Urusei Yatsura, a representative work of Rumiko Takahashi's wildly popular series, has maintained its cult following since its television anime debut in 1981. In particular, a new TV series based on selected episodes from the original manga was released in 2022 to commemorate Shogakukan's 100th anniversary. The series attracted significant attention for its new voice cast and improved drawing techniques. While changes to character styles or voice actors often provoke significant backlash when the original anime series is popular, this series' success lies in the selection of excellent voice actors and the evolution of character portrayals while respecting the original work. Since the characters are particularly popular in this series, it's significant that the series was able to retain their popularity from the previous series. Following the first season, which perfectly portrayed the characters, the second season of this series is about to begin airing. Like the first season, the second season will likely feature charming characters faithful to the original. This time, we'll be introducing characters from the new series, popular even among longtime fans, focusing on those appearing in the second season of the anime!
Ataru Moroboshi
He's the protagonist of this work. At first glance, he appears to be an ordinary young man, but in reality, he's far more obsessed with girls than most people. As the opening theme song for this work, "Lum's Love Song," boasts the overwhelming popularity it boasts, "Even if I love you, you're pretending not to notice, and by now you're obsessed with someone else" and "How many people do men want to love?", the fact that Lum becomes a bit of a tsundere due to the womanizing nature of Ataru Moroboshi is a staple of the story's progression.
CV: Hiroshi Kamiya
The voice of Ataru Moroboshi is provided by Hiroshi Kamiya. Kamiya is best known for his voice acting, including the protagonist Araragi Koyomi in "Bakemonogatari" and Captain Levi in "Attack on Titan." He's known for his calm voice, so I didn't imagine him as the playful Ataru Moroboshi, but in the first season of the anime, he was spot on, which was a surprise. I'm sure he'll continue to play Ataru Moroboshi with his consistent Kamiya voice in the second season, so be sure to keep an eye out.
Ram
Ram, the heroine of this series and one of the most popular and iconic characters in anime, continues to appear in the first season. Ram's unique charm remains strong in the new season, thanks to her adorable mannerisms and unique catchphrase, "Datcha."
CV: Sumire Uesaka
In the new series, Sumire Uesaka will voice Ram. Uesaka has a history of playing quirky female characters, including Sanae Dekomori in "Chuunibyou demo Koe Shitai!" and Miss Nagatoro in "Don't Toy with Me, Miss Nagatoro." While Ram, the heroine of this series, is also a very quirky character, she is very reassuring, as she respects the original work while also being covered by Uesaka's unique acting.
Shinobu Miyake
As a childhood friend of Ataru, Shinobu Miyake finds herself caught in a love triangle with Lum and Ataru. In fact, she's a character with popularity among men rivaling that of Lum, and some have questioned whether Shinobu will fare well in the new series, despite her enthusiastic fan base. However, the new series has successfully portrayed Shinobu's unique charm. Many people have reportedly become fans through the new series.
CV: Maaya Uchida
Shinobu will be voiced by voice actress Maaya Uchida. Uchida is a popular voice actress known for her roles as Sharo in "Is the Order a Rabbit?" and Norman in "The Promised Neverland." She's popular not only as a voice actress, but also for her adorable appearance. This film is sure to boost Uchida's popularity not only among Shinobu fans, but also among her fans.
Sakura
Sakura, along with Lum and Shinobu, enjoys passionate popularity among men. Sakura is an adult female character, rare among the main characters of this series, and possesses a charm unique to adults. On the other hand, she also possesses a shrine maiden and a spiritual side, making her a character with quirks that rival those of Lum.
CV: Miyuki Sawashiro
Sakura's voice is provided by voice actress Miyuki Sawashiro. Sawashiro is known for her mature voice, which she uses to her advantage as a narrator. She's the perfect voice actress for Sakura! She's best known for playing Fujiko Mine in "Lupin the Third" from 2011 to 2019.
Ran
Ran is a girl who came from space as Lum's childhood friend. She's a character in the popular "bukko" (beautiful girl) genre at the time. She acts all cute in front of boys, but shows her true colors in front of Lum. These days, there aren't many cutesy characters around, so in that sense, she's a rare character.
CV: Kana Hanazawa
Ran will be voiced by voice actress Kana Hanazawa. Hanazawa is a renowned voice actress who has voiced countless adorable characters, including Mitsuri Kanroji in "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba," Koharu in "Pokémon," Ichika Nakano in "The Quintessential Quintuplets," and Nadeko Sengoku in "The Monogatari Series." She's known for her sweet voice, so it's exciting to see Ran in her signature sweet voice.
Sakuranbo
Sakura's uncle and a traveling monk, Sakuranbo is the series' trickster figure. Not only his appearance, but also his unique way of speaking and mysterious nature help define the world of this work, making him an unusual character in a series filled with beautiful women.
CV: Wataru Takagi
Sakurabou will be voiced by voice actor Wataru Takagi. Takagi is also an accomplished actor, best known for his role as Makoto Koyamada in the historical drama "Sanada Maru." In anime, he's best known for his roles as Genta Kojima and Wataru Takagi (who ad-libbed his own name during dubbing, resulting in a character with the same name) in "Detective Conan." He's also a voice actor active in a variety of fields, including TV dramas and movies.
Mendo Shutaro
Mendo Shutaro appears in this work as the wealthy character, a staple of slice-of-life anime. While wealthy characters, like Suneo from "Doraemon," are often portrayed as unpleasant characters, Mendou's character in this work reveals flaws as the story progresses, making him a lovable character who is treated on a par with the perverted Ataru.
CV: Mamoru Miyano
The voice of Mendou Shutaro is provided by voice actor Mamoru Miyano. Miyano is best known for his voice acting for characters such as Light Yagami in "DEATH NOTE," but he's also a well-known singer and a voice actor active in a wide range of fields.
Rei
Rei is an alien who came to Earth in pursuit of Lum. He is a young man of the same demon tribe as Lum, and his good looks have earned him popularity among a wide range of women. His quiet personality often makes him seem cool, but when it comes to food, his personality changes drastically, and he's also a glutton.
CV: Katsuyuki Konishi
The voice of Rei is provided by voice actor Katsuyuki Konishi. Konishi is famous for his roles as Tengen Uzui in "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba" and Diavolo in "JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind." He's a voice actor renowned for his masculine voice, making him the perfect fit for the character of Rei.
Oyuki
Oyuki is Lum's childhood friend and the Queen of Neptune. She has a refined and demure personality, but can be violent and unstable when angry.
CV: Saori Hayami
Oyuki's voice is provided by voice actress Saori Hayami. Hayami is known for her demure and refined characters, such as Yukino Yukinoshita in "My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU" and Yoru Roger in "Spy x Family." She's currently unrivaled when it comes to portraying characters in this genre, making her the perfect voice for Oyuki.
Benten
This is Benzaiten, Lum's childhood friend and one of the Seven Lucky Gods. Despite being a young girl, she rides a motorcycle with gusto, making her a character similar to Honda from Kochikame.
CV: Shizuka Ishigami
Benten's voice is provided by voice actress Shizuka Ishigami. Ishigami is best known for her roles as Sayaka Uehara in "How Heavy Are the Dumbbells You Lift?" and Neneko Isurugi in "World's End Harem." She's known for playing many energetic female characters, making her the perfect fit for Benten.
Princess Kurama
She is the queen of the crow tengu who came from outer space. She is a self-proclaimed beauty-obsessed character, with a personality reminiscent of a female version of Ataru Moroboshi. While she is less popular than the series' classic heroine, Lum, she enjoys a cult following among some male fans.
CV: Nana Mizuki
Princess Kurama is voiced by voice actress Nana Mizuki. Mizuki is famous for her roles as Hinata Hyuga in "NARUTO." Not only does she have a lovely voice, but she's also blessed with good looks, captivating a wide range of male fans.
Summary
Did you enjoy this article? This time, we've introduced the characters and voice actors appearing in the second season of "Urusei Yatsura." This work is both a slice-of-life story and a school setting, so it's appealing that it features a wide variety of characters. There are many more characters that we weren't able to introduce this time, so be sure to check out the full series.
