I'm reading Ennien's Prisoner of War, and I notice that Princess is referred to as 'Dove', and Jason as 'Hawk.' I haven't found those designations in the Hofius book (yet), and other fanfics have used 'Swan' and 'Condor.' Anyone know which is canon, and which is fanon? When I was watching it originally, I believe I figured Jason was costumed as a hawk or other raptor, but I don't remember what I thought Princess might be.

In Eagle Riders, the Bird Names are different. Hunter is the Hawk, Joe is the Falcon, Kelly is the Dove. Mickey and Ollie are still the Swallow and the Owl. As far as BOTP is concerned, though, in canon there are no bird names at all.

Well, it was pretty obvious that Mark was supposed to be an eagle. Tiny's bird affiliation is plain, as is Keyop (if you can get a look at his cape). Leaving Jason and Princess. Of course, if you get a look at her shadow, you know she's a swan. Leaving Jason as not very obvious. I doubt a condor would have occurred to anyone who didn't know the Gatch original. Thank you.

No - I would have used Hawk or Falcon for Jason myself.

If I recall, I was aware that Tiny was meant to be an owl, and that the shape of Mark's and Jason's visors resembled some kind of birds of prey, but I don't think I ever got further than that.

I use to think Jason was a Hawk back in the day.

I kinda got Mark was an Eagle, but I thought that Jason was a Falcon or a Hawk. We don't have Swallows here (not that I'm aware of) so I could never work out what Keyop was supposed to be... For some reason the best I could come up with was Hummingbird....

Keyop looks like one of those green ducks.

And now: where did the idea that Jason/Joe carries poisoned shuriken come from? I don't remember any references in Gatch to poison on the darts.

James will know for sure, of course, but I think the idea of poison is pretty clear just frmo the way the goons keel over from being hit with a single feather. After all, if they were just pointed tips, it would take a heck of a lot of them to kill a person.

And I believe that traditionally Shuriken were poisoned as well.

I also believe that shuriken used by ninjas were sometimes poisoned and sometimes not ... at least from what I can recall seeing in other films and anime. I also think that, in the case of non-poisonous shuriken, it is most important at what vital part of a body it is thrown so as to provoke a lethal injury.

I agree -I don't think any mention of poison is ever made in the series and that it's likely all fanon, based on the fact that Galactor goons hit with even one of Joe's shuriken seem to drop too quickly for it to be solely due to a piercing injury. Then again, a mere swipe from Ken's boomerang seems to kill them pretty quickly too! The "poison" assumption has always seemed logical to me though. If I used shuriken, I'd put poison in them!

I'll have to pay attention next time I watch some eps, but I think that the darts hit an artery or some other vital area whenever someone definitely dies. The show wasn't very graphic when people died. But you knew that they died.

I think a lot of us just took the designations from Gatch and applied them to BotP. There are fics that have Jason as the Hawk and Princess as the Dove. I just think its personal preference. In many of my BotP fics, I use both the call signs of G-1 through G-5 and the bird designations. I always hated the team using their first names over their bracelets.

Originally posted by Becky RockIn many of my BotP fics, I use both the call signs of G-1 through G-5 and the bird designations. I always hated the team using their first names over their bracelets.

Now that I agree with completely. In fact I don't have them call each other by first name any time they are in full UNIFORM, not just over their bracelets. Although there are a few times they will use their names when they are sure they are alone and then when the helmet is removed. Otherwise they maintain formality.

BTW: since watching Gatch I had/have converted G2's bird designation to Condor in my stories. But I had always thought of him as an Osprey - a large "dark" winged bird with a larger wingspan than most Hawks I knew. Or a vulture with its wingspan even larger than the eagle which I which I always imagined Jason's to be since he was taller than Mark. I knew Mark was an Eagle, Princess was a Swan, Tiny was an owl and Keyop was the swallow. Although Keyop's bird designation changed to Merlin after his disappearance (public death announcement) and then return.

Originally posted by UnpublishedWriter I'm reading Ennien's Prisoner of War, and I notice that Princess is referred to as 'Dove', and Jason as 'Hawk.' I haven't found those designations in the Hofius book (yet), and other fanfics have used 'Swan' and 'Condor.' Anyone know which is canon, and which is fanon?

Forgive the new guy here..... these books you speak of (Ennien & Hofius), what are they? I tried looking on the Gatchaman Goods Page for them but only found some OVA novels.

Correct me if I'm wrong, guys...but Ennien is another fanfic writer... and Jason Holfius wrote a book about "Battle of the Planets"...I have a copy...let's see if I can find a link...

Holfius' Book I highly recommend it!

Oh....... I'm sorry, still learning here. I only knew that as the "Guide Book" and I have to admit I'm terribble when having to give authors credit. I always felt that I gave the book credit, that automatically gives the author credit so...... But yeah, was wondering about that book. Thanks! And what are these fanfics or fics... is that like a blog or something?

Not to worry Wade!! Fanfic is an amateur work of fiction based on an existing movie, TV show, book, etc. If you look at the threads here, you will find tht a lot of us write fanfiction - and usually under the name we post here as (eg: Madilayn, Transmute Jun, Green, etc.) The largest Gatchaman / Battle of the Planets collection is at Gatchafanfic.com . One of the largest fanfic collections on the net is at Fanfiction.net and many of us are archived there as well. You will find fanfic there at: BotP Fanfic and Gatchaman Fanfic You will find tht most of us have a preferred incarnation of the team that we prefer to write about and rarely deviate - usually it is the incarnation we are most familiar with. Those of us who do write in different incarnations (eg: Gatch and BotP) tend to do so becuse the idea of the fic suits one or the other. One of the terms to watch for in fanfic is Slash or Yaoi. This means that there is a male homosexual pairing in the story. The term goes back to the late sixties and Star Trek when fandom really kaboomed and there were a lot of Kirk/Spock fics written - and the "slash" came from the slash between the pairing name. Another term is Ship - short for relationship. Eg: Mark/Princess. Shippers are the fans who support that particular relationship (In the Harry Potter fandom, they go so far as to give the Ships actual names - for example in HP I ship Remus/Sirius and that ship has the name Wolfstar). Whenever you see names separated by a / then you know that there will be a relationship involved - but it's not always made clear in the description at first. Interestingly, the Gatch fandom is one where the Slash pairings are not really accepted by a lot of mainstream fans - it may be because so many of us grew up with it and see it as a childhood memory. It's also one of the few fandoms where explicit sexual description (smut!!) is frowned on by a number of fans (again - I think it's the childhood thing). You may have noticed from threads that some of us do tend to write a lot of smut and I know that I'm one of the few Gatch fan writers who will write a trio of Eagle/Swan/Condor. Fanfic quality tends to range from semi-professional standard of writing to absolute crap, however Gatch is one of the few fandoms I've come across that seems to have a consistently high standard - again I think it's because the writers are older. We're also better at staying in canon or, when we do break out, it's in a believable way. Canon and Fanon are another two terms you'll hear a lot. Basically - Canon is from information we are given in the show, or that comes from the original production house (eg: Tatsunoko for Gatchaman and Sandy Frank for BotP). The Jason Hofius book is considered Canon as the information he uses comes from these sources. As far as Eagle Riders and G-Force Guardians of Space, then canon for them would come from the shows, plus the Turner Group and Saban respectively. Fanon is sort of established lore that the fans have come to consensus on. Examples of this are the bird designations from Gatchaman being applied to BotP. Another popular fanon is that Jason is Italian - simply because Joe is and we know absolutely nothing about Jason's parentage. Fanon is the supposed relationship between Ken and Jun. In Gatchaman - unlike in BotP - there was no REAL hints of any mutual romantic attachment (perhaps James can correct me on this??). In BotP however, a mutual attraction between Mark and Princess is canon because it's mentioned a number of times. Fanon is that they don't act on it (although there is debate on that as well). I hadn't intended to be this long winded, but I wanted to give you some help understanding what you've gotten yourself into.

Starting to read Fanfics is what brought me into this world of forums. After Reading Springie, TJ, Maddy's and a few others fics at the time I then discovering they were "chatting" over here, so I decided to join in. Since then I have been hooked.

Nice summary, Maddy. Another big fanon is Jason being Spectran. I think that may have two possible origins: Joe being the child of Galactor and the comic books blending the two universes.

No, no, Maddy, that was awesome. Didn't realize how popular that sort of writing was. That's pretty cool. Don't know if I'd be any good at it.... Have enough problems just trying to figure out my thoughts here

Originally posted by WadeInLincoln Don't know if I'd be any good at it.... Have enough problems just trying to figure out my thoughts here

That's what beta readers are for, Wade. You never know if you don't give it a chance. I ended up taking a short fiction seminar in college because I got into writing fanfiction. Before that all I wrote were analytical or expository essays.

A great explanation, Maddy! And don't give up, Wade! I've managed to write one fic of my own just because I've got hooked up by the ability of others and had a great beta (to whom I've given a lot of work!)! I don't deem it of a high standard but I literally enjoyed myself writing it apart from being satisfied by my final accomplishment! Just take your time and get oriented ... you'll see things coming up naturally!

ITA! And you've got a supportive group here to back you up!

Great explanation, Maddy!! I think most of us started off apprehensive to writing and (even more terrifying!) posting our fics. But, as I'm sure you've come to discover, the people in the Gatch fandom are very supportive. Also, as Maddy mentioned, if you have a good beta reader, it really makes a difference. They'll make you stretch as a writer. Most, if not all of us, started with fics we'd rather not dwell on... My first fic- Ugh! I don't think I've read it since the day I posted it. It's really not that good... I know I've come a long way since then, thanks to some very special people on this board (you know who you are!). When you feel comfortable, give it whirl. It may not be today or tomorrow, or even next month. But once you feel comfortable in the fandom, and the characters, you'll see that writing really isn't so bad. Just be careful though... Fic writing is like eating potato chips... Once you start, you may not be able to stop! Now where's my pen and all those scraps of paper I wrote all my plot bunnies on????

Originally posted by amethyst Nice summary, Maddy. Another big fanon is Jason being Spectran. I think that may have two possible origins: Joe being the child of Galactor and the comic books blending the two universes.

I think that also comes from Jason's hair. Most of the Spectran goons had the same hair color and length.

And also the very odd shape of his eyes.

I figured that people had made Jason Spectran (in whole or in part) either as part of equating him more closely with Joe, or because of his appearance (or even both). If you went by eye-shape, Jason and Mala could be the same family (siblings or cousins) or species. Wade, when you read the fanfics, you'll find that most of the writers were quite imaginative in their additions to the characters. Both Gatch and BotP left a great deal to fill in, and people took off running. It's that odd relationship between Ken and Jun that's behind the fics depicting the mighty Eagle as completely clueless with women -- especially a certain Swan. Are they just friends, or is there more to their feelings? (Read through some of the older threads. You'll learn some amazing things about the original show and the plans for it.)

I haven't had a chance to check these fics out yet.... I'm thinking that maybe I should wait until finishing up the original series before putting too many other stories in my head. That being said, I am curious. Are these strictly writing exercises? Or do some participants add artwork along with their submittals? Is all artwork just simply put in the gallaries? Here's why I'm asking.... I caught my daughter the other day drawing pictures of Jun. "IF" I was to submit something it would have to be more of a joint effort (daddy/daughter) in a comic book-type format. Is there a place for that kind of venture? So yeah, I've been looking into getting the Guide Book, errrrr Hofius book (I'm getting there) but I see on the Goods Pages that there is the original 2002 print and a 'revised' 2003 print. According to the description the covers are supposed to be different but the pictures they show are not. It probably doesn't matter and I will probably end up with each print someday but if you are looking at a picture from an auction site, is there anyway to tell the difference between the two editions besides asking for the year? OK. I think I better stop asking questions now. What am I up to? 5 or 6 questions in one reply.... sorry

Originally posted by WadeInLincoln Here's why I'm asking.... I caught my daughter the other day drawing pictures of Jun. "IF" I was to submit something it would have to be more of a joint effort (daddy/daughter) in a comic book-type format. Is there a place for that kind of venture?

I think you can definitely scan the pictures you and your daughter draw and post them under "the Artists Pallette" Forum. We would be very glad to see them! You can also join Gatchfanfic.com or other sites and post your drawings there creating your own album!

The answer to your question on fanfic/fan art really depends on the archive. Luckly, Cathrl set www.gatchfanfic.com with an archive so that both artist and writers can utilize the archive, some like TJ and Springie, have artwork included with their stories to enhance the narrative. And some like Wendy (Diinzumo [please have let me spelled that correctly]) have submitted comics to the the gallery. There are also other galleries and archives to, but the efiction script that gatchfanfic uses is one of the most user friendly and most of our active authors are posted there (except me as I've either been to busy or lazy to get me stories finished).

I would say the same thing as Marie Wade. Scan the pictures and post in a thread here. No need to go through the gallery. If you wish you could then post over at the archives that Amethyst mentions. In fact I very rarely visit the gallery on this forum - probably because I find it very hard to navigate through. I would not say any of the writing here were "exercises." At least I don't consider it an exercise like I had to do in high school or University, write about a certain topic, or stick to a certain amount of words. So saying, there are some fun writing challenges put forward here that are very like that. Maddy has just started a "drabble" exercise and we have done write a Christmas or Valentine themed challenge as well. Most writing here is done for fun - and seems to stem from "dreams" people have about our favourite birdies. There are some people who will write a fic based on a picture or draw a picture based on an event that happens in a story, but that is not usually the case. As for Jason Hofius' book. I was not aware of there being two different covers. I have the 2003 edition and I thought it was the same as the earlier edition. Perhaps some one can point James our Gatch Guru in this direction and he can fill us in further on this matter.

Originally posted by WadeInLincoln I haven't had a chance to check these fics out yet.... I'm thinking that maybe I should wait until finishing up the original series before putting too many other stories in my head.

You probably should finish watching Gatchaman before reading any fanfics. Many of the fics reinterpret elements of the show, or expand on incidents, or reinterpret various characters. TJ has an interesting take on Red Impulse. Others have worked with Berg Katse, or various members of the team. If you miss BotP, there's Veoh, where all 85 episodes are posted -- in the wrong order. (If I wrote about this to you already, forgive me. I don't remember if I did, or in which thread.) And somewhere here is a list I made up of the episodes in their intended viewing order. Over on Gatchfanfic, I'm posting BotP episode reviews, with Gatch summaries. I'm not kind to Zark.

Originally posted by clouddancer I would not say any of the writing here were "exercises."

I had a feeling my ignorance in the correct terminology might offend.... was not my intent. Believe me, felt like I was typing across eggshells on that last post. Because you all seem so embedded and then here comes this "former lurker" (wtf ??? just found this place a few days ago) poking his nose in everyone's business. Again sorry. And Thanks again all.... I will be looking into some of those ideas that were mentioned here in the near future

Wade - it's very hard to offend us - and we will never be offended if a mistake is made through ignorance. Have fun - that's the main thing. We like new fans - we cherish them. *eyes start to glaze* We will love you and pet you and call you George..... Erm... where was I.... Remember - we were all new once and have all dropped clangers (come to that - we all still do when we're not really thinking about what we're saying). I know what I found hardest was the fact that in this fandom, with many incarnations of the same team, that a lot of terms are used because that's what the writer is familar with regardless of whather it suits the particular team. You get used to it and we all tend to understand what people mean anyway. Personally - I love that there seems to be a resurgence in fans from both the TVC game and also the buzz around the (now sadly seeming defunct) movie. Bring it on! We need new people to corrupt!

Wade, I did not intend to offend you or to send a tone that made you feel like I was. The only way to learn is to ASK those questions. Trust me I went through the same feelings when I first arrived here, I think we all do/did. Especially those of us who have never encountered such things as forums or the internet before - like I was.

Wade, we are not at all offended! We love to see new people, and we're happy to explain what we do to someone who is eager to listen!

Wade, no offense is taken! We know and understand how you feel - we all started off as "newbies" to the fandom and had a lot to learn! So, no worries with asking questions and please don't feel like you're walking on eggshells. We really do enjoy imparting our knowledge to others!! For reading the fics, I agree with UW. It's probably easier (and less confusing) to watch the series first, then start reading the fics. There are so many takes, deviations, additions, and other plot twists along the way in the fics that it might confuse you as to what is fanon and what is canon. Oh, and if you haven't done so yet, don't watch Gatch, then the corresponding BoTP ep right after it. I did that, and wow, that was a mistake... Just because the stories are so different. After a few eps I stopped watching the corresponding BoTP eps, and finished the Gatch series, then a couple months later picked up on BoTP again. That worked much better as I didn't keep comparing each ep/story to the original Gatch one. It really helped me see BoTP as it's own stand-alone series/storyline, as it is. For writing, the one big thing we all remember and have in common is that we write because we enjoy it. If writing isn't your thing, and drawing is, then by all means, do that. If you prefer to take your daughter's drawings and write to them in comic-style, then do that. Whatever it is that you enjoy and will make you happy is what you should do. We'll follow along with whatever you do. In this fandom, no matter how you decide to creatively express yourself, you'll always have followers - and a few fans too!

There's always a learning curve when entering a new forum/fandom. I was active in the Harry Potter fandom for years before finding this place. I've found, and I think everyone will agree, that this is one of the friendliest and easy going fandoms on the web. Perhaps because we are just a great bunch of people, or because we need to be because we all grew up with different incarnations of the same show. Some of us have seen every possible version, some have come here only knowing one or two and quickly trying to catch up on the others.

Funnily enough - I first met Amethyst through the Harry Potter fandom!

Okay, Madilyn, now I need to know your HP fandom name, because, yes I did have a few friends down there. If you don't want to share publicly, please message me. And I do hope that if I ever processed any HP stories that I was polite (I didn't go ballistic on too many, but there have been a few).

I wrote there as Madilayn as well - and use it on the Fiction Alley boards as well. Mostly I wrote Remus/Sirius smut (why yes - I do seem to have this whole smut theme going on). (anybody who wants to read - look at my ff.net or my aff.net list of fics.) I can't remember where I first encountered you in HP - but I do remember that we both commented on it one time at Clubhouse. Possibly through ff.net.

Okay, Cool! I read some on FA, and may have reviewed one of your stories. It's also possible if you uploaded anything to E&S at Sycophant Hex I may have admined one of your stories. As for discussion forums, I usually went to WIKKT and LnLS hanging with Granger/Snape crowd. (And now a bunch of people are reading this asking for eye-bleach and wondering to what agency I should be reported). We might have even met at Lumos if you made the Las Vegas HPEF convention.

Wade - you can't offend us! We've all been in your place and know exactly how you feel. I think many people here have come from forums that haven't been so kind (I was lucky - I found this one first) and so they go out of their way to be welcoming and friendly to newbies like us. Yes! I still class myself as a newbie as the depth of knowledge these wonderful people here have about our favourite birdies is unmatched and just blows me away. Ask any questions you have and don't walk on eggshells when doing so! You might get ten different answers, but everyone here will respect whichever one you choose to subscribe to. If you do go down the road of fic writing or drawing - or even both - you'll find that any new work here is pounced on with joy. No one will shred you because they don't like it, or it's not their thing, or they don't understand what you were trying to do. I certainly can attest to the support and the patience of Gatchamanics!

Originally posted by clouddancer Wade, I did not intend to offend you or to send a tone that made you feel like I was.

No worries here. It's just that I was realizing how important this all is to the group. And when people put their heart and soul into something, they normally don't appreicate some outsider making silly comments. I'm not here to ruin anyone's day. I'm just here to catch up on some of the ten years a lot of you other fans have on me. I got a lot of questions yet so don't expect the board to slow down any time soon.

10 years? Oh wow, Wade, while some of us have been active in the fandom for that long or longer, many of us are just re-entering. For myself, I had only hear of Gatchaman in passing and had not seen BotP since my sophomore year in high school until last year. I was unfortunate enough to discover GoS around 1995 and while I recognized everything from the characters to the plot and animation the whole thing seemed wrong and for the life of me I just couldn't understand why Ted Turner went from colorizing classic movies to bastardizing my favorite cartoon. I've seen some Gatchaman II episodes through the internet. Gatchaman F screen caps and summaries. And only a few summaries of Eagle Riders (I wonder if I'm lucky on that part, I might have the same reaction as I did to GoS).

Wade, I am not even sure if this site is 10 years old. I think the oldest registered members here are Cep and Berg Katse, just because they are owners or administrators (or something like that on this site). That is not to say others were at other sites and then arrived here more recently, and they may have known about the Gatch world for 10 years. I would say that those of us you see here most frequently right now have been around for only 3-4 years at the most and don't worry about how new you are we always enjoy fresh ideas and new opinions about things. And asking questions lets us review old fun topics .... we LOVE talking about our favourite heros. BTW .... if you check under our avatar pictures you can see when we registered at this site.

Hi all! Though some of us have been a fan of this series since 1978 and active as part of this fandom since it got started in America in 1979. I'm so old... James

James said much better what I was trying to say. And James you are only worldly old, not physically old .... anyone who enjoys Gatch can never get old physically. At least that is what I keep telling myself.

Originally posted by tatsunokofan I'm so old... James

Ah, cheer up James! You're younger than my husband, and men are like wine, brandy, or scotch: they get better with age!

Don't feel that way, James! Once you still feel young at heart, you'll never grow old! And knowing that you're a Gatchaman fan like all of us is the proof, just like CD said! At least that's what I keep telling myself also! LOL, for us, our Gatchaman characters always stay in their teens or early twenties in our minds ... why can't we remain at the same age also?! And Wade, don't be put off to ask questions or enter into discussions because you feel uncertain of what to say or think that you're offending someone! Like the others have just said, we were all newbies at the beginning! I'm still feeling as one myself even if I'm nearing a year on this board! There are so many great people around with great talents! Just join in and help to expand these talents! Everyone is always welcome!

Originally posted by tatsunokofan Hi all! Though some of us have been a fan of this series since 1978 and active as part of this fandom since it got started in America in 1979. I'm so old...

Old but smexy! We love you, James!

Wade, I watched BotP when it first appeared and heralded what could be called the second anime invasion. It was through an article in a magazine that I learned that it had an original series. Then, one fine day, I was in Best Buy, and there was the Gatchaman box set. Which I bought post-haste. Along with the other eight. So I'm not quite as obsessed as the others (although, when I get my finances in order, I'll see about that BotP set with all 85 eps and some extras). Oh, and enjoy watching Gatch! Unless you've been reading some of the back-posts here, you are in for a few surprises. (Hint: my avatar is Katse unmasked.)

James, what matters is that you are "young at heart"! And we wouldn't have it any other way!

Hi Wade. I'm assuming most of the group is between 35-45 with the occassional slightly older , like myself.

I was about 16. Do the math. I'm ancient.

Well I first saw it back in '78. Been hooked every since I rediscovered it back in early 2000. I never figured out how I could forget my favorite cartoon as a kid!

I was 8 when it first came to the US. And UW, if you find the complete series of BotP let me know! I've only seen about a quarter of the episodes available on DVD.

Madman in Australia (the best sets to get) has them all except Collection 1. You can also find them on ebay.com.au I'm keeping an eye out for Collection 1 - if one comes up I'll post it on the board here. As for age - I was 12 and fell in love with it from the start! For some reason, though, I never saw the whole series in one it - it took me two showings to see all the episodes. Funnily enough, some years later when it was shown again on Aussie telly and I was working (this would be about 1985) I saw the episode "The Fierce Flowers". Went to work - and the quote on the desk calendar was "When all else is lost, the future still remains". For some reason, that really resonated with me with that episode - and with the followiong "Destructin of Space Centre" ones as well.

Cool Thanks Maddy? What DVD region is Australia?

It's region 4 - so you'd need a DVD free DVD player - or the ability to strip the region off the DVD. TJ recommended AnyDVD and Clone DVD on another thread - and I'd certainly second that. When Madman released the BotP set, they partnered with Jason Hofius as one of the producers, so if you're going to buy any BotP this is the one to get. The extras are basically Jason's book on DVD, as well as lots of pictures and interviews. One of my favorites was the commentary for "Race into Disaster" (the Lucy episode), with Janet Waldo and Ronnie Schell. Ronnie Schell admitted he'd never actually watched the series but by the end of the episode he was saying he's now a fan!

I've got the first three - Got the first one off EBay! Some idiot actually put it up for sale....

What I meant by the '10 years of gatching up' was from a collector's standpoint. The English ADV DVDs coming out almost 5 years ago Comic book series 8 years ago Action figures, models, books, CDs, etc. mostly seem to have out in the last 10 years... even thou there's earlier stuff then that. Websites are down or they've been a long time since updated. All this makes me believe that I missed the bandwagon and I'm coming in on the tail end of all this..... unless the movie does happen to make its way to the big screen, then I will be ahead of the curve. But I'm getting closer to finishing the Gatchaman series and maybe getting started on my shared project.... ordered Gatchaman volumes 5,6, and 7 today

Good luck, Wade! And Becky ... you managed to make me feel young when stating the age group earlier! I would be one of the youngest here, then! I will turn 35 in two days' time and I too am thinking that I'm growing old ... rather fast! But deep inside I'm still a young child! That's what counts!

I have the whole BOTP series on dvd. I also have the Aussie set too. I can probably help ya out.

Originally posted by gatchamarie But deep inside I'm still a young child! That's what counts!

I agree! When people ask me how old I am I always ask if they want the years I've been alive or my mental age. You'd be surprised how many people don't even blink before saying 'years'.

Originally posted by WadeInLincoln All this makes me believe that I missed the bandwagon and I'm coming in on the tail end of all this.....

FWIW, at Comic Con last year, there seemed to be a lot of people just discovering Gatchaman because of the Tatsunoko vs. Capcom game that was only released 2 months ago. We've had a few (wonderful) people join our site because of that game! So you're right in with that.

Wade, I have the most of the comics saved in file form on my computer if you have a comic book reader program. . . .

Hi all! Perhaps I should point out that my comment regarding being old was not so much in regards to chronological age as it was in regards to years spent active in this hobby, which is what WadeInLincoln, amethyst, and clouddancer were commenting on just prior to my post. In that regards, I am fairly old. Most of you watched the show as kids, moved onto other things when it left the air, then rediscovered it years later when you were adults. For me, it's been a solid run as a fan that starts with my watching the premiere of BotP in September of 1978 and continues unbroken to the present. That's a heck of a lot longer than the 10 years as a fan that WadeInLincoln used as a scale in the hobby. In regards to his comment that the hobby began exploding about 10 years ago, he's not too far off, at least from a non-Japanese perspective. On December 4, 2000, the first volume of "Battle of the Planets" was released on home video in the U.K.. This was the first piece of official BotP merchandise to be released since the 1980s, and was the start of the wave of merchandising that followed over the next few years. That run hit its peak in the summer of 2002, and slowly abated over the next couple of years. Now it enjoys momentary bumps in popularity that coincides with things like the ADV DVD release, the announcement of the movie by Imagi, and the release of Tatsunoko Vs. Capcom. In Japan, Gatchaman hit its peak during the original runs of the three series, which is sort of a given. Even during the period between the first and second series, Gatchaman merchandise was still available with some regularity (Some of these were new items, while others were reissues of older items that continued to sell well). Once Gatchaman Fighter left the air in 1980, new Gatchaman items all but dried up for a while. It wasn't until the mid-1980s that Gatchaman merchandise began creeping back out, marketed mostly for nostalgia purposes aimed at teen and young adults who had enjoyed the series as kids (This included things like pencil boards, cassette labels, and telephone cards). This trend grew and hit is peak in the mid-to-late 1990s, when Gatchaman joined the ranks of many older anime series as being "retro-cool." This led to items aimed at adults who remembered the show (Such as Zippo lighters), and at teens who found the nostalgia wave to be fashionable (And who would but the exclusive Gatchaman apparel at the trendy As Know As clothing store in Harajuku). This was also the time when anime series of the 1960s and 1970s were being tapped as themes for prizes in the extremely popular crane game machines, leading to a slew of Gatchaman and/or Tatsunoko character merchandise. And, of course, the home video market exploded onto the scene, allowing fans to buy the three series numerous times over in laser disc and DVD formats (As well as scattered episodes from the first series that were available on VHS at different points). A Blu-ray release hasn't been announced yet, but you know it's just a matter of time. The amount new Gatchaman merchandise in Japan has slowed down quite a bit from what it was like 10~15 years ago, but there are still new items appearing, like the crane game Ken and Joe figures, the Boomerang memory stick, and the cell phone chargers that Taito released last year, and items released in conjunction with both releases of Tatsunoko Vs. Capcom. Yes, these are mostly aimed at a nostalgia market, but it's still not bad for a show that wrapped production 30 years ago. (Yes, I know I'm leaving out the OAVs. But, frankly, they did almost nothing to raise interest in the series) James

Thanks James!!! That was a real cool Cliff-Notes version of the last 30 years. No, wait.... that was "retro-cool". I've never heard that phrase before but I love it!!! Cell phone chargers??? Really??? Amethyst, I appreicate it. But I think got everything comic wise.... Battle Book, 1/2 - 12, Mark/Jason one shots, Magna 1-3, Witchblade, Thundercats, Sketch Book, and Princess 1-6 [getting #6 was a pain in the...]. I still need... the Guide Book (which I've learned is called the Hofius Book here), Pin-Up Book, the Classic Issues Volume (original 1979 Gold Key comics 1-10) , and there's a couple different Art/Graffitti Books I've been eye-balling. I've been collecting comics off and on for years. Unfortunately I was "off" during the whole Top Cow era. Ran across a Top Cow looking thru some back issues at the local comic book store a couple of months back AND THAT's WHEN IT ALL HIT ME. Hey 72, might have to call you up on that Aussie set someday. I did find the 85 BotP on Veoh but eventually I'm gonna want to get the discs. It's too late for my kid (she's Gatch all the way) but if I ever get that grandchild (please let it be at least another 15 years) I'll probably want to start them up with BotP first..... "These are the cartoons grandpa used to watch" Yeah right, like am I ever going to grow up. 35? I remember 35 like it was 5 years ago (hint, hint)

Originally posted by tatsunokofan Hi all! Perhaps I should point out that my comment regarding being old was not so much in regards to chronological age as it was in regards to years spent active in this hobby, which is what WadeInLincoln, amethyst, and clouddancer were commenting on just prior to my post. In that regards, I am fairly old. Most of you watched the show as kids, moved onto other things when it left the air, then rediscovered it years later when you were adults. For me, it's been a solid run as a fan that starts with my watching the premiere of BotP in September of 1978 and continues unbroken to the present. That's a heck of a lot longer than the 10 years as a fan that WadeInLincoln used as a scale in the hobby. James

That's why you are our Guru, James! Thanks a lot for that superb info!

LOL, Wade! My kids like Gatch better too, because they watched it with me when I was first watching. Sometimes they watch BOTP or Eagle Riders, but it remains Gatchaman in their hearts and minds.

Hi all!

Cell phone chargers??? Really???

Yes, really. There were three different designs. They all came with a pair of connectors that work with two of the most popular cell phone models in Japan (The au type and the Soft Bank FOMA type connectors) From all appearances, they weren't a big draw in the crane game machine prize market. The figures and the memory sticks were far more popular.

(which I've learned is called the Hofius Book here)

More like nicknamed that, but there's no hard-and-fast rule in calling it that. Sadly, this book is now out of print. The publisher had a great sale on them last year, and I believe they sold their few remaining copies at the San Diego Comic Con last summer. It can still be found on Amazon, though.

there's a couple different Art/Graffitti Books I've been eye-balling.

If you have any questions about specific books, feel free to ask. And, just to make sure, you do know that there are two BotP Thundercats crossover comics, right? One is listed as "Battle of the planets/Thundercats," and the other is "Thundercats/Battle of the Planets." The two issues feature unrelated standalone stories. James

Yeah, never was a big ThunderCats fan. I believe they came out when I was in my mid to late teens and the show appeared to be too "child-ish" for my tastes at that time. Never really gave it much of a chance. I mentioned this on another thread and I don't believe it ever truly got answered.... There's 2 versions of the Hofius book. The 2002 first print, and then the 2003 Revised Edition. The Gatchaman Goods Pages website has both books listed but the pictures of the covers are the same, even though in the description it says they are different. Is there any way to tell the two editions apart from just looking at their covers? Have you ever ran into any information about "Ender's Game" concerning the BotP Top Cow comics? Just ran into this today. Supposably it was a final series of BotP comics that never got released due to the downfall of Top Cow. Wonder where these story boards are sitting today? Might be the Holy Grail of the BotP comic series. James, you seem to have WAY too much knowledge to be just a fan. Your last name wouldn't be Tatsunoko would it??? Just playing with you. And Thanks again.... always appreicated.

The one thing that can be said about James is that he is not just a fan! He is the Gatch Guru!

Hi all!

Is there any way to tell the two editions apart from just looking at their covers?

Nope, you got to look at the interior contents.

Have you ever ran into any information about "Ender's Game" concerning the BotP Top Cow comics?

I assume you're talking about the 2-issue wrap-up to the 12-issue regular BotP comic run that was solicted under the title "Coup de Gras" (And yes, I am well aware that this is spelled wrong, but that's how they solicited it). These comics weren't cancelled because of Top Cow collapsing (And have they collapsed? They were operating at least through the summer of 2009 that I'm aware of), they were cancelled because of a lack of orders for the first issue. There simply weren't enough people who wanted to buy it to make it worth the expense of creating and publishing it. The same fate befell the third digest volume as well. Anyway, my understanding is that the outline for the two issues of the comic were done, and perhaps the script for the first of the two issues was written, but no artwork was ever completed for it.

Might be the Holy Grail of the BotP comic series.

A greater holy grail would be the missing artwork for the 11th issue of the Gold Key comics -- at least for me. James

Man.... I really need to stop getting my information off the internet or at least find a second source before opening my mouth. That was some terrible 2nd hand knowledge I got Top Cow is alive and well. They even got a booth set up for the Con in Memphis, Tennessee this weekend. Wonder way I don't see any on the shelves of my local store??? Going to have to bring that up. Live and learn

More like, don't trust the first few things you come across. There's always the 'Search' bar. Maybe Top Cow has limited its distribution. If they were having sales troubles, it would be better to try for a more focused strategy.

Hi. I'm really new here, like only a few minutes. I have to admit that I'm not as up on all my information on the story line as I should be, I've only gotten back into the fandom in the last couple of months. I saw Clouddancer (hope I spelled that right) had said something way back on page one of this thread that Keyop had gone missing and was publicly declared dead. I need to know when this happened. Did I miss something somewhere? I have to confess that he's my favorite character. I'll duck now while people throw pulpy fruit and tomatoes at the crazy newby.

Originally posted by Garnet Hi. I'm really new here, like only a few minutes. I have to admit that I'm not as up on all my information on the story line as I should be, I've only gotten back into the fandom in the last couple of months. I saw Clouddancer (hope I spelled that right) had said something way back on page one of this thread that Keyop had gone missing and was publicly declared dead. I need to know when this happened. Did I miss something somewhere? I have to confess that he's my favorite character. I'll duck now while people throw pulpy fruit and tomatoes at the crazy newby.

Garnet, that is only in my verison of the BOTP Universe not in canon. My universe I have been playing with the characters for almost 30 years now, so I have taken liberties with the BOTP Universe and been discovering while on this board that I have added a lot that could be considered part of the Gatchaman Universe.

Okay. If I can stop double posting things would be a lot better. Now I'm curious about your universe, CD. I'd love to hear more about this. I have to confess, so far, I've been a BotP person, but I'm aware of some things from Gatch. But this whole idea is a new one and I'm fascinated. Do you have any fic out there in you universe. I love to read it. I've read so much fic lately that I may have seen some of yours, but they've started to blur a bit in my memory. Thanks.

You'll find a lot of fic writers in this fandom have their own take on the universe. Most of us do it to try to make sense of the holes and inconsistencies.

Originally posted by Garnet Okay. If I can stop double posting things would be a lot better. Now I'm curious about your universe, CD. I'd love to hear more about this. I have to confess, so far, I've been a BotP person, but I'm aware of some things from Gatch. But this whole idea is a new one and I'm fascinated. Do you have any fic out there in you universe. I love to read it. I've read so much fic lately that I may have seen some of yours, but they've started to blur a bit in my memory. Thanks.

Garnet I have posted three fics under my screen name of Clouddancer. If you have not read my work you can find me at: Gatchfanfic or Fanfic.net Two stories are from when the team are in their early teens and are in training. They are only touching the surface of my Universe. Since I have had the team, or more specifically Mark, wandering around in my head for 30 years I have developed quite an extensive world, bringing in different things that have interested me from my life, movies I have watched or books I have read. Mostly I have taken the Goody-Goody parts of BOTP and included the darker characteristics of Gatch and blended them all together. If you stick around here for long enough I am sure you will start to learn about my AU, since it is such a part of my life I tend to refer to my AU a lot in my posts. Whether people want to know about it or not.

Garnet, you've just stumbled across one of the joys of fanfic! Many of us wonder 'what if..?' and create fics around it. Or continue on with background meaning behind an episode,or explore what happened after that episode is over. It's just one of the fun things you can do when you're in control.