Opinion: the OAV is not canon for the Gatch series. It's a re-imagining of the series, so it's an AU (rather like the new version of Battlestar Galactica is a reimagining/AU of the original BSG). On that note: can we have some picture galleries for the characters from the OAV and the sequel series? With ID so that the non-obsessed can identify the characters? TJ tells me that Dr. Pandora is a gorgeous redhead, and I would like to see if my mental image (based on what I know of anime) comes anywhere close. Vehicles: Joe's car and Jun's motorcycle are too low slung to go off-road. They look cool, but they'd be torn apart or caught on the rough ground in real life. Ryu/Tiny need not be buff (although that is preferable). Think of Sammo Hung, Hong Kong action star. 250 pounds, moves like Jackie Chan (with whom he made a number of movies). Ran out of thoughts. 'See' you later.

Hi all!

Opinion: the OAV is not canon for the Gatch series.

I don't think anyone is going to argue with that.

TJ tells me that Dr. Pandora is a gorgeous redhead, and I would like to see if my mental image (based on what I know of anime) comes anywhere close.

You can see some pictures of Pandora in this thread: Here's to Dr. Pandora! James

My idea was a tad more stacked, and not quite so 1970s. Too many decades. (And what was that about shooting Nambu in the head?) Gel Sadra looked interesting. More like Berg Katse's kid than Pandora's (at least in profile). And I could not get to the fics. My computer did not like the zip files. I have trouble with zip files, because I'm not that sort of nerd.

Originally posted by UnpublishedWriter Ryu/Tiny need not be buff (although that is preferable). Think of Sammo Hung, Hong Kong action star. 250 pounds, moves like Jackie Chan (with whom he made a number of movies)..

I am not going to be one to disagree with you on Ryu/Tiny's looks. I think 250 and muscular (not over muscular), not over weight (or fat) is preferable. I think this image of Ryu drawn by Diinzumo is one of my Favs. and give a good impression.

And since it's oh-so-tempting, I'll plug my Eagle Riders site, where you can see a bunch of Gatch II/F screenshots. The episodes that introduced Dr. Pandora were 23 and 24. Eagle Riders Episode Guide For the OAVs, you can download the first episode for free (there are 3 episodes). Gatchaman OAV Download Oh shoot... going to that site it looks like they removed the episode. It's just the trailer now. At least you can get an idea. And of course, if you want to get other ideas of what the OAVs are like, you can watch these: Wanted Dead or Alive And my personal favorite: Gatchaman 94

I always think of Ryu/Tiny being very strong and more like a weightlifter than just overweight. He'd have to be fit to be on the team, why put someone on an elite team that's totally lazy and can't even run around the block.

When I first saw BOTP, I figured that Tiny was based on sumo wrestlers. I didn't know that much about Japan, and it seemed logical to me that sumo wrestlers (as large, physically powerful men) would be the model for strong men in the series. The BOTP version of Serigo Ruiz sort of confirmed it for me. Another big, strong, fellow who wasn't built on the Mr. Universe model.

I think the sumo wrestler idea is probably where the artists got their idea for Ryu's "structure" but honestly I do not think a sumo wrestler could run very fast or far. I know in the show they never really show Ryu running any distance, or leaving the Phoenix much - except on the RI island base, but I honestly believe he had to be able to keep up with the rest of the team to be able to remain a member. I like to think he was used as much more than just a driver who would sit and wait for the others to return, but then I am pulling this from my AU so I guess I can have him do what ever I want.

Saw the Gatchaman '94 short. Serious coolness factor on the vehicles and new uniforms/costumes for most of the characters. Still a bit on the sidelines on the Berg Katse outfit (aside from the new mask and over-cape). And is the 'Eyeball Tower' the Galactor base? It looks like the Galactor captains and goons are COMPETENT (or at least worthy foes). As for Ryu/Tiny: Sumo wrestlers are not known for long-distance running, but you can say the same for bodybuilders. It is the type. Maybe Ryu can't run a marathon, but he could be that fellow who could outlast the marathon runner in the long term. He strolls across the finish line, well past the runner who has collapsed from exhaustion.

Hi all!

And is the 'Eyeball Tower' the Galactor base?

No, that's the redesign for X. James

Originally posted by UnpublishedWriter Serious coolness factor on the vehicles and new uniforms/costumes for most of the characters. Still a bit on the sidelines on the Berg Katse outfit (aside from the new mask and over-cape). And is the 'Eyeball Tower' the Galactor base? It looks like the Galactor captains and goons are COMPETENT (or at least worthy foes).

I always call the OAVs the 'LOTR treatment for Gatchaman'. Beautiful, gorgeous (except for Nambu)... and plain and flat with one dimensional characters.

Originally posted by Transmute Jun I always call the OAVs the 'LOTR treatment for Gatchaman'. Beautiful, gorgeous (except for Nambu)... and plain and flat with one dimensional characters.

ITA with you on your comment regarding Dr Nambu here! I just couldn't accept his new image! Jun was beautiful but I was disappointed in not seeing her gorgeous, long, dark hair!

Hi all!

ITA with you on your comment regarding Dr Nambu here! I just couldn't accept his new image!

It could have been worse -- here's an early design sketch for the OAV Nambu. The man was doomed from the start to have a bad hair day. At least this suit might have ended up being better looking than the poor man's Doctor Who outfit that he ended up wearing... James

Oh my God, Nambu has Jun`s haircut.

I agree with you, James, regarding Dr Nambu's suit! At least it would have somehow upgraded his appearance! As for the hair, no comment! But wait ... you're right, Yul, it is Jun's haircut!

I'd rather had Nambu look like that in the OAVs. Except for the haircut, which looks more like a wig, his clothes look more like the original version (to read: normal) At least his glasses have earpieces!

Only Jon Pertwee could carry off the 3rd Doctor's look, and not come across as gay or ridiculous. Wonder if they were inspired by that? Leader X as a giant eyeball in a tower? I suddenly prefer the bird-head.

I agree that the design James posted for Dr. Nambu is far better than what they ended up with!

And they could have changed the hair. After all, that's a concept sketch. Which orignal series characters did Amano design? Any doodles available?

Originally posted by tatsunokofan Hi all!

ITA with you on your comment regarding Dr Nambu here! I just couldn't accept his new image!

It could have been worse -- here's an early design sketch for the OAV Nambu. The man was doomed from the start to have a bad hair day. At least this suit might have ended up being better looking than the poor man's Doctor Who outfit that he ended up wearing... James

Wow I think Sally Jessie Raphael when I see that, or maybe someone from the middle ages.

Originally posted by UnpublishedWriter And they could have changed the hair. After all, that's a concept sketch. Which orignal series characters did Amano design? Any doodles available?

I believe James has said Jun, Katse, and Nambu were Amano. I'm sure James has more resources, but I scanned some of his Tatsunoko doodles from one of his books I bought. http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Dx0YLTfl_F8j31YjiWuk8w?feat=directlink http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/DGMZdL-xu0v7_oa_kEGtvw?feat=directlink

Yeah, I sort of figured Katse (especially after that pic of Halicarnassus). And there's Dr. Nambu, in that one-hand-on-the-desk pose we know from the series. Jun is so cute!

Hi all!

Which orignal series characters did Amano design? Any doodles available?

Most of Amano's Character Design work on the series came in the form of guest characters for individual episodes, not the main characters. Amano is usually credited with having done initial designs for Jun, Nambu, and Katse, but this assumption doesn't hold up to close scrutiny. Regardless, even if Amano did some of the early designs, the final designs for all the main Gatchaman characters came from the hand of Tatsuo Yoshida. I've never seen any Amano Gatchaman sketches. The only sketches I've seen are are some of Yoshida's early concept drawings. James

Hi all!

I scanned some of his Tatsunoko doodles from one of his books I bought.

Those images from the Amano book "Imagine" are the main reason why people assume Amano did Jun, Nambu, and Katse. Unfortunately, taking a closer look at the book recently revealed that there's nothing there that states that Amano did their designs. The descriptions by the drawings are just basic character write-ups, not notes from Amano about creating them. The images in that section are associated with a roundtable discussion with Amano and several other animators and designers (Mitsuki Nakamura and Chuichi Iguchi immediately leap to mind), but during the interview itself, the only discussion regarding Gatchaman surrounded Nakamura's work on the God Phoenix, not the characters. The images in that section relate to TV series that are mentioned in the interview, but not specifically to those that Amano designed. James

Originally posted by Cain Highwind Wow I think Sally Jessie Raphael when I see that, or maybe someone from the middle ages.

Poor OAV Dr. Nambu -he was indeed doomed to have a bad hair day! For me, it's even stranger. I think of this particular family photo. The baby is my grandfather and the boy -that really is a boy- beside him with this same unfortunate hairstyle is his brother, around 1908.

Oh, LB, that's so cute ... a treasure of a photo! If you didn't specify that the older boy was your grandfather's brother I would have sweared that it was a girl in the photo! Even the clothing misled me!

I guess Nambu goes for a classic hairstyle! Great picture, LB!

Hi all! Looking into Amano's work on Gatchaman was something that I had intended to do more of after recently looking at the "Imagine" book a little closer, along with numerous other things on the "To do" list. Because the topic has come up, I did some more digging around just to see what I could find. In the video interview with Amano that came with the DVD of the Gatchaman movie, he states right off the bat that he was not involved with the designs for the main characters, but that he created the secondary guest characters once the series started. Since it comes right from his own lips, I'd tend to believe him. This just goes to prove something I've found to be a very good idea regarding this series -- double and triple check everything, especially if it came from the earlier days of this fandom. More than one long-held belief has been proven wrong this way, and this is now one of them. Until I had looked through "Imagine" again, I too had believed Amano worked on Jun, Nambu, and Katse. But that process of double checking things showed the flaws, and deeper research has proven the error. Well, now we know! Anyway, if you want to see early Gatchaman design sketches, you need to look for the work of Tatsuo Yoshida, not Yoshitaka Amano. James

Old photo: I've seen photographs from the 19th Century and early 20th Century, and many boy children wear short pants until they're old enough for long pants. In my copy of 'The Annotated Lovecraft' is a picture of an infant H.P. Lovecraft, who looks like a little girl. I swear, he has a Prince Valiant 'do and a dress. Too bad about the character designs. But maybe some of the cooler CotWs were Amano's.

Hi all!

Too bad about the character designs. But maybe some of the cooler CotWs were Amano's.

He likely did. In the interviews I looked through, he didn't mention too many specific designs he created. He said that much of it was a blur, because he was working on Casshan at the same time. The only specific designs that came up were during a discussion between Amano and Kunio Okawara, where they referred to some of the designs that they collaborated on. These included the Mummy Giant from episode #3, where Amano did the Iron Beast in his mummy form and when he lost his bandages, while Okawara did the designs for the interior mechanism. Amano also did the rough design for Mecha-Buttha in #58 and the Stewardess form of the Stewardess Rocket from #43, with Okawara handling how she transformed into a rocket. Amano also did the designs for Dr. Ogawara and Nakamora from episode #59 (Whose names, but not their appearances, were based off of Okawara and Mitsuki Nakamura, the two Mechanical Designers for Gatchaman). And is there something wrong with Tatsuo Yoshida having done the designs? I happen to think that he was a very talented artist. James

Originally posted by UnpublishedWriter In my copy of 'The Annotated Lovecraft' is a picture of an infant H.P. Lovecraft, who looks like a little girl. I swear, he has a Prince Valiant 'do and a dress.

"Prince Valiant 'do" -that's it! No wonder Cain thought Nambu's hair looked medieval. Wasn't Lovecraft from New England? My grandfather's family was in Connecticut -maybe that style for boys was especially popular in New England? I can see the practical advantage to keeping small children of both genders in dresses though -easier to get at the diapers for changing.

The OAV Nambu shows several hundred good reasons why the employment of a Stylist for some people is essential. And it's so obvious that he hasn't had much time with the team - can you imagine a female letting him go out looking like that!