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Lum: Urusei Yatsura Perfect Collection
Rumiko Takahashi's first serialized manga series, Urusei Yatsura, was originally published in Weekly Shonen Sunday in 1978. This collectioin features the first 18 volumes of the original manga in a huge 400 page book.
400 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 1989
2 people are currently reading
85 people want to read
About the author
Rumiko Takahashi
1,587 books2,143 followersRumiko Takahashi (高橋留美子) was born in Niigata, Japan. She is not only one of the richest women in Japan but also one of the top paid manga artists. She is also the most successful female comic artist in history. She has been writing manga non-stop for 31 years.
Rumiko Takahashi is one of the wealthiest women in Japan. The manga she creates (and its anime adaptations) are very popular in the United States and Europe where they have been released as both manga and anime in English translation. Her works are relatively famous worldwide, and many of her series were some of the forerunners of early English language manga to be released in the nineties. Takahashi is also the best selling female comics artist in history; well over 100 million copies of her various works have been sold.
Though she was said to occasionally doodle in the margins of her papers while attending Niigata Chūō High School, Takahashi's interest in manga did not come until later. During her college years, she enrolled in Gekiga Sonjuku, a manga school founded by Kazuo Koike, mangaka of Crying Freeman and Lone Wolf and Cub. Under his guidance Rumiko Takahashi began to publish her first doujinshi creations in 1975, such as Bye-Bye Road and Star of Futile Dust. Kozue Koike often urged his students to create well-thought out, interesting characters, and this influence would greatly impact Rumiko Takahashi's works throughout her career.
Career and major works:
Takahashi's professional career began in 1978. Her first published story was Those Selfish Aliens, a comedic science fiction story. During the same year, she published Time Warp Trouble, Shake Your Buddha, and the Golden Gods of Poverty in Shōnen Sunday, which would remain the home to most of her major works for the next twenty years. Later that year, Rumiko attempted her first full-length series, Urusei Yatsura. Though it had a rocky start due to publishing difficulties, Urusei Yatsura would become one of the most beloved anime and manga comedies in Japan.
In 1980, Rumiko Takahashi found her niche and began to publish with regularity. At this time she started her second major series, Maison Ikkoku, in Big Comic Spirits. Written for an older audience, Maison Ikkoku is often considered to be one of the all-time best romance manga. Takahashi managed to work on Maison Ikkoku on and off simultaneously with Urusei Yatsura. She concluded both series in 1987, with Urusei Yatsura ending at 34 volumes, and Maison Ikkoku being 15.
During the 1980s, Takahashi became a prolific writer of short story manga, which is surprising considering the massive lengths of most of her works. Her stories The Laughing Target, Maris the Chojo, and Fire Tripper all were adapted into original video animations (OVAs). In 1984, after the end of Urusei Yatsura and Maison Ikkoku, Takahashi took a different approach to storytelling and began the dark, macabre Mermaid Saga. This series of short segments was published sporadically until 1994, with the final story being Mermaid's Mask. Many fans contend that this work remains unfinished by Takahashi, since the final story does not end on a conclusive note.
Another short work left untouched is One-Pound Gospel, which, like Mermaid Saga, was published erratically. The last story to be drawn was published in 2001, however just recently she wrote one final chapter concluding the series
Later in 1987, Takahashi began her third major series, Ranma ½. Following the late 80s and early 90s trend of shōnen martial arts manga, Ranma ½ features a gender-bending twist. The series continued for nearly a decade until 1996, when it ended at 38 volumes. Ranma ½ is one of Rumiko Takahashi's most popular series with the Western world.
During the later half of the 1990s, Rumiko Takahashi continued with short stories and her installments of Mermaid Saga and One-Pound Gospel until beginning her fourth major work, InuYasha. While Ran
Rumiko Takahashi is one of the wealthiest women in Japan. The manga she creates (and its anime adaptations) are very popular in the United States and Europe where they have been released as both manga and anime in English translation. Her works are relatively famous worldwide, and many of her series were some of the forerunners of early English language manga to be released in the nineties. Takahashi is also the best selling female comics artist in history; well over 100 million copies of her various works have been sold.
Though she was said to occasionally doodle in the margins of her papers while attending Niigata Chūō High School, Takahashi's interest in manga did not come until later. During her college years, she enrolled in Gekiga Sonjuku, a manga school founded by Kazuo Koike, mangaka of Crying Freeman and Lone Wolf and Cub. Under his guidance Rumiko Takahashi began to publish her first doujinshi creations in 1975, such as Bye-Bye Road and Star of Futile Dust. Kozue Koike often urged his students to create well-thought out, interesting characters, and this influence would greatly impact Rumiko Takahashi's works throughout her career.
Career and major works:
Takahashi's professional career began in 1978. Her first published story was Those Selfish Aliens, a comedic science fiction story. During the same year, she published Time Warp Trouble, Shake Your Buddha, and the Golden Gods of Poverty in Shōnen Sunday, which would remain the home to most of her major works for the next twenty years. Later that year, Rumiko attempted her first full-length series, Urusei Yatsura. Though it had a rocky start due to publishing difficulties, Urusei Yatsura would become one of the most beloved anime and manga comedies in Japan.
In 1980, Rumiko Takahashi found her niche and began to publish with regularity. At this time she started her second major series, Maison Ikkoku, in Big Comic Spirits. Written for an older audience, Maison Ikkoku is often considered to be one of the all-time best romance manga. Takahashi managed to work on Maison Ikkoku on and off simultaneously with Urusei Yatsura. She concluded both series in 1987, with Urusei Yatsura ending at 34 volumes, and Maison Ikkoku being 15.
During the 1980s, Takahashi became a prolific writer of short story manga, which is surprising considering the massive lengths of most of her works. Her stories The Laughing Target, Maris the Chojo, and Fire Tripper all were adapted into original video animations (OVAs). In 1984, after the end of Urusei Yatsura and Maison Ikkoku, Takahashi took a different approach to storytelling and began the dark, macabre Mermaid Saga. This series of short segments was published sporadically until 1994, with the final story being Mermaid's Mask. Many fans contend that this work remains unfinished by Takahashi, since the final story does not end on a conclusive note.
Another short work left untouched is One-Pound Gospel, which, like Mermaid Saga, was published erratically. The last story to be drawn was published in 2001, however just recently she wrote one final chapter concluding the series
Later in 1987, Takahashi began her third major series, Ranma ½. Following the late 80s and early 90s trend of shōnen martial arts manga, Ranma ½ features a gender-bending twist. The series continued for nearly a decade until 1996, when it ended at 38 volumes. Ranma ½ is one of Rumiko Takahashi's most popular series with the Western world.
During the later half of the 1990s, Rumiko Takahashi continued with short stories and her installments of Mermaid Saga and One-Pound Gospel until beginning her fourth major work, InuYasha. While Ran
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
June 16, 2015
The Simpsons of the anime/manga world, at least until Ranma 1/2 came out. Ataru, a local high school kid with a lecherous streak a mile long, becomes the savior of humanity when a race of invaders tries to take over the earth. Somehow the ordeal ends with him engaged to the chief invader's daughter, Lum, who moves right into his house. From there her annoying alien friends, family, and enemies keep dropping by Ataru's place to wreak havoc in the neighborhood. It's cute, funny, and sometimes even moving. A cornerstone of 80s and 90s manga culture that I highly recommend.
October 30, 2010
Not everyone will like Lum & the crazy antics that abound in Takahashi's first major series. It's a gem in the rough with some parts of it that obviously need a bit of polishing up, which does occur as the series progresses & Takahashi gets used to writing for a long-running series.
The book starts off with the unlucky & letcherous Ataru coming home from school only to discover that he's been chosen to be the champion of Earth. His challenge? To take the head invader's beautiful daughter on in a game of tag. The only drawback is that she can fly & shoot out electric sparks. After Ataru wins (minor spoiler) he says something that is misinterpreted as a marraige proposal to Lum & ends up having her fall in love with him. Further stories surround Ataru's chronic bad luck as well as him trying to keep the attentions of various women (who would rather have nothing to do with him) while avoiding the beautiful & jealous Lum.
I love this series. It will always be one of the best things that Takahashi has released, second only to her magnum opus Ranma 1/2. Some may not like the series & prefer her more action heavy work such as InuYasha, but they'd be missing out on something wonderful by passing this series over. To be honest, I'm really confused as to why this isn't getting as much recognition as her other works! Even today Urusei Yatsura still enjoys a wide fanbase in Japan & is considered a staple of the manga world.
The book starts off with the unlucky & letcherous Ataru coming home from school only to discover that he's been chosen to be the champion of Earth. His challenge? To take the head invader's beautiful daughter on in a game of tag. The only drawback is that she can fly & shoot out electric sparks. After Ataru wins (minor spoiler) he says something that is misinterpreted as a marraige proposal to Lum & ends up having her fall in love with him. Further stories surround Ataru's chronic bad luck as well as him trying to keep the attentions of various women (who would rather have nothing to do with him) while avoiding the beautiful & jealous Lum.
I love this series. It will always be one of the best things that Takahashi has released, second only to her magnum opus Ranma 1/2. Some may not like the series & prefer her more action heavy work such as InuYasha, but they'd be missing out on something wonderful by passing this series over. To be honest, I'm really confused as to why this isn't getting as much recognition as her other works! Even today Urusei Yatsura still enjoys a wide fanbase in Japan & is considered a staple of the manga world.
August 28, 2020
Basically Betty and Veronica dialed to 11 with Veronica as a space alien, and no one likes Archie. Fun, but repetitive. I’d have probably liked this as it was intended: weekly episodes to read alongside a bunch of other comics.
April 17, 2020
Bonkers
October 13, 2021
Just the most awesome crazy manga ever written.
July 7, 2007
I found this volume at a convention. I've never seen it at any stores although I bet you could order one. It is the original Lum stories (before Return of Lum) and it helps to have read Takahashi's Rumic Trilogy collections of short stories to get the in-jokes with the characters that keep showing up in the background like the fish men. This is early work by Takahashi and frankly, it's not as good as the work she has gone on to do in later years. It has her witty and irreverant take on folktales, monsters, aliens, and love. It is slapstick comedy with zaps and it also humorous retellings of basic story plots with a twist. What I truly admire about Takahashi is her ability to design so many fantastic women! The ice princess! The bat princess! Sakura the priestress! Benten the goddess! And of course Lum herself! Ataru is a grosteque creation and I hate him but he is the excuse to continue introducing the fabulous women that pour out of Takahashi's fertile mind. Lum is the star of the show but she's just as human as the rest of us, even with her alien horns.
April 24, 2012
Urusei Yatsura (or Lamu', as it is known in Italy) is an extraordinary funny shonen. Ataru and Lamu' will bring, surrounded by absurd friends and other characters, all the readers in a fantastic world where it will be possible to learn about Japanese mythology and traditions having fun.The characters are just adorable, the way they are drawn is the typical Rumiko Takahashi's style, which hasn't incredibly changed until today (with Inu Yasha). The story plot is somehow similar to the one of Ranma, where there are many different episodes one following another one and a quite open ending.
August 23, 2013
It was by Rumiko Takahashi so I had to grab it from the library. Great to read some of her earlier works! (think it was before Ranma but not 100% on that) This ends not the way you would think but it is a great (and quick) read, even though it's the size of a dictionary.
March 4, 2010
Funny and it's the only old manga that I really like.
January 18, 2014
Classic Takahashi hijinx. Can get a bit dull and repetitive, but there's still something delightful about her simple illustrations and recurring themes.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews