Gatchamania.net - Print: Gatchaman Episode 82: â€œAim at the Crescent Coral Reef!â€

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Posted by lborgia88 on 22-06-2010 at 05:27:

quote:

Originally posted by gatchamarie

Another thing that wasn't quite clear for me, like you have commented on, LB, was why the SNT had not been informed immediately about the attacks! I find it rather awkward, for them, to find out what was happening because they had to see certain attacks with their own eyes, after a certain amount of damage had already been made!

I can only think that Dr. Nambu was receiving conflicting reports about several different mechas attacking and, like the Ninjas, was initially confused (Galactor usually sends one mecha, or a fleet of identical mechas, and doesn't usually re-use mecha designs) and was delayed trying to get confirmation of incoming reports?

Actually, I'm thinking that it's not so common lately that we see the Ninjas first learning of a mecha attack. So often, we see the attack and then we cut straight to Dr. Nambu briefing the Team, already summmoned to and assembled at the Crescent Coral base.

quote:

Originally posted by amethyst
As for Melvin! I'd have to actually hear it, but is it possible that they used that name because Alvin! might be copy-right infringement?

I don't know. I was thinking that it might reference one of the many disaster movies that were big in the 70s (ie Poseidon Adventure) or be purely an ADV in-joke of some kind.

Posted by lborgia88 on 22-06-2010 at 05:45:

quote:

Originally posted by tatsunokofan

I think you're looking for a conspiracy where one doesn't exist. I'll grant that there is a chance that episode #'s 103~105 were put aside, but only because of their multi-part nature (Which is why Sky Is Falling, Fierce Flowers, and Invasion of Space Center were held till the end of the series. TV Stations hated 2-part stories in their syndicated shows, because it required them to air them in the proper order. Stations preferred to be able to air any episode at any time. This has changed with the advent of barter programming and satellite feeds, something that didn't exist when BotP was airing. Curse of the Cuttlefish is an anomaly though). Episode #51 (The actual beginning of the three part 51~53 story arc) probably arrived earlier, which is why it made its way into the series separated from its companion pieces.

This makes a lot of sense, that episodes perceived to be less easy to use as "stand alone" episodes were held till the end. It would have been quite challenging to try to turn two-part Gatch episodes, like "Jigokillers" into two stand-alones!

Funny, I can remember, as a kid, hating it when an episode of a favourite show ended with a "to be continued" -I wanted to know the ending now, not have to wait. But as an adult, I love arc-heavy shows with lots of continuity and cliffhanging suspense, and some years back, I decided to, "cold turkey," stop reading spoilers on the internet.

Posted by UnpublishedWriter on 22-06-2010 at 08:23:

Depending on how the 'spoiler' is presented, it can add to the fun of viewing. "That is what happens? How the hell can that be what happens?"

Many years ago, I think in the early 1980s, I read an article about anime. It talked of the the various television series (BotP, Starblazers, etc), and their Japanese originals. One of the things it mentioned was Joe dying in Gatch.

I watched Gatchaman with considerable interest, especially as the series went on.

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Posted by Transmute Jun on 22-06-2010 at 14:09:

I was a huge Adam West/Batman fan, and IIRC every episode was a 2 (or 3!) parter. So I was completely used to that 'tune in tomorrow, same Bat Time, same Bat Channel' thing. I loved the two parters, because they were different from the usual 'robot shows up, G-Force can't fight it, then they change their strategy and it's defeated, Spectra goes home' episodes.

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Posted by gatchamarie on 22-06-2010 at 16:18:

iagree , TJ! Two parters always mean something happening out of the ordinary, for me! And, even if sometimes I hate waiting, I love the thrill of being rewarded at the end!

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Posted by lborgia88 on 23-06-2010 at 05:44:

True, two-parters allow for grander and more complex stories but as a little kid, knowing that when the "to be continued" appeared (usually right with a cliffhanger) that I'd have to a whole week to, say, find out if the bionic woman would be able to defeat the fembots, or some such thing, it seemed hard sometimes. Laugh1 At least with BOTP, one only had to wait a day.

Posted by condorcandi on 23-06-2010 at 06:10:

I think they should have done #20 as a two-parter. And thrown out the centrifuge.

They would have been able to do a more complex story instead of trying to shove everything into 20-something minutes and using completely sill methods to move the tale along. For one thing, it would have given them time to find a more plausible reason for G-2 to get hurt, (the puppy was stretching credibility) and for another, they could have had the time to look like they were doing real research and experimental treatment, instead of the crappy x-ray and centrifuge scenes.

I'm sort of surprised this didn't make it into BotP. I guess 19 minutes of Zark telling us Bad Things about Jason and Why he was Naughty, was a bit more then even the Sandy Frank could stomach, even if it was 'eductational'.

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Posted by UnpublishedWriter on 23-06-2010 at 07:52:

If you've read other posts, you know that the Sandy Frank people received the episodes piecemeal and out of order.

Made things interesting,

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Posted by Transmute Jun on 23-06-2010 at 14:04:

I like that idea... episode 20 as a 2-parter... would have been interesting indeed... and perhaps they could have created a more direct tie to it later on, toward the end of the series, when Joe was ill again.

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Posted by condorcandi on 23-06-2010 at 16:12:

quote:

Originally posted by UnpublishedWriter
If you've read other posts, you know that the Sandy Frank people received the episodes piecemeal and out of order.

Made things interesting,

I meant that when Gatchaman was made, ep 20 should have been a two-parter.

And I figured this ep would never have made it because a Good Guy got hurt, badly, and it looked like Sweetness and Light (and Zark) would not prevail for a time.

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Candi

Hollywood is a land of money and cowardice.

-Henry A. Lee, Cracked.com columnist

Posted by UnpublishedWriter on 23-06-2010 at 22:38:

Hey, an old man in a wheelchair blew up (Perilous Pleasure Cruise) and there were no lines about how he was all right.

They'd have found some way to pull it off, I think.

I wonder if the 'puppy' episode was last minute? Deadline looming, and they had to get it out. It has more plot holes than any other. A centrifuge? Why did they leave the G2 behind? What's with the standing around and moaning about Joe instead of getting him some help? Was there a plot twist that got lost?

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Posted by condorcandi on 23-06-2010 at 22:53:

I had to take CPR/First Aid for a HUC class in 1998. The teacher mentioned how very occasionly an EMT or Firefighter were just great with people they didn't know -but if someone they knew was injured or involved, they'd freeze.

I've often wondered (partially to be charitable) if that might have been part of the problem with the team in #20, compounded by the fact this is the first time anyone on the team is seriously injured.

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Candi

Hollywood is a land of money and cowardice.

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Posted by tatsunokofan on 23-06-2010 at 23:41:

Hi all!

It wouldn't have been all that hard to adapt episode #20 to BotP. I already proved that here:

G-Force Goes To the Dogs

James

Posted by UnpublishedWriter on 23-06-2010 at 23:49:

I was trying to remember the title.

James's one and only foray into fanfiction. Complete with in-jokes.

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Posted by Transmute Jun on 24-06-2010 at 00:50:

And it's awesome!

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