Search - Ranma 1/2 - Anything-Goes Martial Arts - The Complete Second Season Boxed Set on DVD

Good overall, but the series is starting to loose something

M. Gold | Tukwila, WA USA | 12/25/2002

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I love the first season of Ranma, but this second season has lost some of what made the first season great. Instead of a continuous story, the second season is comprised of many short story arcs. One can see that the series is becomming more episodic, and loosing sight of the overall story. I don't want to give the impression that it isn't enjoyable though. The Ryoga episodes in particular are hillarious, and worth the price of the box set. On the other hand, the episodes featuring Happosai reuse the same gag ad nauseam. Happosai is so one-dimensional that his character can be a big turn-off. Overall, this season is a bit hit-or-miss for me: with some really great episodes mixed in with some mediochre ones.However, the relatively low price for a full season of anime may make this box set attractive. Also, the picture quality struck me as a bit higher when compared to the first season. I still noticed some compression problems, but they weren't obvious enough to detract from the content. The only other thing I should point out is that Viz is reusing the title screens from the VHS, for the beginning of the episodes; and it looks awful. Though they're only on screen for about three seconds so it may not bother you much. Ranma has a (well-deserved) strong following; but I felt that I should warn potential buyers that the second season lacks some story elements found in the first season--specifically continuous character development. In fact, I've often heard it said that you can watch any Ranma anime (TV episodes, movies, or OVAs) after seeing the first season. So, if you're thinking of introducing friends to Ranma, the first season is a must-buy, and the second season is less necessary."

Great second season!

Javier Giese | Monterrey, Mexico | 04/04/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"After some research, i collected this info for the Second Season DVD boxed set, which you'll find even more entertaining than the first season. This is what you may expect in the 2 DVD set:"Darling Charlotte"
>Episodes: The Abduction Of P-Chan & Close Call! The Dance Of Death...On Ice
>P-Chan gets abducted and in order to get him back, Akane and Ranma needs to win a martial arts figure skating competition."Its fast, or its free"
>Episodes: P-Chan Explodes! The Icy Fountain Of Love Clash Of The Delivery Girls! & Clash Of The Delivery Girls! The Martial Arts Takeout Race
>Discover how the martial arts figure skating competition comes to an end; and later, discover that while being a kid, Ranma is traded for fish by his father, without any repercussions at all, until now."Cat-Fu Fighting"
>Episodes: You Really Do Hate Cats! & This Old Gal's The Elader Of The Amazon Tribe!
>Find about Ranma's secret weakness & the "Cat Fist" martial arts technique"Chestnuts on an Open Fire"
>Episodes: Behold! The Chestnut Roasting On An Open Fire Technique & Enter Mousse! The Fist of the White Swan
>Meet Mousse and see Ranma fighting him for the very first time. [Thanks to Cologne, Ranma is stuck in his girl persona, btw]"Cold Competition"
>Episodes: Cool Runnings! & The Race Of The Snowmen Danger At The Tendo Dojo!
>Ranma enters a race to win the Phoenix Pill that will cure him from not being able to turned back to his boy persona; also...find about the Dojo Destroyer."Breaking Point"
>Episodes: Ranma Trains On Mt. Terror & The Breaking Point!?
>Ryoga is trained by Cologne in the Breaking Point technique in order to become a match for Ranma."Fowl Play"
>Episodes: The Abduction Of Akane & Ranma vs. Mousse: To Lose Is To Win
>Mousse kidnaps Akane in order to confront Ranma, who needs to prevent Mousse to convert Akane into a duck."The Evil Wakes"
>Episodes: Enter Happosai, The Lustful Lecher & Assault On The Girl's Locker Room
>Meet Happosai, Soun's and Genma's perverted and most powerful master."Goodbye Girl-Type"
>Episodes: House Of Gadgets! Guests Check In, But They Don't Check Out & Goodbye girl-type
>Three urns hidden in strange places, that need to get reunited in order to cure the Jusenkyo curse."Tough Cookies"
>Episodes: It's A Fine Line Between Pleasure And Pain & S.O.S.! The Wrath Of Happosai!
>Ranma, eating Akane's cookies???"Ranma and Juliet"
>Episodes: Kissing Is Such Sweet Sorrow! The Taking Of Akane's Lips & Bathhouse Battle! We're In Some Hot Water Now
>Juliet played by Akane and Romeo played by ... Then, without hot water at the Tendo's, everyone visits the public bathhouse, without knowing that Happosai will be on sight.This is your chance to meet new characters and see how the old ones get faster, stronger or maybe just keep falling in love."

MUSABESU KAKUTO RANMA NIBUN NO ICHI!!

Sa-chan | Los Angeles | 04/13/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Ranma 1/2 never looked better. The transition to DVD is now at its fullest. The original video masters from KITTY TV were used, ensuring the highest animation quality possible. However it is not perfect. There is some level of graininess, and line inconsistency, also their is some color bleeding, especially in the intro.But, the consistency of the animation, far makes up for this. Unlike the first boxed set, the animation is high quality on every single episode. The outlining is crisp and the colors are vivid and distinct. I've never seen Ranma 1/2 look so good.This is a must buy for all Ranma 1/2 fans. The pacing of the story has quickened in the second season. Takahashi's characters are now fully developed. And my look how they shine! You'll love it. And you'll be begging to see the next season."

Getting better...

Javier Giese | 08/27/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Okay, with the second season of Ranma 1/2(or the first, since this in Japan they started a new Ranma series beginning with this season), we can see that the characters are starting to get more in place, and although Akane and Ranma are still slightly out of character from the comic, they aren't treated as bad as they were in the first season. Ranma switches outfits in this season to the one he usually wears(in the comic, although he has a blue shirt instead of a red one). More of the characters are introduced, including Mousse, Happosai, Cologne, and Sasuke, who is an original character(voiced by Shigeru Chiba, who also voiced Raditz in Dragonball Z and Kuwabara in Yu Yu Hakusho). I do feel Sasuke is a bit out of place(I would have preferred Hikaru Gosunkugi from the beginning), but I can adjust. The animation gets a bit screwy at times, but it's pretty good, more or less. The dub actors seem to be getting a bit more in tune with the characters, although Ranma at times sounds really screwed up, like when he screams, "I'm REALLY angry!," at Mikado. But, the series is getting improved. Well, on to season 3!"