Urusei Yatsura

Episode 2

I know some viewers aren't on board with the incredibly fast pacing of this anime adaptation so far. For an adaptation that definitely isn't going to cover everything from the original manga, there are points where it feels like it's trying to cram in too much in these 23-minute episodes. That said, I personally think that the pacing by and large enhances the comedic appeal of this series. I don't particularly find the overall setups for the bizarre situations that are thrown at our unlucky protagonist funny; rather, it's the final punchlines and the specific ways everyone reacts to everything that brought genuine laughs out of me. For me, the humor lies in the ridiculous extremes that situations will escalate to combined with the rapid-fire witty retorts of the large cast, and the frenetic pacing of these episodes serves to facilitate that. Little moments like the way that Ataru's parents just blatantly roast him within earshot, or when Cherry senses that he's in trouble so he just books it before Lum has a chance to find him, are great. All the while, the show is still riding that line between portraying its protagonist as kind of a sleaze but also making us just straight up feel bad for him, because I don't think he deserves about half the stuff that happens to him.

Sakura seems like a fun addition to the cast, although I'm curious how prominent of a recurring character she will be since her main gimmick of being in pain and screaming at everything seemed to be resolved in the same skit that she was introduced in. I wonder if the show will follow a similar structure with new characters the same way that it seems to be treating Shinobu, where they only get a singular dynamic or gimmick that will be presented under different circumstances. It's somewhat concerning, because I could very easily see certain running gags being beaten into the ground, and I would really like it if that doesn't happen for a show that's supposed to be airing for about a year. Writing about the comedy for this show and how it works or doesn't work is certainly going to be a challenge, but it's one that I wholeheartedly accept and look forward to.

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Urusei Yatsura is currently streaming on HIDIVE.