Rumiko Takahashi’s groundbreaking Ranma ½ remake made its way to Netflix in 2024. The hype for the series has been off the charts in the fandom due to the Isekai giant, the manga, and the previous anime adaptations have become.
Thankfully, the remake more than proved its worth by somehow taking the story and making it even better thanks to the current technological developments in the industry.
However, this also proved to be a lesson to anime lovers all over the world. That is, anime should always stay integral first and foremost to Japan.
Rumiko Takahashi’s Ranma ½ proved why anime should stay connected to Japan
The anime industry has gone through major changes in the recent decades. From being ridiculed as strictly nerdcore to making a prominent place in popular culture, the industry has come a long way.
Now, globalization has its benefits in the sense that it reaches a wider audience which boosts its popularity and sales back home. However, the downside of it is that in a fight to make its standing in the global platform, it can lose its original essence altogether.
Kadokawa’s producers Takiya Yoshioka, and Maki Mihara recently shared the same concern in an interview with The Television, stating they are “concerned” about the future of the genre and the industry if anime leans too much to the west (Anime Corner).
Stating that they believe any sort of visual art that has its roots in a place, also comes with its own form of cultural influences and importance that has been “cultivated over a long period of time”. As such, anime in its true essence “can only be created with the sensibility and nature born in Japan”. Yoshioka added,
That is why I believe that it is the responsibility of video makers to protect the unique video expression method called ‘anime’ born in this country and its culture, protect and develop the production environment and functions, and continue to produce anime with continuity so that people involved in anime can be properly enriched.
The recent remake of Rumiko Takahashi’s Ranma ½ proved his point. The manga became a cult classic quickly after debuting in the 1980s.
Ever since, the impact of the manga and the anime adaptations that followed has been irrefutable in the Isekai genre. As such, many fans were concerned whether the new remake would be able to fill in that shoe properly.
Easing their concerns, MAPPA proved why their name holds such significance in the industry. In fact, many even claimed that thanks to the technological developments of recent times, the show has even outdone its predecessors and some (Screen Rant).
Fans appreciate Rumiko Takahashi’s Ranma ½ remake
Fans have been waiting with bated breath for the Ranma ½ remake to drop since the announcement was first made. Thankfully, their anticipation proved to be worth it as many claimed that MAPPA has somehow breathed life to Rumiko Takahashi‘s already magnificent piece of work.
Moreover, many fans seem to believe that the industry should try to revive older mangas or animes that have been completed already from now on as the classics come with the necessary nostalgia to build the hype.
Which, according to them, can go a long way to improve the downward turn the Isekai genre has been on recently. The recent interview of Kadokawa producers seems to have cemented their belief even more.
‘I Am Concerned’: KADOKAWA Anime Producer Says Japan Needs to Protect Its Unique Style and Calls for Sustainable Production
byu/Key_Tree_3851 inanimenews
Comment
byu/Key_Tree_3851 from discussion
inanimenews
Comment
byu/Key_Tree_3851 from discussion
inanimenews
Comment
byu/Key_Tree_3851 from discussion
inanimenews
Comment
byu/Key_Tree_3851 from discussion
inanimenews
Rumiko Takahashi’s Ranma ½ has already been renewed for a second season as per Anime News Network. It’ll be interesting to see if they manage to keep the flow intact in the second season. However, if Season 1 was anything to go by, fans are in for a treat when the show finally airs on Netflix.
Ranma ½ is streaming on Netflix.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
