Ranma ½ (2024) 2nd Season

It’s amazing how all these years later, Takahashi Rumiko sensei continues to impress me with how much of a revolutionary writer she was in her younger days. So many of the concepts we’re used to seeing in modern romcoms were invented or brought into the mainstream by her. Watching this Ranma 1/2 remake has been such a fun experience because it feels both retro and modern. You’ve got a lot of that 80s anime charm with a modern production packaging and familiar character archetypes and storytelling tropes. They’ve managed to stay true to the era the series originally aired in while improving on existing sceneswith voice acting, animation or just fleshing them out for emotional impact. It’s really cool that both Urusei Yatsura and Ranma have been among the best anime remakes we’ve seen and season 2 of Ranma has just been an improvement in every way. This season won’t do anything to drastically change your opinion on the series, so if you didn’t care for season 1, you’re probably not going to be a fan of this season. For those of us who adored the first season, this season’s improvements in writing, stakes, character development, romantic progression and animation can’t be praised enough. I looked forward to this every Saturday and it never failed to make my day better. What’s crazy is, from what I’ve been told by manga readers, this season isn’t anywhere near the peak of the story so I cannot wait for that inevitable third season and more of my Rankane ship!! As I said after season 1 of this, I found it to be even more enjoyable than UY, which I loved tremendously, because of the consistent plot progression and character development and feel like that’s even stronger in this season. It’s really cool how we’ll have the most over the top seemingly random event happen and it’ll still be relevant to Akane or Ranma down the line. Every episode serves to bring our leads closer while helping them learn more about themselves as well. They’re both so difficult and massive tsunderes, but underneath that tough exterior are two of the fluffiest, softest and kindest people you’ll ever see. While they still struggle to be honest with each other, this season was a huge step forward for them being honest with themselves. Our two leads definitely know there’s more to this relationship than just an arranged marriage and they’re still trying to put that in words. My favorite part of the Rankane ship is how when the chips are down and shit hits the fan, both of them will drop everything and come to the other’s aid. We get several very sweet arcs like that including the final one and it just had me smiling like an idiot. Actions speak so much louder than words and our two leads’ actions say everything that needs to be said. The story is overall stronger this season for me too. There’s some really good emotional storylines as well as the usual romantic comedy stuff, but I really only felt they missed on one story arc this season with the pedophile martial arts sensei. Other than that, not a single skippable segment in the entire cour which is awesome. Again, they all help Ranma and Akane grow as well. Even when we get messy characters like Shampoo showing up to try and ruin everything. Speaking of messy characters. We get quite a few new supporting characters introduced in this season and they’re all great. Whether it’s Ranma’s childhood friend or Mousse, they were all very fun. Again, my only miss would be the pedophile sensei who would’ve been commonplace in the 80s when the story was written, but today just feels cringe. Other than that though, I think we’re set up very well for future seasons as we’ll inevitably have to see these characters confront their own issues and grow as people. I am especially looking forward to seeing more of Ukyo! Another non traditional gender role conforming character. Takahashi sensei really does a great job of weaving these social commentaries into her characters’ personalities without them being too over the top or cringe. They feel natural. Production wise, MAPPA went HARD on this season. There’s some seriously impressive action scenes, great direction, character designs and more. They took their time and got in their bag with this which is really encouraging for the future of the series. I’ve been told we have enough content for like 4+ seasons so I hope they bring this same level of energy to those future installments. The voice acting was also immense in this season! Having OGs working on a modern reimagining of the series just reminds you of the standard that seiyuu back in the day brought to roles. There was so much soul back then and that comes through in these performances, making so many emotional moments hit that much harder! Can’t forget how cool it is to have the Inuyasha composer doing the music here too! Ranma 1/2 remake season 2 is well, more ranma 1/2, but better. Better story arcs, new supporting characters, romantic progress and character growth, plus that same humor that we’ve come to know and love. Never a dull moment watching this whether it’s making me cover my eyes and squeal or laughing my ass off at Akane beating up someone. There’s nothing quite like this show. It’s the sort of series that becomes home, and an opportunity to kick back and relax after a long week of work or school. I’m certainly going to miss it and hopefully we won’t have to wait too long for season 3! Ranma 1/2 season 2 gets 9 out of 10

While the first season of MAPPA's Ranma 1/2 remake left a strong first impression, it was the show's second outing that would really prove what exactly this new adaptation of Takahashi's best-selling manga had in store. Now that its introductory stage is out of the way, this is the point where the series settles into its status quo, with its main cast fully rounded out and its stories really finding their groove. Thankfully, this latest batch of episodes proves that the team at MAPPA are more than capable of doing this series justice. Obviously the anime that starts 28 years after the manga ends is goingto be more faithful than the anime that started production with only 17 chapters to work off of, but in practice that hindsight really pays off. Though we thankfully no longer have to put up with insufferable, out-of-character filler episodes, the new challenge these animators face is how to treat the material they're given, be it through shuffling chapters around to fit the overall narrative better, or even cutting some plotlines entirely. While I can't say they did a perfect job, the result is still plenty satisfying, showcasing a selection of chapters that flow together rather well. They do cut a few early storylines that have some impact on the rest of the series, such as the Breaking Point arc, but with a format like this it's always possible they could return to that later. Sure, it may not be a perfect 1:1 adaptation of every single chapter, but compared to a certain other recent Takahashi remake, I'd say it's doing alright. But my biggest fear going into this new season was in regards to a certain supporting character making his return. The other new characters this season, such as Ukyo, Mousse, and Cologne, are all handled well, but I was unsure how the remake would handle Happosai, the elderly, panty-loving founder of Anything Goes. In the original he was a genuine drawback to the series, not only taking the role of token sex offender to an extreme, but also being so oversaturated to the point of making the series nearly unwatchable at times. Though he's only been slightly toned down for the 21st century, what really saves his role in the remake is the writers understanding that he's really only tolerable in small doses, only having prominent supporting roles in two of the season's twelve episodes (plus a brief nonspeaking cameo). His introduction arc, consisting of about seven chapters, is miraculously condensed into a single episode; that's no small feat but somehow they pull it off. If they can keep that up for the remainder of the series as best they can, it would really make a difference for the better. There's not much to say about the animation that didn't already apply to the first season, but of course it still looks great. The action scenes are a particular highlight this season, not only in their fluidity but boasting impressive choreography to boot. Yet the visuals are at their best when taking directly from the manga, bringing many of the most expressive drawings to life without losing any of their original charm. It's another job well done by the busiest studio in the industry, which tragically only brings to mind the potentially inhumane work conditions this staff must be working under. This is one of the studio's rare yearly releases, with their heavier hitters like Jujutsu Kaisen and Chainsaw Man sometimes taking nearly three years between new installments. Ideally they wouldn't have to sacrifice healthy work conditions for quality visuals, or vice versa, but if a balance can be made hopefully they can find it. Then again, these visuals aren't nearly as detailed and realistic as those other two shows, so maybe they already found it, I really don't know. All that being said, it's remarkable how much of an improvement this remake is so far. I was skeptical that they could keep that momentum going, but if this is any indicator they absolutely have and will only continue to. It may be disingenuous to say this, but it almost makes the original anime worse in retrospect. Sure, they made a lot of the changes they did for a reason, but knowing that this is what the series could've been this whole time, at least as far as story and character writing goes, really makes some of that direction inexcusable looking back. Still, it's not without its merits, but as far as a definitive, faithful adaptation goes, buddy, you're lookin' at it right here.

In short, if you want a well-written anime that is old-school but still has a "fun slice of life" vibe, involving martial arts, an arranged marriage, and a lot of funny moments, this is for you. If you prefer something fast-paced with meaningful stories where the plot is the main course, you should skip it. Intro: Ranma 1/2 was a manga created by Rumiko Takahashi in 1987. Without giving any meaningful spoilers, it is a story about a boy that turns into a girl when he gets sprayed with cold water, and turns back into a man when it is hot water. He goes to livein Akane's house to inherit their family Dojo, and by doing so, their parents arranged for him and Akane to get engaged. The story goes on as a "slice of life" about them getting to know each other, with a lot of fun characters appearing along the way. Art: 8/10 The art is good. Not life-changing by any means, but you can see that the studio (MAPPA) made an effort to put the animation in good shape without losing the core style. Here, I need to compare it to the older anime (Ranma 1989): this version has A LOT of censored content (for example, breasts are not exposed anymore). So, it is a downside, but by no means makes the anime bad. Story: 9/10 To be honest, this will be biased. I really enjoy the story and I have a lot of good memories with it. So, yes, it is a little bit corny, a little bit slow-paced, and has some plots that don't add anything to the story, but it is fun to watch. This anime is not about "thinking too deep"; it is about a couple getting to know each other and it is cute. Sound: 6/10 It is average. In the first season of the anime, the opening was really good, and I really enjoyed the song. This one is just "ok", nothing that surprising. Characters: 7/10 The variety and the main characters are good! Maybe one or two side characters are boring, but they have their contributions. It is an old anime, so sometimes it looks a little too plain, but I don't think that spoils it; for me, it makes it even better. The development of both Ranma and Akane is surprisingly good. Nothing phenomenal, but you get the idea. Enjoyment: 9/10 This is the anime's strong suit. It is very, very enjoyable. Of course, it will not change your life, but it is fun to watch. The pace is very good (better than the older anime that was 90% filler), and it really makes you laugh and feel good. Overall: 8/10 It is a good anime, light-hearted, and really fun to watch. If you are bored or tired of the "high power" animes where every fight needs to break barriers and destroy planets, this is for you. It is a good romantic comedy between two teenagers, nothing too harmful or heavy. Just nice.

The second season picked up right where the first season ended and gave us five sequential episodes focused on Shampoo, with a fun and engaging pacing of events. The second half, however, consisted of mostly stand-alone episodes with no continuous plot, up until the last two episodes. The comedic tone dominated almost all of the episodes. But whenever there was a key romantic moment or any real development in the relationships, it would end in comedy that erased all the emotional buildup. This season introduced two new characters: Mousse – a foolish fighter who has a crush on Shampoo. His character is charming comedy-wise, but the downside is repetition. Ukyo– another fiancée who was introduced in a rather shallow way and only appeared in two episodes. I think that was for the best, since I didn’t find anything particularly special about her aside from the comedic concept. She doesn’t really add much to the story, unlike Mousse. Ukyo isn’t really a rival for Akane, or even Shampoo. The theater play episode is basically the cover of the entire season. It should have been the final episode, so the season could end with some romantic development or progress in their relationship. That would have been better than the actual last episode, Mousse’s fight, which reverted everything back to pure comedy with no real character development. It would have been a better way to conclude the season. A standout positive point is the studio’s adaptation of the manga chapters. I appreciate that they skipped the repetitive chapters, like the constant fights between Ryoga and Ranma, and instead focused on chapters with story progression and new characters. The negative side is that some characters were overly simplified, especially the grandfather. They cut the chapters that properly introduced him and settled for a single episode as his introduction. ✧ ✧ ✧ ✧ ✧ ✧ بدأ الموسم الثاني من حيث انتهى الموسم الأول، وقدم لنا خمس حلقات متتالية تركز على شامبو، بوتيرة أحداث ممتعة وجذابة. مع ذلك، تألف النصف الثاني في معظمه من حلقات منفصلة دون حبكة متصلة، حتى آخر حلقتين. سيطر الطابع الكوميدي على معظم الحلقات. ولكن كلما ظهرت لحظة رومانسية مهمة أو أي تطور حقيقي في العلاقات، كانت تنتهي بمشاهد كوميدية تُبدد كل المشاعر المتصاعدة. قدم هذا الموسم شخصيتين جديدتين: موس - مقاتل أحمق معجب بشامبو. شخصيته جذابة من الناحية الكوميدية، لكن يعيبها التكرار. أوكيو - خطيبة أخرى تم تقديمها بشكل سطحي، وظهرت في حلقتين فقط. أعتقد أن هذا كان أفضل، إذ لم أجد فيها شيئًا مميزًا سوى الفكرة الكوميدية. فهي لا تضيف الكثير للقصة، على عكس موس. أوكيو ليست منافسة حقيقية لأكاني، أو حتى لشامبو. حلقة المسرحية هي في الأساس غلاف الموسم بأكمله. كان من الأجدر أن تكون الحلقة الأخيرة، لينتهي الموسم بتطور رومانسي أو تقدم في علاقتهما. كان ذلك أفضل من الحلقة الأخيرة الفعلية، وهي معركة موس، التي أعادت كل شيء إلى الكوميديا ​​البحتة دون أي تطور حقيقي للشخصيات. كانت ستكون خاتمة أفضل للموسم. من أبرز الإيجابيات اقتباس الاستوديو لفصول المانغا. أُقدّر أنهم تخطوا الفصول المتكررة، مثل المعارك المستمرة بين ريوغا ورانما، وركزوا بدلاً من ذلك على الفصول التي تُسهم في تطور القصة وتُقدم شخصيات جديدة. أما الجانب السلبي، فهو تبسيط بعض الشخصيات بشكل مفرط، وخاصة الجد. فقد حذفوا الفصول التي تُعرّف به بشكل كافٍ واكتفوا بحلقة واحدة لتقديمه.

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