Brianna Fox-Priest
November 21, 2022 Whether you previously heard of the original Urusei Yatsura or not, now’s a good time to get familiar with the 2022 reboot. If you grew up watching classics such as Ranma ½ and Inuyasha like I did, you are already a fan of Rumiko Takahashi, the mangaka behind Urusei Yatsura.
After 41 years, this supernatural romantic comedy, a household name among many anime fans of the 80s and 90s, gets a modern makeover that is visually up-to-date with today’s standards without losing its charms that made it so lovable the first time.
As the series’ reboot is partway through its season, we are putting together a little guide so you have a better idea of what to expect.
Let’s get started, darling!
What is the series about?
Urusei Yatsura marks a pivotal moment in anime history, going where no other series had gone before. Reaching icon status first in Japan, then in the west once localized. The series paved the way for romantic comedy and the now-known harem genre, which considering it was Takahashi’s first breakthrough series is impressive. It was so popular in fact, that it went on to air 195 episodes, six films, and 12 OVAs.
Of course, we can’t discuss the series’ popularity without highlighting everyone’s favorite alien princess, the scantily-clad, tiger-striped bikini-wearing, Lum. You’ve likely seen the turquoise-haired oni-gal donned on t-shirts and twirling on loop in future funk mixes on YouTube. She quickly rose to be the most beloved character, thanks to her over-the-top personality and shocking display of love.
So what exactly is the Urusei Yatsura reboot all about? The 2022 version roughly follows the order of manga and original anime, opening with an alien race of oni (demon creatures from Japanese folklore) descending to earth and choosing to challenge the lecherous Ataru Moroboshi to a game of tag. Ataru’s opponent is Lum, and he must catch the princess in order to save the world from alien invasion. When he does finally catch her, there’s a misunderstanding that Ataru proposed to Lum, when in reality he was promising to marry his girlfriend. What follows is the goofy misadventures of Lum and Ataru’s marriage; often because of Ataru’s perverted behavior the upset princess results to shocking her husband. The love triangle drama between these space-crossed lovers is never-ending. There are adorable alien girls, romance (kinda), and comedy, making it the perfect rom-com anime.
Aside from the anime itself, the cherry on top of the sundae is the beautifully curated OP and ED. Although it would be a welcome update, the anime is set in the same decade as the original and not a modernized version as the OP leads a new viewer to believe (okay, maybe that was just me).
How and where can I stream it?
You can watch the reboot on HIDIVE. The reboot is confirmed to air four cours during the running of its season, roughly equalling about 48 episodes total.
Fun fact: long-time fans will appreciate that both versions were released on Oct. 14th (41 years apart) and the reboot comes at the opportune time of the Year of the Tiger.
Are you going to add the Urusei Yatsura reboot to your watchlist?
