Urusei Yatsura 2: Beautiful Dreamer Film Turns 40

by Matt Schley
February 11, 2024

Urusei Yatsura 2: Beautiful Dreamer, the second film in the Urusei Yatsura series and the film that established Mamoru Oshii as a major directorial talent, hit theaters in Japan on February 11, 1984, making it 40 years old. Time flies when it isn’t stuck in a loop, am I right?

The film, which hit during the series’ second season, took more liberties with Rumiko Takahashi’s original concepts than the first film, also directed by Oshii, causing controversy but ultimately resulting in what’s often considered one of the best anime movies ever.

A couple years back, we ranked and reviewed all the UY films, including Beautiful Dreamer. You can catch up with that write-up here.

Here’s how Discotek describes the film:

In Urusei Yatsura: Beautiful Dreamer, Tomobiki High is in a frenzy to get ready for the school festival. Props need to be made, costumes designed, and maybe somewhere sleep to be had! Ataru, Lum, Shutaro, Shinobu, and the rest of Class 2-4 are determined to not be outdone this year, and they’re rushing to make the final preparations for tomorrow’s grand opening.

Once they wake up the next morning, they continue their mad rush to get ready for tomorrow’s grand opening. And then the next day… hey, isn’t something strange going on? Silence lingers over the city, the buildings filled with nothing but dust and mold. Is this a dream? Or have the kids (and a few related adults) of Class 2-4 finally woken up? If they can spend each day having fun with each other, does it matter? From the director of Ghost in the Shell!

Tonight, I watched “Urusei Yatsura 2: Beautiful Dreamer” Mamoru Oshii’s breakout film, on Amazon Prime. What a 40th anniversary! Oshii-san was 33 years old back then? pic.twitter.com/Y4mGx9lbLm

— HIDEO_KOJIMA (@HIDEO_KOJIMA_EN) February 11, 2024

Source: Hideo Kojima