If you’re an anime fan, you’re in luck, because one of the classic shōnen anime series has returned for its second season on Netflix. You know what that means: plenty of action, fights, and a whole lot of humor. Will it win over fans and become the definitive version of Rumiko Takahashi’s work?
The story picks up at the Tendo Dojo, the epicenter of the chaotic adventures of Ranma Saotome, a martial arts prodigy whose life is complicated by a peculiar curse. After falling into an enchanted spring in Jusenkyo, China, Ranma transforms into a girl upon contact with cold water, needing hot water to return to his male form. This condition is the core of his tumultuous relationship and engagement to Akane Tendo, the temperamental youngest daughter of the Tendo family. As you may know, another adaptation from 1989 aired while the manga was still being published.
The Plot Thickens: New Rivals and Fiancées on the Horizon
The second season raises the stakes by introducing a new cast of characters who deliberately upset the precarious balance in Ranma’s life. This season confirms the debut of key figures from the manga like Ukyo Kuonji, Mousse, and the fearsome Happosai. Their arrival in the Nerima district and at Furinkan High School drastically expands the series’ universe, introducing new fighting styles and personal complications.
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While the first season established the central conflict between Ranma, Akane, and their initial rivals (Ryoga Hibiki and Tatewaki Kuno), the second breaks this mold. Ukyo Kuonji isn’t just another rival; she’s a childhood fiancée with a history with Ranma, adding a new layer of legitimacy to her claim. Mousse, meanwhile, is directly connected to Shampoo, creating a secondary love triangle and expanding the mythology of the Amazon tribe. Finally, the arrival of Happosai and Cologne, masters of the previous generation, elevates the level of the martial arts sequences, acting as both mentors and antagonists who force the protagonists to develop new and powerful techniques. This season marks the series’ transition from a romantic comedy with fighting elements to the chaotic, multifaceted epic for which the manga is celebrated.
Profiles of the New Contenders
The second season introduces several iconic characters who will become regulars. Each brings a unique combat style and a new dimension to the series’ tangled relationships.
- Ukyo Kuonji: An okonomiyaki chef and martial artist who fights with a giant spatula. She is a childhood friend of Ranma and his fiancée as a result of an arrangement made by Ranma’s father, Genma, years ago.
- Mousse: A martial artist from the same Chinese Amazon tribe as Shampoo. He is an expert in the use of hidden weapons but suffers from severe nearsightedness that often leads him to mistake people for objects. He is in love with Shampoo and sees Ranma as his main rival.
- Cologne: Shampoo’s great-grandmother and the matriarch of the Amazon tribe. Despite her advanced age, she is an immensely powerful martial arts master. She acts as an occasional mentor to Ranma, although her main goal is to ensure her great-granddaughter’s happiness.
- Happosai: The founder and grandmaster of the “Anything-Goes School of Martial Arts” (Musabetsu Kakutō Ryū) and the former master of Soun Tendo and Genma Saotome. Despite his tiny size, he is one of the most powerful characters in the series. However, his lecherous nature makes him a constant source of trouble.
- Hikaru Gosunkugi: A student at Furinkan High School known for his gloomy appearance and his constant, though ineffective, attempts to use voodoo rituals to win Akane’s heart.
The Creative Team and Animation
The production of this new adaptation is led by a team of industry veterans. The animation studio MAPPA, renowned for its work on blockbuster series, delivers fluid and dynamic animation quality that enhances both the action sequences and the physical comedy. The series is directed by Konosuke Uda (ONE PIECE), with Kimiko Ueno (Delicious in Dungeon) handling series composition, ensuring a faithful and well-paced narrative structure.
Character designs by Hiromi Taniguchi adapt Takahashi’s classic style to a modern aesthetic, opting for an approach closer to the early stages of the manga with softer, more rounded contours. Visually, the series is distinguished by a vibrant, almost pastel color palette that gives it a unique identity, notably changing female Ranma’s iconic red hair to a pinkish tone, more in line with the manga. The soundtrack, composed by Kaoru Wada, creates a sonic bridge for fans of the author, as he is the same composer from the acclaimed adaptation of Inuyasha, another of Takahashi’s masterpieces. The project’s cohesion is completed with the opening theme “Wo ai ni” by the group WEDNESDAY CAMPANELLA and the closing theme “Panda Girl” by the artist nishina.
A Voice Cast that Unites Generations
One of the most celebrated aspects of the new series is its Japanese voice cast, which combines the return of the original actors for the main roles with the addition of new talent. This decision serves as a tribute to the legacy of the original series. Actors Kappei Yamaguchi (male Ranma), Megumi Hayashibara (female Ranma), and Noriko Hidaka (Akane Tendo) reprise their iconic roles more than three decades later, providing an emotional continuity that has been key to the project’s reception. For the new characters, a cast of renowned names from the contemporary industry has been assembled. In a nod to the original series, actor Kazuhiko Inoue, who had a minor role in 1989, now voices the powerful master Happosai.
The Legacy of Rumiko Takahashi
This new series is a direct adaptation of the influential manga “Ranma ½,” created by Rumiko Takahashi, one of the most successful and respected authors in the history of the medium. Serialized in Weekly Shonen Sunday magazine from 1987 to 1996, the work was collected into 38 volumes that have sold over 55 million copies worldwide. Takahashi’s work is celebrated for her ability to blend comedy, romance, action, and fantasy—a formula that “Ranma ½” perfectly exemplifies and which made it one of the first manga and anime works to achieve massive popularity in the West during the 1990s.
In adapting a work from the late 80s for a contemporary global audience, the production navigates cultural sensibilities that have evolved. The new series, for example, adopts a more reserved approach to its depiction of casual nudity, a common comedic element of the era, to align with current standards. At the same time, the central premise of gender-swapping, which originally functioned as a comedic device, acquires a new resonance. For modern audiences, the story of a character navigating life in two differently gendered bodies has become an unexpected point of connection and an icon for the trans community, giving the classic a layer of contemporary relevance that transcends its original intent.
Release Information
The second season of “Ranma ½” premieres on Netflix on October 4.
