Rumiko Takahashi is one of Japan's foremost manga authors, known, amongst other things, for her work on the “Urusei Yatsura” and “Ranma ½” series. In the 1980s, the author produced numerous short stories, several of which would later be packaged together and published as the Rumic World collection. As was the fashion in the eighties, original video animations of Takahashi's successful short stories were promptly produced, the first of which is the late Motosuke Takahashi's adaptation of the 1983 tale, “Fire Tripper”.
As a young girl in feudal Japan, Suzuko is mysteriously warped into the 20th century, escaping near death in a fire. Several years later, the high schooler survives a deadly gas explosion only to be blasted back to the past. Saved by the plucky young village warrior, Shukumaru, Suzuko finds herself trapped in a war-torn land, separated from her loved ones. Why has she been thrown through time, and what is her connection to the village in which she's stranded?
The strongest part of “Fire Tripper” is, by far and away, the time-travel narrative, which throws up a fair few surprises as it unfolds. Just when you think you've figured it all out, you'll find the rug being pulled from under your feet. The nature of Suzuko and Shukumaru's relationship, where the high-schooler really comes from, and other mysteries are all resolved through a satisfyingly structured narrative that leaves no stone unturned. While the core story can be credited to Rumiko Takahashi's original manga, there are a handful of nice visual clues scattered throughout the OVA, which are best appreciated on a re-watch.
Suzuko's inexplicable ability to jump through time when threatened by fire is as intriguing a hook as it is effective a plot device, allowing the narrative to shift between the modern-day and feudal Japan. Both time periods are well-realised through the coarse animation; the shiny modern surroundings of Suzuko's present are a stark contrast to the war-torn wasteland that surrounds the feudal village. Even the character models differ between the two eras, with the bandits and villagers of the past sporting grotesque features that paint the fair, sailor-suit-wearing Suzuko as a true foreigner in their land.
The real focus of the film is the relationship that develops between Suzuko and the spunky Shukumaru. After all, this is a romance story at heart, merely sprinkled with time travel to keep things intriguing. While the will they / won't they relationship ventures into uncomfortable territory at times, the handsome pair share a mostly fun dynamic, both feeling like a fish out of water in each other's world. Alas, at only 49 minutes long, the OVA has precious little time for any meaningful character development that might help to make Suzuko and Shukumaru's relationship more absorbing.
This being an OVA, there are limitations to the animation, as is to be expected. There are static action shots that could really do with more urgent movement, along with some recycled footage, but these hindrances hardly detract from what is a visually engaging anime overall. There is, of course, also some “fan service” that, while adding next to nothing to the plot, is brief enough so as not to serve as a major narrative distraction.
As far as OVAs go, “Rumik World: Fire Tripper” is a short, fun, and unsuspectingly clever film. Using Rumiko Takahashi's original time-twisting manga as a solid backbone, Motosuke Takahashi produces a worthy anime adaptation that is enjoyed as a welcome piece of sci-fi escapism.
