Ranma 1/2 Series One

Having written a treatise on just how important Rumiko Takahashi's seminal Ranma 1/2 has been both on myself as a fan and to the genesis of UKA, it's almost impossible for me to take an objective view of any new media featuring the embattled martial artist and his many female admirers. But sod it, let's have a go anyway.

As a matter of balance, let's start off by saying that Ranma wasn't my favourite anime of 2024. I'd actually put the series in third place behind Kaiju No.8 and Dandadan, the latter of which absolutely blew away any contenders with its slick animation, effortless style and engaging characters. But then, it has been a rather good year for anime, so 3rd place is nothing to be ashamed of.

The new series, with it's updated visuals, controversial (in some quarters, not here) pastel colours and dogged attempt to stick to the source manga as closely as possible, has been an especially potent hit of nostalgia. With the original anime having never reached these shores, it's the first official adaptation of the manga we've been able to enjoy in the UK, and subsequently comparisons between MAPPA and Studio DEEN's 80's original are pretty moot, though I will say that from what I have seen of the original, it still holds up. I do prefer MAPPA's more accurate representation of the manga wardrobe over DEEN's original takes but both are equally enjoyable takes.

Ranma of course is the teen martial artist cursed with switching genders when he gets splashed with cold water, becoming a demure and shapely young woman that attracts as much unwanted attention as his original male form - handily something he can revert to with hot water. Finding himself in an arranged marriage with unwilling tomboy Akane, the series pulls its drama from their slowly blossoming high school romance, the surrounding cast that usually chase one or other of the pair (in Ranma's case, of both sexes) and the ridiculous, slapstick made-up martial arts that spring readily from Takahashi's fertile imagination. The combination of sexy comedy, romance and mayhem made Ranma popular in Japan, but not her biggest hit. 

While the series sticks closely to the early books, working through the Tatewaki Kuno's obsession with Akane (and subsequently Ranma), his sister Kodachi and her Rhythmic Martial Arts, the ice-rink battle over P-Chan the pig and finally closing on Shampoo's introduction, there's enough variety and brevity in each story to make it highly enjoyable. The comedy broadly works, even 30 years on, though the saucier shots have been mildly toned down to keep nudity to a tasteful minimum while still getting the point across. 

What keeps the show strong is the relationship between Ranma and Akane - there's enough tender moments between the constant sniping that it's clear they respect and even like each other, but both are so pig-headed they won't readily admit it.

Ranma, for his part, is fiercely independent and resents being forced into a marriage by his underhanded father Genma (who shows how much of a con-artist he is later in the series, using Ranma's hand in marriage as a bartering tool for a free meal among other things) so it's easy to see why this latest manipulation would draw his son's ire. Despite this, Ranma has a strong sense of justice, loyalty and decency (though will abuse his girl form's cuteness to get extra food when it suits him). He admires Akane's skill and tenacity as a fellow martial artist, but finds her constant insults and generalisations about men grating.

Akane is an interesting character, having been manipulated by Kuno for years at this point, forcing all the boys who want a date to first beat her in combat, a daily nuisance that has turned her off men entirely. Ranma therefore serves as a lightning rod for her frustration and stands as the only male opponent who could best her easily but doesn't want to. Instead he takes on her bullying admirer and frees her from her daily fights without asking anything in return. It's easy to see how he can draw her admiration, but his sharp tongue and quick wit frustrate her no end. 

Taken together the two form a bickering, reluctantly romantic bond that gets tested from all angles. This is handled brilliantly by MAPPA, who use panels from the manga directly to ensure that Takahashi's vision is adhered to as closely as possible. The original Japanese cast return for the most part, creating a pleasing bridge between the old and new adaptations. The English dub is fine, most of the voices being appropriate to the personalities of the characters they portray. I particularly enjoyed the updated Shampoo, who loses the broken English/Japanese of the original and instead uses a breathless staccato style with simple words to convey her intentions, which is just as adorable. 

The series ends with the introduction arc of Akane's most popular rival

The series ends by smartly combining two of Shampoo's stories, creating the first real deviation from the manga. It's quite smart given that amnesia storylines are pretty old hat these days, so merging the conflict into her debut is no huge loss.

There's a quaint quality to Ranma - it isn't as mad or edgy as its modern day contemporaries, but the show still holds up these many years on. The designs remain timeless and the comedy holds up. In much the same way as Archie's romantic escapades do - in fact the two stories aren't all that dissimilar, with Ranma/Ryoga having a similar rivalry to Archie/Reggie with a variety of friends and love interests that they constantly fight over. Neither series seems to end either.

So yes, an excellent new adaptation that puts a modern aesthetic on a classic series. With a season 2 already on the cards and merchandise, cafe's and collaborations spewing forth from vendors in Japan (lucky us!) it seems that Netflix have a hit on their hands. I would have waited an eternity for this, but thankfully it only took 30 years.