First Teaser For Live Action GATCHAMAN

The wait is finally over! After months of great anticipation, our first look at the live-action film adaptation of Tatsunoko's classic anime Gatchaman (aka Battle Of The Planets or G-Force depending on which version) has arrived in the form of a teaser at the official site. While the 30-second teaser hardly reveals any significant footage and consist mostly of Japanese voice over from the cast, it does provide a few glimpse of the cool superhero suits. It may be short but its enough to get fanboys craving for more.

The potential summer blockbuster is directed by Toya Sato (live-action Grave of the Fireflies, Gokusen) and scripted by Yūsuke Watanabe (20th Century Boys, live-action Gantz).  Also on the production team is Takashi Yamazaki (Returner, Always: Sunset on Third Street, live-action Space Battleship Yamato) as the visual effects supervisor, Shinji Aramaki (Appleseed Saga: Ex Machina, Space Pirate Captain Harlock) as the conceptual designer and Tatsuro Koike (K-20: The Fiend with Twenty Faces) as the stunt coordinator.

In the cast line-up, Tori Matsuzaka plays Ken Washio, the leader of the team and tactical expert, Gô Ayano plays George Asakura, the second-in-command marksman and weapons expert, Ayame Gôriki plays Jun Ohtsuki, the yoyo-wielding electronics and demolitions expert, Ryohei Suzuki plays Ryu Nakanishi, the ship's main pilot and Tatsuomi Hamada as Jinpei Ohtsuki, the young reconnaissance expert.

The five serve as agents of the International Science Organization in Tokyo in the near future. Galactor, a mysterious group whose technology far surpasses that of humans, has declared war on the entire world and has already subjugated half of it. A mysterious crystal-like object called a "stone," is humanity's only hope. Those who are able to draw out the power of the "stones" are forced to train to become special agents in a five-person team called "Gatchaman."

Toho will release the film in Japanese theaters on August 24th. You'll find the teaser and a profile picture on each member of the science ninja team below.