At an international air show, Mark is flying a high-tech jet fighter of 7-Zark-7’s design, but is stunned when an ancient biplane appears with a skull-faced pilot standing atop its wings. The pilot’s metallic whip destroys Mark’s fighter, and G-Force is sent to pursue the intruder back to his home planet. He is Captain Doom of the planet Ergos, and he hopes to conquer Earth before his rivals on the planet Spectra can. When his metal whip shears the rudder off of the Phoenix, it seems that Captain Doom might be able to make good on his ambitions…
written by Jameson Brewer
directed by Hisayuki Toriumi
music by Hoyt Curtin and Bob Sakuma
Voice Cast: Casey Kasem (Mark), Ronnie Schell (Jason), Janet Waldo (Princess / Susan), Alan Young (7-Zark-7 / Keyop), Alan Dinehart Jr. (Tiny / Chief Anderson), Keye Luke (Zoltar / The Luminous One)
Note: In the original Gatchaman version of this story, the jet being tested by Ken has a non-polluting engine, and was invented by Dr. Nambu. Great pains are taken to point out that “Captain Doom” is not affiliated with Spectra; in the original story, “Katsenberg, the steel demon” is merely another of Berg Katse’s many disguises. The Gatchaman team, particularly Joe and Jinpei, employ considerable violence in thwarting Katsenberg’s scheme, and their escape is shown to be much narrower than G-Force’s escape. For the corresponding episode of Kagaku Ninjatai Gatchaman, click here.
LogBook entry by Earl Green