If you’d told the me that was a zygote anime fan *** years ago that Rurouni Kenshin and Ranma ½ would be airing new episodes in 2024, I’d have laughed you out of the room. Or if you’d told me that two years ago, for that matter. These were two of the early anime for me – very, very early. Like, borrowed VHS early. They were formative. Ranma nowhere near so much as RuroKen, but even so, my memories of it are rather evocative of those days. It’s very strange to go back to it now, I can tell you that.

The thing is, of course Ranma is just the latest in a string of classic anime reboots nobody really needed (arguably). RK is one thing, that never got a complete adaptation. But most of the others just seem odd, not even proper cash grabs under the circumstances. Among them was Takahashi Rumiko’s Urusei Yatsura, which is still eating up NoitaminA time and seems wholly unnecessary on so many levels. I must admit, however, that I enjoyed this premiere a lot more than I expected. And I wasn’t sure I would – I liked Ranma when I first watched it but that me was a tremendously different viewer than the one here today.

In the first place, I just think Ranma ½ is a better series than Urusei Yatsura. It came along almost a decade later and I think Rumiko had grown as a writer (though she did Maison Ikoku in-between and that might be the best of the lot – but then, it was a seinen). As well, this reboot has done something important that’s different from all the others in this boom – it’s retained as many of the original seiyuu as it could (no need to elaborate). I wasn’t sure how I would feel about that. After all, it’s been 35 years since the first adaptation premiered. It’s understatement to say that these actors are now way too old for their roles.

But somehow… it kind of works. If this were, say, a Hourou Musuko remake airing 35 years later I think this would be a terrible idea. But Ranma is a farce, and it calls for personalities more than anything. Plus, these are like the likes of Ohtsuka Akio and Hayashibara Megumi and Yamaguchi Kappei – hell, even Yamadera Kouichi is hilarious reprising his role as the Jusenkyo guide. These are great, great seiyuu – some of the best of all-time. And who doesn’t love a rare chance to hear the Marlin Brando of seiyuu (Ohtsuka) do screwball comedy?

With Ranma ½ – and Rumiko generally – we’re in the territory where stuff feels dated because we’ve seen it so many times, except those times were mostly copying it. This is proto-anime romcom stuff. The gender-bending schtick is really funny, and the overall conceit of this premise just works. And MAPPA have done a very nice job capturing the feel of the original. It’s cleaned-up and modern but still vibes like something from the 90’s. In Uda Koonosuke they have a supremely experienced director who understands what that means. This is authentically nostalgic without being pandering about it.

I won’t explain the plot – I mean at this point if you don’t know it just be surprised. But basically cold water girl, hot water boy, boy-hating fiancee, panda, lots of bonks on the head and walking in on someone in the bath. All the staples of anime romcom in the form that established them. These trips down memory lane are a tricky business, the alchemy has to be just right or they don’t work. Urusei Yatsura didn’t, for me. But so far Ranma does. I don’t imagine we’re going to get 161 episodes like we did the first go-around – times have changed – and that could present a challenge. But if it keeps this same sense of fun about it, the material is certainly good enough to make this particular reboot a successful one.