Urusei Yatsura (2022) – Season 1 Episode 4 Recap & Review

Sealed with a Kiss!!!

Episode 4 of Urusei Yatsura begins with Lum and Ataru competing against Shinobu and Mendo in tennis. At the same time, some anthropomorphic crows are carrying a pod in a forest.

One of their tennis balls bonks one of the crows on their head, causing them to lose their balance and drop the pod. The pod crashes on top of Mendo, despite Ataru warning him about it. Ataru notices a woman in the pod and informs the others. The crows cry out for the woman in the pod as we discover she’s a princess. The crows tell Mendo he looks handsome and say he’s a perfect match for their princess since she adores hot men.

The crows wake up their master as he explains where he came from to the group. He says their planet has no humanoid males, so they traveled to Earth to locate a groom for Princess Kurama. The master crow tells Mendo they need him to wed the princess and go on a date with her. Although Mendo’s not happy with the situation, the crows ask him to hurry before Ataru seals the deal.

Shinobu stops him, but Mendo informs her that he’s not doing it of his own accord. Mendo’s failure gives Ataru a chance to kiss Princess Kurama. Everyone’s astonished by Ataru’s actions. The master crow informs them that now that Ataru’s kissed Kurama, she must pledge to the man who awakens her with a kiss. Kurama wakes up and notices Mendo.

She mistakes him for being the one that kissed her. Ataru tries to tell Kurama that he woke her up, but Lum electrocutes him out of anger. Several days later, the crows meet on their ship with Lum. One of the crows suggests they have her hooked up with Mendo, but the master crow wants to follow tradition and have Ataru be her groom. Lum’s surprised that Kurama doesn’t know that Kurama kissed her.

One of the crows plans to keep it that way, and Lum offers to help. Before the master crow can inform Kurama of the truth, one of the crows tells him that Kurama is spending time with Mendo as they speak. At school, Ataru lectured about proper etiquette between boys and girls. Some students complain while others cheer Mendo on.

Despite being praised, Mendo’s upset that he failed to kiss Kurama before Ataru did. Kurama arrives and asks Mendo to attend a date with her. Lum comes with a flamethrower and threatens to harm Kurama if she dares make contact with Ataru. Ataru tries to woo Kurama, but she swipes him away. Lum asks Ataru why he’s being flirtatious with Kurama.

Ataru says he has no issue attending one date with a girl because it means he’ll have no problems later. Some crows arrive and tell Kurama that the master crow is sleeping on the ship. Kurama gets flirtatious with Mendo, to his female classmates’ dismay. Before Ataru attempts to tell Kurama the truth, the crows cover his mouth with a cloth. They pull Mendo aside and ask him to play along.

After some convincing, Mendo decides to move forward with their plan. He reenters the classroom and tells Kurama he can’t wait for their night of amorous congress. Shinobu and Ataru try telling Kurama the truth, but the crows prevent them. Lum and the crows build Kurama and Mendo a mechanical love nest to make babies. Mendo’s female classmates continue complaining, and Kurama tries shutting them up.

Mendo doesn’t want to do it in public, but Lum tells them she and the crows made the love nest fully enclosed. Kurama drags Mendo inside the love nest while everyone, including Shinobu, is troubled about the matter. Inside, Mendo’s nervous as Kurama asks him if she’s opposed to making babies with her. Before they commit the act, Ataru squeezes his way into the ship, upsetting Kurama.

The master crow arrives and informs Kurama that Ataru was the one who awakened her. Kurama asks Mendo if the master crow’s telling the truth, and he confirms he is. He tells her he lied because he wants her to be happy. Mendo and Ataru argue with each other. Kurama doesn’t want to follow tradition, but the master crow tells her to abide by the rules.

She asks him what would happen if they went against the rules, and the master crow says he doesn’t know. They decide to undergo a procedure to secure data about what would happen if Kurama broke tradition. The master crow has his men them his ship’s computer, so he can access the mother computer on their home planet. He hopes to locate knowledge from previous elders.

After many masters failed to explain, the present master crow locates the crow who started the tradition. This crow refuses to explain the reason for creating the ceremony, but Kurama insists she has a right to know. The crow explains that he went on a perilous journey and encountered a lady crow sleeping near a shore. He kissed her without hesitation to awaken her, and they eventually got married.

Infuriated, Kurama demands he explain why he established the tradition. The crow doesn’t give her a great response, leading her to destroy their computer. She’s shocked that she lived a life dedicated to a pointless tradition. Kurama enters her love nest and feels destroyed. Mendo enters soon after and comforts her. He tells her she should be happy because they don’t need to worry about breaking the rules.

Before they continue where they left off, Ataru engulfs Mendo in a sealed bell. Mendo starts crying because of his illness and the lack of women looking at him. Kurama’s astonished by Mendo’s wimpy persona. Kurama exits the next and tells Lum she can’t stand pathetic men. She plans to leave Earth in search of someone with more muscle and mental fortitude.

Lum’s surprised by Kurama’s quick change of heart. Kurama tells her that now that she’s free to choose her husband, she can raise standards for herself. The episode concludes with Kurama informing her crow supporters that they’ll be leaving Earth now.

The Episode Review

Urusei Yatsura continues to be a please with each new release. This chapter introduces a new character into the mix that gives all our current heroines a run for their money. This episode played out differently from previous ones since it focuses on one set piece. However, it was enjoyable enough to warrant an entire segment.

Kurama comes off as a beautiful contrast to Lum. Their exchange near this chapter’s conclusion makes me ponder if Lum will start doubting her love for Ataru. Seeing another princess break tradition and seek out a worthwhile spouse can impact Lum. Furthermore, Kurama’s chemistry with our cast was humorous and elegant. She evokes a stronger sense of royalty compared to Lum, which helps her stand out.

At the same time, this episode needed to offer more drama. Many may have expected more from Shinobu’s character due to her attachment to Mendo. Kurama doesn’t display otherworldly feats different from what Shinobu can do. Therefore, it’s odd that Shinobu didn’t try harder to prevent Kurama from engaging in romantic affairs with Mendo. On the other hand, many will adore the show’s consistency.

We see Ataru enact lectures in class and utilize Mendo’s fears to his advantage. These little additions help Urusei Yatsura stay afloat while it introduces new players into the mix. Unfortunately, this episode doesn’t offer any cliffhangers worth examining. Despite this, Urusei Yatsura delivers another respectable and wholesome chapter for fans to enjoy.