Rumik World: Fire Tripper, Laughing Target, Mermaid Forest, Supergal/Maris the Chojo5xvhssub,copy
Fire Tripper
rumikworldNo one noticed the gas leak - certainly not Suzuko, who's distracted by her six-year-old neighbor. By the time she notices the tell-tale scent, it's far too late. She can only watch in horror, as the gigantic storage tank explodes above her.
When she awakens, Suzuko finds herself in a devastated land, but it's not modern Tokyo. Somehow, the explosion has blown her 500 years into the past, and landed her right on top of a medieval battlefield ! Life goes from bad to worse as she contends with brutal bandits, helpless peasants, and amorous rescuers. Torn between conflicting loyalties, Suzuko struggles to untangle the timelines, as she slowly comes to understand the strange force that has exiled her, and how it relates to her own mysterious past.
And then, with her new home also in flames, time begins to loop back on itself ! Suzuko and Shukumaru, the warrior who saves her, cope with mystery, tragedy, and disaster as time unravels amidst the roaring flames.
Combining the excitement of time travel with adventure and romance in a tightly woven story which ranks among the best Japan has to offer, Fire Tripper is one of Rumiko Takahashi's best loved stories.
Laughing Target
Will you love me forever ? When they were only six years old, Yuzuru and his cousin Azusa were betrothed in a marriage arranged by their parents. The two children swore an oath to become man and wife. Now ten years have passed, and people change.
Yuzuru is now dating Satomi; the two of them seem like the perfect couple. But Azusa has returned, and she expects Yuzuru to fulfill his childhood vow. What no one realizes is that Azusa has changed, too. Things happened to her in the intervening years - terrible things. Her shy demeanor hides something far different, deep inside.
Now, a sinister presence is making itself felt. Strange Accidents. A figure always hiding in the shadows. What are the hungry ghosts ? As the bloodshed begins, Yuzuru desperately struggles to put the pieces together.
Renowned storyteller Rumiko Takahashi presents a tale to match those by American writers Stephen King and H.P. Lovecraft. It's a story of ordinary people caught up in forces they don't understand. Takahashi's fans will find many of her familiar themes echoed here with a sinister twist: a couple betrothed as children and thrust together after years of separation, a love triangle, and the legends of Japanese mythology made real.
Ten years ago Azusa accepted Yuzuru's promise of love. Now nothing will stand in her way. She will have him !
Mermaid Forest
A gruesome story of the supernatural ! According to legend, if you eat the flesh of a mermaid, you will become immortal. But, for most, the truth is far worse. The lucky ones die. The unlucky ones are altered forever-warped into hideous monstrosities which live on forever !
Yuta was once a sailor - he's traveled across this ephemeral world since the sixteenth century when he was cursed with immortality. For all those lonely years, he's been searching for another like him, an immortal woman, to share his infinite life. Finally, he seems to have found her; the young girl Mana.
But others know the secret of mermaid flesh. Grave-robbing, torture, and hideous medical experiments are all steps on the path toward controlling the secrets of immortality. And now, Dr. Shina and his grotesque companion have a new subject for their experiments, the beautiful Mana.
As Yuta discovers their terrifying plans, he asks himself: can even an immortal man survive against the nightmares spawned by mermaid flesh ? One way or another. the curse must end !
Supergal/Maris the Chojo
Japanese animation is taking the video world by storm. Rumiko Takahashi's the Supergal, the first of four stand-alone Rumik World titles the U.S. Manga Corps is proudly introducing to American audiences, is a terrifically hilarious example why !
Her dad's an alcoholic. Her mom's an airhead. But by far, Maris' biggest complaint is that she's a Thanatosian. One wouldn't think this such a curse, considering that Thanatosians are six times stronger than the average Earthling. In fact, in Maris' future world, where violent crime abounds, this is a trait that could likely save one's life. Trouble is, the incidental destruction she wreaks on everything she touches has her constantly in debt, despite her reluctant use of an exotic alloy restraint she wears (most of the time) when not in battle. Even her work for the Special Space Police has become a cash drain with all of the fighter craft and space ships Maris had paid to repair, and poor Maris is often found working on her vacations just to break even.
When Maris is assigned to rescue the wealthy and handsome Kogane Maru, it seems that finally something might go right in her life. Just imagine her gallantly dashing into his place of capture, saving him from the terror of his ruthless kidnapper, and marrying him at once - Not ! In Maris' topsy-turvy world, where characters like Murphy - a fox-like creature who can turn himself into 9 of most anything he pleases - roam free, you'd sooner see a fish riding a bicycle than a heroine ride off into the sunset with her beautiful beau ! Maris' fate is far less fairytale-ish than you might expect, but it's definitely more amusing !
The myriads of plot twists, sight gags, nutty characters, and a hilarious surprise during the end credits in this bizarre yet brilliantly crafted sci-fi comedy adventure make it a must-see for animation fans and animation skeptics alike. Never before has animation like this been available in America, and never again will American audiences be caught so amusingly off-guard !
Details
From Rumiko Takahashi, the creator of "Ranma 1/2" and "Urusei Yatsura"
Commentary
Four unique and very different stories from Rumiko Takahashi, the creator of Ranma 1/2 and Urusei Yatsura. My favorites are the Supergal (aka Maris the Chojo), Laughing Target and Fire Tripper. I used to have the subtitled VHS versions of this series. I took the time to transfer all of the VHS versions of my favorites to DVD.
Individual Ratings:
Fire Tripper
Laughing Target
Mermaid Forest
Supergal/Maris the Chojo