Gatchaman (G-force) Doujinshi and Comics

Best described as a sci-fi action anime, recurring themes of Gatchaman involve conservation of nature, environmentalism, and responsible use of technology for progress and advancement. The series is centered around five young superhero ninja in the employ of Dr. Kozaburō Nambu of the fictitious "International Science Organization" to oppose a group of technologically advanced villains, known as Galactor, from trying to take control of the Earth's natural resources. The operational leader of Galactor is an androgynous masked antagonist, Bergu Kattse, who is later revealed to be a shape-shifting mutant hermaphrodite acting on the orders of an alien superior, Sosai X. The most common recurring plot involved Gatchaman opposing giant monster mecha dispatched by Galactor to steal or control various natural resources (water, oil, sugar, uranium, etc.). These Mechas were often animal-based. The Science Ninja Team is often aided by a mysterious squadron of combat pilots lead by the enigmatic Red Impulse, who is later revealed to be Ken's father. Joe Asakura is actually 'George Asakura', his father and mother were originally members of the Galactor Syndicate. For an unknown reason they decided to defect to the other side but whilst waiting for Dr Nambu, they were killed by a Galactor 'Devil Star', only George survived because he was attacked with a rose bomb & survived, but Dr Nambu pretended he was killed by it, he brought him up from then on as his son. (By the way he is known as Joe because the Japanese pet name for George is 'Joji' shortened by everyone to Joe).

The main characters featured always wore either teen fashions with numbered T-shirts showing their rank in the team or caped battle uniforms styled after various birds.

Most of the team were in its late teens, apart from Jinpei who was about ten or eleven. They included Ken Washio, the team leader & tactical expert; Joe Asakura, his second-in-command,marksman & weapons expert; Jun, the team's electronics and demolitions expert; Jinpei, the youngest and reconnaissance expert, and 'adopted' brother of Jun; and Ryu Nakanishi, the ship's pilot.

The Gatchaman team employed a unique style of highly violent and effective martial arts, developed by Dr. Nambu, that drew from their physical abilities to enable them to perform superhuman feats, akin to their avian namesakes, such as high-speed run and flight, high jumping, silent movement/attack and the like. This fighting system was known as Science Ninja Arts (科学忍法, Kagaku Ninpō?)and it is mentioned in the original Japanese lyrics of the Gatchaman theme song. The team members also used various signature weapons and mecha-style vehicles, which each had a more mundane-looking disguised form. To change modes, each member is equipped with a special wrist device that, aside from being a communicator and tracking device, enabled the change when the proper gesture and voice command "Bird, Go!" is given. Their vehicles are docked in the team's main vehicle, the God Phoenix, a supersonic plane capable of underwater travel and minor space flight as necessary. The God Phoenix is armed with an unspecified but large (roughly 30+) number of Bird Missiles that are fired from a rack system mounted atop the center section. After the original God Phoenix was destroyed by an octopus-based mecha, an improved version carried a pair of Super Bird Missiles in twin drop-down pods from the bottom center section, which could be fitted with either a warhead for attack, or a manned capsule to carry a passenger for a boarding operation when it successfully impacts into an enemy vessel. The ship also could have an energy beam weapon that is deployed by sliding opening the nose doors for the weapon apparatus that is mounted on the same frame holding Joe's car, but its solar power source is unreliable because of its sensitivity to any interfering cloud cover. In addition, when necessary, the plane can temporarily transform into a massive bird of flame like the legendary Phoenix to escape danger or as a powerful attack, although the process itself endangers the team.

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