Oh man. If you click on the link, it will say that the video id is invalid, but i swar to god, that is whats in my browser right now. Go to you tube, and type "new gatchaman" in the search bar. This video will not let you post comments on it... hmmmm....

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Toneman.....
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"Bird Go!!!"

Hi all!

This was actually nothing more than a series of commercials promoting the then-new ISDN service offered in Japan by NTT-East (NTT standing for Nippon Telephone & Telegraph, I.E. A phone company similar to the old Bell Network), generally referred to as the NTT-East Gatchaman Campaign. The total body of work is made up of two animated and two live action commercials, all telling parts of the same "story." The two live action commercials tell the first part. The first of the animated commercials duplicate the second live action commercial, and the second animated commercial continues from where those left off. A third animated commercial was planned, even storyboarded, but never produced.

The people playing the Science Ninja Team in the live action commercials were the popular Japanese boy band SMAP. As was pointed out, all five members of the Ninja Team were being played by adult men, including Jun and Jinpei. Gotta wonder how they decided who would play who...

You can find more information regarding the NTT material in the "Versions" section of Wendy's Home of the White Shadow site at:

http://www.chronicsite.com/gatchaman/index.html

I hope this helps!

James