Lum and her dad, Mr. Invader

Thirty-six years ago today, the first episode of Urusei Yatsura was broadcast in Japan! One of the most influential anime series, it’s still highly entertaining today. The title roughly translates as “Those Obnoxious Aliens”.

Based on Takahashi Rumiko‘s 1978 manga series, it broke the mold of the “Disney Princess” trope, introduced J-Pop music into the anime soundtrack, and ran to 195 episodes!

Earth has just been invaded by aliens who resemble Japanese Oni, led by Mr. Invader. Rather than taking over the planet directly, he gives the Earthlings a chance to avoid their fate by having a randomly-chosen person compete in a multi-day game of tag.

Unfortunately, Earth’s champion is the lazy, lecherous high-school student Ataru Moroboshi. He’s reluctant until he meets his opponent, Mr. Invader’s beautiful daughter Lum.

He can’t pass up the opportunity to grab her, so he agrees to the game. Lum can fly, though, and delights in staying just out of reach. A dirty trick give him victory, but she misinterprets a comment he makes as a marriage proposal, and accepts. Marriage proposals are sacred to her people, and can’t be broken, so his girl-hunting days are over. Or are they?

Lum can also generate devastating electric shocks when she’s angry.

I’ll have a lot more to say in later posts, but “Just watch it!”