lborgia88
Gatchamaniac
I am a Condor.
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Registration Date: 27-06-2007
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Gatchaman Episode 16: "The Indestructible Machine Mechanika"
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(Saturn’s screencaps (for this entire episode) are not captioned this week, but fortunately we are all able to enjoy her wit and humor in her marvelous birthday comic for TJ instead -Thank you, Saturn!)
The Indestructible Machine Mechanika
“The International Science Organization,†the narrator tells us, “has finally completed their state-of-the-art factory†to build high-tech machines that can perform construction work in underground or underwater locations –all with the aim of protecting the ISO’s workers from dangerous construction sites.
The thing is though, we’re being shown scenes of this enormous factory complex, and there don’t seem to be any people of any kind in it either. Has it also been deemed too dangerous a location? That would make some sense, considering that it’s 99.9 % likely that Galactor’s going to attack the place any moment now.
The narrator goes on about how these machines being built here can withstand 10 million tons of pressure and temperatures of 100,000 degrees –guess that rules out any construction projects inside the sun, but anywhere else should be no problem at all! Now the narrator confirms what I suspected –there are no people at this factory. All the assembly work is being done by machines “with performance capabilities a thousand times greater than man.†The narrator tells us that people could not endure the heat, radiation and chemicals inside the factory either, and we are shown a robot worker instead. Did 7-Zark-7 write this episode? I’m sure feeling pretty damned incompetent now. I’m starting to think this factory is part of an ISO plan to avoid having to deal with workers’ unions and occupational safety laws.
Not so surprisingly, we now cut to Berg Katse, who is informing Leader X that “all our preparations are complete.†Leader X gloats that the “fools†at the ISO have no idea that Galactor is about to steal their “precious creations, and turn them into our own brilliant conception, Mechanika!†He then orders Katse to begin “Operation Mechanika†and Katse does the sweeping-bow-and-“Sire†thing.
Next we see… um, an evil horned parrot wearing a trench coat.
Okay, it is in fact the “Captain of the Week,†though he does squawk like a parrot when he sees Berg Katse appear on a screen in front of him. Instructed to begin Operation Mechanika, the Parrot-Captain walks out to the main room of whatever base he’s in, and orders the goons there to “activate the gadget’s control system†and “raise the power level to maximum!†The goons comply, moving various levers as the music takes a turn for the dramatic. Now we see some kind of large device flashing light, and then the robot workers inside the new ISO factory begin to function erratically, as the needles of various dials are shown going haywire too.
Hey, guess what? It turns out the factory has a main control room, staffed by humans despite their dismal performance capabilities. “The meters are all over the place†cries one of the control room staff, as they all rush to a window to look across at a factory building that’s flashing as if electricity is arcing inside it. So, some of the control room staff decide that they should go running over to that factory building. Sigh, that’s not a wise move, guys.
As they run towards the factory building, its main doors open and one of the factory robots emerges, as flashing light blares behind it. The robot wastes no time zapping them with a laser beam and going back inside the factory.
“The robots! They’re rebelling against us!†yells one man. Somehow he makes it back to the control room, where he watches from the window and realizes that the factory is running again. “But it looks like the robots are creating something of their own,†observes another guy, worried.
As well he should be. Soon, the whole factory complex, including the control room, begins to shake and tremor, as electricity shoots from the roof of the rebellious robots’ building. Finally, the entire building collapses into rubble and from its ruins emerges, a giant mecha shaped like a dinsosaur. At the control room window, people look on in horror. Suddenly an aircraft shaped like a flying saucer comes whizzing up, and from beneath it comes Berg Katse, standing on his own little flying disk. Cackling with evil laughter, Katse flies his disk towards the mecha and hovers near its head.
“Behold, Galactor’s triumph, this fearsome shape-shifting weapon called Mechanika!†he calls out dramatically. With introductions finished, he mocks the ISO and laughs evilly some more.
But now we cut to Ken, flying his plane in civilian mode, as Dr. Nambu contacts him and tells him that his destination is the ISO’s new factory. Ken transmutes and heads on his way.
Meanwhile, Joe and Jun have already transmuted, and are separately speeding along the ground in their vehicles. They both stop when Mechanika comes into view. Jinpei is there too, and the God Phoenix flies by.
Katse is still standing on his flying disk, hovering near Mechanika’s head, when Ken’s jet comes flying by. This is unusual –normally they all link up in the God Phoenix before they approach a mecha.
“You’ve made it, Science Ninja Team,†says Katse, “Bet you’re wetting your pants out of fear,†he laughs.
“How dare you mock me!†yells Ken, “Just you wait,†he says, lip curled in outrage.
Then, Ken proceeds to circle Katse once with his jet before flying off with a smirk on his face. Okay, I don’t really see just what you accomplished there, Ken, but nevertheless Katse gets nervous and takes his flying disk inside Mechanika. Once inside Mechanika’s control room, Katse pulls a lever and Mechanika begins walking, stomping with massive, heavy feet. Jun, Joe and Jinpei, on the ground, all back their vehicles away. We get a shot of the control room guys, outside and running away fast, but Mechanika is now smashing up the whole complex with its feet and tail, creating explosions and flames as Katse laughs inside its control room.
We see Ken’s jet docking with the God Phoenix, then the God Phoenix cruises through the sky, as we cut to the bridge, where all are present.
Back on Mechanika, it’s now approaching an elevated highway. Katse whips out a large cassette tape from beneath his cape and sticks it into a slot on his console.
This causes Mechanika to change from a dinosaur into a caterpillar-like train, which then proceeds to zoom along the elevated highway, smashing cars as it goes.
But, we can see the God Phoenix in the sky, in the distance. As the God Phoenix searches for Mechanika, it continues to zoom along, smashing more cars, and making Katse laugh “It’s just so amusing!†With the dramatic introductions, mockery and laughter, he is certainly in classic evil villain mode in this episode.
Katse gasps as he realizes that Mechanika is now speeding towards a tunnel in the side of a hill. No problem though! He just pulls that handy cassette tape from beneath his cape again, and sticks it into the slot. A tall piece on Mechanika’s head retracts inward, and its eyes begin shining light, and then it enters the tunnel. Gee, somehow I just know that cassette tape is going to turn out to be a key plot device…
Meanwhile the God Phoenix is still flying around, unable to find Mechanika. Jun wonders where it could have gone, as Joe replies that he’s sure “it was travelling down this highway.†Jinpei calls everyone’s attention to the nearby tunnel, saying that Mechanika must have gone into it. So now, we get one of those moments where, in order to let a child character shine, the older characters all suddenly become stupid.
“Come on, Junior, there’s no way that big piece of metal could fit inside that little tunnel,†says Ryu.
“But Mechanika can change its shape, can’t it?†says Jinpei.
“I don’t think it can change that much,†replies Joe, condescendingly, as he turns to Ken, “So what now, Ken?â€
“Mechanika just can’t disappear from the radars. We’re going to have to search for it,†replies Ken, and instructs everyone to search separately in their vehicles and regroup at Dr. Nambu’s place at nightfall.
Jinpei, of course, goes straight for the tunnel. He must have parked his vehicle somewhere, as he approaches the entrance on foot.
This post has been edited 4 time(s), it was last edited by lborgia88 on 10-07-2010 at 18:30.
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28-05-2009 16:50
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lborgia88
Gatchamaniac
I am a Condor.
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Registration Date: 27-06-2007
Posts: 5991
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“The guys still don’t believe what I said,†he says to himself indignantly, “I guess they just don’t have any imagination.†He looks all around carefully, and then he goes into the tunnel.
Now, it's nightfall and we have an exterior shot of Dr. Nambu’s house.
Dr. Nambu is staring at a bunch of mechanical wreckage on a table, and he says grimly, “Galactor got us good.â€
Now we can see that what he’s looking at is the remains of one of the factory robots. “I don’t understand. We’re the International Science Organization, and they completely outsmarted us.†Everyone is there, in their civvies, except Jinpei. Dr. Nambu bangs his fist on the table and mutters “Damn you, Galactor,†as his fist trembles. Wow, he’s showing some intense emotion here –not so typical of him.
But calmer now, he explains that Galactor took control of the robots’ brains remotely, and caused them to create Mechanika. Ken asks how it is that Mechanika can transform, and Dr. Nambu says that he believes Galactor must have found a way to create a “self-modifying machine.â€
“You mean that thing transforms just like we do?†asks Ryu. No, Dr. Nambu explains that Mechanika is capable of rebuilding itself according to whatever microfilmed blueprint it is given.
“We can still bring them down with a bird missile,†says Joe belligerently. No, he’s not right either. Dr. Nambu explains that Mechanika is made of metal that bird missiles can’t damage.
Ken’s figured out he’d better not suggest anything, and merely says “Well then, just let us know what we can do to help, Doctor.†Now, a bit oddly, we’re shown a quick shot of Jun’s, Ryu’s, and Joe’s faces all reacting (reacting to what?) and then Dr. Nambu stares up and says, “The microfilm! We have a chance of winning if we can get the microfilm inside the cassette that Galactor is using.â€
Joe is ready to go find and invade Galactor’s base, and Dr. Nambu wants them to bring the microfilm to him. The scene ends, and no one has even mentioned a word about Jinpei’s absence.
Commercial break!
Speaking of Jinpei, we now see him crawling on his hands and knees, in the dark. He approaches a faint light, whispering to himself that it must be just as he suspected –a secret base. Well, he is correct. He peers over the edge of a hole in the ceiling of a large room where Mechanika is coiled on the floor, still in its caterpillar shape.
Pleased that no one is around, he jumps down into the room. Unfortunately, just because he gets to be smarter than the others about something in this episode, he’s not off the hook as comic relief. He snags on a cable that runs across the room as he’s soaring down to the floor and ends up hitting the floor in an awkward sprawl, and knocking himself out cold.
He stays out a long time. We are shown scenes of Mechanika on the rampage, smashing buildings, before we cut back to Jinpei waking up on the floor with Mechanika nowhere in sight. He decides to search the base for Mechanika, and is sneaking down a hallway when an automatic door opens right beside him. He goes inside the room, and once again, no one is around. He goes over to a computer and begins pushing buttons. He activates the view screen, and now he and we can all see why no one is around –it’s movie night at the Galactor base!
Who knew that Galactor actually cared about the morale of its foot soldiers? A large number of goons, and the Parrot-captain, are watching footage of Mechanika smashing up buildings and generally spreading destruction as they all wave their arms in triumph and cheer. “Go Mechanika, wreak havoc on the entire planet!†cheers the Parrot-captain, as a goon calls out “A scientific victory for Galactor! Hail Mechanika!â€
On screen, Mechanika smashes its way into a building, and then begins sucking up what appear to be metal bricks, like a vacuum.
Outside, in daylight, Ken is flying his jet, and on the ground we briefly see the noses of Joe’s, Jun’s and Jinpei’s vehicles in a row.
Wait a minute, Jinpei is not there! Okay, I’m going to pretend that, in Jinpei’s absence, Ryu has located and temporarily “borrowed†his vehicle. In his jet, Ken contacts Dr. Nambu to tell him that Mechanika is “swallowing high titanium and nickel steel.†Dr. Nambu speculates that Mechanika is seeking additional material for further self-modifications, but informs Ken that Jinpei has gone missing and he wants Ken to head back.
What? Jinpei never showed up at the rendezvous the night before at Dr. Nambu’s house, but only now, the next day, you’ve noticed he’s missing? Oh wait, I get it. This isn’t the next day at all; it’s still the same day, and only now are we being shown what Jinpei was up to while the others saw Mechanika stealing metal bricks and then went to Dr. Nambu’s house in the evening to hear his exposition.
Now, we’re back to movie night, where the party continues. Still alone in the computer room, Jinpei looks a bit apprehensive, saying “This blows!†But, he concludes “I guess I’ll just have to destroy the secret base by myself.†I guess we should assume his bracelet was damaged in his fall, or the base is shielded some way that prevents Jinpei from contacting any of the others. Otherwise, you’re being stupid now, kid.
Jinpei finds a weapons storage room, and helps himself eagerly to a large laser rifle.
Next, he sets out and lights a fuse to a barrel of explosives and runs as an explosion occurs behind him.
But next we see him, he’s using the laser rifle to cut apart computers and electronic control equipment in another part of the base. Things catch on fire, stuff comes gushing out of sliced up machinery, and in the movie theatre, the goons react in alarm as the whole base begins to tremble. Didn’t it ever occur to these guys to make at least a few of their comrades miss the movie and stay on guard duty? An alarm begins to sound, and the Parrot-captain realizes that a fire has broken out. He orders the goons to go extinguish it, and to “gather the microfilm stored in the schematics room right away!†Everyone begins running.
But Jinpei has found his way to the schematics room first, and pulled a microfilm from a viewing machine.
As he stares at it, saying “This is some kind of film,†a bunch of goons come running in and spot him. “Hand over the microfilm!†demands one of them.
Well, he missed Dr. Nambu’s exposition, but this goon’s sure made Jinpei realize now that the microfilm is important! He smirks and brandishes his laser rifle, while tossing the microfilm up and down in his left hand.
“I’ll just borrow it for a bit,†he taunts, before knocking over a table and running for it.
Now he’s running down a corridor, with goons in pursuit. Two other goons get in his way and try to confront him but he takes them both out with his bolas. He pauses, while I wonder why the other goons chasing him aren’t right on his heels, and says cheerfully to one goon lying on the floor “Don’t worry, you’ll be fine. It’s just a minor wound.†(Hee! Did anyone on Battle of the Planets ever say that?)
He then tells the goon that he can have the laser rifle back, and he throws it at the goon as he takes off running again.
So, Jinpei is either really talented, or really lucky, because as the laser rifle lands beside the goon, it begins firing and cuts a slice in the ceiling such that an avalanche of rubble comes tumbling down just as the goons pursuing Jinpei finally arrive on the scene.
We cut, quite abruptly, to Dr. Nambu's place, where an extremely pensive Dr. Nambu is holding his chin, as the others cluster about a couch exhibiting various postures of despair –especially Joe!
This post has been edited 5 time(s), it was last edited by lborgia88 on 10-07-2010 at 18:31.
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28-05-2009 17:02
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lborgia88
Gatchamaniac
I am a Condor.
0 fics uploaded
Registration Date: 27-06-2007
Posts: 5991
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It’s not clear if they’re worried about Jinpei, worried about Mechanika, or both but at that moment, an extremely weary Jinpei staggers in, falls on the floor and groans “I made it,†as Jun rushes to his side.
“Where have you been all this time?†demands Ken, as Jinpei tries to catch his breath.
“I found Galactor’s base and I destroyed it,†says Jinpei wearily. Ryu doesn’t believe him, but before anyone else can express skepticism, Jinpei rolls the microfilm across the floor to Dr. Nambu, who kneels to pick it up.
Jinpei, managing only to keep one eye half open in his fatigue, says “They said it was microfilm, and it seemed pretty important, so I took off with it.†Jinpei sinks even further to the floor, but Dr. Nambu leaps to his feet excitedly. “That’s it! We have it!†he cries, “This microfilm contains the secret to Galactor’s shape-shifting machines! Excellent work, Jinpei!†Jinpei looks up, smiling, but clearly surprised that he managed such a success.
“Imbeciles! What is this mess? You allowed our precious microfilm to be stolen!†snaps Berg Katse, surveying the ruins of the Galactor base, where Mechanika is now parked. Katse is even holding a whip, and tapping it against his hand, as the Parrot-captain and other goons hang their heads in shame.
“I hereby sentence you to heavy labor at Galactor’s Arctic Ocean base!†declares Katse, as the Parrot-captain begs “Please, Lord Katse, anything but that!†(Yes, he’s a parrot, not a penguin).
“My decision stands!†snaps Katse, with some dramatic swishes of his whip, and he announces that he’s going to his quarters and stalks off.
Now, we see Dr. Nambu, holding a cassette tape just like the one Katse has, and he’s explaining to Ken that it contains “the blueprints for a new machine that I have designed. I’ll leave the rest up to you, G1.†Now we can see that the whole team is there, as Ken confirms that his job is to get the cassette tape inside Mechanika.
“Today I finally get to drop kick the God Phoenix into the pits of Hell!†says a gleeful Katse as he sits in Mechanika’s control room. I don’t know why, but Katse seems especially vibrant, entertaining, and “villainy†in this episode. He sticks the cassette tape into the slot, and Mechanika begins firing missiles at the God Phoenix, now soaring above. Ryu seems to be dodging the missiles, so next Mechanika fires laser beams, but the God Phoenix evades those too.
On the bridge, Jinpei (who still looks a bit weary) says gloomily that “I think it’s crazy to dive into that monster to carry out our mission.â€
“It’s no good, I can’t get close to that thing,†adds Ryu, as we see Ken sitting, holding the cassette tape from Dr. Nambu in his hand. “Then we’ll just bide our time,†is Ken’s response, as the God Phoenix flies on.
Katse notices that the God Phoenix is still following, as he yet again inserts his cassette tape. On the bridge of the God Phoenix, Ken’s eyes are closed, as if he’s bored, frustrated or taking a nap, but then never-patient Joe’s hand is on his shoulder. “Ken, we just can’t wait around forever.â€
Ken seems to agree, and stares fixedly ahead as we hear Jun saying that Mechanika must have some weakness. Her words echo in Ken’s mind as we see portions of Mechanika beginning to self-modify. Suddenly, Ken shouts “That’s it, I’ve got it!†He’s realized that their only chance is when Mechanika is shifting shape, as only then will there be a gap to enter through. “We have to find it!†Joe wants to know what they’ll do if there isn’t any gap, but we cut now to Katse again.
He gloats that Gatchaman is persistent, but “no match for the mighty Mechanika.†Mechanika, meanwhile, is shape-shifting into something resembling a flying stingray.
On board the God Phoenix, Ken sees his chance. The God Phoenix flies close to Mechanika, dodging laser beams fired at it, and Ken leaps from the dome and gets inside Mechanika through a gap, just as it’s about to close up. (Cute butt there, Ken!)
Ken heads straight for the control room, where Katse is conveniently alone. Katse whips out a rifle, but Ken knocks it from his hands with his birdrang. Katse lunges for him, and a fight, complete with wrestling and punching ensues. Katse manages to punch Ken in the face, and then kick him in the face –there’s no doubt he can fight if he has to- but Ken makes a rush for the slot and tries to insert the cassette from Dr. Nambu.
Katse grabs him from behind and gets an arm around Ken’s throat, choking him.
But Ken is able to elbow Katse in the ribs such that he releases Ken, and then Ken inserts the cassette.
“We win, Katse! Mechanika is done, your fearsome secret weapon is useless,†says Ken.
“Do you intend to kill me,†asks Katse.
“It’s not the duty of the Science Ninja Team to take lives,†says Ken, “However, I will reveal your identity once and for all. I’m going to tear that mask off your face!†(Not the duty of the SNT to take lives? Sheesh, Ken –don’t you know the body count your team has racked up by now?â€)
Katse doesn’t like that idea one bit, and before Ken can do anything, he leaps through a hole and then reappears outside the window of the control room, standing on his flying disk. With a parting “You’ll pay for this, I swear it!†Katse zooms away (somehow unnoticed by anyone in the God Phoenix, I assume).
ETA: Hey look, his flying disk has "eyes" now -it didn't earlier in this episode!
(Credit for noticing this goes to "Ace-Goodheart" at Deviant Art.)
So, now we cut to happy music, and Ken, in birdstyle, is riding in a ferris wheel and waving down to Joe, Jun, Ryu and Jinpei, in civvies, on the ground.
Hey look, Joe is smiling in this one!
Yup, Dr. Nambu turned Mechanika into an entire amusement park! Under the control of Dr. Nambu and the other scientists, the narrator tells us, Mechanika will be used in the search for world peace. (Um, not so sure how that will work…) Now we see Dr. Nambu at the amusement park too, and the final shots are of him, with the amusement park in the background
This post has been edited 2 time(s), it was last edited by lborgia88 on 18-11-2011 at 06:32.
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28-05-2009 17:17
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saturn
Boardie
I am a Swan.
Registration Date: 21-05-2008
Posts: 324
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What a fantastic recap, LB! and you ARE observant! Most of the screencaps that I sent you had actually been selected for containing funny shots or bloopers , and you did get some of them, like the scene where we can see Jinpei's buggy eventhough he is still in the secret base. I also love your review, it is very funny,  !
I just want to add another blooper like this scene in which the Goons are having their "motivational seminar". We can see that only goons are present in the room
And yet, on the next scene, the Parrot-captain is in the room, cheering with the other goons,
__________________
This post has been edited 1 time(s), it was last edited by saturn on 29-05-2009 at 09:31.
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29-05-2009 09:30
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