Dr. Kozaburo Nambu, a high-ranking executive in the International Science Organization and Interpol, masterminded the Science Ninja Team's formation to counter the terrorist threat of Galactor. His inherited wealth, stemming from his father's prominent business empire which included a private airfield and bank, funded his endeavors. After his parents' deaths, Nambu deliberately severed familial ties and channeled the family fortune into the Mantle Project and Galactor research, viewing this as penance for separating his childhood friend Kentaro Washio from his wife and son—a stark reflection of his lifelong commitment to global security over personal bonds. Possessing advanced degrees from Oxford and Cambridge, Nambu's expertise spans space engineering, physics, chemistry, astronomy, and medicine. His scientific legacy includes pioneering pollution-free energy systems and inventing the specialized "Science Ninja Technique" martial art. He personally designed the Science Ninja Team's bird-themed uniforms, signature weapons, and mecha, notably the God Phoenix spacecraft. Strategically, he programmed the God Phoenix's weapons to require unanimous team activation, specifically countering the members' early inclination towards independent action. As guardian to Ken Washio, Joe Asakura, Jun, and Jinpei, Nambu profoundly shaped their lives. He rescued Ken after Kentaro Washio (Red Impulse) faked his death to infiltrate Galactor, and engineered Joe's disappearance following Galactor's assassination of Joe's parents, providing him with a new identity. For Jun and Jinpei, he established Snack Bar J as both residence and team base. He astutely leveraged their traits, anticipating Jinpei's reconnaissance instincts and Jun's operational management. Ryu Nakanishi, recruited separately after saving Nambu from a whirlpool, remained the sole member with living family. Nambu's command extended beyond the Science Ninja Team to leading Interpol forces and the Red Impulse squadron, typically deployed when the primary team was unavailable. He maintained professional detachment, often masking concern for the team with operational logic. His strategic pragmatism included reforming former Galactor scientist Meckel instead of eliminating him. He also experienced grief, notably over Dr. Demon, a friend turned Galactor operative who ultimately committed suicide. In Gatchaman II, set two years later, Nambu reactivated the team against Galactor's resurgence under the mutated child leader Gelsadora (Sammie). He reintegrated Joe after Joe's cybernetic resurrection by ex-Galactor scientist Dr. Rafael, accepting his augmented state despite societal prejudice. During this conflict, Nambu assumed the directorship of the ISO following the death of his superior, Director Anderson. Nambu's appearance varied across adaptations. The original design featured shoulder-length brown hair, thin eyebrows, a thick mustache, and distinctive stemless glasses, typically wearing a light blue suit over a yellow shirt and maroon vest. The 1994 OVA reimagined him with a pompadour, longer mustache, stemmed glasses, and a bright pink overcoat. An unproduced Imagi film concept initially depicted him as Afro-Japanese with dark skin and an afro, later revised to a bald design with graying facial hair. His story concluded in Gatchaman Fighter, where he was killed near the series' end, transferring mentorship duties to the engineer Kamo.