Season
overview:
This season continues the quality animation and storytelling of the previous season. Yamazaki's Urusei Yatsura continues to get better and better. Strangely there still are a few episodes with old-looking 1982 animation style, but for the most part this is the best Urusei Yatsura has looked. Comparing these episodes made near at the end of 1984 with the TV show a couple of years earlier, you'd think there was six year difference between the two. The fact that Urusei Yatsura upgraded its look so drastically over such a short period still amazes me. The third movie Remember My Love also started going into production later on in this season, but did not debut until well into the next season.
Episode 127: 愛のすみかはいずこ? 栗子と長十郎
Ai no tsumi ka wa izuko? Kuriko to Chojuro (Where is Love's Home? Kuriko and Chojuro)
While picking fruits in an orchard, Lum discovers a living fruit that wants to be with another living fruit it loves. By sitting on a person's head, these two fruits can posses a person somewhat, but not completely. So a struggle ensues as to who will bear the fruits so that they may be together.
Cherry and Kotatsuneko's sake bottles are called "Tokkuri." Sake is poured into these bottles, then the bottles are placed in warm water to heat the sake before it is poured into the cups.
Pear Picking - A trip to a pear orchard in Japan is equivalent to visiting a strawberry patch in America, and is a common class trip in Japan.
No episode was aired the following two weeks.
Episode 128: 人か鳥か? 豪華けんらん正義の味方!
Hito ka tori ka? Gokakenran seigi no mikata (Man or Bird? Gokakenran, Champion of Justice!)
Jariten meets and helps revive an aging superhero. This superhero helps train Jariten to be his replacement by giving Ten his very own super suit.
The spacecraft that the superhero passes in the beginning is one of the Voyager probes.
The turtle and crane on his mask are symbols of long life in Japan. They are usually prominent at weddings or other special occasions.
"Unbranded Quality Goods" - This is a real brand name in Japan that prides itself on having no brand, thus saving the customer money.
The two fish on Super's belt buckle are symbols usually seen as a decorative accessory on tile roofs.
Yamanaka Shikanosuke (1545-1578) - This samurai, who claimed to be a child of the moon, made a famous vow under the new moon, declaring to accept "all seven troubles and eight pains" if peace came to his retainer.
Episode 129: 先輩をやっつけろ! ご存知三人娘の逆襲
Senpai wo yattsukero! Gosannin musume no gyakushuu (Attack your Seniors! Revenge of the Infamous Three Daughters)
The girl gang, Ginger, Pepper and Sugar, return and fail to best Oyuki or Benten, so they try to get Lum. Ataru and Lum make a deal that for one day, Ataru may chase all the girls he wants if he will date Lum. Lum never even notices the gang, although she zaps them several times. When the girls finally confront her she zaps them again.
The TV show at the beginning of the episode, "Narohodo the Space," is a parody of a famous Japanese travel show called "Naruhodo the World," in which the hosts of the show travel the world to explore different cultures.
Harajuku - Harajuku is a very trendy, fashionable district of Tokyo famous for shopping and street performers.
Episode 130: 燃えよかくし芸! この道一直線
Moeyo kakushi gei! Kono michikazu chokusen (Blaze, Secret Powers! Stick to the Straight and Narrow Path)
Lum brings a red balloon-shaped alien to class and makes the kids preform a talent show to his liking or they will not be allowed to leave.
Rakugo - Rakugo is a form of comic storytelling, where the performer sits on his knees and tells stories while holding only a fan and a towel. During these shows, the performer may speak in any number of voices, portraying several characters while telling an entire story through dialogue. True Rakugo takes years to master.
Yoshiwara - The Yoshiwara is Tokyo's old red-light district.
Radio-Taiso-Daiichi - These are a sequence of warm-up exercises that every schoolchild learns in their P.E. classes in Japan. This set of stretches (#1 and #2) covers the entire body and is always accompanied by the same music.
Episode 131: 死んだらあかん! 了子の特製ワラ人形!!
Shinda akan! Ryoko no tokusei waraningyou!! (Don't Die! Ryoko Special Straw Doll)
Ryoko makes a voodoo doll of her brother Shutaro and gives it to Ataru, only telling him that it is important and he should always keep it close to him. During the day, Ataru unknowingly causes Mendo great pain and finally Mendo figures out how.
"Oh roses... Pure contradiction and joy... Inside it's great petals... I hear no one can have a restful sleep." - The poem that Mendo reads is the self-written epitaph of German poet Rainer Maria Rilke (1875-1926).
-Rose, oh pure contradiction, joy
of being No-one's sleep, under so
many lids.
"After all, love is like a battle, and I shall never regret it." - When Ryoko's guards hand the doll over to Ataru, he utters this line, which is a parody of a speech from the 1971 movie, "Melody" (Chiisa na koi no monogatari (Little Love Story)). The film, directed by Waris Hussein and written by Sir Alan Parker, tells the story of two ten-year-olds who want to get married. Later on in the episode, Mendo, half-conscious in Ataru's arms, utters a similar phrase.
Episode 132: お見合地獄! ヨロイ娘は美女? 怪女?
Omiai jigoku! Yoroi musume wa bijyo? Kaijin? (Hell Encounter! Armored Girl; Beauty or Beast? Part 1)
Mendo's parents and the Mizunokoji parents are arranging a marriage between Shutaro and Asuka, but Asuka seems to be some giant armor-clad beast. Tobimaro and Shutaro fight over the marriage. Ataru catches a glimpse of Asuka and pursues her. When he finally catches her, Lum zaps him which causes the armor to fall off.
"She can run 100 meters in about 12 seconds, even when wearking 200kg of armor!"
100 meters is equivalent to about 333 feet, while 200 kg is equal to 440 pounds.
"Oh, the legendary 'daughter-in-a-box!'" - The phrase "hako iri musume" stands for an extremely sheltered daughter. In most cases, a wealthy girl is not exposed to commoners by not being allowed to go to bars or nightclubs.
"He's got the devil's luck!" - This phrase simply speaks for Ataru's knack for getting out of every bad situation he is in while good people are continually besieged by bad luck.
At the end, Cherry imitates the performance of a Koudanshi. This type of performer, whose origins date back to the late 17th century, is an old-fashioned storyteller who sits behind a table and tells a variety of different stories in front of an audience.
Episode 133: ヨロイ娘の恋! 乙女心はグラグラゆれて
Yoroi musume no koi! Otome gokoro wa guragura yurete (Love of the Armored Girl! Maidenly Feelings Reeling Part 2)
Asuka was raised never seeing a male, and Ataru makes a bad first impression, causing Asuka to be terrified of men. After a lot of fighting and running, Asuka is captured and Ataru and Mendo fight over who will marry her. Tobimaro nobly defends his sister causing her to fall in love with him. Ryoko, who allegedly loves Tobimaro, arrives and blows up everything.
Mokouyoshi- This is the adoption of a husband into his wife's higher-ranking family. This is done to preserve the wife's family name when there are no male siblings.
"Ooh! Go for it, Mendo!" - When Ataru screams Mendo-ya, he is yelling a kabuki term. Generally, in the kabuki theater, it is welcome for the audience to yell "yago" to help cheer up a performer.
"Our suicide brigade at point B have been wiped out!" - The term "himeyuri butai" is a reference to the Japanese suicide bombers of World War II.
"All right, then! Let me show you the true power of a champion bell-splitter!" - This phrase is a reference to the many times Mendo has been trapped in bells and, energized by his many phobias, broken out of them. It's a running gag in the series.
Episode 134: 死ぬほど会いたくて! 純情キツネ再び!!
Shiruhodo kaitakute! Junjyou Kitsune futatabi (I Dearly Need You! Return of the Honest Fox!)
Kitsune is told a story about a fellow fox who uses magic seeds to turn a woman into a fox. Kitsune gets some magical seeds and tries to get Shinobu to eat it but everyone ends up having some after it is put into Cherry's cooking pot.
"Please marry me. You can have my bank account... My post office savings... Please... Please..." - In Japan you can have accounts at banks and also at the post office.
When the fox turns into Lum, he speaks with her accent and even adds the -tcha suffix.
"The fox lost his gingko nuts, and he's really upset!" - Gingko nuts are mainly used as a dietary supplement in America, whereas in Japan they are eaten like peanuts. While some people believe ginko can incrase cognitive functions and treat depression, so far there have been no documented cases of people turning into foxes due to its consumption.
"I'm just offering to share some rice gruel." - Rice gruel is rice boiled with lots of water, similar to grits.
Episode 135: おしゃべり花なんかどうわいっきらい!
Oshaberi hana nanka douwaikkirai! (What Do I Care for Talking Flowers!)
Thanks to Cherry, some flowers of Ran's are set loose and quickly multiply. These flowers can repeat anything they hear and end up doing so in very bad places and times. Everywhere, things are going into panic because of the flowers, but Lum and Ran manage to collect and contain them all... they think.
"Lolita Complex"- Lolita, written by Vladimir Nabokov (1899-1977) and published in 1955, is the story of a grown man falling in love with a 12-year-old girl. In Japan, such men are said to suffer from "Lolicon" or "Lolita Complex."
"I guess the students really do object to having classes on Sunday." - It is unusual for kids to go to class on Sundays, but not entirely out of the question. Occasionally they will be asked to come in on the weekends to make up missed class time.
The pictures on the left of Mr. Fujinami's paper are from the sci-fi series UFO, created by Gerry Anderson, of Thunderbirds fame. The ad on the right is for the anime movie Project A-ko.
Ryunosuke and Mr. Fujinami's argument features some imagery of a Mermaid and Lost Soul from Rumiko Takahashi's Mermaid Saga.
In the park the camera pans past Koganemaru, Sue, Maris and Murphy from The Supergal.
While gathering up petals, one of the objects Ran captures is a signboard for Rumiko Takahashi's then most current short story, The Face Pack (われら顔面仲間).
The couple in the front of the crowd are Akane and Kei from Rumiko Takahashi's first published story, Those Selfish Aliens (勝手なやつら).
The statue that Ataru hits Mendo with is a replica of Brussels' most famous icon, the Manneken Pis. The real bronze statue, which "runs" all day, only stands 24 inches high.
The sequence when Mendo turns into a wolf and zombies rise from their graves is an homage to Michael Jackson's music video, Thriller.
When Ryunosuke and her father leave the school they are dressed as Buddhists going on a pilgrimage.
Episode 136: テンちゃんの息子誕生?! わいは知らんど
Ten-chan no musuko tanjou!? Wai wa shirando (The Birth of Ten-chan's Son? I Didn't Know a Thing)
A space carrier passing Earth accidentally drops some weird eggs on it. As Ten soon finds out, these eggs attach them selves to one's belly and after a little time, hatch a bee that looks like the person. The little Ten-bee causes Ten a lot of problems, but soon Ten is not the only one being sporting a mini-bee. Finally, the delivery duck picks up the bees he dropped and takes care of the problem.
Episode 137: ラムの勇気ある決闘! 勝利はせこい手で
Lum no yuukiaru kettou! Shouri wa sekoi te de (Lum's Courageous Duel! An Ironic Victory)
A junior female student at Tomobiki is bring bothered by Soban and his flunkies, but Lum zaps them and saves her. Lum then promises the girl that she will fight Soban for her and win. However, Lum finds the she is far from strong enough, so she uses a pair of strength wristbands and some special pills that temporarily give her super-strength to fight Soban.
Ryunosuke and Mr. Fujinami's fight is a parody of the Ultraman series. In the series, the timer that goes off is a warning that Ultraman is losing his powers, usually after three minutes. After the timer went off, he flew into space to replenish his powers.
The sound that Ryu makes, shuuwatch, is slightly different from the one in the series.
Lum's costume and hairstyle at the end is a typical Chinese kung-fu outfit.
Due to the end of the year holiday season, no new episode of Urusei Yatsura aired the following two weeks.
Episode 138: 就職大願望! 帰ってきた抜け忍かえで!!
Shuushoku taiganbo! Kaette kita nukenin kaede!! (Job Hunting! Sneaky Return of the Reject!)
Kaede, the ninja girl, is found by Mendo and gives her a job as bodyguard in order to hide her. The old lady ninja master shows up and Ryoko sets up a race for Kaede to see if she is good enough for her job.
Troubleyu - This is a very popular job magazine that covers employment opporunities as well as interview and resume advice.
"Starting message: Kaede is close! Ending message: Friday, it's clothes!" - When Lady Yatsude's minion respond with this message, they are playing a game where one person starts a message and passes to another. By the time the message makes it to the end of the line, it's meaning has completely changed. Lady Yatsude is not amused.
Kin ton and Kinton- The phrase "kin" means "money" and "ton" means "disguise." However, when the words are combined to "kinton," it is a sweet-potato paste. Both are effective ninja techniques.
The man making tofu, who later fights Kaede, wears a baseball cap with a set of numbers. This is his vegetable market bidding number, which is usually also the shop number.
Episode 139: 友引高校サバイバル! 生き残るのは誰だ!!
Tomobiki koukou sabaibaru! Ikkinokoru no wa dare da!! (Tomobiki High School Survival! Who Are the Survivors!)
Three boys at Tomobiki High school have a motherly love for tomatoes, and when Jariten accidentally burns their green house, they beat him up. Ten takes revenge by sinking the school roof high into the ground. Everyone gets uneasy and blame falls on the three tomato boys, who start fighting back.
The three vegetable gardeners, Yotchan, Toshichan, and Mokkun, are spoofs of the Tanokin Trio, a popular Japanese singing group from the 1980s, whose members included Kondo Masahiko, Tahara Toshihiko, and Motoki Masahiro.
"Tomorrow, Sunday, this class will be given a special aptitude test." - Onsen is speaking about a type of skills test, which can either act as a college entrance exam or simply an end-of-year exam to check a student's progress. However, Sunday is a strange day to be taking any kind of test.
"Choose! Either the test or your tomatoes or kompeito or whatever!" - Kompeito is a traditional Japanese sugar candy that gets its name from the tiny bulges that form around it in the cooking process.
"Seiko! Yoshie! Kyoko! Akina! Junko! Kumiko! Iyo! Chiemi!" - All the tomatoes are named after female pop stars of the day.
"Kyon-kyon... I won't let them take you!" - "Kyon-kyon is the nickname of singer Kyoko Koizumi. Kyoko got her break in 1981 with the American Idol-esque show Staa Tanjou ("A Star is Born"). Since that time she has remained one of the most familiar faces and voices in Japanese pop culture.
"Mattchi shall have his vengeance!" - This name is yet another reference to Tanokin Trio member, Masahiko Kondo, who left the band to pursue a career as a driver/owner in the Japanese GT Series race circuit.
Episode 140: 謎の巨大ケーキ! 恋の逃避行パニック!!
Nazono kyodai kekki! Koi no touhikou panikku!! (The Mysterious Giant Cake! Love's Fleeing Panic!!)
Ryoko invites everyone to a party inside a giant cake hall. Once everyone has arrived, Ryoko lets it be know that the cake is infested with bombs all set to go off soon. With a bomb detector, Lum and the other's try to find all the bombs and end up at the top of the cake. Where Ryoko is waiting with a machine gun, tries to convince Tobimaro to marry her. But a puppeteer tells Ryoko it's time for the bombs to detonate, so she leaves unscathed.
"Hey! Add one ton of fresh whipped cream!"- Here are the Animeigo staff's estimates for the ingredients to Mendo's sponge cake:
500,000 large eggs
50,000 cups of sugar
50,000 cups of sifted flour
100,000 tsp of vanilla
One ton of fresh whipped cream
"Everyone, welcome to the Mendo family New Year's party!"- New Year's is usually a week-long celebration that lasts from December 28 until January 4th.
"We, the proletariat of class 2-4 must be nobler, with more of a spirit of battle!" - Class 2-4 is a simple way of saying "the second year of the fourth term." In Japan, school is split up into three or four terms, beginning with elementary and going up through high school. The fourth, and last term, typically consists of the sophomore, junior and senior years. Therefore, Megane and his friends are juniors in high school.
"Here I come, Shuu! Wash your neck and wait for me!" - Ton utters these words as a forewarning because he wants Mendo's neck to be clean when he decapitates him.
"No need for excuses!" (Mondou Muyou) - Mendo uses this famous phrase which was uttered by samurais as they charged their opponents.
Episode 141: 魔境転生! ダーリンはなにを考えてるっちゃ!?
Makyou denshyou! Darrin wa nani wo kangaeteruccha!? (Underground Reincarnation! What's Darling Thinking Of!?)
Ataru, Lum, Shinobu, and Mendo's plane crashes on an island and the group meets a girl and her father in a village where large bamboo shoots instantly grow at noon. The village also has special mushrooms that make one fall asleep in a burst of light and the surrounding area becomes one's dream world. Everyone east one, but only Ataru's is special.
The title of this episode (The Reincarnation of Hell! What is Darling Thinking?!) is a play on the film Makai-tensho (Samurai Resurrection), which is a retelling of a traditional Japanese story about a samurai who denounces his faith and sells his soul to Satan. The original film, starring cult legend Sonny Chiba and directed by Kinji Fukusaku, premiered in 1981. Since that time, there have been several sequels, remakes, and anime about this famous story.
"No, really. Recycle it and you'll get about twenty rolls of toilet paper for it." - Ataru's phrase, with the word "chirigamikokan," is a reference to a popular Japanese recycling business in the 1980s, where peole would trade their old newspapers and other recyclables for toilet paper. During this time, recycling trucks would prowl the neighborhoods, playing merry tunes, not unlike ice cream trucks in the US.
Episode 142: お芝居パニック! 面堂家花見のうたげ!!
Oshibai panikku! Mendo-ke hanami no utage!! (Snow Panic? Mendo Family Cherry Blossom Display Banquet!)
The students are having a celebration outside and end up all getting intoxicated and performing a play that takes place in feudal Japan.
Iku Suzuki, the director of this episode, would go on to direct the second Ranma 1/2 film.
A masu is a box-like container that is often used as a sake up.
"Hey, it's Mr. Kin." - In the acting sequence, Ataru dresses as the character Toyama Kinshiro, from the television series Toyama no Kinsan. In the series Kinshiro is a town magistrate who disguises himself in various costumes to solve a crime. At the end of each episode, Kinshiro was famous for revealing his identity by showing off his cherry blossom tattoo.
"Isn't that... Yaoya-no-Oshichi." - After Lum eats the pickled plum and joins the acting fun, she portrays the arsonist, Yaoya-no-Oshichi (literally Oshichi of the grocery store). The legend behind this infamous lady begins when her father's vegetable shop is burned down in 1682. While the shop was being rebuilt, Oshichi and her family stayed at a nearby temple, where she fell in love with a young man. After the house was rebuilt, her family moved out of the temple and Oshichi was never able to see him again. Thinking that another fire would bring them together, she set fire to another building. However, the fire spread and burned down most of the town. Oshichi was soon caught and promptly executed for arson. Today, her tomb is a popular visiting place, especially on her birthday, March 29th.
When Ataru changes into the eye-glassed man in the long black suit, he portrays a character from the famous mystery series, Kaijin Nijyu Menso, written by Taro Hirai (1894-1965). Better known by his pen name, Edogawa Ranpo (an homage to Edgar Allen Poe), he wrote many popular stories that are still being made into movies.
"Shirokage, hurry!" - This is a reference to the television series, Akakage. In the series, three ninjas, led by Akakage, defend all of Japan from evil ninjas, monsters, and other wrongdoers. Two Akakage movies have also been made, one in 1969 and the other in 2001.
"Transform!" - This is a reference to the television series Kamen Rider. In it, the hero, a cyborg named Kamen Rider, saves the Earth from an evil mastermind. The series, much like Ultraman, had many spinoffs that featured new Kamen Riders which came to the aid of other Kamen Riders.
"Masker Riders, transform! Fight! Fight!" - This shot features a variety of characters and films ranging from Gekko Kamen, The Power Rangers, Frankenstein vs. Baragon and Maguma Taishi.
Episode 143: 春遠からじ! さびしがり屋の妖精物語!!
Harudoo karaji! Sabishi gariya no youseimonogatari!! (From the Far Spring! The Tale of the Lonely Fairy!)
A snow fairy is watching Ataru during the day and makes a date with him for tomorrow. When tomorrow arrives, Shinobu is telling Lum's stormtroopers about snow fairies while Ataru is meeting with her in the forest. She speaks with him in a way that makes him think of his relation with Lum and when he returns home, he is in an odd mood.
"Number eight, Girl A, here I come." - When the physical education teacher says this, it is a reference to how a girl introduces herself at any amateur talent contest.
Kendo is a very unusual sport for a physical education class and is usually reserved as an after-school club sport.
"You want me to heat your bento?" - A bento is a type of lunch box that can be heated or warmed. At the time of this episode, Ataru's bento was most likely made of aluminum and heated on a stove or furnace. Today bentos are plastic and can be warmed in the microwave.
When Ataru snacks during class, he is sneak-eating his lunch early (haya-ben). Many schoolchildren are guilty of this, however most wait for one of the 10 or 15 minute class breaks to do so.
"Oh yeah, why don't we bring little pocket heaters. We have some at home." - The pocket heaters Ataru refers to are foot warmers (anka) and small pocket heaters (kairo). The foot warmers, which can be electronic or a water filled device, are placed around one's feet on a bed while they sleep. The pocket heaters are usually small packets that, when shaken up and beaten, produce heat from the chemical reaction.
The toy robot in front of Lum is Robby the Robot, who can be seen in such films as Forbidden Planet.
"I'm 'fairy' sure that you're kidding." - The term "yousei" can double as the word "fairy" or the phrase "stop it." Hence Ataru's fun with the pun.
Episode 144: 夢の中へ! ダーリン争奪 バトルロイヤル
Yume no naka he! Darrin soudatsu batoru roiyaru (To Dreamland! Darling Battle Royale Abduction)
Lum is growing some special Dream Fruit berries and Ten-chan secretly gives on to Sakura, and Lum gives one to Ataru. Every night, Sakura and Ataru meet in there dreams, which is very unpleasing to Sakura. Thrice is too much and Sakura demands an explanation. Lum takes a dream berry and all three of them have a fight in dreamland over who will marry who, since there are two Atarus in this dreamland, the real one and the dream one.
"Behold. The sunrise! What a beautiful sun; shining as if only to glorify our radiant future together." - This sequence is a spoof of the novel, Konjiki Yasha ("The Golden Demon"), written by Kouyou Ozaki. The story follows two lovers, Omiya and Kanichi, whose engagement is suddenly called off when Omiya's parents force their daughter to marry a wealthy buisnessman. After a number of years pass, Kanichi becomes becomes rich and cold-hearted and loses all faith in love. The story, later made into a 1954 film directed by Koji Shima, won the "Golden Harvest" award at the Southeast Asia Film Festival.
"Don't just rely on your teammates." - This is a parody of the popular Japanese manga and television series Attack No. 1. The story follows a young girl who dreams of playing for the Japanese National Volleyball Team. It remains as one of the most quoted anime of all time.
Ataru and Sakura's orange suits are yet another parody of the Ultraman series.
Episode 145: またもや三人娘! ダーリン誘惑大作戦!!
Matamoya sannin musume! Darrin yuuwaku taisaku ikusa!! (Return of the Three Daughters! The Great Scheme to Seduce Darling!)
Sugar, Ginger, and Pepper try to seduce Ataru, but fail miserably. They use an aphrodisiac spray which causes Ataru to fall in love with just about everyone and everything but the three girls.
"Address: Constellation-Tonkotsu, 10ER, Planet D." - Tonkotsu, besides being the name of the Spice Girls' home, is also the name of a type of pork-based soup.
"They have tags on them with addresses and phone numbers." - In Japan, young children usually have their addresses and phone numbers stitched or pinned to their clothing.
"Girl-hunt research, for posterity, topic one." - This is a parody of the anime Ashita no Joe (Joe of Tomorrow). The anime features a young man named Joe who spends time in a prison and later learns to box from an alcoholic former boxer.
Episode 146: 駆けめぐるコタツ猫! 何が何でも暖まる
Kakeru kemeguru Kotatsuneko! Naniga nandemo atatamaru (The Scampering Kotatsu Cat! Anything to Get Warm)
Kotatsuneko buys a kotatsu that refuses to let a blanket be put on it. After examination, Ataru discovers the Mendo crest on it calls Mendo an idiot; but that summons Mendo just as easily. After a fashion, the kotatsu meets another living kotatsu and the two go off together.
"The lone cedar from the south pole." - Contrary to what Mendo says about the origins of the kotatsu, the hardy cedar does not grow at the south pole.
When the lady is confronted by the possessed kotatsu, she drops a type of kairo (pocket heater).
"It's been ten and several years since your mom left the house." - This is the literal translation of Mr. Fujinami's words.
Episode 147: 竜之介の父・純情す! 妻は面影の中に!!
Ryunosuke no chichi・junjousu! Suma wa omokage no naka ni!! (Ryunosuke's Father's Self Sacrificing Devotion! His Wife is Within Images!)
Ryunosuke is again pressing her father for information about her mother. Mr. Fujinami tries to get a new wife to be Ryu's mother, but his attempts are useless. Finally Mr. Fujinami takes Ryu to a amusement park where he and his wife used to work before they were married, and he gives Ryunosuke Masako's work outfit.
"Ryunosuke. On behalf of your mother, I sewed this for you. It's stitched with love." - The item that Mr. Fujinami sews for his daughter is a fundoshi, which is a traditional male loincloth.
The box marked "Dobu" that Mr. Fujinami pours into his stew literally translates to "gutter" or "drainage" and is probably some type of cleaner.
"I said, how far north has the cherry blossom front marched?" - As spring progresses, the cherry blossom trees bloom across Japan, starting in the south and marching towards the north. The progress of this "Cherry blossom front" is a staple of evening TV newscasts.
The magazine that Mr. Fujinami cradles in his hands is called "Shojo Yondeh" and is a riff on the popular magazine Shonen Sunday. The words Shojo (girl) and Yondeh (Monday) parody Shonen (boy) and Sunday.
Ryunosuke's green suit is from the Kamen Rider series.
Among the many faces in the crowd at the Hero Action Show, the man with the long face, long hair, and beige suit is a parody of Kinpachi-sensei from the show San-nen B-gumi Kinpachi-sensei (Mr. Kinpachi's High School Senior Class B). The series, starring Tetsuya Takeda, follows a teacher who works alongside his students to help them get through the school year and ultimately achieve their goals. Following its original airing in 1979, several TV series, movies and even a role-playing video game were based on the popular series.
Episode 148: 春らんまん!? おユキのカゼで氷づけ!!
Haru ranman!? Oyuki no kaze de mizu duke!! (Spring Blossom! Frozen by Oyuki's Cold)
Ran needs money for a date with Rei, so she convinces Oyuki to help her and they set up a stall at a festival. But Ran tries to sneak away with the money after she had promised to give half to Oyuki, so Oyuki freezes Ran and takes all the money. The next day, both Ran and Oyuki have a cold, but Oyuki's cold causes her to uncontrollably freeze everything around her and her cure requires capturing Kotatsuneko.
The movie poster above Ran and Lum is a reference to not only Oyuki, but also the 1968 fllm Kaidan Yuki-onna (The Snow Woman) directed by Tanaka Tokuzo. Sharp eyed viewers may also see a poster for the third Urusei Yatsura film, Remember My Love, as well.
Pot and kettle..." - Benten's phrase is a reference to the adage of "the pot calling the kettle black." It comes directly after Lum calls Ran stingy, and vice-versa.
Episode 149: 友情パニック! わいはフグが好きやねん
Yuujou panikku! Wai wa fugu ga tsuki yanen (Panic Among Friends! I Love to Eat Blowfish)
Lum and Ataru buy a blowfish. Jariten likes it as a pet, but Ataru wants to have it grow so he can eat it. Jariten gives the fish the same food that he has given to other animals that cause them to grow and the fish can now fly and spit electricity. The fish goes out and gets into frays with Cherry, Kotatsuneko, Mr. Fujinami, and causes Mendo and some girls to get mad at Ataru.
"Sure Death Technique: Banana Shoot!" - Ataru's "Banana Shoot" is a reference to a soccer kick where the ball, once kicked, moves in a curved pattern.
The print of the laody on the side of the truck is an example of "ukiyo-e" (pictures of the floating world). Dating back to the Edo period, these popular woodblock prints depicted the famous entertainers and courtesans of the day and decorated many storefornts, theaters, and even brothels.
"Needless to say, such ornate noodle toopings as egg, burdock tempura, and croquettes..." - The root of the burdock plant is used in many Japanese foods, particularly a deep fried tempura dish.
As Mr. Fujinami prepares his meal, he slices through a daikan (Japanese radish), a head of lettuce, and a tawashi. A tawashi is a scrubbing brush made out of natural materials used for scrubbing greasy pans and dirty dishes. Outside of the Fujinami household, they are not used for cooking.
"Now it's a flat blowfish." - This sequence is a reference to the popular anime series Dokonjo Gaeru (The Gutsy Frog). In it, a young boy falls on a frog and it becomes glued to his shirt. Over the course of the series, the frog, which can talk and move around on the shirt, follows the boy around on adventures.
Episode 150: 帰ってきたヨロイ娘! お兄様がいっぱい
Kaette kita yoroi musume! Oniisan ga ippai (The Armored Girl Returns! Plenty of Older Brothers)
Asuka comes to Tomobiki High School to deliver a message to Mendo, but seeing all the boys at school frightens Asuka. Then she happens to fall in on Ryu who Asuka mistakes for a boy. This leaves Ryunosuke frustratedly trying to show Asuka the truth.
