Netflix has released an English-subbed trailer for the upcoming "all new" anime adaptation of Rumiko Takahashi's martial arts romantic comedy manga series, Ranma 1/2. The new remake will be exclusively be released on Netflix, and today, the streamer announced the anime's weekly release, starting on October 5, 2024, which aligns with the previously confirmed October 5 JST (effectively October 6 at 12:55 AM JST) premiere date in Japan. Studio MAPPA is in charge of the animation, and you can watch the English-subbed trailer here:
The latest Ranma 1/2 remake will be directed by Konosuke Uda (Victory Kickoff!) with Kimiko Ueno (Astro Note) as series composer, and Hiromi Taniguchi (Deca Dence and Saga of Tanya the Evil Operation Desert Pasta co-character designer) as the co-chief animation director and character designer. Rie Aoki and Nao Naito are the main animators of the remake, and Kaoru Wada (Tesla Note) is the music composer. It was also revealed that ano will be performing the opening song of the upcoming anime adaptation.
Who are the cast of the Ranma 1/2 remake?
It was confirmed that Kappei Yamaguchi is the voice actor for Ranma Saotome, and Megumi Hayashibara is voicing the female form. The rest of the cast includes:
Noriko Hidaka as Akane Tendo
Minami Takayama as Nabiki Tendo
Cho as Genma Saotome
Koichi Yamadera as Ryoga Hibiki
Rei Sakuma as Shampoo
Kikuko Inoue as Kasumi Tendo
Akio Otsuka as Soun Tendo
Kenichi Ogata as the Narrator
What is Ranma 1/2 about?
Based on Rumiko Takahashi's manga series of the same title (Japanese: Ranma Nibun-no-Ichi), Ranma 1/2 debuted in the 36th 1987 issue of was serialized in Shogakukan’s Weekly Shonen Sunday and ended in the 12th 1996 issue of the manga magazine, with the chapters compiled in 38 tankōbon volumes by Shogakukan. The story centers on the titular character who is afflicted with a curse that causes him to transform into a girl when splashed with cold water.
An 18-episode anime adaptation started airing in 1989, and was followed by Ranma ½: Nettou-hen, which consisted of 143 episodes that ran from 1989 to 1992. Both anime adaptations were produced by Studio Deen, and in addition, the franchise also released 12 OVAs and three films. In 2011, Ranma 1/2 also received a live-action TV special.
VIZ Media, which licensed the English version of the manga, shared a description for Ranma 1/2:
Years ago, Genma promised his old friend Soun Tendo that Ranma would marry one of Soun’s three daughters and carry on the family’s martial arts school. Except that the girl picked to be Ranma’s bride doesn’t seem to like him, Ranma keeps getting into fights…and did we mention that whole changing into a girl thing?
The new Ranma 1/2 anime would be the second remake of a Takahashi manga, following the four-cour anime remake of Urusei Yatsura. The first consecutive two-cour portion of the series premiered in October 2022 while the final half started airing on January 11, 2024.
