The Mech-Ball Runs Wild is the 23rd episode of Science Ninja Team Gatchaman.
Plot Summary[]
A giant mecha ball appears out of nowhere and starts rampaging through a city. Because of the Mecha Ball's simple structure, an attack is futile since there is no weak point. Opposing his four eager teammates, Ken decides not to go out, saying that if they attack without a chance for winning, they will only die a useless death.
At the same time, Ken watches Jinpei move a pachinko ball with a magnet and gets an idea how to defeat the mecha. When Nambu hears Ken's proposal, he immediately builds a huge electrical magnet in the middle of the alps and decides that the God Phoenix must lure the mecha there.
But with the mecha lured halfway to its destination, it changes its course to an international nuclear plant. Ken wants to get into the mecha himself and steer it towards the magnet. Joe wants to stop him, but Ken convinces him and flies away from the God Phoenix.
Getting in the mecha alone, Ken defeats the Galactor members and changes the course of the mecha. He destroys the steering panel, making sure the course cannot be changed anymore.
As Jun holds her breath and watches, the mecha ball is drawn towards the magnet and explodes. Ken's figure is reflected in the tear-filled eyes of the four teammates, similar to a phoenix flying in the sky.
Staff[]
- Screenplay: Jinzo Toriumi
- Director: Katsuhisa Yamada
- Mecha Design, Art Setting: Kunio Okawara
- Animation: Shiro Murata, Minoru Kibata, Akio Hosoya
- Backgrounds: Yuko Tahara
- Finishing: Studio Top
- Special Effects: Kiyoshi Asanuma
- Photography: Takeshi Fukuda
- Editing: Hajime Taniguchi
- Production Progress: Susumu Koike
- Production Manager: Mitsuo Sato, Minoru Uchima (Yomiko)
Voice Cast[]
- Ken: Katsuji Mori
- Joe: Isao Sasaki
- Jun: Kazuko Sugiyama
- Jinpei: Yoku Shioya
- Ryu: Shingo Kanemoto
- Dr. Nambu: Toru Ohira
- Berg Katse: Mikio Terashima
- Announcer: Tessho Genda (as Mitsuo Yokoi)
- Narrator: Hideo Kinoshita
- Man: Shigezo Sasaoka
- Woman: Chikako Akimoto