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--- Gatchaman Episode 73 – Pursue Katse! (http://www.gatchamania.net/threadid.php?threadid=3035)
Posted by Transmute Jun on 19-04-2010 at 04:07:
Gatchaman Episode 73 – Pursue Katse!
Gatchaman Episode 73 – Pursue Katse!
Our first look at this episode is of a mecha being destroyed!
The Firebird is streaking through the sky!
FTR, this mecha is actually Thundersaurus from episode 34. (Thank you, James!)
“Well, heh, we finally finished them off!†Ryu says smugly.
“Yeah, but it was real close though.†Ken admits.
“Well I say it serves Galactor right!†Jinpei declares. “That ought to keep them from doing evil for a good while!â€
“And we’ve finally seen the last of Katse!†Jun agrees.
But Dr. Nambu’s image appears on the communications screen, and it seems as if he’s been listening in.
“Don’t celebrate too early, everyone.†Nambu says. “If you think your mission is over now, you’re mistaken.â€
“Huh? What do you mean? So what’s up, Doc?†Ryu asks. I’m wondering if this is just co-incidence, or a Bugs Bunny throwaway gag.
“In the past, when we’ve destroyed Galactor’s mecha beasts, Katse has always gotten away.†the Doctor reminds them. “Take a good look at this replay of the battle you just fought.â€
A small ship is clearly visible, escaping from the wreckage of the mecha.
“Katse fled in an escape rocket.†Nambu tells the Team. “Heading north by northwest at Mach 2.5.â€
We see a quick shot of an angry Katse slamming his fists down on his controls.
“When Galactor agents escape, we usually don’t chase them too far.†Nambu says. “But enough of this cat and mouse! Now’s the perfect chance for us to attack Katse! It’s not too late if we act quickly. This time, be sure to chase him to the very end, and finally locate Galactor’s Main Headquarters!â€
“Understood, Doctor.†Ken replies. “Ryu, follow him at Mach 5.â€
“Right on!†is Ryu’s response.
Jun’s got Katse on the radar!
“Small rocket spotted, 50 degrees right, 35 kilometers.†she reports. We can see it as a small dot on the main viewscreen.
“You won’t get away this time, Katse!†Ken vows.
Inside his rocket, Katse is horrified to see the God Phoenix pursuing him.
“The Science Ninja Team!†he gasps. “But they always give up when I escape! Oh…†He presses a button on his control panel.
“This is Lord Katse!†he says into the panel. “I’m being pursued by the God Phoenix at co-ordinate X.B, and request immediate rescue! Do you copy? S.O.S.! Now would be good!â€
Inside the God Phoenix, everyone is literally on the edge of their seats!
“We’re approaching point-blank range of the rocket!†Jun says. Joe immediately stands up and runs over to the Bird Missile launcher.
“Let’s go!†he shouts, pressing the button…
And two Super Bird Missiles emerge from the bottom of the God Phoenix, ready to launch.
“This’ll be the end of Katse!†Joe declares.
His finger moves down to fire…
“No go, Joe!†Ken says. “Those missile will turn that tiny little rocket into dust!â€
“Shut up, Boy Scout!†Joe snarls, as Ken grabs his hand. “He killed my parents, don’t you remember? Let me…â€
Katse killed Joe’s parents? This is news to me. I know Galactor killed Joe’s parents, but I didn’t realize that Katse was the one in charge at the time. Hmmm…
And there’s a fight for the firing button!
“I gave you an order!†Ken shouts. “We’re to capture Katse alive!â€
“No! Let go!†Joe shouts… reaching for the button…
“Hey… guys…†Ryu says, trying to catch their attention. When they look, they see that Katse’s ship has just exploded.
The Science Ninja Team can’t believe it!
“Looks like his rocket went into self-destruct!†Jinpei guesses.
“Looks like…†Jun doesn’t sound so sure.
“Well it saves us the trouble.†Joe grins nastily.
Ken not liking this comment, belts him.
Joe immediately jumps up and rushes toward Ken.
“Bastard!†he screams.
“Stop it!†Jun cries, rushing to get between the two. “Both of you!â€
“If you’re not going to listen to what I have to say as the leader, then get off the God Phoenix!†Ken shouts angrily.
“Hah! So you’re lecturing me again?†Joe yells.
“Listen, Ken,†Ryu says, siding with Joe, “if we’d let Katse live, he’ll just go back to his old evil tricks again. So it’s good that he died.â€
“Yeah, I know.†Ken admits. “But our mission was to capture him alive, and lead us to his Headquarters. Now it’s too late.â€
“Don’t you think I want to kill him myself?†Ken asks, his hand clenching into a fist. “But we have a duty.â€
“Try to remember that, Joe!†Ken lectures. “We’re members of the Science Ninja Team! And you know what? Our mission comes before settling personal grudges!â€
Joe doesn’t seem to agree.
But instead of punching Ken, he punches Ryu’s chair. Ryu doesn’t seem too happy about this!
“Just tell it like it is, Ken.†Jun says sadly.
“Back to base.†Ken orders.
“Wait!†Jun calls, startling Ryu.
“Look at that!†she points.
Yep, it’s Katse’s one-man helicopter-chair (Remember, from the end of episode 65?) and it’s escaping the wreckage of the escape ship!
“It’s Katse!†screams Jinpei.
“Intercept course. Go!†Ken orders.
Ryu growls angrily as he obeys.
But Katse has landed on an island covered in trees.
“Damn, we lost him in the jungle.†Ken curses.
“Well he’s a slippery little slimeball, isn’t he?†Ryu notes.
“Take us down, Ryu.†Ken orders.
“10-4, Number 1!†is Ryu’s response.
And the next thing we know, everyone is on the ground, including Ryu!
“You’re not escaping this time, Katse!†Ken thinks to himself. “I’ll catch you with my own hands!â€
And now we cut to… Leader X?
Yep, he’s giving orders.
“First Commando Unit, Lord Katse was pursued by the Science Ninja Team and crash-landed at co-ordinate X.B! I want him rescued immediately!â€
And we can see how communications look from X’s POV.
“Yes, Sire, you can count on us.†replies a bearded goon.
Now X’s monitor changes to show Katse running through the jungle.
“That idiot Katse! He causes me nothing but trouble!†X grumbles. “But I can’t afford to lose my subordinate like this. The Commando Unit should be able to rescue him safely.â€
Now we cut back to the island, and the wreckage of Katse’s helicopter chair. It’s in a tree.
“Man, bet Katse crawled away from that one!†Ryu says, staring up at it.
__________________
Posted by Transmute Jun on 19-04-2010 at 04:09:
“Yeah, doesn’t look like he could have gone very far.†Joe notes.
“Don’t kill him, all right?†Ken says quietly.
“I heard you the first time.†Joe answers in a low, dangerous voice.
“Big Bro, I hear Katse’s footsteps heading west!†Jinpei says, sitting up. He had his ear to the ground.
“Ryu and Joe will come at him from the left.†Ken states. “Jun and I will take him on the left.â€
“What about me?†Jinpei asks.
“I want you to back us up from the air in the Helico-Buggy.†Ken says.
“You got it!†Jinpei cries, and everyone is off.
And Ken, Jun and Jinpei are flying through the trees! Panchira and all…
Meanwhile, Katse is still running and gasping for breath. He comes to a small stump in a clearing and stops.
“Damn it! Where in the hell is my rescue?†he rants.
But apparently Katse has extra good hearing as well. We close in on his cat ear, and he senses the approach of his enemies.
“Here they come!†he panics.
“Stubborn Science Ninja Team!†he says. “Just you wait!†He bangs his hand on the tree stump and…
Yep, the island itself is a Galactor base!
“I’ll activate the first defense system!†Katse decides.
Around the island, trees open up, and guns come out of their trunks. A bird flies off in fright, and gets blasted for its trouble. It falls in a smoking heap. A cute little squirrel runs from a tree and over a gun, and gets incinerated for its trouble.
But Ken and Jun are high up in the trees, above the guns.
The guns aim upward, narrowly missing the two.
“Bird Run!â€
And Ken’s boomerang slices off one of the guns.
“Yo-yo Strike!â€
The yo-yo wraps around a gun and Jun uses that for leverage to swing up, before destroying the weapon.
Ken jumps on top of another gun, altering its aim to cause it to fire on other guns. He narrowly avoids more shots.
Then he throws his boomerang again.
A laser beam gets close to Jun.
But she and Ken leap back into the trees.
Ken destroys the last gun with his boomerang.
Ken contacts Jinpei.
“This is Gatchaman. Come in, G4! Come in!â€
“This is G4 Jinpei here. What’s wrong, Big Bro?†Jinpei asks.
“It’s a trap! This jungle is set with all kinds of weapons. Pass the warning on to Joe and Ryu.â€
“Roger!†Jinpei shouts.
So, why couldn’t Ken and just contacted Joe and Ryu directly?
Meanwhile, we see Joe and Ryu running through the jungle, but Ryu is panting heavily. He looks up as they run through a grove of banana trees.
“Come on, Ryu! Hurry it up!†Joe orders.
“Yo, Joseph, check out the ‘nanas!†Ryu calls with a grin. I should note that ‘Joseph’ is an ADV error… an assumption that Joe is short for Joseph. Actually, Joe is short for Giorgio.
“Groovy!†Ryu says, taking down a bunch.
He laughs with glee.
“Can’t fight on an empty stomach!†he thinks to himself. But Joe isn’t so thrilled.
“Knock it off!†Joe shouts, smacking the banana out of Ryu’s hand.
The bananas fall to the ground.
“What’s the big idea?†Ryu demands angrily.
“It could be a trap! You’d better not eat them!†Joe admonishes.
But Ryu says…
“Come on, let’s go!†Joe insists, running off. But Ryu stops to pick up a banana before departing.
“Coming!†he says sweetly, as he peels his banana.
Of course, he is startled by the gas coming out of the banana.
Joe senses that something is wrong.
He shoots from the hip…
And knocks the banana out of Ryu’s hand.
The banana explodes as it hits the ground.
“Your stomach is going to get us killed, man!†Joe says as he retracts his cable.
But now the bananas are flying off the trees of their own accord!
“Banana grenades!†Joe cries. “Run for it!â€
And the bananas miss their targets, hitting the place Joe and Ryu just left. But more keep coming…
Joe shoots his gun up into a cliff and tells Ryu to grab on. He lifts them to safety.
Once the banana attack has stopped, Ryu looks glum
“Sorry for the banana thing Joe, but…†he sighs. “Bananas usually don’t explode like that.â€
“So, I’m thinking I’m just a burden on you guys…†he says, bowing his head sadly. “I’m not skinny like everyone else, and my reflexes are slow. I get gas when…â€
But a noise causes Ryu to look up. He hears the sound of a small deer. He jumps down the cliff to investigate.
“Hey, it looks like it’s hurt!†he cries.
“Wait, Ryu…†Joe calls.
“Don’t tell me it’s another trap. Quit being so paranoid, will you?†Ryu replies angrily.
He runs off to the deer, but Joe isn’t happy about it.
“There, there, we’ll get you fixed right up!†Ryu says, petting the deer. “You’ll be just as right as rain, you’ll see!â€
He picks up the deer and walks into the jungle.
“Oh, you’re going to like this so much! It’s going to be so good for you! You’re going to get fixed right up!â€
“If I could just find the right herbs.†he says to himself.
And that’s when the killer flowers decide to attack.
Needless to say, Ryu isn’t impressed.
The flowers shoot out vines at Ryu and the deer.
Ryu runs off screaming. The vines have suction cups on the end, and they grab Ryu in various locations…
Then they start dragging him back.
But feather shuriken come down and sever the vines.
Yes, it’s Joe to the rescue!
And he’s not too happy with Ryu.
“Get the hell out of here!†he orders.
They both take cover behind a rock, but the suction cups pull the rock!
This doesn’t stop Joe from shooting.
And he jumps off the rock before it hits the flowers.
Then pushes Ryu and the deer to the ground for cover as the flowers explode.
Ryu peeps out, amazed.
__________________
Posted by Transmute Jun on 19-04-2010 at 04:11:
“You dumbass!†Joe snarls. “Which is more important: that animal, or your life?â€
“Come on, have some compassion, would you?†Ryu says quietly. “Even though I’m a Science Ninja, I’ve still got my humanity!â€
Joe doesn’t take kindly to this backhanded insult.
“Since I can’t find any medicinal plants, we’ll make do with this.†Ryu says, rubbing mud on the deer’s hurt leg. “It’ll help you feel better.â€
Then he wraps the deer’s leg with grass.
“There, you’ll be fine now!†he tells the deer. “Go on, be careful! Go on now! Go!â€
“Hey, look there! Looks like your Mommy came to get you!†Ryu says, as he sees the baby deer meet up with a larger deer. “Go! Go! Take care of yourself!â€
“Come on, let’s go.†Joe says, but he doesn’t sound as angry as he did before.
“All right.†Ryu agrees, running off.
Meanwhile, Katse is still running. But the shadow of the Helico-Buggy appears over him.
“Just you wait, rat fink! I’ll find out what’s behind your mask!†Jinpei vows.
His net attachment comes out of the mouth of his buggy. But Katse spits a pellet into his hand.
The Helico-Buggy approaches…
Katse drops the pellet and dives off at the last second. Jinpei is startled by the resulting explosion.
“What the hell was that?†he screams.
A number of saber-toothed tigers leap out of the bushes where the explosion took place. They jump into the air, landing on the Helico-Buggy.
Now we know that Joe was right to be concerned about the deer. The animals too, seem to be Galactor traps!
The teeth of the tigers come off, shooting through the Helico-Buggy’s windows.
The dreaded purple gas is being released inside of the Buggy.
“Knockout gas grenades!†Jinpei screams.
Commercial break!
Hmm… I wonder if Solid Gold Ken is a trap on Katse’s Island?
When we come back, we see the Helico-Buggy crashing with gas pouring out of its broken windows.
Ken and Jun see it go down in the distance.
“Jinpei, what happened?†Ken cries. “Do you read me? Come in!â€
“Jinpei!†Jun calls. “Jinpei, answer!â€
But Jinpei can’t answer.
The Helico-Buggy doesn’t look good, but at least the tigers are gone.
Yet they’re not. The tigers are the Galactor Commando Unit!
“Get him!†one of them orders.
By the time Ken and Jun arrive, there’s no one else around.
“Jinpei’s not inside!†Jun reports.
“Look at all these footprints!†Ken notes.
“He was probably captured and taken by Galactor’s troops.†Ken says.
“Where’d they take him?†Jun wonders.
“This is Gatchaman here. G1 to G2. Do you read me?†Ken calls on his bracelet.
“This is G2, go ahead.†Joe’s voice comes back. It sounds like he’s trying to be quiet.
“We can’t find Jinpei. You having any luck there?†Ken asks.
“Pretty much the usual.†Joe replies.
“We finally had Katse cornered, but he’s disappeared into a crowd of hooded guys.†Joe reports.
“Yeah, I’ll say! It kind of looks like a pagan village or something!†Ryu adds.
“Okay, we’ll be right there.†Ken says. “Just stay right there and keep an eye on things.†I’m wondering if they already told each other their locations, or if Ken can track Joe’s bracelet signal.
“Come on, Jun!†Ken says. “Let’s hurry back and fire up the God Phoenix!â€
“Roger!†Jun agrees.
Meanwhile, the ‘hooded guys’ are having some kind of ceremony, with a big fire. One of them is playing bong drums, and he has green gloves on…
The hooded men bow together.
“Mammothoon… Mammothoon…†they chant.
Their leader approaches. And he’s wearing red gloves. Hmm…
“Now!†whispers the leader, raising his hand.
A bird rises up from the ground. Does it look familiar?
“What kind of bird is that?†Joe asks, while Ryu shushes him.
“Oh great god Mammothoon,†says the leader of the hooded men, in a familiar voice, “we offer you as a sacrifice this bird, which by its presence has defiled our sacred land! May your anger be appeased! Sacrifice!â€
The bird moves, and it starts banging out a Birdscramble on its bracelet…
Which Joe receives.
“It’s a Birdscramble!†Joe says.
“Check it out, Joe!†Ryu says. “You don’t suppose that that bird over there is Jinpei?â€
Jinpei struggles, and his bird mask falls off.
Yep, notice how his face is completely uncovered?
“Jinpei!†Ryu shouts.
“Good God!†Joe cries.
“I’m going to roast! Help me!†Jinpei screams at the top of his lungs.
Ryu moves to go down to the ceremony, but Joe holds him back.
“Idiot! If we go out there now, it’ll be us on that spit too!†Joe says.
But Ryu smacks back.
“You might walk around without a heart, but I’m not about to sit around and watch this!†Ryu declares. He jumps down from their hiding spot.
“It’s your hide.†Joe remarks, as Ryu falls.
And sure enough, Ryu doesn’t land gracefully.
But he manages to knock out a hooded man and steal his costume. Why goodness, there’s a goon underneath!
“Well I’ll be a monkey’s uncle. Who knew?†Ryu says.
He dons the costume and moves next to the other praying men. He crawls up through them to the front.
“Ah! He’ll make a mash of it!†Joe says in disgust.
And sure enough, as Ryu is crawling, ne of the other men grabs his cloak. It falls off, and Ryu finds himself face to face with angry hooded goons.
“He would defile our sacred ceremony!†the hooded leader shouts. “Capture him!â€
But Ryu stands, ready to fight!
“If you think you can take this Owl down, then give it a shot!†he challenges.
The goons throw off their cloaks.
“Get him!†they shout.
They are surrounding Ryu!
But Ryu leaps out of the way as they fire. He employs his unorthodox attacks.
Including his sumo moves.
He bullrushes the goons.
Then he starts tossing them aside, one by one.
Two goons grab him from behind.
But Ryu throws them.
__________________
Posted by Transmute Jun on 19-04-2010 at 04:12:
Then he runs to attack the remaining goons.
When they slam into the wall, he goes looking for more.
He punches out other goons, and generally has a good time. I have to say, this is an awesome Ryu solo-fight scene.
“Awesome, Ryu! You’re the best fighting machine on the Ninja Team!†Jinpei cheers.
But suddenly the leader is there with his scythe.
“Stop, infidel!†he cries. “Or watch the boy bird cook!â€
And this stops Ryu in the middle of bashing a goon with his own gun.
“Don’t worry about me! Go out and finish them off!†Jinpei cries.
“Silence, sacrifice!†the leader cries.
And I want to point out that Jinpei’s identity is completely blown here. The ‘leader’ is getting a really good look at the Swallow’s face.
But a spear on a cable comes from out of nowhere and wraps around the scythe.
It’s Joe!
He lands on the Leader and knocks him down. Next thing you know, Joe’s in charge!
“Got you!†Joe says. “Come quietly, Berg Katse!â€
“Huh? Katse?†Jinpei is surprised by this stunning revelation.
Ryu comes up to rescue Jinpei.
“Rat fink Katse made this village to hide in!†Ryu explains, tearing off Jinpei’s bird costume. And Jinpei leaps off, revealing…
Yep, you can see his visor again. Where did it come from?
“We are a Commando Unit sent to rescue Lord Katse!†the bearded goon declares. “We should have known you’d figure it out, Science Ninja Team!â€
“Too bad! You had us outnumbered and everything!†Joe smirks, the scythe still at Katse’s throat. “Don’t do anything stupid, or your boss’ head’s coming off!â€
But the hooded costume underneath Joe’s scythe simple collapses…
Joe gasps!
Yep, Katse’s running away again!
“How in the…?†Joe is shocked.
“Hey!†Jinpei shouts angrily.
“You coward!†Ryu calls.
But Katse laughs as he gets away in an elevator.
Joe is so mad he throws the scythe at the wall behind, which appears to be made out of ice… and there’s a mammoth behind it?
The mammoth’s eyes glow as the scythe hits the ice.
“That scumbag!†curses Joe.
“We almost had him!†groans Jinpei.
But the ground begins to shake…
“What the...?†Jinpei asks.
“It’s the Mammoth mecha!†Ryu shouts.
The Owl is right. The ice breaks and the Mammoth appears. It is Mammothoon!
It’s raining ice!
Joe, Ryu and Jinpei run as Mammothoon destroys the temple.
But help is on the way!
Ken is flying the God Phoenix, and doing a pretty decent job!
Of course, Katse notices its arrival.
“Ah, those birdbrains brave the battlefield once again!†he sneers. “Well, we have an ace up our sleeve this time! Let’s teach them a lesson with Mammothoon!â€
Mammothoon blows wind from its trunk and the God Phoenix rocks in the gale.
“He’s sending out his best mecha and trying to escape!†Ken says. “All right…â€
“We have to rescue everyone first!†Jun reminds him.
Ken presses a button and the rescue platform comes out the bottom of the God Phoenix. Joe and Ryu jump onboard, and Jinpei follows.
“There’s no escape!†screams Katse, as the three ninjas rise up into the God Phoenix.
Jinpei’s having a really hard time holding on in the wind.
“Ken, hurry up!†Jun nags.
“Yeah, I’m on it.†he replies.
Jinpei loses his grip, but Joe manages to grab him.
“Damn it!†Katse shouts. “Just wait ‘til I get through with you!â€
“Thanks, Ken.†Joe gasps. “You saved us.â€
“Gosh, that was close.†Ryu groans.
“What’s happening, Sis?†Jinpei asks weakly.
Ken and Jun don’t appear to be impressed.
“This fight’s just getting started!†Ken tells them. “Come on now! Up and at ‘em!â€
Sure enough, Mammothoon is approaching.
“Hah! Imbeciles!†Katse laughs. “Nothing can stop me now!â€
But it looks like the Science Ninja Team begs to differ.
“All right, let’s shoot them some Super BMs!†Joe says.
I’m sorry, whenever I hear Joe talk about BMs… well, it’s just that kind of immature bathroom humor that makes me giggle. Yeah, I admit it, I’m immature… 
But before he can fire, Joe gasps in horror!
“Joe, if you hit the mecha’s legs, we can capture Katse without killing him!†Ken orders. “Hurry!â€
“Well don’t just stand there, fire!†Ryu urges Joe. “You’ll get us axed if we get any closer!â€
__________________
Posted by Transmute Jun on 19-04-2010 at 04:13:
“What’s the matter, Joe?†Jun asks.
“Get moving!†Jinpei prods.
“Well hurry it up already, will you?†Ryu shouts.
But Joe is frozen!
So Ryu elbows him aside!
“Out of the way!†Ryu shouts. “I’m firing the missiles myself!â€
But he gasps too…
You guessed it! A herd of deer is running in front of Mammothoon’s feet! And that includes the little deer Ryu bandaged!
“If we fire now, they’ll all be killed too!†he cries.
“Joe, you stopped it!†Ryu is shocked.
“Ken, this isn’t a good place to fight.†Joe says. “Too much risk of collateral damage.â€
“All right, then.†Ken accepts this. “Ryu, let’s try to lead the mecha away with the God Phoenix.â€
“Gotcha!†Ryu agrees.
So the God Phoenix flies in front of Mammothoon, luring it away.
“You’re not getting away this time!†Katse gnashes his teeth.
“So, you’re trying to lead me into the mountains, is that it?†Katse takes the bait and follows the God Phoenix.
“No use trying to hide! I’ll destroy both you and those glaciers!†Katse vows.
Yep, that’s right, there are glaciers (well, icy mountains, anyhow) on a tropical island. Freaky, huh?
Mammothoon stomps along the edge of a cliff, moving toward the God Phoenix.
“That’s it… closer… we’ll get you this time…†Joe coaxes Mammothoon.
“Gotcha, Katse.†he whispers with glee.
“Oh curses! The cliff’s not strong enough to hold our weight!†Katse cries, and indeed, the cliff is beginning to crumble.
“Now!†Joe cries, pressing his favorite red button.
“Ascend at full speed!†Ken orders.
“Roger!†Ryu agrees.
“Fire!†Katse shouts, and a missile shoots out of Mammothoon’s mouth.
Joe’s two Super BM’s hit their target, but Katse’s missile misses.
The goons on the mecha panic as they realize that it’s falling down into the gorge below.
“We’re in trouble! Mammothoon’s falling!†Katse shouts.
More goons panic.
Katse goes flying as the mecha falls.
“Where do they find you people?†Katse rants. I’m not sure if he’s talking about the goons, or the ninja team.
Mammothoon sinks into the ground, buried by rock and ice.
“I only regret that we weren’t able to take Katse alive as planned.†Ken says.
“This time Katse’s bitten the big one, hasn’t he, Sis?†Jinpei asks.
“We can’t assume anything!†Joe reminds them. “We won’t know until we see him dead with our own eyes!â€
“You think so?†Jinpei asks.
“He’s right.†Jun agrees with Joe. “Besides, even if we did kill Katse, we still have Galactor’s Headquarters to deal with.â€
“And until we find its Headquarters and destroy it completely, there will always be another underling to take Katse’s place.†Ken says.
“But why do you think Galactor put such a powerful killing mecha like that mammoth out in the middle of nowhere?†Ryu asks.
“I’ll bet it means that Galactor’s Headquarters are somewhere nearby.†Ken thinks out loud.
“Yeah, right!†Ryu likes that idea.
“I should have just blasted all those Bird Missiles at him after all!†Joe berates himself.
“Forget about it, Joe!†Ryu smirks. “It gives us something to look forward to for the next time!â€
And the God Phoenix flies off into the sunset to the sound of happy shupa trumpet music.
The Science Ninja Team departs, with just a touch of regret in their thoughts. What became of Katse? And where is Galactor’s Headquarters? This unexplored region, called the ‘roof of the world’, guards its secrets well.
__________________
Posted by Transmute Jun on 19-04-2010 at 04:14:
BOTP Episode 20 – Space Safari
Here at Center Neptune, deep beneath the surface of the sea, is the silent sentinel of the universe. Zark keeps a constant watch throughout the galaxies for any sign of intruder or alien invader from outer space.
“I suppose I’m what you’d call the ‘brains’ of the organization.†Zark says modestly. “G-Force gets to enjoy all the action and adventure.†And as a sign of how much Zark longs for action and adventure, he’s wearing his helmet and cape today.
“Of course, I can throw a sonic boomerang, just like Mark.†Zark reminds us.
The boomerang does some amazing stunts around the room. I don’t even think its flight path is possible under the laws of physics! I guess Zark is sooo smart he has learned how to change the laws of physics in his own ready room!
“And I add a special little touch of my own.†Zark says smugly. “How many people can reverse a boomerang?†Gee, Zark, I don’t know.
“I can also fly, just like all of G-Force!†Zark brags, lifting off into his one-inch-per-hour flight.
Or rather, he tries. He simply bounces on the floor a few times.
“Something’s stuck!†he exclaims. “There, that does it!â€
This cape doesn’t seem to do all of the flapping and fluttering of his usual one.
“I think I’m a little rusty on flying.†Zark admits. “I feel a little kink in my selsen servo!â€
“Uh oh!†Zark’s train of thought is disturbed. “There’s an emergency alert coming from somewhere in space!â€
And let’s all take a look at those readings.
“There seems to be trouble in the vicinity of Planet Leucadia!†Zark reports. Sure enough, we see shots of a Spectran robot exploding. We hear the sound of the Fiery Phoenix, but we don’t see it as the robot’s head falls to the ground.
“That was the destruction of a Leucadian space ship by one of Spectra’s aircraft!†Zark tells us. Wait a minute… so… the massive robot that looks like a sea dragon is not Spectra, but Leucadian? In other words, a Federation ship? And that sound of the Fiery Phoenix crying out was just a coincidence? Ooooohhhhhkay. I don’t want whatever you’re smoking, Zark.
“I’m afraid this will mean the end of G-Force’s vacation plans.†Zark says, without a tinge of regret. I’m guessing he enjoys disrupting G-Force on vacation.
“They’ve just come off a very dangerous mission, and are on their way to a well-earned rest on Eden, the vacation planet of the Milky Way.†Zark explains. “I’m glad Chief Anderson is the one who’ll have to tell them their vacation is canceled!†Zark notes, ever gleeful to shirk his responsibilities.
And now we cut to a shot of the G-Force Team coming home in the Phoenix.
“You know what I’m going to do on Eden?†Tiny asks.
“Everybody knows!†Mark smiles. “Eat!â€
“Disco dance!†Keyop burbles. “And hang-glide!â€
“The first thing I’m going to do is go water-skiing!†Princess decides.
“Attention G-Force!†Chief Anderson says, coming on the communications monitor. “I’m sorry, but I’m afraid your vacation will have to be delayed for awhile.â€
“Oh no!†Tiny appears glum. “We’ve got reservations!â€
“This is a red alert!†Anderson replies. “Spectra has established a beachhead on Leucadia, attempting to take over the planet. If they succeed, their anti-matter missiles will be in range of Earth!â€
We see images of a small rocket taking off from what looks like the tail of the damaged ship. Now we see Zoltar inside his own ship, and he doesn’t look too happy. He bangs his fists on his console.
“You must get to Planet Leucadia at once, and stop Zoltar!†Anderson orders.
“Zark hasn’t been able to discover where their bases are located yet.†the Chief informs them. “So you’ll have to scout the planet yourself. You all know how dangerous Zoltar can be. So I don’t have to warn you to be cautious. Remember, the entire galaxy is counting on you! Good luck, Team!†Anderson’s image fades out before he waits for a response.
“Okay, do a 180.†Mark orders Tiny.
“Sheesh!†Tiny sighs heavily, but he obeys.
“They’re disappointed of course,†Zark voices over, “but G-Force has altered course and circled the Earth to head in the opposite direction for Planet Leucadia!†We see space (as Sandy Frank knows it) passing by.
“Now they’re heading into the great black yonder, as they leave our home galaxy, the Milky Way.†Zark informs us. “They’ve long since passed the speed of sound and the speed of light! Now they’re in Time Warp!â€
Let’s do the Time Warp again… Put your hands on your hips…
Oh shoot, now I have a vision of Zark dressed up as a ‘sweet transvestite’ in my head. Bleargh… Sorry. Back to G-Force.
“Distance is meaningless! Time stands still!†Zark blathers on. “A thousand light years are traveled in the wink of an eye.†More scenes of space and stars and planets pass by. There’s a lot of filler here. I’m starting to wonder how much Gatchaman footage actually made it into this episode.
“They’ve made the long trip safely, and Planet Leucadia is in sight!†Zark finally announces. “Now they must descend on this alien world, and try to locate Spectra’s secret base!â€
And suddenly G-Force is flying through a blue sky. Funny, you’d think on a world as far away as Leucadia, the planet might have a slightly different concentration of gasses in the atmosphere, resulting in a sky of a different color. But nope, they’re just like Earth, millions of light years away! How convenient! 
We see the Phoenix flying over mountains. Princess is looking at the radar.
“Telecom contact!†she reports. “Bogey, twelve o’clock! Should be eyeball now!†Ooh, gotta love that ‘space lingo’.
“I got it!†Mark announces. “And it’s Zoltar!â€
Well what do you know? They travel through Time Warp across thousands of light years and galaxies, and the moment they arrive they find a ship… and it happens to be Zoltar! Wow, they’re good.
On his ship, Zoltar is surprised to have company.
“It’s the everlasting G-Force!†he says, although his voice isn’t’ as angry as his face. “And I’m out of ammunition!†He presses a button on his console.
“All units, this is Zoltar! All units, to my aid!†he orders, speaking into the console. “Quadrant 7! All units, immediately!â€
“Closing fast, Mark!†Princess says, back on the Phoenix.
“What are you waiting for?†Jason asks frustratedly, running up to the front of the Bridge. He presses the button to lower the TBX Missiles.
“Let’s ring down his curtain right now!†Jason suggests, moving to press the button. Ooh, you’ve got to love that hotheaded, impetuous Jason!
“Hold it, Jason!†Mark stops him. “I want him captured! He has information we need!†Mark is grabbing Jason’s wrist, physically preventing him from pressing the button.
“Forget information!†Jason replies angrily, yanking his hand away. “Finish Zoltar and this whole war is stopped cold!†You know, he has a point…
“I told you to hold it!†Mark says angrily, as a small fight ensues for control of the red button. “Now get back to your station and…â€
“Too late!†Tiny interrupts. Everyone stares in horror as Zoltar’s ship explodes.
“Direct hit!†Keyop exclaims.
“Yes!†Princess agrees.
“It’s over and done with.†Jason declares. Wait a minute! Are they implying that Jason went against orders and shot the missile anyway? Oh no! I feel faint…
“Mark, let it go!†Tiny urges, as both mark and Jason look defiant. “Jason was wrong, but there’s nothing we can do about it now. It’s finished!â€
“That’s right, Tiny, finished.†Mark says, turning and bowing his head. “But now how do we find Spectra’s Headquarters? And find it before Zoltar’s men wipe out the inhabitants of this planet? Do you suppose Jason can tell us that?†Mark’s hand curls into a fist.
“Okay, we’re a Team.†Mark says, as everyone (except Jason) looks on in shock. Jason’s still angrily pouting. I would too if I were being blamed for something I hadn’t done. After all, Jason (Joe) never actually fired that missile.
“This mean’s we’re just going to have to work twice as hard and twice as fast to get the job done.†Mark announces. “And we can’t afford any more mistakes. Now let’s get on with it!†This is all said in a rush, as if Casey Kasem was rushing to have the speech fit into a limited time.
“And hope we’re in time.†says a very sad-looking Princess.
“We have to be.†Mark says, sitting down in his chair again.
“Mark!†Princess says excitedly, pointing at the viewscreen. “Look!â€
“A Rocking Chair Chopper!†Mark declares, sounding for all the world like Robin shouting ‘Holy Chair Chopper, Batman!’
Sure enough, we can see Zoltar getting away in his helicopter chair.
“Zoltar!†Keyop gasps.
“Stay with him, Tiny!†Mark orders.
“Right!†Tiny agrees.
“I never saw a rocking chair move that fast!†Tiny notes.
“Don’t lose him!†Mark warns.
“Not this time!†Tiny replies.
And now we see G-Force on the ground, next to the Phoenix.
“He must have landed in this area.†Mark says. “The question is, which way did he go?â€
And now we cut to Spectra.
“Hear me, loyal guards!†the Luminous One is saying. “The voice of Spectra speaks! Our enemies have landed on Leucadia! They must be eliminated, General Gorak!â€
A bearded goon on a computer screen bows to the Great Spirit.
“I hear and obey, Great Spirit!†he acknowledges his orders.
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Posted by Transmute Jun on 19-04-2010 at 04:15:
His image fades, and now we see Zoltar running through the forest on the screen. Zoltar and the G-Force Team, running through the forest! Ooh-da-lolly-, ooh-da-lolly, ooh-da-lolly, lay! Sorry… diversion into one of my favorite Disney movies there…
“Zoltar has committed an error in judgment.†the Luminous One grumbles. “I do not tolerate mistakes! Give him no further aid! If he escapes, I shall forgive him. If he does not, you are in command, General Gorak!â€
Ooh… power struggle on Spectra! I’m loving it!
And now we cut to footage of Zoltar’s damaged Rocking Chair Chopper.
“Well there’s his rocking chair, but where’s Zoltar?†Tiny wonders aloud.
“We lost him! He could be anywhere by now!†Jason says.
“What do you say, Keyop?†Mark asks. Keyop has his ear to the ground.
“That way!†Keyop announces, after a lot of burbling.
“Jason, you and Tiny on the ground.†Mark orders. “Princess, we’ll take the high road.â€
“What about me?†Keyop burbles.
“You’re coming with us.†Mark decides. “Let’s move it!†Everyone dashes off.
Meanwhile, Zoltar runs into a small clearing. He collapses next to a tree stump, breathing heavily.
“Where are my men? They should have been here by now!†he rants. We zoom to his cat ear, and we can see that he hears G-Force running to intercept him.
“They are like bloodhounds, but even bloodhounds have their limits!†Zoltar says, pounding on the tree stump, which opens to reveal computer machinery underneath. “My little pets will stop them!â€
Guns emerge from the trees. So… Zoltar keeps guns as ‘pets’? That’s rather sick, IMHO.
Mark and Princess are flying overhead.
“Go, watch it!†Mark shouts, throwing his boomerang.
“Heads up!†Princess calls, destroying another gun with her yo-yo.
“Duck!†Mark yells, landing on one gun and altering its position so that it shoots at another. Mark quickly throws his boomerang and it slices through more guns.
“Move!†Princess shouts, as she and Mark leap back up into the tallest branches of the trees. Mark throws his boomerang again, chopping a gun in half. The tree it is in falls over and explodes, and Mark and Princess land safely on the ground.
“Keyop, this is G-Force Leader. Come in, quick!†Mark calls on his bracelet.
“Go, Commander!†Keyop burbles.
“We’ve found trouble!†Mark says. “We could use some extra firepower. Think you can bring up the heavy artillery?â€
“Big 10!†is Keyop’s reply.
Meanwhile, Jason and Tiny are running through the forest (ooh-da-lolly) and Tiny spots some bananas.
“What are you doing now?†Jason asks impatiently.
“Look what I found! Goodies, man!†Tiny grins widely. He grabs a bunch of bananas and begins smelling them.
“Aaaah…†he laughs happily. “Better than perfume!â€
But Jason smacks the bananas out of his hand! Oh, the violence! My poor, gentle mind is horrified!
“You’re a goof!†Tiny accuses Jason.
“Quit thinking with your stomach! Maybe they’re bombs!†Jason lectures.
“Hey, I never thought of that!†Tiny admits. “Maybe you’re right!†But when Jason runs off, Tiny grabs a banana and peels it anyways…
Of course it is a bomb, and Tiny’s cry of ‘Yikes’! is enough to warn Jason. He stops and pulls out his gun. He shoots, knocking the bomb out of Tiny’s hand before it explodes.
“Tiny, are you really for real?†Jason asks in exasperation. But there’s no time for conversation, because now the bananas are flying at them!
The banana peels pull back, exposing the bombs, and Jason quickly shoots his gun at the cliff. He retracts the cable, pulling himself and Tiny to safety.
Later, once the explosions are over, they are both sitting on the ground, looking glum.
“I know what Zoltar’s plan is.†Tiny says. “You want to know what Zoltar’s plan is, Jason?â€
“No!†is Jason’s irritated response.
“I’ll tell you anyway.†Tiny says. “He’s going to drive us bananas by making us look at bananas we’re too scared to eat! Boy, am I hungry!’
But Tiny looks up as he hears a cry. It’s a small deer.
“Hang on, I’m coming!†Tiny calls, as he leaps down the cliff.
“It may be another booby trap!†Jason warns.
“Naw, it can’t be! Not a cute little thing like that!†Tiny disagrees. Jason looks on suspiciously as Tiny approaches the deer.
“Hey, little fella. Did all those noisy bombs scare you?†Tiny asks, sitting down next to the deer. “Don’t you worry, now. Tiny’ll take care of it. Everything’s going to be all right.†He picks up the deer and carries it into a grove of flowers. He looks around worriedly, and then the flowers open up and attack!
Tiny runs, but the flowers shoot out vines. The vines have suction cups on the end and they attach to Tiny, who falls down.
But two feather shuriken come flying through the air and sever the vines. It’s Jason! He comes running up with his gun.
“Jason!†calls Tiny.
Jason shoots the gun and severs another vine.
“You need a keeper!†Jason says in disgust. He leaps behind a rock, and rides it as the vines pull the rock toward them. Jason shoots, and then jumps away, covering Tiny and the deer with his own body just as the flowers explode.
“Now will you quit fooling around and pay some attention to business?†Jason asks.
“And this was going to be my vacation!†Tiny moans. “It’s not my idea of a tourist wonderland!†He rubs the deer’s leg.
“Okay, now you’re all better. You run home to Mama.†Tiny says. The deer ends up with a grass bandage around its leg.
“Go on, now. Tiny has to go to work.†Tiny explains to the deer. “And you be careful of that leg! I’ll come by and look you up the next time we’re on Leucadia!†So long, little fella.†And then he laughs deeply, sounding exactly like Barney Rubble. I kid you not.
“Be careful!†Tiny calls.
“Can we go now?†Jason sounds exasperated, but he’s smiling. He runs off.
“Sure.†Tiny agrees, and he follows.
Commercial Break!
When we come back, Zark is at his monitors.
“That jungle on Leucadia is nothing but Spectra booby-traps!†Zark declares. “G-Force can’t trust an animal, or a tree, or even a piece of fruit!â€
Suddenly, sparks come from Zark’s antenna, accompanied by the sound of a massive electrical charge.
“Well, this is certainly something we’ve all been looking forward to!†Zark declares. “For a long time! Zoltar is all alone on the ground and running for his life!â€
Sure enough, we see Zoltar running through the tall grass. Keyop’s Space Buggy appears above him.
“All by myself!†Keyop burbles, a mean expression on his face. A net emerges from the mouth of the Space Buggy. But Zoltar spits something into his hand. He jumps off to the side, and there is an explosion…
“Fooled me!†Keyop cries.
Saber-toothed tigers run out of the bushes and leap into the air, landing on the Space Buggy! For unexplained reasons, the Buggy begins to rock and emit purple smoke, and it starts to fall. In the distance, Mark and Princess see it hit the ground.
IMHO, this would have been a better place for a commercial break. I’m just saying…
Now we see the tigers surrounding the damaged Space Buggy, and they are actually Spectran goons with tiger skins on their heads! One of them is General Gorak.
“Bring him along!†the General orders.
Now the sun is setting, and we see Mark and Princess at the ruined Space Buggy.
“Mark, he’s not in the ship!†Princess reports.
“Look at these tracks.†Mark says.
“A lot of men!†Princess notes.
“Yes, and Spectra’s men!†Mark declares. “They’ve captured Keyop!â€
“We’ve got to find him!†Princess gasps.
“Jason! Tiny!†Mark says into his communicator. “They’ve got Keyop! Princess and I are going after him.â€
“I read you, Mark!†Jason replies. “Go find the little guy. We’ll handle things here. Tiny and I have stumbled upon some kind of suspicious ceremony. If you need us, just yell.â€
“Roger.†Mark replies. “You guys stay with it. But watch out for Zoltar.â€
“Okay, Princess, we’d better start making like boy scouts.†he says.
“Let’s go!†she agrees.
Back at the ‘suspicious ceremony’…
“Hey, Jason, do you suppose this is some kind of fraternity initiation?†Tiny asks.
We see black-robed men staring at a large fire, and one of the men is playing bongo drums. He has green gloves on…
The black-robed men bow.
“Great Spirit!†they say in unison. Their leader comes out onto the dais.
“Pray!†the leader orders.
“Great Spirit!†the men reply.
A platform rises up, revealing a familiar-looking uniform with a bird costume on its head.
“Some fraternity!†Jason remarks, but Tiny shushes him.
The figure in the bird costume struggles and the mask falls off. It is Keyop!
Tiny moves to leave, but Jason holds him back.
“Don’t be crazy! We can’t go down there yet!†Jason protests.
“One of us has got to go down there while there’s still a chance to save him!†Tiny disagrees. He crawls down the cliff to the black-robed men below.
“Good luck!†Jason calls cheerily.
Tiny pulls back a black-robed man and removes the robe and mask. It’s a knocked out Spectran goon!
“Sorry, but I need this more than you do.†Tiny explains. He dons the costume, then crawls up through the crowd.
“Tell me why I even bother!†Jason cringes as he watches.
One of the other worshippers pulls off Tiny’s robe, and suddenly he is surrounded!
“Another of the Great Spirit’s enemies!†the leader says. “Seize him!†Strangely, he doesn’t sound at all like Zoltar. Hmmm…
“Hold it, Keyop, I’m coming!†Tiny cries, running madly for the dais. “Just in the nick of time!†he unties Keyop. Keyop suddenly has his visor back on, even though his face was uncovered before.
Jason’s cablegun shoots and wraps around the Leader’s staff. Jason lands, and the Leader falls down.
“Come on, let’s get out of here while the getting’s good!†Jason calls.
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Posted by Transmute Jun on 19-04-2010 at 04:16:
And suddenly, Zoltar is running for an escape elevator!
Jason’s eyes bug out, but he’s looking at the ground, not up at the elevator. Zoltar laughs as the elevator rises and disappears.
The ice behind the elevator crumbles and a huge mammoth robot appears!
Jason, Tiny and Keyop run.
And then the Phoenix is there!
“There they are!†Zoltar laughs from inside the mammoth. “Now we shall see who wins the final battle for Leucadia! Show them what you can do, my little pet!†Another pet? Better than a gun, I guess. At least a mammoth qualifies as a ‘pet’!
The mammoth begins to blow wind from its trunk. The Phoenix rocks.
“Where are they, Princess?†Mark asks casually, as Princess struggles to remain seated. “I can’t hold it much longer!â€
“We’re over the pickup point now.†Princess replies, just as casually. Mark presses a button, and a platform lowers from out of the Phoenix. Jason, Tiny and Keyop leap onto it.
“Don’t let them get away!†Zoltar yells. In the wind, Keyop starts blowing away. He holds onto the pole attached to the platform.
“They’re coming up!†Princess says.
“Bring them in!†Mark orders. Like she wasn’t about to do that anyway?
In the wind, Keyop’s grip loosens and he flies off, but Jason grabs his hand just in time to save him.
“They’re escaping again!†Zoltar shouts angrily, slamming his console.
“Not a bad pickup, Mark!†Jason compliments the Commander now that he’s safely back inside the Phoenix. Um, didn’t Princess do all the work?
“A little bumpy, though.†Tiny adds.
“A freeze!†Keyop calls.
“Flattery later.†Mark brushes off their comments. “Right now we have a giant mastodon to handle!â€
“And I know the exact way it has to be handled!†Jason says, stepping up. Sure enough, the TBX Missiles come out to play.
“Ready!†Jason calls.
“All yours, Tiny!†Mark says. “Remember, that’s a dangerous toy down there!†I guess Mark is teaching Jason a lesson by letting Tiny fire the missiles?
“Relax, Commander! You’ll see how I handle that overgrown elephant!†Tiny’s voice is confident, but he’s sweating bullets.
“Today, I hope!†Princess says.
“Hurry up!†Princess urges.
“Watch the master in action!†Tiny boasts, getting ready to fire the missiles. But then he gasps.
Deer are crossing in front of the Mastodon! We see the little deer Tiny helped.
“Small animals down there!†Tiny says. “They’re liable to get hurt! There’s another way!â€
The Phoenix flies away.
“The fool!†Zoltar grits his teeth. “We have another chance.†The Mastodon turns around and follows the Phoenix.
“This time, we will make certain!†Zoltar vows. “They are running, quickly, my pet! Before they have a chance to leave this planet!†The Phoenix disappears behind some icy mountains.
“Let me take a crack at it this time!†Jason urges. “One more step…â€
And I guess Mark agrees, because the Mastodon takes one more step and Jason prepares to fire…
“We have them now! They waited too long to escape!†Zoltar crows as a rocket appears in the Mastodon’s mouth.
“Now!†Jason says, pressing the red button.
“Go, Tiny! Move it!†Mark calls.
“Fire!†Zoltar calls, and the rocket shoots out of the Mastodon’s mouth. But it misses the Phoenix.
Jason’s two missiles impact at the Mastodon’s feet.
“We are hit!†cry Spectran goons. They stand up and run off, abandoning their stations.
“We’re not going to win this time!†Zoltar shouts, as the Mastodon slides down into the gorge and the Spectran Leader is thrown across the room. “Abandon this worthless machine!â€
And the Mastodon sinks into the gorge, only to be covered by rocks and ice.
“That should make Leucadia safe again!†Mark declares, as everyone watches on the Phoenix. “Now maybe we can take our vacation!â€
“Hang-glider!†Keyop burbles.
“Anderson better not stop us this time!†Jason says, angrily raising his fist. “Because if he does, know what I’m going to do?â€
“What?†Keyop broops.
“Exactly what the rest of us would do. “ Princess answers. “Complain a lot, and then obey orders. Right, Jason?â€
“Well, Princess, I guess you’re right.†Jason leans back in his chair, a scowl on his face.
“Let’s hope there are no new orders.†Mark says. “I made some very important plans on Eden, and I’m a long way behind schedule.†Ooh, did he set up a romantic date with Princess? 
“Double Spaceburger, here I come!†Tiny calls. “Next stop, Eden!†What, they’re not going back to Earth to pick up their suitcases first?
“I intend to see that G-Force gets that vacation this time.†Zark voices over as the Phoenix flies away into the sunset. “If Chief Anderson asks where they are, I’ll feel a short circuit in my auditory system coming on. I won’t be able to hear a thing!â€
And while I’d love it if they’d end the episode with shots of G-Force enjoying themselves on Eden, instead we get… yep, you guessed it.
Zark.
He’s having trouble flying again, and he’s bouncing in the middle of the room.
“I never would have been able to fly away from that elephant in time, if I’d been on Leucadia!†Zark says. “Maybe it’s just as well that those young people get all the excitement and adventure. I’m proud and happy just to be the brains of… G-Force!â€
He salutes, and the episode ends.
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Posted by Transmute Jun on 19-04-2010 at 04:18:
And just in case anyone is curious, this is the song I was thinking about with the 'ooh-da-lolly- reference.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ST9DUjzNp48
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Posted by lborgia88 on 19-04-2010 at 06:04:
Heh, thanks for the fun recap and for bringing up happy memories of watching "Robin Hood" over and over, with my nephew when he was little. It, and "The Sword in the Stone" were two of our favourites.
Speaking of memories, this is one of the BOTP episodes that I can remember really well.
I find the Gatch version very interesting for how it emphasizes the difference between what Joe says and what he does (often, after he's had a bit of time to think). At the beginning, he's unrepentently keen to blast Katse out of the sky (in spite of their orders to track him to his headquarters) but later, when he has the chance to lop his head off with a scythe, he instead says "Come quietly." And for all his berating of Ryu for wanting to stop to help the baby deer, he later can't bring himself to fire on Mammothoon because of the deer running near it.
I think you're right that he's stung by Ryu's "I've still got my humanity" remark (not that he'll admit it), knowing that even though he has a lot of trouble showing softer emotions, he does have them.
Posted by green on 19-04-2010 at 06:28:
Oh - this is one of my favourite all time episodes and you've done a beautiful job of summarising it, TJ!! Thank you!!
I think I love it because it showcases the relationship between Ryu and Joe - their differences and similarities
It also broadens Ryu from being the big dumb guy into the one we know and love - the big guy with a bigger heart! Who else would stand up to Joe the way he did? And for the same reasons?
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Exaggeration misleads the credulous and offends the perceptive. ~Eliza Cook
Posted by gatchamarie on 19-04-2010 at 07:08:
| quote: | |
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Hey ... he's the one who saved a puppy!
Thanks, TJ, for another great recap and the numerous amount of awesome screenshots! I don't think you're crazy at all when hearing or mentioning the shooting of BM's!!!! My mind drifts many a time towards other funny comparisons when encountering certain similar words or phrases! Must be the child in us!
I must say Galactor have done an awesome job with transforming a whole island in one hell of a trap like that! One of the things I cannot understand is why Katse and his goons took the hassle of organising a whole ritual to execute the Swallow when they knew quite well that the rest of the SNT were on their tracks. I might be confusing something here ... perhaps the surprise element was what they were counting upon, but I still think there was no need for such ceremonies!
Joe's reaction is an example of how war and revenge could overpower other sentiments, like we have been talking in another thread. But then, when a good person like the Condor has the time to ponder on such things and has a friend like Ryu to point them out, then his real nature emerges tearing the webs. The same happened to him when he had his conflict with Ken regarding the shooting of BMs against Berg Katse. He just needed some light to get him through his blindness! I bet Ken would not have thought twice at killing Katse instantly if ever he could have had the chance when his father had shortly been killed, though! Ah, how emotions can overcome rationality if we're not careful!
And I knew the baby deer had a much important role in the episode from the very beginning! At least it wasn't another trap!
Thanks again, TJ!
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To be or not to be a gatchamaniac - that's the dilemma!
Posted by Springie on 19-04-2010 at 09:07:
TJ, great recap of one of my favorite episodes! I just love the banter between Joe and Ryu in this! IMHO, they should have done more eps with Joe and Ryu working together!
And I got the "Ooo-de-lolly" reference right away! 
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Posted by Transmute Jun on 19-04-2010 at 13:29:
I'm glad you guys enjoyed it! It's always been one of my favorite episodes too. It really showcases the personalities of all of the characters, including Katse and (to a minor extent) X! Additionally, this episode is the start of a 'series' of interconnected episodes, pretty much all of which are fan favorites. IMHO, the Tatsunoko scriptwriters outdid themselves during this part of the show's production.
Yes, I believe Joe was stung by Ryu's remark about how Ryu 'still had his humanity'. In a way, it's even a foreshadowing of Joe's loss of his humanity, when he becomes a cyborg... almost as if Karma is forcing Joe to decide if he's that far gone yet. Okay, I'm being melodramatic, but it's the fic-writer in me...
I'm glad I'm not alone with the 'ohh-da-lolly' thing! I swear, that song was running through my head as I typed the recap!
I also agree that this is a wonderful episode for the Owl. His comedic element is played to the hilt, but then, just as he's become a big joke, he steps up to rescue Jinpei, and goes into one of the most awesome single-handed combats the show has seen!
I understand what you're saying about the ceremony, Marie. My thought is that they were using it as bait to ';catch' the other members of the ninja team.
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Here's where I indulge in a bit or self-preening and admit that I wrote a fic about that deer, and he wasn't all he seemed...
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Posted by gatchamarie on 19-04-2010 at 16:01:
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ITA with you!
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That's a very interesting line of thought and comparison to Joe's future! Further on, he did lose his humanity from the physical aspect, and he had to learn to deal with it ... his body may have been changed into a cyborg one, but his heart remained the same ... and IMHO his heart had become even bigger!
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That's my only plausible theory also!
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Can I find it at Gatchfanfic? ... <poke> title please! <poke> title please!
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To be or not to be a gatchamaniac - that's the dilemma!
Posted by amethyst on 19-04-2010 at 16:14:
Thanks for the great recap, TJ!
I'll admit, the Disney Robin Hood is one of the few older Disneys that I don't think I've seen, so I didn't get the reference.
Although, I'm glad that I wasn't drinking when I read "holy chair chopper, Batman"; if I were drinking it would have been all over my computer. I seldom think about Casey Kasem being the voice of Robin in the Super Friends.
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Perspective Alters Reality
Posted by Transmute Jun on 19-04-2010 at 19:24:
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Yeah, it's not one of the more popular films. But it's got a great sense of humor, and perfect for kids. (And adults with kid-like sensibilities, like me.
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Posted by Transmute Jun on 19-04-2010 at 19:27:
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LOL, it was part of my Stealing Christmas . It's called The Mecha Who Stole Christmas.
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Posted by lborgia88 on 19-04-2010 at 22:50:
RE: Gatchaman Episode 73 – Pursue Katse!
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Assuming he (like Katse) survived this episode, I wonder if the goon leading the Commando Unit is the same goon who, in episode 103, captures and later shoots Joe. They look a lot alike and we don't see too many goons with beards.
Posted by Transmute Jun on 19-04-2010 at 23:26:
You may be right, LB. That's too much of a coincidence to be ignored.
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