The information contained on this page is to the best of my knowledge and recollection. If you have any corrections to it or any additional information to add, please email me. A big thanks to those who have provided me with information.
The first version of Gatchaman to be shown in Australia was Battle of the Planets. It commenced its run on channel 0 (now channel 10) in 1979. After suffering somewhat erratic scheduling, it fortunately got taken up by the ABC in about 1981, being repeated every so often until 1987. It was usually shown on 5.00pm weekdays, but got moved to Saturday mornings in its final repeats.
From 1987 until 1997, there was a big dearth, unbroken except for a run on cable tv of G-Force. Fortunately, Channel 10 aquired all the episodes of Eagle Riders and showed them at 7.30am Mondays to Thursdays on its morning cartoon show Cheez TV. This run started on the 14th August 1997, and as yet has not been repeated. I'm anxiously scanning the TV guide each week to see when it does!
The above information applies to what was shown in Melbourne. It should hold fairly similar for other areas of Australia.
G-Force was shown on Saturday mornings in double episodes at 6.00am on TV 2. It commenced its run in April 1997.
Battle of the Planets was shown from October 1979 to March 1980 on Channel 2 (except for the last nine episodes, which were shown on Channel 1).
Here are some places in Melbourne and Sydney for Gatchaman merchandise:
Melbourne
Alternate Worlds
Try for: 94 OVA subs
744 Burke Road
Camberwell 3124
Victoria
Tel: (03) 9882 0348
76 Chapel Street
Windsor 3181
Tel: (03) 9529 2255
Hobby Japan
Try for: Rental videos of the OVAs, figurines
Shop 14
Midcity Arcade
200 Brouke Street
Melbourne, 3000
Tel: (03) 9639 1219
928 Whitehorse Road
Box Hill, 3128
Tel: (03) 9899 1668
Japan Book Plaza
Try for: Japanese books like Gatchaman Grafitti and Gatchaman Material
155 Toorak Road
South Yarra 3141
Victoria
Tel: (03) 9578 1672
Minotaur
Try for:
Top Cow Battle of the Planets comic books
Rhino Battle of the Planets DVDs
Battle of the Planets CD
121 Elizabeth Street
Melbourne 3000
Victoria
Tel: (03) 9670 5414
Classic Comics
Try for:
Top Cow Battle of the Planets comic books
Shop 4, 50 Bourke Street
Melbourne 3000
Victoria
Tel: (03) 9663 7210
Toon-In Gallery
Try for: Battle of the Planet cels
429 Elizabeth Street
Melbourne 3000
Victoria
Tel: (03) 9642 5455
The Cartoon Gallery
Try for: 94 OVAs
Shop G43
168 Pitt Street
Sydney 2000
Tel:(02) 9222 911
URL: www.cartoongallery.com.au
NSW
For Australian stores which sell general anime and manga click here. The internet is a wonderful source of Gatchaman goodies. If model kits are your thing, try Hobby Link Japan.
Gatchaman Index