Viz will finally be re-releasing the complete first season of one of
Rumiko Takahashi's most beloved anime's: Ranma 1/2. In case you
don't somehow know about this anime, it's about a martial artist, (Ranma
Saotome) and his unfortunate luck in having the ability to change
into a female when struck by even the tiniest of cold water. (You'll
be many classic moments when just when you think it couldn't happen,
it does). Genma, Ranma's father seeks to have his son wed one of
Soun Tendo(u)'s beautiful daughters, so he can carry on the
Anything-Goes Martial Arts School. Akane is pretty much chosen by
her other sisters because of her tomboy nature and her extreme
hatred towards boys. Along the way, Ranma meets up with many other
interesting characters, including Kuno, the indecisive
upperclassman, Ryoga, his arch-rival, and eventually, even Shampoo,
the barbaric amazon girl from China.
Nex to the OVA series, Season 1 is considered by many to be a
excellent starting point for the 7 season Ranma 1/2 series. Season 1
is 18 episodes long, with each show clocking in anywhere from 20 to
25 minutes. This set will be presented in the original Japanese
version (with English subtitles), and by the English cast as well.
Overall, both versions are great in my honest opinion (of course,
the original is superior).
For Ranma veterans and those that have been swayed by the previous
release of this season and its enormous price tag. The question that
might be on everyone's mind right now is, how can Viz offer this set
so cheaply now in comparison to before? In my next paragraph, I'm
going to attempt to take a stab at this perplexed thought.
Recently, many classic anime series (and new ones) have been
released in what is called a "thin-pak". Basically all DVDs are in a
very thin opening in the contents of the DVD Set. What this does is
decrease the overall price, thanks to less packaging. However,
sometimes with new releases, extras are often left out that were
once included with the original. Postcards, opening/closing scenes
with subtitles and no subtitles, previews of other animes,
encyclopedia of the anime, etc.) I would assume that we'll be
getting the anime and just the anime, but I could very well be
wrong. For most of us anime fans, getting the animes we love as a
drastically reduced price is often worth it in the end.
Make no mistake, I am simply guessing at this because of experiences
with past anime sets. (Take the Anime Legends series of Love Hina,
Escaflowne, etc, remember when those sets often reached into the
hundreds of dollars?)
Another important thing to worry is, will their be less discs than
in the original set (I believe the original had seven discs), and if
so, will the quality of the picture be reduced as a result? In most
cases, companies have been careful with picture quality, and being
able to cram more into a dvd has improved over the years as
technology as advanced.
So, let's assume, the picture quality is great, and there are no
extras in this set. Is it worth the 50 percent price cut from the
original? I would think so! I've been a fan of this series for a
long time, just waiting for this very moment when Viz would hear its
fans calling for a cheaper set of the anime they know and love, and
thus they have answered the call (hopefully).
So, give it a shot. Amazon has, of course, a 30-day money-back
return policy. Also, it's only a matter of time before the rest of
the seasons are released. And, assuming the prices will still remain
steady, you'll be getting a great deal on a great anime. So, give in
to your craving and go for it already! :)
"A Tear in a
Girl-Delinquent's Eye? The End of the Martial Arts Rhythmic
Gymnastics Challenge!" "Sukeban no Me ni Namida? Rūru Muyō no Kakutō Shintaisō
Kecchaku"
(スケバンの目に涙?ルール無用の格闘新体操決着)
"Shampoo's
Revenge! The Shiatsu Technique That Steals Heart and Soul" "Shanpū no Hangeki! Hissatsu Shiatsu Kobushi wa Mukuro mo
Kokoro mo Ubau"
(シャンプーの反撃!必殺指圧拳は身も心も奪う)
