Rumiko Takahashi is one of the best-known artists in the world of Japanese Comics. Several of the series including Inu Yasha, Ranma 1/2, Urusei Yatsura, and several others of her works have gone on and found fans and success all over the world. Come with us as we look at these Top 5 incredible works by Rumiko Takahashi
Rumiko Takahashi – Mermaid Saga
Mermaid Saga were a series of Japanese comics that were carried in the Shōnen Sunday Zōkan and Weekly Shōnen Sunday magazines between 1984 until 1994 that Rumiko Takahashi both wrote and drew. The story stars a fisherman named Yuta who originally went out with a few other fishermen and killed and devoured a mermaid to see if the stories about eating a mermaids flesh making you immortal were true. While the other fishermen died after consuming the flesh, he was granted immortality whether he liked to or not. Yuta traveled the world with his goal of becoming a human spirit again. Along the way, he meets others who play a part in the Mermaids Tail like Mana, such as a young girl who was raised by several old men who intend to make her as powerful as a mermaid and then sacrifice her and eat her remains to regain their youth. They didn’t succeed.
Rumiko Takahashi – Maison Ikkoku
A Japanese comic series that started in October of 1980 and ran until April of 1987 is Maison Ikkoku. It also ran as an audio drama on NHK Radio 1 starting in 1982, an animated series on Fuji TV from March of 1986 until March of 1988, and even an action film released in October of 1986. Ms. Takahashi wrote and drew the original comic version. This series tells the story of Yusaku Godai as he tries to study for college entrance exams while owning and living in a boarding house with some weird other applicants trying to get into college. He gets talked into all kinds of crazy things and the series goes on.
Inu Yasha
Written and drawn out by Rumiko Takahashi, Inu Yasha debuted as a comic series in 1996 and lasted all the way until 2008. It told the story of Kagome Higurashi, a 15-year-old girl who is transported back in time to the feudal era of Japan where she meets (and falls in love with) a part human/part demon dog named Uni Yasha. Together they fight their way against the evil Naraku, a half demon-like being who haunts the group and all their friends bringing all kinds of bad feelings against those who oppose him.
Urusei Yatsura
This series, like most of the ones on this list, was written and drawn by Rumiko Takahashi and was originally carried in its comic form in issues of Weekly Shōnen Sunday from September of 1978 until February of 1987. It was also featured as an animated cartoon series from 1981 until 1986 and was made into 5 different animated movies from 1983 until 1991. The story has it that an alien race known as the Oni invade the Earth but instead of taking it over, they challenge the Earth to fight it out in a game of tag. The Oni are represented by the leader’s daughter, the beautiful young Lum and the Earthlings are represented but the lewd minded young man named Ataru. He wins the tag match by using a vacuum to strip off her top and win the match. After that, Lum stays and becomes attached to Ataru, despite his wandering eyes and they get along with their friends from high school.
Ranma 1/2
This story was carried in Weekly Shōnen Sunday between 1987 until March of 1996, as a popular animated television series between 1989 until 1992, 3 theatrical movies and several Original Video Animations. This story follows Ranma Saotome and his training in martial arts that takes all kinds of weird directions. He is accompanied by his father Genma Saotome and they train all over the world. It was during a stop in China where they befall a cursed spring that turns Ranma into a girl and Genma into a giant panda. Despite this, Genma brings Ranma to his former training partner Soun Tendo and his three Daughters that Ranma is promised (not by himself mind you) to marry and be the leaders of the dojo of “Anything Goes Martial Arts.” He is said to pick the youngest daughter Akane (they didn’t really pick anything) and they, along with their friends and family, live life with all the craziness around them.
