While the overall execution of this episode is outstanding—I really will miss Urusei’s gorgeous and inventive retro visuals and its vast ensemble cast—I still felt the need to dock a half-star from last week’s outing. First, because so much relies on Ataru feeling genuinely hurt and betrayed by the Fake Lum. Things happen so fast there’s no time to clear up the misunderstanding. Then Ataru just makes things worse by “settling” for Carla, which infuriates Rupa even though he claims to hate her. The bad vibes never really let up, which hinders enjoyment of the episode.
When Ataru rushes to save Lum from falling, the two end up having an emotional and literal falling out, which is pretty clever (and funny). But again, there’s no doubt that Ataru and Lum care for each other a great deal, and probably Rupa and Carla do to. It’s just that they’re so busy being in denial and posturing and reacting to slights and such that they achieve nothing but making each other extremely angry at each other, and the wrong guys end up with the wrong girls.
Despite everyone telling him about the misunderstanding, Ataru isn’t willing to apologize to Lum, while Lum sees his reaction to the fake Lum as proof he doesn’t trust her, and never did, and probably never will. When he leaves, it breaks her heart, but she soldiers on. The Moroboshi home is then overrun, not just by the rescue party and Carla, but Sakura, Shinobu, Inaba, Cherry, and the Kotatsu cat. It’s fun watching everyone dining together, but it just doesn’t seem right without Lum there.
The reason Sakura & Co. are there is that she saw another vision of the future in her crystal ball: not only is Lum consumed by the darkness, but the entire Earth as well. That’s all due to a careless mistake by Carla providing Dark Dominion mushrooms for the hot pot (Ataru’s mom didn’t have enough food otherwise). The mushrooms grow to immense size in the presence of light and heat, which Earth is full of, and they soon grow out of control.
While I could have sworn Rei had the appetite to eat each and every mushroom, once they release spores it becomes too large a meal even for him. With the fate of the world at stake, the only solution is to contact Rupa, whose flying pigs will make quick work of them. But as soon as Carla and Ataru face Rupa and Lum, their bitterness reignites and they verbally spar with one another, and no deal is struck.
Don’t get me wrong: I know this isn’t going to remain this way forever. I know because stubborn as he is, Ataru does love Lum, and even kept the horns she shed (and then re-grew in a fit of rage he caused). He just doesn’t think he should have to say it. But no progress is made in healing their wounds this week. Instead, we’re left in the deep, dark bottom of their arc.
Eventually Rupa sends a swarm of his pigs to start devouring the mushrooms, and in a giant holographic projection Lum (not donning a dark cloak like Rupa) challenges Ataru to a game of tag, not unlike the one that brought them together. She says she’ll be easier to catch if he tells her he loves her, but he insists there’s no chance of that. Even so, I’m certain they’ll find a way back to each other in a way and looking forward to watching how that happens.
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