Gatchaman Vol. 6: Devil Stars & Rocket Squid 1972 ADV Films Official US Website Buy It Now

With each of the Gatchaman volumes, ADV has been selecting a line from the series to lead into the main menus. The one they provided with the sixth volume made me laugh.

“Here I think I’m finally gonna get some action, and it has to be this kind.”

Since it’s coming from Ryu, I already had a fairly good idea it wasn’t the “action” that I was thinking, but maybe he was mentioning exercise. His goal of eating and sleeping as much as he desired in the previous volume was still fresh in my mind. Regardless of what kind of “action” Ryu had in mind though, this volume of Gatchaman is again loaded with the Science Ninja Team trying to foil more of Galactor’s evil plots geared at world domination.

Aside from Galactor doing some major damage and taking a number of innocent lives, they’ve finally decided that their goal isn’t going to be completed with simply making giant robots to dish out some punishment. They picked a new target in an effort to achieve success, and they are ones that they should have put up at the top of the list, even if they do fail as usual. As the volume beings, they decide to kill Dr. Nambu, though it’s not going to be easy, and their hope lies in a mysterious woman who is supposedly associated with the ISO. Hmmmm . . . . those lips and that facial structure, it couldn’t be . . . no, she couldn’t possibly be higher in the chain of command in Galactor. After the failed plot of kill Nambu, Leader X has a new idea and that is to lure out the Science Ninja’s in their everyday personas. Hey, there’s that strange woman once again. This also brings in the first two part episode that has been seen in the series so far.

There are times when the series seems as though it’s going to take a slight detour from always fighting Galactor, such as when the group travels to the Middle East upon the request of a prince who wants their help to end a civil war going on between him and his father. Galactor of course has involvement here as well, but it leads Ken to a profound question, and he wonders if he discovered that his father was alive and a part of Galactor, would he have to fight him? We’ve all learned that it isn’t just matters of love that Ken is in the dark on, but dear old dad doesn’t make any return appearance in any of these episodes.

Galactor also unleashes another fiendish devise, one that can take the brain of a human and exchange it for any other creature’s mental faculties. This is actually one of the only spectacular creations they have in their arsenal this time though, and everything else is your run of the mill mecha designed as just about anything, and it seems that aquatic life if now their influence, but they have some more good plans. It’s just too bad those cursed Science Ninja’s and the ISO always get in their way.

If you’re a fan of the series and have been keeping score, you already should know what to expect with this volume as far as bonus features go. The thing that everyone loves is the Gatchaman Karaoke, the episode that gives you, the fan, the opportunity to try and capture the drama and action of the series, or turn it into a comedy bit. The chosen episode is “The Evil Aurora Operation,” and this one really could be done either way, though I still think comedy is the best form. George Manley, the English versions narrator, supplies the commentary for this volume. There also are clean versions of the opening and closing animations, just in case you missed them in the other releases.

Gatchaman might be predictable, it might be a series that you occasionally find yourself groaning at, wondering just what the Science Ninja’s are thinking, but that’s really part of the charm and appeal. Gatchaman is from the glory days of anime when huge storylines and intense character development weren’t essential. It’s all about having a good time, and that’s exactly what you’ll get with this volume. You won’t want to miss it.

Episode 31 – The Plan of Assassinate Dr. Nambu

Galactor has set their sight on a new target; they want to kill Dr. Nambu in hopes of making their goal of world domination easier. The Science Ninja’s have decided to watch him around the clock and when Ken accompanies the doctor to meet a member of the ISO, he finds that Galactor is closer than expected.

Episode 32 – The Grand Gezora Operation (Part I)

Leader X has given Galactor a new mission and that is to find out who the Science Ninaj’s really are. The team is easily lured away from their base and is anxiously awaiting Galactor’s next move, unaware that they are the ones that are being hunted. Soon, Jun and Jinpei are prisoners and Galactor makes its next move.

Episode 33 - The Grand Gezora Operation (Part II)

Jun and Jinpei are still hostages of Galactor and now all of Lawnpark City may suffer a terrible fate of the Science Ninja Team doesn’t reveal themselves. Ken tries hi sbest to pull the wool over Katse’s eyes, but when Galactor attacks again in their mecha, it’s time for action before two of the Science Ninja’s are killed.

Episode 34 – The Evil Aurora Operation

Strange lights have been appearing in the sky and they are having an adverse affect on those around them. People are emotionally changing, even mentally turning into animals and now Dr. Nambu has fallen under the spell. The Science Ninja’s know who is behind it however and head out to find Galactor’s new weapon before it’s too late.

Episode 35 – Burn, Desert Fires

The Science Ninja’s are off to the Middle East and soon are caught between a battle involving father and son over oil. The prince of the region wants to help the people while it seems that father is more interested in profits from oil. Gatchaman however soon discovers that Galactor has strong ties to the region, even stronger than even the prince realizes.

Episode 36 – Little Gatchamans

When the Science Ninja’s show up to investigate yet another strange monster appearance, they have far too much of an impact on two children they encounter. Now the boys think they are Science Ninja’s themselves and soon a case of mistaken identity lands them right in Galactor’s hands.

-mike-
 

Genre: Science Fiction / action   Series Director: Hisayuki Toriumi   Voice Cast: Katsuji Mori (Ken) Kazuko Sugiyama (Jun) Isao Sasaki (Joe) Yoku Shioya (Jinpei) Shingo Kanemoto (Ryu) Toru Ohira (Dr. Nambu)

DVD Features: Dual Language Japanese/English English subtitles Clean Opening Animation Clean Closing Animation Commentary w/George Manley Gatchaman Karaoke Contains Episodes 31 - 35