Gatchaman: Complete Collection

Hailing from Tatsunoko Productions—the Japanese animation house behind Speed Racer—the 1970s cartoon fantasy Gatchaman first gained Western attention in the drastically rewritten syndicated TV versions G-Force and Battle of the Planets (shows that were tweaked to be more like Star Wars). The simple premise finds a quintet of youthful “Science Ninjas,” led by hothead Ken (aka Gatchaman), fighting the all-purpose villain organization Galactor, whose henchmen torment Earth with their seemingly inexhaustible arsenal of high-tech weapons and giant robots. Some of the more bizarre mechas include a molten-lava giant with the head of Jesus (!) and a colossal flying/laser-shooting Buddha (!!). Meanwhile, the teen fighters sport caped uniforms with the features of various birds: eagle, condor, swan, swallow, and owl. Compiling all 105 episodes from the 1972-74 series (along with three previously unreleased OVAs) in a dual-language set, rated TV-PG, extras include audio commentaries and behind-the-scenes featurettes. A handsomely presented old-school classic anime, this is highly recommended. (C. Cassady)