SPECIAL SAIKOU!: Superhero Showcase: Gatchaman Pt.2 : Ken Washio
Ken Washio is the young leader of the Ninja Team and has a strong sense of justice. In his civilian life, he is a test pilot, but when duty calls he becomes G-1 aka Ken the Eagle! While he started out as a basic hero, Ken eventually evolved into a more rash character who constantly put his own life in danger and sometimes let his righteousness and desire to defeat evil bring out a darker side to him. Though he always had his friends such as Joe to keep him from going too far.
He battled the forces of Galactor and both he and his teammates nobly sacrificed themselves to end the leader of Galactor and destroy the anti-matter asteroid Poison Apple (Comic book logic, just go with it). Ken then died from the exhaustion of the long battle against Galactor and his own ailments at the hands of Delta Energy radiation exposure as the asteroid exploded, saving billions of humans on Earth. Though the final scene leaves this ambiguous, as the G-Mechas activated automatically on their own and form the Firebird, heading back towards Earth.
Ken Dies. (Ya know, FOR KIDS!)
As stated in the main Gatchaman file, Tatsuo Yoshida was influenced by his interest in American superheroes. One must simply look at Classic Ken’s outfit to see elements of it: The cape, boomerang and belt are influenced by Adam West and Neal Adams-era Batman in brighter colors and a chest emblem is right in the center of the eye’s view like Superman’s “S” shield.
Classic Ken’s suit is a fan favorite among superhero lovers, otaku and the comics community, including Alex Ross.
Sleeker, sharper and representing the more reserved style of 1990s superhero costumes rather than the Miller/Liefeld era guns n’ muscles variety. While Tatsuo was long gone by this point, Tasunoko kept to the American style in which their founder intended Gatchaman to be. Influence in theory alludes a bit more to Superman, as the emblem is on the cape like Superman’s “S” shield was on his costume’s cape back in the day. Design is missing the utility belt, which looks a little weird as the holster for the Birdrang just latches to the waist of the costume.
The dawn of the new millennium saw another new look for Ken, albeit a brief one. Given the evolution of American superheroes from page to movie screen, it theoretically draws influence from late 90s DC Comics as well as the late 90s Batman movies.
Cape is shorter and reaches only to above the ankles or calves. Utility belt has a bronze and red “G” buckle and metallic silver pouches, midnight blue collar on the neck and neckline of the costume. Gloves are now white and the G-Brace is on the right hand. Suit has less white coloring and more dark blues on the legs and boots. Chest is more armored to protect Ken from high caliber gun fire.
This design has no counterpart other than theoretically the Dark Knight films, as it is heavily armored and removes the superhero aesthetics for a military inspired combat suit. The recognizable bird motif has also been removed in addition to the utility belt (again). Small Gatchaman bird emblem is on the right shoulder pad as is the team unit designation G-1. Cape is a very basic and generic superhero style (and retractable) and the costume is heavier in blue and silver colors on the body.
Skilled in ninjitsu, boomerang throwing, sword combat and piloting aircraft. Special “Bird Style” suit enhances his strength and allows him to glide in the air to fly or move with enhanced speed.
The live action movie version had gained super powers using the power of a crystal McGuffin stone and mutant genes activated by it to make him superhuman. Flight with a supersonic top speed, gravity manipulation, super strength. (The main draw of the series was that Gatchaman had no super powers per se and used advanced tech gear and their various skills to save the day, so this misses the point.)
Signature Attacks/weapons:
Birdrang (sometimes referred to as the Bird Run): A crescent boomerang which resembles a bird, used to KO Galactor grunts or disarm them Batman-style. (Speaking of Batman: Robin from the Teen Titans Cartoon and Ame-Comi Batgirl use batarangs that resemble Ken’s legendary weapon!)
Bird Saucer: An upgrade from the Birdrang, the Bird Saucer was a collapsible bladed discus that could slice a target or kill Galactor goons.
Shock Gun: Modular gun weapon with multiple attachments/settings for different tasks. Could be equipped with explosive charge rounds or a stun function
Gatchaman Fencer: A collapsible sword that can be energized into a energy charged blade for hacking, cleaving and slashing up mechanical menaces.
Science Ninja Art: Tornado Fighter: The Bird Style suit releases a powerful energy burst from the belt buckle that creates a huge gust of wind. Usually a team attack due to the tremendous strain and danger of only one single person using it. Despite this, the technique would later be used by Ken alone in the Infni-T Force manga.
Science Ninja Art: Kage No Bunshin: The OVA version of the suit could project ninja clones via hard light hologram projections emitted from the suit.
Science Ninja Art: Bird Flash: OVA only. The suit emits a blinding light to disorient foes.
Science Ninja Art: Hypershoot: Ken activates the Delta Power generators on the Gatchaspartan and brings them to full power. Once fully charged, his ship the Gatcha 1 separates from the main ship and Ken surfs on top of Gatcha 1 with an energized Gatchaman Fencer. Ken then uses the sword’s 2,000,000 kW of Delta Energy it has channeled to cleave giant mecha like a hot knife though butter and finishes them off by ramming it with the Gatchaspartan and using his blade to tear the evil robots apart from the inside.
The Hypershoot was upgraded twice, once to use the whole ship as a rainbow enveloped wedge battering ram surrounded in Delta Energy and the Ultra Hypershoot which engulfs the ship in a white hot aura that can shatter enemy shields and gives Ken an invincibility aura for a few minutes, which allows him to battle even in the vacuum of space. Downside to this attack is it leaves Ken in a weakened state and Delta Energy is a form of radiation that will slowly kill him if continuously used.
The modern Ken in civilian mode.
The new modern look for the Eagle. Overall, it looks to be made of Kevlar armor with cloth fabric and metal plating. Keeps a lot of the classic look of the ‘72 suit but with a few tweaks like the lines on the chest and legs. Utility Belt now has heptagonal pouches and a black band.
Ken is the first hero to materialize in the “real world” thanks to Kyoko’s Probability Pen and her wish for someone to save her during a robbery.
