Urusei Yatsura – Season 2 Episode 20 Recap & Review

Boy Meets Girl: The Morning of Farewell 

Episode 20 of Urusei Yatsura Season 2 begins with Lum recalling her meeting with the elderly fellow from the prior episode’s cliffhanger. She snaps out of her trance and electrocutes Onsen-Mark. Mendo and another classmate hurt Onsen out of spite. Lum wonders why she recalled that encounter and tells Ataru about it during their stroll. Ataru ignores Lum and flocks toward another girl to get her phone number and address. 

Lum chases after Ataru for a while and returns to her ship. Ten arrives and tries discussing Ataru with her. However, Lum ignores Ten and continues airing out more complaints. Then, Lum’s father calls Lum. Lum’s father tells Lum that he found her great-grandfather. He says they kept him asleep at their old place for ages, but something happened when they moved house. 

During their move, Lum’s father had the movers put him somewhere and he forgot where that place was until now. Lum’s father insists Lum return home and meet her great-grandfather. Lum accepts. Meanwhile, Sakura and her family eat. However, Sakura refuses to eat because she senses something mysterious in the air. She grabs Cherry and heads to an undisclosed part of her home to use their crystal ball for divination. 

Ataru arrives out of the blue and joins them. The crystal ball teases Sakura briefly. Next, it shows her, Ataru, and Cherry an image of Lum. Sakura predicts Lum will be dragged into the darkness. Ataru heads home, recounting Cherry and Sakura’s words about helping Lum avoid dark objects and areas. Ataru arrives home and asks Ten and his mother if they saw Lum.

Ten tells Ataru Lum went home to see her great-grandfather. Meanwhile, Lum’s father, mother, and great-grandfather discuss Lum. Lum’s great-grandfather shows concern when he learns Lum’s a girl, much to Lum’s father’s confusion. Then, the elderly figure arrives at Lum’s father’s home. At Ataru’s home, Ataru starts growing concerned about Lum’s departure. 

Meanwhile, Lum arrives at her family’s home, with the elderly figure doing so minutes later. The elderly figure removes his hood and Lum’s great-grandfather recognizes him. Lum’s great-grandfather explains his and the elderly figure’s connection with Lum and her parents. One day, Lum’s great-grandfather was overly exhausted and required sustenance. 

The elderly figure arrived and offered him two mushrooms. One was healthy while the other was poisonous. Lum’s great-grandfather chose the poisonous mushroom. The elderly figure promised to give him the antidote in exchange for letting him marry his daughter. Yet, since Lum’s great-grandfather didn’t have a daughter, the elderly figure changed their deal. 

He tells Lum’s great-grandfather that once his family produces a female, he’ll head to their residence and force the girl to marry him. Lum’s father and Lum refuse to let the elderly figure marry Lum. The elderly figure understands their concerns. He says he plans to force Lum to marry his great-grandson. Lum’s father tosses the elderly figure outside. The elderly figure vows to make Lum his great-grandson’s wife. 

Later, Mendo greets Ataru at school. They discuss Lum briefly and a dark cloaked fellow arrives but bonks his head on the school’s surface. Ataru and the others take the boy to Sakura and they all wonder who he is. Then, we receive a flashback involving this boy (Rupa) and the elderly figure. Rupa is the elderly figure’s great-grandson and the elderly figure tells him that Lum will be his future wife.

This flashback occurs in the past when Rupa was a toddler like Lum. Rupa mistakes Sakura for Lum, angering everyone in the room. Then, Lum arrives and Rupa starts getting flirty with her. Annoyed, Lum attempts to electrocute Rupa but it’s ineffective. She cranks up the tension and knocks Rupa out. However, he recovers seconds later and puts a ring on her finger. 

Rupa tells Lum that he plans to marry her and departs. Later, Lum tries removing the ring and asks Ataru to help her. Ataru tells Lum to take it off herself and Lum gets irritated. Meanwhile, on Rupa’s ship, Rupa and his great-grandfather discuss Lum’s ring and her species’s adulthood problems. Rupa’s great-grandfather says Lum’s rings are laced with a specific mushroom powder. 

Every time she activates her electricity powers it’ll spray her and accelerate her growth. They hope Lum will become an adult, lose her horns, and lose her powers once she reaches that age like other Oni beings. Later, Ataru tries to help Lum get her ring off but the powder sprays them. Then, Lum encounters Rupa and tries electrocuting him. 

Suddenly, Lum’s powers disappear and her horns fall off. Rupa sprays Lum with knockout gas and Ataru spots the two in the park. Rupa flees the area and the episode closes with Ataru calling out to Lum. 

The Episode Review

Although we’ve had episodes with serious tones in the past, it’s great that this final arc of Urusei Yatsura is leaning in that direction. For ages, fans wanted to see Ataru take things more seriously with Lum. While he’s done so in the past, fans are hopeful he’ll be a better romantic love interest for Lum by the series’s finale. At the same time, this episode gave Rupa and the elderly figure decent depth. 

It’s nothing much, but it’s okay enough to give fans a genuine understanding of their connections to Lum’s family and who they are as individuals. While more would’ve certainly been great, this arc’s not over yet, so there’s still time for David Productions Studios to relay more details of this arc’s antagonists. Additionally, we’re hopeful the newer characters and some of the returning cast will have a role to play in this arc. 

Whether it’s Benten or someone like Nagisa, we hope these characters will receive a notable role before this entire remake wraps up. With its decent gags and slightly engaging drama, this was a fine showcase from Urusei Yatsura Season 2. Hopefully, the final three episodes produce exceptional results.