Ep 23. Lum-chan`s Ancient Japanese Fairy Tales

Lum-chan's Ancient Japanese Fairy Tales is the 23rd episode of the fourth season of the popular anime series Urusei Yatsura. The episode opens with Lum reminiscing about the folk tales that her grandmother used to tell her when she was a child. As she retells the stories to her friends, Ataru Moroboshi and Ten-chan, they become fascinated by the magical world of ancient Japan. In order to fully immerse themselves in the stories, they decide to dress up in traditional Japanese clothing and take on the roles of the characters in each tale.

The first story they enact is The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter, a classic Japanese folktale about a woodcutter who discovers a tiny baby inside a bamboo stalk. The woodcutter raises the child as his own, but as she grows up, she exhibits otherworldly powers and reveals herself to be a princess from the Moon. The group has fun acting out the roles of the woodcutter, his wife, and the celestial princess, each bringing their own unique flair to the characters.

Next, they move on to the story of Momotaro, the Peach Boy. Momotaro is a brave and virtuous boy who is born from a giant peach. He decides to go on a journey to defeat a band of ogres who have been terrorizing local villages. Ataru enthusiastically volunteers to play the role of Momotaro while Lum and Ten-chan take on the parts of his animal companions, a monkey and a pheasant. As they act out the exciting battle scenes between Momotaro and the ogres, they start to get carried away and take their roles a little too seriously.

The final story they enact is The Tale of the Nightingale's Plumage. In this story, a bird with beautiful plumage is kidnapped by a wicked man who wants to profit from its feathers. The bird's mate, a drab-looking bird, embarks on a quest to rescue his beloved and enlists the help of a kind-hearted monk along the way. The group has a lot of fun pretending to be birds and monks, and Lum gets a chance to show off her singing voice when she takes on the role of the nightingale.

Throughout the episode, the characters have a lot of fun bringing these ancient tales to life. They get so swept up in their roles that they forget that they are just acting and start to believe that they are really living in ancient Japan. At the end of each story, they snap back to reality and marvel at the amazing tales that Lum's grandmother used to tell her.

Lum-chan's Ancient Japanese Fairy Tales is a charming episode that showcases the unique storytelling traditions of Japan. It offers a glimpse into a magical realm filled with brave heroes, fearsome monsters, and talking animals. The characters' enthusiasm for the tales is infectious, and viewers can't help but get caught up in their enthusiasm. This episode is a must-see for fans of Urusei Yatsura and anyone who loves a good fairy tale.