Because of its appealing artstyle, funny situations, and countless fanservice moments, many people regard the 1989 anime adaptation of Ranma ½ as a classic.
With the debut of the remake, which attempts to be more faithful to the Rumiko Takahashi manga, fans have been flocking to the original series to compare the two versions on sites like Twitter and Tumblr.
Though the remake offers updated visuals, a different voice cast (at least for English Dub viewers), and manga-accurate plots, I (and many others) still believe that the 1989 Ranma ½ anime is superior for a number of reasons. Here are some strong arguments for why, in my opinion, fans still choose Takahashi’s original Ranma over the remake.
1. Authenticity to the Source Material
The 1989 anime was released during a time when anime was growing increasingly popular worldwide (especially in the West). The central humor, character relationships, and episodic storytelling closely matched the spirit of the manga, albeit with particular changes in the story.
The 2024 rendition on the contrary, was modernized by making a number of changes often at the expense of the series’ original eccentric tone. The episodes feel new (especially to those who have only watched the 1989 original) with revised dialogue and situations, yet it commonly deviates from the absurdity that made the 1989 original so enjoyable.
2. Iconic Animation Style
Cel animation of the late 80s into the early 2000s depicted such a unique aesthetic that modern computer animated anime just can’t compare to. The original Ranma ½ has vibrant colors, humorous facial expressions and well animated action scenes that capture the insane energy of the various fight scenes.
While the 2024 remake boasts cleaner digital animation using computers, its sleekness can feel soulless when compared to the look and feel of hand-drawn cels.
The slight imperfections and usage of animating on cels is widely what attributed to its appeal, creating a nostalgic atmosphere that makes anyone who watches it immediately wanna grab their pokemon cards and Gameboys to play with during commercial breaks.
3. Voice Acting and Music
For both the 1989 and 2024 series, it was welcoming to hear the return of VA greats like Megumi Hayashibara (who by the way was also Lina Inverse from Slayers, Faye Valentine from Cowboy Bebop, and Ai Amano from Video Girl Ai; seriously go look at her IMDb profile, her resume is amazing) and Kikuko Inoue (Belldandy from Ah! My Goddess and Valkyrie in Project X Zone).
The performances captured the nuances of each character’s personality traits from Akane’s fiery anger to Ranma’s sarcastic wit. Another noteworthy element of the series is the original music composed by Kenji Kawai.
The show’s humor was often backed by the music making scenes which you should find funny often sentimental. The new soundtrack, being composed by Kaoru Wada (who has also composed music for Inuyasha and Ninja Scroll), nonetheless includes heavy usage of modern orchestral/remixes of past themes, which often fail to replicate the original score’s emotional feel and cultural identity.
4. Pacing and Episodic Charm
One of the fun things about the original Ranma ½ is its episodic format, aka its un-serialized nature, which lets anyone randomly turn on an episode without needing to follow a confusing overarching plot if even one episode was missed.
This storytelling format allows each character plenty of time to shine and contributes to the series’ lighthearted, fun tone. On the other hand, the 2024 remake (being more accurate to the manga) attempts to introduce more serialized storytelling, which can feel out of place for a series known for most episodes plots not carrying over to the next.
Conclusion
For many of reasons, notably its humor, stunning animation, and simple plot, Ranma ½ (1989) continues to be recognized as a classic. Although the 2024 remake has a few redeeming features, among them improved graphics and fresh takes of well-known characters, it just falls shy of replicating the original’s special magic.
The 1989 animation is a nostalgic trip into an action-packed, humorous, and charming universe that still delights to viewers decades later for fans of Ranma ½. The original Ranma½ is without a doubt the most satisfying way to experience Rumiko Takahashi’s acclaimed work, despite how familiar you are with the series.
You can stream Ranma 1/2 (2024) on Netflix currently, while Ranma 1/2 (1989) can be streamed on Prime Video. Which version of Ranma do you prefer? Let us know.. or don’t I’m not your mother after all.
