GatchaCon 2009 at San Diego Comic Con: Details

Tatsunokofan added a comment on my last post. I think it needs to be put out in the open:

Here's a somewhat more detailed list of the Gatchaman-related things that are going on at the Comic Con next week.

For meeting up with other fans, we'll be gathering for lunch at noon each day of the convention, meeting up at the tables provided in the Sails Pavillion on the top floor of the convention center. Most of us will be wearing GatchaCon T-shirts, though I do know that as least one Jun costume will be be there too...

In the Dealers Room, Imagi will there in booth 3635, next to the Paramount Home Entertainment booth. Most of their booth will be purposed for promoting Astro Boy, but if their set-up at Anime Expo is any indication, they should have a small space dediated to Gatchaman and will be showing the video clips they showed there. It's likely that they'll have some of those Gatchaman watches to give away as well!

Also in the Dealers Room, Capcom will be at booth 5113, across from Electronic Arts on the first row of the East Side of the convention center. They'll be promoting many of their upcoming game releases, which will likely include Tatsunoko Vs Capcom. They usually have demos of these games available for people to play, so if you've always wanted to pit Ken or Jun against Megaman or Chun Li, this may be your chance!

There will also be several sellers in the Dealers Room who usually have some Gatchaman items, including Anime Link (Booth 415), Nichibei Anime (Booth 814), AnimeEd.com (Booth 5435), and Fantasia Toyz (Booth 701).

As far as convention panels go, Imagi is having a panel for Astro Boy on Thursday from 10:15 to 11:15 in Room 6BCF. The panel will feature stars Freddie Highmore and Kristen Bell, as well as Director David Bowers and Producer Maryanne Grager, all there to talk about their film. Admittedly, it is unlikely that Imagi's Gatchaman film will get more than a passing mention at this panel, but you never know!

On Friday, there will be a "Capcom: Fighting Games" panel from 2:30 to 3:30 in room 5AB. This panel will be focused on Capcom's newest fighting games, and Capcom game producer Ryota Niitsuma will be on the panel to talk about Tatsunoko Vs Capcom.

In the Anime Rooms, alas, no Gatchaman is scheduled. On the other hand, Nurse Witch Komugi will be shown on Thursday night from 11:05 to 11:30 in Room 25AB. The schedule doesn't specifiy which Kogumi story will be shown, so there is a chance (Or perhaps you could ask) that it will be the second story, where Komugi transforms into a parody of the Science Ninja Team in order to fight her foe.

So, if there's anyone here who's planning on attending the Comic Con, I hope we'll see you there! Just come up and say, "Hi!" We don't bite -- really.

Thanks again, Tatsunokofan!

Got Goodies?

More on the die-cast models: Art Storm has posted some close-up pictures of the die-cast Gatchaman toys.

View Set A (G-1, G-2, Red Impulse plane)

View Set B (G-3, G-4, GodPhoenix)

I have to say the level of detail in these is astounding.

According to the Art Storm site, these sets run at 24,800 yen per set and are scheduled to go on sale in December 2009. If you have an extra couple hundred dollars burning a hole in your bank account, Hobbylink Japan is accepting preorders, with a 5% discount if you order before August 1. Visit Hobbylink Japan at http://www.hlj.com and do a search for "Gatchaman." I've ordered Gatchaman items from them and been happy with their service.

(Thanks, Tatsunokofan!)


Gatchaman Episodes on Veoh: If you've gone this long without getting copies of Gatchaman on DVD, you can now view all the episodes online at Veoh: http://www.veoh.com/search/videos/q/gatchaman I noticed that they also have the NTT Gatchaman commercials with SMAP.

(Thanks, Fiona!)


GatchaCon News: Sadly, I am missing GatchaCon this year, for the first time since it started. There will be some Gatchaman fans attending, though fewer than previous years. If you are headed to the San Diego Comic Con, check the pavilion under the "sails" (where the lunch tables are) for a group of fans in black GatchaCon t-shirts. Also, since Imagi was there last year, I'm sure they'll have a booth on the dealer's floor this year. Go check out their Gatchaman preview.

And let me know how it went!

More Imagi Promotion Materials

The Screenweek Blog has some new screen shots of some promotional materials for the Imagi Gatchaman movie, apparently being promoted at Anime Expo 2009 in Los Angeles. In addition to the Joe poster we saw earlier, there's a group poster and a shot of a digital watch that seems to be a freebie. [link]

Also, someone filmed the promo at the booth and put it up on YouTube. EDIT: Better versions have surfaced. Here they are:







Thanks, Springie!

More Tatsunoko vs. Capcom Screens

Here are more screen shots from the Tatsunoko vs. Capcom game, courtesy of Capcom's Web site: [link]. It's sad that Ken seems to be the recipient of the attacks demonstrated on the screens, but the profile pictures of him [link] are just lovely.

Gatcha-Movie Update

Imagi Update: It has been confirmed that Jun Falkenstein is no longer on the Gatchaman Movie project. According to her blog, she is back with Disney.

Live Action Gatchaman Move News: It has been a long while since we've gotten any news on Japan's planned live action Gatchaman film. Apparently, the concept is still alive: On June 19th, it was announced that Takara-Tomy (who now owns Tatsunoko Productions) has purchased 2.83% of the available stock in Nikkatsu, the studio that created the live action Yatterman movie and who has the rights for the live action Gatchaman movie. In turn, Nikkatsu will produce live action films based on Takara-Tomy products such as the Rika-chan fashion doll line, and adaptations of further Tatsunoko animated properties. The plan is to release one Takara-Tomy-based film a year.

There was no specific news about the live action Gatchaman film in the press releases. But, since the Yatterman live action movie was a major box office success, hopefully, this will stimulate work on the Gatchaman film.

Thanks Tatsunokofan!

Get Gatchaman T-shirts

GatchaCon T-Shirts

For the past twelve years, fans have held GatchaCon at the San Diego Comic Con. One of the highlights of GatchaCon was the cool t-shirt design released every year. Unfortunately, I won't be able to make it to GatchaCon this year, and I don't know the current status of this year's T-shirt designs. However, Jason H. managed to find a few designs printed for past years and want to make them available to fans again. There aren't many left and there are no plans for reprints, so get them before they're gone for good!

To see the available t-shirt designs and details, Visit this page at the Tatsunoko USA site. If you are interested in ordering any shirts, please write to Jason at: tatfanclub(at)aol.com (replace the (at) with @). (Thanks, Jason!)

Uniqlo Shirts in NYC

If you happen to be in New York City, the Uniqlo Gatchaman t-shirts have been spotted for sale in Uniqlo's New York Soho branch. Sizes and stock are extremely limited, so, like the GatchaCon shirts, get them before they're gone!

Audience Test Results for Gatchaman (2011)

Recently, Imagi held a small audience test at a Warner Brothers studio in Burbank CA to gauge the response to Gatchaman by their teenage target audience. The audience saw a brief trailer, some still scenes, image boards and production art. Then they were given a questionnaire. (One question asked about romance in the storyline and whether there should be a Ken-Jun-Joe love triangle.) A Japanese lady who went to the test wrote about it in her blog (link).

The highlights:

• The release schedule is being pushed back to 2011. (Not a big surprise considering Astro Boy is yet to be released.)
• It's confirmed that Nambu is now of African descent and sports the "Afro Samurai" look. His goal is to gather teenagers to fight the alien menace that is Katse and Gallactor.
• As you might have guessed, the selected teenagers don't get along at first. Joe, a bad-boy street fighter with a vendetta, refuses to join, and the others attempt to beat some sense into him at a construction site. Only after, through some fault of his, Nambu gets captured by Gallactor does Joe join the team. (Wolverine in a bird suit, anyone?)
• Imagi Joe more closely resembles OAV Joe than original Joe.
• Jun's action scenes are cool, but she's not as sexy. Her mini skirt birdstyle seemed to get high marks, though.
• Jinpei and Ryu seem more noticeable in the Imagi version.
• Katse loses both his mutant nature (appearing entirely male) and his sense of humor.
• The audience seemed unhappy with the quality of the CGI, claiming the movements were not very smooth.
• There seems to be a little bit of confusion about the title: "Gatchaman" vs. "Gatchamen."

Say this with me, fellow fans: We were afraid this would happen.

Thanks, Tatsunokofan!