© Rumiko Takahashi・Shogakukan/Urusei Yatsura Anime Production Committee
I’m finally starting to see a pattern in the later volumes of Urusei Yatsura. It felt like we were alternating between sitcom-level skits and more serious stories that showed a bit of dimension to all the characters, with the latter having the potential to last more than an hour. practice. While it made the pacing and format of each episode a bit predictable, I was glad to be able to walk away from each episode feeling largely satisfied. There’s enough here for me to laugh at and enough here for me to feel.
The first play is quite humorous in its appeal. I was giggling when Shinobu, Ataru and Lum snuck into Shutaro’s room. I’m surprised Ataru cared enough to check on Shutaro, but I also wouldn’t be surprised if he was just there to mess with him since these two don’t have an ounce of compassion for each other. The ending was abrupt, like some of the other skits in the show, but I think that abruptness worked in this skit’s favor. I’ve mentioned some comedy stories that sometimes feel like sitcoms, and this is probably the biggest example of everyone laughing in an “oh my bad” tone at the end. I was justifiably waiting for the laugh track to start playing.
The second play is where we get a deeper understanding of the drama of the film. I have to commend the additional dimension we’re seeing here at Ataru. I know this reboot is rearranging content from the manga, so events don’t happen in the same order as with the original content. I wonder if there was a conscious effort to save all the material that showed more of Ataru’s good side for the end of the series to create the illusion of character growth? It would explain why we see more dimension from him each episode than we did in the beginning of the series, and if that’s the case then I think it’s a pretty inspired creative decision. While it didn’t feel like any developments were happening from one episode to the next, I found myself respecting Ataru more as a character from episode to episode. Although he still acts like a perverted wanderer, he also shows that he cares when the situation really calls for it.
Sure, he complained about wearing extremely warm clothes in the middle of summer, but he played the whole situation with the ghost girl extremely straight. He doesn’t complain about looking like an idiot to everyone, doesn’t flirt with other girls when the situation starts, and does everything he can to make sure this girl enjoys her time with him. he. He even ended up visiting her grave, which was a legal thing he didn’t have to do. It’s almost like we’re seeing signs that there’s a truly thoughtful and mature character underneath the goofy stereotype, he just doesn’t want to show it all the time. It also makes me believe why Lum likes him so much. Maybe you should put up with all the weird antics if it means having moments like these.
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Urusei Yatsura is now streaming on Hide.