Ranma ½ (らんま1/2) is a Japanese anime series adapted from the manga of the same name by Rumiko Takahashi. It was created by Studio Deen and aired weekly between April 15, 1989, and September 16, 1989, on Fuji TV before being canceled after 18 episodes due to low ratings. Shortly after, the series was reworked by most of the same staff, retitled Ranma ½ Nettōhen (らんま½ 熱闘編) and launched in a different time slot, running between October 20, 1989, and September 25, 1992, for 143 episodes.[1]
Three movies were produced, The Battle of Nekonron, China! A Battle to Defy the Rules! on November 2, 1991; Battle at Togenkyo! Get Back the Brides on August 1, 1992; and Super Indiscriminate Decisive Battle! Team Ranma vs. the Legendary Phoenix on August 20, 1994. The first two movies are feature length, but the third was originally aired in theaters with two other movies: Ghost Sweeper Mikami and Heisei Dog Stories: Bow. Following the ending of the TV series, 12 OVA episodes were released directly to home video, the earliest on December 7, 1993, and the twelfth on October 20, 2010. In celebration of Rumiko Takahashi's 35th anniversary as a manga artist, the TV series was released on Blu-ray for the first time in three box sets between May 24, 2013, and January 24, 2014.[2][3][4][5]
Viz Media licensed both anime, the films and the first 11 OVAs for English dubs in North America. They labeled both anime as one series and first released it on subtitled and dubbed VHS, later combining it into seven DVD collections they call "seasons".[6] Besides changing the ordering of many of the anime episodes, Viz also added the third film to their set of the OVAs. They began re-releasing the show on Blu-ray and DVD in 2014.[7]Madman Entertainment released part of the anime series and the first two movies in Australasia, before their license expired, and MVM Films released the first two movies in the United Kingdom.[8][9][10][11]
The "seasons" that comprise the following list correspond to the box sets released in North America by Viz Media, which combined both the first Ranma ½ anime and Ranma ½ Nettōhen (らんま½ 熱闘編) into one series and changed the order of many episodes. In Japan, each Ranma ½ anime was aired continuously, with regular pre-emptions for sporting events and television specials, and not split into standard seasonal cycles. The new Viz releases issued throughout 2014 and 2015 come in revised sets that are compiled in original production order and contain 23 episodes per set.
"A Sudden Storm of Love" Transliteration: "Ikinari Ai no Arashi Chotto Matte Yo" (Japanese: いきなり愛の嵐ちょっと待ってョ)
Yamauchi Shigeyasu
Hashimoto Hiroshi
Yamauchi Shigeyasu
Asami Endo
April 29, 1989 (1989-04-29)
4
4
"Ranma and... Ranma? If It's Not One Thing, It's Another" Transliteration: "Ranma to Ranma? Gokai ga Tomaranai" (Japanese: 乱馬とらんま?誤解がとまらない)
Tomomi Mochizuki
Hashimoto Hiroshi
Tomomi Mochizuki
Atsuko Nakajima
May 6, 1989 (1989-05-06)
5
5
"Love Me to the Bone! The Compound Fracture of Akane's Heart" Transliteration: "Kotsu Made Aishite? Akane Koi no Fukuzatsu Kossetsu" (Japanese: 骨まで愛して?あかね恋の複雑骨折)
"True Confessions! A Girl's Hair Is Her Life!" Transliteration: "Otome Hakusho—Kami wa Onna no Inochi Nano" (Japanese: 乙女白書·髪は女のいのちなの)
Shinji Takagi
Toshiki Inoue
Shinji Takagi
Asami Endo
June 17, 1989 (1989-06-17)
10
10
"P-P-P-Chan! He's Good For Nothin'" Transliteration: "Pi-pi-P-chan Roku Namonjanē" (Japanese: ピーピーPちゃん ろくなもんじゃねェ)
Takeshi Mori
Yoshiyuki Suga
Takeshi Mori
Atsuko Nakajima
July 1, 1989 (1989-07-01)
11
11
"Ranma Meets Love Head-On! Enter the Delinquent Juvenile Gymnast!" Transliteration: "Ranma o Gekiai! Shintaisō no Sukeban Tōjō" (Japanese: 乱馬を激愛!新体操のスケバン登場)
Kazuhiro Furuhashi
Hiroyuki Kawasaki
Kazuhiro Furuhashi
Masako Gotō
July 15, 1989 (1989-07-15)
12
12
"A Woman's Love Is War! The Martial Arts Rhythmic Gymnastics Challenge!" Transliteration: "Onna no Koi wa Sensō yo! Kakutō Shintaisō de Iza Shōbu" (Japanese: 女の恋は戦争よ!格闘新体操でいざ勝負)
Shinji Takagi
Katsuyuki Sumisawa
Yo Arisako
Asami Endo
July 22, 1989 (1989-07-22)
13
13
"A Tear in a Girl-Delinquent's Eye? The End of the Martial Arts Rhythmic Gymnastics Challenge!" Transliteration: "Sukeban no Me ni Namida? Rūru Muyō no Kakutō Shintaisō Kecchaku" (Japanese: スケバンの目に涙?ルール無用の格闘新体操決着)
Tomomi Mochizuki
Hideo Takayashiki
Tomomi Mochizuki
Atsuko Nakajima
July 29, 1989 (1989-07-29)
14
14
"Pelvic Fortune-Telling? Ranma Is the No. One Bride in Japan" Transliteration: "Kotsuban Uranai! Ranma wa Nippon-ichi no Oyomesan" (Japanese: 骨盤占い!らんまは日本一のお嫁さん)
"Enter Shampoo, the Gung-Ho Girl! I Put My Life in Your Hands" Transliteration: "Gekiretsu Shōjo Shanpū Tōjō! Watashi Inochi Azukemasu" (Japanese: 激烈少女シャンプー登場!ワタシ命あずけます)
Takeshi Mori
Katsuyuki Sumisawa
Takeshi Mori
Asami Endo
August 26, 1989 (1989-08-26)
16
16
"Shampoo's Revenge! The Shiatsu Technique That Steals Heart and Soul" Transliteration: "Shanpū no Hangeki! Hissatsu Shiatsu Kobushi wa Mukuro mo Kokoro mo Ubau" (Japanese: シャンプーの反撃!必殺指圧拳は身も心も奪う)
Kazuhiro Furuhashi
Katsuyuki Sumisawa
Kazuhiro Furuhashi
Atsuko Nakajima
September 2, 1989 (1989-09-02)
17
17
"I Love You, Ranma! Please Don't Say Goodbye" Transliteration: "Ranma Daisuki! Sayonara wa Iwanaide!!" (Japanese: 乱馬大好き!さよならはいわないで!!)
Shinji Takagi
Aya Matsui
Shinji Takagi
Masako Gotō
September 9, 1989 (1989-09-09)
18
18
"I Am a Man! Ranma's Going Back to China!?" Transliteration: "Ore wa Otoko da! Ranma Chūgoku e Kaeru?" (Japanese: オレは男だ!らんま中国へ帰る?)
Kazuhiro Furuhashi
Taku Nomoto
Kazuhiro Furuhashi
Atsuko Nakajima, etc
September 16, 1989 (1989-09-16)
Season 2 "Anything-Goes Martial Arts" (1989–1990)
Note:This is the beginning of Ranma ½ Nettōhen (らんま½ 熱闘編).
"Bring It On! Love as a Cheerleader" Transliteration: "Ai no Kakutō Chiagāru" (Japanese: 愛の格闘チアガール)
August 7, 1992 (1992-08-07)August 14, 1992 (1992-08-14)
138
154
"Battle for Miss Beachside" Transliteration: "Kettei! Misu Bīchisaido" (Japanese: 決定!ミス·ビーチサイド)
August 21, 1992 (1992-08-21)
139
157
"The Musical Instruments of Destruction" Transliteration: "Bakuretsu! Haipā Tsuzumi" (Japanese: 爆裂!ハイパーツヅミ)
August 28, 1992 (1992-08-28)
140
158
"A Ninja's Dog is Black and White" Transliteration: "Shinobi no Inu wa Shiro to Kuro" (Japanese: 忍の犬は白と黒)
September 4, 1992 (1992-09-04)
141
159
"The Tendo Dragon Legend" Transliteration: "Tendō-ke: Ryūjin Densetsu" (Japanese: 天道家·龍神伝説)
September 11, 1992 (1992-09-11)
142143
160161
"Boy Meets Mom" Transliteration: "Ranma, Mītsu Mazā/Itsu no Hi ka, Kitto..." (Japanese: 乱馬, ミーツ·マザー/いつの日か, きっと...)
September 18, 1992 (1992-09-18)September 25, 1992 (1992-09-25)
Films (1991–1994)
Number
Title
Release date
1
Ranma ½: The Battle of Nekonron, China! A Battle to Defy the Rules! (らんま1/2 中国寝崑崙大決戦! 掟やぶりの激闘篇!!, Ranma Nibunnoichi: Chūgoku Nekonron Daikessen! Okite Yaburi no Gekitō Hen!) (Viz title: Ranma ½: Big Trouble in Nekonron, China)
November 2, 1991
It's just another day at the Tendo Anything-Goes Martial Arts Training Hall, that is, until a strange girl named Lychee and her giant elephant Jasmine arrive to settle a score with lecherous martial arts master Happosai. Apparently, a very long time ago, Happosai gave Lychee's great-grandmother half of a legendary scroll guaranteed to bring happiness to whoever was holding it. The women of Lychee's family have been waiting for three generations now, and the prince still has not come. But of course, the moment Lychee lets the scroll out of her hands, the prince finally appears. Only now it's the reluctant fiancée Akane Tendo who is holding the scroll, and the long-awaited prince is only too ready to sweep his lucky bride off her feet. Ranma Saotome and the others currently have no choice but to follow Prince Kirin's majestic flying barge all the way to Nekonron, China, where they find themselves in a showdown with the seven lucky gods of martial arts.
2
Ranma ½: Battle at Togenkyo! Get Back the Brides (らんま1/2 決戦桃幻郷! 花嫁を奪りもどせ!!, Ranma Nibunnoichi: Kessen Tōgenkyō! Hanayome o Torimodose!) (Viz title: Ranma ½: Nihao, My Concubine)
August 1, 1992
When poetry-spouting swordsman Tatewaki Kuno invites Ranma and the others for a jaunt on his new luxury yacht, the last thing the group expects is a sudden storm to shipwreck them all on a deserted island. However, fixing the boat to get home soon becomes the least of their worries, as all the young girls in the group begin to disappear. They have been bride-napped by Prince Toma, the youthful ruler of a floating island, Togenkyo. Because of a magical spring which turns anything it touches instantly male, would-be bridegrooms kidnap girls.
3
Ranma ½: Super Indiscriminate Decisive Battle! Team Ranma vs. the Legendary Phoenix (らんま1/2 超無差別決戦! 乱馬チームVS伝説の鳳凰, Ranma Nibunnoichi: Chō Musabetsu Kessen! Ranma Team vs Densetsu no Hōō) (Viz title: "One Grew Over the Kuno's Nest"[12])
August 20, 1994
The short film was shown together with Heisei Dog Stories (平成イヌ物語バウ) and the movie Ghost Sweeper Mikami at the Toei Film Festival. Later it was first released in Japan on VHS and Laserdisc and get an Opening Owaranai Natsu Yasumi (終わらない夏休み) by DoCo and an Ending Usotsuki (うそつき) by DoCo, present in Fullscreen. The movie itself is produced in widescreen. When released in North America by Viz, it was labeled as OVA number 9 and released with the 11 OVAs. The DVD release of the third film in Japan is also released together with the 11 OVAs.
OVAs (1993–2008)
Following the ending of the TV series, 11 OVAs were released directly to home video, the earliest on October 21, 1993 and the eleventh on June 4, 1996. All but three are based on stories originally in the manga.
Viz Media released all 11 OVAs in North American in one set. It also includes the third film, Super Indiscriminate Decisive Battle! Team Ranma vs. the Legendary Phoenix, added as the ninth episode, bringing the set's episode count to 12.
Twelve years after the eleventh OVA was released, a new piece of Ranma ½ animation was made for the "It's a Rumic World" exhibition of Rumiko Takahashi's artwork. It is based on the "Nightmare! Incense of Deep Sleep" manga story from volume 34, and was shown on odd numbered days at the exhibition in Tokyo from July 30 to August 11, 2008.[13][14] This half-hour special was directed by Takeshi Mori (an episode director on the first season of the TV series) with animation direction by Ranma veteran animator and character designer Atsuko Nakajima. But it was not released until January 29, 2010, when it was put in a DVD box set with the Urusei Yatsura and InuYasha specials that premiered at the same exhibit.[15] It was then released on DVD and Blu-ray by itself on October 20, 2010.[16]
Number
Title
Release date
1
"Shampoo's Sudden Switch - The Curse of the Contrary Jewel" Shampoo Hyōhen! Hanten Hōju no Wazawai (シャンプー豹変!反転宝珠の禍)
October 21, 1993
2
"Tendo Family Christmas Scramble" Tendō-ke Scramble Christmas (天道家すくらんぶるクリスマス)
December 17, 1993
3
"Akane vs. Ranma! I'll Be the One to Inherit Mother's Recipes!" Akane vs Ranma: Okā-san no Aji wa Watashi ga Mamoru! (あかねVSらんま お母さんの味は私が守る!)
February 18, 1994
4
"Stormy Weather Comes to School! Growing Up With Miss Hinako" Gakuen ni Fuku Arashi! Adult Change Hinako-sensei (学園に吹く嵐!アダルトチェンジひな子先生)
April 21, 1994
5
"The One to Carry On (1)" Michi o Tsugu Mono – Zenpen (道を継ぐ者・前編)
June 17, 1994
6
"The One to Carry On (2)" Michi o Tsugu Mono – Kōhen (道を継ぐ者・後編)
"Oh, Cursed Tunnel of Lost Love! Let My Love Be Forever" Aa! Noroi no Harendō! Waga Ai wa Eien ni (ああ呪いの破恋洞!我が愛は永遠に)
September 21, 1995
10
"The Evil Ogre! Hell Hath No Fury Like Kasumi Scorned" Jāku no Oni (邪悪の鬼)
November 17, 1995
11
"The Two Akanes! 'Ranma, Look at Me!'" Futari no Akane: "Ranma, Atashi o Mite!" (二人のあかね『乱馬、私を見て!』)
January 19, 1996
12
"Nightmare! Incense of Deep Sleep" Akumu! Shunminkō (悪夢!春眠香)
July 31, 2008
Theme songs
Many of the theme songs are sung by DoCo, a band formed by the five of the voice actress. DoCo USA is the name used by their corresponding English voice actors.
Opening themes:
"It's Love! Panic!" (恋だ!パニック Koi da! Panikku) by Yawmin (1-6)
"Us from Now On" (僕たちはこれから Bokutachi wa Kore Kara) by DoCo (7)
"In the Middle of Elementary School" (授業中の小学校 Jugyōchū no Shōgakkō) by DoCo (8)
"Neverending Summer Vacation" (終わらない夏休み Owaranai Natsu Yasumi) by DoCo (9, AKA Movie 3)
"The Sparkling Sky & Your Voice" (かがやく空ときみの声 Kagayaku Sora to Kimi no Koe) by DoCo (10)
"Full of Memories" (思い出がいっぱい Omoide ga Ippai) by DoCo (11)
"Mutual Love is Complex (Live)" (フクザツな両想いLive Version Fukuzatsu na Ryōomoi Live Version) by DoCo (12)
"A Pure and Honest Christmas" (清く正しいクリスマス Kiyoku Tadashii Kurisumasu) by DoCo (7)
"Red Shoe Sunday" (赤い靴のSUNDAY Akai Kutsu no Sunday) by DoCo (8)
"Liar" (うそつき Usotsuki) by DoCo (9, AKA Movie 3)
"A Slightly Hilly Road" (少しだけ坂道 Sukoshi Dake Sakamichi) by DoCo (10)
"Love Vanished Once, Regrettably" (恋がひとつ消えてしまったの Koi ga Hitotsu Kiete Shimatta no) by DoCo (11)
"Boyfriend" (彼 Kare) by DoCo (12)
Opening themes, Western release:
"Love Panic! (English Version)" by Connie Lavigne (1-6)
"Where Do We Go From Here (You and Me) (English Version)" by DoCo USA (7-12)
Ending themes, Western release:
"The Ballad of Ranma & Akane" (乱馬とあかねのバラード Ranma to Akane no Barādo) by Kappei Yamaguchi and Noriko Hidaka (1-6)
"Red Shoe Sunday (English Version)" by DoCo USA (7-12)
Specials (1990–2011)
Ranma ½ had a handful of specials that were only available through home videos, or being a member of the Kitty Animation Circle, the fanclub for the production team that created Rumiko Takahashi's anime. These specials are extremely rare for the most part. With the exception of TV Titles (which was released in North America as The Ranma ½ Video Jukebox[17]), none of the specials have been released outside Japan.[18]
^Viz Video reissued TV Titles on VHS in North America as The Ranma ½ Video Jukebox (1999)
Opening Theme:
"Tendo Family's Annoying Acquaintance": "Don't Make Me Wild Like You (Don't Make Me Be a Violent Girl)" (じゃじゃ馬にさせないで Jajauma ni Sasenaide) by Etsuko Nishio
"Huge Battle! 29 Unteachable Fools": None
Ending Theme
"Tendo Family's Annoying Acquaintance": "Friends" (フレンズ Furenzu) by YAWMIN
"Huge Battle! 29 Unteachable Fools": "Hill of the Rainbow and the Sun" (虹と太陽の丘 Niji to Taiyō no Oka) by Piyo Piyo