うる星やつら episode 148 (TV anime)
Urusei Yatsura Ep. 148 review

SPOILER Summary/Synopsis:

Ran sets up a date with Rei but only has ¥100 in the bank.  After failing to get some money from Lum, Lum suggests a part time job.  Ran agrees but wants Lum to do the work, which Lum refuses to do.  As they walk, they pass a movie theater with a billboard of a snow woman and Ran has a plan.  She and Lum head to Oyuki’s home where Benten is already visiting.  Oyuki is suffering from a bit of a cold as she agrees to help Ran.  However, Oyuki wants the reason for the need of funds and it can’t be for a date or any other reason Ran might truthfully need the money for.  So, Ran tells the story of a rabbit whom she has to bail out of a cage for ¥5,000.  Lum and Benten are stunned when Oyuki apparently believes Ran’s story.  However, Oyuki wants half of Ran’s take on this job.

Back on Earth in Japan, Ran sets up a booth at a local festival where Oyuki is the snow woman to see about things.  As Lum and Benten stand outside, Ataru, Shinobu, and Shuutaro arrive.  Ran turns on the charm and Ataru agrees to buy a ticket.  He’s happy to see Oyuki inside even if Oyuki acts as if she doesn’t know him.  Ataru decides to sit seiza beside Oyuki, who causes a brief chill wind to blow throw before telling Ataru that they are done.  With a smile on his face, Ataru leaves this scam and despite knowing it is a scam, he wants ten more tickets, something Lum refuses to let him have.  Shuutaro wants to see the woman inside, but is led away by Shinobu.  However, word gets out about a babe in the booth and soon Ran is raking in the money.

Seeing the take, Ran decides she doesn’t want to give up half and flees with the money.  Benten and Lum give chase while Oyuki remains calm and slowly pursues Ran.  Ran’s destruction has the festival booth people upset, but they are mollified when Oyuki freezes Ran and takes all the money.  However, Oyuki’s cold gets worse as she’s been infected with someone with a bad personality.  Lum finds that Ran also has a cold after defrosting and realizes Ran is the cause of Oyuki’s cold.  The next day, Oyuki’s cold is so much worse that she’s freezing Neptune and so she pays Lum a visit at school.  She needs the whiskers of Kotatsu-neko for a home remedy, but the giant cat isn’t interested.  After freezing nearly everyone in school, Oyuki finally gets Kotatsu-neko and Ran, but as Lum points out, the whiskers are under ice and with Oyuki’s condition, the ice may not melt.

Thoughts/Review:

There were a few amusing moments in this episode but nothing really to write home about.  Mostly, this comes from Oyuki’s quite and calm but vindictive nature.  However, she’s not enough to provoke any real laughs from me.  Ataru’s antics were pretty tame even though he did take one good jolt from Lum.  When Ataru was with Oyuki, it was her part in the scam that was amusing and not anything Ataru did.

Shuutaro took a bit of punishment as well, though I wasn’t sure if it was from him seeing Oyuki or from Shinobu since all we see is his damaged hand afterward.  I’m guessing it was Shinobu squeezing Shuutaro’s arms so tight.

As I watched the episode, I was struck by how much KASUMI Aika from Hayate the Combat Butler reminds me of Oyuki, especially when Aika is wearing a kimono.  Both characters are calm, collected, quiet, and extremely vindictive without appearing to be so.  I wonder if Hata-sensei did that on purpose, which is what I suspect considering how many manga-ka were influenced by shows such as Urusei Yatsura.  Now that I think about it, Isumi may also be a bit influenced by Oyuki.

Beyond that, there’s really not a whole lot more to say.  The episode was enjoyable for what it is worth, but there were no real laughs for me and that’s a shame.  Oh well.