Works Currently Attracting Attention - Studio Pierrot World

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

Part 1 Theme
A Microcosm of Human Society Seen in Tomobiki High School!!

The second Pierrot research is Urusei Yatsura. ^[1] How can we turn this original work with a new sense of gags into an anime? It can be said that it requires a gag sense that is as good as the original manga. Let's start with the concept of this modern work.

Example 1: A Sudden Disaster

"Tomobiki High School," the high school that Ataru Morohoshi attends, may be a miniature version of the grand stage called life. No, I'm sure the same is true of the school you attend nowadays too. When they are given the mission to "save the earth," they shout, "we want our money back!" When Lum-chan returns to his hometown, they use Ataru as bait to try to bring Lum-chan back. But to them, she doesn't mean any harm (well, maybe just a little? No, probably not... but well...). I mean, she might be wondering if life is truly like this. If they weren't specially chosen people, they might have been good friends, though this was simply the result of the accident (?) that suddenly befell Ataru with Lum-chan, which threw all the gears out of whack. However, in reality, there are bustling countries where people get along yet go to war, and there are also lovers who have big fights over getting cheated on. There are friends who become enemies over little things. And regardless of the fate of its student, Tomobiki High School continues to hold classes. Disaster comes when you forget the lesson. Join hands!!!

Example 2: The Weak are Stronger than the Strong

Ataru Moroboshi is a weak person. Of course, he doesn't realize it, but no matter who you may see him as, he is a weakling. However, when he defeated the Oni aliens and the invader Lum-chan, he became a great underdog. His weak point, his obsession towards women, led Ataru to victory. From that moment on, he becomes a special person. However, he didn't earn any respect for himself, Lum-chan is just a bonus for him. Yet, regardless of his strength, this bonus, the successive disasters and miracles, he rushes toward more and more women, exposing his weaknesses. Those who are devoted to being weak seem to be much stronger than those who are truly strong.

Conclusion: This World is Left to the Wind!

Ataru Moroboshi seems to have no vision. He doesn't even think about tomorrow's test, let alone any far-reaching goals. In the second episode, when he speaks to Shinobu-chan, he exclaims, "if it's all over now, it's fine." However, even so, the beauty of the universe, Lum-chan returns and even Shinobu-chan tries not to let her take Ataru (although some of it is just her will...). Surrounded by two beautiful women, Ataru attacks them one after another and tries to take them for himself. As a result, another frightening disaster befalls him, and he faces death, but the next time he gets a chance, he jumps out and carries on. This gradually changed the surrounding of the town. The disasters that befall Ataru are not limited to just himself, the person who is the victim. His parents and his friends also are affected. Repeated super slapstick turmoil gives them shock resistance to his problems. When this happens, more than just minor problems start to occur. And, just like with the development of airplanes, people were initially surprised just to see humans flying in the sky, but then they became comfortable with the Concorde and the Space Shuttle. No matter what happens now, for the students at Tomobiki High School, this world is left to the wind. This can also be said to be a microcosm of human society.

Part 2 Hero!?
Ataru's Behavior Analysis

This story all begins with Ataru's instictive actions. Therefore, Ataru is the main character if you follow his stylized behavior pattern.

Party 3 Heroine
Invader Lum-chan is a new type of idol!!!

Example 1: The Action of the Threat

There is an old saying, "women should stay at home and concentrate on housework." Nowadays, girls need to get out there and take action!!! On the other hand, Lum-chan is said to be coming from the edge of the universe to invade Earth, and she has a tremendous amount of energy. When she is at home, she is often quiet, but once something happens, she immediately shows decisive action. Nowadays, she doesn't talk about such unethical things as invasions, but instead takes action to prevent them. In order to prevent Ataru from cheating on her, he has to accompany him as his girlfriend to school, and she even goes to space for a bit. A quiet girl who looks like a wild flower is beautiful, but a woman who moves around actively is even more beautiful. And when she acts of her own will, Lum-chan shines brightly. However, for Ataru, he can't even have an affair, and you might say Lum is a nuisance to him, but a girlfriend like this is the height of luxury!!

Example 2: Shameful Sex Appeal

Lum-chan's only fashion item is her tiger-striped bikini, but she seems to be considered well-dressed in a cosmic sense (!?). In the first episode, the line "my best outfit" appears, and it might be space fashion because she doesn't dress up as much as Earthlings do. So, if you think that Lum-chan in a bikini doesn't have sex appeal, you're totally wrong. The series of photos on the left shows the rumor of Lum having her bikini bra ripped off. Our girlfriend, Lum, was surprised when she noticed this, and immediately covered her breasts. She's so cute. She has a hidden sex appeal. And the expression on her face as she glances up is exactly that of a "girl". Ataru's first impression of Lum-chan was, "she's such a beautiful and glamorous girl," and I feel like for him it added to her cuteness. Also, after this, even though it was a misunderstanding, Lum-chan, who declared their marriage, was just like a new wife from the good old days, who gently snuggled up to Ataru. These days is there a girl who could behave so disrespectfully? Even Lum-chan's electric shock is terribly cute. Lum-chan has the energy of an alien and the cuteness of a girl. This is the result of the reluctance, kindness, and the selfishness that every girl has a little bit of.

Conclusion: A Single-Minded Woman is Beautiful!!!

On Lum-chan's planet, marriage is considered very sacred. It's even more sacred than it is on Earth. And, yes, Lum-chan, who grew up with the morals of her planet, is the one who is devoted to Ataru, even if their relationship is the result of a misunderstanding. Ataru, on the other hand, is a cheater, to such a level that is a rarity among Earthlings. Even if he and Shinobu were to get married, it would last only a few, scant hours, not years! Most women would have immediately said, "I'm going back home!" However, Lum-chan never wanted to leave Ataru. Whether Ataru rants that he doesn't want to get married, whether Shinobu pesters him, or whether he has his eyes set on another woman, Lum-chan remains single-mindedly devoted to Ataru. She's also a clever trickster, as she asks to live with Ataru on the condition that she'll cover the cost of his space cab fare when Ataru is unable to pay it (a beautiful woman can get away with anything!). Lum-chan's smile as she was lying on top of Ataru in the rain of oil that the space cab company was pouring down was a smile from the bottom of the heart of a girl who had devoted her life to him. And yet, whether she is an alien or a terrestrial, her single-minded love for her beloved is beautiful.

The Goodness and Kindness of Girls

Director Mamoru Oshii states, "I think the work Urusei Yatsura can be viewed in many ways, including science fiction, youth drama, and mystery. But I don't want to limit myself to 'this is ○○'. That's why I don't make too many specific settings, and I try to have a wide range of music created. Ataru, the main character (I guess), is an ordinary boy, although his expressions are exaggerated, and Lum-chan, although she has special abilities, is not overly emotional. I don't think she's any different from the other girls. In this context, we'll be portraying the relationship between men and women, but since this is a new story, we will direct it in a way that does not make it too sloppy. The most interesting part is that Ataru lives his life according to his true desires. Even women can't be satisfied if they're alone - I can totally relate to this (laughs). If her 'honest feelings' and 'actual attitude' become the flavor of the work, I think Ataru and the others will be able to make their presence felt. Well, men always want to be jealous of women, so Lum-chan might be their ideal woman (laughs)."

How Many Parodies Have You Discovered?

★Did you see the first episode of Urusei Yatsura, "I'm Lum the Notorious!" which has gained popularity even before it aired? You may have noticed that there are many parodies of various anime in this story. So, here is a homework assignment from the animation department to you, the readers.

Question: How many parodies were there in the first episode of Urusei Yatsura? Give the number and the name of the work on which the parody is based! We will give prizes to ten people who answer correctly. Please write your name, address and phone number on a postcard and send it to:

Urusei Yatsura Homework Section,
Gakken "Animedia",
4-40-45 Kamiikedai, Ota-ku, Tokyo 146, Japan.

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Footnotes

• [1] This article covers three of Studio Pierrot's series, the first is Miss Machiko (まいっちんぐマチコ先生/Maicchinngu Machiko-Sensei), the second is Urusei Yatsura and the third is The Wonderful Adventure of Nils (ニルスのふしぎな旅/Nirusu no Fushigi na Tabi). We've only translated the Urusei Yatsura portion of the article here.

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