Battle of the Planets

Original Air Date: 1978-1985

Network: Syndicated

Known as Gatchaman amongst anime aficionados, Battle of the Planets holds a special nostalgic place in the hearts and minds of the 30-and-older club. The original Japanese show had tons of violence and somewhat-mature themes, but the version that appeared on U.S. airwaves was toned down in a fashion that would surely have made our Puritan ancestors proud. Despite that, the show still had real plot, interesting characters, and grand space battles.

Five young people collectively known as G-Force comprised the main cast of the show. Their job: protect our galaxy from the evil planet Spectra. To do this, they used their special technologically enhanced (and absolutely fabulous) outfits and a host of impressive vehicles. Their main ship was the Phoenix, which as its name implies, could transform into a fiery bird that would proceed to totally demolish anything its path, thus inspiring many childhood pyrotechnic accidents.

Thirty years later, this anime still has a huge following and a flood of merchandisers seeking to cash in on the nostalgia. This year, Imagi Animation Studios will release a new CG animation feature length movie based on the original Gatchaman series.