Urusei Yatsura Chapter 281 Discussion

So many chapters about aliens lately. I don't mind. Originally this series was about aliens anyway. But I also liked how so many chapters were more focused on the supernatural or Japanese folktales. Urusei Yatsura is a perfect blend of sci-fi with the supernatural. So you know someone didn't watch/read the series when they only describe it as sci-fi.



The joke about the manga being black and white was funny. But this could've been a colored chapter. I guess the joke wouldn't exist if it was.



I think this is the first time we see a gender-bent Mendo in the manga. Wild. But the anime already beat the manga in depicting this in episode 120 which came out almost a year before this chapter. What's interesting is that in this Ataru doesn't seem too interested in female Mendo. Which makes sense cause he knows that Mendo is a guy.



I think the Blue Bird only makes evil people or people with bad intentions' wishes come true correctly. That's why Ryunosuke's dad and Ataru got what they wanted. Or they were just really good at explaining what they want so the bird couldn't screw them over.



I think most if not all of the jokes or puns in this chapter didn't land because of the language barrier. But to the translator's credit, they probably didn't have much choice.



But what I don't understand is why couldn't they add some translator's notes to at least explain the puns. Was it that hard to include a few notes?




The OG anime adaptation of this chapter was wild. Besides Ryunosuke, it even turned Shinobu and Sakura into males and also Cherry as female. That was just crazy.