New Dark Clouds

S03 E01 • Sunday, Oct 7, 1979 • Oct 7 • 24m

Weeks after the dust settles from Sosai X's destruction, a tiny fragment of the alien revives and begins to rebuild itself into Sosai Zed. Using the remains of an old shipyard, Zed builds a vast mechanical pyramid fortress and levitates it over the ocean. Meanwhile, the rest of the world quits rebuilding from the wreckage of the thwarted Solar Shift Plan and go back to what they do best: waging war. We meet Count Egobossler, successful ruler of a growing number of territories, and an aspiring megalomaniac. Egobossler meets Sosai Zed, who decides to use Egobossler's brilliant military tactics to his own advantage, and the two strike a deal. In the wake of Chief Anderson's death in Gatchaman II, Nambu is promoted to Chief Administrator of the ISO. The Kagaku Ninjatai cope with the unusual peace. Feeling useless during peacetime, Joe wallows in boredom and self pity while Nambu tries to find a way to recharge him after his near-destruction in G-II.

Debut! Gatcha Spartan

S03 E02 • Sunday, Oct 14, 1979 • Oct 14 • 24m

Egobossler's first attack, backed up by one of Zed's giant mechs, completely startles out heroes. Ken, Jun, Jinpei and Ryu rush to the scene of the battle (leaving Joe behind to quietly expire). The mech is too powerful, and the New Godphoenix is completely trashed in the first skirmish with Egobossler. Fortunately, Chief Engineer Saburo Kamo is waiting in the wings with brand new mechs. With only one problem: the new vehicles need five operators to combine. It's up to Joe, who upon hearing the phrase, "Gallactor has returned," will crawl on his final strength to rejoin the team. TheGatchaspartan saves the day.

A Tainted Oasis

S03 E03 • Sunday, Oct 21, 1979 • Oct 21 • 24m

The Challenge of the Iron Commandos

S03 E04 • Sunday, Oct 28, 1979 • Oct 28 • 24m

Charge! The Terrible Soldiers

S03 E05 • Sunday, Nov 4, 1979 • Nov 4 • 24m

Burn! Gatchaman Fencer

S03 E06 • Sunday, Nov 11, 1979 • Nov 11 • 24m

Ken asks the same question viewers have probably been asking since the beginning: "Enough battling the little guys--why can't we meet Egobossler head on?" The Team does, but fails miserably. This episode ends in a very disturbing role reversal scene with Ken--now beyond reason--raging at a laughing Egobossler, and Joe finally having to bring all his strength into play to drag Ken back into the Gatchaspartan.

Steal the Giant Iron Beast

S03 E07 • Sunday, Nov 18, 1979 • Nov 18 • 24m

The Kagaku Ninjatai continue their tries at direct confrontation by stealing aboard Zed's tower and facing him directly. This doesn't work either (can we say "outnumbered"?), though they do get in a few good punches.

The Desperate Outlaw Squad

S03 E08 • Sunday, Nov 25, 1979 • Nov 25 • 24m

Fear of the Extinction Ray Gun

S03 E09 • Sunday, Dec 2, 1979 • Dec 2 • 24m

Danger! Gatchaman Base

S03 E10 • Sunday, Dec 9, 1979 • Dec 9 • 24m

The Saturn Limited Express Z-Press

S03 E11 • Sunday, Dec 16, 1979 • Dec 16 • 24m

The Order to Destroy the Mantle Base

S03 E12 • Sunday, Dec 23, 1979 • Dec 23 • 24m

Violence?! The Decisive Battle of Agrika

S03 E13 • Tuesday, Dec 30, 1980 • Dec 30 • 24m

Destruction by Fire! Egobossler's Palace

S03 E14 • Sunday, Jan 6, 1980 • Jan 6 • 24m

Hell's Burning Ambition

S03 E15 • Sunday, Jan 13, 1980 • Jan 13 • 24m

A Deadly Butterfly Dances in the Dark

S03 E16 • Sunday, Jan 20, 1980 • Jan 20 • 24m

Horror of the Evil Smoke City

S03 E17 • Sunday, Jan 27, 1980 • Jan 27 • 24m

The Spectacular Crash of G-1

S03 E18 • Sunday, Feb 3, 1980 • Feb 3 • 24m

Don't Touch the Super Stuff!

S03 E19 • Sunday, Feb 10, 1980 • Feb 10 • 24m

Mercenary scientist Professor Gordon develops an indestructible material called Neophryte and decides to sell it to the highest bidder. So he summons agents from both Gallactor (Egobossler's first officer, Kempler) and the ISO (the Gatchaman, naturally) to meet alone on a spot he specifies. Of course Kempler doesn't come alone, but much to both his and Ken's surprise, neither does Ken. While the Gallactors and the rest of the Kagaku Ninjatai take part in a snarling standoff outside, Gordon, Kempler and Ken negotiate. Kempler offers money, while Ken refuses to haggle, stating honor and decency as his reasons (and knowing as Gordon does that once he withdraws his protection, Gallactor will simply take what they want by force). Worried about his father, Gordon's son finally ends the standoff and uncovers the compound for both sides to fight over. Joe uses a bazooka loaded with Neophryte to blow a hole in the monstermech that appears at the end.

Appearance! Terror of the Triple Iron Beast

S03 E20 • Sunday, Feb 17, 1980 • Feb 17 • 24m

Angry Joe! Fright of the Flaming Bird

S03 E21 • Sunday, Feb 24, 1980 • Feb 24 • 24m

Order to Blast the Satellite

S03 E22 • Sunday, Mar 2, 1980 • Mar 2 • 24m

The Evil of Mechaland

S03 E23 • Sunday, Mar 9, 1980 • Mar 9 • 24m

A Warrior's Pride

S03 E24 • Wednesday, Jul 16, 1980 • Jul 16 • 24m

Sky Riders from Hell

S03 E25 • Sunday, Mar 23, 1980 • Mar 23 • 24m

One of Egobossler's old friends and colleagues Oncain, is also the last man on Earth who knows Count Egobossler's deep, dark secrets. The Kagaku Ninjatai get to Oncain first and try to convince him to stay away from Egobossler, but the man will have nothing of it. He invites the Team to go fox-hunting and with his two children, Michael and Mary, and as they're distracted, arranges to meet with Egobossler. The inevitable showdown with Egobossler and his special Skyrider command is spectacular, but even Ken and Joe at their best can't prevent Ego from gunning down his man. Joe comes round the corner just in time as Ego shoots Oncain right before Michael and Mary's eyes (triggering a flashback where you almost see the faces of Joe's parents). In the final scene, Joe kneels down and has a little heart-to-heart talk with Michael. You don't hear what he says, only Michael's reactions.

G-1 Enraged! A New Way to Kill

S03 E26 • Sunday, Mar 30, 1980 • Mar 30 • 24m

The Mystery of Egobossler's Birth

S03 E27 • Sunday, Apr 6, 1980 • Apr 6 • 24m

Desperate Fight! Valley of Betrayal

S03 E28 • Sunday, Apr 13, 1980 • Apr 13 • 24m

Cruelty! The Separation of Brother and Sister

S03 E29 • Sunday, Apr 20, 1980 • Apr 20 • 24m

The Creeping Alien

S03 E30 • Sunday, Apr 27, 1980 • Apr 27 • 24m

Runaway! The Great Train Chase

S03 E31 • Sunday, May 4, 1980 • May 4 • 24m

Mystery of the Space Pulse

S03 E32 • Sunday, May 11, 1980 • May 11 • 24m

A Promise Kept

S03 E33 • Sunday, May 18, 1980 • May 18 • 24m

Egobossler's Strategy

S03 E34 • Sunday, May 25, 1980 • May 25 • 24m

The Shadow of Death Approaches G-1

S03 E35 • Sunday, Jun 1, 1980 • Jun 1 • 24m

Hypershoot Crisis

S03 E36 • Sunday, Jun 8, 1980 • Jun 8 • 24m

Revive Gatchaman

S03 E37 • Sunday, Jun 15, 1980 • Jun 15 • 24m

Bracelet of Friendship

S03 E38 • Sunday, Jun 22, 1980 • Jun 22 • 24m

Downfall! Count Egobossler

S03 E39 • Sunday, Jun 29, 1980 • Jun 29 • 24m

Surprise Attack of the Mecha Waterspout

S03 E40 • Saturday, Jul 5, 1980 • Jul 5 • 24m

Collapse! Gatchaman Base

S03 E41 • Saturday, Jul 12, 1980 • Jul 12 • 24m

The Death of Chief Nambu

S03 E42 • Saturday, Jul 19, 1980 • Jul 19 • 24m

The Destruction of Gallatown

S03 E43 • Saturday, Jul 26, 1980 • Jul 26 • 24m

The Space Devil Draws Near

S03 E44 • Sunday, Aug 3, 1980 • Aug 3 • 24m

Threat of the Antimatter Planet

S03 E45 • Sunday, Aug 10, 1980 • Aug 10 • 24m

G-1 Desperate for High Power

S03 E46 • Sunday, Aug 17, 1980 • Aug 17 • 24m

Earth Extinction! 3 2 1

S03 E47 • Sunday, Aug 24, 1980 • Aug 24 • 24m

Gatchaman Eternal

S03 E48 • Sunday, Aug 31, 1980 • Aug 31 • 23m

The Team searches for Zed in his tower, and are thrown around like playthings. When they finally meet up, they discover what happened to Egobossler: his corpse is pinned against a wall in Zed's main chamber, run through by his own sword. At this point, Joe picks up on Zed's vital signs (as Rafael had designed him to) and tracks the alien to his last refuge, where the Kagaku Ninjatai battle to destroy him... and fall. Chief Nambu's mysterious pendant (an unanalyzed device he'd instructed Kamo to give to the Team before the last battle) comes into play then, activating the Gatchaspartan and swallowing the fallen ninjas with light... The final scene is of an enormous firebird breaking free of Zed's exploding tower and flying around the Earth, leaving us to analyze the wide open ending. (Chances are high, though, that they aren't dead--they're still under contract, after all.