It’s that time tested comedy plot – the computer dating parody!
Fed up with her crows not finding her a handsome man to mate with Princess Kurama lays down the law. So the crows enter the details of every man in the universe into a computer to find her best match. Given her very shallow taste in men, it returns Rei, the gluttonous Oni, former boyfriend of Lum and the heart’s desire of Ran. She kidnaps him from a “date” he’s on with Ran (though their dates feel more like someone taming a wild animal), mistakenly bringing Ran along too.
Ran goes to Lum for help, while Ataru hitches a ride on a cart of food one of the crows is bringing. The rest of episode involves the crows trying to hide Rei’s true nature as a shape-changing tiger-cow from Kurama, while Ran tries to lure him back, and Ataru hits on Kurama and Ran. Lots of good gags as always from the crows, they are so pathetically lazy and underhanded. It all ends with Rei finally showing some sign of affection for Ran, saving her from a fall rather than the food she’s carrying and Kurama finally seeing Rei’s cow form. They then all wonder what goes on inside his head, which as this is a cartoon we get to see – a bizarre world of food, Ran and Lum.
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Lot’s of new creative people on this episode!
Shigeru Yanagawa shows up as a screenwriter here, he’d go onto to act as Series Co-ordinator on Ranma ½ as well as writing a glut of Sailor Moon episodes.
Mamoru Hamatsu makes his only storyboard/director credit here. Other credits include an awful lot of Giant Gorg, Glass Mask (2005), Heroic Legend of Arslan, Miyuki-chan in Wonderland and Ronin Warriors.
Tsukasa Dokite is probably best known as the character designer and animation director on Dirty Pair. Most recently worked on Kurokami. And he’s pretty great here and on Dirty Pair. Definitely looking forward to seeing the rest of his episodes on UY.
Screenplay: Shigeru Yanagawa
Storyboard: Mamoru Hamatsu
Director: Mamoru Hamatsu
Animation Director: Tsukasa Dokite