Ranma ½ OVA

Genre: Action/Comedy
Company: Shogakukan
Format: 12 OVA
Dates: 10/12/1993 to 1/19/1996

Comprised of ten stories: Desperately Seeking Shampoo: Curse of the Contrary Jewel; Tendo Family Christmas Scramble; Akane vs. Ranma! I’ll Be the One to Inherit Mother’s Recipes!; Stormy Weather Comes to School! Growing Up with Miss Hinako; The One to Carry On; Reawakening Memories; Team Ranma vs. the Legendary Phoenix; Oh Cursed Tunnel of Lost Love! Let My Love Be Forever; Hell Hath no Fury Like Kasumi Scorned; The Two Akanes, “Ranma, Look at Me!”. Ranma and the gang are up to no good again! Don’t they ever learn?

summary by Kain

Reviewed: 07/29/2002 by
Grade: 82% 

Highs: Ranma ½, but easier on the eyes

Lows: Really no more than just filler episodes; characters make no progress in their relationships

Ranma ½ is like McDonald’s™; you know exactly what you’re getting every single time. That is how both have come to lead their respective industries in sheer popularity. There are no surprises in these OVA spin-offs, either. Hey, whatever works.

Out of the ten storylines making up the twelve OVAs, it’s really hit or miss. The ones that focus on some of the more minor characters (Desperately Seeking Shampoo, Growing Up with Miss Hinako and Hell Hath no Fury Like Kasumi Scorned) are hands-down hilarious, and rival the best episodes from the television series. The OVAs that feature Akane and Ranma are less entertaining because they are superficially stuck in drama mode. Nothing infuriates a Ranma fan more than Akane and Ranma in serious roles but not making any real progress in their relationship.

There is one constant to every episode and that is crisp, fluid animation. While the television series had its ups and downs in the aesthetics department, no expense was spared in making these OVAs the prettiest of the franchise. Colors are bright and the main characters sport some new snazzy, trendy duds. The voice acting matches the same high standards that were set, and Hayashibara Megumi is on top of her game, as usual, voicing Ranma girl-type.

Those who can’t get enough Ranma ½ will find this series of OVAs refreshing in the sense that they stay true to the universe that Takahashi Rumiko envisioned. Just don’t expect a vast improvement.

 

Ranma ½ (12 OVAs) can be downloaded legally in the United States HERE.