AGATHA SWAN
Shiratori no Jun
Name: Jun the Swan
AKA: Jun (Gatchaman) Princess (BotP) Agatha ("Aggie") June (G-Force) Kelly Jenar
(Eagle Riders)
Nationality: Japanese/American
Agatha swan PRETTY JANE THE SWAN from: Gatchman-Battle of Planets
Age: 16
Cover Occupation: Runs a bar/disco/coffee shop called the "Snack Jun." Sometimes
works as a "go-go dancer" at her bar or other nightclubs. Plays guitar in a
small band.
Info: By 1970's Japanese standards, Jun is a "modern gal," strong willed and
independent. She's the Team's technical expert, specializing in explosives and
computer hacking. Jun has a crush on Ken, but also seems attracted to Joe (this
is more obvious in Gatchaman II). She considers the other members of the team to
be her family--especially Jinpei, who she found as an infant and adopted.
Voice Actresses: Sugiyama Kazuko (Gatchaman); Neya Michiko (Gatchaman 94); Janet
Waldo (BotP); Barbara Goodson (G-Force); Heidi Lenhart (Eagle Riders)
Diinzumo's Review: Sorely Underrated Swan
In the beginning, Ken, Jun and Jinpei were to be the featured characters in
Gatchaman. Jun would be ranked G-2, and her relationship with Ken would be
focused on. However, that and many other ideas on the Tatsunoko planning sheets
were phased out. Joe took the position of G-2, then ran off with the lion's
share of popularity. Jun was left to act as cheerleader for the guys. There were
exceptions: the Jigokiller two parter (where woman-eating flowers threatened to
overrun the world), the Gezora two-parter (where Jun and Jinpei become Gallactor
prisoners), and "Bitter Bird Missile," a Gatchaman and G-Force episode where Jun
had to deal with an ex-boyfriend who had become the leader of a Gallactor
Blackbird squadron. But mostly, Jun played dumb and stayed in the background.
Jun has two different sides, depending on who wrote the screenplay. She can be
strong-willed, smart and self-sufficient. She runs a bar by herself, can more
than hold her own in battle against groups of big goons, specializes in computer
work and detonations, and has a powerful way with words when she wants to make a
point. On the other hand, she often acts as female stereotype or damsel in
distress, blathering about how pretty everything is, going "Eek!" at the sight
of bugs or monsters, or gasping out the over-used, "Oh, Ken! What do we do now?"
Gatchaman II and Fighter weren't much better, with Jun hanging all over either
Joe (G-II) or Ken (G-Fighter). When she was given the spotlight in G-II, she
only acted to avenge some female acquaintances who had died at Gallactor's
hands. You could blame this on the older Japanese view toward women. The modern
OAV version of Jun isn't much better: she became little more than a big-chested
Barbie doll in battle gear.
One advantage the American dubs have over the original Japanese stories was that
Jun became a much stronger character when she left Japan. You wouldn't tell
Princess, Aggie or Kelly Jenar (especially Kelly) that a woman should be seen
and not heard--not unless you were in the mood for a cracked skull.