2022 saw the remake of Rumiko Takahashi’s classic series Urusei Yatsura, and now Netflix has revealed their reboot of another Takahashi classic in collaboration with Studio MAPPA.
Check out the reboot of Ranma ½:
The official synopsis translated reads:
Ranma Saotome and Akane Tendo are fiancées chosen by their parents. However, when Ranma is splashed with water, he transforms into a girl…? A slapstick fighting love comedy featuring unique characters is about to begin!
Besides the will-they-won’t-they tension between Ranma and Akane, the series has been lauded for its unique approach to action. With Ranma and his father being martial arts specialist, every arc in Ranma has him/her taking on all kinds of kooky characters who have specific kinds of martial arts—be it fighting gymnastics or specialized figure skating.
The series also has a roster of memorable characters. Besides Ranma being able to turn into a girl, there are also other characters who transform when they get wet. Ranma’s father turns into a panda; Ranma’s other fiancé Xian Pu (or Shampoo) turns into a cat; and Ranma’s rival Ryoga turns into a tiny black pig (who Akane adopts as her pet P-Chan).
It’s considered a classic series by a lot of old-school anime fans; and that’s probably the reason it didn’t get a reboot after so long. Hopefully MAPPA will be able to deliver when it comes to modern anime standards. I’m just eager to watch if a new generation of fans would come to enjoy Ranma with this reboot.
Watch out for Ranma ½ when it comes to Netflix on Oct. 6.
