Genre: Romantic Comedy
Parental Guidance Recommended
Credits: 1994 Rumiko Takahashi, VIZ. Screencaps from Harmony's Anything Goes Webpage.
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An ancient jewel that reverses one's feelings...A cooking bout yet again...An aura-sucking child woman...A big fat phoenix...A tunnel of lost love... The list of oddities goes on and on, and they're what makes this OAV extra special. It's one hilarious episode after another from the eccentric cast of Ranma 1/2!
(12 episodes)
Great, even without the tv series experience...>>> by thundersenshiThis is truly a must-see for any anime fan. Roughly set after the the second movie of popular Rumic series Ranma 1/2 , this OAV chronicles more of the hilarious adventures of Ranma and his friends. If you just can't get enough of Rumiko Takahashi's wild fray of adorable characters, this ought to tide you over. It features several characters as well as episodes from the manga which hadn't been featured in the tv series. What more reasons should you have to get ahold of this? Well, let me give you a few...
There's the exciting reversal of Shampoo's feelings when she wears the cursed jewel. It's a hoot seeing the baffled and bewildered Ranma being ignored by someone who used to chase him crazy! There is also the Christmas party episode where some of the most memorable characters throughout the series drop by for a little fun. In another episode, Akane and Ranma finally put their cooking skills to the test--and against each other! Then there is Miss Hinako's introductory episode. She hadn't been in the tv series, but she was quite a mainstay in the manga. I'm sure she's been sorely missed, so here's your chance to get a peek of that energy-draining action!
It's just so hard to choose a single favorite one among so many volumes of fun. Each of them has something different to offer. See in "An Akane to Remember" (episodes 7 & 8) there's a touch of sweet sincerity, and just a bit of a more serious side. Very special--you will see rare romantic moments between Ranma and Akane. And surprisingly, even though the whole volume was about Akane (I have no fondness for this girl) and a bit about her past, I found it still extremely enjoyable. One of, if not the funniest episode (and that's saying much), is "Team Ranma VS the Legendary Phoenix". The big bird stirs up enough chaos, confusion and hilarity, that it's certain to crack anyone up. The cutest episode, is when the gang goes inside a cursed tunnel of lost love. This is where everyone gets paired up again--it gives focus on each couple and their outrageous attempts to snag Ranma and Akane for their own.
Let's also not forget a couple of the tried-and-tested formula of personality change/switch. It's a sure fire way to get interesting results--that's what episodes "Hell Hath No Fury Like Kasumi Scorned" and "The Two Akanes: 'Ranma, Look at Me!'" have in store for you. Can you imagine sweet Kasumi doing something evil, and Akane's body being taken over by a vengeful spirit? I thought so; now pick yourself up from the floor and stop that racket! That reaction is quite natural. You see, for the record, our Ranma OAV set is probably the most watched in our anime VHS collection!
Perhaps I should also mention that the artwork is very different in the OAV. As expected, it's a lot more polished and beautifully animated than the tv series'. There are times, however, that the eyes look a little too big (that the characters already look cross-eyed) and the hair a mite too squared...other than that, well..there's simply nothing else to complain about! Anyone can enjoy this, even those who have little background on the series' main storylines.
By the way...Viz dub is really good!
Individual Rating: Art/Animation 9; Story 9; Characters 10; Sounds 9
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