With the remake returning for the spring 2024 season, fans were also surprised by the announcement of the original Urusei Yatsura anime’s release on Crunchyroll.
Earlier today, Crunchyroll announced that it is streaming the iconic 80s anime adaptation of Rumiko Takahashi’s beloved manga.
Along with the announcement, Crunchyroll also confirmed which regions the show will be available in.
While the remake features a more modern take on Takahashi’s iconic manga, the original adaptation should still be well worth a look, especially for fans of classic anime.
All You Need to Know about the 80s Urusei Yatsura Anime
Urusei Yatsura began as a manga by Rumiko Takahashi, the creator of titles like Ranma ½, Inuyasha, and Mermaid Saga.
The original anime aired between 1981 and 1986. It consisted of 194 episodes, with the show being co-produced by Kitty Films along with two notable anime studios.
Urusei Yatsura’s first two seasons consisted of 106 episodes, and they were co-animated by Pierrot. This studio is best known for animating shows such as Yu Yu Hakusho, Naruto, Bleach, and Black Clover.
Meanwhile, the remaining episodes were co-produced by Studio Deen, the long-running studio behind shows such as Log Horizon 2, Sasaki and Miyano, and the first two seasons of KonoSuba.
Along with these notable studios, the series also featured some well-known staff members.
Perhaps the most well-known is Mamoru Oshii, the director of Ghost in the Shell, who directed Urusei Yatsura’s first 106 episodes.
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Crunchyroll Releases Original Urusei Yatsura Anime
While the remake is streaming on HIDIVE, the 80s classic was released on streaming by its competitor Crunchyroll.
Crunchyroll’s Urusei Yatsura release is available now in Japanese with English subtitles. While it may not have an English dub, fans will at least be happy to know that all 194 episodes are available there.
As for where it’s available, Crunchyroll confirmed that the series is streaming in the US, Canada, UK, Ireland, New Zealand, and South Africa.
Currently, there’s no word on whether other regions will get the show in the future.
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Urusei Yatsura Classic vs Remake Differences, Explained
The original and the reboot anime follow the source material faithfully, though the newer series by David Production (of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure fame) is more accurate to the source material.
Urusei Yatsura’s remake also looks more eye-catching, given that it’s a modern production, not to mention that some fans think the humor lands better in the new version.
Meanwhile, the original anime still has a unique appeal in that it has a unique and more surreal feel at times, thanks to the work of director Mamoru Oshii.
While there are some differences, the two shows should be entertaining versions of Rumiko Takahashi’s iconic work.
Are you planning on watching the original or are you sticking with the remake? Let us know in the comments.
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