This is a database of older and less well known anime and manga | Menu |
Shoujo & General Anime Detail

-Help-

Back | Anime titles | anime in romaji order | Shoujo | W.M.T | Old Anime | Manga titles | Blog Home
Information
Title (English) Urusei Yatsura
Title (Japanese) Urusei Yatsura
Advertising

book cover

Fantasy Novel

Notes From a manga by: Rumiko Takahash.i
UK & USA videotape releases.
Genre(s): science fiction, comedy, high school, romance

Classification -
Synopsis Stupid and lecherousJapanese schoolboy Ataru gets mixed up with a bikini-wearing alien girl (Lum) and a lot of other annoying aliens, to the disgust of his nice girlfriend, Shinobu.
For those not yet familiar with Urusei Yatsura, I'd better explain that this is a vast romantic SF comedy spanning comic books, TV episodes and six movies in which a lecherous youth, Ataru Moroboshi and his friends suffer the visitations of various annoying aliens, mostly cute and female, and especially the delicious LUM, a green-haired alien girl who wears either school uniform or a tiger-skin bikini.
Review This is a masterpiece of SF comedy - inventive - vividly animated - packed with delightful characters - farcical but wiser than it might at first seem.
URUSEI YATSURA TV Episodes Vols 1,2 (Anime Projects) 100 mins ea., subtitled, cert 15. (Eps.#1-#8 and #9 to #16) Essential subtitled Takahashi. The origins of the scenario for this SF romantic comedy is explained in the first TV volumes; those who have only seen the movies may well find these illuminating! The alien devil-girl Lum falls for Ataru Moroboshi, an unlucky youth who also happens to be a compulsive girl-chaser. Ataru's nice schoolgirl girlfriend Shinobu is unamused.
In vol.2 some more of creator Rumiko Takahashi's large cast of characters, including Sakura, a Shinto sorceress, and Oyuki, an ice- princess from Neptune, are introduced. Confused video collectors should note that the short episodes are arranged in 25 min. pairs. These early TV episodes, shot in 16mm with mono sound, have modest production values but the level of comic invention and amusing characterisation remains exceptionally high. Recommended.
URUSEI YATSURA TV Series, vols #3,#4, 100 mins ea., subtitled ?12.99 ea, cert 12,PG. More of the essential series featuring cute alien girl Lum; great comedy and good value at 100 mins a tape. Introducing the gorgeous Princess Kurama and other annoying aliens, and Mendou Shutaro, the richest youth in Japan. See the hilarious parody of the Tale of Genji, and the Mothers' Squabble at the school open day! Vol.4 was trimmed by 8 secs to deny our youth the sight of a nunchaku, an illegal chain/cosh weapon.
URUSEI YATSURA TV Series. vols #5,#6. 100 mins ea. Subtitled. £12.99 ea. cert. PG. #5 has the camera episode; the first Ran episode; the Ataru's Diary episode; and the Poetry Duel episode (so sez the press release) all excellent. #6 has the two Atarus episode; the episode which recap the series so far (pointless if you already have the episodes); the great Nara Ninja-girl episode; and the matchmaking party for Lum.
URUSEI YATSURA TV #8 (Anime Projects/AnimEigo, 100 mins, PG, £12.99) More bizarre episodes of this esential series. The "double episode" format has now been quietly dropped, so what you get is four 25-min episodes, each broken in the middle by an "eye-catch" (originally an advertising break). In "What a Dracula" a rather enfeebled version of the legendary vampire comes off worst in his encounter with the demons from outer space. In "Small Boy's Educational Lecture Course",Lum goes back to Ataru's childhood, but tries in vain to re-educate him out of his lecherous ways. In "From the Garden With Love" Ten-chan and Ataru cultivate a plant rather reminiscent of the Little Shop of Horrors as they both pursue the cute florist shop girl. In "Rain Woman" Ataru gets wet when he pursues a strange girl cursed by a rainy demon.
Credits Animator(s): Yuji Moriyama (director)

Note(s): Early episodes were composed of two separate short stories.
Episodes 218
Release US:DVD, US:VHS, UK:VHS
TV Showing See the whole series for free? This series may be syndicated to regional cable, satellite or terrestial TV stations. For Europe click here.
Date 1981 October 14 - 1986 March 19
Production Kitty Films
Broadcaster
Animation
References & Help Look up the latest data on this title at:
Richard Llewellyn's Animated Divots, or
Anime News Network (see Encyclopedia section) ,
or in "The Anime Encyclopedia" (Clements & McCarthy, Stone Bridge Press, 2001).
Help & further information.

 

Back

Skin design by DivxDB