Gatchamania.net - Where is Utoland?

Gatchamania.net »[Speak Up!] »General Discussion » Where is Utoland?

Print Page | Recommend to Friend | Add Thread to Favorites

Author

Post	« Previous Thread \| Next Thread »

Transmute Jun Transmute Jun is a Female

Queen of the Bird Missiles

I am a Swan.

40 fics uploaded

Registration Date: 04-04-2007
Posts: 20978

Where is Utoland?

There are clues given in the series, but not enough....

It's not in Ameris, because in an early episode the Team comment about how they've never been there before. It's also implied that they drove to Ameris from Utoland.

It doesn't seem to snow in Utoland.

There's an Utoland border crossing (as seen in the Dave the Hippie episode). Is it a city-state?

Thoughts?

__________________

17-08-2010 13:59

UnpublishedWriter UnpublishedWriter is a Female

Gatchamaniac

0 fics uploaded

Registration Date: 31-08-2009
Posts: 3156

Didn't I bring up this question many posts ago?

Can't keep a good question down. biggrin2

When did they imply driving from Ameris to Utoland?

I figured Utoland wasn't too far from Hontwarl, since Ken was able to fly his little prop-job there from Utoland City (and back). He plainly didn't expect to be gone long when he swore Jinpei to secrecy.

Since Ameris is the Gatch version of the US, that leaves Europe for Utoland. (The mecha-ball demolishes cities in a country called Amerisima in the subtitles. I always wondered if that was supposed to be Canada.)

I figured Utoland City for northern Europe. It's on the ocean, since the whale mecha attacks the port facilities (not to mention 'Trash Island' in another episode).

It could be that Utoland is a tiny country, on the pattern of Lichtenstein (and you really can rent Lichtenstein) or Luxembourg. Utoland City could be the only major metropolis there, and the country itself might make its living in information services and similar technologies. An ISO branch would be a major deal.

__________________
Benefits, not features; benefits, not features

17-08-2010 22:34

Add UnpublishedWriter to your Buddy List

Hinotori

Babbling Loonie

I am an Eagle.

2 fics uploaded

Registration Date: 09-10-2007
Posts: 2004

But is Ameris the US, or was it just implied by the name, and Ameris was really based in Japan and/or the far east?

I always thought it was based in Japan/Far East, mostly from the idea of having Crescent Coral in the depths of the ocean, but seeing Nambu's mansion on the top of a mountain. Plus all the sea-side scenes shown, Ryu's family in the fishing village, and, going back to the mountains, the location of the orphanage. It just seemed all these different locations could be gotten to quicker in a country the size and geography of Japan rather than the size of the US. Especially, as UW pointed out, with a single-engine prop plane, not to mention a motorcycle, and a stock race car (hey, even though it's the G2, it still can't cross the ocean or go over mountains without a road!)

Plus, bringing Cross Karakorum into it, it seemed more feasible, again considering distance and time traveled, if the Himalayas were closer to where the islands of Japan are. Galactor's HQ just close enough to the ISO's HQ to be a threat, but just far enough away to be inconspicuous.

When it comes to technology, both the US and Japan are contenders, as both countries are tech-forward, though Japan does seem to be ahead in advances than the US.

Good question, TJ. And I definitely see how Utoland could be situated in Europe, UW. Looks like we have another Gatch mystery to talk about! Big Grin

__________________
Hinotori
Eagle in Charge

Eagle Condor Swan Swallow Hootie

18-08-2010 00:40

UnpublishedWriter UnpublishedWriter is a Female

Gatchamaniac

0 fics uploaded

Registration Date: 31-08-2009
Posts: 3156

Ameris has Blue Stone National Park, and that imitation Mount Rushmore with the Presidents and Jesus on it. Which suggests the US is the inspiration. Amegapolis looks like a garbled version of Manhattan (and 'polis' is the sort of suffix you'd find in the US, although maybe the creators didn't know that).

Mount Jupiter is the name in the original Japanese (ok, 'Jupiter-yama'). I listened carefully to that one episode. I don't know of any mountains with that name (which means nothing).

'Shirayuki' literally translates to 'White Snow', so that's not necessarily a help. After all, it could be a Japanese orphanage given the name because of the snow-cap on nearby mountains, or located in another country, and 'Shirayuki' is a translation of the name.

Nambu's mansion is on a peninsula (James showed us the map), and seems to be the west coast of that country.

Hontwarl seems populated by people with Scots and Irish surnames: Hume, Kelly, Howard. But it looks a bit like Switzerland. Except in The Phantom Red Impulse, when it suddenly gains a tropical forest and colorful tropical birds.

The Nakanishis apparently don't live in Japan. Seiji can take a train to visit his big brother. If Utoland City is in Europe, the Nakanishis might be immigrants to the area they live in.

TJ, I think I recall that in It's Not Easy Being Green, you located Utoland City in the northwestern part of Ameris.

(Shoot, where are Luman and Monalince located?)

__________________
Benefits, not features; benefits, not features

18-08-2010 00:56

Transmute Jun Transmute Jun is a Female

Queen of the Bird Missiles

I am a Swan.

40 fics uploaded

Registration Date: 04-04-2007
Posts: 20978

In my fics, I've located Utoland and Ameris wherever it's convenient at the time... Wink

There are definitely similarities between locations in Ameris and in the United States, but also dissimilarities. For example, in episode 4 of Gatchaman II, it's shown that New Jork is situated at the edge of a massive desert. That's definitely not New York!

__________________

18-08-2010 01:43

amethyst

Wanted: $1000 Reward

I am a Condor.

0 fics uploaded

Registration Date: 15-07-2009
Posts: 6248

quote:

Originally posted by Transmute Jun
In my fics, I've located Utoland and Ameris wherever it's convenient at the time... Wink

There are definitely similarities between locations in Ameris and in the United States, but also dissimilarities. For example, in episode 4 of Gatchaman II, it's shown that New Jork is situated at the edge of a massive desert. That's definitely not New York!

TJ, I think the animators did the same thing -- the locations fit the story rather than vice versa. I also agree with Utoland being a city-state. During any given episode it may come across as a country or as a city depending upon the needs of the episode. I think this also holds true for the other mentioned locations.

The downside to this is unless James is able to produce for us a global map with the locations of the countries from the animators, we will never know for certain.

The upside is of course, we can do like the animators and make the location fit the story in our fanfics.

__________________
Perspective Alters Reality

18-08-2010 01:57

UnpublishedWriter UnpublishedWriter is a Female

Gatchamaniac

0 fics uploaded

Registration Date: 31-08-2009
Posts: 3156

And in the Neon Giant ep, they end up in mountains.

They could have been winging it. And with all the new countries and cities popping up in the sequel series, it can be confusing.

Since almost none of the original production crew were involved in the sequels, the new folks probably didn't know some of the city names. And unless there was a world map drawn by one of the production crew, no way to know what RL cities and countries inspired which Gatch cities and countries.

(Oh, and Japan is mentioned by name in the third episode, so Ameris isn't Japan.)

__________________
Benefits, not features; benefits, not features

18-08-2010 02:01

RIgirl

Babbling Loonie

I am a Red Squadron.

0 fics uploaded

Registration Date: 12-04-2010
Posts: 2188

quote:

Originally posted by Transmute Jun
For example, in episode 4 of Gatchaman II, it's shown that New Jork is situated at the edge of a massive desert. That's definitely not New York!

Unless, of course, a massive drought struck and that's all that's left of New Yersey!

__________________
"It is a rare man that is taken for what he truly is...We are not always what we seem, and hardly ever what we dream...." Peter S. Beagle

18-08-2010 02:24

Transmute Jun Transmute Jun is a Female

Queen of the Bird Missiles

I am a Swan.

40 fics uploaded

Registration Date: 04-04-2007
Posts: 20978

quote:

Originally posted by RIgirl
Unless, of course, a massive drought struck and that's all that's left of New Yersey!

I... can't... breathe... laughing..... Spit

__________________

18-08-2010 02:31

green

Gatchamaniac

I am a Condor.

0 fics uploaded

Registration Date: 15-11-2009
Posts: 7534

pound pound pound RI - you crack me up, girl, you really do!

"Shirayuki" means Snow White as in the fairy tale, not a description of the colour of snow...

__________________
Exaggeration misleads the credulous and offends the perceptive. ~Eliza Cook

18-08-2010 04:34

condorcandi condorcandi is a Female

Gatchamaniac

0 fics uploaded

Registration Date: 04-06-2010
Posts: 4074

pound pound pound

RIgirl, that's evil!

And this question generally pops up from time to time. But it's always fun to discuss!

__________________
Candi

Hollywood is a land of money and cowardice.

-Henry A. Lee, Cracked.com columnist

18-08-2010 04:49

UnpublishedWriter UnpublishedWriter is a Female

Gatchamaniac

0 fics uploaded

Registration Date: 31-08-2009
Posts: 3156

quote:

Originally posted by green
pound

RI - you crack me up, girl, you really do!

"Shirayuki" means Snow White as in the fairy tale, not a description of the colour of snow...

I know 'shira' means white, and 'yuki' means snow.

An orphanage named after a European fairy tale character?

__________________
Benefits, not features; benefits, not features

18-08-2010 06:07

gatchamarie gatchamarie is a Female

Gatchamaniac

I am an Eagle.

0 fics uploaded

Registration Date: 18-06-2009
Posts: 5129

Rofl

RIgirl ... thanks for this morning's first, hearty laugh!

quote:

Originally posted by amethyst
the locations fit the story rather than vice versa. I also agree with Utoland being a city-state. During any given episode it may come across as a country or as a city depending upon the needs of the episode. I think this also holds true for the other mentioned locations.

__________________
To be or not to be a gatchamaniac - that's the dilemma!

18-08-2010 06:44

green

Gatchamaniac

I am a Condor.

0 fics uploaded

Registration Date: 15-11-2009
Posts: 7534

Snow White, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty - they've all made their way to Japan. In fact the shelves at work were overflowing with translated versions of all the books I grew up with... Hungry Caterpillar, Where the Wild Things Are... You name it and it's been translated.

To say white snow is 'shiroi yuki' not 'Shirayuki' - that is most definitely Snow White.

__________________
Exaggeration misleads the credulous and offends the perceptive. ~Eliza Cook

18-08-2010 07:03

Transmute Jun Transmute Jun is a Female

Queen of the Bird Missiles

I am a Swan.

40 fics uploaded

Registration Date: 04-04-2007
Posts: 20978

Maybe Jinpei is the illegitimate offspring of one of the Seven Dwarfs?

__________________

18-08-2010 14:26

gatchamarie gatchamarie is a Female

Gatchamaniac

I am an Eagle.

0 fics uploaded

Registration Date: 18-06-2009
Posts: 5129

ROFL 2

__________________
To be or not to be a gatchamaniac - that's the dilemma!

18-08-2010 14:28

clouddancer clouddancer is a Female

Gatchamaniac

I am an Owl.

0 fics uploaded

Registration Date: 10-04-2007
Posts: 12239

Groan, that is bad, TJ!!!!

__________________
Don't sweat the petty things and don't pet the sweaty things.

18-08-2010 14:48

lborgia88

Gatchamaniac

I am a Condor.

0 fics uploaded

Registration Date: 27-06-2007
Posts: 5991

quote:

Originally posted by Transmute Jun
In my fics, I've located Utoland and Ameris wherever it's convenient at the time... Wink

I'm inclined to think that the Gatch writers did this too. There seems to be both a lack of info and conflicting info regarding Utoland's location, which makes me wonder if the series planners and writers intended to be deliberately vague about Utoland's whereabouts or just all had different ideas and never got around to figuring out one answer.

This post has been edited 1 time(s), it was last edited by lborgia88 on 18-08-2010 at 16:36.

18-08-2010 16:33

Transmute Jun Transmute Jun is a Female

Queen of the Bird Missiles

I am a Swan.

40 fics uploaded

Registration Date: 04-04-2007
Posts: 20978

I suspect you[re right, LB, about locating them wherever it was convenient. It seems odd, though, since the rest of the series was so well planned out...

__________________

18-08-2010 18:29

UnpublishedWriter UnpublishedWriter is a Female

Gatchamaniac

0 fics uploaded

Registration Date: 31-08-2009
Posts: 3156

It's one way to avoid pissing people off.

Then, too, this was for young children. Maybe they figured this was a detail they could overlook.

A lot of things happen for plot reasons. Giving fic writers so much to work with.

__________________
Benefits, not features; benefits, not features

18-08-2010 21:25

Members browsing this thread: none

Rate Thread:

very bad

very good

Go to:

Gatchamania.net is Powered by Burning Board Lite 1.1.2c © 2001-2004 WoltLab GmbH
English WBBLite Translation by Satelk Site Coded & Designed by Cep
Gatchamania.net © 2024 All rights reserved.

Tatsunoko Productions all rights to Kagaku Ninjatai Gatchaman, licensed to
Sandy Frank Syndication (Battle of the Planets), Turner Broadcasting (G-Force) and Saban Entertainment (Eagle Riders).
This site is not endorsed or affiliated with any of these companies and makes no claim to any of the above rights. Please read the Rules and Conditions of use.

This page was generated in 0.215 seconds (72.26% PHP - 27.74% MySQL) with 55 queries.