Ranma 1/2 Anything Goes Martial Arts: The Complete Second Season Boxed Set (2002)
Review by Dindrane
Film:
DVD:

Based on the manga by Rumiko Takahashi
Directed by Tomomitsu Mochizuki
Character Design by Atsuko Nakajima
Music by Eiji Mori
Cinematography by Mitsunobu Yoshida

Features:

• textless opening and closings
  
• line art gallery
  
• cast profiles
  
• English and Japanese audio
  
• English subtitles
  

Dindrane's Anime Warnings:

• animated boobies
• rabid Amazon warriors and Chinese acrobats
• attack cats
• Ryoga's nekkid buns

Rating: Not rated; suitable for 13+ (mild violence and nudity)

Anamorphic: N/A; presented in original TV aspect.

My Advice: Buy it.

The Ranma 1/2 Anything Goes Martial Arts set collects the 22 episodes comprising the second TV season of the comedy television show. Takahashi's brain-child is back with more slapstick, more martial arts combat, and more fantastic gags, with just enough characterization to keep the series from being foolish or simplistic. The first episodes introduce the Golden Pair of Figure Skating, with Akane and Ranma teaming up to win P-Chan in the Charlotte Cup. Next, we have the Martial Arts Takeout Race, with Ranma's hand in marriage as the prize, and closing out the first disc is an episode revealing Ranma's secret phobia--cats! The second disc reintroduces Shampoo and her great-grandmother, with Ranma learning her new technique that will show up frequently in the years ahead. Then, we have a new character, Mousse, Shampoo's Chinese love and master of bladed weapons. Finally, is a cure for Ranma in sight? Disc three shows Ryoga's secret technique, the Breaking Point, and introduces the great terror of the Tendo Dojo--Akane's cooking. Disc four introduces Happosai, lustful lecher and master of martial arts, and has the whole gang searching for an alleged Japanese Naniichuan in Kuno's house of traps and gags. In disc five, Kodachi and Akane are dueling with cookies. Then, Akane lands the role of Juliet in her class play, with Ranma as Romeo, or is he? And finally, the public bathhouse is a battleground, as Happosai peeps on every young girl in sight, including Ranma-chan.

Rich in the slapstick comedy and goofy situations that made viewers fall in love with Ranma, this second season is the best yet. More characters equals more confusion and more possible comic errors as Ranma tries his best to just get by in a world full of giant ghost cats, Chinese acrobats who turn into ducks, crazy Amazons, and kendo champions out for his blood. Viewers will learn more about each character's complicated history and how they all fit together.

The digital transfer is top-notch. The producers used the original video masters, and the effort shows; there are very few grainy spots, and the colors are brilliant and clean--the only bleeding is in the intro and is only apparent if you're looking for it. The animation quality is as good as the OAVs throughout the set, with clear outlines, lively facial expressions, and detailed backgrounds.

The sound quality is equally consistent, and the translations seem to be uniformly solid, with few exceptions. I have a tendency to listen to the English dub with the subtitles on for comparison, and the only places that revealed discrepancies were obviously done for cultural reasons, to make colloquialisms make more sense to English-speaking audiences...and you can't blame them for that. I rather like the way Kuno's dialogue translates--more Shakespearean than the original perhaps, but perfect for his character. There are a few places where the audio sounds a bit flat on anything but the newest speakers, but clarity isn't compromised.

The extras are nothing special. The set includes textless openings and closings for each episode, a nice bonus if you want to concentrate on the artwork. The collection of line drawings is nice, if not spectacular. The cast profiles is the new thing here, and quite handy to have--bona fide otaku can learn more about their favorite people and track their work. It still would have been nice to have had another interview with Takahashi, some manga-Anime comparisons, or even a commentary track with Takahashi, Mochizuki, Mori, Yoshida, or even some of the miscellaneous colorists. If the Japanese staff isn't available for such things, how about a discussion with some of the English translators or voice talent? Even a behind-the-scenes look at the manga industry would be fascinating, especially as influential as Viz is.

While this box set is a bit shy on special features, the series itself warrants its purchase, and having an entire season in one box is fabulous. This box set, like the first one, is a must-have for all Ranma fans, and even fans of Anime in general. While there may be some initial confusion for fans new to the story and "who turns into what and why," this set is still a good place to test the Anime waters if you're new to the genre. If you love comedy, martial arts, slapstick, or fantasy, give this series a try and let yourself laugh out loud.