Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		0.5
Overall		4.0

Urusei Yatsura: TV Series Collection 03 Blu-ray Movie Review

Urusei Yatsura Collection 3 is another exciting collection of episodes of the fan-favorite anime classic. The series has become one of the most enduring and popular classics of Japanese animation. From creator Rumiko Takahashi (Ranma ½, Inuyasha), Urusei Yatsura is an essential anime gem. The fun science-fiction romantic-comedy classic was first broadcast on the Bandai Channel and the Fuji Television Network.

Produced by Hiroshi Hasegawa (Ranma ½, Urusei Yatsura: Lum The Forever), Makoto Kubo (Maison Ikkoku, The Irresponsible Captain Tylor), Tadashi Oka (Miyuki, Touch: Sebangou no Nai Ace), and Takao Inoue, Yūji Nunokawa (Osomatsu-kun, Naruto: Konoha Sports Festival), Urusei Yatsura features theme music composed by Yuichiro Oda. The animation comes from animation studio Pierrot (Flame of Recca, Yu Yu Hakusho: Ghost Files) and Studio DEEN (The Irresponsible Captain Tylor, Maison Ikkoku). Featuring the voices of Fumi Hirano Toshio Furukawa, Urusei Yatsura finds its voice as one of the most beloved hand-drawn anime series of its era.

Lum (Fumi Hirano) and Ataru Moroboshi (Toshio Furukawa) are back for more adventures in the beloved anime classic. The series returns with more extraterrestrials and mysterious spirits – alongside a host of other characters. The multiverse is a part of the day-to-day lives for the residents of Tomobiki Town.

Things aren’t as ordinary as one might assume at a glance in the town and there are a lot of strange things going on. A new chapter unfolds in the Urusei Yatsura saga. Lum and Ataru still can’t seem to shake off all of the zany antics between each other.

Even a game of tag can’t happen without some newfound commotion. Wild parties and comedic hijinks might unfold but the tale remains one of friendship and romance – will the romance ever reach its ultimate destination? The love-tango continues.

The characters play a big role in the success of the series. The back-and-forth between Lum and Ataru is one of the main ingredients of the production. Lum is especially wonderful as a character and her fun, bright, and charming personality is at play in the success of the series. It is nice to have a goofy and charming character with such a free-spirited personality. Lum is an essential ingredient to the series success and why it became a legendary classic in Japan.

The character designs by Akemi Takada (Kimagure Orange Road, Maison Ikkoku) are incredible and stay true to the aesthetic of the manga. The designs certainly are effective and manage to bring these fun characters to life for the anime series. Takada does a good job with the production and the results manage to highlight the altering styles of the characters – from the bubbly Lum to the aloof Ataru. The mecha designs by Masahiro Satō (Gold Lightan - The Golden Warrior, Dallos) add to the series fun and energetic charms, too.

The animation is outstanding and one of the finest points of the entire series. Urusei Yatsura is no ordinary production for an anime series. The hand-drawn animation is incredible and the artistry manages to evoke such a sense of nostalgia and charm with the production.

The aesthetic looks incredible and there is a sense of warmth in the artwork. The traditional style of hand drawn animation is one of the essential ingredients of classic anime and it makes a big difference with this series. The fun romantic-comedy has more laidback and entertaining vibes – creating a groove that is easy to enjoy. Urusei Yatsura features impressive art direction by Torao Arai (Ranma ½: Nihao My Concubine, Urusei Yatsura: Only You). The animators understood the assignment and knew what to do in order to bring out the best in the comedic-hijinks – creating visual sight gags with the animation that are impeccable.

The cinematography by Nobuo Koyama (Grave of the Fireflies, Urusei Yatsura: Only You) and Yōichi Shimizu (Urusei Yatsura: Lum The Forever, God Mars) adds to the vitality of the production. There certainly is a sense of charm in the visuals. The serene cinematographic style capably highlights the animation.

The score composed by Fumitaka Anzai (Legend of Basara, Urusei Yatsura: Only You), Katsu Hoshi (Urusei Yatsura: Beautiful Dreamer, Ping Pong Club), Kōji Nishimura (Urusei Yatsura OVA, Urusei Yatsura: Only You), and Shinsuke Kazato (The Legend of the Galactic Heroes, Chie the Brat) adds plenty of quirky energy and joy to the production. The music is one of the essential ingredients that makes the series more entertaining. There is something calming and relaxing to the score at times, too.

Written by Hisakazu Sou, Urusei Yatsura Collection 3 continues to explore the romantic-comedy hijinks that made the series a staple of Japanese animation. Fans of quirky comedy series wearing their heart on their sleeves will appreciate the style of comedy in Urusei Yatsura. Much of this is due to the artistry of creator Rumiko Takahashi. Takahashi is a genius and it shows with each of her respective works.

Director Kazuo Yamazaki (Maison Ikkoku, A Wind Named Amnesia) brings these tales of Urusei Yatsura to life. Yamazaki keeps the series charming and offers plenty of entertainment with a good balance of character and comedy. The romantic element plays a big role in the series and Yamazaki also knows exactly how to highlight it alongside the comedic hijinks – helping the series to achieve its enduring legacy.

Urusei Yatsura: TV Series Collection 03 Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Released on Blu-ray by Discotek Media, Urusei Yatsura Collection 3 is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high-definition in the original 1.33:1 full-frame aspect ratio. The picture-quality on the set is exceptional looking. Discotek brings the series to physical media with a quality scan of the film. The naturally filmic appearance is one of the joys of the presentation. The hand-drawn animation looks incredible and there is plenty of detail retained in the image. One of the things most appreciable in hand-drawn animation is the level of detail present and with solid encoding by Discotek and a good scan, the presentation is all the better.

Not only is it a filmic appearance but the colors look great, too. The release also benefits by showcasing one of the best selling points of the physical media format – Blu-ray has superior bit-rates and higher-quality encoding compared to streaming platforms. Streaming video services provide video with more compression. For those seeking to eek out every possible fine detail available in the image, physical media still offers the best possible quality one can find.

Urusei Yatsura: TV Series Collection 03 Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release is presented in Japanese uncompressed PCM 2.0 (with English subtitles). The release has impressive qualities with a good presentation of the source. The lossless audio encoding capably reproduces the sound direction by Shigeharu Shiba (Angel's Egg, Future Boy Conan). A quality presentation with good detail for the dialogue and the soundtrack. The music sounds great – highlighting one of the best points of the presentation. The lossless encoding offers an audio presentation quality advantage over streaming video services – none of which provide lossless audio.

Urusei Yatsura: TV Series Collection 03 Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The release comes with a nice o-card slipcover. The slipcover art-work is the same as the key-art on the sleeve underneath the slipcover. Discotek does a nice job with the print-quality of the slipcovers and it certainly adds a nice collectability factor to the release. The end result is a package that is wonderful to hold in hand and it makes a great impression on the shelf, too.

Unfortunately, the release is otherwise barebones and does not come with any additional supplemental content – some art galleries or interviews would have added some extra value to the package.

Urusei Yatsura: TV Series Collection 03 Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Urusei Yatsura Collection 3 picks up the science-fiction romantic-comedy adventures that made the series such a hit to begin with. Creator Rumiko Takahashi (Inuyasha, Ranma ½) made something remarkably special. The iconic blend of romance and comedy made the series a big hit.

Discotek provides an impressive high-definition video presentation and lossless audio encoding on the release. The set also provides a nice collectible slipcover. Urusei Yatsura fans should absolutely pick up the set and add it to their collection. Highly recommended.