View source for Urusei Yatsura 2: Beautiful Dreamer

{{short description|1984 Japanese animated film}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2022}}
{{Infobox film
| name           = Urusei Yatsura 2: Beautiful Dreamer
| image          = Urusei-beautiful-dreamer-poster.png
| alt            = 
| caption        = Theatrical release poster
| native_name = {{Infobox Japanese| kanji = うる星やつら２　ビューティフル・ドリーマー
| revhep = Urusei Yatsura 2 Byūtifuru Dorīmā}}
| director       = [[Mamoru Oshii]]
| producer       = {{Interlanguage link|Hidenori Taga|ja|3=多賀英典}}{{sfn|Galbraith IV|2008|p=338}}
| writer         = <!-- or: |writers = -->
| screenplay     = Mamoru Oshii
| story          = 
| based_on       = {{based on|''[[Urusei Yatsura]]''|[[Rumiko Takahashi]]}}
| starring       = 
| narrator       = <!-- or: |narrators = -->
| music          = {{Interlanguage link|Masaru Hoshi|ja|3=星勝}}{{sfn|Galbraith IV|2008|p=338}}
| cinematography = 
| editing        = 
| studio         = {{plainlist|*[[Kitty Films]]
*[[Toho]]{{sfn|Galbraith IV|2008|p=338}}
*[[Studio Pierrot]]}}
| distributor    = Toho
| released       = {{film date|1984|2|11|Japan}}
| runtime        = 98 minutes{{sfn|Galbraith IV|2008|p=338}}
| country        = Japan
| language       = Japanese
| budget         = 
| gross          = <!--(please use condensed and rounded values, e.g. "£11.6 million" not "£11,586,221")-->
}}
'''''Urusei Yatsura 2: Beautiful Dreamer'''''{{refn|group=n|うる星やつら２　ビューティフル・ドリーマー, '''''Urusei Yatsura 2 Byūtifuru Dorīmā'''''}} is a 1984 Japanese animated [[fantasy comedy film]] produced by [[Kitty Films]] and distributed by [[Toho]]. It is the second film in the [[Urusei Yatsura (film series)|''Urusei Yatsura'' film series]] based on the [[manga]] [[Urusei Yatsura|of the same name]] by [[Rumiko Takahashi]]. In the film, a group of Japanese high school students including [[Lum (Urusei Yatsura)|Lum]] and Ataru prepare for the annual school [[Cultural festival (Japan)|cultural festival]] and begin to question the reality around them after a series of perplexing events. The film experimented with concepts such as a [[time loop]], [[Dream world (plot device)|dreams]], and [[simulated reality]], in departure from the previous film ''Only You'' which was more faithful to Takahashi's original manga and anime series.  

The film was written and directed by [[Mamoru Oshii]] with [[Yuji Moriyama]] as [[animation director]]. Its predecessor, ''[[Urusei Yatsura: Only You|Only You]]'', was also directed by Oshii.<ref name="allcinema">{{cite web|url= http://www.allcinema.net/prog/show_c.php?num_c=148866|title= うる星やつら２ ビューティフル・ドリーマー(1984)|access-date= June 6, 2015|work= allcinema|publisher= Stingray|language= ja|archive-date= March 12, 2016|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160312084310/http://www.allcinema.net/prog/show_c.php?num_c=148866|url-status= live}}</ref> ''Beautiful Dreamer'' was a significant departure, with Oshii placing an emphasis on [[Philosophy|philosophical]] issues. 

Although the film received mixed responses upon its initial release,{{Cn|date=June 2024}} ''Beautiful Dreamer'' later received critical acclaim as an early example of Oshii’s style of filmmaking. In 2009, [[Kinema Junpo]] ranked it as one of the best Japanese animated movies.{{Cn|date=June 2024}} The film has drawn comparisons to later works including Oshii's directed ''[[Ghost in the Shell (1995 film)|Ghost in the Shell]]'' (1995), ''[[Groundhog Day (film)|Groundhog Day]]'' (1993), ''[[Dark City (1998 film)|Dark City]]'' (1998), and ''[[Inception]]'' (2010).

==Plot==
[[Ataru Moroboshi|Ataru]] and [[Lum (Urusei Yatsura)|Lum]] are among the students at Tomobiki high school involved in preparing for the upcoming [[Cultural festival (Japan)|student cultural festival]]. Some of them grow suspicious that their days have been repeating. To validate the theory, they are all sent home, instead of sleeping overnight like they had been. All the students end up back at the school, unable to leave the city limits. They board a [[Harrier jump jet]] and fly upwards into space. They see that their entire city is on the back of a giant turtle, in the otherwise empty void of space. The students investigate the school, believing it to be the source of the strange happenings. Seemingly impossible events transpire, like Ataru chased by his own reflections in an [[infinity mirror]].

Reality quickly shifts. While before, everything seemed normal, the city now is abandoned with buildings decaying as if it was a [[Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction|post-apocalyptic]] setting. Only a handful of humans are present, working electricity is rare, and many buildings have worn into ruins. However, Ataru's parents house functions normally with access to electricity and gas with the local corner store giving access to food. Members of the group trick a dream demon into revealing himself. He describes his plan to create an endless dream, free of another spirit who tends to devour his dreams when they become nightmares. Ataru summons the nightmare eater as his dream [[harem]] does not include his beloved Lum. The nightmare eater is summoned and the reality of the dreamscape collapses as he eats the dream. Ataru continues waking up in successive nightmares. Lum tells him that to wake up, he must speak the name of the person he wants to see. After naming several other women, he names Lum and wakes up in the school. Surrounded by his classmates, he and Lum briefly discuss the dream she had. Lum asks to kiss, but Ataru is embarrassed. Unknown to the others, the dream demon and dream eater are shown working on the school festival. The demon implies he will "keep up" with Lum and Ataru.

==Cast==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Character
! Japanese voice
! English voice
|-
| [[Ataru Moroboshi]]
| [[Toshio Furukawa]]
| [[Vinnie Penna]]
|-
| [[Lum (Urusei Yatsura)|Lum]]
| [[Fumi Hirano]]
| [[Roxanne Beck|Ann Ulrey]]
|-
| [[Shutaro Mendou]]
| [[Akira Kamiya]]
| Vinnie Penna
|-
| Ten
| [[Kazuko Sugiyama]]
| Paula Parker
|-
| [[Shinobu Miyake]]
| [[Saeko Shimazu]]
| Jeannette Ann Wallace 
|-
| Sakura
| [[Machiko Washio]]
| Marnie Head
|-
| Ryuunosuke Fujinami
| [[Mayumi Tanaka]]
| Kimberli Wayman 
|-
| Megane
| [[Shigeru Chiba]]
| Craig Wollman 
|-
| Perm
| [[Akira Murayama]]
| Michael Walters
|-
| Kakugari
| {{Interlanguage link|Shinji Nomura|ja|3=野村信次}}
| Edward Morrisson Garland 
|-
| Chibi
| [[Issei Futamata]]
| Matthew Ross
|-
| Ataru's Father
| [[Kenichi Ogata (voice actor)|Kenichi Ogata]]
| Larry Robinson 
|-
| Ataru's Mother
| {{Interlanguage link|Natsumi Sakuma|ja|3=佐久間なつみ}}
| Jackie Tantillo
|-
| Onsen-Mark
| [[Michihiro Ikemizu]]
| T. Roy Barnes
|-
| Ryuunosuke's Father
| [[Masahiro Anzai]]
|
|-
| Principal
| [[Tomomichi Nishimura]]
| Draidyl Roberts
|-
| Cherry
| [[Ichirō Nagai]]
| Larry Robinson 
|-
| Mujaki
| [[Takuya Fujioka]]
| Draidyl Roberts
|}

==Production==
Like its predecessor, ''[[Urusei Yatsura: Only You|Only You]]'', ''Beautiful Dreamer'' borrows heavily from the Japanese [[fairy tale]] of [[Urashima Tarō]].{{sfn|Shamoon|2016|p=50}} Whereas the previous film was written by Tomoko Konparu, ''Beautiful Dreamer'' was written by Oshii with no consultation from Rumiko Takahashi.<ref name=commentary/> Writer/director [[Mamoru Oshii]], who was unsatisfied with how the first film had developed, rejected the idea of catering to audience expectations and decided to do the film his own way. This almost caused Takahashi to reject the script because it deviated so far from the original story.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Yamamura|first1=Hiroko|title=Urusei Yatsura 2: Beautiful Dreamer heads to Blu-Ray in Japan - Japanator|url=http://www.japanator.com/urusei-yatsura-2-beautiful-dreamer-heads-to-blu-ray-in-japan-33231.phtml|access-date=May 16, 2017|work=Japanator|date=November 10, 2014|language=en|archive-date=August 16, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160816143256/http://www.japanator.com/urusei-yatsura-2-beautiful-dreamer-heads-to-blu-ray-in-japan-33231.phtml|url-status=live}}</ref> In an interview with ''[[Kinema Junpo]]'' in 2008, Oshii said that he felt joy making the film because, at that time, he finally "understood how to make a film".<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Masutomi|first1=Tatsuya|title=押井守監督 インタビュー|journal=[[Kinema Junpo]]|date=August 1, 2008|issue=1513|pages=17–21|url=http://www.kinenote.com/main/public/cinema/book.aspx?book_id=1497|access-date=April 28, 2017|language=ja|archive-date=August 17, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160817215534/http://www.kinenote.com/main/public/cinema/book.aspx?book_id=1497|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last1=Kohara|first1=Itsutoshi|last2=Niimi|first2=Ryosuke|title=The Shot Length Styles of Miyazaki, Oshii, and Hosoda: A Quantitative Analysis|journal=[[Animation (journal)|Animation]]|date=June 11, 2013|volume=8|issue=2|page=179|doi=10.1177/1746847713487472|s2cid=192964363}}</ref> In the 2002 Japanese DVD commentary for ''Beautiful Dreamer'', Oshii gave some more insight regarding his involvement with the film. According to the commentary, Oshii some of the film's design were inspired by [[M. C. Escher]] and that he wanted to create a story "from the viewpoint of a man" as opposed to Takahashi's "by the hands of women" work.<ref name=commentary>{{cite video |people=Oshii, Mamoru|date=2002|title=Urusei Yatsura 2: Beautiful Dreamer|medium=DVD |publisher=Toho|language=ja}}</ref> Animator [[Yuji Moriyama]] worked as overall [[animation director]], worked on [[key animation]], as well as [[Model sheet|mechanical designs]] for the film after previously having worked on the television series.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Davis |first=Julie |date=September 1994 |title=Project A-Ko is A-Okay |journal=[[Animerica]] |publisher=Viz Media |volume=2 |issue=9 |pages=6–11}}</ref> 

==Release==
''Beautiful Dreamer'' was released theatrically in Japan on February 11, 1984, during the [[List of Urusei Yatsura episodes#Season 2 (1983–84)|second season]] of the series where it was distributed by [[Toho]].{{sfn|Galbraith IV|2008|p=338}}<ref name="allcinema" />

[[Central Park Media]] released the film on VHS in North America on November 1, 1992, and on DVD on June 8, 2004.{{sfn|Galbraith IV|2008|p=338}} The DVD contained a "full-length" directors' commentary by Mamoru Oshii as well as an art gallery. ''Beautiful Dreamer'' is also the only ''Urusei Yatsura'' film released in the United States by [[US Manga Corps]] and not [[AnimEigo]], though AnimEigo is credited with doing the translation and subtitling of the film on the VHS release, as well as designing the DVD packaging to match the other movies in the series.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Ferreira|first1=Mike|title=Otakon 2016: Discotek Licenses Urusei Yatsura: Beautiful Dreamer|url=http://www.animeherald.com/2016/08/13/otakon-2016-discotek-licenses-urusei-yatsura-beautiful-dreamer/|access-date=April 28, 2017|work=Anime Herald|date=August 13, 2016|archive-date=November 1, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161101142617/http://www.animeherald.com/2016/08/13/otakon-2016-discotek-licenses-urusei-yatsura-beautiful-dreamer|url-status=live}}</ref> The movie aired on the [[Syfy|Sci-Fi Channel]]'s anime lineup in the U.S. in the late 1990s.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Thomas |first1=Derek |title=Anime Week '98 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/77434704/urusei-yatsura-beautiful-dreamer/ |access-date=May 17, 2022 |work=LA Weekly |date=July 30, 1998 |page=148 |archive-date=May 17, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220517024119/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/77434704/urusei-yatsura-beautiful-dreamer/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2016, [[Discotek Media]] announced they had licensed the film in North America and will release it on DVD and Blu-ray.<ref>{{cite web|last= Ressler|first= Karen|url= https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2016-08-13/discotek-licenses-arcadia-of-my-youth-urusei-yatsura-beautiful-dreamer-films-more-lupin-specials/.105330|title= Discotek Licenses Arcadia of My Youth, Urusei Yatsura: Beautiful Dreamer Films, More Lupin Specials|date= August 13, 2016|access-date= December 3, 2016|work= [[Anime News Network]]|archive-date= November 15, 2016|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20161115162438/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2016-08-13/discotek-licenses-arcadia-of-my-youth-urusei-yatsura-beautiful-dreamer-films-more-lupin-specials/.105330|url-status= live}}</ref> It was released on February 27, 2018.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://twitter.com/discotekmedia/status/935214962607345665|title= Discotek Media on Twitter: First of all, we've got a release date you've been waiting over a YEAR for!! URUSEI YATSURA MOVIE 2: BEAUTIFUL DREAMER comes to Blu-Ray and DVD on February 27th, 2018.|access-date= November 27, 2017|work= [[Discotek Media]]|archive-date= November 9, 2020|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20201109025048/https://twitter.com/discotekmedia/status/935214962607345665|url-status= live}}</ref> During a Panel at [[Otakon|Otakon 2022]], Discotek revealed that they licensed ''Beautiful Dreamer'' just to "test the waters" on ''Urusei Yatsura''. Discotek would later release the rest of the films on Blu-Ray, as well as the entire anime series.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Bicknell |first1=Coop |title=Urusei Yatsura: Remember My Subs |url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/feature/2022-10-12/urusei-yatsura-remember-my-subs/.190537 |access-date=March 26, 2024 |work=Anime News Network |date=March 25, 2024 |language=en |archive-date=June 18, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240618001901/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/feature/2022-10-12/urusei-yatsura-remember-my-subs/.190537 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In Japan, the DVD of the film was released in 2002, featuring both the original mono soundtrack as well as an all-new 5.1 surround audio track, both in Japanese, as well as audio commentaries by [[Mamoru Oshii]], associate director [[Junji Nishimura]], and [[Shigeru Chiba]].<ref name="BluRay">{{cite news|last1=Komatsu|first1=Mikikazu|title=VIDEO: CMs for "Urusei Yatsura 2: Beautiful Dreamer" Blu-ray|url=http://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-news/2014/11/09/video-cms-for-urusei-yatsura-2-beautiful-dreamer-blu-ray|access-date=May 9, 2017|work=[[Crunchyroll]]|date=November 9, 2014|language=en|archive-date=March 26, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160326044541/http://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-news/2014/11/09/video-cms-for-urusei-yatsura-2-beautiful-dreamer-blu-ray|url-status=live}}</ref> A Japanese [[Blu-ray]] was planned for release in March 2009 before being cancelled.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://av.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/20090126/toho.htm|title=「うる星やつら2 ビューティフル・ドリーマー」Blu-ray版発売中止|access-date=April 27, 2017|archive-date=May 25, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150525232018/http://av.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/20090126/toho.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> The Blu-ray was eventually released on January 21, 2015, ranking in third place on the weekly [[Oricon]] charts during its release week, with 7,860 copies sold.<ref name=ann>{{cite web|last= Loo|first= Egan|url= http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2015-01-27/japan-animation-blu-ray-disc-ranking-january-19-25/.83742|title= Japan's Animation Blu-ray Disc Ranking, January 19–25|date= January 27, 2015|access-date= June 6, 2015|work= [[Anime News Network]]|archive-date= May 20, 2015|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150520131458/http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2015-01-27/japan-animation-blu-ray-disc-ranking-january-19-25/.83742|url-status= live}}</ref> The Blu-ray lacks the audio commentaries featured in the original DVD release.<ref name="BluRay"/>

==Reception==
===Critical response===
====Contemporary reviews====
Upon its initial release, the film received mixed responses, generally from the fan community. Criticism was especially given towards Oshii, with several fans sending him letters containing razor blades.{{sfn|Napier|2001|p=20}} In ''Stray Dog of Anime: The Films of Mamoru Oshii'', Brian Ruh noted that the film "angered a number of viewers" as it placed "emphasis more on deeper philosophical issues" instead of the more comedic tone of the series.{{sfn|Ruh|2004|pp=37-38}} In an interview with Richard Eisenbeis in 2017, Oshii recalled fan criticism on the film's deemphasis of its series characters, especially of Lum.<ref name=ANN>{{cite news |last1=Eisenbeis |first1=Richard |title=Director Mamoru Oshii Reflects on His Anime Classic Beautiful Dreamer |url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interview/2021-11-08/director-mamoru-oshii-reflects-on-his-anime-classic-beautiful-dreamer/.178493 |access-date=January 21, 2022 |website=[[Anime News Network]] |date=November 8, 2021 |archive-date=January 19, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220119201441/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interview/2021-11-08/director-mamoru-oshii-reflects-on-his-anime-classic-beautiful-dreamer/.178493 |url-status=live }}</ref>

====Later reception====
In subsequent reviews of the film, critics considered ''Beautiful Dreamer'' to be an early example of Oshii's [[Mamoru Oshii#Style|well-received style]] of [[filmmaking]].{{sfn|Ruh|2004|p=37}} Brian Ruh noted that the film contained an "unmistakable visual style, using quiet, contemplative shots, often coupled with long monologues or dialogues"{{sfn|Ruh|2004|pp=39}} and that the film featured imagery that would be seen in Oshii's later films such as [[water]] and [[tanks]].{{sfn|Ruh|2004|pp=44}} Vincent Ostria stated in ''[[Les Inrockuptibles]]'' that the film is "a series of dreams in abyss, foretelling...the virtual games of ''[[Avalon (2001 film)|Avalon]]'' and ''[[Ghost in the Shell (1995 film)|Ghost in the Shell]]''".<ref name="lesinrocks">{{cite web|url= http://www.lesinrocks.com/cinema/films-a-l-affiche/lamu-beautiful-dreamer/|title= LAMU BEAUTIFUL DREAMER|author= Vincent Ostria|date= January 1, 2004|access-date= June 6, 2015|work= [[Les Inrockuptibles]]|language= fr|archive-date= June 18, 2024|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20240618002005/https://www.lesinrocks.com/cinema/lamu-beautiful-dreamer-32452-01-01-2004/|url-status= live}}</ref> Todd French of [[Cinefantastique]] called the film a "must-see", comparing the work to [[Alain Resnais]]' "existentialist time-space displacement flicks" and the [[Agatha Christie]] novel ''[[And Then There Were None]]''.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=French|first1=Todd|title=Reviews|journal=Cinefantastique|date=July 1996|volume=27|issue=11/12|page=123|access-date=April 28, 2017|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6vQHAQAAMAAJ|archive-date=June 18, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240618001900/https://books.google.com/books?id=6vQHAQAAMAAJ|url-status=live}}</ref> Meanwhile, John Hartl of ''[[The Seattle Times]]'' compared the film's use of a [[time loop]] to the later 1993 film ''[[Groundhog Day (film)|Groundhog Day]]''.<ref name="seattletimes">{{cite news|last1=Hartl|first1=John|title=Disney will Distribute Animated Japanese Movie|url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/19980903/2769906/disney-will-distribute-animated-japanese-movie|access-date=May 15, 2017|date=September 3, 1998|archive-date=April 17, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170417154924/http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19980903&slug=2769906|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Aaron Gerow]] of ''[[The Daily Yomiuri]]'' referred to Beautiful Dreamer as a critique to "both the repetitive world of anime and the [[Otaku|otaku fans]] who lock themselves up in that universe."<ref>{{cite news|last1=Gerow|first1=Aaron|title=Oshii film travels to Poland in search of 'Avalon'|url=https://article.wn.com/view/2001/01/25/Oshii_film_travels_to_Poland_in_search_of_Avalon/|access-date=May 15, 2017|work=[[The Daily Yomiuri]]|date=January 25, 2001|page=11|quote=Not only has he produced films like Urusei Yatsura 2: Beautiful Dreamer, which critique both the repetitive world of anime and the otaku fans who lock themselves up in that universe, he has repeatedly ventured into the realm of live-action film to direct such works as The Red Spectacles (1987) and Talking Head (1992).|archive-date=June 18, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240618002009/https://article.wn.com/view/2001/01/25/Oshii_film_travels_to_Poland_in_search_of_Avalon/|url-status=live}}</ref> Jeff Yang of ''[[SFGate]]'' compared the film to Oshii's next film, ''[[Angel's Egg]]'', claiming that both of the films question "whether what we think is 'real' is real and whether we're really 'thinking' at all -- or whether we're just the products of someone else's fantasy."<ref>{{cite news|last1=Yang|first1=Jeff|title=ASIAN POP Ghost, Resurrected / At the core of the "Ghost in the Shell" phenomenon is our fascination with human identity in the cyber age.|url=http://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/article/ASIAN-POP-Ghost-Resurrected-At-the-core-of-the-3237845.php|access-date=June 10, 2017|work=SFGate|date=October 1, 2004|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120712002334/http://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/article/ASIAN-POP-Ghost-Resurrected-At-the-core-of-the-3237845.php|archive-date=July 12, 2012}}</ref>

On mania.com Chris Beveridge called the film "a great anime classic".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mania.com/urusei-yatsura-movie-2-beautiful-dreamer-collectors-edition_article_76094.html |title=Urusei Yatsura Movie 2: Beautiful Dreamer Collectors Edition (of 6) |author=Chris Beveridge |access-date=June 6, 2015 |work=mania.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081205090317/http://www.mania.com/urusei-yatsura-movie-2-beautiful-dreamer-collectors-edition_article_76094.html |archive-date=December 5, 2008 }}</ref> In ''[[Otaku USA]]'', Daryl Surat said the film "is commonly hailed as one of the single best anime films of all time".<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.otakuusamagazine.com/Anime/News1/Urusei-Yatsura-2551.aspx|title= Urusei Yatsura The most ELECTRIFYING cartoon in Japanese entertainment|author= Daryl Surat|date= April 16, 2010|access-date= June 6, 2015|work= otakuusamagazine.com|archive-date= July 11, 2015|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150711191706/http://www.otakuusamagazine.com/Anime/News1/Urusei-Yatsura-2551.aspx|url-status= live}}</ref> ''[[THEM Anime Reviews]]'' gave the film 4 stars and called it "a skilled surrealist Oshii Mamoru piece with lots of mystery and just enough Urusei Yatsura wackiness to remain familiar."<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.themanime.org/viewreview.php?id=696|title= Urusei Yatsura Movie 2: Beautiful Dreamer|access-date= June 6, 2015|work= [[THEM Anime Reviews]]|archive-date= March 17, 2015|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150317233728/http://themanime.org/viewreview.php?id=696|url-status= live}}</ref> Olivier Bitoun on ''TVClassik'' gave the film 3 stars.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.tvclassik.com/notule2.php?id_film=2149|title= Lamu : Beautiful Dreamer|author= Olivier Bitoun|access-date= June 6, 2015|work= TVClassik|language= fr|archive-date= March 4, 2016|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160304071416/http://www.tvclassik.com/notule2.php?id_film=2149|url-status= live}}</ref> [[Fred Patten]] of ''[[Animation World Network]]'' stated that the film was an excellent movie, but also stated that it was not a good representative sample of the series.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Pattern|first1=Fred|title=New from Japan: Anime Film Reviews|url=https://www.awn.com/animationworld/new-japan-anime-film-reviews-31|access-date=January 7, 2018|work=Animation World Network|date=July 30, 2004|language=en|archive-date=May 20, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220520000424/https://www.awn.com/animationworld/new-japan-anime-film-reviews-31|url-status=live}}</ref> In "The Anime Movie Guide", [[Helen McCarthy]] gave the film three stars out of five, writing "Oshii uses the story [of Urashima Tarō] as a basis of a comedy that plays with serious issues like time, space, reality and perception.<ref>{{cite book|last1=McCarthy|first1=Helen|title=The Anime Movie Guide|date=1997|publisher=Overlook Press|location=University of California|isbn=9780879517816|pages=23–24}}</ref>

===Accolades===
''[[Kinema Junpo]]'' ranked ''Beautiful Dreamer'' as the 17th best Japanese film of 1984.<ref>{{cite news|title=1984年度キネマ旬報ベストテン|url=http://cinema1987.org/kinejun/kinejun1984.html|access-date=May 16, 2017|work=[[Kinema Junpo]]|language=ja|archive-date=May 17, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180517154444/http://cinema1987.org/kinejun/kinejun1984.html|url-status=live}}</ref> That same publication later ranked it as one of the best Japanese animated movies.{{Cn|date=June 2024}} The film was the runner-up for the "Best 10" films in the [[6th Yokohama Film Festival]].<ref>{{cite web |url= http://homepage3.nifty.com/yokohama-eigasai/06-1984/06_1984_best10.html|title= １９８４年度 日本映画ベストテン|access-date=May 15, 2017|work= homepage3.nifty.com/yokohama-eigasai|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100306183537/http://homepage3.nifty.com/yokohama-eigasai/06-1984/06_1984_best10.html|archive-date=March 6, 2010|language= ja}}</ref> In the 1984 edition of the [[List of Anime Grand Prix winners|Anime Grand Prix]], the film was ranked third place.<ref name="seventh">{{cite web |url=http://animage.jp/old/gp/gp_1985.html |title=第7回アニメグランプリ ［1985年6月号］|publisher=[[Tokuma Shoten]] |archive-date=October 19, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101019175347/http://animage.jp/old/gp/gp_1985.html}}</ref> The film was ranked number 38 on a list of the Top 100 anime by ''[[Animage]]'' magazine.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2001-01-15/animage-top-100-anime-listing|title= Animage Top-100 Anime Listing|date= January 15, 2001|access-date= June 6, 2015|work= [[Anime News Network]]|archive-date= April 15, 2019|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190415220509/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2001-01-15/animage-top-100-anime-listing|url-status= live}}</ref> It was also number 9 on a list by Wizard's Anime Magazine of the Top 50 anime released in North America.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2001-07-16/wizard-lists-top-50-anime|title= Wizard lists Top 50 Anime|date= January 15, 2001|access-date= June 6, 2015|work= [[Anime News Network]]|archive-date= April 2, 2014|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140402111019/http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2001-07-16/wizard-lists-top-50-anime|url-status= live}}</ref> In February 2004, ''[[Cinefantastique]]'' listed the film as one of the "10 Essential Animations" of Japan alongside Oshii's ''Ghost in the Shell''.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Persons|first1=Dan|title=The Americanization of Anime: 10 Essential Animations|journal=[[Cinefantastique]]|date=February–March 2004|volume=36|issue=1|page=48|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ly0nAQAAIAAJ&q=editions:0AFLRE736LO1AnqYXhN92VLUi3o6sFT1GgYU-Fw2cLmjwIZk1c7q9_ZE|access-date=April 28, 2017|archive-date=November 5, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231105223259/https://books.google.com/books?id=ly0nAQAAIAAJ&q=editions:0AFLRE736LO1AnqYXhN92VLUi3o6sFT1GgYU-Fw2cLmjwIZk1c7q9_ZE|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2017, ''[[Paste (magazine)|Paste]]'' listed the film as number 28 on their "Top 100 Best Anime Movies of All Time" list.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Egan|first1=Toussaint|last2=DeMarco|first2=Jason|title=The 100 Best Anime Movies of All Time|url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2017/01/the-100-best-anime-movies-of-all-time.html?p=3|access-date=April 27, 2017|work=Paste|date=January 3, 2017|language=en|archive-date=August 23, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180823042149/https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2017/01/the-100-best-anime-movies-of-all-time.html?p=3|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Legacy==
Vincent Ostria stated in ''[[Les Inrockuptibles]]'' that the film is "a series of dreams in abyss, foretelling...the virtual games of ''[[Avalon (2001 film)|Avalon]]'' and ''[[Ghost in the Shell (1995 film)|Ghost in the Shell]]''".<ref name="lesinrocks"/> John Hartl of ''[[The Seattle Times]]'' compared the film's use of a [[time loop]] plot device to the later 1993 film ''[[Groundhog Day (film)|Groundhog Day]]''.<ref name="seattletimes"/> The scholar Benedict Marko compared it to the 1998 film ''[[Dark City (1998 film)|Dark City]]'', which he believes to have been influenced by ''Urusei Yatsura 2''.<ref name="Marko">{{cite book |last1=Schmeink |first1=Lars |last2=Müller |first2=Hans-Harald |title=Fremde Welten: Wege und Räume der Fantastik im 21. Jahrhundert |date=2012 |publisher=[[Walter de Gruyter]] |isbn=9783110276732 |page=170 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-1rnBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA170 |language=de |access-date=November 20, 2018 |archive-date=June 18, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240618001900/https://books.google.com/books?id=-1rnBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA170#v=onepage&q&f=false |url-status=live }}</ref> Josh Zyber of ''Hi-Def Digest'' said it "was a clear influence on both ''Groundhog Day'' and ''Dark City''".<ref name="highdefdigest">{{cite news |last=Zyber |first=Josh |title=Off the Shelf – Urusei Yatsura 2: Beautiful Dreamer |url=https://www.highdefdigest.com/blog/off-the-shelf-urusei-yatsura-2-bluray/ |work=High-Def Digest |date=September 12, 2018 |access-date=November 20, 2018 |archive-date=November 20, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181120180209/https://www.highdefdigest.com/blog/off-the-shelf-urusei-yatsura-2-bluray/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The writers Brian Camp and Davis Julie have also compared it to ''Groundhog Day''.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Camp |first1=Brian |last2=Davis |first2=Julie |title=Anime Classics Zettai!: 100 Must-See Japanese Animation Masterpieces |date=2011 |publisher=[[Stone Bridge Press]] |isbn=9781611725193 |page=10 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PLc22hQhZGwC&pg=PT10 |access-date=November 20, 2018 |archive-date=June 18, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240618002005/https://books.google.com/books?id=PLc22hQhZGwC&pg=PT10#v=onepage&q&f=false |url-status=live }}</ref> Steve Heisler of ''[[The A.V. Club]]'' compared it to the 2011 film ''[[Inception]]''.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Heisler |first1=Steve |title=Inception's inception? 38 stories that take place largely within dreams |url=https://www.avclub.com/inception-s-inception-38-stories-that-take-place-large-1798221051 |work=[[The A.V. Club]] |date=July 12, 2010 |access-date=November 23, 2018 |archive-date=November 15, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191115055937/https://tv.avclub.com/inception-s-inception-38-stories-that-take-place-large-1798221051 |url-status=live }}</ref>

''[[Manga UK]]'' traces the roots of time loop [[anime]] and [[manga]] to ''Beautiful Dreamer''. The time loop device has since appeared in numerous Japanese anime, manga, and [[light novel]]s, such as the 1987 anime series ''[[Kimagure Orange Road]]'' in the Christmas episode ("Kyosuke Timetrips! The Third Christmas"), the "Endless Eight" arc of the ''[[Haruhi Suzumiya]]'' light novels (2004) and anime series (2009), and the light novel ''[[All You Need is Kill]]'' (2004) which was adapted into the Hollywood film ''[[Edge of Tomorrow]]'' (2014).<ref>{{cite news |title=Edge of Tomorrow, and Kill Is All You Need |work=[[Manga UK]] |date=30 September 2012 |url=https://www.mangauk.com/kill-is-all-you-need/ |access-date=June 20, 2020 |archive-date=October 1, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181001025922/http://www.mangauk.com/kill-is-all-you-need/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of films featuring time loops]]

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=n}}

==References==
===Footnotes===
{{reflist}}

===Sources===
{{Refbegin}}
* {{cite book |last=Galbraith IV |first=Stuart |author-link=Stuart Galbraith IV|title=The Toho Studios Story: A History and Complete Filmography |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=f7o8pq6G_dYC |access-date=October 29, 2013 |year=2008 |publisher=[[Scarecrow Press]] |isbn=978-1461673743}}
* {{cite book |last=Napier |first=Susan |author-link=Susan J. Napier |title=Anime from Akira to Princess Mononoke|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=T7WhxNhF6vAC |access-date=May 1, 2017|edition= 1st |publisher=[[St. Martin's Press|Palgrave]] |location=[[New York City|New York]] |isbn=0-312-23863-0|date=May 2001}}
* {{cite book |last = Ruh|first = Brian|title = Stray Dog of Anime: The Films of Mamoru Oshii |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AzDuCwAAQBAJ|year=2004 |publisher=Springer |isbn= 1403982791}}
* {{cite book|last1=Shamoon|first1=Deborah|title=Folktales and Fairy Tales: Traditions and Texts from around the World|date=2016|publisher=ABC-CLIO|edition=2nd|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WXWACwAAQBAJ|isbn= 978-1610692540|access-date=April 27, 2017}}
{{Refend}}

==External links==
*{{IMDb title|0088334}}
*{{Anime News Network|film|647}}

{{Urusei Yatsura}}
{{Mamoru Oshii}}
{{Pierrot films}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:1980s fantasy comedy films]]
[[Category:1984 anime films]]
[[Category:1984 comedy films]]
[[Category:1984 films]]
[[Category:Anime films based on manga]]
[[Category:Central Park Media]]
[[Category:Comedy anime and manga]]
[[Category:Films about dreams]]
[[Category:Films based on works by Rumiko Takahashi]]
[[Category:Films directed by Mamoru Oshii]]
[[Category:Japanese animated fantasy films]]
[[Category:Japanese fantasy comedy films]]
[[Category:Japanese sequel films]]
[[Category:Time loop anime and manga]]
[[Category:Time loop films]]
[[Category:Toho animated films]]
[[Category:Urusei Yatsura]]
[[Category:Japanese animated comedy films]]
[[Category:1980s films about time travel]]