Gatchaman II episode recaps - Episode 10

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 10:

A peaceful looking island is shown with huts, canoes and families playing in the water.



Suddenly, the sun disappears behind ominous clouds. The people shiver with the change in temperature, and lightning arcs menacingly. An icy wind starts. Snow covers the island and its people and we see the surrounding oceans turn to ice.



Cut to the ISO assembly room and the president who is relaying the situation to the councillors (I wonder how the councillors get in and out of those little desks?)



Nambu takes the floor and we see a picture of the Earth. The picture changes and half the Earth is covered in ice. Dum dum dum dum daaahhh... It sounds like Nambu says "Guys, settle down.." as we see a diagram illustrating some kind of fields (heat?) radiating out from what looks to be the center of the Earth.



The fields warp at one end and it appears that this is how the ice is being formed. Nambu says "I think that it's Galactor..." and "I've sent the ninjas out to put a stop to this nonsense."



The team seem in good spirits, Jun and Jinpei seem happy about something. Jinpei puts on a little performance, Ryu isn't impressed and is about to thump him when Joe interjects.



The team's attention is drawn to a whole lot of dead fish floating on top of the ocean. Ryu is incensed (I guess because he's a fisherman, although it could be because he's seeing food go to waste..) and Jun and Jinpei are "like what's the matter dude?"



Ryu suggests something, Ken says "Cool, do it" and the G5 exits the God Phoenix. Ryu has some trouble controlling the G5 due to strong underwater currents. The team is concerned and they too experience some sort of disturbance. The God Phoenix turns away just as the sky turns a deep red.



Ryu is caught in an acid flash-back and wakes, still in the G5. He exits the G5 to find himself on an island that looks a little like the one we saw at the start of the episode. There's no ice, but he's surrounded by sharks.



As he attempts to shoot one of the sharks a spear knocks the gun out of his hand. "Owww, that smarts", he says, clutching his wrist.



A bearded man talks at him, he doesn't seem very happy with Ryu.



Cut to the middle of the island where a red glow is forming in the middle of the water. Sosai X and Gel Sadra are scheming. Scheme scheme scheme. Gel Sadra inspects the latest Galactor weapon, and talks to the captain of the week who looks vaguely fishy.



The G5 is being pulled out of the ocean by the old man who's rigged up a wooden pulley system and some ropes (it looks like the G5 has power, wonder why it couldn't get out of the water)



Ryu thanks the man who doesn't seem all that friendly. Ryu introduces himself, the man doesn't seem impressed. Later, the two sit around a fire and Ryu eats some fish. The man tells Ryu a story "Back in my day things were so much better.."



Commercial break!

In the lake at the center of an atoll the latest Galactor weapon becomes operational. A group of poles with reflective panels on their tops jut out from the water. As the big machine underneath starts to power up, yellow beams shoot out from the top of each pole. We can't see what they're aiming at.



The God Phoenix has landed somewhere and we see a radar dish trying to locate something. The narrator mentions Ameria. Ken, Jun and Jinpei discuss something. Ken's reverie is interrupted as snow starts to fall in large amounts. The God Phoenix takes off.



Back on the island, the old man sleeps. Jun and Ken enter the hut. Apparently the old man is dying (how did that happen?) Ryu is upset. We see the man remembering canoes and people spear-fishing.



The man points at his spear as he dies. Jun says "He's dead" Ryu is distraught, Ken tells him to harden up. Ryu makes some sort of decision.



Cut to the Galactor base as the God Phoenix approaches. Ryu is ready for action. There's a cool shot of the captain of the week giving an order and we see the mecha for the first time. It's a golden structure that shoots out some weird rays.



Ryu struggles to control the God Phoenix. Jun's console erupts with electricity and Pima is thrown across the ship and smashes (satisfyingly : ) against a wall.



The God Phoenix is caught in the mecha's grasp. The team are unconscious. Gel Sadra is enjoying this.



Ryu wakes, bashes the console with his fist, and remembers the old man. He sees the spear, takes it in his hand and exits the God Phoenix. Outside he sees a glowing part of the mecha. He throws the spear, it hits. We see that he's added some dynamite to the handle and it explodes, freeing the God Phoenix.



Ken wakes up and moves to control the ship. Ryu returns and takes control. He describes what happened.



The mecha is doomed, goons attempt to flee but look to be unsuccessful. Gel Sadra makes her getaway and the mecha explodes spectactularly.



The God Budgerigar has landed at the island. It looks like a grave has been dug (in the sand next to the water? sheesh : ) and the grave is marked with a spear (hope they didn't intend for it to be the same one)



Ken tries to console Ryu, who is inconsolable (He was not consoled). Each team member has a sad face as the narrator says something motivating.



Next episode preview:
We se a very pretty girl, some kind of construction site with a lot of crows, cyuborg crows, a young man heroically driving a truck, fighting with Ken, and the truck runs off the side of a bridge.

Thanks for the insights Transmute Jun. I also loved Ryu's fish eating scene : ) I was watching for it, but didn't notice Joe's cyborg nature in this one, will have to look again!

Great to see another of your recaps, Crescent Moon!

It's nice to see Ryu get the lead role in an episode -doesn't happen so often.

It's sort of ironic that Ryu has the least eating-friendly visor of all of them -it's a lot closer to his face than the other's.