2024 Ranma, the first 1/2

     With the announcement of Hell Teacher Nube, The Rose of Versailles, and Gosho Aoyama’s Yaiba getting reboots, it's safe to say we've entered an era of remakes. Of course, neither the concept nor the practice is new. We have series like GeGeGe Kitaro and Doraemon that are rebooted every generation. Then you have series such as Sailor Moon Crystal, Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood, and Dragon Quest: The Adventure of Dai, where the original anime had filler arcs or didn't provide a complete adaptation of the manga because the anime ended too early or they had to let the manga run for a bit longer...you know, the way that Gintama segment explained it...But I digress. We're here to talk about Ranma 1/2 by Rumiko Takahashi. At the time of writing, six of the 12 episodes have aired and been released, and that's more than enough to dive into the new reimagined season. So, let's get going!

    Right off the bat, in the first episode, the Ranma 1/2 remake tells the story differently from the 1989 anime. For example, the original anime opens with female Ranma and Panda Genma walking through the streets of Japan trying to get to the Tendo house. At the same time, the remake, much like the manga, begins with Soun getting the postcard from Genma announcing their upcoming visit. He goes to tell the girls, but Akane's on a run. From there, when we compare both anime episodes, some scenes are shown in different orders or with a different directorial take.

    If you've read the manga, it's clear that the 2024 version is more faithful to the source material than the first series. Both cover the first two chapters. Where the 2024 version shines is in the direction. The vibe and pacing match Takahashi’s. This is not to say that the first lacked her charm, but over the thirty year gap, animators and directors have gained a greater insight and understanding of Takahashi's storytelling.

    What about the animation? How does it look? Just like the original series for Urusei Yatsura, the 1989 anime for Ranma was animated by Studio Deen. Unlike Urusei’s reboot which David Production animated, Mappa has taken over the reins for Ranma with Konosuke Uda (Lovely Complex, One Piece) as the series director and they deliver. The characters' designs are by Hiromi Taniguchi, and she provides a cuter, more round design closer to Takahashi's style. The colors pop, and the movements are fluid. The fights are fast-paced and smooth, the faces are expressive. I can't wait to see how future fights and scenes are adapted.

    Another thing I love is the animation of the now-included sound effects and animated manga panels, and SFX of the manga is added as part of the animation, and occasionally, they'll overlay the scene with a manga screentone. I adore it. Oh! Remember the intro they had for the series where the narrator explains the situation? They brought that back, but every episode uses a different style. There's a video game style, and the latest episode used: I do prefer in the luscious background art in the first anime, which are a bit lacking in this one, but the direction makes up for it a bit. Still, I’ll miss those soft water-colored buildings.

    

 

    The voices of the main cast (Ranma, Akane, and her sisters, Shampoo, Mousse, and Ryoga) have been mostly unchanged, except Genma, who is now voiced by Cho (Brook from One Piece, Jaken from Inuyasha), and Soun, who is now voiced by Akio Otsuka (Blackbeard from One Piece, All for One from My Hero Academia). The acting is excellent, and nearly everyone sounds the same. The English cast is entirely different from the original's English dub; from what I watched, it will take longer to get used to it. However, these are seasoned anime dub actors, who are passionate about the series, so I’m sure over time I’ll like them as much as the cast from the first anime. 

 

 

 

   As I mentioned before, we're halfway through the series, and the longer I think about this reboot —or any reboot, for that matter— the more I wonder “was this necessary?”  Ranma 1/2, I would argue, did need this reboot, if only because it was never wholly adapted, and the original anime diverged from the source material early in its run. Comparing it to the original series, I can see where a lot of fluff and anime original content was cut out, and maybe it's for the better. I have no idea if they'll adapt the whole manga; there are over 400 chapters, and it'll take several seasons and possibly years to cover everything. They could do what Urusei Yatsura did, adapt some chapters, and conclude the series after a few seasons. I, at least, believe there will be one more season announced when this completes its airing in December, so it'll be a matter of when and how much will be covered.

    In conclusion, 2024's Ranma 1/2 reboot reintroduces fans old and new to Takahashi's world of romantic comedy with a martial arts flair. It's worth a watch. It's still funny, and it has that Rumiko Takahashi charm. I'm interested in seeing where Mappa and Konosuke Uda take this series. The animation in every PV looks stunning, so I hope this series will stay within the source material and won't get as lost as Ryoga would on a good day.