Journey Through Madhouse Episode #16: Be aware that to discuss these OVAs, I watched the entire 1981 version of Urusei. Of the 11 OVAs that exist, not all were made by Madhouse. It was a co-production between Deen, Madhouse, and Magic Bus. Of those 11 OVAs, I can tell you that only 2 are worthwhile. There's a 40-minute compilation and a 50-minute one that doesn't contribute anything to the overall Urusei story. The worthwhile ones are those focused on Inaba. A regular character in the series, but one who wasn't introduced until these OVAs. The first OVA is about the boys searching for their ideal futureand offering a glimpse into what the ending between Lum and Ataru might be like. The second OVA is the one where Ataru has a date with the ghost of a deceased girl. In this episode, you can appreciate a bit of the protagonist's true personality. You can see a glimpse of the kindness the character has shown on rare occasions. Despite being a womanizer, when necessary, he can do things to help the girl find peace.

One detail that doesn't detract from the experience is that, since several studios participated in this project, the artistic changes are noticeable. You can see how the character designs change from one OVA to another; sometimes the sharpness of the colors, the backgrounds, or some other aspect changes, but they're easy to identify at a glance. I can't say much about Madhouse's involvement because I don't know for sure which episodes they produced. Therefore, I can only tell you that if you want to see only the canon part of the story, go to the Inaba episode and the one about meeting a spirit. You can leave the rest back in the '80s, where it belongs.