Urusei Yatsura TV: Volume 3
(Subtitled-only DVD, produced by AnimEigo)

Review by Jesse Hausler

Rating:

Admittedly, I did not buy this DVD because it looked all that great, nor did I buy it because I am a Urusei Yatsura fan. I bought this sucker because it only cost $6! Fortunately for this penniless anime nut, it was money well-spent. This isn't one of those things "that all fans should see", but it isn't half-bad, either.

The first thing that stood out about the DVD to me was the fact that it was subtitled-only. Most anime DVDs nowadays are dub/sub hybrids, and I myself usually prefer the dubbed version. It wasn't that big of a deal, however; the Japanese voice actors did a fantastic job, and (as usual) AnimEigo did a superb job with the subtitles. No problems here!

As for the stories themselves, this DVD had a lot to offer. There are four 30-minute episodes per UY DVD, but it seems like much more because they often feature two storylines per episode. It seems to defy time and space, in fact... not that I'm complaining! Volume three chronicles Ataru's first meeting (and many others) with the Tengu princess Kurama, a trip to medieval Japan, and a visit to the disco, among other things. Also, the "New Year's Special" features Mendo's first appearance in the TV series (he popped up "a whole season early", much to Ataru's annoyance)!

Anyway, you won't find any Oscar-winning episodes here, but you will find two hours of high-quality entertainment, "Urusei Yatsura"-style. It's a worthwhile purchase, especially if you can find it for just six bucks like I did. Hahaha!

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