REVIEW: ‘Urusei Yatsura,’ Episode 4 – “Sealed with a Kiss!!”

Urusei Yatsura Episode 4 is a sci-fi romantic comedy based on the original manga and anime series created by Rumiko Takahashi. The series centers on girl-obsessed Ataru Moroboshi and the alien princess Lum who believes she is Ataru’s wife after he accidentally proposes to her. 

Urusei Yatsura is produced by David Production and directed by Hideya Takahashi and Yasuhiro Kimura, with scripts written by Yūko Kakihara. Character designs illustration by Naoyuki Asano, Takahiro Komei serves as series director, and Masaru Yokoyama composes the music. The leading voice cast consists of Summer Uesaka as Invader Lum, Hiroshi Kamiya as Ataru Moroboshi, and Maaya Uchida as Shinobu.

Urusei Yatsura Episode 4 reveals that Lum is not the only alien princess in town. Shortly after she awakens from her slumber, Kurama sets her eyes on a certain boy. Unfortunately, her vassals are keeping a scandalous secret from their ruler. Meanwhile, the lecherous Ataru tries to expose the secret for his gain, leading to a jealous Lum stepping in to help Kurama become the man of her dreams.

The newly remastered version of Urusei Yatsura continues to impress me. From the art to the storytelling, this anime keeps things fresh. Episode 4 of Urusei Yatsura switches up the storytelling platform a little bit. Instead of telling the story in two parts, as the previous episodes did, Episode 4 tells the story in one ongoing segment for the duration of the episode. However, I like the two-parter segments with different storylines. I enjoyed watching the story be told in a longer format.

Episode 4 also solidifies Mendo’s place as a main character in the series. Mendo and Ataru’s rivalry and twisted love quadrangle with Lum and Shinobu will continue to be a focus of the series. Mendo and Ataru mirroring personalities and disdain for one another makes for some great laughs in this episode.

Speaking of laughs, the comedy in Urusei Yatsura Episode 4 is wonderfully blunt with well-timed gags. In addition to being slightly more mature than your usual high school romantic comedies, older audiences can appreciate some more bluntly adult jokes and sexual innuendos. Especially for audiences who feel they have aged out of high school-based romance anime.

Lastly, Kurma is a breath of fresh air as a female character in this series. That’s not to say that characters like Lum and Shinobu are bad; however, I find it hard to like them sometimes when they are so determined to be with men that they will easily toss them aside and shift their affection to other women.

On the other hand, Kurama is pretty different from characters like Lum and Shinobu in romance. Kuruma does not believe in settling for less and is not afraid to go against her people’s traditions if necessary. For example, Kurama initially believes Mendo is the love of her life and chooses to pursue him. However, she soon realizes he is not the man for her. Instead of seeming heartbroken by this revelation, she swiftly moves on and continues her search for a suitable mate. When Lum questions Kurama on how she can move on so quickly and go against tradition, Kurama responds by saying she refuses to settle for less.

Kurama is also a remarkable parallel to Lum’s character. They’re both strong-willed alien princesses who are not afraid to go after what they want. Although both come from tribes with strong traditions, both girls do not honor them the same. For example, Lum takes her marriage to Ataru very seriously because it aligns with her tribe’s traditions, even if he did it accidentally. She continues to pursue and stand beside him despite his cheating and lustful behavior. In contrast, Kurama refuses to be bound by tradition. She won’t settle for a man that does not bring honor to her or meet her standards. 

So far, Urusei Yatsura remains a refreshing remaster of a nostalgic classic. The humor in Urusei Yatsura Episode 4 is perfect for a mature audience and is full with well-timed gags and wonderfully blunt humor. Kurama’s addition to the show’s cast brings a refreshing female character and personality to the series. Urusei Yatsura continues to be one of the best additions to this year’s fall anime season. 

Urusei Yatsura exclusively streams weekly on HiDIVE.