Saizō Jī

The senile elderly gardener of the Mendō household

The Mendō family gardener and Shingo Mendō's grandfather. Quite senile but a warm-hearted, family-loving person.

Trivia

  • Has a past of being separated from Shingo.
  • So senile that he repeatedly mistakes Mendō for Shingo.
  • Skilled gardener who continues to protect the Mendō family garden.
  • Treats Shutaro Mendō with affection but frequently confuses him.
  • Voice actor changed; different voice actors for the 1981 and 2022 versions.

Alternate names

Saizō Jī Mendō Family Gardener Shingo Mendō's Grandfather

Tags

Mendō Family Gardener Grandfather Elderly Man Senile Urusei Yatsura Down-to-Earth Comedy Family-Oriented

Profile

Species
Human
Gender
Male

Appearance

Overall appearance
Elderly man with white hair. Somewhat small build with average physique. Shows signs of age-appropriate aging and senility.
Eye color
Brown
Hair color
Silver
Distinguishing features
  • White hair
  • Age-appropriate wrinkles
  • Somewhat small stature
Iconic items
  • Gardening tools
  • Hat

Personality and abilities

Core personality
Gentle
Detailed personality
Warm-hearted and family-oriented, but suffers from advanced senility due to age. Loyal to the Mendō family and cherishes his grandson Shingo.
Keywords
  • Loyalty
  • Gentle
  • Senile
  • Warm-hearted
  • Family-oriented
Talents
  • Gardening expertise
  • Plant management
Skills
  • Garden maintenance
  • Plant care
Motivation
To protect the Mendō family garden and serve the family.
Habits
Frequently exhibits discrepancies in speech and behavior due to senility.
Favorite foods
Sweets, Nostalgic Japanese sweets
Favorite places
Mendō family garden

History

Backstory
Has long served as the Mendō family gardener, watching over the family as Shingo's grandfather. As he has aged, senility has set in, and he often mistakes Mendō for Shingo.
Debut date
circa 1980
Work title
Urusei Yatsura
Media type
Manga

Separation from Shingo

Significant event
Separation from Shingo
Description
While cultivating electric vegetables on the Mendō family grounds, became separated from his grandson Shingo.

Reunion with Shingo

Significant event
Reunion with Shingo
Description
Later reunited with his grandson Shingo in the modern era, and together they protect the Mendō family garden.

Relationships

Shingo

Grandfather

Grandson. Was separated but reunited in modern times. Cherishes him dearly.

Shutaro Mendō

Head of the Mendō family. Occasionally mistakes him for Shingo and gets his name wrong.

Media appearances

Urusei Yatsura

Manga / Supporting

Serialization began in 1978

Urusei Yatsura (1981 version)

Anime / Supporting

Aired in 1981

Voice cast and creators

Hirokazu Kitamura

Voice actor
Hirokazu Kitamura
Language
Japanese
Version or series
1981 Anime Version

Kappei Yamaguchi

Voice actor
Kappei Yamaguchi
Language
Japanese
Version or series
2022 Anime Version

Rumiko Takahashi

Creator name
Rumiko Takahashi
Role
Original author

Rumiko Takahashi

Creator name
Rumiko Takahashi
Role
Character designer

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