Tag: ½

Number of discs: 3
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Viz Media
Release Date: September 16, 2014
Run Time: 530 minutes

Series: 5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 1.5 out of 5 stars

VIZ Media is quickly becoming my go-to when it comes to classic anime series being restored and brought back to life on Blu-ray. They have been delivering above and beyond great releases for “Ranma ½”. They given this show the treatment and even correct issues like the Japanese episode order, which has been restored as well. This is a show that probably would never receive a great treatment and luckily for VIZ, they have been consecutively impressive with each of these releases under this series. Counting down the days until “Ranma ½: Set 4” on December 9th!

Official Premise: In the latest set, containing 23 remastered episodes, things just can’t stay quiet at the Tendo Dojo! After a morning ruckus, Ranma hits his head, falls into water, and turns completely into a girl. Now, even when Ranma transforms back into a boy, he still thinks he’s a girl! Things become even more complicated when Shampoo, still in love with Ranma, gets a surprise visit from Chinese Amazon twin sisters Ling-Ling and Lung-Lung, two of her protégées who have it in for Ranma. Finally, Happosai makes an appearance, and Ranma must defeat him to become strong again!

The third Limited Edition Blu-ray set for the classic Ranma ½ includes a premium presentation with a chipboard box with gold foil stamping beautifully illustrated by creator Rumiko Takahashi, a 32-page booklet, episode guide and an art card. The episodes have been restored and remastered and are presented in its original 4:3 cropped aspect ratio with lossless Japanese and English audio. The special features are a major let down. There is only one featurette called “We Love Ranma, Part 3: The Appeal of Ranma ½”, which looks into the fandom. There are also clean openings/endings and some trailers including.

Number of discs: 3
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Viz Media
DVD Release Date: June 24, 2014
Run Time: 530 minutes

Series: 5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2 out of 5 stars

Rumiko Takahashi’s classic martial arts romantic comedy Ranma ½ is back! In Mach, Viz Media released the first 23 episodes of the popular anime series “Ranma ½” and this month we are already getting “Set 2”, which includes the next 23 episodes. With 56 episodes in the bag already this series is on fire with this new revival. I have been having flashbacks of my younger days watching this show on bootleg VHS that I got from a friend, who got it from a friend. I cannot wait for the next release from Viz Media and I hope that they continue to release this series quickly since I cannot get enough of it.

Official Premise: Ranma Saotome, the boy who turns into a girl with a splash of water, always has his hands full fending off crazed admirers. One of the most fanatical is Shampoo, a girl from a tribe of Chinese Amazons who tried to kill girl Ranma, was defeated by boy Ranma, and then proposes marriage to him due to her clan s rule. Things get a little crazier when Shampoo falls into a cursed spring and turns into a cat! And even crazier when Mousse, who is in love with Shampoo, challenges Ranma to a battle over…Ranma s fiancée, Akane…? Back at the Tendo dojo, Ranma s dad, Genma, and Akane s dad, Soun, receive a visit from their former master, Happosai. Around the same time, some of the neighborhood ladies find their undies are disappearing… Is Happosai responsible, or is it just a coincidence?

Like the first set of episodes, these 1080p transfers are absolutely stunning with high quality encodes created using the original Japanese Blu-ray masters. Fans are able to enjoy each episode with an uncropped, 4:3 aspect ratio. These episodes are also arranged in the original Japanese episode order. There are both lossless tracks available for the original Japanese (with English subtitles) and the English dub, and a secondary subtitle track is available for signs and songs. The box presentation also for this set is amazing coming in a premium chipboard box with gold foil stamping with art illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi. Inside it also includes an exclusive art card and a 32-page booklet with episode summaries

The special features aren’t as impressive as the first set. “We Love Ranma Part 2: Favorite Scenes” is a collection of notable scenes in these episodes. There is “Next Episode Previews” for the upcoming set. Lastly there are Clean Opening Animations and Clean Closing Animations for the episodes. After the decent extras in set 1, I was hoping that this was going to be the trend for these releases. I hope that they pick up the slack with set 3 and future installments after that. Still though for the outstanding video and audio on this Blu-ray will make this worth it alone for any anime fan.

Number of discs: 3
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Viz Media
DVD Release Date: March 25, 2014
Run Time: 530 minutes

Series: 5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3 out of 5 stars

Ranma ½ started off as an manga series back in 1987 in Japan, which was turned into a TV series shortly after in 1989. This is way before Japanese anime hit the US. The series got big here probably around the early 90’s and this and “Dragon Ball Z” were two of my favorite anime series growing up. Ranma ½ ius definitely unique and is an interesting blend of romance, comedy, action and marital arts. Thanks Viz Media this series is getting presented in high definition for the first time ever. Set 1 includes the first 23 episodes of the show, so since there are over 140 episodes total I would expect at least an additional six releases over the next year. If you are a fan of this series, then this is a new brainer.

Official Synopsis: From the legendary oeuvre of master creator Rumiko Takahashi, the mixed-up, madcap, martial arts romantic comedy Ranma ½ returns! After taking a surprise dip in a cursed spring while on a training journey in China, martial artist Ranma Saotome and his father, Genma, aren’t quite themselves anymore. Now Ranma turns into a girl whenever he’s splashed with cold water, and Genma turns into a panda. Their new forms cause nothing but confusion at the Tendo dojo, where Soun Tendo is waiting to introduce one of his three daughters to Ranma… as his fiancée. Turns out Genma and Soun arranged the match long ago, but the girl, Akane, and the boy, Ranma, aren’t exactly crazy about the idea, or each other! Or are they? Watch the gender switching, jealous rages, and martial arts battles unfold all over again!

Having watching this show on bootleg VHS tapes growing up, these 1080p transfers are stunning with high quality encodes created using the original Japanese Blu-ray masters. Fans are able to enjoy each episode with an  uncropped, 4:3 aspect ratio. Another first time for this release is that all episodes are arranged in the original Japanese episode order. There are both lossless tracks available for the original Japanese (with English subtitles) and the English dub, and a secondary subtitle track is available for signs and songs. The box presentation also for this set is amazing coming in a premium chipboard box with gold foil stamping with art illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi. Inside it also includes a 64-page booklet with a full color episode guide and a manga re-master sampler.

If you were satisfied with all that, wait there is still more in this Limited Edition box set. There are some decent extras including an exclusive “We Love Ranma: Part 1” Manga Re-Mastering Interview with VIZ Media editor Hope Donovan, which talks about the processes behind the latest manga release. There is two great extras taken from 2013 New York Comic Con this past year with “Ranma ½ Panel Footage” and “VIZ Media Events Highlight Reel”. Lastly there are upcoming episode previews and trailers included here. Can’t wait for Set 2! Keep them coming Viz!