Ranma ½ (2025)
[らんま½]
Season 2
Director: Konosuke Uda
Studio: MAPPA
Starring: Kappei Yamaguchi, Megumi Hayashibara, Noriko Hidaka
Episodes: 12
Synopsis:
A new suitor for Akane seeks to find Ranma's weakness.
Impressions:
I was pleased with how the first season of this remake turned out, so I was more than happy to see if they could maintain the quality, and I'm happy to say that they have. If you remember the original anime, you won't be seeing Sasuke here as this version is more faithful to the manga, so while Shigeru Chiba isn't getting an extra gig, but we do get Gosunkugi instead. You decide if that's a better deal or not. We sort of bookend the season with the first and second encounters with Mousse, which works nicely. For me, the big highlight is the introduction of Ukyou, but on the other hand, we also get the introduction of Happousai. Bleh. Much as with the UY remake, it really is something seeing comedic sensibilities from the bygone era being brought back in modern packaging. They don't write 'em like this anymore, that's for sure.
On the production side, MAPPA continues to do a good job with their lovely pop art-infused style that really makes this adaptation stand out. It would be great if more studios would demonstrate a similar ambition. There's plenty to enjoy, so my endorsement from the previous season continues here. Whether you're new to the franchise or a longtime fan, this is one for the collection.
Rating:Own It