Comments from Yuji Nunokawa

Translated by: Dylan Acres
Thanks to Mitchell for scans and transcriptions.

Episode Summary by Yuji Nunokawa ^[1]

In the case of Urusei Yatsura, the work is based on the original work, but I would like to basically do original works. Many of the staff at Studio Pierrot are people in the comedy field, so I would like to continue making comedy anime for children, but with a fairy tale flavor. I don't want to make mecha-related works in a way that follows the conventional pattern, but for example, an oriental-style sci-fi anime with a mecha-holding Buddha or Ashura would be quite interesting. And speaking of original works, one classic that anime has not touched is the world of Shakespeare. I would like to animate Romeo and Juliet and A Midsummer Night's Dream in a modern arrangement. Shakespeare's plays are timeless masterpieces that have been featured many times in movies and on stage, but I think they would be interesting enough even if they were made into animation. What do you think?

Highlights:

Episode 35 Girl's Day! Ran-chan's Arrival ^[2]

It's the warm weather of Girls' Festival in March. Ataru is drunk after drinking sweet sake. Lum is in the middle of decorating the doll stand. Ataru is in a tipsy mood and looks up at the stand, where he sees a cute court lady doll standing there. Then, with a click... the doll winks at Ataru. "Hmm, I think I'm a little drunk," Ataru thinks. Looking again, he sees the doll, and this time it is smiling and pointing out a finger as if to say, "Come on!" Ataru flies along with the doll to the park. Waiting for him in the shade of a tree is Lum's childhood friend, Ran-chan.

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Footnotes

• [1] Yuji Nunokawa (布川ゆうじ) is the founder of Studio Pierrot, and you can read a more in depth interview with him here.
• [2] For the sake of creating as accurate a translation of the historical record as possible we have left the episode numbers identical to what they were listed as in the original periodical this article appeared in, however these episode numbers do not match the numbering convention that most fans and producers use in regards to Urusei Yatsura in the present day. The confusion stems from the early episodes airing two unique 15 minute episodes in one 30 minute block. The links will link to the correct episode with the number reflecting the unified numbering system.

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