"Battle of the Planets" (1978) TV series 1978-1985

User Rating:

7.7/10   

Director:

David E. Hanson

Writers:

William Bloom (writer) (1978)
Kevin Paul Coates (writer) (1978)

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

18 September 1978 (USA)

Genre:

Animation | Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi

Plot:

A five-member superhero team called G-Force fights to defend Earth and its space colonies from the threat of the planet Spectra.

Plot Keywords:

Leader | Superhero | Robot | Friend | Manga

Cast

Alan Young

...

7-Zark-7 / ... (unknown episodes)

Also Known As:

"G-Force" (USA) (informal alternative title)

Runtime:

Argentina:30 min

Country:

Japan | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | USA:TV-Y7 | Australia:PG (DVD rating)

Company:

Gallerie International Films Ltd.

Trivia:

The show Battle of the Planets was marketed to capitalize on the momentum created by Star Wars (1977), released in the prior year. The words Battle (instead of War) and Planets (instead of Star) are plays on that theme. The character 7-Zark-7 was a play on "droid" names created in "Star Wars", that utilized letters and numbers, such as C3PO and R2D2.

Quotes:

[opening narration]
Narrator: Battle of the Planets! G-Force, five incredible young people with superpowers! And watching over them from Centre Neptune, 7-Zark-7! Watching, warning against surprise attacks by alien galaxies from beyond space. G-Force! Fearless young orphans, protecting Earth's entire galaxy. Always five, acting as one. Dedicated! Inseparable! Invincible!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The 100 Greatest Cartoons (2005) (TV)

The Best Cartoon Series Ever Made?

Battle of the Planets surely is the best cartoon series ever made. With it's hauntingly brilliant theme tune, terrific animation and superb story lines, this cartoon had it all. Originally taken from a 70's Japanese cartoon called Gatchaman, Battle of the Planets ran for an incredible 85 episodes. Who remembers these immortal words "Battle of the Planets, G-Force, 5 incredible young people with superpowers. And watching over them from Center Neptune, 7-Zark-7. Watching, warning against surprise attacks by alien galaxies from beyond space. G-Force, fearless young orphans, protecting Earth's entire galaxy, always by acting as one. Dedicated, inseparable, Invincible!" Great stuff. UK Sky Digital viewers check out the Bravo channel for regular repeats of this great show.