TV-Series
Description
Ryuuko is a dragon girl summoned by Yan-Yan’s Sea Dragon Whistle, an item resembling the mascot of Tatsunoko Production. She serves as both an additional member of the Dirt Cheap Trio and their primary mecha unit, the Snail Mech or Den-Den Mecha.
She resides at the bottom of Otamaga Pond, from which she is typically called upon. Drawing from the narrative motif of "Journey to the West," her character is based on Yulong, a shapeshifting sea dragon who acts as a steed.
When transformed into the Snail Mech, she transports the trio and can teleport globally. This form includes a function that allows the group to convert a yokai into a giant, remote-controlled mecha by attaching a mind-controlling antenna. The cockpit contains organic-looking components such as protruding ribs and buttons that manifest as her breasts, which she dislikes having pressed. Any damage to the mecha transfers directly to Ryuuko, often leaving her visibly bruised alongside the group.
Outside her primary role, she occasionally joins the quest for Divine Puzzle pieces, driven largely by curiosity. Her relationship with the trio is flirtatious and teasing; she regularly throws snark and mockery their way while consistently offering help. She shares a particular rapport with Kusaku Magota, rooted in their mutual tendency to ridicule the trio.
Around the thirteenth episode, she begins appearing in baseball attire, operating a bullpen cart that carries a smaller Relief Mecha. Using her magical breath, she enlarges this mecha, which becomes the trio’s main counterattack weapon for the rest of the series. The Relief Mecha is themed after the yokai defeated in that episode and is powered by inserting the acquired puzzle piece. Ryuuko monitors the mecha’s generator during operation.
One episode focuses on her expressing feelings of loneliness to Kusaku as he eats her dango treats. Later, in Italy, she becomes infatuated with a gondolier named Wanita. This leads to conflict with Yan-Yan, who also developed feelings for Wanita, over ownership of the Sea Dragon Whistle. The subplot concludes with the revelation that Wanita was an alligator yokai enhanced by a Divine Puzzle piece, leaving both heartbroken.
After the final defeat of the Dirt Cheap Trio, Ryuuko disappears from the narrative. She has no ulterior motives for assisting the group. Although the Snail Mech appears in subsequent spin-off media within the same franchise, these later appearances show no signs of sentience or indication that the mecha is still a transformed Ryuuko.
She resides at the bottom of Otamaga Pond, from which she is typically called upon. Drawing from the narrative motif of "Journey to the West," her character is based on Yulong, a shapeshifting sea dragon who acts as a steed.
When transformed into the Snail Mech, she transports the trio and can teleport globally. This form includes a function that allows the group to convert a yokai into a giant, remote-controlled mecha by attaching a mind-controlling antenna. The cockpit contains organic-looking components such as protruding ribs and buttons that manifest as her breasts, which she dislikes having pressed. Any damage to the mecha transfers directly to Ryuuko, often leaving her visibly bruised alongside the group.
Outside her primary role, she occasionally joins the quest for Divine Puzzle pieces, driven largely by curiosity. Her relationship with the trio is flirtatious and teasing; she regularly throws snark and mockery their way while consistently offering help. She shares a particular rapport with Kusaku Magota, rooted in their mutual tendency to ridicule the trio.
Around the thirteenth episode, she begins appearing in baseball attire, operating a bullpen cart that carries a smaller Relief Mecha. Using her magical breath, she enlarges this mecha, which becomes the trio’s main counterattack weapon for the rest of the series. The Relief Mecha is themed after the yokai defeated in that episode and is powered by inserting the acquired puzzle piece. Ryuuko monitors the mecha’s generator during operation.
One episode focuses on her expressing feelings of loneliness to Kusaku as he eats her dango treats. Later, in Italy, she becomes infatuated with a gondolier named Wanita. This leads to conflict with Yan-Yan, who also developed feelings for Wanita, over ownership of the Sea Dragon Whistle. The subplot concludes with the revelation that Wanita was an alligator yokai enhanced by a Divine Puzzle piece, leaving both heartbroken.
After the final defeat of the Dirt Cheap Trio, Ryuuko disappears from the narrative. She has no ulterior motives for assisting the group. Although the Snail Mech appears in subsequent spin-off media within the same franchise, these later appearances show no signs of sentience or indication that the mecha is still a transformed Ryuuko.