Ataru Moroboshi
Encyclopedia
is a fictional character
and the main protagonist
of Rumiko Takahashi
's manga
and anime
series Urusei Yatsura
. He is sometimes considered a teenage version of the character Nobita Nobi from Fujiko Fujio
's popular manga Doraemon
by many anime fans.
) on (allegedly) Friday the 13th
, (also allegedly) Butsumetsu, and the same day as a major earthquake, Cherry has referred to him as a carrier of bad luck rarely seen in this world. As he's grown up, Ataru has become a bane on the town of Tomobiki thanks to his legendary lack of luck, which has attracted all kinds of weirdos and aliens. (Note: The only sources giving the year of his birth indicate that he was born in 1967, but April 13 of that year was a Thursday, not a Friday. Also, a rokuyō calculation indicates this date to be a Shakkō, unlucky except within an hour of midday, not Butsumetsu.)
Even as a child, he was extremely lecherous, but he had a constant friend in Shinobu Miyake, who eventually became his girlfriend by the time the manga began. Despite the steady date, Ataru continued to flirt with other women, but Shinobu stood by him. But all this changed one day when government agents took him to his house to explain a crisis that only he could remedy.
Once he arrived, he met Lum Invader
, a gorgeous bikini-clad alien princess, for the first time. Ataru had been randomly selected by a computer to represent mankind in a game of tag
with the fate of the Earth on the line. Lum herself represented the invading Oni race. Unable to catch the flying beauty, Shinobu promised to marry him if he won. Determined to do "the stuff that married people do", he succeeded in catching Lum by stealing her bikini top and grabbing her horns when she tried to get it back. In his moment of triumph, Ataru loudly declared "Now I can get married!!" However, Lum mistook this as a proposal to herself, which she accepted, and the two were immediately engaged.
no matter what the situation. However, it is revealed on several occasions that she is the only one he actually loves which he vehemently denies at any opportunity. Despite this, he typically treats her like a nuisance and constantly disobeys her. Perhaps as a form of irony he is rather prudish about other matters, becoming outraged at the idea of his mom having an affair with Rei. Despite his behaviour towards women, he is remarkably chivalrous at other times claiming that if he hurt so much as one women he couldn't call himself a man, something which the girls in his class all acknowledge.
Despite how stupid he seems, Ataru often displays remarkable intelligence, particularly when escaping from Lum. At times he appears to be superhuman, with the life force of a cockroach
and the rejuvenation
powers of a lizard
, possessing remarkable tenacity for a boy of his age and physique when trying to achieve something. As a result, he never gives up on his girl hunting, no matter how many times he fails or how badly Lum shocks him. Ataru is also very fast, and can often be seen wearing a track uniform. this blinding speed comes in handy when escaping from Lum.
Ataru has occasionally let his good side shine through, most notably when he took care of the class caterpillar everyone else hated it,and when he went on a date with the ghost of a sick girl who had admired him from afar. But because of his reputation as a lecherous idiot, most of the cast is surprised whenever he does such a thing, believing that something is wrong with him. Actions like these, however, reveal his true personality, which may be the reason Lum fell in love with him despite his many flaws.
A running gag throughout the series due to the fact none of the cast has any respect for him, will automatically believe he is the reason Lum is upset or has left for a period of time, despite the fact he had absolutely nothing to do with it.
In the story (Vol. 21), in which he accidentally puts on boxing gloves
that force him to grab and punch anyone who gets close enough to him, he continuously puts his own face in front of Lum's each time she gets too close, punching himself instead. This is just one of many instances when Ataru does everything he can to protect Lum from physical harm.
When faced with the prospect of losing Lum, Ataru goes all-out to try and prevent it from happening, even at the expense of his own health. Near the end of the series, in the story introducing Inaba, he decides to protect the future where he and Lum get married after he sees how happy she is in this future. In Ataru's own ideal future, he had a harem containing every prominent female in the cast, but he decided to abandon it after he learned that Lum would not be with him, further signifying the love he has for her. But once the danger has passed, he goes back to his girl hunts as though nothing happened. Even so, the fact that he sacrifices himself to rescue Lum is enough to prove he truly cares. Also when she leaves for an extended period of time, he becomes very depressed and lonely in her absences.
In the final story the two of them have their first true falling out when Lum starts doubting his feelings because he never once said he loved her, this is worsened when a misunderstanding occurs that makes Ataru believe Lum had fallen in love with someone else, deeply hurting him and causing them to grow further apart. Ultimately they have another game of tag, this time with the Earth's memory of Lum and everything that has happened since her arrival on the line. Lum will let him win if he just says "I love you" even if it was a lie, but he refuses and tries to catch her himself exhausting himself to the limit because if he said it in those circumstances then she wouldn't know if he was telling the truth. However, in the end, he indirectly says "I'll love you forever" when Lum sees that he had kept something of hers (her old horns). She tearfully embraces him, allowing him to catch her and continues to live on Earth with him. In the last panel of the series, Lum says that one day she'll make him actually say it even if it takes a lifetime, to which Ataru responds "Only on my deathbed."
blade with his bare hands. He had to teach himself this to help him deal with Shuutaro Mendou, who often carries such a sword and threatens to use it on him when insulted. At times, (mostly involving fights with Mendou) Ataru has demonstrated knowledge with some ninja abilities—one such skill is the Kawarimi no Jutsu (Body Replacement Technique). Another worthy note is his speed when properly movitated (a cute girl in sight or promises of special service from a girl); in the anime, Ataru has been seen (whether for comedic or serious purposes) to outrun a jet, and even Superman himself. Ataru also appears to have a good knowledge of the human body and its nerve points; in the "The Final Chapter" movie, when Carla attempted to use her trademark bazooka, Ataru 'poked' her on a part of her back and caused her to spasm and lose control of her weapon, firing it randomly. In "Beautiful Dreamer", Ataru was able to escape Mujaki's dream trap where the priestest Sakura failed. In the sixth feature, "Always, My Darling", Ataru, powered by his lust, was able to pass traps similar to the ones of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade through the use of a lecherious 6th sense. Also to be noted from this movie is his ability to draw out his h-chi/h-ki (hentai chi/ki) to create a powerful lust aura similar to that of Happosai from Ranma ½
. In the series, there was a time (through Ten's idiot ideas) when Sakura was haunted by a dream Ataru made originally for Lum. In the dream world where one's power is only limited to one's imagination, Ataru demonstrated powers similar to Neo
from The Matrix
, including stopping projectiles with a wave of his hand. He learnt how to counter Ten's firebreath with a frying pan. At times he's able to escape from his restrains and to top it up, he learnt to exploit other characters weaknesses such as Rei's desire for food and Mendo's fear of darkness.
Latin American
Castilian Spanish
Italian
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
and the main protagonist
Protagonist
A protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
of Rumiko Takahashi
Rumiko Takahashi
is a Japanese manga artist.Takahashi is one of the wealthiest individuals, and the most affluent manga artists in Japan. The manga she creates are popular worldwide, where they have been translated into a variety of languages...
's manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
and anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
series Urusei Yatsura
Urusei Yatsura
is a comedic manga series written and illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi that premiered in Weekly Shōnen Sunday in 1978 and ran until its conclusion in 1987. Its 374 individual chapters were collected and published in 34 tankōbon volumes. The series tells the story of Ataru Moroboshi, and the alien...
. He is sometimes considered a teenage version of the character Nobita Nobi from Fujiko Fujio
Fujiko Fujio
was a nom de plume of a manga writing duo formed by two Japanese manga artists. Their real names are and . They formed their partnership in 1951, and used the Fujiko Fujio name from 1954 until dissolution of the partnership in 1987....
's popular manga Doraemon
Doraemon
is a Japanese manga series created by Fujiko F. Fujio which later became an anime series and an Asian franchise...
by many anime fans.
History
Born in April (the fourth month, see TetraphobiaTetraphobia
Tetraphobia is an aversion to or fear of the number . It is a superstition most common in East Asian regions such as Mainland China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea and Vietnam....
) on (allegedly) Friday the 13th
Friday the 13th
Friday the 13th occurs when the thirteenth day of a month falls on a Friday, which superstition holds to be a day of bad luck. In the Gregorian calendar, this day occurs at least once, but at most three times a year...
, (also allegedly) Butsumetsu, and the same day as a major earthquake, Cherry has referred to him as a carrier of bad luck rarely seen in this world. As he's grown up, Ataru has become a bane on the town of Tomobiki thanks to his legendary lack of luck, which has attracted all kinds of weirdos and aliens. (Note: The only sources giving the year of his birth indicate that he was born in 1967, but April 13 of that year was a Thursday, not a Friday. Also, a rokuyō calculation indicates this date to be a Shakkō, unlucky except within an hour of midday, not Butsumetsu.)
Even as a child, he was extremely lecherous, but he had a constant friend in Shinobu Miyake, who eventually became his girlfriend by the time the manga began. Despite the steady date, Ataru continued to flirt with other women, but Shinobu stood by him. But all this changed one day when government agents took him to his house to explain a crisis that only he could remedy.
Once he arrived, he met Lum Invader
Lum Invader
is a fictional character and the female protagonist from Rumiko Takahashi's manga and anime series Urusei Yatsura. She is often believed to be the main protagonist of the series due to her iconic status. However, Takahashi has stated that Ataru Moroboshi is the main character. She is named Lamu in...
, a gorgeous bikini-clad alien princess, for the first time. Ataru had been randomly selected by a computer to represent mankind in a game of tag
Tag (game)
Tag is a playground game played worldwide that involves one or more players chasing other players in an attempt to tag or touch them, usually with their fingers. There are many variations...
with the fate of the Earth on the line. Lum herself represented the invading Oni race. Unable to catch the flying beauty, Shinobu promised to marry him if he won. Determined to do "the stuff that married people do", he succeeded in catching Lum by stealing her bikini top and grabbing her horns when she tried to get it back. In his moment of triumph, Ataru loudly declared "Now I can get married!!" However, Lum mistook this as a proposal to herself, which she accepted, and the two were immediately engaged.
Personality
Ataru is a 17-year-old student at Tomobiki High School, Class 2-4. He is very lecherous with an idiotic personality and often tries to escape from his classwork. Whenever he sees or hears a pretty girl, he immediately asks for their address and telephone number, but never succeeds. He chases after and tries to grope every woman, except his "wife" Lum InvaderLum Invader
is a fictional character and the female protagonist from Rumiko Takahashi's manga and anime series Urusei Yatsura. She is often believed to be the main protagonist of the series due to her iconic status. However, Takahashi has stated that Ataru Moroboshi is the main character. She is named Lamu in...
no matter what the situation. However, it is revealed on several occasions that she is the only one he actually loves which he vehemently denies at any opportunity. Despite this, he typically treats her like a nuisance and constantly disobeys her. Perhaps as a form of irony he is rather prudish about other matters, becoming outraged at the idea of his mom having an affair with Rei. Despite his behaviour towards women, he is remarkably chivalrous at other times claiming that if he hurt so much as one women he couldn't call himself a man, something which the girls in his class all acknowledge.
Despite how stupid he seems, Ataru often displays remarkable intelligence, particularly when escaping from Lum. At times he appears to be superhuman, with the life force of a cockroach
Cockroach
Cockroaches are insects of the order Blattaria or Blattodea, of which about 30 species out of 4,500 total are associated with human habitations...
and the rejuvenation
Rejuvenation
Rejuvenation may refer to:*Rejuvenation , reversing the aging process*Rejuvenation , when the base level that a river is flowing down to is lowered*Rejuvenation , 1974*Rejuvenation , 2009...
powers of a lizard
Lizard
Lizards are a widespread group of squamate reptiles, with nearly 3800 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica as well as most oceanic island chains...
, possessing remarkable tenacity for a boy of his age and physique when trying to achieve something. As a result, he never gives up on his girl hunting, no matter how many times he fails or how badly Lum shocks him. Ataru is also very fast, and can often be seen wearing a track uniform. this blinding speed comes in handy when escaping from Lum.
Ataru has occasionally let his good side shine through, most notably when he took care of the class caterpillar everyone else hated it,and when he went on a date with the ghost of a sick girl who had admired him from afar. But because of his reputation as a lecherous idiot, most of the cast is surprised whenever he does such a thing, believing that something is wrong with him. Actions like these, however, reveal his true personality, which may be the reason Lum fell in love with him despite his many flaws.
A running gag throughout the series due to the fact none of the cast has any respect for him, will automatically believe he is the reason Lum is upset or has left for a period of time, despite the fact he had absolutely nothing to do with it.
Relationship with Lum
In the beginning he is cold-hearted towards Lum and sees her as a nuisance preventing him from girl hunting, but by the time of the story (Vol. 18) he was completely okay with sharing a bed with her. Though he may not seem to really care for her, it is clear that Lum is the only one he truly cares for, something that she is grateful for. She just wishes Ataru would show it more often.In the story (Vol. 21), in which he accidentally puts on boxing gloves
Boxing gloves
Boxing gloves are cushioned gloves that fighters wear on their hands during boxing matches. The term also refers to gloves used in training, though these often differ from competition gloves...
that force him to grab and punch anyone who gets close enough to him, he continuously puts his own face in front of Lum's each time she gets too close, punching himself instead. This is just one of many instances when Ataru does everything he can to protect Lum from physical harm.
When faced with the prospect of losing Lum, Ataru goes all-out to try and prevent it from happening, even at the expense of his own health. Near the end of the series, in the story introducing Inaba, he decides to protect the future where he and Lum get married after he sees how happy she is in this future. In Ataru's own ideal future, he had a harem containing every prominent female in the cast, but he decided to abandon it after he learned that Lum would not be with him, further signifying the love he has for her. But once the danger has passed, he goes back to his girl hunts as though nothing happened. Even so, the fact that he sacrifices himself to rescue Lum is enough to prove he truly cares. Also when she leaves for an extended period of time, he becomes very depressed and lonely in her absences.
In the final story the two of them have their first true falling out when Lum starts doubting his feelings because he never once said he loved her, this is worsened when a misunderstanding occurs that makes Ataru believe Lum had fallen in love with someone else, deeply hurting him and causing them to grow further apart. Ultimately they have another game of tag, this time with the Earth's memory of Lum and everything that has happened since her arrival on the line. Lum will let him win if he just says "I love you" even if it was a lie, but he refuses and tries to catch her himself exhausting himself to the limit because if he said it in those circumstances then she wouldn't know if he was telling the truth. However, in the end, he indirectly says "I'll love you forever" when Lum sees that he had kept something of hers (her old horns). She tearfully embraces him, allowing him to catch her and continues to live on Earth with him. In the last panel of the series, Lum says that one day she'll make him actually say it even if it takes a lifetime, to which Ataru responds "Only on my deathbed."
Special skills
Ataru can catch a katanaKatana
A Japanese sword, or , is one of the traditional bladed weapons of Japan. There are several types of Japanese swords, according to size, field of application and method of manufacture.-Description:...
blade with his bare hands. He had to teach himself this to help him deal with Shuutaro Mendou, who often carries such a sword and threatens to use it on him when insulted. At times, (mostly involving fights with Mendou) Ataru has demonstrated knowledge with some ninja abilities—one such skill is the Kawarimi no Jutsu (Body Replacement Technique). Another worthy note is his speed when properly movitated (a cute girl in sight or promises of special service from a girl); in the anime, Ataru has been seen (whether for comedic or serious purposes) to outrun a jet, and even Superman himself. Ataru also appears to have a good knowledge of the human body and its nerve points; in the "The Final Chapter" movie, when Carla attempted to use her trademark bazooka, Ataru 'poked' her on a part of her back and caused her to spasm and lose control of her weapon, firing it randomly. In "Beautiful Dreamer", Ataru was able to escape Mujaki's dream trap where the priestest Sakura failed. In the sixth feature, "Always, My Darling", Ataru, powered by his lust, was able to pass traps similar to the ones of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade through the use of a lecherious 6th sense. Also to be noted from this movie is his ability to draw out his h-chi/h-ki (hentai chi/ki) to create a powerful lust aura similar to that of Happosai from Ranma ½
Ranma ½
is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi with an anime adaptation. The story revolves around a 16-year old boy named Ranma Saotome who was trained from early childhood in martial arts...
. In the series, there was a time (through Ten's idiot ideas) when Sakura was haunted by a dream Ataru made originally for Lum. In the dream world where one's power is only limited to one's imagination, Ataru demonstrated powers similar to Neo
Neo
Neo is a prefix from the ancient Greek word for young "neos" which derived from the Proto-Indo European word for new "néwos".Neo may refer to:* Neo , the protagonist of the Matrix film series...
from The Matrix
The Matrix
The Matrix is a 1999 science fiction-action film written and directed by Larry and Andy Wachowski, starring Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Joe Pantoliano, and Hugo Weaving...
, including stopping projectiles with a wave of his hand. He learnt how to counter Ten's firebreath with a frying pan. At times he's able to escape from his restrains and to top it up, he learnt to exploit other characters weaknesses such as Rei's desire for food and Mendo's fear of darkness.
Name meaning
- Ataru's full name literally translates as, "to be struck by a falling star." The name is capitalized on in the second eyecatch to the series, which shows Ataru getting hit by the character of "Urusei Yatsura", driving him neck-deep into the ground. Helen McCarthyHelen McCarthyHelen McCarthy is the British author of such anime reference books as 500 Manga Heroes and Villains, Anime!, The Anime Movie Guide and Hayao Miyazaki: Master of Japanese Animation. She is the co-author of The Erotic Anime Movie Guide and the exhaustive The Anime Encyclopedia with Jonathan Clements...
describes his "curse and blessing" in gaining Lum's love as being akin to being struck by a falling star.
Other voice actors
English- David Jarvis (dub for BBC ThreeBBC ThreeBBC Three is a television network from the BBC broadcasting via digital cable, terrestrial, IPTV and satellite platforms. The channel's target audience includes those in the 16-34 year old age group, and has the purpose of providing "innovative" content to younger audiences, focusing on new talent...
) - Steve RassinSteve RassinStephen Karl Rassin , better known as Steve Rassin, is an American voice actor best known as the voice of Ataru Moroboshi in 5 of the 6 Urusei Yatsura movies. One of his known aliases is Rassinator.-References:...
(movies 1, 3, 4, 5, and 6 dubs) - Vinnie Penna (movie 2 dub)
- Michael SinterniklaasMichael SinterniklaasMichael Tremain Sinterniklaas is a Dutch American actor, voice actor, ADR Director and script writer who has worked for Viz Media, Bandai Entertainment, Funimation Entertainment, DuArt Film and Video, 4Kids Entertainment, and Tripwire Productions...
(TV Series Episode 1-2)
Latin American
- Raúl AldanaRaúl AldanaRaul Aldana is a Mexican voice actor. Besides being one of the original Spanish Robotech voice actors, he was also the voice of Will Turner in Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy...
Castilian Spanish
- Rais David Báscones
Italian
- Riccardo Rossi (first Italian)
- Massimo Còrizza (second Italian)
- Alessandro Tiberi (third Italian)
Reception
Ataru was voted the third most iconic anime hero by Mania.com, credited as being the first anime protagonist to have a harem.Further reading
External links
- Ataru Moroboshi at Tomobiki-cho