, can refer either to a series of short
manga
Manga (Japanese: 漫画 ) are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long prehistory in earlier Japanese art. The term ''manga'' is u ...
stories written by
Rumiko Takahashi
is a Japanese manga artist. With a career of several commercially successful works, beginning with ''Urusei Yatsura'' in 1978, Takahashi is one of Japan's best-known and wealthiest manga artists. Her works are popular worldwide, where they have ...
or to a series of
original video animation
, abbreviated as OVA and sometimes as OAV (original animation video), are Japanese animated films and series made specially for release in home video formats without prior showings on television or in theaters, though the first part of an OVA s ...
s (OVAs) based on those stories.
''Rumic World'' was later reprinted in Japan as , and released in English by
Viz Media
VIZ Media LLC is an American manga publisher, anime distributor and entertainment company headquartered in San Francisco, California. It was founded in 1986 as VIZ LLC. In 2005, VIZ LLC and ShoPro Entertainment merged to form the current VIZ M ...
as ''Rumic World Trilogy''. Most of the stories are comedies.
The OVAs were released in North American and United Kingdom by
Central Park Media
Central Park Media, often abbreviated as CPM, was an American multimedia entertainment company based in New York City, New York and was headquartered in the 250 West 57th Street building in Midtown Manhattan (on the corner of Central Park, hence ...
and
Manga Entertainment
Manga Entertainment was a producer, licensee, and distributor of anime in the United States and the United Kingdom. Originally founded in the UK in 1987, the UK branch became Funimation UK and Ireland in 2021, also currently known as Crunchyro ...
.
Japanese Editions
The ''Rumic World'' stories were originally published separately in various
Shogakukan
is a Japanese publisher of dictionaries, literature, comics (manga), non-fiction, DVDs, and other media in Japan.
Shogakukan founded Shueisha, which also founded Hakusensha. These are three separate companies, but are together called the Hit ...
magazines. ''Rumic World'' was released twice in Japan, the first edition, , utilized the
tankobon format, and consisted of three volumes:
First Edition
;Volume 1
*
*
*
*
;Volume 2
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
;Volume 3
*
*
* (also ''Dust Spot!!'') (consists of five chapters)
Second edition
The second edition, , in
wideban format, contained the same stories, reduced into two volumes, with the stories in a different order:
;Volume 1
*
*
*
* (also ''Dust Spot!!) (consists of five chapters)
*
*
;Volume 2
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
One or Double
Another collection of similar short stories not included in either of the first two editions, was titled either , or This book also uses the
wideban format, and contains the following stories:
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
Came the Mirror
Another collection of similar short stories, titled , was released in 2015 and contains the following stories:
*
*
*
*
*
* My Sweet Sunday (collaboration with
Mitsuru Adachi
is a Japanese manga artist. After graduating from Gunma Prefectural Maebashi Commercial High School in 1969, Adachi worked as an assistant for Isami Ishii. He made his manga debut in 1970 with ''Kieta Bakuon'', based on a manga originally crea ...
to commemorate the 50th anniversary of ''Shonen Sunday'')
Translations
English editions
Some of Takahashi's stories were printed in ''
Manga Vizion
VIZ Media LLC is an American manga publisher, anime distributor and entertainment company headquartered in San Francisco, California. It was founded in 1986 as VIZ LLC. In 2005, VIZ LLC and ShoPro Entertainment merged to form the current VIZ ...
'' magazine in a "flipped" style and are no longer in print.
Rumic World
While
Viz Media
VIZ Media LLC is an American manga publisher, anime distributor and entertainment company headquartered in San Francisco, California. It was founded in 1986 as VIZ LLC. In 2005, VIZ LLC and ShoPro Entertainment merged to form the current VIZ M ...
initially published two ''Rumic World'' stories in 1989 and 1990, it published a three volume set of the ''Rumic World'' collection in 1997, corresponding to the Japanese editions, with a different order to the stories:
Volume 1
*"
Fire Tripper
is a Japanese manga by Rumiko Takahashi published in August 1983 issue of '' Shōnen Sunday Zōkan''. The manga was later compiled in '' Rumic World'' books, which are available in English from Viz Media. It was adapted into an anime OVA. In ...
": A gas explosion sends young Suzuko and Shuu 500 years into the past.
*"
Maris the Chojo
, originally titled ''Supergal'' in U.S. markets, is a one shot manga story by Rumiko Takahashi. It ran in the October 1980 special edition of ''Shōnen Sunday'' and was later made into an anime OVA. The manga was later compiled in the ''Ru ...
": An alien policeman sees a kidnapped quadrillionaire as her ticket out of debt.
*"Those Selfish Aliens": Aliens, the government, and fishermen implant bombs in a poor individual.
*"Time Warp Trouble": Warriors from feudal Japan inexplicably pop into a modern high-school classroom.
*"
The Laughing Target
is a Japanese manga by Rumiko Takahashi published in February 1983 issue of '' Shōnen Sunday Zōkan''. The manga was later compiled in ''Rumic World'' books, which are available in English from Viz Media. It was adapted into an anime OVA rele ...
": Azusa will do anything to ensure that Yuzuru stays hers.
Volume 2
*"Wasted Minds (Dust Spot)": A five-part miniseries which follows a pair of bickering government agents.
*"The Golden Gods of Poverty": A boy's parents try to use him to make money.
*"The Entrepreneurial Spirit": A woman leads seminars for a get-rich quick scheme.
Volume 3
*"That Darn Cat": Rumiko Takahashi takes care of her neighbor's cat.
*"": A couple befriend a sickly child with a secret.
*"Wedded Bliss": A wedded couple's only outlet is to fight with one another.
*"Sleep and Forget": A girl relives a past life involving her lover.
*"A Cry for Help": A fairy gives a boy a frightening split personality.
*"War Council": Student councils go to war over a stamp.
*"The Face Pack": A man can change his appearance at will.
One or Double
Viz Media published a book corresponding to the "One or Double" collection under the title ' on June 5, 1998. It contained the following stories:
*"Excuse Me for Being a Dog!": A boxer tries to hide the fact that he turns into a dog every time he gets a nose bleed.
*"Winged Victory": A rugby team with 999 losses is cheered on by a ghostly girl .
*"The Grandfather of All Baseball Games": A man wastes the money his grandson makes playing sandlot baseball.
*"The Diet Goddess": A young girl goes through a rigorous training exercise to fit into a dress.
*"Happy Talk": A girl searches for her dead mother, who she thinks might be working as a hostess in Tokyo.
*"One or Double": An accident places the soul of a fanatic
kendo
is a modern Japanese martial art, descended from kenjutsu (one of the old Japanese martial arts, swordsmanship), that uses bamboo swords (shinai) as well as protective armor (bōgu). Today, it is widely practiced within Japan and has spread ...
coach into his favorite pupil's girlfriend.
*"To Grandmother's House We Go": A woman poses as her dead friend to claim a 500 billion yen inheritance.
*"Reserved Seat": A singer deals with stage fright and memory blackouts after his grandmother dies.
*"Shake Your Buddha": A hilarious debate between the future Buddha and an idiot yam fanatic.
Came the Mirror
Viz Media published "Came the Mirror" collection under the title '
on February 15, 2022.
See also
*''
Rumic Theater
, or , is a Japanese manga collective composed of short stories written and illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi. New stories are published annually in Shogakukan's ''Big Comic Original'' magazine (and other Shogakukan magazines) since 1987.
A 13 ...
''
Notes and references
External links
Description on Furinkan.com
{{Rumiko Takahashi
Manga anthologies
1994 manga
Viz Media manga
Works by Rumiko Takahashi