TV Special
Description
Moroboshi Ataru is the central figure across all official Urusei Yatsura media. Born on the unluckiest Buddhist calendar day, Butsumetsu, coinciding with Friday the 13th during a major earthquake in April (the fourth month, considered unlucky in Japanese culture), he possesses exceptional misfortune. This cosmic bad luck actively attracts spirits, aliens, and chaotic supernatural phenomena to him, constantly disrupting his hometown of Tomobiki.
A 17-year-old student in Class 2-4 at Tomobiki High School, Ataru is academically lazy, avoiding schoolwork and sleeping during class. His defining trait is extreme lecherousness; he relentlessly chases skirts across species lines and circumstances, immediately demanding contact information and attempting physical advances. These actions typically provoke violent rejections, yet he persists undeterred, motivated by a lifelong dream of establishing a harem. Despite this behavior, he hypocritically displays prudishness about others' relationships, such as objecting to his mother's interactions with the alien Rei.
Beneath his womanizing facade, Ataru possesses unexpected depth. He demonstrates sharp intelligence in problem-solving, especially when evading his alien fiancée Lum. Though he rejects her due to her interference with his pursuits and her electric shocks punishing his infidelity, he harbors genuine love for her. This surfaces during crises: he sabotages his own victory while wearing cursed boxing gloves to protect Lum, experiences severe depression when separated from her, and sacrifices his ideal harem future to preserve a timeline where they marry. His pride prevents him from verbally expressing affection, though his final act in the series—risking his life to prevent collective amnesia about Lum—confirms his devotion.
Ataru exhibits cartoonish physical resilience. His tenacity grants cockroach-like durability and lizard-like regeneration, enabling recovery from severe injuries. He develops resistance to Lum's electric shocks through repeated exposure. When motivated by attraction to women, he displays superhuman speed and stamina, outrunning vehicles and competing in school events while shackled to iron balls. He masters skills like catching blades barehanded (a defense against rival Shūtarō Mendō's attacks) and pressure point strikes. In non-physical contexts, he manipulates others' weaknesses (e.g., exploiting Rei's gluttony) and demonstrates reality-bending prowess in dream worlds.
His relationship with Lum begins when he represents Earth in a game of tag against her, winning by stealing her bikini top. She misinterprets his victory shout about marrying his then-girlfriend Shinobu Miyake as a proposal, becoming his self-proclaimed wife. Their dynamic evolves from mutual antagonism to reluctant cohabitation, culminating in shared vulnerability. Shinobu, Ataru's childhood sweetheart, initially promises marriage if he defeats Lum but later rejects him due to his behavior and Lum's presence, though Ataru maintains romantic feelings for her.
Ataru's rivalry with Mendō involves constant physical clashes, though they occasionally cooperate against common threats. His friendships include Kōsuke Shirai in the manga and antagonistic interactions with Lum's fan club ("The Stormtroopers"), who resent his relationship with her. His parents express regret about his existence, particularly his mother, though she fulfills maternal duties. He also relentlessly pursues other female characters like Ryūnosuke Fujinami and Asuka Mizunokōji, undeterred by their violent reactions.
A 17-year-old student in Class 2-4 at Tomobiki High School, Ataru is academically lazy, avoiding schoolwork and sleeping during class. His defining trait is extreme lecherousness; he relentlessly chases skirts across species lines and circumstances, immediately demanding contact information and attempting physical advances. These actions typically provoke violent rejections, yet he persists undeterred, motivated by a lifelong dream of establishing a harem. Despite this behavior, he hypocritically displays prudishness about others' relationships, such as objecting to his mother's interactions with the alien Rei.
Beneath his womanizing facade, Ataru possesses unexpected depth. He demonstrates sharp intelligence in problem-solving, especially when evading his alien fiancée Lum. Though he rejects her due to her interference with his pursuits and her electric shocks punishing his infidelity, he harbors genuine love for her. This surfaces during crises: he sabotages his own victory while wearing cursed boxing gloves to protect Lum, experiences severe depression when separated from her, and sacrifices his ideal harem future to preserve a timeline where they marry. His pride prevents him from verbally expressing affection, though his final act in the series—risking his life to prevent collective amnesia about Lum—confirms his devotion.
Ataru exhibits cartoonish physical resilience. His tenacity grants cockroach-like durability and lizard-like regeneration, enabling recovery from severe injuries. He develops resistance to Lum's electric shocks through repeated exposure. When motivated by attraction to women, he displays superhuman speed and stamina, outrunning vehicles and competing in school events while shackled to iron balls. He masters skills like catching blades barehanded (a defense against rival Shūtarō Mendō's attacks) and pressure point strikes. In non-physical contexts, he manipulates others' weaknesses (e.g., exploiting Rei's gluttony) and demonstrates reality-bending prowess in dream worlds.
His relationship with Lum begins when he represents Earth in a game of tag against her, winning by stealing her bikini top. She misinterprets his victory shout about marrying his then-girlfriend Shinobu Miyake as a proposal, becoming his self-proclaimed wife. Their dynamic evolves from mutual antagonism to reluctant cohabitation, culminating in shared vulnerability. Shinobu, Ataru's childhood sweetheart, initially promises marriage if he defeats Lum but later rejects him due to his behavior and Lum's presence, though Ataru maintains romantic feelings for her.
Ataru's rivalry with Mendō involves constant physical clashes, though they occasionally cooperate against common threats. His friendships include Kōsuke Shirai in the manga and antagonistic interactions with Lum's fan club ("The Stormtroopers"), who resent his relationship with her. His parents express regret about his existence, particularly his mother, though she fulfills maternal duties. He also relentlessly pursues other female characters like Ryūnosuke Fujinami and Asuka Mizunokōji, undeterred by their violent reactions.