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| Special Features: |
Fullscreen format.
Intractive anime menus.
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| Video Format: |
Full Frame (1.33:1)
[SS-SL]
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| Languages: |
G-Force: English (Dolby Digital 5.1)
Portuguese (Dolby Digital 5.1)
Spanish (Dolby Digital 5.1)
Gatchaman: Japanese (Dolby Digital 5.1)
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| Captions: |
Gatchaman: English.
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| Sides: |
1-Disc Keep Case
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Tatsunoko Productions, the folks who brought you "Speed Racer" and "Robotech" also produced the very popular Japanese anime "Gatchaman." "Gatchaman" followed the exploits of a group of super-human teenagers who defend the galaxy from the evil Zoltar. It seems that Zoltar's planet is on its way to extinction and he has his eyes on Earth. Not if our teen heroes can stop him.
In 1978, "Gatchaman" came to the USA in a reincarnated form known as "G-Force." With the vocal talents of Alan Young, Casey Casem and Keye Luke among others the teen super-heroes thrilled folks coming of age in the late 70s and early 80s.
The DVD includes two "G-Force" episodes: Attack of the Space Terrapin" and "Rescue of the Astronauts." What is cool about the DVD is that it also includes the corresponding "Gatchaman" episodes: "Gatchaman vs. Turtle King" and "The Evil Ghostly Aircraft Carrier Appears." There are subtle animation and storyline changes between each version. Rounding out the disk is a third G-Force episode called "The Robot Stegosaur."
It is really unnecessary to go into the plots of each of these cartoons. I think the titles are self explanatory. I came of age with Johnny Quest and Fred Flintstone when they were shown in prime time and cable TV was something folks in the country had so they could get the three networks. Needless to say, these anime stories were something new to me. My 12 year old son enjoyed them. He loves "Dragonball Z" and the like. I showed him "Akira" just to blow his mind.
While the animation is not up to par (or even in the same ball park) with "Akira," few things are. The sound and picture (considering the source) are quite good.
Picture Quality: 7/10
The G-Force episodes have a crisper, sharper look. This may be due to the difference in styles of animation. The Japanese "Gatchaman" episodes are much grittier, but I found them more interesting.
Sound Quality: 8/10
The sound is exceptionally good. I was surprised at the quality of the 5.1 surround sound.
Menu: 7/10
Fans of anime would probably rate all of this DVD higher. The menu makes good use of the anime images.
Extra Features: 0/10
There are no extras to speak of. The "Gatchaman" and 3rd "G-Force" episodes are listed as the bonus features. I considered them part of the feature for purposes of this review.
The Final Word:
My friend Jonathan (a much younger man) grew up on these shows. I meant to give him this DVD to review when he was visiting Memphis, but I forgot. It is quite possible that a fan of anime would rate this higher. My 12 year old son loves the DVD. He (along with Gen Xers who came of age with this) seems to be the target audience. If an old fart like myself were to be ordering a Christmas (or any other holiday) gift for someone in these age ranges, they would probably make someone happy.
Rusty White
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