Urusei Yatsura TV Theme Music

I have a love/hate relationship with Japanese anime theme music. In the UK it has been customary to produce short TV introductions. Aside from The Prisoner i can't think of one that is longer than 60 seconds. But its de-rigour for a lot of anime shows to have long TV introductions, for two reasons 1) it means 90 seconds less animation to produce (actually 3 minutes when you factor in the ending credits). 2) the lucrative music market and cross promotion.

I couldn't understand why I liked the Urusei Yatsura themes so much, as a lot of anime music is often tuneless or insipid. it was only later that i read that Kitty Animation - who co-produced Urusei Yatsura - specialise in theme music. Then it all fitted into to place.

These 6 themes vary in quality - music and animation - but they display a development in style and technology. You can chart the progression of 80s musical trends, this is best represented by the metal edge of 'Rock the Planet' (my least favourite), or the slamming drums of 'Pajama Jama Da'.

For those who don't know: Urusei Yatsura is the name of a Scottish indie band of the nineties. They took their name from Rumiko Takahashi's manga. This has lead to some confusion in the UK.

The plot of the show is relatively difficult to summarise. It is about an unlucky and lecherous 17 year old boy called Ataru who by chance is married to an humanoid Oni alien; Lum. Some accounts say she is a princess, but I don't agree. Anyway, an Oni is a demon in Japanese folklore, so Lum is pretty much a curse on Ataru. Her means of punishment usually takes the form of electric shocks that she gives him and her ability to fly - means she's pretty omnipotent - and therefore can catch his unfaithful behaviour. But since he has the ability to be a despicable and immature teenager he deserves it most of the time. Also Lum is a super-sexy green haired beauty who wears a tiger skin bikini and matching jump boots. From that starting point, the couples numerous acquaintances who are school friends, family, enemies, aliens, demons etc expand the scenario, the push and pull of the other characters are ones who either love or hate Ataru or Lum. In the end the show is concerned with a new and ridiculous events fuelled by the pursuit of love - that is love in its best and worst descriptions.

Anyway, that's enough plot. The whole series is on youtube. While it is not completely consistent, and dated - one has to take some of the humour and nudity with a pinch of salt - it is a really funny show.

"Lum No Love Song" by Yuko Matsutani (1981)

(the first and best, but not the one I listen to most)

"Dancing Star" by Izumi Kobayashi (1983)


"Pajama Jama Da" by Kanako Narikiyo (1984)

(this one is by far the most addictive)

"Chance On Love" by Cindy (1984)

(This has the most amazing synth-bass, but what have they done to Lums face? She looks like a pony)

"Rock The Planet" by Steffanie (1985)


"Tonogata Gomen Asobase" by Shoko Minami (1985)


(This post is from my last.fm blog, but it is a good introduction to the series, as I plan to write about it)

"Boxing? Do You Like Boxing?"

"I couldn't sleep a wink last night" - that's not true - although it was past four AM. when I finally drifted off.

What was good about it was the live boxing that was on radio five live. It was between Carl Froch and Jermain Taylor. Now, I'm not all that interested in boxing. It looks like a bear-pit to me, or a cock fight - not that I've ever attended either of those - but it is something I've developed a certain amount of respect and interest in.

This comes from two sources. Firstly it was Nintendo's Wii Sports Boxing. That game, if nothing else, showed how terribly exhausting it is to box, that that's without getting hit yourself. Yeah of course it isn't like the real thing, and I'm glad it isn't cos it would take years of training for me to become a not-very-good fighter at best! Also, it was fun. The second source comes from Rumiko Takahashi's short manga serial One Pound Gospel. Takahashi has a fondness for sports narratives across her work and some of the most entertaining and successful chapters of Urusei Yatsura and Masion Ikkoku were concerned with sport, namely baseball and volleyball. One Pound Gospel is about boxing. It combines her usual will-they, won't-they relationship between a boy and a girl, with the boy's career as a low-level boxer. There is a lot to make a narrative out of - although a bit of a repetitive one - since boxing is about reaching the peak of physical fitness to a specific weight category. But is also about improving your style of fighting and adapting to an opponent. Add to this the lead character's weakness at dieting, and the manga really pushes the difficultly in boxing. The point is that I really enjoyed it.

However, I don't really care for sport. As I write that I know its a bit of a lie. What I mean is that I can't care for it in the way that other people do. It can be thrilling - add to this all the clichéd descriptions you can think of. But last night I was enthralled. The match started off with all the usual bluster with the US crowd booing the UK boxer Carl Froch, the seemingly endless sponsorship endorsements, the over-long introductions by the referee. On the positive, the two commentators on BBC 5Live were excellent. They didn't favour Carl Froch, and by round 8 they were in awe of Jermain Taylor's footwork and overall game. I lay in bed thinking of what a drubbing Froch was receiving as he was completely outclassed. The commentators were resigned to Froch's loss as he failed to make a significant impact round after round.

Now, i'll admit that I love an underdog. By round 7 or 8 Froch had gone from defending champion with something to prove to being so far out of the match that only a knock-out could save him, and that wasn't looking (or correctly - in my case - sounding) likely. But I think it was round 9 where Taylor significantly held back his game. The commentary team explained that he was 'taking a round off', that is, he was preserving his energy to finish strong. They also noted that his strategy for the last few rounds had been to hold back and then take the fight to Froch for the last 30 seconds and convincingly take the round. But Taylor took round 10 off too. He was infact weakening significantly. This gave Froch - who was holding himself together and getting quite desperate - the upper hand.

The quieter fighting of rounds 9 and 10 gave way to two phenomenal final rounds. In which Taylor now on 'jelly legs' barely landing a punch and was attempting to stay on his feet and see the rest of the bout out by dodging. It wasn't to be as Froch took complete control. While it was still looking like Taylors because of his early dominance, the crowd and commentators were in disbelief as Froch tore apart Taylor's game. A huge moment came in the final round when Froch floored Taylor with 45 seconds remaining. Taylor made it to his feet at the count of 8. But as the fight resumed Froch continued to ruin him. With 15 seconds remaining the fight was stopped as a knock out. The Referee stepped in as Froch in control was pounding Taylor who was unable to lift his arms. It was a devastating finale.

For me, the credit has to go to the BBC team, who reported the events with brilliant expression, fairness, and were as surprised as anyone by the see-sawing action.

Boxing isn't for everyone, and it isn't really for me, but it is a sport that required so much commitment, and one where all the classic attributes of a good sportsman (or woman) are tested against each other, youth, energy, tactics, experience, confidence, intelligence, heart, strength, endurance, and so on.

Read a more eloquent review of the match here

And here's someone's opinion of One Pound Gospel which I haven't read