Ranma ½ episode 2 review: The classic formula of the series is established and it works

Modified Oct 13, 2024 20:30 GMT

Ranma ½ episode 2 review and all the details about it (Image via MAPPA).

Ranma ½ episode 2 debuted on Sunday, October 13, 2024, at 12:55 am JST. The second episode of this Studio MAPPA production was very important since it sets the tone of a typical plot of the series, with Akane Tendo and Ranma Saotome having to deal with a wide variety of suitors and oftentimes engaging in a lot of crazy martial arts shenanigans.

This Ranma ½ episode 2 review focuses on analyzing the anime’s storyline, production quality, casting choices, and other elements. The goal is to assess the series' quality and whether it does justice to Takahashi's manga and the inevitable comparisons with the anime adaptation of the 80s.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers and reflects the author’s opinions.

Reviewing Ranma ½ episode 2: Evaluating the second episode of this classic comedy series

Ranma ½ episode 2: A brief synopsis

Akane Tendo and Ranma Saotome as seen in the latest episode (Image via MAPPA).

Ranma ½ episode 2 begins where the previous one left off as Akane Tendo and Ranma Saotome continue to have a feud and a strong opposition to them getting married together. Nabiki mentions to her sister that now She and Ranma are going to walk to school together, only adding to their feuds and dislike of each other.

Their walk to school is mostly focused on comedic moments, such as Ranma's fight with his father Genma, although this portion of the episode also saw the introduction of Dr. Tofu. Here is revealed that Akane has a crush on him, which Ranma notices from the get-go since this is the first time she is not hostile to a man.

Moreover, they go to school where there is a rumor that if a man defeats Akane in battle, she will agree to date them, which is not true but that doesn't stop a horde of men from trying and still losing against her. This sets up Ranma's battle with Tatewaki Kuno, who has a crush on Akane and wants to defeat the protagonist out of jealousy because of their arranged marriage.

A narrative review of Ranma ½ episode 1: A great example of the series' classic formula

Ranma annoyed at Akane (Image via MAPPA).

Ranma ½ episode 2 works quite well since it introduces younger generations to the series' classic formula and what cemented it as one of the finest 80s manga out there. This episode establishes the classic issues between Akane and Ranma while supporting each other and the comedic feuds that involve new suitors, who also happen to be martial artists.

It has the usual wacky nature of the series and author Rumiko Takahashi's classic writing style, which makes sense since this adaptation has been quite loyal to the source material. But it also establishes that Akane's problems with men are a bit more complex since she knows a different side of her personality to Dr. Tofu and also establishes how prideful Ranma is when Kuno calls him a coward when he is in his female form.

This is a short story that ends in a very comedic manner with Kuno's declaration but shows clear details of characterization as the ones mentioned earlier and Nabiki's subtle manipulation of the former. All of this is complemented by strong action sequences and the franchise's classic sense of humor.

Ranma ½ episode 2: Reviewing the production, animation, soundtracks, and voice acting

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As mentioned when promoting this new anime, Ranma ½ saw the return of the classic voice cast from the 80s, with Kappei Yamaguchi returning as Ranma Saotome and Megumi Hayashibara voicing the female Ranma, alongside Noriko Hidaka as Akane Tendo. Their performances continue to be masterful and add a sense of consistency to their characters and the way they deliver their lines.

Something similar can be said of the soundtrack of Ranma ½ episode 2, which continues to be simple and to the point. This isn't a criticism but rather a compliment since the music doesn't dominate the scenes and, instead, focuses on adding a bit of levity to the comedic moments.

It is also worth pointing out that Studio MAPPA continues to impress as they added a few anime-only scenes, such as Tatewaki Kuno's "Superman-like" scenes to change outfits in a closet. While this new anime is very faithful to the manga, some small creative differences were welcomed, such as female Ranma's reactions to Dr. Tofu's skeleton and Kuno's love declaration.

Final thoughts

Ranma ½ episode 2 continues with the positive reception of this new and loyal take on Rumiko Takahashi's legendary series and rightfully so. This episode showed the classic formula of the franchise while adding stellar animation and a few anime-only moments that elevate what is already quite entertaining source material.

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Edited by Bharath S