Ranma ½ - Random Rhapsody, Vol. 1:
Who Do? Voodoo (2001)
Review by Dindrane
Film:
DVD:

Directed by Junji Nishimura
Written by Trish Ledoux and Terry Klassen, based upon the manga by Rumiko Takahashi
Cinematography by Mitsunobu Yoshida
Produced by Fuji TV and Kitty Film

Dindrane's Anime Warnings:

• Stern Handwriting Teachers
• Voodoo!
• A man with a palm tree growing on his head

Rating: 13+

Anamorphic: N/A

My Advice: Buy it!

The Random Rhapsody collection kicks off with this disc of three more episodes. In “Dear Daddy...Love, Kodachi,” we see another side to Kodachi. She idealizes her father, but Kuno is ready to strangle their flaky parent and may not be able to stand him, even for Kodachi’s sake. Next, in “Enter Gosunkugi, the New Rival?”, Ranma gains yet another rival for Akane’s affections. The new kid in school is Hikaru Gosunkugi, a practioner of voodoo whose schoolbag is much more likely to have iron spikes, voodoo dolls, and the like than books or papers, and his fondness for Akane is a real pain in Ranma’s side. Finally, “Ranma’s Calligraphy Challenge” presents another new rival for Ranma, but this time, only a martial one. A master of martial arts calligraphy has come to town, hoping to set up a new dojo, but Ranma isn’t too keen on this idea and hopes to stop this...but his handwriting is abysmal.

As always, Ranma ½ is one of the most entertaining anime comedies around. It is also often at its best when introducing Ranma to impossible new characters and situations, and Gosunkugi is no exception. He is downright bizarre, but hysterical, and Ranma’s exasperation at gaining yet another rival for Akane is just too funny. Gosunkugi is also a great foil for Akane, Ryoga, and the other regulars, and I hope to see him more in future episodes. The calligraphy contest is also much funnier than it sounds like it would be, thanks to Takahashi’s comic genius.

The audio and video quality of this disc are both solid. There were few problems with cross-coloration or distortions, and the colors were consistent from scene to scene. The voice actors are old hands at this trade, and their skill shows. You can’t ask anything more than these actors give, from comic timing to real emotion, which is always a surprise in comedies where actors aren’t always expected to show much emotional range.

The extras are non-existent, which continues to be the only low point in a solid series with good production values. If only we could hear from Takahashi herself, though her schedule is likely too grueling to allow for such fripperies as interviews. An alternative would be interviews with the voice actors, Japanese or English, and maybe a look at the studio while the animation cels are being handled. Fans of the series would also love a collection of online links to wallpaper collections, etc., as a DVD-ROM extra.

If you think you’ve seen everything Ranma has to offer, then this disc is definitely for you. It was comedy, fresh ideas, fun new characters and situations, and our old favorite characters having fun and being themselves. Definitely worth checking out.