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Don’t Make Me Wild Like You

The Ranma ½ remake was one of my favorite anime releases of 2024, recreating one of the medium’s most iconic titles. The original anime and manga remain beloved, recognized by fans across generations. It also stands as one of the industry’s most influential works, inspiring countless mangaka for decades, while academics have analyzed its exploration of gender fluidity. The series challenges traditional perceptions of gender norms while offering audiences insight into the struggles individuals face through Ranma Saotome. The second season of the remake continues this with new characters and struggles brought upon both Ranma and Akane Tendo.

Season 2 of the Ranma ½ remake continues the struggles of Ranma Saotome and Akane Tendo. The season follows Shampoo returning to win over Ranma, while new suiters also enter the ring. At the same time, a number of ghosts from their past return for either vengeance or some kind of closure.

It’s important to note that I am only familiar with the Ranma ½ anime. As such, this review will not include comparisons with the manga. However, I have watchedsome of the original series, so my critique will focus on the remake’s merits while drawing comparisons to the original anime adaptations.

My Heart is Not a Game

Even though the story is iconic, it helps to recap it for those new to the series. Ranma Saotome is a student of the Anything Goes School of Martial Arts. During a training session in China with his father, Genma, he falls into a cursed spring. This causes him to transform into a girl when splashed with cold water and back into a boy with hot water. Complicating matters is that he’s been arranged to marry Akane Tendo, another martial artist whose family owns a dojo. Despite their engagement, the two constantly clash due to their contrasting personalities.

Season 2 begins as an adaptation of the Neko-Ken Arc and ends at the conclusion of the Mousse Returns Arc. The main focus of the season is Shampoo’s relentless attempts to win over Ranma, aided by her great-grandmother. Her plans grow complicated after she falls into one of the cursed springs, causing her to transform into a cat when splashed with cold water. This proves disastrous, as Ranma is terrified of cats. Meanwhile, it becomes increasingly clear that Ranma and Akane share feelings for each other, though their pride and stubbornness keep them from admitting it. Complicating matters are other suitors seeking out Ranma or trying to knock him out in the competition to win over someone’s heart.

Come in Like a Breeze

While the season was solid overall, there were a few standout episodes I have to highlight because of how well they were executed and how effectively they adapted the story compared to the original anime.

“The Evil Wakes” was the one episode of the season that truly stood out for how it deconstructs the pervert-character trope. To recap, Happosai is freed from imprisonment and immediately causes trouble by sexually harassing women throughout the community. Ranma Saotome tries to stop him, but Happosai is simply too powerful. Meanwhile, Genma Saotome and Soun Tendo search for a way to defeat their former master once and for all. If you’ve watched enough anime, then you already know the overly perverted character trope and how much audiences despise it. Even though the original series was ahead of its time in recognizing the problem, Happosai still became one of its most hated characters. The remake tackles the issue similarly, but it doesn’t drag the storyline out. Better yet, Happosai’s presence becomes minimal going forward, keeping the series from being weighed down by him.

“It’s Fast or It’s Free” is another standout episode and a remake of “Clash of the Delivery Girls! The Martial Arts Takeout Race.” The remake has Ranma and Akane compete against Shampoo in the Martial Arts Delivery Race, with the winner determined by whoever delivers their food to Tatewaki Kuno first. The remake continues the series’ approach of trimming unnecessary plot beats and knowing when not to overdo a joke. That restraint helps the episode feel tighter, while the updated lore gives the remake more momentum. Better yet, the animation fully commits to the slapstick, letting the physical comedy hit harder than before.

“Okonomiyaki” Means “I Love You” and “Love Letters in the Sauce” is the remake adaptation of the Ukyo Kuonji Intro Arc. The episodes introduce Ukyo Kuonji, whom Ranma doesn’t realize is a girl until the very end. It’s at this moment that it’s revealed that Genma promised Ranma to Ukyo’s family, only to run off with the dowry. Having forgiven Ranma, Ukyo teams up with Ryoga Hibiki to break up his engagement to Akane. However, jealousy and cluelessness take over, derailing their plan.

Love Letters in the Sauce

The Ranma ½ remake spares no expense in animation quality, and that carries over into Season 2. It’s colorful and stylish, using vibrant hues to set the right emotional tone. The series also pays attention to the smallest details, perfectly bringing its slapstick and physical comedy to life. Yet it doesn’t rely on that style for the entire season. When necessary, the artistic style shifts to match the scene, showing a sharp understanding of how to elevate each moment. Whether it’s a whimsical sense of wonder, a scene steeped in dread, or even the obligatory JoJo’s reference, the visuals consistently enhance the storytelling.

The series narrative strength lies in its exploration of gender roles and the deconstruction of romantic comedy tropes. These hallmarks have carried over into the remake and have continued in Season 2. Through Ranma, we observe how people’s interactions with him shift based on his current gender, allowing the series to highlight some of the challenges women face in society. This is most appreant in “It’s Fast or It’s Free” regarding how Tatewaki Kuno interacts with Ranama based on what gender they are.

Who Says You’re Cute

One of the biggest issues with Season 2 is that every episode begins with the same reminder: Ranma and Akane are engaged, they don’t like each other, and Ranma turns into a girl when splashed with cold water, then back into a boy with hot water. That kind of recap might make sense for a niche or obscure series, but not for an iconic title most anime fans already know. It may have been helpful for the first episode, but it becomes repetitive when it’s included in every episode of the season. It would be like Batman: The Animated Series starting every episode with a summary of Batman’s origin story.

Next has to do with “Not Your Typical Juliet”, the weakest episode of the season that could be described as a colorful dumpster fire. The episode has Akane finally living out her dream of being cast as Juliet in the school’s production of Romeo and Juliet (instead of another masculine role). However, the role of Romeo is somehow shared by Ranma, Tatewaki, Hikaru Gosunkugi, and Happosai (for reasons that remain unclear). While Ranma is only there to win the prize of a trip to China, everyone else is competing for a kiss with Akane. The episode’s biggest weakness is that it’s all over the place, not just in its humor but also in its action and character motivations. Everything happens at once with little buildup, making the entire storyline feel messy rather than chaotic in a fun way.

But don’t let these shortcomings discourage you from enjoying Season 2 of the Ranma ½ remake.

You Made Me Wild Like You

Season 2 of the Ranma ½ remake continues not only the story of Ranma and Akane, but also what has made the series an icon for generations. Several episodes truly stand out as they retell classic arcs and introduce beloved characters. At the same time, the animation remains colorful and stylish, using vibrant visuals to set the right emotional tone. The season follows the same narrative path while avoiding overusing familiar jokes and gags. Like the original series, it also continues exploring gender fluidity and social relationships.

Disclaimer: I watched the entire season on Netflix, which I pay for myself.

8Bit/Digi is an independent news outlet that provides insight into the video game and fandom community of the San Francisco Bay Area.

Ranma 1/2 (Season 2)

9

Excellent

9.0/10

Pros

• Still a solid remake of one of the most iconic works.
• Quality and style of the animations bring the story to life.
• Season 2 also avoids overusing or stretching out the same joke.
• Its adaptation of the Happosai Intro Arc and Ukyo Kuonji Intro Arc.

Cons

• Every episode begins with the same summary of the series, something anime fans already know.
• “Not Your Typical Juliet” is the weakest episode of the season.