The groundbreaking ecchi and martial arts anime series is back for another round. The new Ranma 1/2 anime adaptation brought the genderswap hero/ine back into the limelight. There were some changes: Ranko wasn’t showing off the goods like she did before. That aside, Ranma’s journey to end his curse and deal with his father’s decision to marry him off continues. A new martial artist has appeared with flying knives and feathers. We’ll see how Ranma fares in his new matches when Ranma 1/2 (Ranma Nibun-no-Ichi) Season 2 premieres sometime in October 2025.
Rumiko Takahashi released the original Ranma 1/2 manga series between August 19th, 1987, and March 6th, 1996. Shogakukan published all 38 volumes in the Weekly Shonen Sunday magazine. Studio Deen’s anime adaptation premiered on April 15th, 1989. Studio MAPPA’s anime adaptation premiered on October 6th, 2024.
The unlikely martial arts couple and a love rival are as follows:
- Ranma Saotome — Kappei Yamaguchi (male Ranma) (Kechizu from Jujutsu Kaisen), Megumi Hayashibara (female Ranma) (Musashi/Jessie from Pokémon). A martial artist whose ego matches his skill. A curse transforms Ranma into a girl whenever cold water douses him.
- Akane Tendo — Noriko Hidaka (Shiny Chariot / Professor Ursula from Little Witch Academia). Ranma’s fiancée and a fellow martial artist. She is a tomboy at heart.
- Ukyo Kuonji — Kaori Nazuka (Uta from One Piece). Ranma’s childhood friend and martial arts okonomiyaki chef.
Studio MAPPA has maintained a home page, a TikTok channel, and a Twitter (X) page to promote Ranma 1/2. You can find more information about the series and the key visuals there.
Ranma 1/2, of Girls and Ducks
Ranma Saotome is a lifelong martial artist. He’s traveled far and wide with his father to fight ever-stronger opponents. A recent return journey through China saw the two Saotome men fight among the cursed springs of Jusenkyo. Genma knocked his son into the Spring of Drowned Girl, and he was soon knocked into the Spring of Drowned Panda. Thereafter, Ranma would turn into a girl, and his father would turn into a panda whenever they’re doused with cold water.
In more recent times, Ranma continues to struggle against his father’s wish for him to marry Akane Tendo, Genma’s friend’s daughter. While he deals with that, old friends and foes appear one by one to challenge him. The Chinese Amazon Shampoo arrives to kill Ranma as a girl and marry Ranma as a boy. Shampoo’s admirer has arrived to defeat Ranma and claim Shampoo as his beloved.
Will you watch Ranma 1/2 Season 2 after the series returns in October? Have you read the original manga series? Who is your favorite genderswap girl? Let us know in the comments below.
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