Ranma 1/2 - Random Rhapsody, Vol. 5:
Wacky Winter Wonderland (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

Features:

• English and Japanese audio
  
• English subtitles
  

Dindrane's Anime Warnings:

• weird translation decisions
• the Iceman Cometh
• broken bones and frostbite

Rating: 13+

Anamorphic: N/A; appears in its original 1.33:1 format.

My Advice: Buy it.

This collection of three winter-themed episodes is one of the best Ranma discs to come along in a while. All three episodes include some character development--a nice trick in a show this old--and some good quality character interaction. The plots avoid the over-the-top goofiness that sometimes afflicts this series, without sacrificing the fun and humor that is Ranma at its best. There is even some attention to the real relationship between Akane and Ranma, for which Christmas is a natural, and there’s also an episode for Ryoga to star and truly get to stretch emotionally.

That being said, there are a few odd translation peccadilloes on this disc. For some reason, a few times when Genma and/or Soun mention “Jesus Christ” in the Japanese, the name is edited out of the English and replaced with something more generic like “Christmas.” I can only assume that this was done for politically correct reasons--to avoid alienating all the non-Christian audience members. This strikes me, however, as unnecessary editing. If an author makes reference to a name, be that name a religion, a person, a place, or whatever, then the translators should be literal, with the possible exception of a cultural reference that has an easy parallel in the new culture, such as pop icons mentioned in Ceres and changed to American equivalents that mean more to American readers. The changes here seem pointless, almost foolish, though at least they don’t significantly alter the story in any way. It just doesn’t seem worth the trouble it took them to change it.

The lack of special features is still quite annoying, but the production values of the disc itself are at least professional and of high quality. There were no problems with either the audio or the video, with either language track. Takahashi’s skill and artistry show up nicely, and the show has a very polished and attractive overall look to it.

In short, if you have never seen Ranma 1/2 before, and you are willing to just accept some plot details, like people metamorphosing into animals when wet, then this disc is a great way to see what all the furor is about. If you are an old fan of this series, as I am, then you will love this disc for its perfect balance of silliness and quality. These three episodes just go to show that you can be lighthearted, even slapstick, without being stupid. Kudos to Takahashi once again, as well as to the team who brought her manga to the screen.