Why was it odd that Gatchaman didnt have a pilot or animation tests?

[Cure DragonEagle 255]

Unlike many of Tatsunoko's other early series and series pitches, Gatchaman did not have a traditional pilot or any known animation tests done. The program went directly from the planning stages into the production of the first episode. The exact reasoning for this is unclear. Perhaps there there time constraints, or maybe everyone was confident it would work right from the start. "There was no pilot film made," recalls Ippei Kuri, "We presented various drawn pictures and scenes to help introduce the characters." Clearly these were enough to sell the show to the sponsors and get it going, but this move was especially odd considering the importance that Tatsuo Yoshida placed on the project.

Why is that odd? Especially the part of Tatsuo Yoshida placed a lot of importance in the project.

[Moonlight_Dezu]

If there's no Initial Brainstorming for the project, then the entire series Existence is a Miracle.

[Cure DragonEagle 255]

But there was! Other Jason made a whole article on the brainstorming that took place for Gatchaman. I was hoping he would answer himself since he made the comment I am reacting to on top of being a wiz at knowing about the inception of Gatchaman.

[The Other Jason]

Hi Cure DragonEagle,

Unlike many of Tatsunoko's other early series and series pitches, Gatchaman did not have a traditional pilot or any known animation tests done. The program went directly from the planning stages into the production of the first episode. The exact reasoning for this is unclear. Perhaps there there time constraints, or maybe everyone was confident it would work right from the start. "There was no pilot film made," recalls Ippei Kuri, "We presented various drawn pictures and scenes to help introduce the characters." Clearly these were enough to sell the show to the sponsors and get it going, but this move was especially odd considering the importance that Tatsuo Yoshida placed on the project.

Why is that odd? Especially the part of Tatsuo Yoshida placed a lot of importance in the project.

The short quote from series producer, Ippei Kuri, in my piece came from an answer he gave in 2000, when asked directly about the existence of a pilot for Gatchaman.

From the start, Gatchaman was seen as a huge project for Tatsunoko. Published interviews (and some firsthand accounts) with staff who were there, indicated Gatchaman was studio founder/president, Tatsuo Yoshida's "baby." He was willing to pour all of the studio's creative resources into it to make it the brightest jewel in their crown.

They had been developing creative talents for over half a decade, and with each new series they seemed to advance their craft in multiple areas - storytelling, animation techniques, editing, music, acting, character design... you name it. All of this work was leading to something. A series with which Yoshida would show everything his studio had learned. Everything came together at the right time for Gatchaman to be that series.

That's why I think it was curious that with all the importance placed on it, they didn't want to complete some kind of brief sample reel. Something to give their animators a chance at some familiarity for the massive project they were about to take on. Plus it would have given potential investors and sponsors a chance to see what the characters looked like in motion.

But nothing appears to have been done. I still have to think it was a combination of time constraints and faith in Tatsunoko that made a sample pilot impractical or unnecessary. It was likely that Tatsunoko had already proven what they could do through their previous series, so the image boards and character model sheets comforted everyone involved that they could deliver what they promised.

[Cure DragonEagle 255]

God! You are the gift that keeps on giving Other Jason! I can feel the passion of Tatsunoko Pro in that post. This was the answer I was looking for.

[Moonlight_Dezu]

I want to add more details on what pushed Tatsunoko to make the series, one of them is the Existence of Shotaro Ishinomori's Kamen Rider series which aired a year before Gatchaman was released, has a big Influence on Tatsuo's and Ippei's decision on making this series to exist.

I dare to say that Kamen rider is one of the reasons why Gatchaman exists, as I said that many ideas were Inspired by the basics of Kamen rider itself, Like the Science fiction theme and Henshin heroes combined with Tatsunoko's earlier works Ninja Butai Gekko which is about Ninjas, and American series (Like Superheroes series, Maybe Batman and Thunderbirds) poured into their Brainstorm and later on put them into the series we know. Later on, Yoshida sensei saw great potential for this series, and a huge deal once Tatsunoko itself.

P.S: I'm taking this from MercuryFalcon Video about Tatsunoko, you guys should check out
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIR04y_Chp4&t=811s