| Lum the Invader Girl | |
|---|---|
| Urusei Yatsura character | |
&sq=Envato&lang=en&file=File:Lum_Invader_2022.webp) Lum, as depicted in a promotional artwork for the 2022 Urusei Yatsura TV series | |
| First appearance | Urusei Yatsura chapter #1: Young Love on the Run, September 24, 1978 (Weekly Shōnen Sunday 1978 #39) |
| Created by | Rumiko Takahashi |
| Voiced by |
|
| In-universe information | |
| Species | Alien Oni |
| Relatives |
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Lum the Invader Girl[1][2] (/lʌm/), known in Japan simply as Lum (Japanese: ラム, Hepburn: Ramu),[3] is a fictional character and the female protagonist of Rumiko Takahashi's manga series Urusei Yatsura.[4][5][6] 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.[6]
She is named Lamu in Animax's English-language dub of the series, and in the Italian and French anime dubs as well; however she is still called "Lum" in the Spanish anime dub. Her name is thought to come from popular 1970s swimsuit model Agnes Lum, as well as Rumiko Takahashi's nickname of "Rum" or "Lum" (from the interchangeable sound of the Rs and Ls in Japanese).[7]
Lum is considered a magical girlfriend, though significantly different from others such as Belldandy of Oh! My Goddess and Ai of Video Girl Ai. While the latter two are openly considered "ideal" women by the protagonists of their respective series, Ataru often indicates publicly that Lum is the opposite of ideal.[4]
- ^ Nichola Dobson, Historical Dictionary of Animation and Cartoons (2nd ed.), Rowman & Littlefield, p. 239.
- ^ Jonathan Clements, Helen McCarthy, The Anime Encyclopedia: A Guide to Japanese Animation Since 1917, Stone Bridge Press, 2006, p. 808.
- ^ "株式会社ぴえろ 公式サイト" [Pierrot Official Website] (in Japanese). Pierrot. Archived from the original on May 27, 2016. Retrieved April 4, 2016.
- ^ a b Napier, Susan (May 2001). "Carnival and Conservatism in Romantic Comedy". Anime from Akira to Princess Mononoke (1st ed.). New York: Palgrave. pp. 142–151. ISBN 0-312-23863-0. Retrieved January 3, 2008.
- ^ Reider, Noriko T. (2003). "Transformation of the Oni: From the Frightening and Diabolical to the Cute and Sexy" (PDF). Miami University. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 9, 2008. Retrieved January 3, 2008.
{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires|journal=(help) - ^ a b "Rumiko Takahashi Interviews: 100 Questions". Retrieved December 15, 2007.
- ^ Ruh, Brian (June 2004). Stray Dog of Anime: The Films of Mamoru Oshii. Palgrave Macmillan. p. 18.
The design of the character is thought to be named after and based on late 1970s bikini model Agnes Lum, who, hailing from Honolulu and sporting a mixed racial background, was a curvaceous alien in Japan like the fictional Lum. It has also been theorized that Lum is creator Takahashi's alter ego, as "Lum" could be a nickname for "Rumiko" (owing to the indistinctness of "l" and "r" in the Japanese language).