Parents’ Day Horrors / Since Your Parting
Episode 10 of Urusei Yatsura begins with Ataru’s mother arriving at Tomobiki High School to attend its Parent Day Event. She couldn’t convince her husband to attend. Meanwhile, a woman in an ox-carried cart shows up, leaving everyone in awe at her elegance. A spaceship arrives and lands atop the woman’s cart, scaring her butler because he thinks she’s dead. Thankfully, she made it out alive as the spaceship door opens up. Lum’s mother rushes out of her ship to greet Ataru’s mother. At the same time, the butler squeals over how rude everyone’s acting toward his mistress. We learn that the woman that got crushed by Lum’s mother’s spaceship is Mendo’s mother. Lum notices her mother and leaps out of her classroom to hug her. Mendo greets his mother’s butler but gets called upon by her mother. His mother tells him to complain to Lum’s mother about her behavior, startling Mendo. Mendo asks Lum to translate his mother’s complaints to her mother. Mendo recites the lines, but Lum tells her mother the opposite. Mendo’s mother grows irritated and throws one of her gloves at Lum’s mother. Mendo explains that this means his mother wants to fight Lum’s mother. Lum translates her mother’s words for Mendo’s mother. She asks her to reconsider the duel, but Mendo’s mother refuses. Lum translates more from her mother. Lum’s mother’s honored that Mendo’s mother would allow her son to propose to her, but she must refrain. At sunset, everyone starts heading home. Ataru’s mother tells Ataru to wake up since it’s time to go. She’s thankful he didn’t do anything stupid. The segment concludes with Ataru making a fourth-wall-breaking remark, asking about his questionable screen time. The next set piece starts with Lum waking up Ataru angrily. At breakfast, Ataru’s father tells Lum that he’s thankful Ataru has someone like her around. The two walk down the street as Lum greets some Tomobiki residents. A leaf maple leaf falls in front of her. One of Ataru’s friends explains the concept of seasons to her, exciting Lum. Ataru flirts with another girl, and Lum electrocutes him for trying to cheat. In class, Ataru tries impressing girls with some yo-yo tricks while Lum sews something for him. Mendo scolds Ataru for his childish behavior and tells him that it’s possible Lum wouldn’t give him the time of day anymore. Ataru says he doesn’t care. Lum stops sewing. Everyone thinks she’s going to shock Ataru again, but Lum refuses. Lum tells Ataru she’s worried about him because of his dumbfounded personality. At night, Lum and Ataru argue about his poor wake-up habits. Ataru tells Lum that he wishes he return to being single and free. Lum shuts Ataru’s light off and shares her goodbyes with Atar. She flies off into the night with tears in her eyes. In the morning, Ataru’s mother wakes Ataru up, and he wonders where Lum’s. At school, everyone questions Ataru about Lum, but he doesn’t know. He’s more excited to woo women without getting electrocuted by Lum. When Ataru arrives home, he notices the little Lum doll Lum was working on in school the other day. He wonders if Lum left. When heading to school, Shinobu spots Ataru with Lum’s doll in his shirt pocket. Ataru doesn’t try flirting with any girls and acts strange. One of his friends takes Ataru’s Lum doll in class, irritating him. Mendo proposes to Ataru that Lum possibly dumped him. Ataru believes that Lum has disappeared, causing everyone to go on a search quest for her. Mendo summons his police force to assist in their endeavors. During the hunt, someone tells Ataru that Lum returned to her home planet. Ataru doesn’t want to believe it. We receive a montage of Ataru visiting previous locations and remembering his fond memories with her. Ataru arrives at the same tree where the maple leaf fell in front of Lum and worries he may never see her again. On a spaceship, Lum’s parents assist her with renewing her passport so she can return to Earth. Lum’s father asks her to consider coming home with them, but Lum refuses. Lum’s father tampers with her radio, and Lum overhears Ataru crying in his room. It appears she rigged her doll with a microphone to spy on him. Lum tells her mother she was worried about what would happen to Ataru when she went away. Ataru wakes up and heads down the same road with the maple leaf tree. Lum makes her presence known, but Ataru refuses to let his emotions show. Lum notices her doll in his shirt pocket and smiles. The episode concludes with Lum and Ataru walking to school together.
The Episode Review
This episode of Urusei Yatsura reels the series back into place. Despite having a strange first set piece, the second segment hones in on something I’ve been craving since episode five. It features Ataru breaking down from the thought of not having Lum anymore. Although Ataru’s shown some care for Lum in spurts, this one amplifies his emotions for her tenfold. David Productions’s phenomenally captured Ataru’s heartbreak over Lum’s absence with beautiful camera work and imagery. The parallel between the scene with Ataru alone by the maple tree to his reuniting with Lum in that location the following day felt magical and heartwarming. If anything, the second set piece shows that Ataru may act as a dumbfounded flirt but still has a human heart. Although it’s nice being introduced to Lum’s mother in the first segment, it did also feel rushed and underdeveloped. Many fans may not adore not seeing how Mendo’s mother’s duel with Lum’s mother could’ve gone. Not receiving some fun parental bonding between Ataru and his mother was a missed opportunity too. In any case, it would’ve been better if that segment was scrapped in favor of spending more time fleshing out the episode’s second set piece. Otherwise, this was an emotional chapter of Urusei Yatsura on par with episode five regarding quality and impact. Although the first half felt underwhelming, the second half was refreshing and pure. Hopefully, the following chapters of Urusei Yatsura can continue the momentum set by its phenomenal second set piece.
