Subculture World (21) Urusei Yatsura Anything Goes ★ "Rumic World"-Daccha
Translation by: Harley Acres
The manga Urusei Yatsura, which was made into an anime in the 1980s and had a great influence on subculture with its unique characters and novel stories, returns to television this fall. We asked Rumiko Takahashi, the original author, about her thoughts on her work and her expectations for the new anime. “Subculture” represents manga, anime, and games. In this column, we will examine the unique aspects of the marshy bog that is the subculture. Published on the 4th Tuesday of every month.
The concept was "anything goes"
Urusei Yatsura was Rumiko Takahashi's first full-fledged weekly serialization. The unique world view that came to be called "Rumic World", which spans a wide range of genres from gag to romance, battle, and horror, has been attracting attention ever since this manga's debut.
“I wanted to do everything from sci-fi to slapstick and school stuff, so the concept was "anything goes". I thought the main character would be Ataru, and Lum was going to be a guest character, but she was the right person to wrap up the third chapter and thus she reappeared."
An oni with two horns and a fierce temperament that emits electric shocks, Lum, is a beautiful girl in a tiger-striped bikini who is singularly focused on Ataru. She is a famous character in the history of subculture. She is also characterized by her unique manner of speaking with her sentences ending in "~ dacha", and she has been very popular in cosplay circles ever since.
Takahashi-san also states, "Basically, I like all the characters, but when I look back on it now, I think Lum's design was the best," knowing that it's surprising that she was originally planned to only be a guest star.
"I was so desperate to draw that I didn't know much about subcultures. The first clue I got was in the fan mail I received. I was happy that people seemed to be enjoying it," she recalls.
The original anime series had its own unique flavor, with film director Mamoru Oshii serving as chief director for the first half of the series, and "Megane," who played a minor role in the original story, became a famous character known for his long monologues. [1]
"Since I was a newcomer, I thought that was typical for anime adaptations at the time. I think the original stories and the presence of Megane-kun were an explosion of motivation and enthusiasm from the staff at the time."
Takahashi enjoys the animated adaptations of her work which have helped them become widely known and states she has always watched them. What are your hopes for this new adaptation?
"I'm looking forward to seeing the current animation techniques. As for the voice actors, we had some of the best performers last time, and we have a great lineup this time as well. I am looking forward to a fast-paced, fun and silly anime."
"Urusei Yatsura was a work in which I put everything I could at that time, it's the work that launched me." When asked the reason why she ended the serialization, Takahashi-san stated, "I wanted to draw other worlds... I guess," But is there a possibility that the re-animation of the series will lead some to expect a sequel?
"I don't have any plans for that. I finished drawing the last chapter."
If the reader isn't enjoying it, then it is not entertainment
The environment surrounding manga and anime has changed since the days of the original serialization of Urusei Yatsura, but she says of her own creative activities, "I still draw in analog, even though the digitalization of manga is advancing. I personally prefer paper books to e-books, so I want the book culture to remain. I am always conscious about freedom of expression. Basically, if the reader isn't enjoying it, then it is not entertainment. Although I have been drawing for a long time, I understand the times in my own way, but I don't force myself, so I never feel that I am influenced by outside pressures."
When asked about her future goals, Takahashi-san replied, "First of all, my goal is to finish drawing MAO, which is currently being serialized. I will continue to work hard so that I can draw manga that people will enjoy reading and want to read again," she summed up in humbly.
Urusei Yatsura
A sci-fi romantic comedy manga revolving around a flirtatious high school student, Ataru Moroboshi, and the oni alien, Lum. It was serialized in Weekly Shonen Sunday (Shogakukan) from 1978 to 1987, and a TV anime was also broadcast from 1981 to 1986. With its diverse developments and appealing characters, it became a big hit and rocked the youth culture of the time. This year, a new TV anime has been produced to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Shogakukan. From October 13th, every Thursday at 24:55, it will be broadcast on Fuji TV's late-night animation block "Noitamina". All 4 cours will be episodes carefully selected from the original manga. Ataru is played by Hiroshi Kamiya, and Lum is played by Sumire Uesaka.Rumiko Takahashi
Born in 1957 in Niigata City. She graduated from Japan Women's University, Faculty of Letters, Department of History. She made her debut in 1978 while still in college with her story Katte na Yatsura. Many of her works have been made into TV anime, such as Urusei Yatsura, Maison Ikkoku, Ranma 1/2, Inuyasha, and Kyokai no RINNE. In 2017, she had gained international popularity, surpassing 200 million copies of her work sold worldwide. In 2018, she won the Eisner Award, one of the most prestigious awards in the United States, called the "Academy Awards for Comics", and in 2019, she won the Grand Prix at the Angoulême International Comics Festival in France. She received the Medal with Purple Ribbon in the autumn of 2020. She is currently serializing MAO in Weekly Shonen Sunday (Shogakukan).Footnotes
- [1] Readers are often curious about Takahashi's feelings about Mamoru Oshii's work on Beautiful Dreamer, and his adapatation of Urusei Yatsura. "The Time We Spoke Endlessly About the Things We Loved" and "Three-Way Interview" are two articles that are recommended so that readers can make up their own minds about her feelings in her own words. Additionally in her 35th anniversary interview with Comics Natalie she expresses her enjoyment of Oshii's work, though by contrast in her Italian interview she gave a vague answer that was more negative (though she did not name Oshii or Beautiful Dreamer explicitly).
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