Eagle Riders
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Eagle Riders | |
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Created by | Saban Entertainment |
Based on | Gatchaman II and Gatchaman Fighter by Ippei Kuri |
Written by | R.D. Smithee Marc Handler Dayna Barron Melora Harte Michael Sorich Richard Epcar Ronni Pear Steve Kramer Tom Wyner Winston Richard |
Voices of | Dena Burton Richard Cansino Lara Cody Bryan Cranston R. Martin Klein Heidi Lenhart Mona Marshall Greg O'Neill Paul Schrier Peter Spellos |
Theme music composer | Shuki Levy Kussa Mahchi Jeremy Sweet |
Composers | Shuki Levy Kussa Mahchi |
Country of origin | United States Japan |
Original language | English |
No. of episodes | 65 (list of episodes) |
Production | |
Executive producer | Eric S. Rollman |
Producer | Rita M. Acosta |
Production companies | Saban Entertainment, Inc. Saban International N.V. |
Original release | |
Network | First-run syndication, Network Ten |
Release | September 9, 1996 – January 1, 1997 |
Eagle Riders (also known as Saban's Eagle Riders) is an American animated television adaptation of the Japanese anime series Gatchaman II and Gatchaman Fighter, which have been combined together. The rights to the English-language version of Eagle Riders is owned by Saban Entertainment.[1][2] All 65 episodes aired in Australia on Network Ten; but in the United States, only 13 episodes were aired.[3]
Premise
Earth is under siege from the alien menace known only by the name Cybercon and its legion of android forces, the Vorak. The Global Security Council convenes to address this problem, and calls upon Dr. Thaddeus Keane for assistance. They remember the aid they had received from Keane's special force, the Eagle Riders, in years past. Keane assures them that the Eagle Riders are still together, still strong, and armed with brand new weapons.
Adaptations and changes
Both series were heavily edited when it came to the adaptation process, with controversial elements removed, as well as the entire soundtrack being replaced. As with previous English adaptations of Gatchaman, character names and terms were also changed in the localization.
One notable example of the changes made to the series is the removal of Mallanox (Gel Sadra)'s origin and transformation, which happened in the premiere episode of the original Gatchaman II. The character was also changed from female to male, though her correct gender and origin were reinstated in later dub episodes.
Another change, made to segue the two series together, involved the finale of Gatchaman II and the first episode of Gatchaman Fighter being merged, as well as the death of Gel Sadra being cut. Instead, Mallanox is said to have been transformed into a new form, named Happy Boy (originally, the Gatchaman Fighter villain Count Egobossler).
The final eight episodes of Gatchaman Fighter were never translated, due to the objectionable content involved. Instead, the 15th episode of Gatchaman Fighter served as the series finale.
Team variations across different versions
The renaming of the various characters and terms in Eagle Riders are highlighted as follows (in correspondence to their Gatchaman equivalents, among others):
Gatchaman | Eagle Riders | Rank | Bird Uniform | Weapon | Mecha | Japanese voice actor | Voice actor (Eagle Riders) |
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Ken Washio | Hunter Harris | G1 | Eagle | Razor boomerang | Airplane | Katsuji Mori | Richard Cansino |
Joe Asakura | Joe Thax | G2 | Condor | Pistol | Race Car | Isao Sasaki | Bryan Cranston |
Jun | Kelly Jennar | G3 | Swan | Yo-yo | Motorcycle | Kazuko Sugiyama | Heidi Noelle Lenhart |
Jinpei | Mickey Dugan | G4 | Swallow | Bolo | Dune Buggy | Yoku Shioya | Mona Marshall |
Ryu Nakanishi | Ollie Keeawani | G5 | Owl | Pistol | God Phoenix | Shingo Kanemoto | Paul Schrier |
- Although he was obviously the Swallow, Jimmy called himself the Falcon.
- The Eagle Riders adaptation used different terms for some of the uniforms: Hunter Harris was referred to as a Hawk rather than Eagle, Joe Thax was a Falcon, and Kelly Jenar became a Dove (as opposed to Swan). The remaining two members, however, kept their original bird themes.
Other character variations
Gatchaman | Eagle Riders |
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Dr. Kozaburo Nambu | Dr. Thaddeus Keane |
ISO Director Anderson | Anderson |
Red Impulse / Kentaro Washio |
Harley Harris |
Berg Katse | Lukan |
Sosai (Generalissimo) X | Cybercon |
Galactor | Vorak |
Gel Sadra | Mallanox |
Dr. Sylvie Pandora (Gatchaman II) | Dr.Francine Aikens |
Sammie Pandora | Nancy Aikens |
Dr. Rafael | Professor Andro |
Count Egobossler | Happy Boy |
Mechandol | Olaf |
Kempler | Vax |
Engineer Kamo | Uncle Avery |
Other notable changes
Variations | Gatchaman (Japanese) | Battle Of The Planets | Guardians Of Space | Eagle Riders | OVA (Harmony Gold dub) | Gatchaman (English) | ||||||||||
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Identity Change Command | Bird, Go!‡ | Transmute! | G-Force, Transform! | Eagle Mode, NOW! |
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Bird, Go! | ||||||||||
Planet/Civilization | Selectol (planet) Galactor (civilization) | Spectra | Galactor | Vorak | Galactor | Selectol (planet) Galactor (civilization) |
‡The original Japanese-language version of Gatchaman contains a small amount of words in English.
Production staff
- Owned and distributed by: Saban Entertainment
- Executive Producer: Eric S. Rollman
- Producer & Story Editor: Rita M. Acosta
- Writer (ADR Script): R.D. Smithee, Marc Handler
- Voice Directors: Richard Epcar, Steve Kramer, Heidi Noelle Lenhart (uncredited), Michael Sorich
- Production Assistant & ADR Coordinator: Gregory C. Ireland
- Executive in Charge of Sound Operations: Clive H. Mizumoto
- Sound Operations Manager: Xavier Garcia
- Sound Effects Editors: Keith Dickens, Martin Flores, Zoli Osaze, Ron Salaises, John Valentino
- Re-Recording Mixers: Michael Beirenger (uncredited), Mark Ettel, R.D. Floyd, Wayne T. O'Brien
- ADR Recordists: Carl Lange, Kevin Newson, David W. Barr
- Foley Artists: Susan Lewis (uncredited), Kalea Morton, Taryn Simone
- Audio Assistants: Brian Densmore, Andrew Kines, Don Sexton
- Music by: Shuki Levy, Kussa Mahchi
- Executive in Charge of Music: Ron Kenan
- Music Supervisor: Lloyd Michael Cook II
- Music Editors: Barron Abramovitch, Bill Filipiak
- Music Engineer: Barron Abramovitch
- Second Engineers: James Dijulio, Frank Bailey-Meier
- Music Assistants: Jeremy Sweet, Tim Gosselin
- Offline Editor: Terry Marlin
- Video Traffic Coordinator: Jerry Buetnner
- Post Production Audio: Advantage Audio
- Sound Effects Editor: Robert Duran
- Dialogue Editor: Robbi Smith
- Music Editor: Marc S. Perlman
- Audio Transfer: J. Lampinen
- Re-Recording Mixers: Fil Brown, Ray Leonard, Mike Beiriger, Jim Hodson, Mellisa Gentry-Ellis
- Online Editors: Michael Hutchinson, Harvey Landy (Hollywood Digital Inc.), John Bowen, David Crosthwait (Modern Videofilm)
- Telecine: Lee Ann Went (Varitel Inc.), Greg Hamlin (Film Technology, LA), Larry Field (Editel), Brent Eldridge (Ame, Inc.)
- Post Production Supervisor: John Bryant
- Post Production Coordinator: Francesca Weiss
- Executive in Charge of Production: Dana C. Booton
- ©1996 Saban Entertainment, Inc. and Saban International N.V. Underlying property © Tatsunoko Production Co., Ltd. All rights reserved.
Voice cast
- Hunter Harris: Richard Cansino
- Joe Thax: Bryan Cranston
- Kelly Jenar: Heidi Noelle Lenhart
- Mickey Dugan: Mona Marshall
- Ollie Keeawani: Paul Schrier
- Dr.Thaddeus Keane: Greg O'Neill
- Dr.Francine Aikens: Lara Cody
- Auto: Dena Burton
- Mallanox: R. Martin Klein
- Cybercon: Peter Spellos
- Misc. (uncredited): Joshua Seth,[4] Bob Bergen,[5] Julie Maddalena, Richard Epcar
References
- ^ "RIAP Writes". EX. Retrieved 2008-05-16.
- ^ "RIAP Writes". EX. Retrieved 2008-05-16.
- ^ "Editor's Note". EX. Retrieved 2008-05-16.
- ^ "Joshua Seth biography". Film Reference. Retrieved 2009-06-07.
- ^ "Interview with Derek Stephen Prince". Film Reference. Retrieved 2009-06-07.
Further reading
- G-Force: Animated (TwoMorrows Publishing: ISBN 978-1-893905-18-4)
External links
- Eagle Riders Episode Guide
- Eagle Riders at IMDb
- Template:Tv.com show
- Eagle Riders (anime) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia
- 1996 American television series debuts
- 1996 anime television series
- 1997 American television series endings
- 1990s American animated television series
- Adventure anime and manga
- First-run syndicated television programs in the United States
- Network Ten shows
- Gatchaman
- Science fiction anime and manga
- Animated space adventure television series
- Animated superhero television series
- Television programs featuring anthropomorphic characters
- Television series by Saban Entertainment