Season
overview:
On December 31, 2021 a brand new Urusei Yatsura anime was announced to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Shogakukan, Rumiko Takahashi's publisher. It was soon announced that the characters would be recast and over the next few months the official website UY All Stars (you can read their translated comments here). As months passed more information was revealed including the involvement of Naoyuki Asano who had done a great job updating the 1962 manga Osomatsu-kun into a new hit anime. The series is being directed by Hideya Takahashi (Strike Witches: Road to Berlin and Platinum End) and Yasuhiro Kimura (JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind). The lovely opening animation sequence was handled by Shingo Yamashita who also animated the initial opening for Chainsaw Man, Jujutsu Kaisen's first two openings and Ranking of Kings second opening.
Episode 1-1: かけめぐる青春
Kake meguru seishun (Young Love on the Run!)
Alien spacecraft begin to appear all over the world, as shocked people look to the skies to see the incoming alien invasion. In Tomobiki-cho, Tokyo, Japan a young boy named Ataru Moroboshi is on a date with Shinobu Miyake, a classmate. She protests his fickle nature and leaves him, at which point he points near a bridge and is interrupted by an annoying monk named Cherry who "saves" him from suicide. Soon, Ataru arrives back home and discovers that he has been selected at random by the alien Oni's computer to compete in a game of tag with the fate of the Earth in his hands. He will play against the princess of the Oni, the beautiful teenager Lum. For Ataru it's lust at first sight, and he dedicates himself to becoming the hero of the Earth and winning the game of tag. Unfortunately he quickly learns that Lum can fly and tagging her is nearly impossible within the ten day time limit. As the days pass, Ataru gets nowhere, and is on the verge of giving up entirely when Shinobu promises she will marry him if he can win. Reinvigorated, Ataru gives it his best shot, and with his sneaky nature finally coming into play, he manages to grab Lum's bikini top, forcing her to chase after him. With a quick dodge, he touches her horns and saves the Earth. And in proclaiming he can now get married, Lum takes his words as a proposal and accepts Ataru as her new fiancee.
Episode Staff:
Director: Hideya Takahashi (髙橋秀弥)
Animation Director: Yutaka Araki (荒木裕), Satoru Kiyomaru (清丸悟), Sachiko Mori (森幸子), Sanaei Sato (さとう沙名栄), Reio Kawamoto (河本零王) Ryo Kobayashi (小林亮)
While the first episode of Urusei Yatsura was airing there was extensive breaking news as North Korea fired missles over Japan, which they had been doing earlier in the week as well.
The opening shows a trash can in Ataru's room with the number 38 on it. This is a reference to a trash can that Rumiko Takahashi used to have in her first studio that she illustrated in Kemo's 24 Hours. Thanks to Tori for noticing this in her tweet.
Additionally, in the opening we see Lum's hands playing a small game with balls. This game is called an AlgoLoop and was designed by Yosuke Ikeda, who mentions it appearing in Urusei Yatsuraon his Twitter.
Some of the individual sequences in the opening were handled by Kanako Sakaguchi (坂口歌菜子), Satoshi Tanigaki (谷垣慧実) and Yuka Matsuda (増田由佳).
Also in the opening, the piece of playground equipment that Lum is spinning is known as a Globe Jungle (グローブジャングル).
"Oni begone!" - Ataru is saying "Oni wa soto!" (鬼は外) which is part of the phrase "Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi!" (鬼は外! 福は内!) a well-known Japanese phrase shouted during Setsubun, the first day of spring. Ataru is also throwing a bag of Fukumame beans in a wooden square ramequin at Lum's father. This is all a part of Mamemaki a children's activity that chases oni, or evil spirits out of the house.
The humor of playing a game of tag for the fate of the earth against an oni deals with the fact that "tag" in Japanese is literally "onigoko" (鬼ごっこ) the "game of the oni".
When Lum first appears "Lum no Love Song" from the original 1981 television series can be heard playing.
Ataru is terribly unlucky, having been born on Friday the 13th and Butsumetsu. "Butsumetsu" (仏滅) which means "the death of Buddha," is considered the unluckiest day in the "rokki" (六輝) system of lucky/unlucky days.
When Cherry is talking to Mr. and Mrs. Moroboshi about Ataru's bad luck we see two items on their television set in the background. The small wooden doll is a kokeshi doll (こけし). The wooden item is a large shogi playing piece, particularly the "king" (王将/osho).
The opening animation features footage from various Urusei Yatsuravideo games including the original Famicom game, Lum's Wedding Bells and the Gameboy game The Search for Miss Tomobiki.
The signage behind Ataru when he accidentally proposes to Lum includes "Neko Shokudo" (likely meant to hint at the Cat Cafe/Nekohanten (猫飯店) from Ranma 1/2), Mendo (a reference to the Mendo Corportation), Zipang, Frappe Shop Bokeya (フラプ ショップ ぼけや) and Oden Kotobuki.
Episode 1-2: 絶体絶命
Zettai zetsumei (Between a Rock and a Hard Place)
Some days later, Ataru has tried to kick Lum out of his house, she returns to her UFO, but everytime he tries to call Shinobu for a date, Lum interrupts their conversations, driving Shinobu to hang up angrily. Ataru is determined to see Shinobu but Lum will have none of it, and eventually, the three way calls between Ataru, Lum and Shinobu create a portal that sucks in anything that flies within the triangle. Undeterred, Ataru bravely goes to see Shinobu in the storm caused by Lum's interference. Ataru and Shinobu meet on the streets of Tomobiki and an outraged Lum divebombs her UFO into the streets to try to put an end to Ataru's cheating, causing a massive explosion to the neighborhood. When the smoke clears Ataru is clinging to Lum who takes his apology to Shinobu as an apology meant for her. Before long, everyone in the neighborhood and from the government are showing up at the Moroboshi household demanding payment for the various damages they have incurred.
Episode Staff:
Director: Hideya Takahashi (髙橋秀弥)
Animation Director: Yutaka Araki (荒木裕), Satoru Kiyomaru (清丸悟), Sachiko Mori (森幸子), Sanaei Sato (さとう沙名栄), Reio Kawamoto (河本零王) Ryo Kobayashi (小林亮)
A number of songs have used the title of this chapter, though Takahashi most likely had in mind the song by Momoe Yamaguchi.
The first eyecatch is based on Rumiko Takahashi's artwork for the first cover of the wideban edition of the manga.
Ataru's room has an HCIA pennant in it. This is a reference to the HCIA organization from Rumiko Takahashi's Dust Spot!! manga. The other pennant beside it says "Tokeizaka" a reference to the neighborhood in which Maison Ikkoku takes place.
When Ataru is going to sneak out to see Shinobu during the lightning storm he dons a pair of glasses with swirling lens. In Japan these are known as "bottle bottom glasses" (瓶底眼鏡). The glasses are said to look like the "bottom of a cow milk bottle" (牛乳瓶の底).
Two familiar names appear in the end credits of this episode. Asami Endo (遠藤麻未) is listed as one of the animation directors. She served as animation director on many, many episodes of the original series. The other name is Taiki Eto (江藤大気) who is one of the animation directors from Yashahime.
When released on blu-ray in Japan episodes 1 and 10 had voice actor commentary on them.
Episode 2-1: あなたにあげる
Anata ni ageru (Present for You)
Lum stays with Ataru at school as Onsen Mark attempts to teach the class. Due to her constant interruptions Ataru gets in trouble and is yelled at by Onsen then smashed under desks by Shinobu. Eventually, having had enough, Ataru goes into hiding, refusing to return home as long as Lum is there. Hiding out at a local noodle shop, Ataru spies himself on television as his parents, Lum and Shinobu beg him to come home. After attempting to escape, Ataru bumps into a sickly yet beautiful woman on the street. She reveals her name is Sakura and that she is a priestess. She immediately notices Ataru’s horrible luck and offers her services to exorcise the evil spirits that haunt him. After his usual pervy pick-up lines Ataru follows her to her house, and meets her mother, who looks suspiciously like Cherry. Sensing danger, Ataru decides to leave but is forcibly held there by Sakura and her mother who begin the exorcism. Sakura’s illnesses continue to plague her but eventually she summons forth all the demons and spirits that have haunted her and they attack to Ataru, healing her. At that moment she banishes the demons, but death itself appears and seems to kill Ataru. In the hospital Ataru lies in bed as his parents, Lum and Shinobu mourn him, but he suddenly returns to life when a cute nurse enters the room. Outside, Sakura visits Ataru and reveals that she is indeed related to Cherry, as his niece.
Episode Staff:
Director: Yasuhiro Kimura (木村泰大)
Animation Director: Ai Kato (加藤愛), Nanako Ninomiya (二宮奈那子), Sachiko Mori (森幸子), Sanae Sato (さとう沙名栄), Ryo Kobayashi (小林亮)
The restaurant Ataru is eating at is likely a reference to Cat Cafe (Nekohanten) from Ranma 1/2. However rather than this being "Nekohanten" (猫飯店) this is "Neko Shokudo" (猫食堂), "Cat & Caboodle Diner". This is the restaurant referenced in episode 1-1.
The characters 中章 or "chuushou" that appear in this chapter indicate that Ataru is eating in a Chinese restaurant.
Sakura is a miko, a Shinto term that means shrine maiden or priestess.
Sakura's name means "cherry blossom" which of course, is a hint as to whom she turns out to be related to.
The sign over the door to Sakura's home says she is a "demon exorcist/disperer" (妖怪退散/yokai taisan). One may think this is identical to Sango from Inuyasha however that is written "demon exterminator" (妖怪退治屋/yokai taijiya).
When Ataru is taken to Sakura's home we see a number of unusual items in the the entryway (玄関/genkan). These include a crystal ball (perhaps a subtle reference to Annette's Peep Ball) a haniwa (埴輪) which are cylindrical terracotta statues used as funerary offerings. Additionally on the shelf there are two lion dogs (狛犬/komainu). When Ataru tries to flee Sakura's mother lassoes him with a sacred rope called a shimenawa. Shimenawa (標縄) are "enclosing ropes" made to ward off evil spirits. They are typically placed around yorishiro (依り代) which are objects capable of attracting spirits such as trees.
When Sakura begins her exorcism on Ataru she is wearing two candles on her head. This is called "ushi no koku mairi" (丑の刻参り).
Episode 2-2: 幸せの黄色いリボン
Shiawase no kiiori ribon (The Yellow Ribbon of Happiness)
Tired of Lum’s electric shocks Ataru goes to Cherry for help. Cherry creates a yellow ribbon that will eliminate Lum’s powers if she wears it, and it can only be removed by the person who ties it on her. Ataru convinces Lum to wear the ribbon, and is amazed by its success as Lum can no longer fly or deliver shocks. Ataru stalks her throughout the day with Megane, his friend from school. They watch as Lum meets another student, Chibi on the street and fails to shock him no matter how hard she tries. Unfortunately, Chibi and Megane both get overly amorous when Lum touches them and they swear to protect her from Ataru. Shinobu comes by and becomes jealous as Lum shows off the ribbon Ataru gave her. Taking Lum back to his house, Chibi and Megane follow along and continue to attempt to stop Ataru from being alone with Lum in her weakened state. Ataru and Lum are both sick of of them for different reasons and toss them out the window, where they struggle to continue to look in. Hearing Lum scream when Ataru finally tries to take the ribbon off Lum so she’ll return to her UFO, Megane and Chibi climb back through the window and think Ataru is assaulting Lum. He finally reveals the truth about the ribbon, and once its removed Lum shocks him repeatedly for his misbehavior. The next day, a new student arrives at Tomobiki High School by jumping out of a massive flying fortress, Shutaro Mendo has arrived!
Episode Staff:
Director: Yasuhiro Kimura (木村泰大)
Animation Director: Ai Kato (加藤愛), Nanako Ninomiya (二宮奈那子), Sachiko Mori (森幸子), Sanae Sato (さとう沙名栄), Ryo Kobayashi (小林亮)
This is the first appearance of Shutaro Mendo who will go on to be one of the major members of the ensemble cast. Kotatsuneko also appears suddenly with Cherry.
This chapter title is taken from the song by the American group Tony Orlando and Dawn.
In the empty lot where Cherry spends so much time readers can see pipes stacked up. These are known as dokan (土管). Dokan can be seen frequently in manga and anime, most prominently in Doraemon (ドラえもん) as a playground for Nobita and his friends. Dokan are leftover sewer pipes from the construction boom after the post-World War II Japanese Economic Miracle. They also served as the inspiration for the warp pipes in Super Mario Bros..
When Ataru is hatching his scheme to tie the yellow ribbon on Lum's horns to sap her of her powers we briefly see him speaking with two tongues. In Japanese being double tongued (二枚舌/nimaijita) means you are double-dealing or lying. Rumiko Takahashi used this same joke in her autobiographical manga Kemo Kobiru no Nikki.
As Ataru sits in his room, he is reading an issue of Shonen Sunday with Rumiko Takahashi's MAO on the cover. The issue is 2019 #23.
In the ending credits the actors for Satoshi (Megane in the original anime) and Akira (better known as Chibi in the original anime) are given. Satoshi is played by Setsuji Sato. Akira is played by Daisuke Sakaguchi. Two female students are also listed by name. Hitomi is played by Natsumi Kawaida. Aya is played by Sara Matsumoto. Sara Matsumoto had just finished playing Towa Higurashi in Yashahime before playing this role.
Episode 3-1: トラブルは舞い降りた！！
Taraburu wa mai orita!! (Trouble Rains Down)
Shutaro Mendo leaps from the helicopter that he uses to attend his first day at Tomobiki High School. As he parachutes to the ground, he is smashed by a stray desk tossed by Shinobu, who is already sick of Ataru and Lum's flirtacious antics. Stepping outside everyone meets the new transfer student, and all the girls of the class are instantly smitten with the handsome, rich young man. When Shinobu apologizes for hitting him with the desk, Mendo suavely accepts and she instantly falls head over heels for him, happily forgetting all about Ataru. Ataru instantly hates Mendo and later in the day, when Mendo meets Lum and falls in love with her, he begins to instantly despise Ataru as well. Mendo's first day happens to be the same day the class will choose its representative, and Mendo immediately volunteers to run for the position, stating that if he wins he will restore law and order to Tomobiki, but only for the male students. The boys are aghast at this and encourage Ataru to run against Mendo. Ultimately the two tie in votes, leading an ashamed Mendo to challenge Ataru to a duel, but first must throw a glove to mark the official beginning of his challenge. Of course, Ataru will have none of it and continually dodges Mendo's glove tossing attacks, until finally Lum gets in the way and the glove lands on her. Ataru encourages her to accept Mendo's dual on his behalf and hse ends up blasting him with electricity.
This episode was delayed by an hour and a half due to a baseball playoff game between the Orix Buffaloes and the Yakult Swallows. Orix won 6-4.
This is the first appearance of Shutaro Mendo (other than the fleeting preview from the last episode) who will go on to be one of the major members of the ensemble cast.
The Mendo family crest is an octopus making the same expression as Hyottoko. Hyottoko is a classic Japanese comedic character, with bulging eyes and a pipelike mouth, and definitely protrayed as a fool.
"Don't forget to take a handkerchief and some toilet paper." - Mendo's grandfather's request may seem strange, but Japanese schools do not have paper towels and so handkerchiefs are used for drying hands and wiping sweat from your brow. Some Japanese public restrooms don't have toilet paper either, though it is certainly more common today than when this story was originally written in 1980. You can read more about Japanese handerchief etiquette here.
"Is your family the one that owns the Mendo Conglomerate?" - The term the student uses is "zaibatsu" (財閥). A zaibatsu literally means "financial clique", which is a had huge sway over the Japanese economy prior to World War II. After the war, the Allied occupation dissolved all the zaibatsu businesses to prevent so much economic power from being centrally located. The suggestion that Mendo's family still has such a powerful company would speak to its age and its power being so great that it was somehow not dissolved following the war.
Ataru is reading his same issue of Shonen Sunday again in this episode as he was in the previous one. It's actually Shonen Sunday 2019 Issue 23, which contains MAO chapter 1.
When Ataru is running from Mendo he uses a multiplying technique, even shouting "kagebunshin" (影分身/shadow other-self) as he dodges about. Ataru also uses the classic ninja body replacement technique known as "kawarimi" (変わり身) or "utsushimi no jutsu" (移身の術) where the victim appears to be injured by an attack only for their opponent to discover their body has been replaced by a log. The translators wisely used the terms from Naruto (shadow clone and "substitution jutsu") which contemporary audiences would be familiar with.
When Lum electrocutes people it has the onomatopoeia "bari bari" on screen along with the faint sound of someone saying "bari bari" as well. "Bari bari" (パリパリ) is the sound of electrocution.
Mendo plans to commit seppuku (切腹) or ritual suicide at the end of the chapter, as he cannot face being defeated by Ataru. His guard is acting as his "second" (介錯人/kaishakunin) who will decapitate him after he slices his stomach open.
Episode 3-2: 迷路でメロメロ
Meiro de meromero (Amazed in a Maze)
Mendo thinks back to being shocked by Lum and ponders if he's fallen in love with her as he readies to parachute in for another day of learning at Tomobiki High. As he does, he and Lum get tangled up in his parachute. Below, Ataru is trying to see if Shinobu really is attracted to Mendo, which she makes no attempt to disguise. Just then, the parachute crashes down leaving Mendo, Shinobu, Ataru and Lum all underneath it. Mendo apologizes to Shinobu while Ataru yells at Lum, which finally makes Mendo realize that Lum is in love with Ataru and he has to "save" her from a fate with him. The class goes on a daytrip to the forest and Mendo tries to invite Lum to sightsee in a limestone cave with him. She refuses to go unless Ataru does, and he thinks it would be a good opporunity to sneak off with Shinobu, so all four end up visiting it together. Inside the cave, both Mendo and Ataru continually try to sneak off with the girls, Mendo with Lum and Ataru with Shinobu, but things never work out. Ultimately, once Ataru and Mendo are separated from the girls, Mendo confides in Ataru that he suffers from both nyctophobia and claustrophobia, a fear of the dark and cramped spaces. More panicked fighting ensues, and Lum uses her electricity to light up the cave, which also powers a hidden spaceship that launches into the sky. Freed from the now destroyed cave, the rest of the class watches as Mendo and Ataru curse one another for fouling up the plan to be alone with the girls. Meanwhile, in outer space the ship has a passenger in cryosleep, Kurama.
This episode marks the first appearance of Mendo's nyctophobia and claustrophobia.
The sneakers we see Lum wearing in the cave are quite similar to the ones Lum is promoting concurrently with the debut of this episode for the Onitsuka Tiger company.
The credits list some more student names and voices including Kosuke (Shinya Takahashi), Hokuto (Jun Inoue), Kakugari (Sho Okumura), Mendo's Grandfather (Hiroshi Iwasaki) and "Sunglasses" (Mendo's guard) (Takeshi Koyama).
Episode 4: 口づけと共に契らん！！
Kuchi zuketo toma ni chigiran!! (Sealed With a Kiss!!)
While playing mixed doubles tennis with Shinobu against Lum and Ataru, Mendo is clobbered by a cryosleep pod from the spaceship that took off from the cave. Asleep in the pod is a beautiful alien named Kurama. Her tengu attendents explain that she is asleep until the perfect man comes along and kisses her, waking her from her sleep to mate with her. The crows want Mendo to be the one to do the deed but Ataru sneaks past and kisses her instead, waking her up. In all the confusion Kurama thinks Mendo is destined to be her mate, but Ataru wants what he's owed and is determined to be the one who will get to spend a night of amorous love-making with Kurama. Back at Tomobiki High, Kurama invades once again trying to convince Mendo to do his duty and impregnate her. The other girls at school quickly protest, but Lum happily agrees to help with the preparations and builds a makeshift portable love hotel on the school grounds so Kurama and Mendo can mate. Dragging Mendo inside, the female student body are in tears as Mendo prepares to do his duty, but Ataru infiltrates and finally makes Kurama understand that he was the one that woke her from her sleep. The Tengu consult the previous clan elders to try and determine just why it has to be the man who kisses the princess that gets to mate with her, but find out its basically just a made up rule. With her fate no longer tied to the prophecy, Kurama becomes disllusioned with Mendo's fear of the dark, and decides to find a man who is truly worthy of her.
Karasu tengu are crow goblins, mythological birdlike creatures with wings that inhabit the mountains.
The tengu crows wear outfits that those typical of the Japanese folklore tengu, though more specifically they wear the raiments of the "yamabushi" (山伏), an ascetic order of mountain-based spiritualism known as "shugendo" (修験道). You can read more about shugendo in the cultural notes section.
"A night of amorous congress". The tengu say that all they want is "ichiya no chigiri" (一夜の契り), a "one night stand".
When Lum shocks Ataru and sends him flying we see the onomatopoeia "chudon" (ちゅうどーん). This is Rumiko Takahashi's "signature" sound effect that was used in a number of her earliest manga up through Ranma 1/2. It is translated here as "kablooey". This is not a standard sound, but one that is strongly associated with Takahashi's work (similar to the unique sounds associated with manga such as Fist of the North Star).
Class 2-4 is a simple way of saying "the second year of the fourth term." In Japan, school is split up into three or four terms, beginning with elementary and going up through high school. The fourth, and last term, typically consists of the sophomore, junior and senior years. Ataru and the others are juniors in high school.
Kurama calls Shinobu a zashiki warashi (座敷わらし), a house-haunting spirit that looks like a five- or six-year-old child with a blushing red face and bobbed hair.
The inside of Kurama's love-making pod is filled with an odd assortment of decor including a beckoning cat (招き猫/maneki neko), a daruma (達磨), a painting of the seven lucky gods treasure boat and an Easter Island head. There is also a painting of a crane and turtle in the background. Known as "Tsuru kame" (鶴亀) this is a symbol of good luck or longevity. The reason for this is because cranes mate for life and turtles live a long time.
As the elder kurasu tengu is asking prior elders why their ceremonial rules are in place, we see that each elder is wearing different garments to symbolize how far back in time they are meant to be. One wears a tall Heian era hat (冠/kanmuri), and the prior generation features a hair style like that from the Nara period.
A love hotel is a type of short-stay hotel that offers privacy for sexual activity.
Tengu are commonly depicted holding a magical feather fan (羽団扇, hauchiwa). In folk tales, these fans sometimes can grow or shrink a person's nose, but usually, they have attributed the power to stir up great winds. Various other strange accessories may be associated with tengu, such as a type of tall, one-toothed geta sandal often called tengu-geta.
The elder tengu (the one in the red hat) is played by Issei Futamata. He is best known for playing Chibi in the original Urusei Yatsura, Yusaku Godai in Maison Ikkoku and Hikaru Gosunkugi in Ranma 1/2. Naoki Tatsuta plays the previous generation elder. He was the kindergarten principal in Maison Ikkoku but is best known as Oolong from Dragonball. Nobuo Tobita plays the previous previous generation elder. He is Ebisu in Naruto, Vayne Solidor in Final Fantasy XII, Albert Heinrich/004 in Cyborg 009, Daisuke Dobashi in Please Save My Earth and Shogen Mamiya in Yashahime and Kyora in Inuyasha the Movie: Fire on the Mystic Mountain.
The other crows are played by Daisuke Hirakawa, Hiro Shimono, Kazuyuki Okitsu and Toru Nara.
Episode 5-1: 愛と闘魂のグローブ
Ai to tokon no gurobu (The Glove of Love and Conflict)
Everyone is abuzz with the news of a new nurse starting at Tomobiki High. Ataru rushes in to meet her and feign sick but quickly realizes basically every other guy in school had the same idea. Mendo is first in line and already proposing marriage as the new nurse turns around and reveals herself to be none other than Sakura! Ataru happily welcomes her by attempting to grope her, while all the other boys fawn all over her. Soon she kicks them all out, only to be met by the coaches of the boxing club, who have heard of her powers as a miko and ask her to exorcise a pair of boxing gloves. Unfortunately, due to a ruckus caused by Cherry and Kotatsuneko, Sakura tosses them and one of the gloves out the window. Eventually the glove makes its way back to Ataru, who discovers that putting it on curses him by making him grab whoever is closest to him. He puts it to good use by grabbing girls and blaming the glove, but when Mendo tries to put him in his place he grabs him as well. Soon Sakura and the boxing coaches show up with the other glove, and when Ataru wears it, he learns that it causes him to grope with one hand and punch with the other. Not wanting to hit Lum, he shoves his own face in the way and continually bashes away at himself. Sakura gets the idea that the curse of the gloves must be lifted by doing what they are made to do, and so she puts Lum and Ataru in a ring and Ataru is forced to continually grab and almost punch the nearby Lum. Refusing to hit her, he continues to put himself in harms way, which only makes Lum love him more and more for sacrificing himself for her. Eventually he falls unconscious and the gloves come off, but when Ataru tries to grope Sakura, she puts them on and pounds him herself.
Episode Staff:
Director: Shugo Tsuneoka (常岡修吾)
Animation Director: Akane Imada (今田茜), Ryo Kobayashi (小林亮), Masumi Hattori (はっとりますみ), Reio Kawamoto (河本零王), Sachiko Mori (森幸子), Ai Kato (加藤愛)
Each episode of Urusei Yatsura makes use of a unique title design. This episode uses a "horror font" with an interesting history. The typeface is called "Tankoin" (淡古印) or sometimes "Kointai" (古印体) and it was designed in 1979 by Tansai Inoue (井上淡斎) with the idea that it looked like a seal or stamp font that was commonly seen in Japan. The font was meant to have a "historical feel" with slightly wavy characters as if made by a well used, slightly over-inked stamp. Interestingly it was Akira Toriyama's manga Dragon Ball which began to transform the perception of this font. Here we see the font used in 1984 in the opening narration narration of the first chapter. However by 1987 the font was being used for the dialogue of Piccolo Daimoh and the dragon Shen Long giving it a powerful, sinister feeling. This quickly changed the perception of the font throughout Japan. It would be solidified as a horror font when it was used as the title logo for Chunsoft's 1994 Super Famicom game Night of the Sickle Weasel (かまいたちの夜/Kamaitachi no Yoru). Thanks to Ikkokukan0405 for bringing this to our attention.
"She did look amazing in that hakama." - Hakama (袴) are the wide-legged trousers worn over a kimono. Miko wear red hakama.
The cat Cherry is chasing is Torajima, a neighborhood cat that appears in the manga.
The coaches outfits say "Tomobiki B.C." meaning "Tomobiki Boxing Club".
The paper that Sakura places between the ropes of the boxing ring are shide (紙垂) these are piece of paper that hang from a miko’s sticklike wand, or gohei. The gohei are used to cleanse, bless or exorcise an object or area.
Yoji Ueda played the boxing coach advisor. Tomohiro Ono and Hiroya Egashira played the other two boxers. Egashira played some background voices in Yashahime.
Episode 5-2: 君まてども
Kimi mate domo... (How I've Waited for You)
The boys of Class 2-4 are sick of seeing Mendo get all the attention of the beauties of the class, and after watching him receive a mountain of love letters, Ataru comes in with Lum in tow. Lamenting his good fortune, the other goys hatch a plan to make both Ataru and Mendo pay. Kosuke writes a fake love letter from a girl named “Kumino Otoko” and sends it to Ataru. Ataru instantly falls for it, and thinks he has a secret admirer who loves him more than she loves Mendo, and so he flaunts his love letter to everyone, even going as far as to tell Mendo he can have Lum. In his arrogance, Ataru bets that if Kumino is not real, he’ll give up the class presidency, but if she is real, then Mendo has to give him 10,000 yen. The boys are forced to bribe a real girl to play Kumino, but she gets sick and backs out, Lum overhears their plan and after over an hour of waiting, Ataru is about to be declared the loser of the bet, when Lum comes in dressed as the mysterious Kumino Otoko, fooling everyone but Ataru. However, not wanting to be embarrassed Ataru goes along with the ruse and takes her out. On their way home, Ataru realizes how kind Lum was and sees her as the beauty she really is, holding her hand as they walk together.
Episode Staff:
Director: Shugo Tsuneoka (常岡修吾)
Animation Director: Akane Imada (今田茜), Ryo Kobayashi (小林亮), Masumi Hattori (はっとりますみ), Reio Kawamoto (河本零王), Sachiko Mori (森幸子), Ai Kato (加藤愛)
Hitomi is played by Natsumi Kawaida. Aya is played by Sara Matsumoto. Sara Matsumoto had just finished playing Towa Higurashi in Yashahime before playing this role.
"Otoko Kumino" sounds like a girl's name, but "kumino otoko" can mean "classroom boys."
Cafe Ketaguri - Ketaguri (蹴手繰り) is a sumo wrestling term meaning a "pulling inside ankle sweep".
Manga artist Katsutoshi Kawai has spoken about how memorable the scene of Lum sitting on the telephone pole was to him as a teenager. Kazuhiko Shimamoto has said the Kumino Otoko story was a personal favorite of his as well.
Episode 6-1: いい日旅立ち
Ii hi tabidachi (Good Day for a Departure)
As Ataru walks home he dreams of a dinner of sukiyaki. However when he arrives at home, Lum is dressed in a suit of battle armor and tells him that they have to travel to her planet to take part in a Setsubun ritual. Ataru protests, but she opens a portal and forces him through. On her planet, Lum, Ataru and the other Oni battle against the Lucky Gods clan, with Lum's friend Benten leading them on. It's lust at first sight as Ataru instantly ruins the contest trying to pick up Benten, much to Lum's outrage. Back on Earth, the Moroboshi's eat their sukiyaki without Ataru, but upon hearing his voice, worry that he may be dead and they have offended his spirit. Cherry arrives to help with the exorcism, but the trio are able to view Ataru facing a unique punishment back on the Oni home planet for his part in their loss to the Lucky Gods.
Episode Staff:
Director: Koichi Chigira (千明 孝一)
Animation Director: Sakurako Mitsuhashi (三橋桜子), Ai Kato (加藤愛), Kazuhiro Sasaki (佐々木一浩), Toyoaki Fukushima (福島豊明), Cha Myoung Jun
Nanmaida is short for "Namu Amida Butsu" (南無阿弥陀仏）. It's a common phrase used at the beginning of Buddhist prayers and chants, meaning "I sincerely believe in Amita Buddha."
Sukiyaki (すき焼き) is a stew of thinly sliced beef and vegetables that is cooked on a table-top stove.
Ataru's Mother hearing his voice calling out is likely a reference to Drifting Classroom (漂流教室) a famous 1972-1974 horror manga that also ran in Shonen Sunday. In the series, an elementary school gets transported to an apocalyptic wasteland. In times of great stress or need main character Sho Takamatsu's mother is able to hear his cries across space and time.
The game that the Lucky Gods (Benten's team) and the Oni (Lum's team) are playing is called tamaire (玉入れ) and is the most famous game of Sports Festivals in Japanese elementary schools.
"In my opinion the best way of appeasing a hungry ghost is by performing a segaki ritual." - Segaki (施餓鬼) is a Japanese Buddhist ritual that translates as "feeding the hungry ghosts". When someone dies if their karma is at the lowest level they are reincarnated as "hungry ghosts" (餓鬼/gaki) creatures that live on dead skin flakes and ear wax of the living. Jikininki (ghosts that eat humans) and muenbotoke (deceased spirits that have no living relatives to make offerings on their behalf) are also placated by the segaki rituals.
"Let us gather around this devotional graphic of sukiyaki..." - This is a bit of a loose translation in order to briefly convey what this item is. It is a "mandala" (曼陀羅) a symbolic map of the Buddhist cosmos. However Cherry's map is replaced with images of various sukiyaki ingredients. His is also oriented more like a board game.
"Sendai, Kobe, Hida, Omi, Matsusaka, Tajima, Yonezawa, Yamagata..." the words Cherry is chanting are all places in Japan that are noted for their beef production.
The bean tossing the oni do to punish Ataru is a call back to the same Setsubun ritual that Ataru performed when he first met Lum's father in episode 1.
Episode 6-2: お雪
Oyuki (Oyuki)
As Ataru comes down with a cold, Shinobu tries to nurse him back to help but finds Cherry interfering. Mendo and some of the boys from school also visit, not to see Ataru but to check on Lum. Ataru protests and wants everyone to leave, but a chill from the closet, followed by an eruption of snow finds a portal leading to Neptune. The princess of the planet, Oyuki comes out, as Lum happens to be visiting her there. Everyone follows Oyuki through the portal and meets up with Lum. On Neptune the men all leave to work off planet, leaving the women behind to deal with the arctic temperatures and snow. All the cute girls are able to entice the men into helping shovel snow while Ataru tries to make time with Oyuki. Oyuki herself seems game, but suddenly her monster man-servent B-Bo interrupts just as Ataru is about to get lucky, chasing him back through the portal and arriving in Tomobiki to wreck havoc.
Episode Staff:
Director: Koichi Chigira (千明 孝一)
Animation Director: Sakurako Mitsuhashi (三橋桜子), Ai Kato (加藤愛), Kazuhiro Sasaki (佐々木一浩), Toyoaki Fukushima (福島豊明), Cha Myoung Jun
This episode features the first appearance of Oyuki.
The phrase that Cherry is referring to is "Baka wa kaze wa hikanai," an idiom that means "Idiots can't catch colds." One explanation is that idiots are not in tune with their bodies and therefore don't even realize they're sick.
In Japanese culture, one superstitious belief dictates that if you sneeze, others are talking about you behind your back.
The snow goddess is an iteration of the Yuki-onna (雪女) or snow woman spirit that appears in Japanese folklore- often in stories involving marriage with a human man.
Oyuki's name means "snow" in Japanese.
Oyuki calls Shinobu a "third wheel" in the English translation. In the Japanese she says "mistress" (二号さん/nigou-san) which literally means "number 2".
In the original manga chapter, Ataru says, "Namusan!" whicha is a Buddhist incantation that literally means Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. This word is used casually as an exclamation of surprise or frustration.
B-Bo climbing on top of the Moroboshi home clutching Ataru is an obvious parody of King Kong.
B-Bo is played by one of the most iconic Rumiko Takahashi voice actors, Kappei Yamaguchi. His previous Takahashi roles include Ranma Saotome, Inuyasha and Sabato Rokudo.
Episode 6-3: あたるの引退
Ataru no intai (Ataru Retires)
At school, Ataru renounces his retirement. Onsen Mark feels a sense of guilt, as he thinks Ataru is quitting school due to his bad grades. Ataru protests and tries to clarify the situation, when suddenly Mendo interrupts and says that its obvious Ataru is retiring from being the main character of the series. Suddenly everyone nominates themself to be the new lead of Urusei Yatsura. Having had enough, Ataru finally admits he wants to retire from being class president; a job everyone forgot he actually had.
Episode Staff:
Director: Koichi Chigira (千明 孝一)
Animation Director: Sakurako Mitsuhashi (三橋桜子), Ai Kato (加藤愛), Kazuhiro Sasaki (佐々木一浩), Toyoaki Fukushima (福島豊明), Cha Myoung Jun
When Ataru announces his retirement he pulls a rope opening a ball that drops a message from within. These are called "split balls" (割り玉/waritama).
Among the returning guest characters who show up in hopes of becoming the new class president are: Oyuki, Rei, Benten, a Tengu, and Kurama. The manga chapter of this story has even more characters appear.
Episode 7-1: 住めば都
Sumeba miyako (Home Is Where You Find It)
Lum, Ataru and Shinobu all visit a luxury hotel pool owned by Mendo's family. As Ataru enjoys ignoring all the guys and spending his time girl watching, he is shocked to see Sakura and Cherry. When his leering sets off Sakura she tosses him in the pool where he sinks to the bottom and finds a Pool Demon living there. The lonely demon tries to get Ataru to stay with him, almost drowning him in the process. Eventually Lum dives in looking for him and she gets sucked into the lonely demon's tales of woe as well. Ataru surfaces and tries to tell everyone else about the demon, but Mendo says his luxury hotel would never have such a thing in its pool. Everyone is shocked when he sufaces, and the group dives in to find Lum waiting on them. Eventually Mendo puts his foot down and evicts the little demon, who ends up moving into the Moroboshi's bathroom.
Episode Staff:
Director: Junichi Yamamoto (山元隼一)
Animation Director: Ryo Kobayashi (小林亮), Naoki Hiramura (平村直紀), Sachiko Mori (森幸子), Ai Kato (加藤愛), Kazuko Nakayama (中山和子), Peifei Wang (王培非), Liu Jian (劉劍), Chen Jiaojiao (陈娇娇)
As Mendo speaks to Lum to compliment her swimsuit he taps his head with a fan. This is part of a manzai (漫才) comedy routine in Japan. The fan is called a "harisen" (ハリセン).
Mendo saying, "Good thing I didn't take that trip to Florida," is another seemingly offhand sign of his being a really rich kid. Going to Florida is considered more like a rich man's trip than the usual Guam or Hawaii, for Japanese, if only because of the greater distance.
"As I recall you're the expert at diving underwater." - This is the set up to Cherry's joke. He then tells Sakura that she is a "moguri miko" (もぐり巫女) which can be translated two different ways. One way would be translated as "diving priestess" another would be "unlicensed priestess".
Episode 7-2: 生ゴミ、海へ
Namagomi, umi e (Marine Garbage Disposal)
A month has passed and Mrs. Moroboshi has had enough, telling Ataru and Lum to get rid of the Pool Demon on their way to the beach. Ataru thinks the ocean would be the perfect place to release him and so takes along. At the beach, they meet up with Shinobu and Mendo, who are both surprised to see the Pool Demon again. Before long, Ataru marches off to dump the demon, but runs across Sakura and her boyfriend Tsubame Ozuno about to engage in a makeout session. Everyone is trying to peep at them when the Pool Demon interrupts. Meanwhile, a little boy is forced by his parents to dispose of a stray pet he brought home which he has named Pochi. The boy leaves the box behind, which gets confused with the box Ataru has made for the Pool Demon. When Ataru opens the box marked Pochi he finds that the pet the boy has been caring for is actually Cherry. Meanwhile, having a change of heart, the boy grabbed the other box and the Pool Demon has found a new home.
Episode Staff:
Director: Junichi Yamamoto (山元隼一)
Animation Director: Ryo Kobayashi (小林亮), Naoki Hiramura (平村直紀), Sachiko Mori (森幸子), Ai Kato (加藤愛), Kazuko Nakayama (中山和子), Peifei Wang (王培非), Liu Jian (劉劍), Chen Jiaojiao (陈娇娇)
When the little boy is going to drop off "Pochi" in the box he passes by "Hotel Ikkoku", a reference to Takahashi's series Maison Ikkoku.
This is the first appearance of Tsubame Ozuno in the anime. A few weeks prior to this episode airing (and after he had been announced to play Tsubame) Takahiro Sakurai, Tsubame's voice actor, appeared in the news when it was discovered he'd a 10 year extra-marital affair with a production assistant on his radio show.
The boy who adopts Pochi is played by Akiko Yajima, best known as Kohaku in Inuyasha. The pool demon Pochi is played by Shuhei Nakano of the comedy duo Kaerutei.
We see two children bullying a turtle on the beach at one point in the episode. This is a reference to Urashima Taro, a sort of Rip Van Winkle fairytale about a man who saves a turtle only to learn that the turtle is Otohime, the princess who lives in the Dragon Palace under the ocean.
The man and woman at the restaurant are played by Kappei Yamaguchi and Satsuki Yukino, better known as Inuyasha and Kagome Higurashi.
The slim can drinks the group toasts with are actual 1980s cans, specficially Fanta and Hi-C. Thanks to @ikkokukan0405 for noticing this one.
Episode 8-1: 幸せの黄色いリボン
Shiawase no kiiori ribon (Transfer Student Close Call)
Onsen-Mark meets with the Principal and discovers his class will be having a new transfer student. After some thundering steps from outside the school, Lum and her father arrive to reveal that she is his new student. Onsen-Mark takes her to class to introduce her to everyone officially and Ataru chokes upon the realization that Lum will be around him all day everyday now. It just so happens Lum's first day is the school's recreation day, and so all of the students are taking part in various sporting competitions and games. During the competition, Lum spies another new student from a different class. It turns out to be her childhood friend Ran. Ran and Lum meet up behind the gym and Ran reveals that she's there to take Ataru away from Lum as revenge for Lum ruining her chances with Rei, a boy they both liked growing up. During the first event, a scavenger hunt race, Ran attempts to lure away Ataru in order to kiss him and suck out his youth. Lum repeatedly stops her, and in the process Kosuke accidently gets kissed instead, as he begins to act like an old man. Later that day, Ran and Lum reminice about their childhood as they look at the stars, but Ran quickly gets angry again and promises to ruin Lum's relationship with Ataru.
Ran's personality type where she behaves in an ultra-cute sort of way is called "burriko" (ぶりっ子). The term developed in the 1980s as a reference to certain pop idols such as Seiko Matsuda and Kuniko Yamada. The term was is said to have been created by mangaka Hisashi Eguchi in the sixth volume of his series Susume!! Pirates (すすめ!!パイレーツ).
When Ran kisses Kosuke he becomes enfeebled and starts trimming a bonsai tree, an activity associated with the elderly. He also dons a red sadonashi haori (袖無し羽織), as sleeveless jacket/vest that is also considered a bit old fashioned. Ryo points out that this particular type of haori is called a "chanchanko" (ちゃんちゃんこ) which is worn during the kanreki (還暦) celebration at ones 60th birthday.
"That's Tautarsauce! And that Spaghettius!" - When Ran and Lum are looking at constellations the joke is based around the Japanese suffix you attach to constellation names (座/za). As a result they are naming alien constellations that when the Japanese "座/za" is added to it make Japanese words. Ran mentions "Kabuki-Za" (カブキ座) which is a "kabuki troupe" (歌舞伎座) and "Gyo-Za" (a potsticker) and Lum then spots "Nen-Za (捻挫/sprain). In the original manga chapter the puns were "Kabuki-Za" (カブキ座) which is a "kabuki troupe" (歌舞伎座) and "Yaku-Za" (ヤク座) which is a Japanese gangster (ヤクザ).
Episode 8-2: お別れパーティー危機一髪
O-wakare pati kiki ippatsu... (Farewell Party Close Call)
Ran sends Lum a letter to meet her at a tree at school, but instead of showing up Ran sends a mechanical robot to deliver another message. The robot tells Lum that Ran will be going back to her home planet but wants to spend her last day with Lum and Ataru. Lum is suspicious and becomes even more so after Ran's messenger robot self-destructs. The next day Lum and Ataru visit Ran's UFO. Ataru is totally clueless that Ran is an alien, but Lum doesn't give anything away, out of fear of Ran blackmailing her with the fact that she used to wet the bed when they were both little. Ran gives the pair cookies that are laced with sleeping powder, but Lum manages to dispose of them. While Lum offers to wash dishes Ataru tries to put the moves on Ran, who turns him down. Lum begins to think maybe Ran is serious about forgiving her and wanting to be friends, but it turns out Ran has been cooking up a clone of Ataru in hopes of substituting him for the real Ataru. Once the clone comes out of the oven, it and the real Ataru switch places and Ran quickly sucks the vitality out of the fake Ataru, turning him totally limp. Lum goes home with Ataru, regretting that she judged Ran so harshly, but the next day at school, when Ran appears, Lum question why she didnt go back home and Ran explodes in anger once more, declaring she will have her revenge on her old friend.
When Ran's doll approaches Lum, the onomatopoeia "kyoro kyoro" (キョロキョロ) appears from Lum. This is the "sound" of someone glancing around.
The doll blowing up after delievering its message is a reference to the television show (and film series) Mission: Impossible. The television series debuted a year after its American creation in the late 190s where it was known as Major Spy Missions (スパイ大作戦/Supai Daisakusen).
When Ran loses her temper she switches to the less formal Kansai dialect in the original Japanese.
"I'm going to give you a good licking with my iron club when we get home." - Traditional oni from Japanese folklore carry iron clubs called "kanabo" (金棒).
Episode 9-1: 愛で殺したい
Ai de koroshitai (To Kill with Love)
As Cherry cooks dinner in his empty lot, he gets a message of doom in his hotpot. Cherry decides to warn Ataru about this ominous fortune, but Ataru is busy cleaning his room and arguing with Lum, while preparing for a visit from Shinobu. Outside, a storm approaches and a huge crash of lightning hits right in front of Shinobu as a monster appears. The tiger striped beast says one word: “Lum.” Shinobu takes the ox-tiger monster to Ataru’s house where Lum quickly introduces him as her former fiancé, Rei. It turns out that when he is agitated the normally handsome boy transforms into his gross monster form. After refusing to go back with him, Lum tells Rei she is with Ataru now, which only infuriates him. The noise draws Ataru’s mother, who instantly becomes smitten with the handsome lad. Rei reads a proposal to Lum, but she turns him down, enraging him again. Rei pursues Ataru and Lum out of the house and to a nearby park where he quickly disrupts couples on dates, distracting all the women with his good looks, while attacking food cards to pig out while he gives chase. By the time they make it back, the entire town is giving chase, with most women wanting to marry Rei, and most men furious at him.
Episode Staff:
Director: Yutaka Kagawa (香川豊)
Animation Director: Cha Myoung Jun, Shin Hyung Woo, Masumi Hattori (はっとりますみ), Sachiko Mori (森幸子)
This episode title is taken from the song of the same name by サーカス (Circus) from 1978.
The kanji character kyo (凶) in Cherry's soup literally spells "doom".
In the empty lot where Cherry spends so much time readers can see pipes stacked up. These are known as dokan (土管). Dokan can be seen frequently in manga and anime, most prominently in Doraemon (ドラえもん) as a playground for Nobita and his friends. Dokan are leftover sewer pipes from the construction boom after the post-World War II Japanese Economic Miracle. They also served as the inspiration for the warp pipes in Super Mario Bros..
The magazine on the floor of Ataru's room while he complains about cleaning up says Monday (マンデー) a pun on Shonen Sunday (少年サンデー) the magazine Urusei Yatsura ran in.
More junk on Ataru's floor... after Cherry shows up you can see two soda cans on his floor. These are 1980s era Hi-C and likely Fanta as well.
The couple, Menko (麵子) and Tsuyo (汁夫) have names that mean "noodle child" and "soup man". The two are the same couple from the seaside in episode 7-2 that are played by Kappei Yamaguchi and Satsuki Yukino, better known as Inuyasha and Kagome Higurashi.
Episode 9-2: 自習騒動
Jishuu soudou (Studying Mayhem)
The students of class 2-4 are having a free study period. Lum is confused why everyone is just goofing off, while Mendo is annoyed by the laziness. He uses his radio to call his personal helicopter to come pick him up, but the radio is experiencing interference from a “Channel Rei.” Suddenly Rei comes crashing in, ready to see Lum again. All the girls are terrified of his monstrous form and hide behind Mendo. Rei gobbles down all the lunches he can find, while Shinobu explains to Mendo exactly who this creature is. Upon learning that he was engaged to Lum, Mendo is determined to protect her from him, but once Rei transforms and all the girls immediately swoon over him, Mendo is heartbroken and declares its actually money that makes the man, not looks. Hearing all the commotion Ran comes over from her classroom and pulls Lum aside, confessing her feelings for Rei. Lum is determined to set the pair up so she can get Rei off her back, but even after eating Ran’s delicious lunch calmly, Rei still wants Lum. Cherry arrives to feed Rei some of his own lunch, which sets Ran off, but she quickly calms down only to feed Rei even more. Ultimately, even after devouring all the food there is, Rei says he has to leave because he is hungry. Flying off into the sky Ran calls for him to come back anytime while Lum says she never wants to see him again. Upon arriving home, Lum and Ataru are shocked to find Rei at the dinner table, being fed by Mrs. Moroboshi. Later, Ataru’s parents have a cryptic conversation with Ataru’s Father thinking divorce is imminent, but in actuality, Mrs. Moroboshi just wants him to handle Parent’s Day at Tomobiki High for once. In outer space, Lum’s mother has the same letter about Parent’s Day, and is preparing for a visit of her own.
Episode Staff:
Director: Yutaka Kagawa (香川豊)
Animation Director: Cha Myoung Jun, Shin Hyung Woo, Masumi Hattori (はっとりますみ), Sachiko Mori (森幸子)
Rei means "zero" so this would cause confusion as Mendo and his crew are discussing interference on "channel zero". In the original manga story Ten was present and Mendo makes a pun about "Channel 10" (ten).
Lum's mother makes a fleeting appearance in her debut at the end of the episode. She is played by Fumi Hirano who is the original voice of Lum.
Episode 10-1: 戦慄の参観日
Senritsu no sankanbi (Parents' Day Horrors)
Mrs. Moroboshi arrives at Tomobiki High hoping no one will recognize her as Ataru’s mother. She recollects all the times she’s attending Parents Day at his schools and been embarrassed by his horrible behavior. As she approaches the school she’s recognized by Shinobu’s mother, who says she heard their children’s homeroom teacher is out sick. Just then, an oxcart passes them and prepares to unload its passenger as a spaceship lands on the school grounds, crushing the cart. The spaceship opens and Lum’s mother appears, immediately recognizing Mrs. Moroboshi and approaching her, much to Ataru’s mother’s embarrassment, as she suspects this may be another one of Ataru’s strange girlfriends. Watching from their classroom, Mendo sees the commotion outside and comes to greet his mother and the family butler. Mrs. Mendo refuses to speak directly to commoners and so asks her son to communicate with Lum and translate a message to her mother, demanding she pay for the ox cart she damaged. Lum translates incorrectly which enrages Mrs. Mendo. Mendo’s mother then throws her glove at Lum’s mother, and Mendo and Lum translate (incorrectly again) that she is challenging her to a duel. Lum’s mother thinks that Mrs. Mendo is trying to engage Shutaro to her, which she politely refuses. Having had enough, Mrs. Mendo leaves, just as Onsen Mark drags himself to school, seeing Lum’s mother’s spaceship take off again.
Appearing in a cameo in the last episode, this episode features the more proper full appearances of Lum's Mother and Mrs. Mendo.
The kimono's that the mothers wear to school are known as 着物での授業参観 or a "class-visit kimono." These have gone out of fashion in the 21st century, although some parents will wear them to entrance and graduation ceremonies.
Lum's mother's speech is represented by mahjong tiles in the manga, however in the anime her speech uses a replacement code. The chart that explains it was published on the anime's official Twitter account.
Gissha (牛車), also known as gosho garuma, is the ox-cart that Mrs. Mendo rides upon.
While it’s never directly stated, it can be safely inferred that the Mendo Family would fall into the former category of Kazoku. The Kazoku (華族/Magnificent/Exalted lineage) was the hereditary peerage of the Empire of Japan, which existed between 1869 and 1947. They succeeded the feudal lords (daimyō) and court nobles (kuge), but were abolished with the 1947 constitution.
Etiquette - While members of the upper echelon/aristocracy of Japanese society not daring to speak to commoners is an exaggeration, this does bring to mind the example of Princess Mako having to relinquish her title and status within the Imperial Family after marrying a commoner. Attentive viewers may also notice that Mrs. Mendo never disembarks from her ox cart, and so she is always seated above everyone else. As she is of a higher rank than all the other mothers, students, teachers, literally everyone, she should always be literally above them. This is called kamiza (上座) or the “high seat” and it would be considered rude for her to be on the same level as anyone else.
Tossing a glove as representation of calling for a duel originates from the saying of "throwing down the gauntlet," which when armor was no longer fashionable translated to throwing a glove as a form of insult and challenge for a response.
Episode 10-2: 君去りし後
Kimi sarishi nochi (Since Your Parting)
Lum wakes Ataru up for school one morning and they go through their usual routine of Ataru hitting on girls and getting shocked by Lum. At school Ataru does yo-yo tricks to show off while Lum is sewing something mysterious. Lum tells Mendo and Shinobu that she worries about what Ataru does when she isn’t around, but Ataru just makes a rude comment about it. That night, Ataru continues to complain about Lum, as she finishes what she was sewing, a small doll that looks just like her. After arguing, Ataru goes to sleep and Lum looks on sadly and tells him “bye bye” before taking off into the night. Ataru is woken up the next day by his mother, who wonders where Lum is. When she doesn’t join the family for breakfast or walk Ataru to school he finally begins to take notice. She also misses class which has the other students curious about where she is. When Ataru gets home, he finally notices the doll she made for him and becomes concerned that maybe she has left for good. Days pass and Ataru becomes more concerned, finally admitting to everyone at school that Lum hasn’t been around. Mendo panics and employs all his bodyguards to search the world for her, but to no avail. Everyone blames Ataru for finally driving Lum away. Meanwhile, in her family’s spaceship, Lum is filling out visa paperwork to continue her stay on Earth, while her father asks her why she doesn’t just come home. Lum refuses and says she’s very happy living with Ataru. Just then, her father turns on a radio, and Lum can hear Ataru crying and hugging the doll she left for him, in which she installed a microphone to listen in to him. Touched by how sad he is and how much he misses her, she returns home the next morning. Meeting Ataru on his walk to school, he acts like he doesn’t care, but is secretly happy to have Lum back by his side.
Ataru's yo-yo tricks are definitely a product of the Showa era that Urusei Yatsura takes place in. At that time, Coca-Cola and toys were sold at the same time by individual stores such as candy stores and supermarkets. The most well known company to manufacture yo-yo's in Japan was Russell. Russell 's promoter would go to each store and gather children to show off his yo-yo tricks (often they weren't told when they would come, and if they were unlucky they might not be able to meet).
The yo-yo became a popular topic among the children, and when word of mouth spread sufficiently, a tournament was held at the store. The main competitions were endurance races such as "Walk the Dog" and "Loop the Loop." In addition to yo-yos that could be purchased separately, there were also specially made yo-yos that one could get by sending the "win" mark on the Coca-Cola bottle caps. The Russell company promoter was usually a foreigner, and although he would claim to be the champion, there was no known basis or this.
At that time, there were no national or world competitions, and there was no place to officially certify a “champion."
When released on blu-ray in Japan episodes 1 and 10 had voice actor commentary on them.
Episode 11-1: 面堂兄弟！！
Mendo kyoudai!! (Mendo Siblings!!)
An ox cart rattles through the streets of Tomobiki, pulled by a pair of black clad kuroko. A voice from inside, asks how much longer the journey will be, before tossing out a handkerchef to the wind. Lum and Ataru are on their way to school when Ataru catches the handerchef and sniffs out the scent of a girl on it. Using his instinctive girl hunting abilities he finds the ox cart and tries to talk to the girl within. She sticks out a hand and scares Ataru off when he sees its nothing but a skeleton. At school, he recounts the monster he met on his way to school and mentions her particular way of travelling. Mendo seems to take notice, when suddenly, the kuroko enter the school and roll out the red carpet for a beautiful young girl: Mendo's sister Ryoko. She has brought lunch for her big brother, but also instantly makes her personality known, by continually donning a skeleton mask to scare Ataru and the others. She also immediately ruins Mendo's reputation with the female students by telling everyone that she's his fiancee and not his sister. After awhile everyone realizes the truth, but not before Ryoko has her kuroko shove Mendo into a closet, revealing his nyctophobia and claustrophobia to the rest of the student body, but also inviting Ataru to the Mendo Estate for New Years.
Ryoko Mendo makes her first appearance in this episode. Her name, Mendo (面堂) means trouble, and she lives up to that name even more so than her brother. Ryoko (了子) is a fairly common name.
A Japanese style of palanquin is known as a norimono (乗り物). Norimono are reserved specifically for the warrior class and nobility, unlike the wheeled carts known as gosho guruma which are pulled behind oxen or more often, people. Norimono are often made of luxurious wood and metal fittings and are carried by a team of two to four men. Most norimono are only meant for a single individual to be carried in at one time.
Kuroko are stagehands who wear all black in traditional Japanese theater.
Ryoko tells her brother that she has brought him a "osechi" (おせち). This is a traditional New Year's dish served in a special jubako (重箱) a tiered bento style serving box. There are a number of special items in an osechi that have symbolic meaning such as the "daidai" orange (橙) which means "from generation to generation" and "konbu" (昆布) seaweed which sounds like "yorokobu" meaning "to bring joy".
Episode 11-2: 面倒邸新年怪
Mendo Teishinnen-kai (A Strange New Year at the Mendo Estate)
At New Year's Ataru arrives at the Mendo estate and finds that Lum, Sakura and Shinobu are already there with Mendo. He's invited them to his family's New Years party, while Ryoko ensured Ataru got to come. Before they enter the building where Shutaro lives, Benten and Oyuki land, and say they came looking for Lum and heard she was there. Once they enter the group finds arrows on the floor and are given diretions to follow them. Soon they are separated as pitfalls under cushions send Ataru and Benten away from everyone else. Benten tries to do her own thing, but is stamped as a "failture" while Mendo, Shinobu, Sakura, and Oyuki and Lum are made to run down a hall to escape a movable spiked wall. Soon, Ryoko, and Mendo's mother and father interfere and it becomes apparent the entire family is playing a game using the students as their personal pieces. When the game comes to an end, Ryoko pushes a button launching Ataru and Mendo into the atmosphere on rocket powered bamboo.
Sugoroku (雙六, 'double six') refers to two different forms of a Japanese board game. The type featured in this chapter is ban-sugoroku (盤双六) and is similar to backgammon.
As they are launched into the sky Mendo calls out "Tamaya!" which is the name of a famous fireworks maker from the Edo-period, and people often name-check Tamaya or Kagiya (another Edo-period fireworks master) when they see impressive fireworks displays.
Episode 12-1: テンちゃんがきた
Ten-chan ga kita (Ten is Here)
When Lum gets dressed up for the New Year's party, Ataru's parents start talking about how great girls are in comparison to boys, which upsets Ataru and sends him out for a walk. On the way out, he is asked to get the mail and he notices that there is a child in the mailbox. He brings the kid in, and he turns out to be Lum's cousin, Ten, who has mailed himself there to visit. Lum takes him along to Cherry's New Year's party, where, after Lum attempts to use him to make the others realize Ran is an alien, he flirts with the girls and prevents Ataru from doing the same. They start fighting, which results in the ladies subduing and tying up the furious Ataru.
In the new opening theme song, the sun in the sky is taken directly from the tankobon cover of Urusei Yatsura volume 1.
Despite his cherubic appearance, Ten plays the role of the obligatory Kansai character that every comedic manga must have, in the tradition of Paryan (Perman 4) in the Perman (パーマン) series or Nishi Ishiboshi in Inakappe Taisho (いなかっぺ大将). In fact, he is a full-fledged thick-Kansai-dialect character with strong attractions to adult women in the tradition of Kosaku Shima from the Kacho Shima Kosaku (課長島耕作) series and its many sequels.
"It's a liar liar pants on fire!" - After Ten lights Ataru on fire the child watching him run around while he burns says "kachi kachi yama" (かちかち山) which is an onomatopoeia of the sound a fire makes and "yama" which means "mountain" making the title "Fire-Crackle Mountain". In the story a tanuki murders a farmers wife and feeds her flesh to him in a soup. A rabbit avenges the farmer by setting a load of kindling the tanuki was carrying on his back aflame and when the tanuki hears the crackle of the burning wood the rabbit tells him that is the sound of the nearby Fire-Crackle Mountain.
During the New Year, a traditional card game called karuta (歌留多) is played. One person reads out a poem or well-known proverb, and the player who most quickly identifies the card with the corresponding picture or character wins the card. Hyakunin issshu (One-Hundred Poets, One Poem Each) is a collection of 100 short poems, and it is one of the oldest and best known versions of this game.
Episode 12-2: ふたりだけのデート
Futari dake no deito (A Date For Just the Two of Us)
Ataru tricks Ten into thinking he can help him write a love letter to Sakura. Ataru, of course, writes a perverted letter full of filth and gives Ten some bad dating advice. Surprisingly, Sakura shows up for the date and goes along with it, although she had shown up to beat up the writer of the disturbed note. However Sakura took pity on Ten, who takes her to a swingers bar and a porno theater before she notices that Ataru and Lum are following them. Sakura realizes that Ataru is behind the whole thing and tries to let Ten down softly, as both Ten and Ataru see her engagement ring to Tsubame. Ten seems to admit defeat; he gives up on Sakura and gives Ataru a faceful of flames.
Ataru is reading an issue of Shonen Sunday the very magazine that Urusei Yatsura is published in.
When Ten takes Sakura to the swingers club there is a "wow!" sound effect. This had become a popular meme sound by the 2020s commonly referred to as the "anime wow". The vocal clip originated in the 1990 arcade game Parodius Da! – Shinwa kara Owaraihe (パロディウスだ! －神話からお笑いへ－).
The porn movie that Ten takes Sakura to see is titled "Hitozuma abare tabi" (人妻あばれ旅) or "Married Woman's Hot Trip. It's likely a parody or reference to Shin'ya Yamamoto's (山本晋也) well known films of the late 60s to late 70s. Yamamoto was a founder of "Pink Films" movement in Japan, which are best known as softcore pornography/exploitation. He popularized the "widow" subgenre with his film Widow's Boarding House: First Sex (未亡人下宿 初のり). 1981, the year this chapter was originally published would see the first hardcore pornographic film released in theaters in Japan with Daydream (白日夢).
The poster says that the movie is based on "Naniwaya Kaki no Tani". Kaki no Tani (柿の種) are rice crackers. They were invented by Naniwaya Seika (浪花屋製菓) confectionary in 1925 in Niigata precfecture.
This episode features Sakura bashing Ataru with a statue of a tanuki, but in the original manga chapter the statue was Colonel Sanders of Kentucky Fried Chicken fame.
Episode 13-1: 買い食い大戦争
Ataru no intai (The Great Off-Campus Snack Battle)
The teachers are plotting to crack down on the students who leave campus to eat out during the school day. Kosuke hides outside their meeting room and overhears, before reporting back to the rest of the student body. Ataru, as class president, organizes the students to resist the teachers, while Mendo listens in. When break time comes, the students rush to head off campus, only to be caught by Mendo and other responsible students who have teamed up with the teachers to stop their fellow students from escaping, however they are overwhelmed and most students manage to escape into Tomobiki. As Ataru, Lum and Kosuke head to a restaurant, they are greeted by a woman who slips them a message saying it isn’t safe to eat there, just then Onsen Mark leaps down, having hidden in a lucky cat costume and tries to nab Ataru. The students escape, but every restaurant they manage to get to has either been staked out, or the teacher has been subdued. Eventually, Mendo shows his true colors and lets girls escape, while an older teacher gets trampled to near-death, and the Tomobiki Merchant’s Association reveals who they will support in the entire situation. At the end of the day, everyone is hurt and exhausted, but vow to fight on the next day.
The pose that the principal and Kotatsuneko are in is a reference to Gendo Ikari and Kozo Fuyutsuki.
Mendo and his fellow turncoat's yellow armband says "civility" or "life" (活/katsu) which is just a single kanji from the full title of their group "civic guidance" (生活指導/seikatsu shido). Civic guidance is an actual part of Japanese schooling in the post war era. These armbands are often seen in anime and manga and are called 腕章 (wanshou) or アームバンド (aamu bando).
The lantern the bespecticaled student is carrying is called a "chochin" (提灯). The message written on it says "goyou" (御用) which is akin to "official business", "arrest" or "submit to authority".
Taiyaki is a Japanese fish-shaped cake. It imitates the shape of the tai fish, which it is named after. The most common filling is red bean paste that is made from sweetened azuki beans. Other common fillings may be custard, chocolate, cheese or sweet potato.
Takoyaki is a ball-shaped Japanese snack made of a wheat flour-based batter and cooked in a special molded pan. It is typically filled with minced or diced octopus, tempura scraps, pickled ginger and green onion.
Okonomiyaki is a savory pancake dish that is often sold at festivals. The name is derived from the word "okonomi," meaning "what you like," and "yaki" meaning "cooked" (usually stir-fried).
Oden is a type of one-pot meal, consisting of several ingredients such as boiled eggs, daikon, konjac, and processed fish cakes stewed in a light, soy-flavored dashi broth.
Tanuki udon is udon noodles sprinkled with tenkasu (tempura crumbs).
The kanji character on the uniforms is neko, which means "cat."
The kanji (友商) that appear on the Superman-like Tomobiki Small Shops representative are the first two characters in "Tomobiki" (友引) and "small shops" or "business" (商店/shouten).
Modanyaki ("modern" yaki) is a type of okonomiyaki that also contains yakisoba (a stir-fried noodle dish that is often sold at vendors and grocery stories in Japan).
The waitress in the restaurant that Ataru tries to flirt with is likely modeled on Yura Enjoji from Rumiko Takahashi's Dust Spot!! short story from 1979.
"Old Pops" - The teacher who is trampled is called "Ro-sensei" (老/Ro). "Ro" can be both a proper name and a word meaning "old".
The bird cries out "aho," which means "idiot."
Episode 13-2: テンからの贈り物！！
Ten kara no okurimono!! (A Gift From Ten!!)
Eating together at a café, Sakura, Lum, Shinobu and Ran feed Ten and make small talk. The girls learn about Sakura’s engagement to Tsubame and ask to see a picture of him. Ten protests her marriage and says that she may not end up with Tsubame after all. He plays a commercial for an intergalactic shopping channel that is offering up a crystal ball that allows people to see who they are destined to be with. Ordering one, Ten tries to get Sakura to look at it but she refuses. Shinobu looks instead, and seems shocked. Lum and Ran soon follow with equally strange results. Outside the restaurant Ataru and Mendo look through the window and Tsubame soon arrives. It turns out that Shinobu saw Tsubame as her future partner, while Lum saw Rei, and Ran saw Ataru. When Sakura finally looks, she sees that she is destined to marry both Ataru and Mendo. Once all the girls admit who they saw to one another, bickering breaks out, which is only heightened when the guys walk in. Shinobu tells a confused Tsubame about their destiny, while Ran curses out Lum, and Ataru and Mendo beg Sakura to marry them. Eventually Ten realizes the ball was defective and actually shows you who you should not marry under any circumstances. However, later that night he decides to order some Fantasy Bubblegum.
The "lovey-dovey crystal ball" is called the "love-love catch ball" (ラブラブキャチボール) in the original manga. The Viz manga translation used "lovey-dovey catch ball".
Tomokazu Sugita (best known as Joseph Joestar from JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Gintoki Sakata in Gintama and Kyon in The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya portrays the anime only catch ball pitchman).
Episode 14-1: 水乃小路家の男
Mizunokoji-ke no otoko (That Mizunokoji Boy)
A teenage boy attempts to infiltrate Tomobiki High in search of Mendo, who is taking part in a baseball came for the school’s Sports Day. It turns out the mysterious visitor is Tobimaro Mizunokoji, a lifelong rival of Mendo’s and heir to the Mizunokoji sporting goods empire. Ever since they were children, Tobimaro has attempted to avenge himself for a childhood defeat when Shutaro bashed him in the face with a baseball bat. Tobimaro joins the baseball game, playing on Ataru and Lum’s team against Shutaro, however, Ryoko soon arrives and reveals she has feelings for Tobimaro. Things get even stranger from there, as a bet is made deciding that if Tobimaro can win, he will get date Ryoko, whether he actually wants to or not. Unfortunately, even though he’s dedicate his life to training to beat Mendo, Tobimaro is a horrible baseball player. Ryoko soon enlists the help of her kuroko to give Tobimaro some assistance, and Ataru switches sides, hoping to throw the game to earn free pool passes and to stop Tobimaro from getting together with Ryoko. Ultimately, everyone falls into a pit trap laid by Ryoko as a cruel joke.
This is the first appearance of Tobimaro Mizunokoji. His last name is an obvious reference to the Mizuno sporting goods company.
Tobimaro's starry eyes are a reference to the main character of the classic baseball manga Star of the Giants (巨人の星/Kyojin no Hoshi)
Samurai vs Nobility - Mendo explains that his family is descended from the samurai/military class (武家/bukei) while the Mizunokojis are descended from court nobles (公卿/kuge). These factions would have historically been at odds for power within the imperial court.
Kuroko are traditional Japanese theater stagehands who dress all in black. The audience can see them as they change scenery and props but they pretend that they are invisible.
Young Mendo is played by Yo Taichi while young Tobimaro is played by Momoko Taneichi.
Mendo's sunglasses wearing guard is Tsuyoshi Koyama.
Episode 14-2: トＬＯＶＥル・レター
Toraburu * reta (Love Letter Trouble)
On the Mendo Estate, Tobimaro waits in hiding, attempt to surprise Mendo with a challenge letter. Unfortunately, Ryoko got to her brother first and trapped him in a block of cement, leaving her to find the letter from Tobimaro. She seemingly mistakes the letter as a love letter meant for her, and when Shutaro tries to stop her from meeting with Tobimaro, she enlists the aide of Ataru to escape from her brother. However, Lum gives chase and everyone ends up at the Mizunokoji Sports Land, where one of Ryoko’s kuroko reveals himself as Mendo, and confronts Tobimaro about his “love letter”. Totally confused, Tobimaro says he has no interest in Ryoko, but endures a beating from just about everyone as Lum, Ataru, Mendo and Ryoko all take turns running from one another. Ultimately, Mendo is impressed with Tobimaro’s durability as he survives everyone’s onslaught, and agrees to let him date his sister, which only confuses Tobimaro more.
A letter of challenge (hatashi jou, 果たし状) was an official way to challenge someone to a duel in feudal era Japan.
The kanji on Mendo's sweater says "Shu" (終), the first kanji in his first name "Shutaro". On its own the kanji means "end" or "finish".
A Japanese style of palanquin is known as a norimono (乗り物). Norimono are reserved specifically for the warrior class and nobility, unlike the wheeled carts known as gosho guruma (御所車) which are pulled behind oxen or more often, people. Norimono are often made of luxurious wood and metal fittings and are carried by a team of two to four men. Unlike Ryoko’s which is able to hold both she and Ataru, most norimono are only meant for a single individual to be carried in at one time.
Ushi no koku mairi (丑の刻参り) is a type of curse where nails are driven into a doll at 2:00 AM, typically with candles tied to one's head. You can read more about this here. In Rumiko Takahashi's Ranma 1/2 is often shown being practiced by Hikaru Gosunkugi.
Shinken Shirahadori (真剣白刃取り) is a fictional fighting technique mostly known in manga and anime in which a person catches a blade being swung down at them by clapping their hands together to prevent the blade’s downward motion. While this is named for an actual technique used to prevent an opponent from drawing their blade in the first place, the idea of catching a blade barehanded is entirely fictional.
When Ryoko throws the grenades at Tobimaro the onomatopoeia it makes is "chudon" (ちゅどーん). This is a sound effect particularly associated with Rumiko Takahashi. She discusses it a bit in this Twitter post.
Episode 15-1: あんこ悲しや、恋の味！？
Ani kanashi ya, koi no aji!? (Anko Pathos, the Taste of Love?!)
On a date with Rei, Ran begins feeding him taiyaki. After giving him two, Ran has one herself, and Rei spies a bit of anko on her cheek, leaning in to eat it off her, she thinks he’s kissed her and excitedly screams in joy. She instantly invites Lum to her house to share her good fortune and make up with Lum for all their past fights. As soon as Lum learns that Rei kissed her, she hugs Ran with joy, being thrilled that she won’t have to put up with Rei’s harassment and Ran’s anger anymore. Headed back to Ataru’s house, she finds Rei waiting for her. As soon as she enters Ataru’s room Rei rushes to see her, just as Ran comes for another visit to continue to gossip about her “kiss” with Rei. Upon seeing the two together, she thinks Rei is two-timing her, and Ataru injects, trying to have his way with Ran. Seeing how upset she is, Kotatsuneko gives her a taiyaki and Ran devours it in rage, smearing the anko on her face. Upon seeing it, Rei “kisses” her again, on the lips this time, setting Ran off about how happy she is once more.
Taiyaki is a Japanese fish-shaped cake. It imitates the shape of the tai fish, which it is named after. The most common filling is red bean paste that is made from sweetened azuki beans. Other common fillings may be custard, chocolate, cheese or sweet potato.
Episode 15-2: 思い出危機一髪...
Omoide kiki ippatsu... (Memories and a Close Call)
Ran and Lum meet up at a café to try and make amends. Lum doesn’t fully understand what she should be apologizing for, but Ran begins to refresh her memory about the history of their friendship. As children Lum spent the night at Ran’s house and wet the bed, but not wanting to get in trouble, switched places with Ran in the night so that Ran would be blamed instead. Ran’s mother is quite fearsome and punishes Ran for wetting the bed. Next, Ran spends the night with Lum and Lum wets the bed again, swapping places with Ran. Lum’s mother doesn’t let this bother her at all, but upon arriving to check on Ran, her mother spies the soiled futon and begins to scream and berate Ran. This continues on and on, with Lum throwing rocks at a creature only for it to chase her and Ran, to Ran accidently breaking her mother’s favorite doll only for it to look like she tried to shift the blame to Lum instead, and now their issues with Rei have only exacerbated the issues between them. Lum begins to realize that she is at fault for the way Ran’s personality is, and leaves the restaurant feeling dejected. However when she walks out, she leaves the bill for Ran to pay, only enraging her further.
Episode 15-3: 薬口害
Kusuri kougai (Adverse Effects)
While out jogging, Lum and Shinobu pass by Sakura’s house and see her building a fire. After inquiring what she’s cooking and learning that it’s a love potion, they decide to stick around and help out. The potion takes the form of medicinal pills which look like a candy drop. Sakura gives one to Lum and and one to Shinobu. The candy is supposed to make the person fall in love with whomever they see once they’ve ingested it, and Lum rushes home to feed it to Ataru. After waking him up and tricking him into accepting it, he confesses his love and the two immediately go out on a date. However, Ataru begins to act strangely to everything, from telling a stranger that the neighbors he’s looking for have died, to telling his mother he isn’t really her son, and finally telling Shinobu she’s the only girl for him. Sakura later says that she made a mistake with the ingredients, it's a medicine that makes you loudly shout out lies.
"Are you roasting taters?" "No, it's a newt." - The joke here is that in Japanese the two words are very close. "Potato" is "imo" (芋) while "newt" is "imori" (いもり).
Instead of making a love potion (惚れ薬/hore gusuri) Sakura makes a "loudmouth potion" (ほら薬/hora gusuri).
The salary man is Koichi Soma and the older woman is Sakiko Uran who played the same role in episodes 1 and 2.
Episode 16-1: 激闘、父子鷹！！
Gekitou, oyako daka!! (Family Feud)
Lum, Ataru, Shinobu and Mendo visit the beach for a vacation only to find the shores empty and all the stores closed. Before immediately packing up and going home they meet a father and son who run a beachside café all year round, even when it becomes too cold and no one visits the beach. The father and son have a dysfunctional relationship and keep getting into fights with one another every few minutes. The father, Mr. Fujinami wants his son Ryunosuke to take over the teashop, but Ryunosuke seems to hate the idea. Ataru and Mendo want nothing to do with the constant bickering and turn to leave, upon hearing Ryunosuke shout that she is sick of being referred to as a boy, Ryunosuke isn't a boy, but a girl who's turned out manly because her father wanted a manly son so badly he just raised her as one. As soon as they discover her true gender, Ataru and Mendo are suddenly willing to help. After Fujinami and Ryunosuke knock each other out with a cross-counter punch, they awaken to find that they've been chained to the adjoining walls of the teashop. The gang chained them so that they'd settle down and talk things through without getting violent. But this just serves to anger them more and the Fujinamis rip the chains out of the support beams destroying the entire café in the process.
The name of the Fujinami's business, Hamachaya (浜茶屋), literally means "seaside tea shop".
The logo emblazoned on the Fujinami's shirts says "I Love the Sea" (海が好き/Umi ga suki).
When Mr. Fujinami yells at Ryunosuke he explains how he came up with her name, saying she is supposed to be "helpful and assertive, like a dragon". The "ryu" in it (竜) means "dragon" so it is a particularly masculine name. Fujinami (藤波) is written with the kanji for "wisteria" and "waves". Needless to say "Ryunosuke" is exclusively a boys name.
At times Mr. Fujinami looks as if he is drawn with pastels. This is a reference to stylistic work of anime director Osamu Dezaki (出﨑統) who directed Ashita no Joe (あしたのジョー), Aim for the Ace! (エースをねらえ!), Dear Brother (おにいさまへ…), Golgo 13: The Professional (ゴルゴ13) and Rumiko Takahashi's own One Pound Gospel. This effect was something he termed "postcard memories" and is a signature of his style.
The use of the cross counter punch between Mr. Fujinami and Ryunosuke is a reference to Joe Yabuki from Ashita no Joe who favored throwing the punch against his opponents. Created by Asao Takamori (a pen name of Ikki Kajiwara) and Tetsuya Chiba, it is one of the most famous manga and anime of the 1970s and also one of Takahashi's favorites.
Episode 16-2: セーラー服よ、こんにちは！
Seeraafuku yo, konnichi wa! (Hello, Sailor Suit!!)
Mr. Fujinami and Ryunosuke pack up and leave their destroyed café in hopes of finding new employment to raise funds to rebuild their beach business. It just so happens that Mr. Fujinami finds employment at Tomobiki High running the school store and enrolls Ryunosuke as a student in class 2-4 along with Ataru, Lum, Shinobu and Mendo. After a violent encounter on the school grounds introduces the student body to the Ryunosuke and her unique macho personality, she becomes an overnight sensation with all the girls at Tomobiki. Mendo, Ataru and Kosuke are immediately hesitant to lose the female students attentions, and so they decide that the best thing to do is help Ryunosuke accomplish one of her dreams, namely to wear a girl’s school uniform, a sailor suit. Mr. Fujinami refuses to give them one, knowing they’ll just hand it over to Ryunosuke. When he refuses, the boys beat him down and steal the uniform, rushing to hand it to Ryunosuke, hoping that when she puts it on, the rest of the girls will finally see her as one of them and end their attraction to how manly she is. After handing it over, Ryunosuke refuses to wear it, saying it wouldn’t be right if she didn’t beat her father for it herself. Just then, Ran enters the classroom and Ryunosuke is immediately impressed by how ultra-feminine she is. She asks Lum about her and ends up writing a letter that Ran takes as a love letter. The confusion continues when Ran accepts Ryunosuke’s offer to go out on a “date” in order to spite Lum, who Ran thinks is interested in Ryunosuke. Lum and Ataru trail along, as Ataru doesn’t want Ran to fall for Ryunosuke. Everything goes as badly as expected when the two couples end up in row boats at the park. Ataru launches himself to stop Ryunosuke and Ran from cuddling, causing the boats to sink and everyone to get soaked. Ran blames Lum and is as furious with her as ever, while Ryunosuke vows to become a more feminine girl one day.
Sailor suits are the stereotypical uniform for Japanese high school girls and must feel like a true marker of femininity to Ryunosuke.
Mr. Fujinami's belly wrap is known as a harumaki (腹巻) By the 1970s and 1980s it was considered an out of date style of fashion worn by middle-aged men, such as Bakabon's Father in Tensai Bakabon (天才バカボン) and Tora-san from Otoko wa Tsurai yo (男はつらいよ, "It's Tough Being a Man").
Ryunosuke's bust wrap is a sarashi (晒し) which you can read more in depthly on here at the site.
School stores (学校の売店) are small stores that are housed within public schools and usually sell everything from school supplies to snack foods.
Episode 17-1: あこがれを胸に！！
Akogare o mune ni!! (A Chest Full of Longing!!)
As Shinobu walks home late from school one evening, she notices some strange boys following her. It turns out that they are a gang from Tomobiki’s rival school, Butsumetsu High. Shinobu rushes to the nearby Ryunosuke for help, and the boys hesitate to approach when they think Shinobu has a boyfriend of her own. Ryunosuke confides to Shinobu that she’s feeling down because she had been saving up money to buy a bra of her own, but was shocked at how expensive they are. The boys from Butsumetsu appear again tell Shinobu that their boss, Soban, is in love with her, but that they think they can dissuade him from pursuing her if she lets them take photos of her with Ryunosuke posing as her boyfriend. They go as far as offering a 5,000 yen bribe to Ryunosuke, more than enough to buy her very own bra, and so Ryunosuke agrees immediately. However, when Ataru finds out that Ryu and Shinobu are going on a “date” he decides he cannot let it happen and plans to interrupt, which gets Lum involved. Ultimately, the date and photos are ruined as Ataru constantly jumps in the way and tries to get between Ryunosuke and Shinobu, even going as far as to offer Ryunosuke a bra in hopes of getting her to back off. Ryunosuke happily accepts, only for Soban to show up and give chase to Shinobu. His underlings tell him that the bra Ataru gave Ryunosuke is actually Shinobu’s bra, and he grabs it instead, deciding to eat it to pacify his lust. Back at the Moroboshi household, Ataru’s mother wonders what happened to her missing bra.
"I had to stay at school so late for cleaning duty." - Japanese schools typically do not have janitors like schools in the west. Instead students are expected to help keep classrooms clean and tidy by sweeping and mopping. It helps students learn responsibilities and life skills.
Soban's gang are identified as Regent (which is the name for his hairstyle), Grass Man and Dog Man in the credits. They are unnamed in the original manga.
The guy disguised as a dog has the kanji "犬" (inu/dog) written on his stomach.
Busumetsu High School - Tomobiki's rival high school is named for Butsumetsu. This is the unluckiest day in the rokuyo six-day week. It is named for the Buddha's death.
The boys talk about their "bossman" which is Soban (総番). However "soban" is a title rather than a name, so calling him "bossman" is an appropriate translation. "Bancho" (番長) is the title for the leader of a gang of juvenile delinquents whereas a "soban" (総番) would be the boss of a gang of bancho.
When Ryunosuke goes on the date with Shinobu her sweatervest has the kanji "ryu" (竜) on it. This means "dragon" and is the first kanji in her name.
Ryunosuke says she'll just consider her work of playing Shinobu's boyfriend a sort of part time job. The word she uses when describing playing a boy is "otokoyaku" (男役). This is a term for male roles in theatrical productions.
"Bralright!" - Ryunosuke is replacing the Japanese term "ja" (じゃ/alright,well) with "burajyaa" (ブラジャー/brassiere).
There is a large tanuki sculpture in the middle of the fountain. A tanuki (たぬき) is a Japanese raccoon dog that are often featured in Japanese folktales.
On February 27, 2023, a little over two weeks after the episode aired, the official Twitter of the show announced an apology. The tweet states:
Apology for Background Material in "Urusei Yatsura" Episode 17
In episode 17 of the anime "Urusei Yatsura" (aired on Thursday, February 9, 2023, late at night on Fuji Television Network, etc.), we found that an existing design was used for a part of the background without permission.
We will correct the design and replace it when we distribute, broadcast, package, or otherwise use the film.
We will take the utmost care in the future to ensure that this does not happen again.
We sincerely apologize to the owner of the design, all parties involved, and our viewers for any inconvenience caused.
Episode 17-2: 星に願いを
Hoshi ni negai o (Wish Upon a Star)
The Moroboshi’s are watching television during their dinner, and Mrs. Moroboshi makes sure everyone knows how little they have to eat, so they have to stick strictly to dividing the portions up evenly. Ataru greedily gobbles it all up, as the newscaster says that the weather is perfect for the meteor shower happening that night. Just then a seeming meteor crashes into the house, destroying most everything. The meteor is actually a sentient Wishing Star. It tells the impoverished Moroboshi family they have been chosen as the winner of three wishes. Everyone immediately begins to bicker, and tell the star to leave, as it wrecked everything, but before it goes it should at least help clean up. The star takes that as their first wish and puts the house back to normal. Realizing that the star isn’t joking, everyone immediately tries to decide on who will get the remaining two wishes. Ataru wants a harem, Lum wants to cure darling of his wandering eye, while Mrs. Moroboshi wants money to help the family escape poverty. As everyone is arguing about the next wish Cherry appears and wishes for yakisoba. The star immediately obeys, leaving only one wish left. The Star gets thirsty and goes to the kitchen to drink up Mr. Moroboshi’s beer. After clobbering Cherry, the family decide to play a game to see who will win the wish, it turns out that Mr. Moroboshi is the winner and his wish is to re=live his life over entirely. Ataru and his mother burst into tears and blame Mr. Moroboshi for not loving them, deciding to both team up and just wish for money. They find the Star passed out in the kitchen and can’t wake it up before sunrise comes, meaning no one will get to use the final wish. Just as the sun is about to rise, Cherry wishes for the Star to wake up, and of course, it does, using that as the third wish before flying off into the dawn.
The manga makes it clear that this event takes place during Tanabata (七夕) the star festival. Tanabata takes place in July however, so it was likely simply stated to be a meteor shower due to this episode airing in February.
Shumai (焼売) are pork and onion dim sum.
In the original manga chapter the Wishing Star has a Tanabata themed bamboo shoot in its hand on which wishes written on paper are hung. Because this adaptation has been shifted from Tanabata his bamboo shoot is replaced with a Sailor Moon-esqie wand.
When Cherry wastes a wish on yakisoba the onomatopoeia it makes is "chudon" (ちゅどーん). This is a sound effect particularly associated with Rumiko Takahashi. She discusses it a bit in this Twitter post.
In Ataru's room the Wishing Star is reading Shonen Sunday. In particular the Star is reading Shonen Sunday 2019 Issue 23, which contains MAO chapter 1. We saw this same issue in Ataru's room in episode 3-1.
The method that the Moroboshi family uses to determine who should get the last wish using names and lines on a sheet of paper is Amidakuji (阿弥陀籤) which means "Amida Lottery". Horizontal lines are randomly drawn from one column to another and a path is traced with each line having to be followed each time an intersection is encountered. In English this is sometimes known as "Ghost Leg".
Episode 18-1: き・え・な・いルージュマジック！！
Kienai ruuju majiku!! (Indelible Lipstick Magic!!)
Lum is in the process of creating some sort of complicated chemical substance that goes through various processes and machines before finally coming out as what appears to be common, everyday lipstick. She quickly puts it on and excitedly flies to Ataru’s room. When she finds him, she tries to get him to wear it as well, but Ataru, of course, resists. During the struggle, Lum swipes the lipstick across Ten’s face and immediately gets pulled towards him to kiss him. Ten freaks out, as Ataru realized that the lipstick is basically magnetic, and whoever wears it will be drawn into a kiss. Ataru protests that kisses are meant to be given and not taken by tricks and throws the lipstick out the window. Lum goes off in search of it as Ataru laughs and reveals he secretly pocketed it. The next day at school with the lipstick in his possession Ataru decides to give it to Ryunosuke. Eager to try out lipstick for the first time in her life, Ryunosuke instantly applies it but then has to punch Ataru when he is automatically drawn to her. Just then, Lum arrives, still wearing the lipstick and she and Ryunosuke almost kiss. Lum is furious realizing that Ataru still has it, but now that he’s wearing it she wants to kiss him. The other students try to keep them apart while keeping Ryunosuke away as well. The girls grab the lipstick from Ataru and try to apply it to Mendo. Protesting at first, Mendo quickly realizes he can use it to get a kiss from Lum and puts it on himself. Soon, Ten arrives and is drawn into the fray, as the male students get ahold of it, and try to get kisses themselves, but soon, Ataru and Mendo share the first kiss and everyone is creeped out. Before long, Onsen Mark gets lipstick on his face and all the boys are drawn to him. Ultimately, Ryunosuke flees the school with Ataru in pursuit and Lum chasing him, followed by all the boys and Onsen Mark.
The song playing while Lum makes her lipstick is 1982's "I-ke-na-i Rouge Magic!!" (い・け・な・いルージュマジック！！) by Kyoshiro Imawano and Ryuichi Sakamoto (of Yellow Magic Orchestra). The title of this episode is a pun based on the title of this song.
The creature that appears when Mendo and Ataru kiss is the Dappya Man.
"You know this kind of stuff isn't allowed at school!" - Generally speaking Japanese schools do not allow students to wear any make-up or dye their hair.
Episode 18-2: セーラー服よ、こんにちは！
Seeraafuku yo, konnichi wa! (Lethal Attacks: Yaminabe!)
At school the class decides to do yaminabe as a classroom activity. Lum asks what yaminabe is, and Ataru explains its when everyone adds mystery ingredients to a hot pot and then turn off the lights and use chopsticks to select something to eat from the pot at random, not knowing what they’ll get. Lum decides she’ll use the chance to make something to add and creates her super spicy alien food. Ataru refuses to eat it when she tries to feed it to him, but once he sees a dog snack on one and pass gas into the sky, he knows the food is best avoided. Ultimately, Lum does make him eat one, and the spice makes his lips swell up ridiculously large. After that Ataru is determined to find out a food that Lum hates. After asking her, he finds out that there’s an alien food known as Mogu Mogu that she hates. He asks Ten about it but learns that it would take ten days to go get some and bring it back. With that plan out the window, Ataru decides to start taking Lum out to different restaurants and testing food on her to see if he can find something she doesn’t like. After trying many different places, Ataru finds out that Lum hates the smell of garlic. After chowing down on some gyoza stuffed with garlic he tries it out himself, but is repelled by Lum’s deodorizing spray. Undeterred Ataru sneaks some garlic from his fridge and is determined to fill the yaminabe pot with as much as possible. At school the next day he pours all the garlic he has into the hotpot, while Lum fills it with spicy foods, Mendo fills it with as much fancy, expensive foods as possible, Shinobu uses plain vegetables, and Kosuke tosses in a fishbone. Unbeknownst to everyone else, as the lights are off, Ten arrives, having tracked down a mogu mogu and adds it to the pot. When the lights come back on, most are passed out from the gross mixture, while Shinobu eats the fishbone, Lum tries to bite into a sandal and Ataru finds the mogu mogu has a mouth of its own and is about to eat him.
Gateball (ゲートボール) is a game invented in Japan by Suzuki Kazunobu in 1947. It is a team sport using croquet mallets. The point of the game is to knock the ball through a series of numbered gates in sequence and hit the goal pole.
Yaminabe (闇鍋) means "dark hot pot" referring to the fact that ingredients are added in the dark so no one knows what is going to be consumed.
Chashu ramen is made with pork belly.
Lum is reading the same issue of Shonen Sunday- 2019 Issue 23.
Episode 19-1: 魔境！戦慄の密林
Makyo! senritsu no janguru [mitsurin] (Magic Realm! Jungle of Terror)
The students of class 2-4 find themselves invited to the Mendo Estate. Shutaro has invited everyone to see something special and introduces his classmates to his family’s prized pet octopi. Everyone is non-plussed as he goes into detail about how the octopus looks exactly like their family crest, and how it brings the family good fortune. As Ataru complains about how un-special they are, Mendo decides to show him their rare, prized Antarctic octopus. The students bundle up and enter a compound specially built to replicate the savage cold of Antarctica, as they brave the frozen wasteland to find Matsuchiyo, Mendo’s most prized octopus. Upon finding it, everyone is surprised that he looks basically like any other octopus. When Ataru says he’d rather be eating octopus than looking at one, Matsuchiyo runs away in tears, escaping onto the estate. Mendo mobilizes his entire household staff to find the missing octopus, and wrangles the students into helping by promising to reward them with whatever they want. The group track Matsuchiyo to a jungle compound, where they search for him, and fight off the wild creatures the Mendo family keep there. Eventually Matsuchiyo is discovered, but the increased temperature has caused him to grow to enormous size, a rare trait found in the Antarctic octopi. Matsuchiyo easily dispatches the rest of the students, and almost strips the girls naked before Mendo is able to convince him to return to his natural habitat.
The Mendo family crest is an octopus making the same expression as Hyottoko. Hyottoko is a classic Japanese comedic character, with bulging eyes and a pipelike mouth, and definitely protrayed as a fool.
Matsuchiyo's name is written "松千代". The kanji mean "pine tree of a thousand generations" but it is a fairly standard name (and writing of said name).
The antarctic octopus is a real animal that comes in a variety of species including Cirroctopus glacialis and Cirroctopus antarctica.
Matsuchiyo's tentacle perviness is likely inspired by Katsushika Hokusai’s 1814 erotic woodblock is commonly known in the West as Dream of the Fisherman’s Wife.
Shinken Shirahadori (真剣白刃取り) is a fictional fighting technique mostly known in manga and anime in which a person catches a blade being swung down at them by clapping their hands together to prevent the blade’s downward motion. While this is named for an actual technique used to prevent an opponent from drawing their blade in the first place, the idea of catching a blade barehanded is entirely fictional.
Episode 19-2: 酔っぱらいブギ
Yopparai bugi (Pickled)
Ten grows bored sitting with Cherry and Kotatsuneko, and decides to see what Lum is doing at school. Once he arrives, he finds Ataru eating his lunch. The two start to bicker as usual, and Ataru feeds Ten his umeboshi. Shockingly, this causes Ten to get drunk, and he begins to indiscriminately breath fire at all the students, no matter if they’re boys or girls. When Lum shows up, she chastises Ten and asks Ataru what he did to him. Ataru feigns innocence and demonstrates what he did by feeding Lum an umeboshi as well, causing her to immediately get drunk as well. After stripping off her school uniform, Lum starts to flirt with Ataru and shoot electricity, demanding more umeboshi and getting progressively more and more intoxicated. Sensing what a danger the two drunk oni are to the town, the students try to chase them down and contain them. When Lum learns that Ataru is looking for Ten instead of her, she starts to act out and shock students in the hall. Meanwhile Onsen Mark spies Ten and comes to his own conclusions about alcohol being on campus. He blames Mendo and the others, and demands to search their desks. Mendo and the other boys agree, but say that if Onsen Mark doesn’t find anything he’ll have to strip naked and dance as an apology. As Lum’s reign of terror throughout the school continues, Cherry arrives with a bottle of shochu in tow, and gives some to Sakura to drink. Lum sees her and steals the bottle before wandering away. While Onsen Mark searches the desks and finds no alcohol, Lum wanders in with a full bottle of if and Onsen Mark demands that Mendo and the others start to strip as the chaos continues. Finally, far off in space, a mysterious trio begin to plot against Benten, Lum and Oyuki.
Umeboshi (梅干し) is often translated as "pickled plum" but the ume fruit in Japan is actually closer to an apricot.
"He non-burnable garbage" - The term Mendo uses for Ataru, non-burnable garbage, (燃えないゴミ/moenai gomi) refers to one of the categories of trash in Japan for recycling purposes. The main categories are: burnable garbage, non-burnable garbage, recyclable garbage and oversized garbage.
Shochu (焼酎) is a Japanese distilled alcoholic beverage made from rice, barley or sweet potatoes. It is 25% alcohol by volume making it a higher proof than wine or sake but weaker than whiskey or vodka.
Sugar, Ginger and Pepper are announced in the preview for the next episode and their voices are listed in the credits here. Sugar is Misaki Kuno, Ginger is Chitose Morinaga and Pepper is Rie Takahashi.
Episode 20: 魔境！戦慄の密林
Ushinawareta mono o motomete (Recovering That Which Was Lost)
Enacting the plan they have been plotting, Ginger lies dead in a mushroom forest, waiting for Benten to pass by. As soon as she sees Pepper’s dead body on the ground, Benten dismounts her bike to check on her. As soon as she does, she gets gassed. Days pass and Oyuki calls Lum, asking if she’s seen or heard from Benten. Lum says she hasn’t and the pair begin to worry. When Lum returns to the Moroboshi home, she finds Benten, fresh out of the bath and waiting for her. Benten says she hasn’t been home in days, as she’s lost her chain and has been looking all over for it. Oyuki had told Lum that she had something to give Benten and so everyone meets up on Neptune. It seems Oyuki received a packaged for Benten containing a VHS tape. When the girls play it they get a threatening message from the Sugar, Ginger and Pepper, who say that they are the new top girl gang at Benten, Oyuki and Lum’s old middle school. As they vie to defeat their upperclassmen and prove how tough they are, they show that they are in fact the ones that took Benten’s chain. Benten rushes off to get her revenge, and is followed by Oyuki and Lum, who have the coordinates for the meeting place, which just happens to be a café in Tomobiki. Upon returning to Earth, the trio of girls meet, and Sugar, Ginger and Pepper reveal their mostly useless special abilities as they try to keep Benten’s chain away from her. Before long, their battle is interrupted by the arrival of the trio’s flying supercomputer Salt No. 1. The giant cook-shaped computer vomits up chains that Benten has Lum and Oyuki destroy before finally getting her own chain back. After all is said and don, Benten reveals the chain was important, as it acts as the key to her house and she couldn’t get in without it. But when they arrive inside her home, they find the trio waiting for them…Benten left the back door unlocked the whole time.
The term they are translating as "punkster" is "sukeban". Sukeban (スケバン/助番) are the female equivalent of the bancho (番長) male delinquent gangs that did not admit female members. Sukeban began in the 1960s but rose to prominence throughout the 1970s and reached their height in the 1980s. A frequent weapon in sukeban groups was the chain, so Benten is another great example of a sukeban style girl.
Though unnamed in this episode the crab teacher is Kanidoraku who appears in a later storyline in the original manga.
Other voices in this episode include the Alien Classmate (Kosuke Ichigoya), the Perverted Classmate (Wataru Takagi) and the Spacecraft (Mika Kanda).
Salt No. 1's appearance was heavily changed for this episode. The original design of Salt No. 1 is based on a Japanese instructional song called "Kawaii Cook-san". The lyrics of the song tells children how to draw the simple monkey-like chef character. Decades later Rumiko Takahashi will once more use the design of Kawaii Cook-san in Kyokai no Rinnechapter 32.
The space that Benten, Lum and Oyuki gather around at Oyuki’s house is known as an irori. An irori (囲炉裏) is a traditional Japanese sunken hearth fired with charcoal. Used for heating the home and for cooking food, it is essentially a square, stone-lined pit in the floor, equipped with an adjustable pothook – called a jizaikagi (自在鉤) and generally consisting of an iron rod within a bamboo tube – used for raising or lowering a suspended pot or kettle by means of an attached lever which is often decoratively designed in the shape of a fish. -From Gabriele Fahr-Becker’s 2001 book Ryokan – A Japanese Tradiiton.
Space Vector AHO – AHO or “aho” is "idiot" in Japanese. in this episode it was translated as "Space Vector: Idjit".
In the manga Sugar, Ginger and Pepper are pretending to be a train while holding Benten's chain and reciting lyrics from a well-known childrens song, Densha Gokko or Playing Train.
In the empty lot, Pepper dives inside a large pipe to hide from Benten. These are known as dokan (土管). Dokan can be seen frequently in manga and anime, most prominently in Doraemon (ドラえもん) as a playground for Nobita and his friends. Dokan are leftover sewer pipes from the construction boom after the post-World War II Japanese Economic Miracle. They also served as the inspiration for the warp pipes in Super Mario Bros..
Episode 21-1: 惑星教師ＣＡＯ－２
Kosumo teiichaa shii ee ou tsuu (Cosmo Teacher CAO-2)
Lum, Ran, Benten and Oyuki are sitting in a tea shop reminiscing about their childhood days. The subject of their former hated teacher, a robot shaped like a blackboard eraser named CAO-2, come up, and while remembering all the pranks the four played on him, and how often they were punished comes up, Oyuki says that the Planet Uni, where they had imprisoned him over a decade ago, is being excavated. Mendo and Ataru appear, and the girls continue to tell stories about all the cruel pranks they played on the teacher, and how he would punish all of them, except Oyuki, who was the class representative. As they talk about dropping weights on him, shocking him to the point his robot body shorted and and then finally abandoning him on planet Uni to never escape, CAO-2 suddenly arrives and smashes himself into all the girls except Oyuki, along with Ataru and Mendo, covering them all in chalk dust before he takes off back to outerspace, laughing as he has gotten his revenge.
CAO-2 make their debut. He is played by Tessho Genda, the original Rei from the 1980s Urusei Yatsura.
The narrator is played by Hiroki Yasumoto. Yasumoto played Konton in Yashahime.
Planet Uni is, as the name (うに/uni) suggests, a sea urchin shaped planet.
As the classroom representative, Oyuki is leading the greeting ceremony that takes place at all Japanese schools. Upon the teacher entering the classroom the class represtative will say "stand" (きれつ/kiretsu), "bow", (れい/rei), "sit" (ちゃくせき/chakuseki). This ritual is not performed in college classes however.
When the girls shoot the missle at CAO-2 the impact makes a sound effect, "chudon" (ちゅどーん). This is a sound effect particularly associated with Rumiko Takahashi. She discusses it a bit in this Twitter post.
Episode 21-2: あな恐ろしや、ワラ人形
Ana osoroshiya wara ningyo (Ooh, Scary! Voodoo Doll)
Ryoko visits her brother and reveals she has created a voodoo doll of him, which she immediately puts to use torturing him for no particular reason. When Mendo tries to fight back, she realizes she has to get rid of the doll, and can only think of one person who could be trusted to keep it “safe,” Ataru. Her kuroko bring the doll to him and tell him to keep it on his body at all times, but they don’t explain what it is. Ataru ties it around his neck according to Ryoko’s wishes, but at school the next day, his usual hijinks begin to alert Mendo that he must be in possession of the doll. Mendo realizes he cannot let Ataru know what it does, or Ataru would just treat the doll even more carelessly. Thus, Mendo is forced to protect Ataru from increasingly harrowing situations in order to save his own body from whatever punishment Ataru takes. After saving Ataru from falling off the roof, and falling himself, Mendo becomes fed up and confronts Ataru, revealing what the doll is. Of course, Ataru immediately begins to nail it to a tree, subjecting Mendo to horrible pain. Not giving up, that night, Mendo makes his own voodoo doll of Ataru so that he can at least put Ataru through the same torture he is experiencing.
While "voodoo doll" gets the point across easily enough for non-Japanese readers, Ryoko's straw man doll (藁人形) is actually part of the ceremony known as Ushi no toki mairi (丑の時参り), or "ox-hour shrine-visit". The curse is placed on the straw doll during the "hours of the ox" which is between 1 and 3 AM. Hikaru Gosunkugi from Ranma 1/2 is probably the character most associated with this ritual.
Mendo's shirt has the kanji "終" (Shu) on it. This is the first kanji in his first name, Shutaro (終太郎).
The English lesson Onsen-Mark is giving has him saying (in English) "if he got wet, he transformed into a girl. Throw hot water at him...". This is a reference to Ranma Saotome from Rumiko Takahashi's manga Ranma 1/2. Mendo replies "when his dad got wet, he transformed into a panda." This is a reference to Ranma's father, Genma.
Ataru is once again reading the same issue of Shonen Sunday that keeps reappearing throughout the series. Shonen Sunday 2019 Issue 23, which contains MAO chapter 1.
The mask Mendo wears is the Mendo family crest, which is an octopus making the same expression as Hyottoko. Hyottoko is a classic Japanese comedic character, with bulging eyes and a pipelike mouth, and definitely protrayed as a fool.
Episode 22-1: 大ビン小ビン
Obin kobin (Big Bottle, Little Bottle)
Walking through the Fourth Dimensional Forest, Gosaku the Scarecrow complains about his wares not selling. It seems he’s invested all his money into Little Bottles, which conviently shrink anything you aim the top at. He ends up convincing Ten to buy one, and without reading the instructions, Ten manages to shrink Lum down to a miniature version of herself. When Ataru comes home, Lum uses the problem to her advantage, telling him that the only way she can get back to normal is if he showers her with love and affection. Ataru is suspicious, but life goes on pretty much as normal, with the couple eating dinner and Lum even sleeping next to him. When Ataru almost crushes her rolling over in the middle of the night, he begins to think more carefully about what he should do to help her get back to normal. However, the next day he overhears her telling Kotatsuneko the truth, that Ten is getting a Big Bottle to truly revert her back to her normal size. Irritated by her lie, Ataru captures Lum and locks her up in a birdcage so that he can go girl hunting. However, after he leaves her alone, Torajima the cat sneaks into Ataru’s room to terrorize the minature Lum. Meanwhile, in the Fourth Dimension, Ten searches for Gosaku and learns that he is so infuriated by the poor sales of his bottles that he’s smashing them all to bits. Ten hurries back to get his scooter and find Lum and Ataru so that they can get her back to normal before its too late. Ten finds Ataru and tells him how serious things are and Ataru rushes home, finding Lum battling Torajima. Not trusting him after he locked her in the cage, Lum doesn’t believe Ataru this time, but he finally catches her and rides with Ten, managing to get her back to normal just in time. Lum is touched to know Ataru cares after all, but she still crushes the cage on top of his head so he knows how she felt to be inside it.
The manga Ataru bought is Maison Ikkokuvolume 5 which has Yotsuya, Akemi and Godai on the rear cover. The pages shown a short time later are from the same volume. Ataru was reading Maison Ikkoku in the original manga chapter this episode is based on as well.
Sentai Filmworks adopted Viz's use of "Kotatsu Kitty" for Kotatsuneko's name.
The cat with the eyepatch that menaces Lum is Torajima who appears somewhat frequently in the manga.
Ten's scooter, much like his larger spaceship is based on a duck shaped potty (あひるのおまる) that children use for potty training.
Episode 22-2: 愛がふれあうとき
Ai ga fure au toki (When Love Strikes)
On her way to school Shinobu saves a friendly little lost Kitsune. The fox immediately falls in love with Shinobu, and after seeing Ataru hit on her, decides to follow her. He witnesses Shinobu clobber Soban and gets a rose the bully was going to give her. When Shinobu arrives at school, no one else is there yet, and so Kitsune transforms into a miniature version of Ataru and decides to help her clean the classroom. Confused at first, Shinobu accepts his help, as more students arrive and one by one stare awkwardly at the mini-Ataru. Onsen Mark seems to think the only thing strange is how nice this new Ataru is behaving, and even the Principal seems convinced that this is just Ataru who has turned over a new leaf. Finally Ataru and Lum arrive, and Ataru tries to attack his doppleganger, who reveals himself as the fox Shinobu saved. She protects Kitsune, and sends him on his way, however the little fox immediately comes back, impersonating Onsen Mark and the students decide he’s a much better teacher, tying up the real Onsen and letting Kitsune teach the class instead. Meanwhile, the Miss Tomobiki High Contest is underway, as students begin to nominate their favorite female classmates and staff members to see who will become Queen of Tomobiki. After a test of strength, the finalists are narrowed down to Lum, Ran, Shinobu, Sakura and Ryunosuke, with the real battle to decide who will become the queen and win the 150,000 prize.
This episode marks the debut of Kitsune, the little fox.
The mini police station that Shinobu takes Kitsune to is a koban (交番) sometimes known as a “police box.” Officers stationed in these small structures do everything from handling emergencies, taking reports of criminal activity from the public, acting as a lost and found, and giving directions.
The statue everyone thinks the policeman is chatting with is a jizo (地蔵), a Japanese Boddhisatva that protects the souls of dead children and travelers.
Toban Katsudo (当番活動) are “classroom duties” which sees assigned students on a rotating basis to clean the classroom, help provide meals and other tasks that help the class and school itself.
Tomobiki's rival high school is named for Butsumetsu (仏滅). This is the unluckiest day in the rokuyo six-day week. It is named for the Buddha's death.
Shinken Shirahadori (真剣白刃取り) is a fictional fighting technique mostly known in manga and anime in which a person catches a blade being swung down at them by clapping their hands together to prevent the blade’s downward motion. While this is named for an actual technique used to prevent an opponent from drawing their blade in the first place, the idea of catching a blade barehanded is entirely fictional.
Episode 23: 決戦!! 友１クイーンコンテスト
Kessen!! Tomo ichi kuiin kontesuto (Title Match!! The Tomo-1 Queen Contest)
The Tomo-1 Queen Contest finals are officially underway, as Sakura, Ran, Shinobu, Ryunosuke and Lum all gather in the auditorium with Ataru acting as announcer. Shinobu notices that they aren’t on stage but instead in a ring, and Ataru says this is more than a beauty pageant, with all the contestants being scored by judges on intelligence, digestive system, and physical strength. The girls all steel themselves to put up with this farcical contest in order to win a prize package worth 150,000 yen. The first test has the contestants sliding their hands into a mystery box in an attempt to guess what is inside, while Sakura’s hand is licked, Lum pats something hairy and quickly realizes its Ten. However Ataru says she must also identify what he’s holding, which Ryunosuke easily guesses is a watermelon, winning the first round. Ataru begins to announce the sponsors of each round, as the girls realize that something fishy is going on. The next round finds the girls having to use furniture to build a stand to reach a lollipop hanging from a rope. Once again Ryunosuke figures it out first and wins, as Ataru announces the sponsors again, and Sakura and Shinobu realize he must be getting bribed to continue to advertise for them. The third round’s ramen eating contest is totally dominated by Sakura, who attempts not to put in much of a showing, but still wins. The final round finds the girls changing into swimsuits for a wrestling event. Ran plans to win by sucking out the life energy of all the other girls, and manages to kiss Sakura, Shinobu and even get Ryunosuke’s first kiss, but Lum doesn’t fall for it. Unfortunately, it’s a tag team five-on-five event, with all of the contestants facing off against wild animals from the Tomobiki Zoo. With all of their energy gone, Sakura, Shinobu and Ryunosuke are no help, leaving most everything to Lum. Ran’s kisses for the other girls and Sakura’s snake wresting both earn them extra style points with the mostly male judges, but overall the girls are too weak to battle the animals. Mendo attempts to don a mask and step in, but is easily defeated as well. Finally, Ran realizes she has to kiss the girls to re-energize them, and gives Sakura and Shinobu back their strength, but Ryunosuke manages to escape, only being stopped by her father and forced to submit to a second kiss. Ultimately back to full strength the girls are able to make short work of the animals and the judges award them a team victory. The prize is split with each of them receiving 30,000 yen….worth of taiyaki. Before they have time to complain, everyone from the series so far crashes the event, including Rei, Benten, Oyuki, Ryoko, Kurama, Ginger, Pepper and Sugar all wanting to cause trouble. Later that day as the sun goes down, Ataru counts his money and Lum asks him she managed to be the Queen of his heart. Ataru trips, falling on her, but before they can share a kiss or Ataru can answer her, Sakura and Shinobu run out to attack him for getting them involved in this whole thing in the first place.
Episode Staff:
Director: Kiyomitsu Sato (佐藤清光), Yuusuke Kubo (久保雄介)
Ryunosuke's ring entrance attire consists of a long school boy's coat. This garment is called a "choran" (長ラン), in the style of a gakuran (学ラン).
Ryunosuke's chest wrap is known as a sarashi (晒し). It's purpose is to literally flatten the chest and creates Ryu's more masculine appearance, as she is actually quite busty.
"She's the spitting image of Kintaro!" - Kintaro the Golden Boy is a famous Japanese folktale about a boy with superhuman strength.
Taiyaki (鯛焼き) are fish-shaped cakes typically filled with red bean paste.
The song played at the end is "Lum no Love Song" from the original 1981 television series can be heard playing. It was also played in the first episode of the 2022 series.
