The hot and cold, gender-bending shonen classic Ranma 1/2 is getting a brand new anime adaptation.
It’s been a good three decades since the original Ranma 1/2 anime finished airing, and none other than the very creator of the series Rumiko Takahashi announced yesterday that the series is getting treated to a new anime adaptation. While details are pretty scant on this new anime, it’s seemingly going to be completely new, though whether that means it’ll carry on the story of the original, or will start things over from the beginning isn’t clear just yet. However, it’s not too long until we’ll find out more, as a livestream is being held on July 17 which will share more about the upcoming anime series.
For those that are maybe a touch too young to even be aware of Ranma 1/2, the series follows martial artist Ranma Saotome, who accidentally gets cursed to transform into a girl whenever he’s exposed to cold water, but he transforms back into a boy when hit with hot water. Think H2O: Just Add Water, but for gender. And I guess also for turning into pandas? As that’s what Ranman’s father turns into when hit with similar conditions. It’s a comedy manga, if you hadn’t guessed, where Ranma transforms back and forth depending on what hijinks he gets into.
Takahashi is very much a household name in the world of manga and anime, as she’s also the creator of Urusei Yatsura and Inuyasha, both of which have also recently received new anime series, so she’s going through something of a revival right now.
The original anime ran from 1989 to 1992, and was animated by Studio Deen, known for series like Vampire Knight, the original Fruits Basket, and Higurashi When They Cry, but it’s unclear if it’ll be animating this new series. You’ll just have to wait until July to learn more!