A creditless opening video for the “completely new anime” of Rumiko Takahashi’s smash hit manga “Ranma 1/2″ has been released on YouTube. The video features the opening theme, ” Yukonkkyun,” sung by ano, and features a large gathering of familiar characters such as Saotome Ranma and Tendo Akane. The series was broadcast as a TV anime from 1989 to 1992, and this will be the first time it has been adapted into a TV anime in about 32 years.
Ranma 1/2 was serialized in the manga magazine Weekly Shonen Sunday (Shogakukan) from 1987 to 1996 by Takahashi, who is also known for Urusei Yatsura and Maison Ikkoku. It depicts the hectic daily life of high school martial artist Saotome Ranma, who turns into a woman when splashed with water, and his fiancee, Tendo Akane.
While training in the indiscriminate fighting style with his father, Genma, Ranma developed a unique constitution in China, where he trained in Jusenkyo. When splashed with water, he turns into a woman and reverts to a man. When Ranma returns to Japan, he and his son end up staying at the home of Genma’s best friend, Tendo Soun, and by chance, he becomes engaged to Soun’s daughter, Akane.
In addition to the theatrical anime, an original video animation (OVA) was also produced. A TV anime was broadcast on Fuji TV and other stations from 1989 to 1992, and a live-action TV drama starring Yui Aragaki, Kento Kaku, and Natsuna was broadcast in December 2011, which also became a hot topic.
The new anime will feature the same voice actors as Saotome Ranma, Yamaguchi Kappei, Ranma Megumi, and Tendo Akane Noriko. It will be directed by Uda Konosuke, who has worked on “One Piece” and produced by MAPPA, which has worked on “Jujutsu Kaisen” and “Chainsaw Man.” It will be broadcast on Nippon TV every Saturday at 12:55 a.m. starting October 5.
Cast (titles omitted)
Ranma Saotome: Yamaguchi Kappei▽Ranma: Hayashibara Megumi▽Akane Tendo: Hidaka Noriko▽Nabiki Tendo: Takayama Minami▽Kasumi Tendo: Inoue Kikuko▽ Soun Tendo: Otsuka Akio▽Genma Saotome: Cho▽Ryoga Hibiki: Yamadera Kouichi▽Shampoo: Sakuma Rei▽Tateto Kuno: Sugita Tomokazu▽Kodachi Kuno: Sakura Ayane▽Kono Toufu: Morikawa Toshiyuki▽Tei Sanzenin: Miyano Mamoru▽Azusa Shiratori: Yuki Aoi ▽Narration: Ogata Kenichi