I've done something similar to this when I did my SCOTT PILGRIM review back in November 2023 when I did the RTX 4080 upgrade in my PC but now it's a different tack with this particular review of RANMA 1/2 (2024)
If you've been following my BLOG throughout Mid to Late 2024, I announced and teased certain aspects of RANMA being revived following the the success of the 2022 revival of URUSEI YATSURA.
But unlike 2022's URUSEI YATSURA,
David Productions, which is famous for JOJO'S BIZARRE ADVENTURE,
Did not get contracted to do the animation for RANMA 1/2's Revival.
That honor goes to MAPPA Productions,
which I heard doesn't really have the best reputation amongst many an anime/manga fan due to issues involving artistic quality control as well as a controversy revolving around work ethic.
Hopefully, this series will help redeem MAPPA..... I hope....
According to sources, as well as those Social Media Posts comparing scenes from the Revival to that of the original 1987 Manga, this revival is promising itself to be made as close to the MANGA's source material than the 1989 Anime and it's NETTOHEN adaptation would ever be.....
And when I mean that, I mean the revival is trying to match certain visuals that originated in the MANGA instead of the 1989 Anime or it's NETTOHEN Continuation.
To back that up, here's three shots from the MARTIAL ARTS GYMNASTICS arc to compare to.
Hopefully the remake won't go to filler territory unlike what happened with the 1989 anime.
I'm happy to hear that the original Japanese Cast, most of them at least, have returned to voice their original roles.
I was somewhat disappointed to hear that the surviving cast of URUSEI YATSURA didn't reprise their roles for the 2022 remake...
with the exceptions of TOSHIO FURUKAWA and FUMI HIRANO who did return in the 2022 remake.
but even then, they don't reprise their roles. Instead, they voice ATARU's Parents in the remake.
I'm glad they brought back
KAPPEI YAMAGUCHI,
NORIKO HIDAKA,
MEGUMI HAYASHIBARA,
KOICHI YAMADERA,
REI SAKUMA,
etc.
Although I did mention in my past posts that certain characters who have yet to return might necessitate a recast.
UKYO for example is going to be recast no matter what due to the unfortunate death of HIROMI TSURU in 2017.
As for the DUB,
Everybody has been recast.
As it turns out, Netflix prefers if their dubs are made in the LOS ANGELES area instead of outsourcing to VANCOUVER or CALGARY.
I grew up with the OCEAN DUB but to see that Netflix snubbed the cast like that by going with IYUNO instead of OCEAN or Bang Zoom, really felt like a punch to the pancreas.
Which is weird considering YASHAHIME brought back almost every dub actor despite relocating the cast to Los Angeles..... more on that in a little bit....
And yes, they even brought back KIRBY MORROW for YASHAHIME before his sudden death in November 2020.
Well.... Iyuno's dub is made in Los Angeles....
But I would have preferred a BANG ZOOM dub all of the surviving Vancouver actors if possible... so it really doesn't make sense that YASHAHIME's DUB is also an L.A Dub and reunited all the Vancouver actors but NETFLIX refused to work with BANG ZOOM or any actor from Vancouver for their version of RANMA.
But then I read that the way BANG ZOOM got the Vancouver Actors to reprise their roles in YASHAHIME was due to two members of the original dub cast from INUYASHA having since moved to L.A. Plus it was a remote-work thing for the actors due to the COVID-19 Pandemic in 2020.
I now know the reason why everyone on the Dub side has been recast.
It's to compensate for the death of Robert O Smith back in 2010 but even if they brought the Vancouver cast instead of the IYUNO cast, Genma would still have to be recast.
A lot of us have mixed feelings with the new cast members and we'd would rather just leave the remake set to the original Japanese on Netflix's Audio Setting,
but in my opinion, I think Stephanie Sheh is the perfect Nabiki Tendo.
Oh well, At least we still have our surviving Japanese actors.... which is important for any Voice.
Of course, regardless, you may notice that some of the voices sound either noticeably off or older sounding.
I get that role reprisal can result in characters sounding older in later adaptations.
For example, FRY now sounds raspy in the HULU Revival of Futurama.
Another example was how older sounding the Japanese Cast of Lupin III sounded before the big 2011 recast.
My other issue with this particular version of RANMA 1/2 is the fact that the visuals now have that PASTEL PALETTE to them.
Some would say, "HOW COULD YOU SAY THAT?
THE ORIGINAL 1989-1992 ANIME SERIES HAD PASTELS TOO."
That's not true.
You're referring to Viz Media's original VHS and DVD Releases from the Mid-90s to the mid-2000s.
The 2014 Blu-Ray Restoration restored the colors to the high contrasting palette I prefer.
Ok so the Newspaper Screen tones rarely show up but what was MAPPA trying to do, steal SPIDERVERSE's Thunder?
Also, did Ranma's Clothes get baggier or what?
I can tell because compared to the manga and the 1989 original anime, Ranma's female bust is now hidden by a more baggier shirt.
And this is not my criticism but rather by people who are concerned or already raging at JAPAN's censorship policies.
Turns out Smash Bros Creator MASAHIRO SAKURAI is not alone when it comes to RAGING against a Censorship bureau...
Yes, I read up on these before hand so it's nice to be prepared so you don't get shocked from the very beginning.
Of course, why isn't RUMIKO TAKAHASHI venting at those Censorship policies in the same way MASAHIRO SAKURAI vented his frustration with CERO's policies when they refused to put MAI SHIRANUI in Smash, much to his closeted chagrin, is a story to be told another time.
Oh well, at least Ranko, AKA Ranma-Chan, keeps her feminine figure when she's in form-fitting attire or.... you know....
Sorry this review ended up being longer than it was for my SCOTT PILGRIM review back in 2023.
I was in a state of anxiety back then, and the post was originally a Maverick Quickie before I redesignated it to a Review Post.
But this review was planned as a proper review blogpost so that's the reason it warrants a full/long post with many paragraphs.
All in all, the Remake is as solid as the URUSEI YATSURA remake from 2022.
My only complaint is not towards the remake but rather NETFLIX's pricing.
I recently bought a new HISENSE 4K TV back in September and while my PS5 supports 4K out of the box since it's AMD RADEON APU is built for that, my 2 Device Plan only covers 1080P Full HD.
NETFLIX's pricing is going out of control.
I demand universal Video Resolutions for all device plans...
Similar to what Disney+, Paramount+, MAX, PEACOCK, AMAZON PRIME VIDEO, etc. are offering with their price plans regardless of device limits.
But regardless, I still recommend this anime to anyone regardless of familiarity to the 1987 Manga, 1989 Anime, it's OVAS, etc.
I'll be sure to do a follow up to the Anime once the NEKO-KEN, PHOENIX PILL, MOUSSE, HAPPOSAI, and UKYO arcs come into play, amongst others in 2025.
Stay tuned for Season 2 of the Ranma 1/2 Remake coming soon in 2025....
Hopefully before or during February.
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