The ''
Urusei Yatsura
is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi. It was serialized in Shogakukan's ''Weekly Shōnen Sunday'' from September 1978 to February 1987. Its 366 individual chapters were published in 34 ''tankōbon'' volum ...
''
manga
Manga (Japanese: 漫画 ) are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long prehistory in earlier Japanese art. The term ''manga'' is u ...
series features a large ensemble cast of characters created by
Rumiko Takahashi
is a Japanese manga artist. With a career of several commercially successful works, beginning with ''Urusei Yatsura'' in 1978, Takahashi is one of Japan's best-known and wealthiest manga artists. Her works are popular worldwide, where they have ...
. It tells the story of Japanese teenager
Ataru Moroboshi
is a fictional character and protagonist of Rumiko Takahashi's manga and anime series ''Urusei Yatsura''.
Appearances
In ''Urusei Yatsura''
Ataru is a 17-year-old student at Tomobiki High School, Class 2-4. Born during a major earthquake ...
, and the alien
Lum, who believes she is Ataru's wife after he accidentally proposes to her. The series contains many other characters, whose unusual characteristics and eccentric personalities drive most of the stories. In addition to
extraterrestrials
Extraterrestrial life, colloquially referred to as alien life, is life that may occur outside Earth and which did not originate on Earth. No extraterrestrial life has yet been conclusively detected, although efforts are underway. Such life might ...
, it includes many appearances from figures in
Japanese mythology
Japanese mythology is a collection of traditional stories, folktales, and beliefs that emerged in the islands of the Japanese archipelago. Shinto and Buddhist traditions are the cornerstones of Japanese mythology. The history of thousands of year ...
and
history
History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the History of writing#Inventions of writing, invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbr ...
.
Main characters
Ataru Moroboshi
is the main
protagonist
A protagonist () is the main character of a story. The protagonist makes key decisions that affect the plot, primarily influencing the story and propelling it forward, and is often the character who faces the most significant obstacles. If a st ...
of the series. A 17-year-old lazy student at Tomobiki High School, Class 2-4, Ataru suffers from an incredible amount of bad luck, having been born on
Friday the 13th
Friday the 13th is considered an unlucky day in Western superstition. It occurs when the 13th day of the month in the Gregorian calendar falls on a Friday, which happens at least once every year but can occur up to three times in the same year. ...
, during a major earthquake, and ''
Butsumetsu'', the unluckiest day of the
Buddhist
Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...
calendar.
Thanks to this lack of good fortune, his triumph in the game of tag that saves Earth from an Oni invasion turns into a defeat for him. His victory statement, intended to confirm his girlfriend Shinobu's promise to marry him if he won, is misinterpreted by Lum to be a marriage proposal. Much to his chagrin, she accepts.
Lum's arrival strains Ataru's relationship with Shinobu. But Ataru has always been very lecherous. His main goal in life is to live in the center of a harem composed of exotic and beautiful women, including Lum and most of her alien friends. Usually, he just walks up to a woman he has never met before and asks for her name, phone number, and address. If Lum, who views him as her husband, should witness these usually futile flirting efforts, she regularly zaps him with massive quantities of electricity, but they do nothing to slow him down.
Ataru may come across as academically unaccomplished and unwilling to make an effort, but he is actually quite intelligent, able to manipulate situations to his advantage. Though he often tries to escape from Lum and openly flirts with other women, he begins to truly love Lum, while steadfastily refusing to admit it.
Lum
is the female protagonist of the series. She is a beautiful
Oni
An is a kind of ''yōkai'', demon, orc, ogre, or troll in Japanese folklore. Oni are mostly known for their fierce and evil nature manifested in their propensity for murder and cannibalism. Notwithstanding their evil reputation, oni possess i ...
(translated in English as "
ogre
An ogre ( feminine: ogress) is a legendary monster depicted as a large, hideous, man-like being that eats ordinary human beings, especially infants and children. Ogres frequently feature in mythology, folklore, and fiction throughout the wor ...
") alien who is capable of flying and generating electrical shocks and even lightning (resembling the thunder god
Raijin
, also known as , , , and Kamowakeikazuchi-no-kami is a god of lightning, thunder and storms in Japanese mythology and the Shinto religion. He is typically depicted with fierce and aggressive facial expressions, standing atop a cloud, beatin ...
).
She is usually seen wearing her signature outfit of a tiger-striped
bikini
A bikini is a two-piece swimsuit primarily worn by women that features two triangles of fabric on top that cover the breasts, and two triangles of fabric on the bottom: the front covering the pelvis but exposing the navel, and the back coveri ...
and knee-high
go-go boots
Go-go boots are a low-heeled style of women's fashion boot first introduced in the mid-1960s. The original go-go boots, as defined by André Courrèges in 1964, were white, low-heeled, and mid-calf in height, a specific style which is sometimes ...
. As an alien she has access to many bizarre gadgets whose use she does not always understand completely, often leading to comic results. After misinterpreting Ataru's words as a marriage proposal, Lum quickly agrees to marry the human. When Ataru unwittingly racks up an insurmountable amount of debt to an alien taxi driver who starts plundering oil from all over Earth, Lum agrees to pay off the debt in exchange for being allowed to live at the Moroboshi house. Although she is extremely popular with men, Lum's only dream in life is to be with Ataru, whom she calls her "Darling".
If her and Ataru get into a fight, Lum may retreat to her spaceship that she keeps above the Moroboshi home. While generally good-natured, sweet, faithful, and innocent, Lum also has a very hot temper that is usually directed at Ataru when he leches on other women. She has a unique way of speaking, similar to that of young Japanese girls who are trying to be overly cute.
Humans
Shinobu Miyake
is Ataru's childhood friend and classmate. At the beginning of the series she is also Ataru's girlfriend, but Lum's arrival strains the relationship. Shinobu claims that if Ataru wins the game of tag, she would marry him, which encourages Ataru to win, but his victory cry leads to a misunderstanding where Lum agrees to marry him. Shinobu is a neat, sweet and petite young lady. Despite these feminine characteristics, she often displays super-human strength, able to easily throw the school desks or any other large/heavy object as needed; however, this strength tends to only show itself in anger involving either Lum or Ataru.
When
Shutaro Mendo
The ''Urusei Yatsura'' manga series features a large ensemble cast of characters created by Rumiko Takahashi. It tells the story of Japanese teenager Ataru Moroboshi, and the alien Lum, who believes she is Ataru's wife after he accidentally pr ...
arrives at their school, Shinobu, like all the other girls in class, develops a crush on him at first sight. This causes her to question her feelings for Ataru, and turns the
love triangle
A love triangle or eternal triangle is a scenario or circumstance, usually depicted as a rivalry, in which two people are pursuing or involved in a romantic relationship with one person, or in which one person in a romantic relationship with so ...
of her, Ataru and Lum, into a four-way entanglement. As the series progresses, however, Shinobu gives up on both Ataru and Shutaro and ends up meeting Inaba, whom she eventually goes steady with. She is voiced by
Saeko Shimazu
is a Japanese actress, voice actress and narrator from Isehara. Shimazu is notable for having had voice roles in all four of the major anime television series based on the works of Rumiko Takahashi - she played Shinobu Miyake in ''Urusei Yatsur ...
(first series) and
Maaya Uchida
is a Japanese voice actress and singer who works for I'm Enterprise. She won the Best Rookie Actress Award at the 8th Seiyu Awards. She is best known for her roles such as Rikka Takanashi in ''Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions'', Ranko Kanzaki i ...
(second series) in Japanese,
and Katherine Burten (''Those Obnoxious Aliens'') and Danielle Sullivan in English.
Shutaro Mendo
is heir to the Mendo
conglomerate
Conglomerate or conglomeration may refer to:
* Conglomerate (company)
* Conglomerate (geology)
* Conglomerate (mathematics)
In popular culture:
* The Conglomerate (American group), a production crew and musical group founded by Busta Rhymes
** Co ...
with staggering wealth and its own private
army
An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...
. Upon his transfer to Tomobiki High, he and Ataru immediately become enemies. Although very handsome, charming and intelligent, on occasions Mendo succumbs to lechery and resembles Ataru, just more respectful and sophisticated in his approach. The two are much more alike than either would like to admit. Shutaro takes his role as heir to the vast Mendo fortune extremely seriously. A descendant of a
samurai
were the hereditary military nobility and officer caste of medieval and early-modern Japan from the late 12th century until their abolition in 1876. They were the well-paid retainers of the '' daimyo'' (the great feudal landholders). They h ...
family, Shutaro often carries a
katana
A is a Japanese sword characterized by a curved, single-edged blade with a circular or squared guard and long grip to accommodate two hands. Developed later than the ''tachi'', it was used by samurai in feudal Japan and worn with the edge fa ...
with him, which at any moment could be flying at Ataru's face. He has a team of men in sunglasses who act as his personal retainers. Mendo is fond of octopuses and keeps a large number of them as loyal pets. He has a sibling rivalry with his younger sister,
Ryoko.
Mendo is
narcissistic
Narcissism is a self-centered personality style characterized as having an excessive interest in one's physical appearance or image and an excessive preoccupation with one's own needs, often at the expense of others.
Narcissism exists on a co ...
, overly dramatic,
claustrophobic
Claustrophobia is the fear of confined spaces. It can be triggered by many situations or stimuli, including elevators, especially when crowded to capacity, windowless rooms, and hotel rooms with closed doors and sealed windows. Even bedrooms with ...
and afraid of the dark. But due to his vanity, his phobias incredibly disappear when a girl can see him. Ataru often plays on Mendo's fears by putting a large bell over him, forming a dark enclosed area where a girl can not see him. However, this has resulted in him breaking these bells out of sheer terror. The girls at school have formed a
fan club
A fans club is an organized group of fans, generally of a celebrity. Most fans clubs are run by fans who devote considerable time and resources to support them. There are also "official" fan clubs that are run by someone associated with the per ...
for Mendo and they will do anything to protect him. Though Shinobu is the closest thing he has to a girlfriend, Mendo has feelings for Lum, tolerating Ataru's presence in order to be close to her. He is voiced by
Akira Kamiya
is a Japanese voice actor. He played several notable roles in Japanese manga and anime television series, including Kenshiro in ''Fist of the North Star'', Ryo Saeba in ''City Hunter'' and Shutaro Mendo in ''Urusei Yatsura''. In mecha anime, he ...
(first series) and
Mamoru Miyano
is a Japanese actor and singer. He is best known for his roles on '' Steins;Gate'', ''Durarara!!'', ''Death Note'', '' Soul Eater'', ''Wolf's Rain'', ''Ouran High School Host Club'', '' Ajin: Demi-Human'', '' Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood'', ' ...
(second series) in Japanese,
and by Robert Rogan, Russell Wait (Animax), Brian Hudson, and
Vinnie Penna in various English dubs.
Cherry
is a wandering Buddhist
monk
A monk (, from el, μοναχός, ''monachos'', "single, solitary" via Latin ) is a person who practices religious asceticism by monastic living, either alone or with any number of other monks. A monk may be a person who decides to dedica ...
who often appears out of nowhere predicting doom for Ataru. In the anime, his arrival is followed immediately by a large explosion (which can be merely comedic or causing actual damage to the area).
His real name is , which literally means "cherry" in Japanese.
But because the
kanji
are the logographic Chinese characters taken from the Chinese family of scripts, Chinese script and used in the writing of Japanese language, Japanese. They were made a major part of the Japanese writing system during the time of Old Japanese ...
can be read to mean "deranged monk," a phrase that is quite accurate in describing him, he prefers to be called by the English word as he thinks that the monastic life is very similar to a cherry "sweet outside and all core inside".
Cherry has amazing spiritual powers, but does not always seem to be in complete control of them. His ugly face and very short stature are frequently used for comedic effect, or even as a defense against attackers. Cherry has made a vow of
asceticism
Asceticism (; from the el, ἄσκησις, áskesis, exercise', 'training) is a lifestyle characterized by abstinence from sensual pleasures, often for the purpose of pursuing spiritual goals. Ascetics may withdraw from the world for their p ...
, living in a tent in an empty lot not far from Ataru's house. However, his vow apparently does not apply to food, as he is exceedingly gluttonous, and often offers his services in exchange for a free meal (or simply blatantly eating other's food despite not planning to help with anything). Cherry is voiced by
Ichiro Nagai (first series) and
Wataru Takagi
is a Japanese actor and voice actor from Chiba Prefecture. He is affiliated with Arts Vision. He is best known for his roles in ''Detective Conan'' (as Genta Kojima and Wataru Takagi), ''After War Gundam X'' (as Garrod Ran), '' Slayers Try'' ( ...
(second series) in Japanese,
and by Eric Paisley in the English dub of ''Those Obnoxious Aliens''.
Sakura
is a
Shinto
Shinto () is a religion from Japan. Classified as an East Asian religion by scholars of religion, its practitioners often regard it as Japan's indigenous religion and as a nature religion. Scholars sometimes call its practitioners ''Shintois ...
priestess or ''
miko
A , or shrine maiden,Groemer, 28. is a young priestess who works at a Shinto shrine. were once likely seen as shamans,Picken, 140. but are understood in modern Japanese culture to be an institutionalized role in daily life, trained to perform ...
'', who also makes a living as the school nurse at Tomobiki High.
She first appears as a sickly young woman who offers to exorcise Ataru's evil spirits. During the process the spirits who inhabit her transfer themselves to the unlucky young man, rendering her perfectly healthy. Soon afterward, she takes the job as Tomobiki High's school nurse. Her mother is Cherry's younger twin sister, but unlike them, Sakura is tall, slender and physically attractive. This causes her an incredible number of problems; from the lecherous boys of the school, to even hordes of demons, her beauty draws a lot of unwanted attention. She is engaged to who studied sorcery in the West, although he is not particularly good at it. Like her uncle, Sakura possesses an unbelievably enormous appetite, which sometimes see them get into fights over food. Sakura is extremely powerful and can summon foul and baleful creatures from Japanese folklore, by virtue of her mystical training. Voiced by
Machiko Washio
is a Japanese actress who works in both live action as well as voice over work for anime. She is known as the voice of Sakura in ''Urusei Yatsura''.
Filmography
Live action films
*''The Red Spectacles'' (1987) (Midori Washio)
*'' The Black Hou ...
(first series) and
Miyuki Sawashiro
is a Japanese actress, voice actress and narrator. She has played voice roles in a number of Japanese anime including ''Beelzebub'', Bishamon in ''Noragami'', Petit Charat/Puchiko in ''Di Gi Charat'', Mint in ''Galaxy Angel'', Sinon in '' Sword ...
(second series) in Japanese,
and Karen McIntyre in English for the films.
Ryunosuke Fujinami
, nicknamed , is a female student at Tomobiki High who has been raised as a boy by her eccentric father. Wanting a male heir to take over the family's beach cafe,
Ryunosuke's father
The ''Urusei Yatsura'' manga series features a large ensemble cast of characters created by Rumiko Takahashi. It tells the story of Japanese teenager Ataru Moroboshi, and the alien Lum, who believes she is Ataru's wife after he accidentally pro ...
gave her a masculine name and raised her as a boy her whole life. Although Ryunosuke is interested in living like a girl, her father does everything he can to prevent this and denies her the chance to even try on female clothing. As such she wears the male student uniform at school, and is often treated as male. Ryunosuke is kind, but has been raised to fight and is constantly antagonized by her father into destructive fights, one of which results in the family cafe being destroyed. The two move to Tomobiki and move into the high school, which Ryunosuke attends while her father runs the school shop.
Members of both sexes are attracted to Ryunosuke; for example, she receives more
Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day, also called Saint Valentine's Day or the Feast of Saint Valentine, is celebrated annually on February 14. It originated as a Christian feast day honoring one or two early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine and, throu ...
cards than even Mendo, due to getting them from boys and girls alike. She is quite sensitive about being called a boy, and will do almost anything to convince the unknowing person that she is in fact a girl; often when this happens, her father will suddenly show up just to interfere and keep them believing that she is a boy. Ryunosuke's greatest desire is to behave appropriately for her gender, but she had no female role models growing up and therefore does not really know what that entails. Exacerbating this is the fact that Ryunosuke's father has often lied to her to suit his own desires, and she never had any reason not to believe him. But since associating with people other than her father, she is learning that many things he said were lies, and now knows better than to believe him. About the only thing he can consistently trick her with is information about her mother, of which he never really reveals anything, using it as yet another way to trick or just make fun of Ryunosuke. Late in the series, Ryunosuke encounters the ghosts of her father's friend and his son, Nagisa, whom it had been decided would marry Ryunosuke. Events happen and Nagisa gets brought back to life. However, he has the same, though reversed, quirk in his upbringing as Ryunosuke: he was raised as a girl, and as such acts like and dresses as a girl. Despite this, he is even stronger than Ryunosuke, which she doesn't really like. As things happen, he ends up moving in with Ryunosuke and her father. ''
Animerica
''Animerica'' was a monthly magazine published by Viz Media containing news, feature articles, and reviews on manga, anime, and related media, as well as a section that serialized manga published by Viz. After an initial November 1992 preview is ...
'' cited the gender-bending Ryunosuke as a prototype for
Ukyo Kuonji in Takahashi's later series ''
Ranma ½
is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi. It was serialized in ''Weekly Shōnen Sunday'' from August 1987 to March 1996, with the chapters collected into 38 ''tankōbon'' volumes by Shogakukan. The st ...
''.
Ryunosuke is voiced by
Mayumi Tanaka
(born January 15, 1955) is a Japanese actress, voice actress and narrator. She voiced Monkey D. Luffy in ''One Piece'', Ryunosuke Fujinami in ''Urusei Yatsura'', Koenma in ''Yu Yu Hakusho'', Pazu in '' Laputa: Castle in the Sky'', Krillin, Yajir ...
in Japanese and Morgan Jarrett in English.
Hot Springs Emblem
is the homeroom teacher of Ataru's class at Tomobiki High. A middle-aged man, his only interest is to teach, but he fails due to the constant interruptions during class. His nickname literally translates to "''
onsen
In Japan, are the country's hot springs and the bathing facilities and traditional inns around them. As a volcanically active country, Japan has many onsens scattered throughout all of its major islands. There are approximately 25,000 hot ...
'' mark", a reference to the Japanese symbol that represents
hot spring
A hot spring, hydrothermal spring, or geothermal spring is a spring produced by the emergence of geothermally heated groundwater onto the surface of the Earth. The groundwater is heated either by shallow bodies of magma (molten rock) or by circ ...
s which is printed all over his clothing (in the anime, the symbol is only on his tie and the back of his jacket).
Early in the series, he claims to have a wife and children. In the anime, he lives the life of a loser, residing in a
flophouse
A flophouse (American English) or dosshouse (British English) is a place that offers very low-cost lodging, providing space to sleep and minimal amenities.
Characteristics
Historically, flophouses, or British "doss-houses", have been used for o ...
apartment, with an unrequited love for Sakura.
He is voiced by
Michihiro Ikemizu
is a Japanese actor, voice actor and narrator from Kanagawa Prefecture and a graduate of Waseda University who works for Aoni Production.
Among his other roles, he has performed the characters Hot Springs Emblem (''Urusei Yatsura''), Isao Ohta ...
(first series) and
Kenta Miyake
is a Japanese voice actor and narrator who is affiliated with 81 Produce.
Career
Miyake was born in Okinawa Prefecture. As a teenager, he dreamed of becoming a voice actor in hopes of meeting an actress that he admired and wanted to co-star wit ...
(second series) in Japanese,
by Bradley Evans (public TV and movies 3-6),
Sean Barret (BBC 3), and
T. Roy Barnes
Thomas Roy Barnes (August 11, 1880 – March 30, 1937) was a British-American actor.
Biography
Barnes appeared in over 50 films between 1920 and 1935, primarily in comedies. Although born in England, he lived in the United States from early chil ...
(movie 2) in English.
Aliens
Benten
is a member of the
Fukujin alien clan and Lum's childhood friend. Benten is a "space biker chick" who wears a plate-mail bikini, rides around the sky on an airbike, and carries a high-tech bazooka. Her clan and Lum's Oni clan hold an annual battle on their home planet during its
spring equinox. Aside from being a good hand-to-hand fighter and having the aforementioned bazooka, she appears to have no special powers. As children, Benten and Lum often instigated trouble that usually resulted in
Ran
Ran, RaN and ran may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Ran'' (film), a 1985 film directed by Akira Kurosawa
* "Ran" (song), a 2013 Japanese song by Luna Sea
* '' Ran Online'', a 2004 MMORPG (massively multiplayer online role playing game)
* ...
getting hurt. Her character is named after
Benzaiten
Benzaiten (''shinjitai'': 弁才天 or 弁財天; ''kyūjitai'': 辯才天, 辨才天, or 辨財天, lit. "goddess of eloquence"), also simply known as Benten (''shinjitai'': 弁天; ''kyūjitai'': 辯天 / 辨天), is a Japanese Buddhist god ...
, the
Shinto
Shinto () is a religion from Japan. Classified as an East Asian religion by scholars of religion, its practitioners often regard it as Japan's indigenous religion and as a nature religion. Scholars sometimes call its practitioners ''Shintois ...
goddess of knowledge, art, and beauty.
Benten is voiced by
Yūko Mita
is a Japanese actress and voice actress from Setagaya, Tokyo. She is known for playing gentle, sexy ''bishōjo'' (such as Akemi Roppongi in ''Maison Ikkoku'') as well as many roles of young boys. Her hobbies include tennis and skiing. She is emp ...
(first series) and
Shizuka Ishigami
is a Japanese voice actress. She is a former member of 81 Produce and Pro-Fit. She is a member of Office Osawa.
Filmography Anime series
OVA/ONA
Video games
*''Granblue Fantasy'' as Almeida, Shion
*'' Food Wars! Shokugeki no Soma: The Dish ...
(second series) in Japanese.
Oyuki
is the princess of
Neptune
Neptune is the eighth planet from the Sun and the farthest known planet in the Solar System. It is the fourth-largest planet in the Solar System by diameter, the third-most-massive planet, and the densest giant planet. It is 17 times ...
, a frozen, snowy planet populated entirely by women, as most of the men go off to find work.
She is a childhood friend of Lum, Ran, and Benten, whom she attended elementary school with. Of the four of them she is the only one who was never in trouble, due to her cool level-headedness, she would decline to take part. Oyuki is clearly patterned after the ''
yuki-onna
is a spirit or yōkai in Japanese folklore that is often depicted in Japanese literature, films, or animation.
She may also go by such names as ''yuki-musume'', cited by ("snow daughter"), ''yuki-onago'' ("snow girl"), ''yukijorō'' (雪女郎, ...
'' (literally "snow woman") of Japanese folklore, having the power to control and create ice, snow, and extreme cold. She uses fourth-dimensional passages to travel or send items through. Typically dressed in a long, elegant
kimono
The is a traditional Japanese garment and the national dress of Japan. The kimono is a wrapped-front garment with square sleeves and a rectangular body, and is worn left side wrapped over right, unless the wearer is deceased. The kimono ...
, she is soft-spoken, regal in demeanor and very slow to show anger. Ran seems able to feel Oyuki's anger, real or imagined, though she is never believed by others when she shows fear about it. She is voiced by
Noriko Ohara
, better known by her stage name , is a Japanese actress and voice actress. She was previously represented by Aoni Production, then Production Baobab, but is now freelance. Her son is Sunrise animator .
She is best known for the roles of Nobita ...
(first series) and
Saori Hayami
Saori (written: 沙織, 早織, 佐織, 砂織, 沙保里, 沙緒里, 紗央里, 紗央莉, 左多里 or さおり in hiragana) is a feminine Japanese given name. Notable people with the name include:
* Saori (television personality) (born 1981) ...
(second series) in Japanese,
and Jamie Phelps in English.
Ran
was Lum's childhood "best" friend. She appears to be a sweet and lovely girl, but in actuality has an evil side. As a child, Ran was often hurt or got into trouble because of the antics of the more carefree and irresponsible Lum. The two were also both in love with Rei, who became Lum's fiancé. For these reasons, Ran comes to Earth in order to get revenge against Lum. She has the special ability to suck the vitality out of a person's mouth, making her resemble a ''
hone-onna
is a yōkai depicted in the ''Konjaku Gazu Zoku Hyakki'' (1779) by Toriyama Sekien. As its name implies, it depicts this yōkai as a woman in the form of bones.
In Sekien's explanatory text in the ''Konjaku Gazu Zoku Hyakki'' states that there i ...
'' (the Japanese equivalent to a
succubus
A succubus is a demon or supernatural entity in folklore, in female form, that appears in dreams to seduce men, usually through sexual activity. According to religious tradition, a succubus needs male semen to survive; repeated sexual activity ...
). She can also use this power in reverse. By enrolling in Tomobiki High and pretending to be human, Ran plans to steal Ataru from Lum, just so she can kiss him and drain his youth away. However, after finally managing to do so, it fails due to a youth potion that Ataru accidentally takes. Form then on, Ran changes tactics to getting revenge 'directly' on Lum, usually dragging in everyone nearby as well; these bouts of revenge are usually triggered by her calm and friendly reminiscing of the past leading her to remember something unpleasant.
Ran lives in her spaceship that she parks on Earth and is an excellent cook, always hoping that the way to Rei's heart is through his stomach. Voiced by
Yō Inoue
, also known by her stage name , was a Japanese voice actress. Inoue was diagnosed with lung cancer in late 2001, underwent treatments during 2002, and her condition deteriorated rapidly in the last month of her life.
At the time of her death she ...
in the first 103 episodes and the ''Only You'' film, then
Kazue Komiya
is a Japanese voice actress who is affiliated with Theater Echo.
Filmography
Anime television series
*''Aim for the Ace!'' (Kyoko Otowa)
*'' Ashita no Nadja'' (Johanna)
*''Combat Mecha Xabungle'' (Greta Karas)
*''Fullmetal Alchemist'' (Lebi)
* ...
onwards in the first anime,
Kana Hanazawa
is a Japanese actress, voice actress and singer. A prolific voice performer in anime, she has amassed several film and television credits since her debut in 1990. She won the Seiyu Award for Best Supporting Actress in 2015, and won the Newtype ...
in the second series,
and Morgan Jarrett in English.
Rei
is a very handsome oni and Lum's ex-fiancé, who woos almost any girl that sees his face, often causing despair to other males when their girlfriend/wife go after him. When he gets excited, Rei transforms into an "''
ushi-oni
The , or gyūki, is a yōkai from the folklore of western Japan. The folklore describes more than one kind of ''ushi-oni'', but the depiction of a bovine-headed monster occurs in most. ''Ushi-oni'' generally appear on beaches and attack people ...
''", a huge creature resembling a cross between a tiger and a bull. He has an insatiable appetite, seemingly caring about nothing but food. Unable to speak Japanese, Rei can only speak 1-5 words at a time, usually needing notes to do so. When younger, Ran and Lum were both in love with Rei for his looks; he became engaged to Lum, breaking Ran's heart and driving her to hate and seek revenge against her childhood friend. Lum eventually broke up with Rei, no longer able to tolerate his low, simple intelligence and insatiable appetite; however, he followed her to Earth to regain her love. He is extremely jealous of Ataru and transforms when enraged. Rei is voiced by
Tesshō Genda
is a Japanese actor, voice actor and narrator. He is employed by the talent management firm 81 Produce. When he debuted, he used his real name, . as artist name. Because he had experience with ballet, he was known by the nickname "Pirouette Gend ...
(first series) and
Katsuyuki Konishi
is a Japanese voice actor from Wakayama, Wakayama. He is affiliated with Ken Production. His debut role was Volfogg/Big Volfogg in ''GaoGaiGar''. He is most well known for portraying Kamina in ''Gurren Lagann'', Laxus Dreyar in ''Fairy Tail'' a ...
(second series) in Japanese, and Jeremy Griffin in the English dub of the movies. In the English dub ''Lum the Invader Girl'' that aired in the UK, Rei's name was Anglicized to "Raymond".
Ten
is Lum's young Oni alien cousin who starts living with her on Earth. He has a single horn on his head, can breathe fire, flies very slowly, and wears a tiger-striped
diaper
A diaper /ˈdaɪpə(r)/ (American and Canadian English) or a nappy ( Australian English, British English, and Hiberno-English) is a type of underwear that allows the wearer to urinate or defecate
Defecation (or defaecation) follows dig ...
. Ten and Ataru utterly loathe each other and often fight, with Ten spewing fire at him, destroying their surroundings, and often hitting someone else instead. They tend to display some similarities in their personalities, including girl-chasing. In some ways they are similar to brothers. Ten has a crush on Sakura, but unlike Ataru he is more successful in getting close to her by using his age-based cuteness and presumed innocence. He is often called by the male characters. In Japanese, adding "jari-" is similar to "twerp" or "brat". Ten's parents are never around as they work a lot; is an airbike-riding firefigther who hates anyone who plays with fire, thus the usually fire-spewing
pyromaniac
Pyromania is an impulse control disorder in which individuals repeatedly fail to resist impulses to deliberately start fires, to relieve some tension or for instant gratification. The term ''pyromania'' comes from the Greek word (''pyr'', 'fi ...
Ten is on his best behavior when she does check-in on him. Ten appears much earlier in the anime than in the manga. In the anime he comes to Earth in a spaceship inside a "peach" to live with Lum when his Oni powers first manifest. Ten is voiced by
Kazuko Sugiyama
, known by her stage name , is a Japanese actress and voice actress who was born in Nagoya and works for Aoni Production.
In February 2010, she received a "Merit Award" from the 4th Seiyu Awards.
Filmography
Anime
*Hanako Mori in ''Inakappe Ta ...
in Japanese, and by Mindy L. Lyons (''Those Obnoxious Aliens''),
Shannon Settlemyre
Shannon Hemon Settlemyre (born June 4, 1979 in New Hanover County, North Carolina) is an American voice actress and ADR voice director best known for providing the English voice of Lum in the ''Urusei Yatsura'' movies except movie 2. She mainly ...
(movie 1, 3-6) and Paula Parker (movie 2) in English.
Kurama
is the humanoid princess of the ''Karasutengu'' ("
crow goblin") alien race. With their race dying out and no humanoid men on their planet, Kurama was placed in a cryogenic sleep while her talking crow attendants search other planets for a suitable mate who is to awaken her with a kiss. Unfortunately for her, one chooses Ataru for the job. Although she has no desire to sleep with him, Kurama can not help but want Ataru when she sees he is already claimed by Lum and Shinobu, and goes to great lengths to turn the perverted letch into a man worthy of fathering her children.
However, she everntually finds the task impossible and tries to avoid Ataru. Kurama's father was
Yoshitsune Minamoto
was a military commander of the Minamoto clan of Japan in the late Heian and early Kamakura periods. During the Genpei War, he led a series of battles which toppled the Ise-Heishi branch of the Taira clan, helping his half-brother Yoritomo c ...
, a legendary figure of Japanese history, whom she considers to be her ideal man. It was also later found that the current mating traditions of her race were set in place by an ancient ancestor who had his children the same way, and merely wanted that memory to last forever. However, this reason had been untold to the immediately following generation and as such all to follow, leading to Kurama's eventual discovery and great annoyance at it having caused her so much troubles. Kurama attacks with a large leaf, usually by simply blowing people away with wind, but it also has various other fuctions. She is voiced by
Rihoko Yoshida
is a businessperson and a former Japanese voice actress. Among her most noteworthy roles are Megu-chan in ''Majokko Megu-chan'', Monsley in ''Future Boy Conan'', Maria Grace Fleed in ''UFO Robo Grendizer'', Michiru in ''Getter Robo'', Klara in '' ...
(first series) and
Nana Mizuki
is a Japanese voice actress, singer and narrator from Niihama, Ehime. She is represented by the agency StarCrew. Mizuki was trained as an enka singer, releasing one single under her birth name, Nana Kondō, in 1993 and made her debut as a voice ...
(second series) in Japanese,
Daisy Talley in the English dub for public TV and movie 1, and Stacey Jefferson in the English dub for BBC 3.
Recurring characters
Ryoko Mendo
is the younger sister of Shutaro. Ryoko is a spoiled girl whose only amusement seems to be the creation and execution of elaborate plans intended to drive her older brother mad. Sometimes, just for fun, she flirts with Ataru, whom her brother has banned from setting foot inside the massive Mendo mansion (not that it ever stops him). Her schemes frequently drag Lum and her friends along and result in massive physical damage to all involved, especially Shutaro, except herself. She is attended to by masked ''
kuroko
are stagehands in traditional Japanese theatre, who dress all in black.
Lexical background
黒衣 primarily read kurogo, differentiating from the other readings kokui/kokue/kuroginu "black clothes", the go/gi suffix underlining the wearing i ...
'' who perform her every wish.
Ryoko says she is in love with Shutaro's rival Tobimaro Mizunokoji, but we're not sure if she's serious, since she has said the same thing about Ataru and her brother's personal guard. She excels at playing the innocent bystander, even as she sets up all the carnage that surrounds her. Ryoko is voiced by
Mami Koyama
is a Japanese actress, Voice acting in Japan, voice actress and narrator affiliated with Aoni Production. Her best-known voice roles include Ophiuchus Shaina in ''Saint Seiya'', Arale Norimaki in ''Dr. Slump'', Minky Momo in ''Magical Princess M ...
(first series) and
Marina Inoue
is a Japanese voice actress and singer from Tokyo, Japan. She is affiliated with Aoni Production. She was signed into Aniplex until 2007. She was chosen out of 2,000 people from the "Gonna be a star" auditions (hosted by Sony Music Entertainment ...
(second series) in Japanese,
and by Michele Seidman (TV and movie 3 dub) and
Toni Barry
Toni Barry (born June 26, 1961) is a British voice actress. She is also known to fans of the television show ''Press Gang'' as Spike's American girlfriend Zoe.
Selected filmography
*''Project A-ko'' - Asa
*''Dangaioh'' - Dira (uncredited)
*'' ...
(BBC 3) in English.
Tobimaro Mizunokoji
is the son of the Mizunokoji
sporting goods
Sports equipment, sporting equipment, also called sporting goods, are the tools, materials, apparel, and gear used to compete in a sport and varies depending on the sport. The equipment ranges from balls, nets, and protective gear like helmets. ...
empire, and Shutaro's rival. Nicknamed by Shutaro, the two have been rivals since childhood due to the Mendo family being of samurai lineage and the Mizunokoji family an aristrocatic lineage. After Tobimaro lost a baseball-related altercation as children, he has trained in the mountains for revenge, coming down once a year to challenge Shutaro; to-date, all eleven matches have been draws. Despite his immense wealth, he does not take advantage of it the way his rival does, choosing instead to dress in a ragged samurai robe and carries his bats on his back. Also unlike his rival, Tobimaro's personal retainers are all women in sunglasses. He has also shown the odd ability to eat nearly anything that enters his mouth and fully regurgitate it, most notably baseballs. Tobimaro takes a warrior's approach to the game of baseball, believing it to be about life and death, and no place for women. There is however a woman in his life: Shutaro's sister Ryoko, who scares him to death because of her love of torture. After he learns of his own sister,
Asuka
Asuka may refer to:
People
* Asuka (name), a list of people
* Asuka (wrestler), professional wrestler
* Asuka (wrestler, born 1998), professional wrestler also known as Veny outside of Japan
Places In Japan
* , an area in Yamato Province (now ...
, and her quickly developed terror of males, Tobimaro refuses to accept her mistaken love for him, despite the frequent pain and extreme bodily damage that results. Though he carries himself with an air of nobility, his clumsiness ruins the effect. His eyes have star-shaped pupils, something Takahashi did as a spoof of a 1970s sports manga; she later made it a defining characteristic of the entire Mizunokoji family (except Tobimaro's father, who is the
adopted son-in-law of the Mizunokoji family). Tobimaro is voiced by
Kazuhiko Inoue
is a Japanese actor, voice actor and narrator. His notable works include Kakashi Hatake in ''Naruto'' , Kars in ''JoJo's Bizarre Adventure'', Toichirou Suzuki in ''Mob Psycho 100'' and Gildarts Clive in ''Fairy Tail''.
Biography
Since his deb ...
and
Bin Shimada
Bin Shimada ( ja, 島田 敏, Shimada Bin; born November 20, 1954) is a Japanese actor, voice actor and narratorDoi, Hitoshi.Shimada Bin. ''Seiyuu Database''. July 17, 2010Archivedby WebCite July 20, 2010. affiliated with the talent management fir ...
in Japanese, and by Scott Whiteside (public TV and movie 4) and David Jarvis (BBC 3) in English.
Asuka Mizunokoji
is Tobimaro's sister. The very beautiful and petite girl was isolated, according to the Mizonokoji family's tradition, from any and all males from the moment of her birth until the age of 16, at which time an
omiai
, or as it is properly known in Japan with the honorific prefix , is a Japanese traditional custom which relates closely to Western matchmaking, in which a woman and a man are introduced to each other to consider the possibility of marriage. T ...
will be held for her to get married. As such, even her brother was unaware of her existence until then. Thanks to her daily training and the genetics she inherited from her mother, she is insanely strong (once tearing a completely armored tank apart and fashioning it into a makeshift suit of armor on herself with her bare hands), as well as very athletic (being able to run 100 metres within 12 seconds, while wearing her 200 kilogram suit of armour). Nevertheless, she is extremely timid and deathly afraid of males (as a result of her isolation), in part because the first one she ever met was Ataru Moroboshi. Now whenever she sees one, she pushes him away, screams "Eek! A maaan!" , and runs in terror at high speed from all males, not heeding any obstacles unfortunate to be in her path (such as buildings). Due to her being raised not even knowing the existence of or what a "male" is, Asuka is very confused about gender roles and family ties. Due to an early explanation on the subject, which was not received clearly, she feels romantic urges toward her elder brother, Tobimaro, and often sneaks into his bed at night. In addition, she believes Shuutaro Mendo is also her “big brother” because she once overheard Ryoko Mendo refer to him that way. Asuka is engaged to Shuutaro in an
Omiai
, or as it is properly known in Japan with the honorific prefix , is a Japanese traditional custom which relates closely to Western matchmaking, in which a woman and a man are introduced to each other to consider the possibility of marriage. T ...
, by arrangement of their parents, as a means of ending the age-old Mendo-Mizunokoji family rivalry. Unfortunately, as a simple "light hug" from her causes multiple broken bones and internal injuries, it seems unlikely that this relationship will ever be consummated, as Shuutaro is rather terrified of being crushed. She is voiced by
Sumi Shimamoto
, real name , is a Japanese actress, voice actress and narrator of film and anime and video games. After graduating from the Toho Gakuen College of Drama and Music, she joined Gekidan Seinenza, a theatrical acting troupe. She is currently indepen ...
in Japanese.
Kotatsu Kitty
is the very large spirit of a cat from the
Edo period
The or is the period between 1603 and 1867 in the history of Japan, when Japan was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate and the country's 300 regional '' daimyo''. Emerging from the chaos of the Sengoku period, the Edo period was characteriz ...
who died after his owners threw him out into the cold. After being brought to the Moroboshi house by Ten, he discovers a love of ''
kotatsu
A is a low, wooden table frame covered by a ''futon'', or heavy blanket, upon which a table top sits. Underneath is a heat source, formerly a charcoal brazier but now electric, often built into the table itself. ''Kotatsu'' are used almost ...
''. He then makes numerous further appearances, usually seen drinking tea or eating ''
taiyaki
is a Japanese fish-shaped cake, commonly sold as street food. It imitates the shape of , which it is named after. The most common filling is red bean paste that is made from sweetened adzuki beans. Other common fillings may be custard, choco ...
'' at a ''kotatsu'', often with the principal. After Kotatsu Kitty's introductory chapter, Takahashi's editor at the time liked the character so much that he asked her to have him reappear.
The artist said he was fun and easy to draw.
Kotatsu Kitty is voiced by
Tomohiro Nishimura
is a Japanese actor, voice actor, singer-songwriter, theatre director and sound director. He used to be employed by the talent management firm 81 Produce, but today he is freelance. He is often mixed up with Tomomichi Nishimura.
Since 2003, Nis ...
in Japanese.
Principal
The unnamed of Tomobiki High is a balding man who wears glasses. He is always very calm, rarely reacting to the strange things that happen at the school. He often organizes strange competitions and outings for the students that are intended to increase school spirit, but they never turn out as he plans. The principle is often seen with
Kotatsu Kitty. The principal is voiced by
Tomomichi Nishimura
is a Japanese actor, voice actor and narrator who works for Arts Vision. He is most known for the roles of the Narrator of ''YuYu Hakusho'', Tsuchikage Ohnoki (''Naruto''), Mitsuyoshi Anzai (''Slam Dunk''), Shibaraku Tsurugibe (''Mashin Hero ...
in Japanese.
Kosuke Shirai
is Ataru's freckled classmate and best friend. He is often involved with Ataru's usual mischief. Though he seems to be in love with Lum and Sakura like all of the male students, he has a girlfriend of his own. The only animation that Kosuke appears in is ''The Obstacle Course Swim Meet'' OVA. In the other animated adaptations, his roles are given to
Lum's Stormtroopers, usually Perm. He gets his name from Takahashi's then-editor at
Shogakukan
is a Japanese publisher of dictionaries, literature, comics (manga), non-fiction, DVDs, and other media in Japan.
Shogakukan founded Shueisha, which also founded Hakusensha. These are three separate companies, but are together called the Hit ...
.
Kosuke is voiced by
Kappei Yamaguchi in Japanese.
Ryunosuke's father
is an overbearing and domineering man who forces his daughter, Ryunosuke Fujinami, to act like a male. The Fujinami family has run a small beach cafe for three generations, and he desires a male heir to one day take over the business from him. However, his late wife left him only a daughter, so he gave her the masculine name Ryunosuke and raises her as a boy. Although Ryunosuke is interested in living like a girl, her father does everything he can to prevent this and denies her the chance to even try on female clothing. Having raised Ryunosuke to fight, the two constantly get into fist fights, one of which results in the family cafe being destroyed. The two move to Tomobiki and move into the high school, where Ryunosuke enrolls and her father runs the school shop in order to save up money and rebuild the cafe. Mr. Fujinami also lies to his daughter about anything to suit his needs or desires, and has done so since she was a child. Growing up, Ryunosuke had no reason to doubt him and always believed it; but now that she is older and is actually associating with people other than her father, she is learning that many things he said were lies, and knows better than to believe him. The thing Mr. Fujinami lies about most is his wife, only willing to say general things like "she was beautiful", but never giving any real information; this is a difficult thing for Ryunosuke to try to counter, since she sincerely wants to know about her mother, leading her to often fall for some trick at the hands of her father. However, it is possible that he has forgotten what she looks like altogether. Ryunosuke's father is always wearing a shirt with printed on it, while the name of the family cafe is "We ❤ the Ocean". He is voiced by
Masahiro Anzai
Masahiro Anzai ( ja, 安西正弘; ''Anzai Masahiro'') (26 November 1954 – 15 March 2021) was a Japanese voice actor and actor.
Biography
Anzai graduated from the . He retired from acting in 1997 due to his treatment for diabetes, which caused ...
in Japanese and Langley McArol in English.
Ataru's parents
is a typical
salaryman
In Japan, a is a salaried worker. In Japanese popular culture, this is embodied by a white-collar worker who shows overriding loyalty and commitment to the corporation where he works.
Salarymen are expected to work long hours, to put in addit ...
. Wearing a
yukata
A is an unlined cotton summer kimono, worn in casual settings such as summer festivals and to nearby bathhouses. Originally worn as bathrobes, their modern use is much broader, and are a common sight in Japan during summer. Though are tradition ...
around the house, he desires a nice and quiet homelife. In the anime his home is frequently destroyed, causing him to lament over the mortgage. He's most often portrayed reading the newspaper, something he appears to have endless copies of as he pulls another one out after someone takes his away or destroys it. Quiet, timid, and possessing very little dignity, he tries his best to hide his face behind the newspaper during bad situations, often wishing he'd be treated better since he's the sole provider for the family. Like his wife, he tends to treat their "daughter-in-law" better than their son as they prefer having a daughter (especially compared to their lecherous fool of a son). He is voiced by
Kenichi Ogata (first series) and
Toshio Furukawa
is a Japanese actor, voice actor and narrator affiliated with Aoni Production. He is married to fellow voice actor Shino Kakinuma.
Career
He became famous for his roles in his career as Kagege (''Keroro Gunso''), Kai Shiden (''Mobile Suit Gun ...
(second series) in Japanese,
by Marc Matney (public TV),
Alan Marsh
Henry Alan Marsh Air Force Cross (United Kingdom), AFC Royal Aeronautical Society, AFRAeS (29 January 1901 – 13 June 1950) was a British rotorcraft instructor and test pilot.
Early life
Alan Marsh was born in Stratton, Dorset. In 1917, he comp ...
(BBC3),
Jerry Winsett
Jerry Winsett (born July 19, 1950) is an actor, writer and singer who has appeared in numerous television shows including ''Coach (TV series), Coach'', ''Mr. Belvedere'', ''It’s Garry Shandling's Show'' and ''Newhart'' as well as such films as ...
(movies 1 and 3-6), and
Larry Robinson
Larry Clark Robinson (born June 2, 1951) is a Canadian former ice hockey coach, executive and player. His coaching career includes head coaching positions with the New Jersey Devils (which he held on two occasions), as well as the Los Angeles Ki ...
(movie 2) in English.
is a typical
housewife
A housewife (also known as a homemaker or a stay-at-home mother/mom/mum) is a woman whose role is running or managing her family's home—housekeeping, which includes caring for her children; cleaning and maintaining the home; making, buying an ...
. In early chapters, she often says when Ataru causes problems. Mrs. Moroboshi is frequently so embarrassed by Ataru's antics that she is afraid to show her face in public (for good reason, because Ataru is a constant source of juicy gossip for her neighbours), and especially dreads going to his school for parent-teacher conferences. She sometimes dreams that a handsome young man (like Rei) will take her away from her miserable life. At numerous times she has shown to have been part of the source of Ataru's personality, acting selfishly, shifting blame, and yelling (though more often in frustration). Despite this, she also shows her caring nature, such as increasing her husband's lunch money while they were nearly out of money. She is voiced by Natsumi Sakuma (first series) and
Keiko Toda
is a Japanese actress, voice actress, singer and narrator from Nagoya, Aichi. Her most famous role is the voice of the children's hero Anpanman on the long running anime ''Soreike! Anpanman''. She was also the voice of Thomas the Tank Engine in th ...
(second series) in Japanese,
by Dorothy Rankin (public TV), Stacey Jefferson (BBC3), Belinda Keller (movies 1 and 3-6), and Jackie Tantillo (movie 2) in English.
Lum's parents
is a huge, pudgy oni, and tends to be loud and scary. However, he is just as afraid of his wife as Ataru is of Lum, as evidenced by the time that she threw her husband out of the house when he got mad at her for trying to put him on a diet. is a pretty woman who can only speak in the oni language, which appears in the manga as
Mahjong tiles
Mahjong tiles () are tiles of Chinese origin that are used to play mahjong as well as mahjong solitaire and other games. Although they are most commonly tiles, they may refer to playing cards with similar contents as well.
Development
The ...
, and in the subtitled anime as
Greek lettering. In the anime, she can produce electric shocks, like Lum. Both parents can also fly, but they never show any other obvious powers. Lum's father is voiced by Ritsuo Sawa (first series) and
Rikiya Koyama
is a Japanese actor, voice actor and narrator currently affiliated with Haiyuza Theatre Company. He has done popular voicing roles in ''Hajime no Ippo'', ''Utawarerumono'', ''Kamen no Maid Guy'' and ''Yakuza'', and has become well known for voici ...
(second series) in Japanese,
and
David Krause
David Krause (born 28 February 1970) is a former professional rugby league footballer who played for South Queensland Crushers in the Australian Rugby League and London Broncos in the Super League.
After retiring, Krause moved into coaching a ...
(''Those Obnoxious Aliens'') and Anthony Lawson (movies) in English. Lum's mother is voiced by Reiko Yamada (first series) and
Fumi Hirano
is a Japanese actress, voice actress, singer and essayist who voiced Lum in the anime series ''Urusei Yatsura''.
Fumi attended Tamagawa University in Machida, Tokyo where she graduated with a degree in Theatre from the Department of Fine Art ...
(second series) in Japanese,
and Kristen Foster in English.
Lum's Stormtroopers
are four boys from the same class as Ataru who are in love with Lum and have sworn to protect her from Ataru. They are best friends but often end up fighting amongst themselves when the situation involves Lum. In the original manga, the four characters are unnamed and appear less after Mendo makes his debut.
Megane
is the leader of the Stormtroopers, whose nickname means "eyeglasses". His real name is ("
Alvin Seville
Alvin and the Chipmunks, originally David Seville and the Chipmunks or simply The Chipmunks, are an American animated virtual band and media franchise first created by Ross Bagdasarian for novelty record, novelty records in 1958. The group cons ...
" in most foreign dubs), revealed in the final episode of the anime.
An ''
otaku
is a Japanese word that describes people with consuming interests, particularly in anime, manga, video games, or computers. Its contemporary use originated with a 1983 essay by Akio Nakamori in ''Manga Burikko''. may be used as a pejorativ ...
'' in every sense, he loves Lum immensely, and has sworn to serve her. Megane has a strong personality and generally directs the schemes of the Stormtroopers to gain Lum's attention (though mostly for himself). He closely monitors the actions of the others to prevent them from looking at other girls, and to ensure their complete loyalty to Lum. Though usually antagonistic towards Ataru, he often hangs out with him in his spare time. He is often given to loud, rambling philosophical musings and outbursts, and seems to have an affinity for
fascism
Fascism is a far-right, authoritarian, ultra-nationalist political ideology and movement,: "extreme militaristic nationalism, contempt for electoral democracy and political and cultural liberalism, a belief in natural social hierarchy an ...
and
communism
Communism (from Latin la, communis, lit=common, universal, label=none) is a far-left sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology and current within the socialist movement whose goal is the establishment of a communist society, a s ...
. He is voiced by
Chiba Shigeru
, known by the stage name , is a Japanese actor, voice actor, talent and sound director from Kikuchi, Kumamoto. He is affiliated with the talent management firm 81 Produce.
He is most known for the roles of Yoshihiro Kira from '' JoJo's Bizarre ...
in Japanese,
by Marc Garber (''Those Obnoxious Aliens''), Colin Hackman, and Craig Wollman (movies) in English.
Perm
is one of the Stormtroopers, whose nickname is derived from
his hairstyle.
He is tall and skinny (though his nameless manga counterpart has quite a fatter form) and his real name is Kosuke. The anime's version of the character is the counterpart to the manga's
Kosuke Shirai.
Perm displays the most character development, including being the only one of the Stormtroopers to have a visible girlfriend. He is voiced by
Akira Murayama
is a Japanese voice actor from Tokyo, Japan. He is represented by Tokyo Actor's Consumer's Cooperative Society.
Biography
Filmography
Television animation
*'' UFO Warrior Dai Apolon'' (1976) (Takeshi)
*''The Story of Perrine'' (1978) (Faburi ...
in Japanese, by Adrian Monte, and Jonathan Guggenheim (''Those Obnoxious Aliens'') in English.
Chibi
, real name , is a Stormtrooper often seen with Kakugari. His nickname is derived from his height; "
chibi" means "small" or "short".
He is a timid crybaby, speaks with a
cracked voice, and is often beaten up by the rest of the gang. He also has buck teeth (though his nameless manga counterpart does not have this). He is voiced by
Issei Futamata
is a Japanese voice actor and narrator from Misawa, Aomori. He is best known for the roles of Skullomania (''Street Fighter EX'' and ''Fighting EX Layer''), Yusaku Godai (''Maison Ikkoku''), Chibi (''Urusei Yatsura''), Kiyoshi Shusse (''High S ...
in Japanese,
and
Steven Paul
Steven Paul (born May 16, 1959) is an American independent filmmaker, actor, and talent manager. He is the chairman, founder and CEO of Crystal Sky Pictures.
Life and career
Paul was born in New York City. His mother, Dorothy Koster Paul, was ...
in English.
Kakugari
, real name , is a Stormtrooper with a large build. His nickname is derived from his hairstyle; "kakugari" means "
crew cut
A crew cut is a type of haircut in which the upright hair on the top of the head is cut relatively short, graduated in length from the longest hair that forms a short pomp ( pompadour) at the front hairline to the shortest at the back of the cro ...
". He is the least used of the Stormtroopers, often seen with Chibi. He is also the one who beats up Chibi the most. He is voiced by Shinji Nomura in Japanese,
and Langley McArol in English.
References
''Urusei Yatsura'' manga
Entire series
*Takahashi, Rumiko. ''Urusei Yatsura''. 12 vols. San Francisco:
Viz Media
VIZ Media LLC is an American manga publisher, anime distributor and entertainment company headquartered in San Francisco, California. It was founded in 1986 as VIZ LLC. In 2005, VIZ LLC and ShoPro Entertainment merged to form the current VIZ M ...
, 2019–present.
Individual volumes
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
Other sources
External links
''Urusei Yatsura'' characters at Tomobiki-cho''Urusei Yatsura'' manga at Viz Media''Urusei Yatsura'' anime at Studio Pierrot
{{DEFAULTSORT:List Of Urusei Yatsura Characters
Urusei Yatsura
is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi. It was serialized in Shogakukan's ''Weekly Shōnen Sunday'' from September 1978 to February 1987. Its 366 individual chapters were published in 34 ''tankōbon'' volum ...