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るーみっくわーるど [Rumic World] #1
Rumic World, Vol. 1
Book by Takahashi, Rumiko
192 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 1984
1 person is currently reading
98 people want to read
About the author
Rumiko Takahashi
1,582 books2,139 followersRumiko Takahashi (高橋留美子) was born in Niigata, Japan. She is not only one of the richest women in Japan but also one of the top paid manga artists. She is also the most successful female comic artist in history. She has been writing manga non-stop for 31 years.
Rumiko Takahashi is one of the wealthiest women in Japan. The manga she creates (and its anime adaptations) are very popular in the United States and Europe where they have been released as both manga and anime in English translation. Her works are relatively famous worldwide, and many of her series were some of the forerunners of early English language manga to be released in the nineties. Takahashi is also the best selling female comics artist in history; well over 100 million copies of her various works have been sold.
Though she was said to occasionally doodle in the margins of her papers while attending Niigata Chūō High School, Takahashi's interest in manga did not come until later. During her college years, she enrolled in Gekiga Sonjuku, a manga school founded by Kazuo Koike, mangaka of Crying Freeman and Lone Wolf and Cub. Under his guidance Rumiko Takahashi began to publish her first doujinshi creations in 1975, such as Bye-Bye Road and Star of Futile Dust. Kozue Koike often urged his students to create well-thought out, interesting characters, and this influence would greatly impact Rumiko Takahashi's works throughout her career.
Career and major works:
Takahashi's professional career began in 1978. Her first published story was Those Selfish Aliens, a comedic science fiction story. During the same year, she published Time Warp Trouble, Shake Your Buddha, and the Golden Gods of Poverty in Shōnen Sunday, which would remain the home to most of her major works for the next twenty years. Later that year, Rumiko attempted her first full-length series, Urusei Yatsura. Though it had a rocky start due to publishing difficulties, Urusei Yatsura would become one of the most beloved anime and manga comedies in Japan.
In 1980, Rumiko Takahashi found her niche and began to publish with regularity. At this time she started her second major series, Maison Ikkoku, in Big Comic Spirits. Written for an older audience, Maison Ikkoku is often considered to be one of the all-time best romance manga. Takahashi managed to work on Maison Ikkoku on and off simultaneously with Urusei Yatsura. She concluded both series in 1987, with Urusei Yatsura ending at 34 volumes, and Maison Ikkoku being 15.
During the 1980s, Takahashi became a prolific writer of short story manga, which is surprising considering the massive lengths of most of her works. Her stories The Laughing Target, Maris the Chojo, and Fire Tripper all were adapted into original video animations (OVAs). In 1984, after the end of Urusei Yatsura and Maison Ikkoku, Takahashi took a different approach to storytelling and began the dark, macabre Mermaid Saga. This series of short segments was published sporadically until 1994, with the final story being Mermaid's Mask. Many fans contend that this work remains unfinished by Takahashi, since the final story does not end on a conclusive note.
Another short work left untouched is One-Pound Gospel, which, like Mermaid Saga, was published erratically. The last story to be drawn was published in 2001, however just recently she wrote one final chapter concluding the series
Later in 1987, Takahashi began her third major series, Ranma ½. Following the late 80s and early 90s trend of shōnen martial arts manga, Ranma ½ features a gender-bending twist. The series continued for nearly a decade until 1996, when it ended at 38 volumes. Ranma ½ is one of Rumiko Takahashi's most popular series with the Western world.
During the later half of the 1990s, Rumiko Takahashi continued with short stories and her installments of Mermaid Saga and One-Pound Gospel until beginning her fourth major work, InuYasha. While Ran
Rumiko Takahashi is one of the wealthiest women in Japan. The manga she creates (and its anime adaptations) are very popular in the United States and Europe where they have been released as both manga and anime in English translation. Her works are relatively famous worldwide, and many of her series were some of the forerunners of early English language manga to be released in the nineties. Takahashi is also the best selling female comics artist in history; well over 100 million copies of her various works have been sold.
Though she was said to occasionally doodle in the margins of her papers while attending Niigata Chūō High School, Takahashi's interest in manga did not come until later. During her college years, she enrolled in Gekiga Sonjuku, a manga school founded by Kazuo Koike, mangaka of Crying Freeman and Lone Wolf and Cub. Under his guidance Rumiko Takahashi began to publish her first doujinshi creations in 1975, such as Bye-Bye Road and Star of Futile Dust. Kozue Koike often urged his students to create well-thought out, interesting characters, and this influence would greatly impact Rumiko Takahashi's works throughout her career.
Career and major works:
Takahashi's professional career began in 1978. Her first published story was Those Selfish Aliens, a comedic science fiction story. During the same year, she published Time Warp Trouble, Shake Your Buddha, and the Golden Gods of Poverty in Shōnen Sunday, which would remain the home to most of her major works for the next twenty years. Later that year, Rumiko attempted her first full-length series, Urusei Yatsura. Though it had a rocky start due to publishing difficulties, Urusei Yatsura would become one of the most beloved anime and manga comedies in Japan.
In 1980, Rumiko Takahashi found her niche and began to publish with regularity. At this time she started her second major series, Maison Ikkoku, in Big Comic Spirits. Written for an older audience, Maison Ikkoku is often considered to be one of the all-time best romance manga. Takahashi managed to work on Maison Ikkoku on and off simultaneously with Urusei Yatsura. She concluded both series in 1987, with Urusei Yatsura ending at 34 volumes, and Maison Ikkoku being 15.
During the 1980s, Takahashi became a prolific writer of short story manga, which is surprising considering the massive lengths of most of her works. Her stories The Laughing Target, Maris the Chojo, and Fire Tripper all were adapted into original video animations (OVAs). In 1984, after the end of Urusei Yatsura and Maison Ikkoku, Takahashi took a different approach to storytelling and began the dark, macabre Mermaid Saga. This series of short segments was published sporadically until 1994, with the final story being Mermaid's Mask. Many fans contend that this work remains unfinished by Takahashi, since the final story does not end on a conclusive note.
Another short work left untouched is One-Pound Gospel, which, like Mermaid Saga, was published erratically. The last story to be drawn was published in 2001, however just recently she wrote one final chapter concluding the series
Later in 1987, Takahashi began her third major series, Ranma ½. Following the late 80s and early 90s trend of shōnen martial arts manga, Ranma ½ features a gender-bending twist. The series continued for nearly a decade until 1996, when it ended at 38 volumes. Ranma ½ is one of Rumiko Takahashi's most popular series with the Western world.
During the later half of the 1990s, Rumiko Takahashi continued with short stories and her installments of Mermaid Saga and One-Pound Gospel until beginning her fourth major work, InuYasha. While Ran
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
January 15, 2022
When I was a kid, my perception of Japanese animation derived from a few limited glimpses of Speed Racer, which seemed like crap even to my unsophisticated mind. Later in high school, a friend of mine lived in Japan with his family for 2 years and came back talking about Gundam and a smattering of other shows, and I became interested, but had no real access to anything. Finally in college I occasionally went to the anime club on campus and started seeing what this thing was all about.
Rumiko Takahashi was one the first manga and anime authors that I became familiar with, via Lum / Urusei Yatsura which I loved for it's absurd humor. I started collecting her works as they became available in English translated versions. Ranma 1/2 became my favorite of hers while I was less enamored of Maison Ikkoku. I also acquired the run of Rumic World graphic novels in the mid nineties.
This volume contains 3 stories that are previous to Ranma 1/2. Fire Tripper is my favorite of these with a nicely looped and resolved time-travel premise, and some heartfelt writing. The Laughing Target is a mix of young love romance and horror, that didn't quite click with me. I was dissatisfied with the lack of explanation of why a childhood promise would turn Azusa into such a vengeful person. I did like the idea of the hungry ghosts that looked like cute little blobs. Maris The Chojo was the weakest story but interesting in that it contains elements of humor that would be better done in Urusei Yatsura and Ranma 1/2.
I enjoyed revisiting this book after 3 decades. Now I wonder if this first printing is worth anything.
Rumiko Takahashi was one the first manga and anime authors that I became familiar with, via Lum / Urusei Yatsura which I loved for it's absurd humor. I started collecting her works as they became available in English translated versions. Ranma 1/2 became my favorite of hers while I was less enamored of Maison Ikkoku. I also acquired the run of Rumic World graphic novels in the mid nineties.
This volume contains 3 stories that are previous to Ranma 1/2. Fire Tripper is my favorite of these with a nicely looped and resolved time-travel premise, and some heartfelt writing. The Laughing Target is a mix of young love romance and horror, that didn't quite click with me. I was dissatisfied with the lack of explanation of why a childhood promise would turn Azusa into such a vengeful person. I did like the idea of the hungry ghosts that looked like cute little blobs. Maris The Chojo was the weakest story but interesting in that it contains elements of humor that would be better done in Urusei Yatsura and Ranma 1/2.
I enjoyed revisiting this book after 3 decades. Now I wonder if this first printing is worth anything.
March 19, 2025
A collection of one-shots with various genres and characters. I had this in my library for a while now since I enjoy the stories I've watched of Rumiko Takahashi's so far. While none of these first five chapters feel fully fleshed out, there's a lot of themes or ideas one would see in later stories of Takahashi's: time travel, love triangles, hot and cold romances, absurd comedy, strong ladies, silly aliens, and even an old girlfriend vs. new. I'd say one chapter, "Time Warp Trouble", had a really interesting sci-fi concept that flipped an expectation around; that had me go "whoa" and re-reading a few panels to see if I really read what I did. Shame that one wasn't adapted to the screen. The last one of this volume, "The Laughing Target", was probably the darkest I've seen of her's outside of some episodes of InuYasha.
Another reason I had started to read this was this volume in particular had three stories that would be adapted into three separate anime "movies" (loosely used here as they're all roughly 50 minutes in length). I also wanted to compare the the screen to the page. I won't delve further into that, but it was a good self-imposed idea, I'd do it again for these. I don't believe the other two volumes have any chapters adapted to anime... but I'm looking forward to reading them!
Another reason I had started to read this was this volume in particular had three stories that would be adapted into three separate anime "movies" (loosely used here as they're all roughly 50 minutes in length). I also wanted to compare the the screen to the page. I won't delve further into that, but it was a good self-imposed idea, I'd do it again for these. I don't believe the other two volumes have any chapters adapted to anime... but I'm looking forward to reading them!
March 10, 2017
Il primo volume è dedicato ai racconti drammatici della storia mangaka, è questo rende il volume estremamente interessante, visto che la maggior parte dei lettori conosce l'autrice principalmente per le sue commedie e serie romantiche, come Ranma 1/2, Lamù e Maison Ikkoku, mentre la parte drammatica della sua produzione non solo è molto più limitata, ma spesso completamente ignorata.
Le storie, nel complesso, sono molto ben realizzate, in particolare la prima, che anni dopo sarà utilizzata come base per la creazione di un'altra serie estremamente popolare dell'autrice, Inuyasha, ed è estremamente interessante esplorare un lato poco noto di un'autrice tanto famosa e vedere le origini di alcune delle idee poi sviluppate nelle sue serie regolari.
Le storie, nel complesso, sono molto ben realizzate, in particolare la prima, che anni dopo sarà utilizzata come base per la creazione di un'altra serie estremamente popolare dell'autrice, Inuyasha, ed è estremamente interessante esplorare un lato poco noto di un'autrice tanto famosa e vedere le origini di alcune delle idee poi sviluppate nelle sue serie regolari.
January 25, 2024
This was very strange. But then, that's actually pretty normal, for this kind of anthology. What we have here is a collection of early stories by Rumiko Takahashi, who is responsible for at least 4 mega-hit manga/anime series (Urusei Yatsura, Ranma 1/2, Maison Ikkoku, Inuyasha). I like stuff like this. Even if it isn't all super-amazing, it's a trip to see how these creators started. I wish EVERY comics creator I enjoyed would put out a compendium of their early work.
Was this as good as 'The DC Stories of Alan Moore?' Of course not. But it was still a fun ride. It's worth noting that her art is remarkably good in these old stories, but the writing has... some room to improve.
Worth a read, for Takahashi enthusiasts, but inessential for anyone else.
Was this as good as 'The DC Stories of Alan Moore?' Of course not. But it was still a fun ride. It's worth noting that her art is remarkably good in these old stories, but the writing has... some room to improve.
Worth a read, for Takahashi enthusiasts, but inessential for anyone else.
Read
January 24, 2014can never get enough of Rumiko's one-shots, and this was just as good!
Especially Fire Tripper, which seems to use a similar tive-traveling idea she later returned to and used waaaay more full-blown in InuYasha
Especially Fire Tripper, which seems to use a similar tive-traveling idea she later returned to and used waaaay more full-blown in InuYasha
January 18, 2015
I enjoyed the two time travel stories, and the horror story at the end,the most. The horror story surprised me because I thought it was going to be a rom-com in the vein of Ranma 1/2 and it turned out to be super creepy.
May 13, 2020
This is a really old manga collection, collecting Rumiko Takahashi's one-shots from the 70s and 80s. The art style is very old school but the story itself are good. Some of the more humorous one I'm not that much of a fan of, but the fantasy and horror ones are great
May 21, 2019
This copy only contained 3 stories:
Fire Tripper
The Laughing Target
Maris the Chojo
Maris the Chojo is hilarious!
Fire Tripper
The Laughing Target
Maris the Chojo
Maris the Chojo is hilarious!
December 7, 2019
4,5 stars
April 16, 2020
Only Fire Tripper and The Laughing Target were actually good
The rest was so lame. But considering this is pretty much Rumiko's earliest works, I'll let it slide.
The rest was so lame. But considering this is pretty much Rumiko's earliest works, I'll let it slide.
December 3, 2020
"Fire Tripper" is the best!
June 21, 2023
My favs were the Laughing Target and Maris the Chojo.
June 9, 2013
Colectânea de 5 contos de Takahashi onde facilmente se vê a origem de algumas das suas personagens mais famosas, especialmente as de "Lum, the Invader Girl" e "Ranma 1/2". Não são más histórias, mas ainda bem que não foi apresentado à autora por elas.
"Those Selfish Aliens". Tem momentos engraçados, um par de inside jokes contextualizadas na Guerra Fria e a obsessão de Kei tem a sua piada, porém, as personagens têm muito por onde ser trabalhadas. Ainda bem que forma recicladas para outros conteúdos. 2,5 Estrelas.
"Time Warp Trouble". Começa como um conto mediano, apenas com um toque do caos hilariante pelo qual Takahashi se tornou famosa, até que o twist final dispara a narrativa para um novo nível. Uma excelente crítica social, algo comum na época em que foi escrita, mas mais rara nos dias que correm. 3,8 Estrelas
"Fire Tripper". Mais um conto baseado em time warps. Bem executado e complexo o suficiente para levar a ignorar a banalidade da dinâmica romance/donzela em perigo. 3,8 Estrelas.
"Maris the chojo" Maris não passa de uma fusão de duas personagens de "Lum, the Invader Girl", o feitio de Benten no corpo de Ran, e a história em si não é das melhores. 2,8 Estrelas.
"The Laughing Target" Previsível mas narrado com uma carga emotiva e ritmo narrativo muito consistentes. Mais negro que a maioria dos trabalhos da autora sobre triângulos amorosos. 4 Estrelas
"Those Selfish Aliens". Tem momentos engraçados, um par de inside jokes contextualizadas na Guerra Fria e a obsessão de Kei tem a sua piada, porém, as personagens têm muito por onde ser trabalhadas. Ainda bem que forma recicladas para outros conteúdos. 2,5 Estrelas.
"Time Warp Trouble". Começa como um conto mediano, apenas com um toque do caos hilariante pelo qual Takahashi se tornou famosa, até que o twist final dispara a narrativa para um novo nível. Uma excelente crítica social, algo comum na época em que foi escrita, mas mais rara nos dias que correm. 3,8 Estrelas
"Fire Tripper". Mais um conto baseado em time warps. Bem executado e complexo o suficiente para levar a ignorar a banalidade da dinâmica romance/donzela em perigo. 3,8 Estrelas.
"Maris the chojo" Maris não passa de uma fusão de duas personagens de "Lum, the Invader Girl", o feitio de Benten no corpo de Ran, e a história em si não é das melhores. 2,8 Estrelas.
"The Laughing Target" Previsível mas narrado com uma carga emotiva e ritmo narrativo muito consistentes. Mais negro que a maioria dos trabalhos da autora sobre triângulos amorosos. 4 Estrelas
August 25, 2015
This book has a great range of the types of works that Rumiko Takahashi had done. You'll find stories like that of Urusei Yatsura, InuYasha, and Mermaid Forest. Fire tripper and The Laughing Target are fantastic, especially since the second one is a horror story.
November 21, 2008
I believe Takahashi's best works is her lesser known, earlier works, as opposed to her famous, lenghty series. The Rumic World trilogy is an anthology of short humorous stories.
December 29, 2015
Firetripper <3
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews