Gatchaman (Imagi Studios)

Gatchaman is a CGI animated film produced by Imagi Studios and distributed by Warner Bros. and Columbia Pictures. The project began in 2004 and it spent years in development hell, going through several directors and screenwriters, with DC Comics alumni Paul Dini being one of them. Based on the successful Japanese franchise created in the early 1970s by anime pioneer Tatsuo Yoshida, and aired in the U.S. as Battle of the Planets and G-Force, this CG-animated feature is a big, effects-rich movie set in a future world grappling with environmental and technological issues. The story focuses on five reluctant heroes whose remarkable genetic code makes them Earth’s only hope of defeating extra-terrestrial invaders. The film debuted in early 2011. The critical reception upon its release was generally positive from critics and audiences whose praise was given to its animation, voice acting, action sequences, story, characters, and writing. However, the film received criticism for being too similar to Blade Runner, and for being modified from the source material. It earned $935.2 million worldwide, finishing its theatrical run as the highest grossing film of 2011. It won two for  and  with two additional nominations for  and.

Plot
Set in the future, the story revolves around Joseph "Joe" Asakura, a street fighter who wants revenge on an alien terrorist organization known as Galactor, to avenge the deaths of his parents. Dr. Samuel Kozaburō "Sam" Nambu, an Afro-Japanese scientist, and the leader of the International Science Organization, is trying to gather the legendary group of five teenagers - four of them being Kenneth "Ken" Washio (whose father, Kentaro Washio founded the science ninja team), Jun "June" Shiratori, Jinpei "Jimmy" Tsubakuro, and Ryu "Rocky" Nakanishi - to protect Earth from Katse, the leader of Galactor. Since Nambu needed a fifth member to complete the team, the other four hunt Joe down. Because Joe is stubborn and refuses to join the team, the four gang up on him and beat the hell out of him at a construction site. Joe is then taken to the base, but his actions put Nambu in the hands of Galactor. The team reach the Poseidon base at the bottom of the sea in search of Dr. Nambu. Joe, feeling responsible for what happened to Nambu, goes off on his own to rescue the doctor. Meanwhile, Ken tries in vain to start the God Phoenix, which won't budge. But all of a sudden, he realizes that putting together all five communicators may do the trick. So he breaks into Joe's room and ransacks it while he's not looking. He finds an old photo of Joe as a little boy with his parents, and is convinced that Joe will indeed come back to the team. Finally, Joe joins the team, and together the team beat Katse's giant robot with the God Phoenix that had turned into a firebird.

Cast

 * Eric Christian Olsen as Kenneth Washio/Ken The Eagle/Gatchaman/G1
 * Ryan Michael Oman as Joseph G. Asakura/Joe The Condor/G2
 * Emmanuelle Chriqui as Jun R. Shiratori/June/Jun The Swan/G3
 * Colin Ford as Jinpei Tsubakuro/Jimmy/Jinpei The Swallow/G4
 * David Denman as Ryu Nakanishi/Rocky/Ryu The Horned Owl/G5
 * David Oyelowo & Samuel L. Jackson as Samuel K. "Sam" Nambu
 * Kevin Michael Richardson as Berg Katse

Music
The score for this film is composed by legendary sci-fi composer John Towner Williams (Star Wars, Superman, Home Alone). Performed by an 86-piece orchestra at Bastyr University Chapel Kenmore, Washington, the score is primarily conducted by John Williams himself. A rhythm section recorded in AIR Lyndhurst Studios, London, led by assistant to John Williams and secondary conductor, John Charles Fiddy (under the pseudonym Jean-Claude Madonne) is included in some score cues.

Orchestra

 * 1st Violin: Simon James (Leader), Cecilia Poellein Buss (Principal), Jennifer Bai (Principal), Mariel Bailey (Sub-Principal), Arthur Zadinsky, Eugene Bazhanov, Mikhail Shmidt, Kim Zabelle, John Kim, Helena Krimsky, Leah Nelson, Victoria Parker, Marjorie Talvi, Kelly Farris
 * 2nd Violin: Steve Bryant (Principal), Gennady Filimonov (Co-Principal), Artur Girsky, Natasha Bazhanov, Xiao-Po Fei, Linda Cole, Kathleen Boyer, Amy Gudorf, Kim Houglum, Brian Fox, Kwan Bin, Anait Arutunian
 * Viola: Timothy Betts (Principal), Suejane Bryant (Co-Principal), Steve Creswell (Sub-Principal), Wes Dyring, Joseph Gottesman, Allison Kantor, Sayaka Kokubo, Shari Link, Scott Ligocki, Andrea Schuler
 * Cello: Andrea Chandler (Principal), Roberta Downey (Co-Principal), Virginia Dziekonski (Sub-Principal), Richard Eckert, Eric Gaenslen, Walter Gray, Rowena Hammill, Eric Han, Charles Jacot, Kevin Krentz
 * Double Bass: Jonathan Burnstein (Principal), Jennifer Godfrey (Sub-Principal), Maury Clubb, Travis Gore, Brian Johnson, Todd Larsen
 * Flute: Robin Carlson Peery (Principal), Erin James (Co-Principal), Zartouhi Dombourian-Eby (Piccolo)
 * Oboe: Dan Williams (Principal), Stefan Farkas (English Horn)
 * Clarinet: Frank Kowalsky (Principal), Sean Osborn, Eric Jacobs (Bass Clarinet)
 * Bassoon: Seth Krimsky (Principal), Paul Rafanelli, Mike Gamburg (Contra Bassoon)
 * French Horn: Mark Robbins (Principal), Jeff Fair (Asst. Principal), Joseph Berger, Rodger Burnett, Bruce Hudson, Danielle Kuhlmann
 * Trumpet: Allen Vizzutti (Principal), Anthony DiLorenzo (Co-Principal), David Gordon, Alexander White
 * Trombone: Ko-ichiro Yamamoto (Principal), Sam Schlosser, Pat Herb (Bass), Rudi Hoehn (Bass)
 * Tuba: Chris Olka (Principal), John DiCesare
 * Timpani: Rob Tucker (Principal)
 * Percussion: Matthew Decker (Principal), Gunnar Folsom
 * Harp: John Carrington (Principal), Valerie Muzzolini
 * Piano/Celeste: Kimberly Russ (Principal), Meade Crane

Chorus

 * Soprano Vocals: Kelsie Bahr, Julianna Emanski, Kim Giordano, Cathy Haight, Sharon L. Jarnigan, Jillian Churchill
 * Alto Vocals: Jaci Cummings, Jennifer Ivester, Mary Jo Dugaw, Amanda Kunz, Linda Sabee, Deborah Stephens
 * Tenor Vocals: Joel Cummings, Jeff Dubois, Brian Giebler, Christian Kunz, Spencer Small, John Porter
 * Bass Vocals: Thomas Adams, David Gary, Rob Klien, Ben Kromholtz, Kelly Kunz, John Lowrie

Rhythm Section

 * Keyboard: David Arch
 * Electric Guitar: Mitch Dalton
 * Drum Set: Ian Thomas
 * Electric Bass: Steve Pearce