Urusei Yatsura watch order
Lecherous slacker Ataru Moroboshi wins a game of tag against the alien princess Lum to save the Earth, and ends up accidentally engaged to her. Rumiko Takahashi's first big hit has two anime: the 1981–86 series with six films and a set of OVAs, and david production's 2022 remake, which tells the story again up to the manga's ending.
New to it? Watch the 2022 remake (both seasons, 46 episodes), which has the real ending. For the classic, watch the 1981 series, then Beautiful Dreamer, the OVAs and The Final Chapter.
First-timer order
The remake is shorter and finishes the story, so it's the easy way in. If you like it, the classic series has far more stories and the six films; skip its recaps and the optional films if you're short on time.
- Urusei Yatsura (2022)
david production's remake starts again from chapter 1, with a new cast and modern look. It adapts selected stories rather than every chapter and isn't connected to the 1981 anime. These are its first two cours; streams on HIDIVE with an English dub.
- Urusei Yatsura (2022) Season 2
The remake's final two cours. Episodes 43–46 of the full run (the last four here) adapt 'Boy Meets Girl', the manga's ending, so the remake is complete.
- Urusei Yatsura (1981), episodes 1–106
The classic series under director Mamoru Oshii (Studio Pierrot). It's mostly one-off comedy chapters from the manga, plus Oshii's own anime-original episodes, and brings in the core cast: Shinobu, Mendo, Ran, Ryoko, Benten, Oyuki and the rest. Oshii left after episode 106.
- Urusei Yatsura: Only You
The first film, an original story: Elle, an alien queen, arrives to marry Ataru, and Lum isn't having it. It assumes you know Ran, Mendo, Benten and Oyuki, so fans place it after episode 58.
- Urusei Yatsura 2: Beautiful Dreamer
Oshii's second and last film, an original story in which Tomobiki High keeps reliving the day before the school festival. It's the most praised entry in the franchise and stands on its own, but it plays with the cast, so watch it once you know them, around the end of Oshii's run.
- Urusei Yatsura (1981), episodes 107–195
Studio Deen and director Kazuo Yamazaki take over from episode 107. This half sticks closer to the manga's stories. It ended in March 1986 without adapting the manga's final arc, which wasn't written yet.
- Urusei Yatsura 3: Remember My Love
An original story from the Yamazaki era: Ataru is turned into a hippo and Lum disappears. Standalone; it fits anywhere in the second half of the series.
- Urusei Yatsura 4: Lum the Forever
An original story released a month before the TV finale, built around Tomobiki's ancient cherry tree, Taro. Moody and often called hard to follow; watch it near or after the end of the series.
- Urusei Yatsura OVA series
Nine OVAs that adapt late manga chapters the TV series never reached (Inaba the Dreammaker, Raging Sherbet, Nagisa's Fiancé, I Howl at the Moon and more), plus two clip specials, Ryoko's September Tea Party and Memorial Album. Watch after the TV series; the two clip specials are skippable.
- Urusei Yatsura: The Final Chapter
The only film based on Takahashi's own story: it adapts 'Boy Meets Girl', the manga's last 11 chapters, which bring Ataru and Lum's story full circle. It's the classic anime's real ending, so watch it after the OVAs.
Story order
Two separate tellings. The classic line runs through the TV series, with the original-story films placed where they fit best, then the OVAs and The Final Chapter, which is its ending. The 2022 remake is a fresh start and can be watched before, after or instead of it.
- Urusei Yatsura (1981), episodes 1–106
The classic series under director Mamoru Oshii (Studio Pierrot). It's mostly one-off comedy chapters from the manga, plus Oshii's own anime-original episodes, and brings in the core cast: Shinobu, Mendo, Ran, Ryoko, Benten, Oyuki and the rest. Oshii left after episode 106.
- Urusei Yatsura: Haru da, Tobidase! (optional)
A 42-minute spring special that aired between episodes 21 and 22. The first half is a clip show narrated by Ataru's mother; the second half is a new ninja story. Mostly recap, so it's skippable.
- Urusei Yatsura: Only You
The first film, an original story: Elle, an alien queen, arrives to marry Ataru, and Lum isn't having it. It assumes you know Ran, Mendo, Benten and Oyuki, so fans place it after episode 58.
- Urusei Yatsura 2: Beautiful Dreamer
Oshii's second and last film, an original story in which Tomobiki High keeps reliving the day before the school festival. It's the most praised entry in the franchise and stands on its own, but it plays with the cast, so watch it once you know them, around the end of Oshii's run.
- Urusei Yatsura (1981), episodes 107–195
Studio Deen and director Kazuo Yamazaki take over from episode 107. This half sticks closer to the manga's stories. It ended in March 1986 without adapting the manga's final arc, which wasn't written yet.
- Urusei Yatsura 3: Remember My Love
An original story from the Yamazaki era: Ataru is turned into a hippo and Lum disappears. Standalone; it fits anywhere in the second half of the series.
- Urusei Yatsura 4: Lum the Forever
An original story released a month before the TV finale, built around Tomobiki's ancient cherry tree, Taro. Moody and often called hard to follow; watch it near or after the end of the series.
- Urusei Yatsura OVA series
Nine OVAs that adapt late manga chapters the TV series never reached (Inaba the Dreammaker, Raging Sherbet, Nagisa's Fiancé, I Howl at the Moon and more), plus two clip specials, Ryoko's September Tea Party and Memorial Album. Watch after the TV series; the two clip specials are skippable.
- Urusei Yatsura: The Final Chapter
The only film based on Takahashi's own story: it adapts 'Boy Meets Girl', the manga's last 11 chapters, which bring Ataru and Lum's story full circle. It's the classic anime's real ending, so watch it after the OVAs.
- Urusei Yatsura: Always My Darling (optional)
A 10th-anniversary film by Madhouse with an original story, made after the ending. A nostalgia piece rather than a continuation, and often called the weakest film.
- Urusei Yatsura: The Obstacle Course Swim Meet (optional)
A 25-minute episode made for the 2008 'It's a Rumic World' exhibition, the first new classic-style animation in 17 years, with the original cast. A one-off comedy story with no bearing on anything else.
- Urusei Yatsura (2022)
david production's remake starts again from chapter 1, with a new cast and modern look. It adapts selected stories rather than every chapter and isn't connected to the 1981 anime. These are its first two cours; streams on HIDIVE with an English dub.
- Urusei Yatsura (2022) Season 2
The remake's final two cours. Episodes 43–46 of the full run (the last four here) adapt 'Boy Meets Girl', the manga's ending, so the remake is complete.
Release order
Everything in the order it came out in Japan. The OVA set came out over 1985–91, so it overlaps the later films.
- Urusei Yatsura (1981), episodes 1–106
The classic series under director Mamoru Oshii (Studio Pierrot). It's mostly one-off comedy chapters from the manga, plus Oshii's own anime-original episodes, and brings in the core cast: Shinobu, Mendo, Ran, Ryoko, Benten, Oyuki and the rest. Oshii left after episode 106.
- Urusei Yatsura: Haru da, Tobidase! (optional)
A 42-minute spring special that aired between episodes 21 and 22. The first half is a clip show narrated by Ataru's mother; the second half is a new ninja story. Mostly recap, so it's skippable.
- Urusei Yatsura: Only You
The first film, an original story: Elle, an alien queen, arrives to marry Ataru, and Lum isn't having it. It assumes you know Ran, Mendo, Benten and Oyuki, so fans place it after episode 58.
- Urusei Yatsura 2: Beautiful Dreamer
Oshii's second and last film, an original story in which Tomobiki High keeps reliving the day before the school festival. It's the most praised entry in the franchise and stands on its own, but it plays with the cast, so watch it once you know them, around the end of Oshii's run.
- Urusei Yatsura (1981), episodes 107–195
Studio Deen and director Kazuo Yamazaki take over from episode 107. This half sticks closer to the manga's stories. It ended in March 1986 without adapting the manga's final arc, which wasn't written yet.
- Urusei Yatsura 3: Remember My Love
An original story from the Yamazaki era: Ataru is turned into a hippo and Lum disappears. Standalone; it fits anywhere in the second half of the series.
- Urusei Yatsura OVA series
Nine OVAs that adapt late manga chapters the TV series never reached (Inaba the Dreammaker, Raging Sherbet, Nagisa's Fiancé, I Howl at the Moon and more), plus two clip specials, Ryoko's September Tea Party and Memorial Album. Watch after the TV series; the two clip specials are skippable.
- Urusei Yatsura 4: Lum the Forever
An original story released a month before the TV finale, built around Tomobiki's ancient cherry tree, Taro. Moody and often called hard to follow; watch it near or after the end of the series.
- Urusei Yatsura: The Final Chapter
The only film based on Takahashi's own story: it adapts 'Boy Meets Girl', the manga's last 11 chapters, which bring Ataru and Lum's story full circle. It's the classic anime's real ending, so watch it after the OVAs.
- Urusei Yatsura: Always My Darling (optional)
A 10th-anniversary film by Madhouse with an original story, made after the ending. A nostalgia piece rather than a continuation, and often called the weakest film.
- Urusei Yatsura: The Obstacle Course Swim Meet (optional)
A 25-minute episode made for the 2008 'It's a Rumic World' exhibition, the first new classic-style animation in 17 years, with the original cast. A one-off comedy story with no bearing on anything else.
- Urusei Yatsura (2022)
david production's remake starts again from chapter 1, with a new cast and modern look. It adapts selected stories rather than every chapter and isn't connected to the 1981 anime. These are its first two cours; streams on HIDIVE with an English dub.
- Urusei Yatsura (2022) Season 2
The remake's final two cours. Episodes 43–46 of the full run (the last four here) adapt 'Boy Meets Girl', the manga's ending, so the remake is complete.
Explained
Classic or remake?
They tell the same story from the start. The 2022 remake is 46 episodes, picks the best-known stories and ends with the manga's finale, 'Boy Meets Girl'. The 1981 series is 195 episodes of mostly self-contained comedy with a lot more material (including Oshii's anime-original episodes), and its ending comes in the 1988 film The Final Chapter.
Are the films canon?
Only The Final Chapter adapts Takahashi's manga. Only You, Beautiful Dreamer, Remember My Love, Lum the Forever and Always My Darling are original stories that don't change the series; they're extras you can watch once you know the cast. Beautiful Dreamer is the famous one, and its script strayed so far from Takahashi's characters that she nearly turned it down.
Why does the 1981 series feel different halfway through?
Mamoru Oshii directed the first 106 episodes and the first two films, adding surreal, anime-original episodes. After he left in 1984, Studio Deen and Kazuo Yamazaki ran the rest, sticking closer to the manga. Both halves are worth watching; the change just explains the shift in tone.
What's in the OVA set?
The 11-episode OVA set is nine short OVAs adapting late manga chapters (around chapters 309–354) plus two clip specials, Ryoko's September Tea Party and Memorial Album. The clip specials are recaps with a little new animation and can be skipped. Watch the OVAs after the TV series and before The Final Chapter.
Where can I watch it in English?
The 2022 remake is licensed by Sentai Filmworks and streams on HIDIVE, with an English dub. The 1981 series and five of the six films (all except Beautiful Dreamer) were added to Crunchyroll in 2024, and Discotek has released the full TV series on Blu-ray.