Ranma 1/2 (2024) 1.01

Here’s Ranma

Mr. Tendo announces to his three teenage daughters (Kasume, Nabiki, Akane) that one of them is going to have to marry Ranma Saotome the son of his friend Genma Saotome. His daughters are both annoyed and then surprised when Ranma shows up but is a girl instead of a boy and is accompanied by a panda bear.

The three Tendo sisters quickly learn that all is not as it seems. Genma and Ranma were both cursed. Genma is transformed into a panda and Ranma into a female version of himself when they are doused with cold water. They change back to their original forms when they are dowsed with warm or hot water.

Nabiki and Kasume decide that Akane will have to be the one to marry Ranma. Akane has no interest in marrying Ranma. She is a devoted martial artist, like her father, but not at his level or the same level as Genma or Ranma Saotome.

Thoughts

Ranma 1/2 is an anime series based upon a manga series of the same name. This is the third anime TV series of Ranma 1/2 and just started to be released this month (Oct 2024) in both Japan and the United States. The first anime version of Ranma 1/2 was was released in 1989 and ran for 18 episodes before it was canceled. The second anime version of Ranma 1/2 ran from 1989 to 1992 and consisted of 143 episodes. There were additional Ranma 1/2 anime films.

I read the first four volumes of the manga about 20 years ago but I have not given it another try since then. Ranma 1/2 was created by Rumiko Takahashi who also created, wrote, and drew the manga upon which the Inuyasha anime is based.

This is a comedy / action series. I don’t know how long it will last but I’m guessing that there are hopes it’s run will be much longer than the first anime series. I’m not sure how faithful it will be to the manga but it looks like this episode is based on the first two chapters of the manga. My guess is that it will try to stick to the story told in the manga. 

So far I like this series. There is just one episode available at the moment but new ones are scheduled to be released on a weekly basis as I understand it.