Urusei Yatsura Chapter 366 Discussion

One last thing, I hated the translation of Urusei Yatsura. I don't understand how Viz screwed the translation quality from beginning to end. I'm not talking about spelling or grammar issues, every series has that and UY has a ton of that because it's a long series. My main problem with the translation was with the translation job itself.



It felt like the translators had something against the Japanese source material. They tried to translate words and terms that didn't need translations and sometimes over-localized them. Such as names of certain characters and terms.



The dialogue feels unnatural. None of the characters talk like they have any personality. It felt like this was machine-translated or translated by someone who's not very good at English. I'm not a native English speaker. I won't say that my English is the very best. But man, reading this translation gave me a huge confidence boost in my English that I wasn't expecting.



I wanted to say this in a separate comment because I didn't want to make it seem like I hated the series. I loved it. But I hated the translation. It definitely worsened my enjoyment of the series a lot. It's hard to enjoy a series normally when the bad translation is so distracting. It's hard to believe that the translators did any research on the story or characters.



I heard that the recent Maison Ikkoku also had a similarly poor translation. And also Mao. This makes me want to not read them. I probably would've read the older Maison Ikkoku translations which I heard were better but also that Viz release skipped some chapters which is a dumb thing that Viz used to do.



I'm not sure which series to read next. Probably Ranma 1/2. Hopefully, it has a better translation. But I wouldn't be so sure.



I think it's objectively a good thing that Viz finally finished translating Urusei Yatsura after so many cancellations. But if they delayed the series to make a better translation later, that objectively would've been the best outcome. Because otherwise, it would've been far better to read scanlations instead.



At the end of the day, the translation was just "passable". As in, if you read it, you'll understand what's going on. And if you're content with that's fine I guess. But a series like Urusei Yatsura deserves a much better translation... The Viz translation made me appreciate HIDIVE even though their subs have their own issues and my respect for AnimEigo's original Urusei Yatsura subs went through the roof. We really don't get dedicated translators like them anymore.

Also, since I see it was brought up in your secondary post @0451 as far as Viz's translations go I'm largely indifferent. I never got the impression that the dialogue felt unnatural, but I'm very tolerant with that sort of stuff I think. I get being upset at renaming characters but it never really bothered me. Kotatsu Kitty over Kotatsu Neko and Hot Springs Emblem over Onsen Mark or whatever won't make me lose any sleep lol. Maybe there are more egregious examples I'm either forgetting or am unaware of due to not knowing Japanese, but I can't control that short of learning the language, which I just don't consider feasible. So I guess in my case ignorance is bliss as the saying goes. Honestly such complaints usually tend to feel like elitist gatekeeping to me. It brings me back to the old sub vs dub debates back in the day, which I suppose still exist to some extent sadly. Which I don't consider a good thing. But as a dubbie I suppose I'm biased.



That's not to say the Viz release was perfect by any stretch. For one thing it had way too many grammatical typos. Misspellings mostly. That's not really unique to Viz though, Seven Seas is often bad with that and I'm sure the other publishers are too. My attitude regarding that stuff is if a schlub like me can catch them the proofreader needs to too. If they can't then they either need to be fired, or given more time and pay, depending on the situation. Paper quality was also questionable, mainly when it comes to yellowing and lines being visible from the other side of the pages, but again that's just the nature of the beast and not unique to Viz. I prefer physical releases whenever possible, but that at least is one example where the digital has the advantage. If I had things my way all physical manga releases would use the VizBig paper as it's by far the best quality I've encountered. Pages originally printed in color would also be printed in color too, but I get the cost-cutting measures behind that. I guess that's all.

And so we end where we began, which is fitting considering the largely episodic nature of the series. Seeing the double-page title spread for the final chapter with all those characters was quite the trip down memory lane, and I only started reading this within the last year or so. Imagine if you'd been following this weekly as it came out in Japan. I imagine the effect would have been much more impactful. Much more powerful. I like that even the little gremlin dude from the second chapter was included. He only shows up that one time but was still included. As far as this final arc itself is concerned I liked it. It felt like Takahashi suspected fans might find the lack of a love declaration from Ataru a bit...unsatisfying, shall we say? So she created Rupa and Karula to act as mirror image surrogates of sort through which she could do that sort of happy, romantic ending. Now I don't know if that was how fans felt way back when of course, this series ended a year before I was born afterall. But I guess it really wouldn't have been in character for Ataru to say I Love You, as is more or less said in the final chapter. So I didn't really mind it. The ending felt fitting, and it felt appropriate. I have no complaints regarding it.



My history with Urusei Yatsura is a bit strange. I knew it existed due to learning more about Rumiko Takahashi after discovering Inuyasha and later Ranma, but I never really watched or read any of it until years later. I remember finding a youtube video of the weird British dub of the first few episodes of the 80s series and marveling at how awful it was. Then I did finally watch the first 30 or so episodes of the 80s anime subbed a year or two after that before putting it on hold. But I haven't seen any of the films or OVAs or anything else. Until, that is, the first season of this new anime adaptation. Which I liked so much that it got me to collect the manga. So mission accomplished as far as that goes I guess lol.



Unlike anime, where I tend to finish upwards of 5 to 15 shows every season, it's not everyday that I finish a manga series. Certainly not one as long as Urusei Yatsura. I've given some observations on it before, such as the difficult to miss similarities to some of Miss Takahashi's later works like Ranma 1/2. If I had to pick favorite chapters or storylines I'd probably go largely with the more sentimental ones like Lum dressing up as that other woman to help Ataru save face, or leaving the doll behind with him while she visits home, or Ataru having the date with the ghost to help her pass on. As far as more comedic-centric chapters go I really liked that two parter where Lum had to fight the bullies without using her powers to set a message for that one girl. You know, the one where she uses drugs to enhance her strength? That felt like something out of Ranma and it was pretty amusing. As far as more recent ones go? I dunno. I enjoyed Inaba's chapters and was glad he was made for Shinobu. I really liked the cursed igloo or snowhut one, the way it built up with everyone passing the buck to someone else, and the ending was pretty ingenious. I was less interested in a lot of the school competition stuff though if I'm being honest. The mochi-sculpture of the principal, the invasion of that girls' school, stuff like that. Although some were still okay even in that environment. And a lot of the ones actually set in or around the classroom itself were classic. Several one-offs had endings which fell flat, but may have just aged poorly or been due to cultural differences. Ether way they were never really bad enough to annoy me or anything like that, so no harm no foul.



I really didn't much care for the arcs surrounding the Mizunokoji girl though, Asuka. Her schtick wore thin pretty quickly, I mean there's only so many incest jokes that can be made, right? Which may explain why she really only showed up a handful of times anyway. She may have been my least favorite recurring character, though I'd probably have to give that more thought. I felt largely the same regarding Mendo's sister now that I think of it. I dunno about favorite character honestly. There are several I really liked pretty much equally. I will say that I did NOT hate Ten at all. By the end I was actually surprised by how few chapter appearances he was getting given his negative reputation from stuff I'd read online. I liked Hot Springs Emblem/Onsen Mark a lot. The only time I actively disliked Shinobu was in that later chapter where's he's making home visits and she clobbers him for trying to come in for a break while her parents are away. I get the joke that he's being a creeper, but she seemed too mean spirited with that one I thought, but oh well. I liked all of the main cast more or less equally: Ataru, Mendo, Lum, Shinobu, Ten, Ryuunosuke, Sakura, etc. Maybe not Cherry or the more tertiary characters, but there were few if any that I actively disliked. Maybe Ryuunosuke's dad, but I feel like that's the joke with him, kinda like Happosai without the pervy stuff. Boy that character would never exist today. Probably one of the reasons I doubt a Ranma remake will ever come out, but I digress. It was a good cast, which Takahashi certainly excels at. And it was a fun ride. I look forward to seeing what the second half of the new anime chooses to adapt. It's not my favorite Takahashi series, but I've got no problems with giving it a solid 8/10.

According to MAL this Chapter was released on January 21, 1987.

Almost exactly 37 years later we're opening a dicussion thread for it.



I really like how this manga builds a bridge for generations.

First came out in 1978 and we're enjoying this in 2024. I find it fascinating that we can laugh at the same jokes and enjoy the same stories as people did 46 years ago. This just shows what a masterpiece this title is.😅 This was definitly a pioneer in its field.



animefan8800 said:
My history with Urusei Yatsura is a bit strange. I knew it existed due to learning more about Rumiko Takahashi after discovering Inuyasha and later Ranma, but I never really watched or read any of it until years later.Similiar story. Just discovered this masterpiece, while I was looking for something to watch in the New Winter Season 2024. Then finished the whole manga within 8 days (from January 2 to January 10) to get ready for the reboot. (Thanks to Semester Breaks😅. I really devoured it. 😂



Although I only spent 8 days reading it, it feels like I've know this my entire life.



0451 said:
I'm really not sure what to say other than I loved it... But man does it leave me wanting for more... Like I said, Urusei Yatsura is a series that I would've liked if it continued indefinitely. But if it did, we probably wouldn't get a definitive conclusion like. Really wish it was something like OP or Fairy Tail where it just kind of goes on and on, but then again you should never say never. I somehow have the feeling that the ending was deliberately designed to be open. Possible relationships are hinted at, but there is no real final ending, such as a wedding or Ataru moving to Lum on her planet or something like that. So there could easily have been more chapters. A great ending nonetheless.



0451 said:
I'll translate the last 2 lines from Ataru and Lum. "Even if it takes a lifetime, I'll make you say it!" "I'll say it on my deathbed!" = "I'll stay with you my entire life." "I hope so." This is a comment that I once read on a YouTube video and it's probably one of my favorite comments ever because of how well it describes the last scene.It's not that the cheesy love story trope is played out, but that the declaration of love is made in its own unique way. The interpretation is really great and I couldn't imagine a more fitting ending than the final panels.



Great series, I've rarely felt so much and felt so strongly about the characters as I did here. I just love this world and the little stories about Ataru, Lum, Shinobu and co. You quickly fall in love with this series. I'm rating this 100 / 100

It's finally over... wow...



I'm really not sure what to say other than I loved it... But man does it leave me wanting for more... Like I said, Urusei Yatsura is a series that I would've liked if it continued indefinitely. But if it did, we probably wouldn't get a definitive conclusion like this.



I know some people don't like this ending. For those, I'll translate the last 2 lines from Ataru and Lum. "Even if it takes a lifetime, I'll make you say it!" "I'll say it on my deathbed!" = "I'll stay with you my entire life." "I hope so." This is a comment that I once read on a YouTube video and it's probably one of my favorite comments ever because of how well it describes the last scene.



Sure, Ataru would probably keep chasing girls and getting zapped by Lum. But through this chapter and the Inaba arc, we can conclude that sooner or later both will get married and start living like a normal couple. As much as I would've loved to see that happen on-screen, that's not really what Urusei Yatsura's about.



Do I have some gripes with this ending? Sure. I would've liked a definitive ending for Ryunosuke, Mendo, Asuka, Ran, Rei, etc. just like there was for Ataru, Lum, and Shinobu. We can guess that Sakura will end up with Tsubame and have children just like it was shown in the Inaba arc but we're not really sure about what will happen to the tons of other characters of the series.



I like that in the manga there were more chapters about Nagisa and Asuka that were never adapted into anime. We can infer that maybe Ryunosuke will eventually end up with Nagisa. But will she ever beat her scumbag of a father? Will she ever wear female clothes and become a proper woman like she always wanted? Will Ran and Rei ever become a proper couple? And will Asuka ever get over her fear of men? There were never any sequel chapters of Urusei Yatsura nor did Takahashi confirm anything about the fates of the characters later afaik. Oh well.



Most of Takahashi's series' seems to have this issue except for Maison Ikkoku. That series is its own beast.



Also, I loved how Movie 5 adapted the final arc. I think it got even better after reading the manga. I'd say the movie version of the last scene was an objective improvement of the source material which is rare to see. It had fantastic animation, great voice acting, and amazing music which elevated the scene. The best part was probably Ataru reminiscing about his time with Lum in the final moment, which even included some "non-canon" scenes. The movie didn't have to add those scenes but it did it anyway. Which made me appreciate it so much more. I would've liked it too if Takahashi redrew some earlier scenes with her new artstyle but oh well.



I'm looking forward to how the Remake will adapt this arc in Season 2. But I highly doubt it'll be nearly as good as the movie.