Urusei Yatsura: The Obstacle Course Swimming Meet - The appeal and evaluation of the series event screening

The appeal and evaluation of "Urusei Yatsura: The Obstacle Swimming Meet"

■Overview of the work

"Urusei Yatsura: The Obstacle Course Swimming Meet" was a special event screening produced as part of the "Rumiko Takahashi Exhibition" held nationwide from July 30, 2008 to March 14, 2010. The film is set at the obstacle course swimming meet held at Tomobiki High School, and depicts the grueling race of Ataru, Lum, and friends, who are fighting for an exemption from summer vacation homework. Although it is a short film of 30 minutes, it is a work that brings out the charm of the original work to the fullest.

■ Story

Tomobiki High School is hosting an obstacle swimming competition with the special privilege of being exempt from summer vacation homework. The familiar characters, Ataru, Lum, Mendou, Shinobu, and Ran, are depicted as they do whatever it takes to take on the grueling race. This is a work that shines with the humor and friendship that unfolds during the race, as well as the individuality of the characters.

■Production Background

This work was created for the "Rumiko Takahashi Exhibition" held to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the launch of "Weekly Shonen Sunday". Based on the original work by Rumiko Takahashi, it was produced by Sunrise and directed by Yonetani Yoshitomo. It was shown at events all over the country, providing an opportunity to convey the new appeal of "Urusei Yatsura" to fans.

■Characters and Cast

The charm of "Urusei Yatsura" is undoubtedly its unique characters. In this work, the characters from the original work appear as they are, and are played by voice actors familiar to fans.

• Ataru Moroboshi: Toshio Furukawa
• Ram: Fumi Hirano
• Shutaro Mendou: Akira Kamiya
• Shinobu Miyake: Saeko Shimazu
• Ryunosuke Fujinami: Mayumi Tanaka
• Ten: Kazuko Sugiyama
• Orchid: Kazue Komiya
• Sakura: Machiko Washio
• Confused: Ichiro Nagai
• Oyuki: Noriko Obara
• Benten: Yuko Mita
• Ryunosuke's father: Toru Okawa
• Hot spring mark: Ikemizu Michihiro
• Ataru's father: Kenichi Ogata
• Ataru's mother: Natsumi Sakuma
• Ryoko Mendou: Mami Koyama
• Principal: Tomomichi Nishimura
• Sugar: TARAKO
• Shrine: Chinatsu Sakamoto
• Peppaa: Rumiko Ukai
• Kosuke Shirai: Kappei Yamaguchi
• Students: Fuminori Komatsu, Masayuki Shoji, Yuka Nagayoshi, Keiichi Kuwahara, Saori Seto, Ryusaku Chijiwa, Satoshi Kubo

This cast brings out the best in the characters' personalities, adding depth and humor to the work.

■ Staff

Many staff members were involved in the production of this work. The original work was written by Takahashi Rumiko, the director was Yonetani Yoshitomo, the director was Kitahata Toru, the script was written by Yokote Michiko, the character designs were Doki Te Tsukasa and Hirota Mayumi, the animation director was Doki Te Tsukasa, the cinematographers were Asahi Productions and Wada Naoyuki, Okubo Masuno Megumi, Yanagida Takashi, Nogami Daichi, Yamazaki Rie, Teramoto Yuki, Moriya Wakana, Kamijo Tomoya, Fujisaka Megumi, the music was Watanabe Tsuyoshi, the sound director was Kimura Eriko, the art director was Ikeda Shigemi, the recording studio was Omnibus Japan Sanbunzaka Studio, the production was Sunrise, the production was Shogakukan and Sunrise, and the producer was Tamura Kazuhiko. These staff members worked together to faithfully reproduce the worldview of the original work while bringing out new charms.

■ Evaluation and impressions

For fans of the original work, "Urusei Yatsura: The Obstacle Course Swimming Meet" is a work that feels both nostalgic and fresh at the same time. In a short 30-minute run, the film is packed with the personalities and humor of the characters, making it a worthwhile watch. In particular, the setting of an obstacle course swimming meet is fresh, and you can enjoy the various episodes that unfold during the race.

The voice actors' performances are also superb, bringing out the best in the characters. Toshio Furukawa as Ataru, Aya Hirano as Lum, and Akira Kamiya as Mendou Shutaro all stand out with their performances that faithfully recreate the image of the original work. The script and direction are also skillful, and the story unfolds in a new way while firmly adhering to the worldview of the original work.

This film was shown at events all around the country and was loved by many fans. It is a must-see for fans of Rumiko Takahashi's original work. It is also a film that allows newcomers to fully enjoy the charm and humor of the characters.

■ Related works

"Urusei Yatsura: The Obstacle Course Swimming Meet" is a work produced as part of the "Urusei Yatsura" series. Throughout the series, Rumiko Takahashi's unique worldview and the charm of her characters are depicted. By enjoying the other works in the series together, you can experience the world of "Urusei Yatsura" even more deeply.

■Recommendation

"Urusei Yatsura: The Obstacle Course Swimming Meet" is recommended not only for fans of the original work, but also for people who love anime and comedies. In a short 30-minute time frame, the film is packed with the personalities and humor of the characters, making it a worthwhile watch. In particular, the setting of an obstacle course swimming meet is fresh, and you can enjoy the various episodes that unfold during the race.

The voice actors' performances are also superb, bringing out the best in the characters. Toshio Furukawa as Ataru, Aya Hirano as Lum, and Akira Kamiya as Mendou Shutaro all stand out with their performances that faithfully recreate the image of the original work. The script and direction are also skillful, and the story unfolds in a new way while firmly adhering to the worldview of the original work.

This film was shown at events all around the country and was loved by many fans. It is a must-see for fans of Rumiko Takahashi's original work. It is also a film that allows newcomers to fully enjoy the charm and humor of the characters.

■Detailed information

• Public Media: Events
• Original Media: Manga
• Release date: July 30, 2008 - March 14, 2010
• Publication method: Sponsored by Shogakukan and Yomiuri Shimbun
• Minutes: 30 minutes
• Number of episodes: 1
• Original story: Rumiko Takahashi
• Director: Yonetani Yoshitomo
• Produced by: Sunrise
• Produced by: Shogakukan, Sunrise
• Copyright: © Rumiko Takahashi/Shogakukan, Sunrise

Conclusion

"Urusei Yatsura: The Obstacle Course Swimming Meet" is a work that fully brings out the charm of the original work, and fans will feel nostalgic and fresh at the same time. In a short 30-minute time frame, the characters' personalities and humor are packed into the film, making it a worthwhile watch. In particular, the setting of an obstacle course swimming meet is fresh, and you can enjoy the various episodes that unfold during the race. The voice actors' performances are also superb, bringing out the charm of the characters to the fullest. This is a must-see for fans of Rumiko Takahashi's original work. It is also a work that will allow those who are new to the world of "Urusei Yatsura" to fully enjoy the charm and humor of the characters.