And, yes, another episode that introduces some recurring characters. This time we meet the Gang of Three – Pepper, Sugar and Ginger.
The Gang of Three are three girls who attend the Galactic School that Lum, Oyuki and Benten attended. With their hearts set on being juvenile delinquents they are unfortunately outshone by their predecessors. So they decide to goad them into a fight to prove that they are tougher.
Using Ginger’s power of pretending to be dead, they trick Benten and steal her biker chain. Pissed off about it, Benten’s mood gets no better when the Gang send Oyuki and video ransom message, telling them if Benten wants her chain back to meet them at Space Vector A-H-O. Which turns out to be the roof of Tomobiki High!
Ginger challenges them to a verbal fight, but her insults cut a little deep and soon Benten et al are ready to physically attack them. Using their powers, the Gang manage to hang onto the chain until they can break out their super computer SALT (Ginger can turn invisble and Pepper can shed her skin) to execute their master plan.
Which is the production of a load of duplicate chains.
Oyuki freezes them and Benten smashes them leaving only the real chain behind. Safely recovered, Benten returns home and Oyuki and Lum learn why it’s so valuable to Benten. It’s her front door key and she’s been locked out.
When they get inside however, they find the Gang of Three waiting inside. You see Benten had left her back door open…
I liked this episode a fair bit, at least for this production batch. There’s some nice animation here and there (though no great sequences) and the story clips along at a fair pace. As good as the more Earth-bound episodes have been, this one pretty much cuts out Ataru from the story all together and it feels refreshing.
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Ginger is played by Chika Sakamoto. She’d play Kentaro Ichinose in Maison Ikkoku and Mei in My Neighbour Totoro.
Sugar is played by TARAKO. She’d been part of the ensemble cast of UY from the early days (I think episode 4). Her most famous role is that of Chibi Maruko-chan in the massively successful adaptation of the manga of the same name.
Pepper is played by Rumiko Ukai. Her most famous role is probably Frau Bow in the Gundam franchise.
Screenplay: Kazunori Ito
Storyboards: Osamu Uemura
Director: Osamu Uemura
Animation Director: Takeshi Oosaka