Synopsis
Continues the story of Gatchaman
Facing the dual crises of depleting natural resources and worsening pollution, the International Scientific Organization (ISO) is founded to tackle environmental problems worldwide. Yet the criminal syndicate Gallactor, commanded from afar by the alien Generalissimo X and directed on Earth by the masked villain Berg Katse, plots to take over the ISO as part of a plan for global conquest. To counter Gallactor and its legions of robotic monsters, Dr. Nambu of the ISO creates a strike team called Gatchaman—the Science Commandos. Armed with cutting-edge technology and uniforms modeled after birds, the Gatchaman Squad is ready to confront Gallactor's dangers wherever they appear. The team consists of Ken, the Eagle, who serves as the group's knowledgeable leader; Joe, the Condor, whose decisions can sometimes be rash; Jun, the Swan, noted for her beauty; Jinpei, the Swallow, a spirited youngster; and Ryu, the Horned Owl, renowned for his raw strength. Each member wields specialized scientific weapons, but their most formidable asset is the Phoenix, a versatile flying machine capable of transforming into a blazing arrow that can pierce even the most resilient foes. GATCHAMAN is a story packed with thrilling action and mounting tension, as Ken, Joe, Jun, Jinpei, and Ryu remain ever alert to thwart each fresh scheme Gallactor devises in its bid to dominate the world.
In this installment
Two years following Galactor's defeat and the presumed death of Condor Joe, Leader X launches a deadly assault on a cruise ship, slaughtering almost everyone aboard. One survivor, a young girl, is abducted by X and forcibly aged into Gel Sadra, a villainess with an adult appearance but a bizarrely masculine voice. Despite her mature looks, Gel Sadra frequently exhibits childish tantrums and immature behavior. As Galactor resurfaces, the Science Ninja Team returns to duty with Hawk Getz, a suspicious figure meant to replace Joe. Getz is soon exposed as a Galactor agent in disguise who murdered the real Getz before joining; he is subsequently slain by a mysterious feather shuriken. Following clues in the first three episodes, Joe returns in the fourth, having survived his fatal injuries from the previous series thanks to an ex-Galactor scientist who saved him near death and subjected him to various cybernetic augmentations. Later, Dr. Pandora, a female scientist who lost her husband and daughter in the cruise ship tragedy, joins the cast. Unaware of the truth, she does not know that her daughter Sammie survived the disaster and is now Gel Sadra.
