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--- Gatchaman Episode 25 - The Magma Giant, Emperor of Hell (http://www.gatchamania.net/threadid.php?threadid=2586)
Posted by Transmute Jun on 29-06-2009 at 03:50:
Gatchaman Episode 25 - The Magma Giant, Emperor of Hell
Gatchaman Episode 25 - The Magma Giant, Emperor of Hell
The Bluestone National Park is the most famous park in the nation of Ameris. It has beautiful ravines and hot springs, which are very rare in this country. However, the most famous part of this park is a five hundred meter tall cliff, which has the faces of some of this nation's presidents carved in the rock. A few years ago, the face of Jesus Christ began to appear next to the presidents. It was a work of love created by three generations of a single family.
Hmmm... guess in the future 'separation of church and state' doesn't mean much...
A young woman climbs down from the face of Jesus to the bottom of the cliff. She takes off her helmet and looks up at Jesus. She speaks to her absent grandfather, stating that once she carves the face of the Virgin Mary into the rock, her family's work will be done.
Frankly, I'm a bit sorry that this wasn't done already. Why, if they'd had a Virgin Mary up there too, then Berg Katse could have had himself a gender-changing mecha! And then... oh, but I'm getting carried away...
The woman jumps into her jeep and drives off. But Jesus' eyes glow ominously, and we are treated to a shot of a nearby volcano.
The narrator tells us that the complex of buildings at the foot of the volcano is a research complex for the ISO, which is working on the Mantle Project to provide clean energy for the planet. They are turning the poisonous underground gases into fresh air.
An ISO scientist looks out over the complex, noting that their work is finally nearing completion. Now they can help people around the world who are struggling with pollution. And as I hear this, I am cringing. For we know what happens when nameless people start appreciating their wonderful accomplishments at the beginning of Gatchaman episodes.
An assistant suggests that they should run a pipeline of fresh air for hospitals and school troubled by pollution. Oh no! They want to help children and sick people? They are doomed. Doomed!
But I'm getting ahead of myself. Although not by much. 
At this very moment, Leader X is informing Katse that the ISO has completed its research on transforming underground gasses into fresh air.
"Their research must be destroyed immediately. Release the Magma Giant!" X orders.
Katse, ever-obedient, does his impression of the 'Thriller-Zombie' dance before he bows.
Then Katse smirks as he presses the button to release the Magma Giant.
The face of Jesus disappears from the mountain, lowering inside, leaving a large hole behind. Yeah, that's not noticeable. No one will ever know where that fifty meter high hole came from. Nope.
Back at the ISO plant, the chief and his assistant sense another volcanic eruption.
"Don't worry." the chief says blithely. "The lava trenches we built will contain it."
And the way the two are shimmying around with the power of this 'eruption', we know that this is their final harbinger of doom.
Lava pours down the mountain, quickly filling the trenches. It seems like the eruption won't damage the plant. But then, a massive creature emerges from the lava flow.
My goodness, the creature has Jesus' face! However could it be?
The trenches don't stand a chance against the mighty power of Giant Lava Jesus. The son of God tromps over the flimsy manmade wall. Then Jesus approaches the research facility.
ISO employees run in fear from the 'fire and brimstone' Jesus.
(Okay, I admit it, I am dying laughing over the incongruity of Jesus being the mecha of the week!)
Dr. Nambu plays a high-tech audio cassette recording from the research facility. It says:
"Urgent! A giant covered in lava is destroying the volcanic research facility! It's headed this way! Help! Somebody! Oh, God, it's so hot! Help! Someone! Oh, we're gonna die! Hurry up! Somebody please help us! Aaaahhhhhhh......"
The voice dies off in a gurgle, but not before I nearly fall out of my chair laughing. This guy sounds like he went to the Mike Meyers School of (Over)Acting.
And may I point out, that when you're being attacked by a giant Jesus, it's not the time to break the first Commandment? (taking the name of God in vain)
Dr. Nambu isn't nearly as amused by the recording as I am.
But he's not worried about the guy on the tape. Nambu is upset that the destruction of the facility is a 'major loss' for the ISO. They had just hit upon the secret of creating clean air!
Ken wonders who would do something like this.
Just as I'm about to smack Ken upside the head for being dense, Joe verbally does it for me, telling Ken that he's positive that it's the work of Galactor.
Come on, guys, we’re about a quarter of the way through the series, and you still haven't figured out that Galactor is behind everything bad that happens? Why, I think they were behind that rotten tuna salad sandwich that Nambu had for lunch.
"They have the scientific power." Joe justifies his apparently 'extreme' hypothesis. "Creating a Magma Giant like that would be easy for them!"
Jun is really trying to go after Ken today. She's even hollowed out her number 3 as a form of homage.
But she blows her chances with Ken when she agrees with Joe.
"Who else would interfere with the Mantle Project?" she asks.
"Let's go, Ken! They've done it this time!" Joe snarls. "They've upset Dr. Nambu, and I can't take it!"
Oh, no! Galactor can kill innocent civilians, destroy research facilities and terrorize the entire planet... but if they upset Dr. Nambu... well then, let the battle begin!
Ken says that they should all head to the site of the research facility and check out the surroundings.
Notice that high tech audio device on the table.
After a brief consideration of this plan, Nambu agrees. He prays for their success.
And now we cut to stock footage of the team running down the corridor to the God Phoenix Hangar, everyone dressed in full Birdstyle.
Even as a kid, it always annoyed me how Jun (Princess) had the girly arm-swinging as she ran.
More stock footage as the team descends from the dome to the Bridge, and the God Phoenix launches from the Crescent Base.
To make us excited, they're playing the 'happy Shupa trumpet music' usually reserved for the ‘fly off into the sunset’ at the end of an episode.
The God Phoenix arrives as the music dies out, and they survey the devastated landscape.
Jinpei thinks it's horrible, and Jun thinks it's what Hell looks like.
Well, Jun, if it was Hell, would Jesus be the cause of it?
Ken says that it reminds him of the dead city that was destroyed by the Jellyfish Lens. Ooh, continuity... can you handle the shock?
Ken orders Ryu to land, so they can investigate the area.
But Ryu wants to know what's up with all of the 'garbage'.
The 'garbage' turns out to be smashed buildings and footprints of the Magma Giant. Jinpei is excited by their huge size.
"My feet are only 22 centimeters long, so those feet must be about 2,000!" Jinpei exclaims.
"Jinpei, what are you babbling about, boy?" Jun asks. Jun, I'm right along there with you...
The God Phoenix flies over the top of the still-smoking volcano, and Jinpei thinks it's scary. Joe tells him that he has to be brave, and notes that the footprints lead into the volcano. So what does the Science Ninja Team do? They descend into the volcano, of course!
"Let's see how low we can go!" Ken says, in a 'limbo contest' kind of voice.
Everyone sweats it out as the God Phoenix gets closer and closer to the lava.
The narrator points out that the outside temperatures at the bottom of the volcano are more than 5,000 degrees. Remember, in the Fire-Breathing Dragon episode, we were told that the Firebird is about 3,000 degrees, so this is far hotter. And hey, in case you've forgotten, the narrator reminds us of this fact again. More consistency! I'm going to faint...
Ryu says that the giant's footprints have disappeared. Joe is so surprised by this that he jumps out of his seat.
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Posted by Transmute Jun on 29-06-2009 at 03:51:
Joe surmises that the Magma Giant must have gone back into the lava, and that the Galactor base is inside the volcano.
Jun announces that they have reached temperatures of 2,800 degrees, and that they are at their limit. Ken doesn't answer, but just grimaces and grunts in a manly fashion.
Oh yeah, he's sweating too. I suppose I would sweat at 2,800 degrees!
But at the bottom of the volcano, Jinpei spots a cave. Ken wants Ryu to lead the God Phoenix into the cave.
Jun points out that they're already over 3,000 degrees.
"If we keep going, the God Phoenix is going to be barbeque!" Ryu exclaims.
Ken is distraught that they can't follow.
Meanwhile, their actions are not going unnoticed. Berg Katse is monitoring the God Phoenix from inside the base.
"Imbeciles! So we meet again, Science Ninja Team!†Katse laughs. "This time, I'm sending you straight to Hell!"
Sent straight to Hell by a fiery Jesus... that's got to be a serious pounding!
Katse cackles maniacally as he contemplates his plan. Joker, eat your heart out!
The volcano begins rumbling, and the magma at its bottom begins spraying up toward the God Phoenix. Jun wants to get out of there, and Ken agrees.
"Thank you!" Ryu exclaims, as he gets the order from Ken.
But as they are departing, from out of the magma emerges a massive form...
The Science Ninja Team spot the form, and quickly deduce that it is the Magma Giant.
Joe is sure he's seen that face before. Ah, such a good Italian Catholic, is our Joe.
The Giant rises up and grabs for the God Phoenix as Ryu frantically tries to pull up.
A lava hand reaches for the God Phoenix...
The ship spins round and round, out of control. Chaos reigns inside the ship.
The God Phoenix goes plummeting down into the water, as the Magma Giant roars in triumph.
When we return from a commercial break, the God Phoenix is near the water, literally steaming, accompanied by appropriate hissing sounds.
It's so hot, that the Science Ninja Team had to leave their ship while it was cooling off. Or maybe they just wanted a swim.
Ryu thinks it was too close for comfort, and asks if everyone is okay.
"I don't get this guy! Why would Mr. Crispy-Pants chase us all this way and not even try to finish us off?" Ryu wonders.
Ken quickly figures out that the Magma Giant can't enter the water, because if the lava cools down it will turn into solid obsidian.
Meanwhile, Joe is staring at a cross that seems to be conveniently poking out of the ground near his position.
"I knew I remembered his face!" Joe exclaims. "It looks like the Christ that's carved into the cliff at Bluestone National Park!"
I'm wondering if this shot made it into BOTP, given the obvious reference to Jesus. I'm going to have to look out for that... (nope, it didn’t).
And to confirm that Joe is right, we see the giant Jesus face emerging back into the mountain.
The young woman from the beginning of the episode pulls up in her jeep and stares incredulously.
"That's not the statue of Christ I carved!" she exclaims.
So what does she do? She climbs up to take a look, of course!
Ken and Joe think the person climbing up on Jesus is suspicious, so they fly over to take a look.
I don't think I'd mind if the Eagle and the Condor greeted me this way...
Way to grab at her butt, Ken!
The fly her into Jesus' mouth.
Jun and Jinpei fly down to join Ken and Joe, and the interrogation begins.
"We're the Science Ninja Team. Got that, creep?" Joe begins. Wow, he sure knows how to sweet-talk a lady!
"Galactor scum! How about you give us a tour of the place!" Joe goes on, not letting the girl talk. He has his hand over her mouth.
But as he is saying this, Ken and Jinpei discover a passageway.
Jun tells Joe that 'it's just a girl', but Joe isn't buying it.
Still, he lets go of her so that she can talk. The girl tells them that she doesn't know who Galactor is. She's just a sculptor.
"We'll see about that. Come on, show us around this place. Hurry, stand up!" Joe prods her on the shoulder.
"You don't trust anyone, do you?" she accuses Joe. "Ninja Team Neanderthal!"
Wow, she's known him for about ten seconds and she's already right on the money!
"Come on, Joe. She's a lady. From now on, treat her with a little respect, all right?" Ken orders.
Wow, and this coming from the chivalrous Eagle! Hmm... did you treat Naomi like a lady? Do you treat the Swan like a lady? The pot shouldn't be calling the kettle black, Ken.
But it's enough to get the girl to walk with them down the passageway, which quickly turns into a metallic corridor.
And somehow, Joe has morphed into Ryu during the walk...
But Joe is back as the team comes across a large room and a pit full of magma. Except... the girl has turned into Ryu!
"Man, it's like we've walked into Hell!" Ken exclaims.
"Be careful! Watch out for the toxic gases." warns Joe. "I think we should stay away from the crater."
Jun thinks all of this might have something to do with the statue of Christ outside. Gee, Jun, you think?
In another chamber, Leader X is telling Katse that the ISO is creating a 'conservational town' on the Calhornia Peninsula. He wants the Magma Giant to burn it to ashes.
Wait a minute... Calhornia? And I thought 'Ameris' was bad!
"Beware! The Science Ninja Team is still at large!" X warns.
Katse beings to protest, but X gets angry.
"Silence, fool!" X shouts. "I'm never wrong! Fail again and incur my wrath!"
Katse simply does his usual bow.
Back in the base, Jun and Jinpei spot something coming at them from behind. They shout out a warning and jump out of the way.
Ken and Joe do this too, carrying Ryu, who has morphed back into the girl.
The thing coming at them turns out to be the massive Jesus face, which is then dipped in magma, as the Team looks on.
See? Jesus face + Magma = Magma Giant! Simple!
Everyone leaps down and watches again, and this time the girl remains a girl.
A massive skylight opens up, and Jinpei says that it looks like they are under a lake. Ken immediately deduces that the lakebed has been replaced with glass and acts as a giant lens to absorb the sun's energy.
The Magma Giant emerges from the pool of Magma, and it begins walking out of another passageway.
Jun wonders where it’s going, and suggests that they go after it.
But just as Ken stands up to leave... (What's the green body behind him? Has Ryu magically reappeared again??)
They're surrounded!
Berg Katse's voice comes over a loudspeaker, and he tells the Science Ninja Team that they will 'burn in Hell'. They are are talking about Hell a lot in this episode. Is that because of the lava, the Jesus, or both?
In any case, Katse orders that they all be thrown into the magma.
But the sculptor girl is faster than she looks, and she throws a chisel at one of the goons.
Ken throws the goon holding him off of his shoulders, and the Galactor is the one who plummets into the magma.
Cut from BOTP:
Jinpei gets in on the act.
Jun and Joe must find this kind of thing romantic, as they're holding hands while they fly down for an attack.
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Posted by Transmute Jun on 29-06-2009 at 03:52:
Ken calls for Ryu to pick them up.
Too bad Ryu can't just magically reappear again!
But Ryu flies the God Phoenix straight down the Jesus face tunnel, coming to pick up the others.
Yet somehow, he gets off the God Phoenix and then returns with the others.
Where's the girl? Did they just leave her behind?
Oh, she must have transformed into Ryu to fly up, because suddenly she is on the Bridge, safe and sound.
Ken tells Ryu that they will have to push the God Phoenix to its limit.
"I'll do anything if it means we defeat Galactor!" Ryu shouts.
Ken says that they're going to make sure Galactor can never use this base again.
"Jun, I'm counting on your to watch the girl!" Ken orders.
"Roger!" a dutiful Jun responds. Wow... I'm just speechless here.
This time, Ken fires the Bird Missiles, and Joe doesn't even protest!
Ken shoots at the glass bottom of the lake, destroying it and causing all of the water to come rushing in. Ryu struggles to keep the God Phoenix under control as it fights against the force of the water.
But Ryu is able to pull them out of the rapidly-draining lake. He even manages to look bored doing it!
All in a day's work for the Owl.
Everyone watches the lake draining away.
Dr. Nambu contacts the Team, telling them that the Magma Giant has just appeared on the Calhornia Peninsula. Of course, they get on their way to save the ISO town.
Katse is monitoring the situation in Calhornia, and when he sees the God Phoenix arrive he realizes that the Science Ninja Team is still alive.
"Go Magma Giant!"" he says, as if he was cheering on his favorite sports team. "Crush the Science Ninja Team first! Destroy them!"
But even as Katse gives these orders, individual mecha are lowering from the God Phoenix.
Katse watches the mecha individual depart.
"How dare you!" Katse exclaims.
The Magma Giant goes after the Science Ninja Team.
The Giant is focused on trampling the individual mecha.
I swear, this giant is walking like the Thriller zombies, waving its arms around in a weird way... freaky! I guess Jesus likes Michael Jackson. Is that why Jesus ‘brought him home’?
Jun looks back to check on the progress of the Giant.
The G-4 goes into the ocean, and Ken flies the G-1 around the Giant's head, harassing it.
The Giant walks into the water. It's lava turns into obsidian, and crumbles away, baring its mechanical parts underneath.
The Giant reaches for the G-1, and falls into the water, hands first.
The entire giant falls into the ocean, and crumbles. It is destroyed!
As the sun sets, the Science Ninja Team and the girl (they never gave her a name) stare at the hole where Jesus' face once was.
The girl says that she will have to start over from scratch. Jinpei wants to know why anyone would want to carve a face into a cliff. Jun tells him to hush; that he is being offensive.
"I'm carving a sculpture into the cliff while I pray for World Peace." the girl explains. "Just as my father and grandfather did before me." She will continue to pray to Christ and the Virgin Mary, in hopes that they can bring peace to the world.
And so, she begins work on another Jesus face, as the Team watches, before flying off into the sunset.
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Posted by Transmute Jun on 29-06-2009 at 03:52:
BOTP Episode 13 - The Fiery Lava Giant
Deep beneath the sea at Center Neptune, all reports show that things are under control throughout the galaxy. Problem is, Zark doesn't know whether it is night or morning. I guess they're so far beneath the surface of the ocean that he can't see the sun.
He's wearing his helmet and cape today. Boy, he wants to be on the G-Force Team. I can tell as he flies to his control panel.
The only action he gets is short flights like this. And the only company he has is 1-Rover-1.
Proof that BOTP had animation goofs too. Check out Zark's helmet.
Ignoring his color-changing helmet, Zark keeps an eye on all planets of the Intergalactic Federation, large or small. Some are only a few hundred miles in diameter, like the asteroid he is contacting now. It was discovered by space explorers seeking radio emanations in a distant galaxy. They named it Space Island. Today, there are geothermal engineers working there to harness the great cosmic energy in the asteroid's volcanic core. It's also a refueling station for space flights.
Okay, I want someone who knows about this stuff to verify this for me... is it possible that an asteroid can have a volcanic core and also have an atmosphere on its surface where people can breathe freely? Because that's sure what it looks like as the footage shows the plant next to the volcano.
All is peaceful. Zark checks in on Monument Mountain. One of the colonists carved the faces of the men who discovered Space Island into this rock. He spent the last years of his life on this work, and now his daughter Amelia follows in his footsteps.
Well, at least in BOTP she got a name! Score one for Sandy Frank!
Zark goes on about the long, hard hours Amelia works every day. He thinks her work must be lonely, like his. Frankly, I just think that he likes to spy on her. It gives him variety, so he doesn’t have to spy on Princess all of the time.
Amelia climbs down from the mountain, and wonders what could be causing all of the new cracks she has found there. Her voice is strange, like a badly-European-accented Princess. I wonder why? Maybe she's a long-lost relative of Princess?
One of the geothermal engineers notes that the volcano is especially active, and asks for the latest repots. The reports indicate that there is a tremendous pool of hot lava building up in the crater.
Okay, even I know this is wrong. If it's still in the volcano, it's magma, not lava. You'd think a geothermal engineer would know this!
Fortunately, the first engineer orders that the plant be closed up for immediate evacuation.
The Luminous One is telling Zoltar not to 'bungle' this one. He wants to conquer Space Island. Spectra must have it as a base for attacks against Earth.
Zoltar agrees, and one of the faces on the mountain disappears.
It emerges as a Lava Giant and destroys the geothermal complex! Good thing that everyone evacuated, isn’t it?
Chief Anderson listens to a cassette taped message from Space Island, which informs him that a flaming Lava Giant is destroying the plant. The message isn't nearly as amusing as the one in Gatch, but the Chief looks just as depressed.
Mark wants to know what kind of giants could be on Space Island. Jason suggests the giants carved on Monument Mountain. He thinks the girl who is carving them might be a Spectra secret agent. Wow, he's suspicious before they've even left Center Neptune!
Princess says that Amelia is an old friend of hers, and she wouldn't do that. Ah, friends! Perhaps that's why Princess and Amelia sound so much alike!
Jason wants to bring Amelia in for questioning anyway. Everyone agrees.
Anderson pauses dramatically before granting clearance.
The Team takes off with the usual Gatchaman stock footage, combined with BOTP stock footage of flying through space.
Zark has to give us the accompanying narration to remind us that G-Force is moving far beyond our galaxy, and into the cosmos. Finally, they enter Time Warp, where distance and time have no meaning. A century can pass in a second! Hey, if they take long enough, maybe the entire crisis will be over before G-Force even gets there!
But no, G-Force arrives and looks over Space Island. Keyop thinks the destruction is terrible, and Mark comments that it's a good thing all of the people got out. Apparently we need yet another reminder that no one dies.
Tiny spots the giant footprints, which lead straight up into the volcano. The Phoenix follows.
The hull temperature rises, and everyone sweats. Princess announces that they are at 'maximum heat stress'. But they keep on going.
Keyop spots a secret tunnel. Mark asks about the heading of the tunnel, and iTny tells him that it goes south. Princess notes that this is the direction of Monument Mountain.... and Amelia.
Jason leaps out of his seat as Tiny exclaims that Jason was right: Amelia is a spy. Princess bows her head in sadness.
The volcano begins shaking for no apparent reason (we don't see Zoltar monitoring the God Phoenix from afar) and the Phoenix leaves.
The Lava Giant emerges, and goes after the Phoenix, sending it spinning out of control!
There is no commercial break here, and we cut straight to the steaming Phoenix, as the Team sits in the water.
Discussing the mission in the water, Princess insists that Amelia is an artist and not a spy for Spectra.
"Princess, I know Amelia is your friend, but facts are facts. We all saw the face on that Giant, so we've got to contact her for questioning." Mark says.
The face returns to Monument Mountain, and now we have our commercial break.
When we come back, 1-Rover-1 is barking up a storm.
He wakes Zark up from his Oil Break. He barks so loudly that the sound waves cascade over Zark.
Zark says that he was sleeping. Wait, that's silly. Zark corrects himself. Robots never sleep. He must have pushed his Off Button when he sat down. It saves energy.
Suddenly, Zark is back to resting on his 'bed', and answering a call from Susan.
Susan is worried about Zark. Zark giggles girlishly when he hears this. But he tells Susan that there's nothing to be concerned about. He's always in 'factory fresh working order'. But Susan points out that Zark was taking a ten second oil break, and he's been gone... dun dun dun... thirty seconds! Ooh, Zark, caught slacking on the job! Susan's a whistleblower!
Zark gives the flimsy 'Off Button' excuse again.
"I'll be happy to 'turn you on', Sir." Susan replies.
"Oh, you do. I mean, you have!" Zark stutters.
Yikes! And they won't let us watch a little old-fashioned goon-bashing on this show?
"Someday I've just got to meet her." Zark sighs. "I hear her calibrations are a perfect 38-24-36."
Okay, I'm ill now. 
When I come back, Zark is descending to his Ready Room, to check on G-Force.
Back on Space Island, Amelia is checking out her sculptures, when Mark and Jason fly over and grab her. Princess and Keyop follow.
Jason demands that Amelia tell them where the Fiery Giant is. Princess points out that Amelia can't respond if Jason's hand is over her mouth. So Jason removes it.
"Look, Jack, I don't know what your crazy, mixed up problem is, but if you want to find a giant, go climb a beanstalk!" Amelia retorts. Not quite the zing of No-Name-Gatch-Girl’s response, but it'll do.
"Sorry, I guess I overreacted." Jason apologizes. Wow, that was easy! He pats her nicely on the shoulder.
"But you must know something about the Fiery Giant!" he insists. "You carved the face!"
Amelia insists that she carved the head of a great man, not a giant. Mark suggests that they all follow him down the tunnel, and they do.
Look, Jason transforms into Tiny! And then Amelia turns into Tiny!
As they see the lava pit, Jason states that they're 'boiling up an artificial volcanic eruption'.
"This must be where the Giant takes his 'hot lava baths'!" Mark exclaims. Groan...
"I told you not to be so quick about accusing Amelia!" Princess points out. Too bad Tiny is there to hear it, instead of Amelia.
The Luminous One compliments Zoltar on destroying the energy plant. Now only G-Force stands in Spectra's way of making Space Island its attack base. He orders Zoltar to find G-Force and destroy them. Zoltar accepts the command with a bow.
Meanwhile, in the base, everyone jumps out of the way of the approaching Jesus... uh, Space Island founder... head as it approaches the lava bath. Keyop calls it a 'hothead'.
"I see now why you thought I was involved, Jason." Amelia says.
"Sorry I was so rough on you, Amelia." Jason apologizes again.
Princess says that they have to stop the Lava Giant before the entire Island is destroyed. So Mark asks Tiny to get them out of there. No goons, no fight with goons. Nothing.
But Tiny flies the Phoenix right into the base and picks them up, including 'himself'.
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Posted by Transmute Jun on 29-06-2009 at 03:53:
Once onboard, Mark asks Tiny if the Phoenix is 'battle-ready'. Um, if she wasn't battle-ready, would they have taken her out into deep space on a mission?
But Tiny replies that Zark has given the Phoenix a complete overhaul, so of course she's ready! Mark orders everyone to battlestations.
Mark's hand fires a missile, but it's Jason's voice saying 'Rockets ready!" as he does so.
The ceiling is destroyed and a lot of water pours in, but we don't know why. Regardless, it's clearly a major feat for the Phoenix to fly through it, and this is enhanced by the triumphant music as succeed at they doing this.
The Phoenix chases the Lava Giant, and Zoltar orders the Giant to 'take the Phoenix'.
The individual vehicles emerge from the Phoenix, and Zoltar says that G-Force is trying to 'divide and conquer'. So what does he do? He orders the Lava Giant to take them 'one by one'. Sigh...
G-Force's strategy works as it does in the Gatchaman episode, but Mark describes it more: they're trying to lure the Giant toward the ocean to 'cool him off'.
Princess calls the Giant a 'grouchy old bag of hot air'.
The Giant goes into the water, falls over, and is destroyed. Mark reports to Center Neptune that the mission has been accomplished and the Lava Giant is destroyed.
Afterward, Princess points out that Amelia has quite a job ahead of her, repairing Monument Mountain. Amelia replies that she will 'just begin at the beginning again'.
The G-Force Team watches Amelia re-start this ‘monumental’ task.
Zark's voice comes on, pointing out that the G-Force Team 'learned something about justice' on this trip. He reminds us that Jason still feels badly about accusing Amelia of working with Spectra, and now he knows that all people are innocent until proven guilty.
And with that sanctimonious, Jason-hating speech, Zark comes back on my screen.
The Phoenix is passing Canis Major on their way home, and Zark is letting 1-Rover-1 take over and guide them home, because he has a knack for getting them safely past the Dog Star. Ouch.
But the brightest stars in the sky are those five incredible young people. Zark is so proud to work with them that he salutes.
And as we fade out, 1-Rover-1 follows suit.
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Posted by Transmute Jun on 29-06-2009 at 03:58:
I just want to add that this episode has special meaning for me. It is the first Gatchaman episode I ever watched. I had purchased the BOTP 25th anniversary DVD set and the set included the subbed Gatchaman episodes. My DH and I had never heard of Gatchaman, and so we decided to watch one, just to see what it was. Boy, did our eyes goggle! And when we saw that the lava giant was Jesus... well we spent the entire episode 
!
I'm happy to say that I find this episode just as funny now as I did then, and it will always remain in my mind 'the first Gatch episode I ever saw'.
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Posted by amyltrer on 29-06-2009 at 07:23:
What's that helmet Zarks is wearing for? Cyber sex, or he's having delusions he's a KNTG member?
Let's see if he can fly when Joe kicks him out of Phoenix!
Sooo, Zarks CPU is on the right side of his chest? So we know where to aim!
And Rover can fly using his tail?
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It is the tiny spark of humanity that adds blaze to a villain
Posted by Springie on 29-06-2009 at 10:34:
Oh this ep is great! Lava Jesus always freaked me out--he's right up there with the mummy and the neon giant!
And you found such great bloopers, too! I really need to update my Fan Pages!
OMG...what can I say about the Zark/ Susan phone sex? I'm feeling queasy now...
Ken's always having Jun look after "the girl", isn't he? Funny, he doesn't have her look after Rumi later on...
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I always thought the same thing! Ken needs to take his own advice!
And Joe and Jun holding hands? I never noticed that before!!!! Good catch!!
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Posted by lborgia88 on 29-06-2009 at 13:38:
Great recap! I've always liked the episode for the sheer wackiness of a giant lava Jesus. It's interesting that eps 22 and 23 had similar plotlines, and now eps 24 and 25 both feature havoc-wreaking, human-shaped giants that can disguise themselves as something innocuous when not in use.
I'm laughing at the fact that I never realized that Joe possessed the secret Ninja ability to disguise himself as Ryu, or that he could, within minutes, teach the sculptor girl how to do it as well. 
I wonder if this was a case of recycling footage without looking at it closely enough, or if there was some confusion when the animators were reading the script as to who exactly was supposed to be in each scene.
And such a classic Gatch/BOTP difference. Joe never apologizes for being a "neanderthal," but Jason has to apologize twice, and then still gets held up by Zark as an abject lesson! Though, Joe does get a rebuke from Ken (who sure is demonstrating his "do as I say, not as I do" tendencies!)
I suppose Joe could have replied "Hey, I'm not the one who grabbed her ass!" except we can't tell exactly where Joe's right hand was in that shot, but if it was opposite the one on her back...
Posted by lborgia88 on 29-06-2009 at 13:46:
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Oh wow -that must have been truly eye-goggling! The first Gatchaman ep that I saw was... the first ep of the series, and I'd read enough online by that point to know what to expect. Sometimes I wish I hadn't read so much online about the series. Joe's whole storyline, for example, would have hit me even harder if I hadn't known it was coming...
Posted by Transmute Jun on 29-06-2009 at 13:47:
I think you're right, LB. They probably had different animators working on the different scenes. Five people sneaking into a base and looking at lava... you can see that a person new to this episode would automatically assume that it was all five members of the Team.
But it makes for some fun bloopers, anyhow!
If I'm not mistaken, I think that's the end of the 'innocuous' giants... at least for now. The later 'giant' mecha (like the Abominable Snowman' all had to be hidden. Hmmm... well, there is Mamathoon, which was stored at a base built under the La Brea Tar Pits (or whatever they called it in Gatch).
Eh... I'm sure other people can name more 'cleverly disguised' mecha for when they're not in use.
You hit the nail on the head, LB! It always annoyed me that Zark would come down so hard on Jason for the things he did. Mark was perfect, and Jason was always making the 'rash decisions'. No wonder Jason wasn't Commander! Sigh...
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Posted by Condorfan on 29-06-2009 at 16:33:
This episode shows the weirdest and funniest mecha Galactor ever came up with. I remember when I first watched it as BOTP that I noticed it looked like Jesus. I was surprised in Gatch when they said it did look like Jesus.
I think Ryu was fed up being left behind on missions so he changes in other characters in this episode.
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Posted by gatchamarie on 29-06-2009 at 17:34:
Great job again TJ! I 
at your comments, especially the "Way to grab at her butt, Ken!" one! And poor Joe is not a bad Roman Catholic ... he just didn't associate the mecha's Jesus face with that of the sculpture on the mountain at first glance! Wonder how that cross conveniently showed up in the right place and at the right time (as always!)! And Ken's lesson to Joe! Some wrong doings just do not get erased so easily, do they Ken?! And, Zark, well ... no comment! I think he would have resisted more than the God Phoenix in the volcano's heat as he tends to heat up more thinking of Susan!
And, TJ, now I know why you are all attached so much to BOTP! So you didn't know about Gatchaman in your childhood?!
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To be or not to be a gatchamaniac - that's the dilemma!
Posted by lborgia88 on 29-06-2009 at 19:21:
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I think that's a big reason why Jason was my favourite BOTP character. Mark and Princess were always right, according to Zark, and Jason was the screw-up. As the youngest, with an older brother and sister, I knew what it was like to have the deck stacked against you -I was on Jason's side!
Posted by Transmute Jun on 29-06-2009 at 19:47:
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No. Many of us on this board are in the same position. We were children, and BOTP was airing on TV. I used to watch it after school every day. I remember noticing things like the weird cuts back to Zark and sometimes strange animation. I definitely remember thinking that Princess looked so ugly in some shots (i.e. Ready Room) and so pretty in others (i.e. Tatsunoko animation). But I was too young to really put anything together. I wasn't until I was an adult that I even *heard* of Gatchaman, I know I am not alone in this kind of background, on this board. Most of the North American fans have a similar story, although some of them grew up watching G-Force, instead of BOTP.
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Posted by Springie on 29-06-2009 at 23:31:
Yep, that's my story, too, TJ...even down to Princess being ugly in some shots and pretty in the others!
We always laughed at the prissy way she ran, too! When we pretended to be them, I always had to run like Princess! LOL Then, we'd practice landing like they did...too funny!
Ok, here's the Fan Page...it needs updating, though...
Fan Page #25
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Posted by clouddancer on 04-07-2009 at 02:54:
Thank you for the write up TJ.
Question though, and maybe I have this wrong, - I always thought this strange as a child - how can Zark go down (descend) from his ready room when his main room is at the top of C.N.? Maybe he has two rooms at the top of C.N and I never knew it, or I blocked it out because of the terrible images of 10 sec. oil breaks, showers and phone sex.
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Posted by Transmute Jun on 04-07-2009 at 04:00:
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I'm not sure... I didn't think his room was at the top of CN... what makes you think that, CD?
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Posted by tatsunokofan on 04-07-2009 at 04:10:
Hi all!
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Because Zark said it was. Of course, you must remember that the building we see in all of those establishing shots (I.E. Crescent Coral Reef) is not Center Neptune, but is in fact the Research Center portion of the larger Space Center complex, of which Center Neptune is just one part (Thank you, "Invasion of Space Center").
I just assumed that Zark's rooms make up the uppermost couple of floors of Center Neptune.
Posted by Transmute Jun on 04-07-2009 at 04:29:
Thanks, James! I didn't realize that Zark had specified the location of his Ready Room, other than 'Research Center'.
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