The one thing that I was really enjoying about the first two seasons
of Ranma ½ is the fact that they both had a certain season long
`theme' to each.
Also, I enjoyed the story arcs that were present in each season,
although to be honest, I found that the arcs were getting smaller
and smaller during season two.
So, here we have season three.
There were no story arcs to speak of. Pretty much each and every
episode was a stand alone episode, with very little in common to the
previous episodes of the season.
Although I do have to admit that if season three had any sort of
common theme, it was the supernatural theme.
The episodes of this season delved far more into magic and the
supernatural than any of the previous seasons. Some of the
highlights of season three supernatural episodes included Ranma's
female side being brought out of him, a bra that happens to contain
the ghost of a vengeful witch, time travelling back almost three
hundred years into the past, a soup that makes the person who imbues
it super strong, a cursed kendo sword, and three versions of a love
potion.
Whew!
Oh, and lets not forget that Ranma gets yet ANOTHER fiancée in this
season, although she's now where near as obsessed in getting him to
marry her as Shampoo or the black Rose.
Yes, there was plenty of humour to be certain in this season, but I
am left to wonder, just how closely does the animated series follow
the manga? Did the story arcs slow down in the manga as well?
Somehow I doubt that happened.
Also, maybe it's just me, but I noticed a distinct drop in the
amount of nudity on screen. That's not really a bad thing, after
all, if you get too much nudity, the show risks becoming yet another
Japanese Henti.
Man, does that make me sound prudish or what?
A couple of highlights from season three - first, Ranma getting
conked on the head and having his female side take over. It was
almost painful to watch him (her?) act so feminine! Then there was
Kuno's ninja man servant leaving the Kuno estate after a
particularly bad day of humiliation. And finally, my personal
favourite, the episode where Ryoga finally got his wish and he was
able to go on a date with Akane.
After having watched three full seasons of Ranma I have to say
this... there are quite a few questions that keep popping up in my
mind.
Why is Genma so dishonourable? He's obsessed with teaching his son
Martial arts, and yet he's made numerous promises to people he's met
(such as exchanging Ranma to be someone's fiancée for food. He's a
very poor role model for Ranma, and it's surprising that Soun Tendo
is his friend.
Truth be told, Soun isn't much better than Genma, but at least his
heart's in the right place and he seems as baffled as Ranma at some
of Genma's actions.
How did Cologne, shampoo's great, great grandmother get to be so
short? And for that matter, how did she manage to live to be over
three hundred years old? And how about Happosai? Since they happened
to know one another from their youth how come he's so old as well?
Here's hoping that some of these questions will be answered in the
later seasons.
Overall, it was quite enjoyable, but I have to admit that I'm
getting a little bored with the stand alone episode format. I will
be picking up the forth season soon enough, but I'm not holding any
hope that this format of stand alone episodes that are only loosely
tied together will be broken.
Oh, and the other downside to this DVD set is the fact that like the
previous season, there were no special features present.
Full of Memories (思い出がいっぱい Omoide ga Ippai) by CoCo (Nettōhen
episodes 24-45; English episodes 42-64)
Ending Theme:
Lambada Ranma (乱馬ダ☆RANMA Ranbada Ranma) by Ranma ½
Choral Ensemble (Nettōhen episodes 24-38; English episodes
42-64)
Present (プレゼント Purezento) by
Tokyo Shōnen (Nettōhen episodes 39-45) This song was
never heard in the English dub. In fact, the closing song for
Ranma ½: Outta Control, "Friends" (フレンズ Furenzu) by
YAWMIN, was mislabelled as "Present" during the first eight
episodes of that season.
This season covers the 23rd to 45th and 51st episodes of the
Nettōhen series. Interesting fact was the insertion of the 51st
Nettōhen episode, "Ukyo's Skirt! The Great Girly-Girl Gambit"
into this season in the Western release.
Overall
Episode No.
Season
Episode No.
Title
"Nettōhen"
Episode No.
Original Air Date
41
1
"Ranma Gains Yet
Another Suitor" "Mata Hitori Ranma wo Aishita Yatsu"(また一人乱馬を愛したヤツ)
23
42
2
"Ryoga & Akane:
2-Gether, 4-Ever" "Netsuai? Ryōga to Akane"(熱愛?良牙とあかね)
