Hi everybody, this is Brian Jepson, the guy that did the voice of Joe Asakura for the entire series of Gatchaman as released by ADV a few years ago. Well, I happened to be searching for info about the release of the Gatchaman OAV's when I came across this little hotbed of Gatchaman fans! Once I found it, I knew that I had to register, if only to say hello. I actually 'met' Transmute Jun over on another website, the RPF, and found her review of the new release of the OAV's while I was searching. She hooked me up with CEP, I believe his name is, and he got me registered. Now here I am! I look forward to chatting with y'all in the future and reading about what all of you think about our beloved, groovy, favorite 70's Animé show. I loved watching Battle of the Planets back when I was a kid in the 70's, so I was super excited to be cast as the coolest member of the Science Ninja Team (apologies to those that love Ken.) Recording all of those episodes was a sheer pleasure and I still feel fortunate to have been able to be a small part of all the fun. Who knows, maybe they'll need an English dub for the live action movie! So, hello to all and I'm glad I found you. Brian

and We can be a bit crazy , but mostly harmless (I think)

Glad you're joining us! I hope you'll be able to join in often. Now that the more formal bit's out of the way.... AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!! I'm okay...I'm okay....I just need a minute to pull myself back into my chair.... Sorry 'bout that....I'm, uh, recovering from surgery....I'm sure that won't happen again....

Great to see that you made it over here, Brian! You definitely came to the right place to find Gatchaman love! You may have noticed that many of us are grouped into 'tribes'. Right now there are 59 Eagles and 57 Condors... so it seems like they're running neck and neck for 'coolest member of the ninja team'. I have to say that it's awesome that so many of you on the ADV cast were fans of the show (in some form or another) before being asked to do the voiceover dubs. It just makes the whole thing feel that much more connected! And as an aside, you have a terrific voice! I can always hear Condor Joe in my head, because it's such a distinctive sound, and so right for the character.

Thanks for the warm welcome, and thanks, Jun, for the compliment on my voice. If you ever need a voicemail from Joe, let me know! It's pretty much just my normal speaking voice with some bad-assery thrown in for good measure. I loved the old cartoon back in the 70's, even our old friend 7 Zark 7! I was , and am, a big Star Wars fan, so anything that was like R2D2 back then was cool with me. Of course, I prefer the uncut Gatchaman now, but I have fond memories of the old cartoon on TV. Speed Racer was also a big favorite for me. I still wish that I had a Mach 5.

Many of us here are also kids who grew up on Battle of the Planets. I have to admit though, that even as a kid, I didn't like Zark! The whole R2D2 thing totally went over my head back then. Strangely, I recall as a kid thinking how Zark wasn't 'the real show', and I didn't learn how right I was about that until I was an adult, and discovered Gatchaman. My other big 70s TV love was the Adam West Batman reruns. I would watch them every day, right after Battle of the Planets! Not as good, but of course Batman would always be colored by the 'afterglow' of BOTP. What's very strange is watching BOTP now, and remembering how it felt watching those same episodes as a kid. Now my kids are big fans... of Gatchaman! They can't stand Zark and wonder why I'd ever watch BOTP in favor of Gatchaman. But it definitely has that sentimental pull, even if (IMHO) Gatchaman is the better show.

Yeah, poor old Zark. I haven't played much of Gatchaman for my 3 1/2 year old yet, but he's seen a little clip on YouTube. It's a scene where Joe is firing every bird missile in the ship, against Ken's warnings, of course. He loved it. I can't wait until both of my boys are older so that they can see, and hopefully like, the show. I also used to like Star Blazers, but I haven't seen that since I was a kid. I also loved, and still love the Adam West Batman series. His costume is the best.

Glad to see you made it! I should really get around to fixing things but erm..... I'm so darn busy!!

My kids were actually 2 and 4 when they started watching Gatchaman... not because I made them do it, but because that's when I was watching it and they sat down and wanted to 'watch cartoons with Mommy'. Then that year for Christmas they wanted Gatchaman toys and costumes. They couldn't understand why every other franchise had a million toys/merchandise items in the store, but Gatchaman did not. I had to make them costumes myself, which was pathetic when you consider my very limited crafty skills. Still, it was my first exposure to cosplay. Adam West definitely had a cool costume, and there was no hiding his shape in that thing! So many of the superhero costumes today are all 'armored' and look like 'fake muscle. At least Adam West was honest! There are a couple of guys who have terrific 60s Batman/Robin costumes who go around Comic Con every year and they;re always so impressive! There are so many humorous scenes in Gatchaman. I'm sure your kids would like some of those! Of course, the one that comes to the top of my head right now with Joe in it is in the Trachodon episode where Ryu and Jinpei are accused murderers. They run down the hotel stairs to get away from the screeching landlady at their fleabag motel, and rush down the hallway. Joe, thinking that it's a Galactor, moves to punch the approaching person, and ends up doing a 'fist bump' with Ryu! Ryu and Jinpei quickly skeedaddle, and Ken suggests that they should pretend that they just don't know them. What a caring leader! Hmmm... doesn't sound as funny when I'm just writing it down. I guess that's a testament to those animators and voice actors who breathed life into the scene.

Welcome! Now I might have to pull out my BlueRays and watch a few episodes. It's so exciting to me to have the whole series legitimately. Back when I first looked into it, to get all the episodes it was $5,000 on laserdisc. I was so sure I'd never be able to afford the whole set. I'm Eagle clan but am a Condor fan as well. Why choose, right? Like many people here, I grew up on BOTP, and it will always hold a place in my heart, but when I discovered Gatchaman I fell in love with the deeper characterization and storylines. I think with Zark I used to just get impatient because his going on and out kept me from seeing more of the action! Be careful with offering to say things or you'll have a list of requests.

Welcome Brian! Good to have you here. Yep, most of us watched BOTP as kids in the 70's, myself included. I didn't see Speed Racer, but I did watch Thunderbirds 2086 (I'm beginning to think I was the only person who saw it. LOL) and am a Robotech fan as well. Star Blazers is on Hulu (free version) if you're interested in seeing it again. And I agree with TJ's statement that your voice is perfect for Joe! Are you currently working on new projects? And just thinking out loud here--RPF --wasn't that the site where someone posted photos of the fantastic Gatchaman helmets he made?

Welcome Brian! I almost find it hard to believe that the person who does "Joe's voice" wants to hang around with the likes of us "ordinary" people. *grin * Look forward to seeing you posting in some of the threads and seeing your opinion about some of the topics we discuss(ed). It is always great to have ideas come from the male point of view to help us/me come up with new ideas.

Welcome, Brian! It's wonderful that someone intimately involved in the series has joined us. I was already a racing fan when I saw BotP and loved Jason's car and attitude. It wasn't until I was living in Germany in 2001 that I found out about Gatchaman. I prefer the BotP characters, but the more serious storylines of Gatchaman. Have you ever written fanfic?

Our lives are complete now that we have the real Condor Joe here! Welcome, Brian! I think I've seen you comment over at some of the You Tube Gatchaman videos. I have to say, when I first purchased the ADV Gatchaman videos I was determined that Casey Kasem, Ronnie Schell, Janet Waldo, and the other BOTP voice actors were the ONLY voices that fit for these characters. But you and the other voices at ADV quickly won me over! I can't imagine anyone else voicing Condor Joe! I was also thrilled to hear that you were with us back in the 70s watching BOTP (probably on an old, fuzzy TV set with antennas to adjust! *grin*). The OAVs were beautifully made, but lacked the camaraderie between characters from the original series. I visited Transmute Jun a few weeks ago, and we watched the "new and improved" version (with the ADV actors' voices) and it was SO MUCH BETTER! There's something about the way you voice the character that fits him so well (must be that "bad assery" you were talking about)! Kudos for breathing life into a show that fell flat when I watched it the first time! We'd love to hear what you are working on these days, and I am still holding out hope that someone will decide to dub Gatchaman II , Gatchaman F and the live action movie- and they MUST bring you on board for Joe's voice!!!

Originally posted by clouddancerI almost find it hard to believe that the person who does "Joe's voice" wants to hang around with the likes of us "ordinary" people.

Oh, believe me, I'm almost as ordinary as they come!

Originally posted by Redbird Are you currently working on new projects? And just thinking out loud here--RPF --wasn't that the site where someone posted photos of the fantastic Gatchaman helmets he made?

I have been working on a couple of online games for a long time now, doing a couple of main character voices and a ton of 'other' smaller characters. The games are Wizard 101 and Pirate 101. They are both aimed at younger kids and have a huge, worldwide following with millions of players. I've also done some work on the DC Universe Online game as well. The anime jobs have become few and far between, but having done Gatchaman, I feel very fulfilled! Yes, the RPF is where the guy that makes the Gatchaman helmets is. He still hasn't done Joe's yet!

Originally posted by Becky Rock Have you ever written fanfic?

I'm not much of a writer, but give me some words to say into a microphone and I'm in my wheelhouse!

Originally posted by Springie We'd love to hear what you are working on these days, and I am still holding out hope that someone will decide to dub Gatchaman II and Gatchaman F- and they MUST bring you on board for Joe's voice!!!

It was great that Charlie Campbell, the guy that produced and directed the entire original series for ADV, asked me back to do the OAV's. It really was like old home week getting to go back in and do Joe again. I was the first one to record, so I didn't get to hear the other voice actors doing their roles. Also, just for the record, after spending time with all of the cast of Gatchaman back when we were recording it I can say that they are all the nicest people you could ever meet. Edwin Neal as Berg Katse?! He's as kooky in real life as the character he plays.

So we need to beg Charlie, huh? OH yes! Edwin Neal was BRILLIANT as Katse! What a great choice! I think it would be amazing to have a panel at San Diego Comic Con with all of you together! You'd definitely have a bunch of familiar-looking "bird-suited" fans in the audience!

Welcome, Brian! It's so awesome when someone who actually worked on the series can join us. Hope you can drop by and visit us often; as you can see, there are quite a number of Condor fans here!

Originally posted by BrianJepson Speed Racer was also a big favorite for me. I still wish that I had a Mach 5.

Oh, me too, me too! In fact, that's probably the reason why I love Corvettes so much! And Starblazers ... wow, I haven't thought about that one in years! That was a good show, too, along with Robotech, but Battle of the Planets was, and is, always number one in my heart!

Oh my goodness...wow, welcome! And you saw Battle of the Planets back then, too? That series was such a kick for me as well: having been fed a steady broadcast diet of Hanna Barberra goofiness, it was just astonishing to watch.

Originally posted by BrianJepson It was great that Charlie Campbell, the guy that produced and directed the entire original series for ADV, asked me back to do the OAV's. It really was like old home week getting to go back in and do Joe again. I was the first one to record, so I didn't get to hear the other voice actors doing their roles. Also, just for the record, after spending time with all of the cast of Gatchaman back when we were recording it I can say that they are all the nicest people you could ever meet. Edwin Neal as Berg Katse?! He's as kooky in real life as the character he plays.

I hope you don't mind my asking, but does recording separately from the rest of the cast create an extra challenge as far as timing a scene or getting its emotion down the way you want? I don't know much about the recording or editing process at all, but I'd imagine that it's easier, and certainly more fun, to be in the same studio as the other actors. So true about Edwin Neal--I met him at the San Diego ComicCon a few years back and he was just hilarious to talk to. He spoke at length about how much fun he had playing Katse, and how being...well, kooky...helped out a lot. It's great that you're here. Thanks so much!

Originally posted by BrianJepson I have been working on a couple of online games for a long time now, doing a couple of main character voices and a ton of 'other' smaller characters. The games are Wizard 101 and Pirate 101. They are both aimed at younger kids and have a huge, worldwide following with millions of players. I've also done some work on the DC Universe Online game as well. The anime jobs have become few and far between, but having done Gatchaman, I feel very fulfilled!

Oh that's great! Glad to see that you've been busy. You definitely seem to enjoy your field of work-- that in itself is a blessing, to have a job that you enjoy! Crossing fingers that more anime jobs come your way in the future! (If I may ask, how did you get started in voice-over acting? Was it something you purposefully set out to do, or did you start off doing something else at first, which then led you to where you are now?)

Originally posted by BrianJepson Yes, the RPF is where the guy that makes the Gatchaman helmets is. He still hasn't done Joe's yet!

Ah, I thought so! I have a lot of bookmarks for stuff like that (costumes, etc) and tend to lose track of them at times. I found the helmet thread again on the RPF, and it seems like the guy started Joe's helmet, but hasn't had a chance to finish it. Maybe one day....

Hello Brian. It's great to see you joining our ranks. I hope you have stories to share.

Originally posted by BrianJepson Also, just for the record, after spending time with all of the cast of Gatchaman back when we were recording it I can say that they are all the nicest people you could ever meet. Edwin Neal as Berg Katse?! He's as kooky in real life as the character he plays.

...I'd love to meet Edwin Neal in person. It's great to know that everyone got along so well.

I agree, I always pictured voiceover actors working together in the same studios and feeding off of each other, and was surprised to learn than in many cases this wasn't how it was done: that everyone was in their own separate studio recording solo. It certainly must make it more difficult to act out the part, particularly if your'e not familiar with the property! Brian, I would also like to hear how you got into voice acting.

Welcome, Brian! I am another Condor fan, although I prefer BotP over Gatchaman. I enjoy writing BotP fanfic and reading both BotP & Gatch fanfic. Springie - who is a great artist BTW - was kind enough to illustrate a couple of my scenes for me, which is how I got my avatar. You should join us for some Bradbury's Jar prompts!

Oh my! Hi Brian, it's soooooo good to have you here! Enjoy the site! P.S. I had to edit the post because I had written "hear" instead of "here" -- goes to show how excited I was!

LW fans hers face vigorously, "Is it hot in here?" Giday Mate, big welcome from Australia. SIZE=1]All I need is a dose of Owl to go with my Condor and my fantasy will be complete.[/SIZE]

Thanks for the sweet compliment, Jublke! Brian, I'd love to know what your favorite episode is...and maybe your favorite line? My personal fav of yours is, "Let's shoot ' em a few birds..." And of course, every time you mention the " super BMs"...how in the world did you keep a straight face with that?

That's where I think having all of the voice actors together as they tape would really be fun. The outtakes would probably be very amusing. I could see Brian saying 'Let's hit them with the Super BMs' and everyone else chorusing, 'Again? Joe!!!!' Brian, have you been keeping up with the new live action Gatchaman movie? If so, what's your opinion about the changes they made to the story?

With all of this 'super BM' talk, I think it's time to pull out this old chestnut...

Perfect! That's a classic, TJ!

*groan*

I was trying to forget that one!

(sorry, couldn't resist)

Welcome Brain... your voice certainly is the right one for Condor Joe... thanks for making his character come to life in the Gatchaman series. Having always loved BOTP, I wasn't sure if Gatchaman would live up to my thoughts and story lines in my head. With your help, I was proven wrong.

I hope you don't mind my asking, but does recording separately from the rest of the cast create an extra challenge as far as timing a scene or getting its emotion down the way you want? I don't know much about the recording or editing process at all, but I'd imagine that it's easier, and certainly more fun, to be in the same studio as the other actors.

For recording Animé, the voice actors are never in the same room at the same time since The animation has already been done. Really, the only time that actors are all in the room together is before any animation has been done so that they can match up the mouths to how the actors performed. Since we have to match the "mouth flaps" in the existing animation, we need to focus on only one character at a time and one voice actor at a time. The hard part about dubbing Japanese Animé is seeing the script for the first time pretty much the instant that you are going to record it. We don't get to study the lines beforehand. You are sitting there staring at two screens, one with the script and one with the cartoon. Getting the emotions right and understanding what's going on in the scene at a moment's notice is probably the most challenging part. Really, it's kind of fun to see if you can match up the "mouth flaps" on your first readthrough. It's almost like a little game.

(If I may ask, how did you get started in voice-over acting? Was it something you purposefully set out to do, or did you start off doing something else at first, which then led you to where you are now?)

All my life I have recorded myself doing silly voices or acting out skits and things like that. Eventually people started asking me if I was in radio and that they thought that I had a good voice. I never considered going into radio, but I eventually took a one night class to learn how to get into the voice acting industry. After that class there was a more in-depth class where you actually practiced real-world scenarios in an actual recording studio with just a few other students. At the end of that class the teacher, who is a professional voice actor herself, told each of us whether we were ready to move onto the next step or not. The next step was to put together a voice demo and then shop around to find an agent. I put together the demo and found an agent to represent me and then I started going on auditions. I started getting jobs and eventually got some Animé jobs that led to knowing producers at ADV. Once producers and directors know you know what you're capable of they like to keep using you, and that's how Charlie Campbell had me come in to audition with the idea that he wanted me to play Joe. I don't know if you have watched the DVD extras of the actual auditions for all of the Gatchaman characters. You can see how other people did in their auditions and then the last people they show are the ones that actually got the jobs, including me.

Giday Mate, big welcome from Australia.

Thanks, LW! I've never been to Australia, but I've heard some Aussies say that Austin, where I live, reminds them of how Australia looks.

Brian, I'd love to know what your favorite episode is...and maybe your favorite line? My personal fav of yours is, "Let's shoot ' em a few birds..." And of course, every time you mention the " super BMs"...how in the world did you keep a straight face with that?

I really couldn't say what my favorite episode is because there are so many of them. My favorite lines were always ones that we were able to have fun with in the moment while recording them. A lot of the more silly ones like the "super BM" line were made up to make ourselves laugh. They weren't necessarily in the script as we were recording them, but there was a lot of leeway to add or take away from dialogue. I only had to keep a straight face until they stopped recording, and then I would crack up after some of those lines.

Welcome Brian... your voice certainly is the right one for Condor Joe... thanks for making his character come to life in the Gatchaman series. Having always loved BOTP, I wasn't sure if Gatchaman would live up to my thoughts and story lines in my head. With your help, I was proven wrong.

Thank you very much! We record these things and they get released in a vacuum, with very little feedback as to how people have accepted or rejected them. It's always nice to hear that something I've worked hard on has been well received. I say 'work hard,' but it's not really hard work. I would drive down to Houston in the afternoon, record the two or three or four hour session, spend the night and then drive back to Austin the next morning. I spent the night with friends so I didn't have to get a hotel room or anything, and this went on for at least a year or so if memory serves. It got so that I really looked forward to my little jaunts down to my hometown for a night of recording and seeing my old friends.

There were quite a few lines that I heard that I think I'd have a hard time getting through without laughing! I enjoyed the little BOTP tributes (at least they seemed like BOTP tributes) you all threw in, too- loved the 70s lingo! Glad that you had fun with it! Did you all (all of the actors) ever sit down and watch a finished episode or two together?

Behind the scenes stuff is always so interesting. One thing I've always wondered is how a voice actor makes sure that they use a consistent voice for a particular character. Do you have any particular tricks or techniques?

The only time that the majority of the cast was together was on a couple of occasions when we screened a few episodes at the Alamo Drafthouse in Austin and then in Houston. We were also all together to film some DVD extras in an airplane hangar answering questions from viewers and fans online. You can see all of that on the extras for the DVD or the Blu-ray.

Luckily, for Joe, it's just my normal voice. For other characters I've done, I either remember how I did it, or the director will play back some previous recordings of the character to refresh my memory.

Originally posted by BrianJepsonAll my life I have recorded myself doing silly voices or acting out skits and things like that. Eventually people started asking me if I was in radio and that they thought that I had a good voice. I never considered going into radio, but I eventually took a one night class to learn how to get into the voice acting industry. After that class there was a more in-depth class where you actually practiced real-world scenarios in an actual recording studio with just a few other students. At the end of that class the teacher, who is a professional voice actor herself, told each of us whether we were ready to move onto the next step or not. The next step was to put together a voice demo and then shop around to find an agent. I put together the demo and found an agent to represent me and then I started going on auditions. I started getting jobs and eventually got some Animé jobs that led to knowing producers at ADV. Once producers and directors know you know what you're capable of they like to keep using you, and that's how Charlie Campbell had me come in to audition with the idea that he wanted me to play Joe. I don't know if you have watched the DVD extras of the actual auditions for all of the Gatchaman characters. You can see how other people did in their auditions and then the last people they show are the ones that actually got the jobs, including me.

Thank you so much for the in-depth description! The whole process sounds intense and interesting! And from what you said above, it seems the voice acting was a perfect fit for you. Due to plain old life interfering, I've not seen many of the extras on the new Blu-ray discs--but I'll make it a point to check out the auditions. I see from your profile listing you're a Beatle fan! I enjoy them as well--especially their early stuff, but it's all good really. And you were a graphic designer at one point? I do believe we have quite a few of those here on the board. Springie: I'm glad to know I'm not the only one who got a kick out of the 70's slang that was used on the show. Ken was a fan of saying "Groovy" and Joe calling women "Mama" always cracked me up and made me smile!

Yes, the 70s slang was great! And there were definitely BOTP references, the most obvious being the newly added lyrics to the Demon 5 song. I also love some of the goofy voices they gave to the Captains-of-the-Week. Like the guy with the fish head having the 'bubbly' voice... Brian, after being so isolated when you recorded the show, I'm sure you must have had a blast watching it later! After you'd seen entire episodes, was there anything you wish you'd done differently? And how did your presentation of Joe change as the recordings went on? Lastly, how many episodes would you complete in a 3-4 hour session?

The 70s slang almost killed me ... there was this part of me that was going "why, oh why?" and part of me was going "how perfect!" It also made me wonder what 70s Japanese slang was in there that I'd never have recognized.

Yes, I'm a huge Beatles fan. I have a weekly gig where some friends and I play Beatles music acoustically and I was with a Beatles tribute band for 10 years! You know, most of that 70's slang was thought up by Charlie on the fly as we were recording the episodes. I do think that some of it may have been a little much, but it was all in the spirit of fun. I mean, if you can't have fun with Gatchaman, what can you have fun with?!

Brian, after being so isolated when you recorded the show, I'm sure you must have had a blast watching it later! After you'd seen entire episodes, was there anything you wish you'd done differently? And how did your presentation of Joe change as the recordings went on? Lastly, how many episodes would you complete in a 3-4 hour session?

It really is a lot of fun watching the show when it's all completed and getting to see the episodes from start to finish. When we were recording, they would just skip around to wherever Joe was talking so that I could insert the dialogue. I never got the context of most of it while recording. Sometimes when I listen to myself on these episodes, I wish that I would have done it in a different way, or more of this or that. It can be embarrassing listening to myself, too. It's funny, really. There are some times where I think that I did really well, and others where I just cringe at my performance. We are our own worst critics, I suppose. Joe never really changed as we went along, as far as my characterization of him during the months of recording. I was just lucky that his voice is just my own. I've done some video game and Animé voices that can be taxing on my vocal cords! The number of episodes we could record during a session depended on how much dialogue I might have. Sometimes we could do 4 episodes in one session. It could get tiring after a long session, especially since I had also just driven 2 1/2 hours to get to Houston and been at my day job in the morning.

I think it's common with most creatives to never quite be happy with our work. I'm the same with my writing! That's very cool that you were also in a band. So if we hear you sing we can imagine Joe up there?

Originally posted by BrianJepson Yes, I'm a huge Beatles fan. I have a weekly gig where some friends and I play Beatles music acoustically and I was with a Beatles tribute band for 10 years!

That's pretty cool! (I tried the guitar in my teen years, but had trouble reading music. LOL.) It amazes me that none of the Beatles could read sheet music, from what I recall. Have you heard of the tribute band "The Fab Faux"?

Originally posted by BrianJepsonYou know, most of that 70's slang was thought up by Charlie on the fly as we were recording the episodes. I do think that some of it may have been a little much, but it was all in the spirit of fun. I mean, if you can't have fun with Gatchaman, what can you have fun with?!

Exactly!

Originally posted by BrianJepson

When we were recording, they would just skip around to wherever Joe was talking so that I could insert the dialogue. I never got the context of most of it while recording. [/quote] I would imagine that must make things difficult. So you had no idea what an episode was about when you went to do the recording?

Originally posted by ChrisW I think it's common with most creatives to never quite be happy with our work.

I totally agree, CW!

I can see that being extremely difficult, to play the character, to have no context, to not receive the script in advance, and then to also time the sound to the mouth movements. It just speaks to the talent of all of the voice actors in the series! I thought the 70s slang was fun. It was a bit heavy at the beginning of the series, but they found a better balance later on (as with much of the voiceover work during the show). I think my favorite line was when Ryu was wistfully thinking about 'Dave's magic brownies' in the Dave the Hippie episode. Really, Brian, you were in a Beatles tribute band? That sounds like so much fun! It makes my playing around with Beatles Rock Band seem like playing in the sandbox! I can imagine how much fun that would be. Which Beatle did you play? I think it's amazing how long the Beatles have lasted, and how much their music resonates, even half a century later. In the 80s, I was a huge Duran Duran fan, and everyone said they were the new Beatles. While they're still making music today, they really haven't had the same musical impact that the Beatles did. I'm not sure if we'll ever see such a seminal band/artist again, until there's a significant shift in popular music. I also love that the Beatles transcend generations. People from the 60s and 70s like them (well, not my parents, but they were total 'squares'... they thought rock 'n roll was for the 'bad element') and people from the 80s and 90s like them. Even kids like them! I remember showing Yellow Submarine to my kids when they were very small and they loved it! You know that a band has really had an impact when even their 'ripoff' bands can make it big... like the Rutles and the Monkees!

Originally posted by BrianJepson The hard part about dubbing Japanese Animé is seeing the script for the first time pretty much the instant that you are going to record it. We don't get to study the lines beforehand. You are sitting there staring at two screens, one with the script and one with the cartoon. Getting the emotions right and understanding what's going on in the scene at a moment's notice is probably the most challenging part. Really, it's kind of fun to see if you can match up the "mouth flaps" on your first readthrough. It's almost like a little game.

It sounds like a huge challenge. I'm surprised you're not given a chance to see the anime first, then do a pre-read of the script to work out any kinks before the little red light turns on. Is that the industry method of operations, to just go on the fly like that?

I don't know if you have watched the DVD extras of the actual auditions for all of the Gatchaman characters. You can see how other people did in their auditions and then the last people they show are the ones that actually got the jobs, including me.

I unfortunately haven't been able to take the time to see most of the extras, but certainly will now. The audition process will be interesting to my son, who's had a interest in how this sort of stuff works. Thanks!

I am a huge Beatles fan! I used to know every word to every song when I was in my teens. I'd love to hear your band- maybe it would all come back to me! *grin* Did you watch the 50th Anniversary Tribute on TV? I got a huge kick out of it- although it was a little bittersweet without George and John. Ringo was always my fav. (I loved the Monkees, too.) You're a graphic artist, too? I left teaching (for 16 years) to become a graphic artist for my brothers' companies out here in the OC. I am completely self-taught, which means I still have a lot to learn. I'd like to go back and take some classes soon. I really want to learn more about Illustrator and Flash. It's frustrating when I get to something I can't do right away.

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Isn't it great when you can make a living off of something fun and creative? Brian, it sounds like you have a lot of fun doing the voiceovers and playing with your band... um, I mean bands! I'm still astounded by the idea of a Rutles Tribute band. I'll definitely have to look that up! Now I'm wondering if there's a Spinal Tap tribute band out there. Blow like the wind... You do the lottery announcing? Man, I can see it now. If I won the lottery, to have Condor Joe announcing my numbers would just be icing on the cake! "Now that you've won the lottery, where are you going? Disneyland? No? The Crescent Coral Base? Just don't shoot too many birds..."

There's a lot there when I type in "OUCH!"- but I know that this one is your band. You guys are really good!! Here's a link for those of you who want to check them out: OUCH!

Originally posted by Transmute Jun You do the lottery announcing? Man, I can see it now. If I won the lottery, to have Condor Joe announcing my numbers would just be icing on the cake! "Now that you've won the lottery, where are you going? Disneyland? No? The Crescent Coral Base? Just don't shoot too many birds..."

Texas Lottery sounds like a great gig! TJ, he probably presses the big "red button" to stop the ping pong balls... I've also heard of Wizard 101 before- through my kids. I need to check it out sometime! We'll be listening for your voice- I have a feeling we'll be hearing it more and more! Illustrator is your favorite? I haven't messed around with it too much, but those handles drove me crazy! I made a flip-flop once and I cherished it! NO one else seemed as impressed with it as I was! Haha... Right now, I'm sticking with good old Photoshop. I plan to take some classes, though... My office wants a flash animation, so I have to defer to one of the IT guys. I wish I could just pick it up and do it without the learning curve. Do you have any of your artwork posted anywhere?

Hey- I found your channel on You Tube-it's great! You are very talented! I was singing along with "You're Gonna Lose That Girl"! Brought back a lot of memories! I'll share the link here for those of you who want to hear Condor Joe sing and play the guitar! Brian's You Tube Channel

Brian, I hope you don't think I'm snubbing you because I haven't been posting here -- every time I think of something to ask, somebody else has beaten me to it!

Ditto EW.... Thanks for posting the links, Springie, I'm enjoying listening to 'Condor Joe' play some classic Beatles songs, although I'm not a big Beatles fan, I do enjoy some of their tracks. Brian, I really loved your version of Fairytale of New York too. I remember when that song first came out, I struggled to understand the lyrics, at least Shane MacGowan's parts. (and this is coming from a Brit too) yet when you sang it, I could easily understand every word

OMG- I just saw your rendition of Christmas Shoes! I am laughing so hard- I HATE that song! The pipe was a nice touch. I loved your description at the top...rofl! I bet it's a Wal-Mart hit, too!

Oh man, those YouTube videos of mine...some are serious, some are stupid, but I throw them up every now and again. When I feel somehow inspired, I'll record one. Yeah, Christmas Shoes! Horrible, horrible pandering song. My rendition was totally spur of the moment goofiness. I think you'll find that Brian is not as cool as Joe, that's for sure! ElectricWhite, I don't feel snubbed at all! Yep, that's OUCH! In all our glory, and tight trousers. In Wizard 101, I play Professor Cyrus Drake as well as a million minor characters scattered around. Kids love that game from what I'm told! It's a lot of fun recording those voices. I do a British accent for Cyrus and also for Captain Avery in Pirate 101, by the same game company.

Originally posted by Springie Hey- I found your channel on You Tube-it's great! You are very talented! I was singing along with "You're Gonna Lose That Girl"! Brought back a lot of memories! I'll share the link here for those of you who want to hear Condor Joe sing and play the guitar! Brian's You Tube Channel

Great find, Springie! Thanks for sharing it here with us. I had fun looking through the videos and watching the performances! ETA Just watched the OUCH! video! Now that's entertainment! And Brian, Joe is definitely his own brand of cool, but what you do is very, very cool. Take it from someone who will never be cool.

Brian, thanks for sharing with us some of the inside things that go behind creating anime, it's super cool to hear about this stuff. Also Springie, thanks for the link... must go check it out now

OK, my nerdyness comes through.... did anyone else hear Joe singing to Ken in the song your gonna lose that girl... hoping he figures things out... ok I'm done being geeky for now. LOL

Welcome, Brian -great to have you here! Whenever I imagine Joe talking (and that's not an uncommon thing for me), I hear your voice.

Originally posted by BrianJepson My favorite lines were always ones that we were able to have fun with in the moment while recording them. A lot of the more silly ones like the "super BM" line were made up to make ourselves laugh. They weren't necessarily in the script as we were recording them, but there was a lot of leeway to add or take away from dialogue.

I'll never forget Joe's "You've got to be shittin' me!" line from episode 44. I watched all the episodes, the first time around, with my then-10 year old nephew and the look of glee combined with "did he really say that?" on his face was hilarious. He was used to TV cartoons, not anime...

Hi Brian, so nice to meet you. I really enjoyed your description of being a voice actor. For some reason I always imagine Robin Williams at the beginning of Mrs. Doubtfire when I first hear someone talking about voice overs for Cartoons. What an amazing talent he has. I too grew up on Speed Racer first, then Battle of the Planets, Star Blazers, Battlestar Galactica the original, Buck Rogers and the ultimate: Star Wars. Which of course was my all time fav along with B of the P's. I too compared Zark with Artoo but thought of him more like Threepio since he always talked a lot and 1 Rover 1 was more like Artoo LOL. I found out about Gatchaman when I first met Barb Edmunds through Starlog's fan section. I started writing her and she sent me video's of Battle and Gatchaman, absolutely loved them; but had to wait until 23 years later before I got to see the dubbed Gatchaman versions to see what was actually being said. Looking forward to hearing more from you. Welcome.

A warm welcome from Malta, Brian! It's an honour to have you here! You're not just an amazing voice actor but I see that you're also ultra-talented in other creative areas! I must say that my story regarding Gatchaman is the other way round from that of many of you others! Being Maltese, I've spent my whole childhood watching anime, even all of those that you've mentioned, on Italian channels, since we only had one national channel in the 70's and I think all of the 80's! On this one national channel, I've come across only a very few episodes of BotP, in English, but then I was completely hooked up by all the original series, including Gatchaman, other Italian channels offered! To be honest, even at a very tender age, I couldn't stand Zark, at all, and really couldn't understand his role, nor the cheesy conversations between Zark, Mark and Princess at the end of the episodes! So, when I discovered the real Gatchaman just after having only watched a few BotP episodes, I couldn't but totally fall in love with the real thing! And, I have also had the great fortune of having been able to watch all three Gatchaman series, one after the other, in a language I've learnt to learn so quickly! By the age of 8 I could talk Italian as if I were talking in my own, native language! How could I not when I have had that luxury?! :p Having said the above, and maybe having given you the impression of not knowing your work, I assure you that I know you oh so well, through the English version of the Condor! It was only when I've found and joined this site, a few years ago, hence refreshing my love towards this series, that I was tempted to watch episodes in the English language! And, please believe me when I tell you that you make a terrifically awesome Joe, especially when it comes from someone who has grown up listening to another version of Joe like me and didn't know anything other! Many thanks for your detailed explanations regarding your lovely job and thanks also to all of the others for the awesome links and tips!

Originally posted by gatchamarie Having said the above, and maybe having given you the impression of not knowing your work, I assure you that I know you oh so well, through the English version of the Condor! It was only when I've found and joined this site, a few years ago, hence refreshing my love towards this series, that I was tempted to watch episodes in the English language! And, please believe me when I tell you that you make a terrifically awesome Joe, especially when it comes from someone who has grown up listening to another version of Joe like me and didn't know anything other!

Wow! Thanks for the excellent compliment. I really appreciate it. Living in a place like Malta sounds so, exotic and interesting to me and I must admit that I know nothing of your country. It's incredible to me that something I am involved in can be spread across the world and watched and enjoyed by people everywhere. I lose sight of that when I'm just in a recording booth and then am done with it and moved on to the next thing. These wonderful shows live on far beyond me and my own experience and connect us all. Wonderful. The fact that this show has been around for so long and is remembered by us all from childhood is also a special, unique thing. There are so many Animé titles out there, but this one is a classic.

You are more than welcome, Brian! Believe me ... I am not kidding when I say that you're awesome! Just a little description of my country, trying not to annoy you! Don't worry ... many do not know so much about us as Malta is just a tiny speck in the Mediterranean Sea, its population only juggling around the quarter of a million ... so small that it's almost invisible on the map, but with a history dating way back thousands and thousands of years! Our heritage is based on different cultures, as is our language, since our island had been ruled by different civilisations during both the ancient and the recent past, mostly because of its strategic, geographical position! It was only in 1979 that we finally acquired full reign of our own country! We're always striving to reach modern standards, embracing uses of bigger countries and collaborating with such, whilst trying to keep alive old traditions as much as possible! Speaking for myself, and I think for many others of my nationality, we sometimes feel small, but we surely try to let our voice be heard!! Our weather can surely be described as exotic, marked with very hot summers and cold winters, and always with a high level of dreaded humidity! But, albeit the scorching heat of summer, this surely is my favourite season, as there's nothing compared to those relaxing days at the sea, this last one reachable in less than an hour from every point of our island, since we're surrounded by it and the area of our main island, Malta, is only 245.7 sq km! I can understand what you mean when you're saying, "I lose sight of that when I'm just in a recording booth and then am done with it and moved on to the next thing."! That's why it's really remarkable, as you yourself are saying, how such a series could bring so many different people from different countries together, across the globe, reminding us that we're all the same and have many similarities, at the end! It's awesome how such a fandom can bring people living so far away from each other to become friends on the same level! And, I also agree that Gatchaman is a classic amongst many others! I've seen many during my childhood, but this one is the one which surpasses most, if not all, it also being the trampoline in style for other anime following it!

Hello Brian and a welcome from the UK! Like many here have said, I too started with BOTP and then found Gatch. I want to thank you (and all the other talented voiceover artists) You gave characters we love the little extra dimension they needed to bring them to live and that gift is what keeps shows like this alive. We hope you enjoy the sometimes insanity but full time love we as fans express for the show here and thank you again for taking the time to join us

Hello from South Dakota, home of Mount Rushmore, the model of the sculpture that gave us Lava Jesus! My real name is Kathy and I live in Sioux Falls. I'm another one of those People of a Certain Age who discovered this show back in the 1970s when it was called Battle of the Planets and I'd have to rush home from school in time to catch it. I love the voice-over work you did on the DVD set. I think one of my favorite things about the English dub is how it seemed that so many of you were having a blast working on it and it showed in the episodes. I will have to check out your You Tube channel some time.

Originally posted by BrianJepson Hi everybody, this is Brian Jepson, the guy that did the voice of Joe Asakura for the entire series of Gatchaman as released by ADV a few years ago. Well, I happened to be searching for info about the release of the Gatchaman OAV's when I came across this little hotbed of Gatchaman fans! Once I found it, I knew that I had to register, if only to say hello.

Hi Brian, Welcome! I'm a little late to the party but it's great to see you here. Though we never met, I worked on your version of Gatchaman too. I was employed by Sandy Frank, the rightsholder at the time to help manage all things Gatchaman and Battle of the Planets in most of the world. I worked with Sarah and others at ADV and had some direct input to the lines you read, so I hope you don't remember anything too outrageous! I think you all did great jobs and imparted just the right moods in the episodes. I never thought we'd see a fresh translation of Gatchaman after G-Force, so I was really glad when ADV picked it up and wanted to do all the work. It's wonderful to hear you enjoyed Battle of the Planets way back when and cool to know you were aware of the characters going in. Jason/Joe has always been my favorite! Hope to see you around the boards, Jason www.battleoftheplanets.info

Hey Brian! Greetings from Florida. Just want to say that I really enjoyed your work on Gatchaman and I'm looking forward to hearing the new dub for the OVAs. I recently bought the series on Bluray and am slowly but surely going through all the episodes. I originally saw the series back in the 80s when I was a little kid living in Puerto Rico (along with Mazinger, Speed Racer, and Astoboy) and but got properly introduced to the series when it aired in the 90s as G-Force.