OVA
Description
Inaba is a character who appears late in the Urusei Yatsura series, introduced in the OVA titled Inaba the Dream Maker. He is a young man who works as a member of the Destiny Production Management Bureau, a mysterious subspace organization composed of anthropomorphic rabbits responsible for managing the fates and possible futures of every living being in the universe. His name is drawn from a well-known Japanese children's story, The White Rabbit of Inaba, which is part of the ancient Izumo myths.
Inaba makes his first appearance when he is discovered by Shinobu Miyake, collapsed in an alley in Tomobiki, weak from hunger. After she revives him with a carrot, he becomes instantly smitten with her, though his clumsy and insistent attempts to thank her with a date result in her punching him into the sky. This event sets the story in motion, as he drops a special subspace key that allows Shinobu, along with Lum and Ataru Moroboshi, to follow him into the dimension of destiny doors.
In his physical appearance, Inaba is a handsome young man with short blonde hair, but he is almost always seen wearing the official uniform of the Destiny Production Management Bureau. This outfit is a full-body rabbit costume with solid white fur, worn over a black or red apron that features an image of a clock. This peculiar attire reinforces his otherworldly nature and his affiliation with the dreamlike, surreal realm of destiny.
Personality-wise, Inaba is characterized as a well-meaning, earnest, and kind-hearted individual, though he is also somewhat impulsive and prone to melodrama. Unlike the lecherous and unfaithful Ataru or the arrogant Shutaro Mendo, Inaba is considered a genuine romantic. He is shy around women, fully in control of his impulses, and has no perverted intentions, which is quite unusual for male characters in this series. He can be a little unthinking with his speech and has a notorious problem with directions, often getting lost even on his way to work. Despite being a bit of a screw-up who is viewed with affectionate exasperation by his rabbit colleagues, he is fundamentally noble and willing to sacrifice himself for others.
Inaba's primary role in the story is that of a dream maker and a guide. He offers Ataru, Lum, and Shinobu the chance to witness and even create their own desired futures using the doors in the Destiny Factory. He is also a significant love interest for Shinobu Miyake. His relationship with Shinobu develops as she initially dismisses him as just another bothersome boy, but she gradually warms to him as she recognizes his genuine, kind-hearted, and faithful nature. Their bond is tested when he must undergo a quest to be promoted within the Bureau, a quest that requires him to pick a rare flower from the space-time forest with the help of a girlfriend. With Shinobu's assistance, he successfully completes the trial, leading to a mutual confession of their feelings for one another.
Throughout his appearances, Inaba shows a degree of development. He begins as a lonely apprentice with a poor sense of direction who is hopelessly in love from first sight. Through his trials and his interactions with Shinobu, he demonstrates courage, choosing to battle a monster rather than abandon her and refusing temptations that would lead him away from her. His dedication ultimately pays off, and he transitions from a bumbling worker to someone who has found a meaningful personal connection.
Regarding his notable abilities, Inaba possesses the power to traverse the subspace realm where destiny doors are kept. He can use special keys to open these doors, which lead to various possible futures for any person. He also has the ability to outfit others with Bureau costumes—rabbit suits for males and Playboy bunny-style outfits for females—that grant them the same freedom of movement within this dimension. Furthermore, he knows how to use the Destiny Factory to craft doorknobs that can create or alter a person's dream future, making him a literal architect of destiny.
Inaba makes his first appearance when he is discovered by Shinobu Miyake, collapsed in an alley in Tomobiki, weak from hunger. After she revives him with a carrot, he becomes instantly smitten with her, though his clumsy and insistent attempts to thank her with a date result in her punching him into the sky. This event sets the story in motion, as he drops a special subspace key that allows Shinobu, along with Lum and Ataru Moroboshi, to follow him into the dimension of destiny doors.
In his physical appearance, Inaba is a handsome young man with short blonde hair, but he is almost always seen wearing the official uniform of the Destiny Production Management Bureau. This outfit is a full-body rabbit costume with solid white fur, worn over a black or red apron that features an image of a clock. This peculiar attire reinforces his otherworldly nature and his affiliation with the dreamlike, surreal realm of destiny.
Personality-wise, Inaba is characterized as a well-meaning, earnest, and kind-hearted individual, though he is also somewhat impulsive and prone to melodrama. Unlike the lecherous and unfaithful Ataru or the arrogant Shutaro Mendo, Inaba is considered a genuine romantic. He is shy around women, fully in control of his impulses, and has no perverted intentions, which is quite unusual for male characters in this series. He can be a little unthinking with his speech and has a notorious problem with directions, often getting lost even on his way to work. Despite being a bit of a screw-up who is viewed with affectionate exasperation by his rabbit colleagues, he is fundamentally noble and willing to sacrifice himself for others.
Inaba's primary role in the story is that of a dream maker and a guide. He offers Ataru, Lum, and Shinobu the chance to witness and even create their own desired futures using the doors in the Destiny Factory. He is also a significant love interest for Shinobu Miyake. His relationship with Shinobu develops as she initially dismisses him as just another bothersome boy, but she gradually warms to him as she recognizes his genuine, kind-hearted, and faithful nature. Their bond is tested when he must undergo a quest to be promoted within the Bureau, a quest that requires him to pick a rare flower from the space-time forest with the help of a girlfriend. With Shinobu's assistance, he successfully completes the trial, leading to a mutual confession of their feelings for one another.
Throughout his appearances, Inaba shows a degree of development. He begins as a lonely apprentice with a poor sense of direction who is hopelessly in love from first sight. Through his trials and his interactions with Shinobu, he demonstrates courage, choosing to battle a monster rather than abandon her and refusing temptations that would lead him away from her. His dedication ultimately pays off, and he transitions from a bumbling worker to someone who has found a meaningful personal connection.
Regarding his notable abilities, Inaba possesses the power to traverse the subspace realm where destiny doors are kept. He can use special keys to open these doors, which lead to various possible futures for any person. He also has the ability to outfit others with Bureau costumes—rabbit suits for males and Playboy bunny-style outfits for females—that grant them the same freedom of movement within this dimension. Furthermore, he knows how to use the Destiny Factory to craft doorknobs that can create or alter a person's dream future, making him a literal architect of destiny.