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Posted by Crescent_Moon on 11-02-2011 at 11:30:

Gatchaman II episode recaps - Episode 6

Disclaimer: Gatchaman belongs to Tatsunoko, no infringement is intended.

Screencaps: Reboekah has graciously given me access to Gatchaman II screencaps for inclusion in the recaps, thank you! : )

Episode 6:

We see three jet fighters flying in formation. The pilots chatter amongst themselves. One pilot sees an island and a brief flash of light. All the pilots seem to lose control of their jets. We see a passenger plane approach and crash into the jets, destroying all four planes.

A mechanical mountain on the island glints as it closes up. We see inside. It's a Galactor base. Inside is an ominous looking purple ball covered in blueish feeder tubes.

Gel Sadra speaks to Sosai X and (if I could speak Japanese) we get the backstory for the episode. Gel Sadra is suitably impressed with Sosai X's plan.

Cut to the G-spo, erm, G-Town (thanks for planting that thought ; ) Ken, Jun, Joe and Ryu speak to Dr Nambu. Jinpei appears to be missing. It looks like Nambu is describing the incident with the jets. We see an aerial shot of some kind of structure. Nambu elaborates. The team (minus Jinpei) take off.

On what appears to be the island shown at the start of the episode, we see a little girl playing in a rock pool. She picks up a conch shell and as she examines it she sees a con-trail. It's Jinpei streaking across the sky in his contraption. He looks to be running out of fuel. His contraption skates along the water and eventually crashes nose first into the beach.

While Jinpei tries to fix his contraption (he's working on the bottom, most of the damage seems to be to the front) the girl from the rock-pool arrives at the scene and tickles his feet.

Jinpei seems to be quite taken with the girl (she looks a little like Minmei) and has some trouble communicating. Jinpei grabs his head, the girl pulls out a little triangle and puts it on his head. The triangle grows until it is big enough for Jinpei to sit under (some kind of meditation pyramid?) and the girl (who appears to have no respect for personal space) lectures him about something (I think she's talking about her papa?)

Jinpei agrees to something. It looks like it involves prancing and running. Oh no, dad's arrived. He looks evil.

The girl runs to her dad. Jinpei removes himself from the situation.

On the God Phoenix, Jinpei is remembering his adventure fondly. The God Pheonix flies to the island. The team observes an glowing monolith (looks like the Washington monument) in the middle of what looks to be a gigantic water feature. Jinpei says "Look at that thing". It's not in a fountain but in a large man-made depression filled with onlookers.

A (slightly translucent) giant appears. The onlookers are amazed. The giant (who is the girl's father and a projection) speaks and the momument changes colour to a rich gold. The people are astounded. It looks like there are pyramids surrounding the momument as a light-show starts.

The girl's evil father mutters to himself. It doesn't sound good. We cut to a Captain of the week wearing a pharaoh's head-dress and sporting a pointy gold beard. He speaks to Gel Sadra. It sounds like he's asking about the ninja team. Gel Sadra seems confident that they're no threat.

The mountain shakes, and a giant pyramid takes off from inside (ooh, Stargate!) Gel Sadra laughs at the puny science ninja team.

Commercial break!

Posted by Crescent_Moon on 11-02-2011 at 11:44:

We see the team looking down at the light-show around the momunent as the floating pyramid mecha passes by overhead. It's HUGE!

The crowd below is frightened. Ken calls Pima who flies the God Phoenix to the scene. The team makes their way to the action as the pyramid hovers above the monument and shoots some kind of beam at it. Cracks radiate outwards from the center of the monument.

The little girl runs away, terrified, calling out "Papa!" She's really close to a crevasse and about to fall in. Other people (and statues) are not so lucky.

The girl's father appears to be on the pyramid. He's not happy that his little girl is in danger (I think he says "This was not part of the deal!") Pyramid guy holds some kind of briefcase (recording equipment?) and mentions data. Gel Sadra throws a rock at the girl's father, knocking him backwards. Gel Sadra's wardrobe has some atrocious stitching.

We see a view of the little girl lying next to the crevasse. It looks as if Gel Sadra is threatening the girl's father with her death if he doesn't cooperate. The father is distraught, goons approach him with guns drawn. He punches one, takes the gun and attempts to shoot Gel Sadra. He misses and shoots at the controls of the mecha instead.

The God Phoenix approaches the pyramid mecha. We see a panel open in the side of the mecha and a plane shoot out. It's piloted by the girl's father, we see his face on the God Phoenix's viewscreen. It sounds like Ken recognises him (I'm surprised that Jinpei doesn't)

The team has landed and are being talked at by the girl's father. He seems remorseful. Joe mutters something about a pyramid. Ken suggests something that surprises Jinpei and Jun. Joe says something serious sounding, Jun looks at him askance, her eyes are big and her mouth registers some surprise before her expression hardens.

Ken tells Jinpei to do something, and the team takes to the air leaving the evil father behind. Pima bleats something or other. We see each team member sitting in their own machine on the God Phoenix. Metal shielding covers the inside of the God Phoenix's bridge. The team initiate the firebird technique, experiencing some pain as they do.

On the pyramid mecha a goon notices the firebird. Gel Sadra is warned. She seems surprised and a little scared. Haunting violin music plays as if to signal the end for Galactor.

The firebird splits into 6, one for each machine. This firebird looks cooler than the original, it can rear its head and flap its wings, like it's buffeting the ground.

A warning sound erupts in the pyramid's control room. Gel Sadra wonders what's going on. One of the firebirds penetrates the side of the pyramid, causes untold destruction while it's inside, and exits as the pyramid sinks into the water below. Gel Sadra escapes as the Pyramid explodes.

We see the team back at the monument. A helicopter is taking the wounded away. As it departs, we see Jinpei, he's holding the little girl who appears to be unconscious. Evil dad is moved. Jinpei kicks him for being an idiot (Go Jinpei!). The little girl wakes and protects her dad.

Jinpei is surprised and says something but Ken tells him off. Jinpei turns his back on them in a huff.

Evil dad appears to have been redeemed as he carries his daughter away. Ken says something reassuring to Jinpei. The sun rises. We see no longer evil dad walk into the distance carrying his daughter as the narrator concludes the story (it's a wasteland out there, where the hell is he going?)

Next episode preview:
We see what looks like Jinpei and one of his mates, a weird looking viney plant that strangles him, a sky full of spores, and some discussion between the team and Nambu.

Posted by gatchamarie on 12-02-2011 at 07:57:

Lovely recap, CM! I had forgotten all about this episode, but you helped me a lot in recollecting some of my memories! So easy for a bad guy to be freed from all guilt just because of his redemption, after all the damage might have already been done! Beloved ones always pay for the others' mistakes ... why is it always too late, or almost, to come to this awareness?! No wonder Jinpei seems pissed off! He surely does not trust this man as being a good father for his new, little friend, especially when he's seeing where, as you said, the girl is being taken!!! Maybe he was a nomad before!!

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Posted by Crescent_Moon on 12-02-2011 at 12:41:

quote:

Originally posted by gatchamarie
So easy for a bad guy to be freed from all guilt just because of his redemption, after all the damage might have already been done!

Yeah, he's not accountable at all. The least they could have done was called child services : )

It's also odd to me that this Pharoah

power could be a wonderful clean energy source but they just give up on it.

I'm not usually a big Jinpei fan, but I really like how they've drawn and portrayed him in this episode. He has some great moments and very funny expressions : )

Posted by Transmute Jun on 12-02-2011 at 16:32:

The coolest thing about this episode is the use of the Firebird Shadow Separation.... I'm trying to recall, but off the top of my head, I don't think it's used again in the series (or in Gatchaman Fighter). Can anyone confirm or dispute this? Anyhow, it's a great maneuver to watch.

The other cool scene is Jinpei's crash landing. I love his expression of horror! Big Grin

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Posted by Springie on 12-02-2011 at 18:28:

OMG...that cracks me up, TJ! pound

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