Gatchaman" TV series, touched on this back at the 1998 GatchaCon, when he said: "What made "Gatchaman" a trendsetting animation compared to other shows in the 1970s, like "Devilman," and so forth, was its realism. We worked very hard to make it a realistic show. We wanted the audience to feel as if they were taking part in what was going on in the screen. And we wanted you to feel like you were right there. That's what I consider to be the most distinctive feature of the series. Also because the other studios, when looking at this animation production, were pretty flabbergasted with the results. But they figured that it was easier to watch it than to make it. It looked like it was a really tough series to make. It was very difficult, so..." I hope this helps! James

Yes, James! This really helped A LOT! Since Imagi actually has the permission of Tatsunoko Pro, I don't see any reason why the director would still have to do a re-imagining of the characters. Seriously, and the diehard Gatch fans I know here in the Philippines would agree with me, if the characters in the CGI flick won't look like they did in the original series, we definitely will not watch the movie.

James, once again I to your knowledge and insight! Thank you!!

James thank you!!! I think every fan agree's, you can touch it up to look more modern but don't mess with the characters to such a degree they look like strangers on screen playing out the Birdies. I understand reaching for a new audience, ssooo what, the new audience needs something different in the way the characters look to appreciate it, HELLO!!! No they don't, are they that out of touch with the way people get emotionally attached to shows?? And why they will then go and see the movie and rave about how good they brought the feel into of what they loved about the characters... The new will love the way they look now anyway, and its the current fans that bring in the new audience.

Well my first guess was Katse to change too. Which scares me. Here's my question, why fix something that is not broken? I for one like them as is. All we can do is hope Wendy still has her fingers in this one.

I wondered if she was talking about Katse as the one to change as well. As for up dating their wardrobe I am all for it, but I still want the wings, beaked helmets, weapons and skin tight uniforms. As for Civilian clothing - go more modern, I really do not need the numbered shirts as long as I can tell the characters from each other.

Originally posted by stardust Well my first guess was Katse to change too. Which scares me. Here's my question, why fix something that is not broken? I for one like them as is. All we can do is hope Wendy still has her fingers in this one.

ITA!!! Thats what I think.

Originally posted by clouddancer As for Civilian clothing - go more modern, I really do not need the numbered shirts as long as I can tell the characters from each other.

Maybe number hankies? Socks?

Originally posted by Transmute Jun

Originally posted by clouddancer As for Civilian clothing - go more modern, I really do not need the numbered shirts as long as I can tell the characters from each other.

Maybe number hankies? Socks?

No I like the idea of the numbered pendants used in the OAV's. If any number is required at all. Why do they need numbers, they know who is First, Second and Third in command and so do we. Why advertise?

Yeah CD I bet Joes tired of the Number 2 jokes from kids...