Coming Up Next from the TMNT Team: GATCHAMAN!

**Space Pirate Roberts** · 22 Mar 2007, 06:53 AM

From AICN:

AICN Anime-Gatchaman Movie Concept Art

Twitch notes Imagi, the studio behind the new TMNT CG movie has posted concept illustrations from the pre-production work for their adaptation of Gatchaman on www.imagi.com. The images can accessed through their Flash interface by selecting "Our Films", then "View Images."

Tatsunoko's 1972 (Speed Racer, Macross/Robotech) adventure sci-fi Science Ninja Team Gatchaman was adapted for American TV as Battle of the Planets in the wake of the Star Wars phenomenon, then again as G-Force in 1986. Recently, an unedited version of the anime was released in North American on DVD by ADV Films.

Starting the transforming sentai team tradition, Gatchaman mixed the idea of costumed superheros with a host of vehicle based mecha. A team of five highly train bird-themed teen ninja, working for the International Science Organization, thwart the evil Galactor's plans of environmental and world domination. While aspects like the series' adversaries, such a mummy on a biplane, serve as examples of what would now be consider high-camp, comparable to silver-age comics, its imaginative action and its serious sense of consequence have maintained the work's respectability over the years.

Twitch also reports that TMNT writer/director Kevin Munroe has indicated that he plans to stay close to the original anime and re-use its villains.

And then...

Harry knows more on GATCHAMAN!

Hey folks, Harry here... I checked out Scott Green's Anime article on GATCHAMAN - and went over to the IMAGI site to look at the pics - which I've turned into jpgs for you below.

However, had that been all I could offer to the story, I would have simply placed them on Scott's story, but I have quite a bit more to tell.

AICN recently held a fantastic All You Could Eat Pizza Premiere of TMNT during SXSW with Director Kevin Munroe there to share with us his first feature film. Now, I presided over my little sister's addiction to TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES - as I had discovered them from their very first issues. Which my lil sis begged me to read to her as an itsy bitsy kid.

However, Kevin's next project is more primal for me. I literally ran home from Elementary School to catch BATTLE OF THE PLANETS and STARBLAZERS. These were a pair of my favorite childhood toons that were on weekday afternoons throughout my Elementary schooldays.

I grew up knowing the characters as Mark, Jason, Princess, Tiny and Keyop... and then there was the evil Zoltar. And I really miss Casey Kasem's voice in the new GATCHAMAN dvds... but as a kid, I had no idea that there was another version... a more violent, a more adult, a more hardcore version of these toons. It wasn't until I came to college and met a fellow by the name of Storm, who told me of these harder versions.

First off - from the images below - you get the idea of how epic in scale the film is.

When Kevin walked into the screening room at the Alamo Drafthouse South - he had a portfolio under his arm filled with designs for the film. Opening it up and taking a look... You instantly got the idea of how in love with these characters that Kevin is. The CG designs take their direct cue from the Anime. Those faces - it is Mark and Jason and my favorite design was Tiny (sorry, I know for some of you, that's not the character's names - but to me they are). Tiny's face sort of always reminded me of pre-furry Hank McCoy from the earliest days of the X-MEN - and his character kinda always reminded me of the Beast. Each page was a character layout for each - with multiple heads to show the range of character emotion and looks they could achieve. They're not made to look HUMAN exactly, but a slight hybrid between animation and living beings. It was quite striking.

The pics below were a sample of the pics that I saw in the section of the portfolio labeled ENVIRONMENTS. There were many more - setting the film in a futuristic Earth. And it shows that the danger that Zoltar is going to place upon the Earth is epic in scale. The future was very detailed and beautiful.

The Phoenix - I saw rendered as being pretty close to the Anime design - perhaps a little slicker, but incorporating the designs we know and love. And yes - there was the transformed fiery Phoenix as well - and yes, it totally made me forget about the pizza I could have been eating as i was looking at it.

The weapons are all very cool. Yes, Princess has her YoYo things - which I always loved.

The most stunning character design was the Zoltar look. It was just very very badass. Very evocative in a way of the look from the toon, but the proportions were more elongated - creepier - in-human, yet humanoid. Zoltar's troops armor is again, familiar - but more fierce.

Kevin's going to make this as a PG-13 CG film. And frankly - I couldn't be happier. The look at the designs gave the film a very epic science fiction look and feel - big sci-fi. And I hope TMNT performs great this weekend, cuz it'll just mean easier sailing for this project.

Oh - and the film will definitely be called GATCHAMAN!

Oh - btw - IMAGI is also working on a CG Astroboy - here it is...

If TMNT turns out as well as it looks like it's going to, this is very exciting news.

FX · 22 Mar 2007, 08:50 AM

I'm already in the theatre.

**Advocate** · 22 Mar 2007, 09:52 AM

The concept art looks awesome.

**Dolemite** · 22 Mar 2007, 10:43 AM

I'm currently on volume 16 (of 18) of ADV's Gatchaman DVDs of the original series. I love this show like no other.

That said, it's already been remade previously ('94) and it sucked then. Seeing it remade yet again, this time by Americans, doesn't hold much appeal for me.

Part of what made the show so cool not only were the awesome character/vehicle designs, but also the camp value and the whole 70's vibe. I just don't see the series working if it's updated to modern times and played 100% seriously (or worse, if the characters are given an EXTREME!! makeover...with attitude!).

Still, Gatchaman is pretty obscure nowadays, so maybe the remake (if it even happens) will create more interest in the original series. Shit, maybe they'll even suprise me and it won't be horrible. I guess I should just be happy that the Science Ninja Team is getting any attention at all nowadays. Time will tell.

**MechDeus** · 22 Mar 2007, 02:59 PM

I'm all over Astro Boy but I've never actually watched Gatchaman. The bird costumes always looked stupid to me, which is funny considering the other series that I thought looked cool back then.

Originally Posted by Dolemite

I'm currently on volume 16 (of 18) of ADV's Gatchaman DVDs of the original series. I love this show like no other.

Originally Posted by Dolemite

If I want to watch a fucking cartoon I'll turn on Nickelodeon.

Caught.

**Advocate** · 22 Mar 2007, 04:14 PM

I think he was talking about Live Action movies not TV series.

**Dolemite** · 22 Mar 2007, 04:16 PM

Originally Posted by MechDeus

I'm all over Astro Boy but I've never actually watched Gatchaman. The bird costumes always looked stupid to me, which is funny considering the other series that I thought looked cool back then.

It's a totally cool show, Mech. I think each volume is like 10 bucks, so it's safe to pick up one as an experiment. And it's a show where listening to the dub is fucking required, as it's awesome. You can tell they were having fun with it and ad-libbing here and there. I usually crack up at least once an episode from the dub alone.

Caught.

Wrong- I never said I didn't like cartoons.

Originally Posted by Advocate

I think he was talking about Live Action movies not TV series.

Well, in that case I was referring to that movie 300 and how I don’t like movies that are 100% CG aside from the actors. It's just cheesy.