Ranma ½
I often review animes that are related to sci-fi or have emotional elements. I usually don't watch anything related to comedy because I do not find it funny most of the time and end up dropping it. But today, I found an anime that is exactly what I’ve always wanted to watch. It’s hilariously funny, and there's a little bit of romance, which hasn’t been fully shown yet but is hinted at. It also has fantasy and a unique twist. I’m talking about Ranma ½. I think older anime fans have heard of this anime and most have probably watched it too. This is my first time watching and hearing about it. After reading many reviews, I learned it's a masterpiece, so I decided not to waste any time and started watching it.
Let’s start with the trailer. In the beginning of the video, it says 'They’re back,' which means this anime was released before, and now a new version with a bit of a modern touch in the animation will appear. I have heard that there are no changes in the story it’s the same, but this time with better animation. I have watched some old clips of this anime, and I must say the new version looks much better. I am sure old anime lovers might not agree, as they would likely prefer the original. This happens to me too! I have never really enjoyed new adaptations. But Ranma ½ in the new art style has received a lot of love from fans, and I’m one of them now. I also found out that there’s involvement of martial arts, which means we will get to see some cool action scenes.
Creator: Rumiko Takahashi
Release date: October 5, 2025
Season: 1
Episode: 12
Genre: Action, comedy, romance
Plot
The story begins with Ranma Saotome, a teenager who is a skilled martial artist. During his training in China, he gets cursed by falling into one of the magical springs. Ranma then discovers that he has a strange condition—when he gets wet with cold water, he transforms into a girl, and to return to his original form, he must use hot water, which reverses the change.
Ranma's father, Genma Saotome, also gets cursed and turns into a panda. Later on, Genma decides to return to Japan with his son, Ranma. After arriving at the Tendo Dojo, it's revealed that Genma’s old friend has daughters, and one of them is engaged to Ranma. Her name is Akane Tendo. Akane is an independent martial artist, and often, Ranma and Akane clash.
As the story unfolds, there will be action, comedy, and a bit of romance between Akane and Ranma. Their relationship gradually improves and becomes more complicated with the introduction of new characters.
Review
Ranma ½ is an unconventional anime with an unique plot that blends martial arts, romance, and comedy. Even after decades, its original release still feels fresh. It is currently available on Netflix with updated animation, and old fans are rediscovering its nostalgic charm. Beyond the comedy lies a slow-burning romance. You will notice the character development that gives the anime emotional weight. In my personal opinion, I feel it's entertaining enough to balance humor well. People who like old-school anime with quirky premises will definitely enjoy this one.
I like that the Netflix release features cleaner visuals, because we are now used to modern color palettes and improved animation compared to older times. I prefer the new version more and am glad that Netflix chose it over other anime. I’ve seen the season 2 trailer, and I’m very hopeful that the new season is going to be amazing. I really enjoyed season 1 and was hoping for more episodes, but there are only 12. I like it when a season has more than 12 episodes because when something is good, we, as the audience, expect more.
My favourite character is Akane because she is a good person at heart but shows hard from the outside and I think Ranma will understand her one day. I hope he learns very fast to maintain distance from others as he is engaged to Akane. I don't like to see Akane getting hurt.
I feel this is one of the best comedy anime I have ever seen. Some viewers say the humor can be repetitive, but I think that's fine for me.
I don’t like to judge anime movies or series based on someone else’s opinion. I prefer to watch it myself and give my own personal review. Everyone’s taste is different what I like, others may not, and that’s perfectly normal. I choose not to judge without seeing it myself. I want to encourage everyone to watch the Ranma anime series, it’s definitely worth the time. I’d love to hear your opinions if you’ve watched this anime, so feel free to comment. My rating for this anime is 10 out of 10.
Thanks for Reading
