Ep 18. Happy Birthday My Darling

Happy Birthday My Darling is the eighteenth episode of season three of the anime series Urusei Yatsura, originally aired in Japan in 1983. The episode is approximately 24 minutes long.

The story begins with Ataru Moroboshi, the protagonist of the series, having a nightmare. In this dream, his girlfriend Lum, an alien princess with the ability to fly and generate electricity, is about to leave him forever. Ataru wakes up and realizes that it is Lum's birthday that day. His initial plan is to ignore the occasion and go to school as usual, but he is soon reminded of Lum's birthday by his friend and classmate Shinobu Miyake.

In the meantime, Lum has been whisked away to the planet of her own people, the Oni. There, she is greeted by her father, Ten, who presents her with a special spaceship as a birthday gift. However, Lum is not thrilled about the present since she believes that her father is trying to get rid of her. Ten tries to reassure her that it is just a token of his affection, but Lum is unconvinced.

Back on Earth, Ataru and his friends are brainstorming what to get Lum for her birthday. However, they are all stumped since Lum is an alien with exotic tastes and they have no idea what to get her. Ataru decides to take matters into his own hands and buy Lum a present himself, but his lack of funds and ingenuity leads him to disastrous results. He eventually ends up with a live octopus, which he believes will be a perfect gift for Lum.

The scene shifts back to the Oni planet, where Lum is finishing a tour of the Oni kingdom. She meets up with her childhood friend, Ran, who gives her a special pearl necklace as a birthday gift. Lum is overjoyed with the present and puts it on immediately.

As Lum is admiring her new necklace, she suddenly detects a distress signal from Ataru's octopus, which has somehow made its way to the Oni planet. Lum flies off to Earth to investigate, leaving her father behind.

Back on Earth, Ataru is frantically trying to find the octopus that has escaped from its bag. He finally finds it in a pond, but it has grown to gigantic proportions and is causing havoc in the neighborhood. Meanwhile, Lum arrives on Earth and spots the giant octopus. She uses her electricity powers to rescue Ataru and the others from the tentacles of the creature.

After the ordeal is over, Lum and Ataru find themselves alone on the rooftop of a building. Lum notices the pearl necklace that Ataru is wearing and asks him if it is a gift from another girl. Ataru tries to deny it but Lum sees through his lie and flies off in a huff.

The episode ends with Lum returning to the Oni planet, where her father apologizes for his behavior and gives her a new gift. The gift turns out to be a newpet,which Lum is thrilled to have. The episode closes with a poignant shot of Lum gazing up at the starry sky, dreaming of the day when she and Ataru will finally be together.

In conclusion, Happy Birthday My Darling is a charming and funny episode that showcases the misadventures of Ataru and his friends as they try to figure out what to get Lum for her birthday. The interactions between Ataru and Lum are particularly amusing, as they depict the classic dynamic of a boy trying to impress a girl. The episode also has its share of action and adventure, with Lum using her powers to battle the giant octopus. Overall, it is a delightful addition to the Urusei Yatsura series that is sure to please fans of the show.