Urusei Yatsura

うるせいやつら

Aired: 1981 - 1986

A television anime produced by Studio Pierrot and later Studio Deen, broadcast on Fuji Television for roughly four and a half years across 218 episodes. The landmark SF rom-com adaptation of Rumiko Takahashi's hit manga serialized in Shogakukan's Weekly Shonen Sunday, the series stars the alien oni-princess Lum, who descends to Earth with her invading clan only to be drawn into a game of tag with the unlucky high-schooler Ataru Moroboshi - and, upon losing, declares him her beloved 'darling' for life. From their unwanted cohabitation springs a sprawling ensemble comedy involving the wealthy and foppish Mendou Shutaro, fellow alien Ran, baby Ten, the schoolgirl Sakura the shrine maiden, Megane and the boys-only fan club at Tomobiki High, and an ever-expanding cast of yokai, demons, gods and aliens. With Mamoru Oshii directing the early years and Kazuo Yamazaki taking over in the second half, each episode delivers wildly varied tones - from anarchic slapstick to surreal art-house experimentation. The opening theme 'Lum no Love Song' (Yuko Matsutani) endures as one of the defining anime songs of the 1980s.