Ranma 1/2 Finally Coming to Blu-ray in 2014

[kemcha]

I thought this deserved a special announcement.



Viz Media is preparing to release the massive 161 episode anime series, Ranma 1/2, to Blu-ray in 2014, according to a write-up on Anime News Network. While no exact release date is set, the anime is set to be streamed to new anime fans this fall with a Blu-ray release to follow soon afterwards.

North American manga and anime publisher Viz Media announced at its panel at Otakon on Saturday that it will release the Ranma ½ television anime series on Blu-ray Disc and DVD. The release will mark the first time the series will get a release on Blu-ray Disc in North America. The show will also debut this fall on Neon Alley, and will also stream on VizAnime.com. Additionally, Viz Media will host special Ranma ½ programming at New York Comic Con in October.

Viz Media had previously released the 161-episode series on VHS and DVD between 1995-2008. The show originally aired in Japan between 1989-1992.

Source: http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news...nime-on-bd/dvd

So, who's excited to see this series released to Blu-ray?

[MifuneFan]

Do as I say, not as I do

Originally Posted by kemcha

There's an anime discussion topic for all anime releases:

https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=101899

[SethRex]

Awesome. Exciting

[Batman1980]

All over this assuming it drops at a reasonable price, don't think I've seen even half of it yet but I have enjoyed what I've seen so far.

[Mathos]

Wonderful news. Hopefully it will take up less shelf space than the DVDs. It would also be nice if they chose to throw in the movies/OVAs.

[Gold Ranger]

Day 1...
Now I want InuYasha as well...
And Noir...
And .hack//Sign
and RoboTech and Macross...
And Go-Lion

[punkguy03]

Originally Posted by KaineKinetic

Day 1...
Now I want InuYasha as well...
And Noir...
And .hack//Sign
and RoboTech and Macross...
And Go-Lion

I'm hoping Inuyasha gets released as well! This gives some hope for it!

[Batman1980]

Originally Posted by punkguy03

I'm hoping Inuyasha gets released as well! This gives some hope for it!

Inuyasha and Robotech would be fine with me, will probably get Yu Yu Hakusho again at some point, at least through the Dark Tournament anyway.

[Kevtronn]

[Lacenaire]

I've never seen this series but I am interested in getting this since I like classic anime. However, I don't want to be committed to buying multiple box sets if Viz releases the entire series. So my question is:

Can these first 23 episodes be enjoyed as a standalone series without having to be committed to seeing anymore episodes?

[MOONPHASE]

Originally Posted by Lacenaire

I've never seen this series but I am interested in getting this since I like classic anime. However, I don't want to be committed to buying multiple box sets if Viz releases the entire series. So my question is:

Can these first 23 episodes be enjoyed as a standalone series without having to be committed to seeing anymore episodes?

No. Besides there is no guarantee there will even be a full series boxset in America and Europe. And even if it does happen, that won't be till a very long time and will be quite expensive.

[FREYMAX 3D]

Never saw this, but was reading the description - Sounds a little bit similar to Kenichi, but with a few interesting twists - how would you all rate this series compared to Kenichi? It's definitely a bit longer...

[MOONPHASE]

Originally Posted by FREYMAX 3D

Never saw this, but was reading the description - Sounds a little bit similar to Kenichi, but with a few interesting twists - how would you all rate this series compared to Kenichi? It's definitely a bit longer...

Well I suppose the series is like Inuyasha done in a more Kenichi style. But i've only seen the 1st 13 episodes of Kenichi. But from what i've seen of both series, I like Ranma 1/2 more even though I did like what I saw from Kenichi.

[Lacenaire]

Originally Posted by MOONPHASE

No. Besides there is no guarantee there will even be a full series boxset in America and Europe. And even if it does happen, that won't be till a very long time and will be quite expensive.

It seems strange then that Viz would take on such a long series if future blu-ray sets may not even come out. It seems safer to choose series that are shorter and can be released in one shot, such as Sentai's Gatchaman Complete Collection or their upcoming Nadia the Secret of Blue Water release.

[zeze]

Got an email from RightStuf. They were incorrectly advertising that the blu-ray release was a blu-ray/DVD combo pack. The DVDs are not included on the blu-ray release.

For me its not a big deal. I have no use for the DVDs anyways.

[madlost1]

Originally Posted by Lacenaire

It seems strange then that Viz would take on such a long series if future blu-ray sets may not even come out. It seems safer to choose series that are shorter and can be released in one shot, such as Sentai's Gatchaman Complete Collection or their upcoming Nadia the Secret of Blue Water release.

They'll get the entire series out. What Moonphase was saying is that the likelyhood for a full series boxset at the end of the run of single releases isn't very likely.

[EricJ]

Originally Posted by FREYMAX 3D

Never saw this, but was reading the description - Sounds a little bit similar to Kenichi, but with a few interesting twists - how would you all rate this series compared to Kenichi? It's definitely a bit longer...

I've never seen Kenichi, but if you're asking about Ranma, think "Screwball ensemble comedy with occasional martial arts"--
When I was trying to get an anime fan to watch Stephen Chow's insane "Shaolin Soccer", the best description I could come up with was "Imagine what a live-action Ranma 1/2 would really look like..."

And there is some similarity in the later series, as our heroes face a wide variety of strange martial-arts offshoots, when they're not bickering or dealing with crazy school rivals:

Ranma 1/2 - Episode 19 - Part 1/2 [English Dubbed][Dub] - YouTube

[MOONPHASE]

Originally Posted by Lacenaire

It seems strange then that Viz would take on such a long series if future blu-ray sets may not even come out. It seems safer to choose series that are shorter and can be released in one shot, such as Sentai's Gatchaman Complete Collection or their upcoming Nadia the Secret of Blue Water release.

With a successful series like Ranma 1/2 they would be stupid not to release the whole series. But when releasing these series especially on Blu-ray, it seems to be more difficult to release a whole series boxset. But multiple boxsets can be done much easier to agree to.

As for as to why Sentai Filmworks can release such a long series like Gatchaman on Blu-ray in a Complete Series boxset, they likely got a good deal from Tatsunoko. Same with Nadia.

[llj]

Originally Posted by FREYMAX 3D

Never saw this, but was reading the description - Sounds a little bit similar to Kenichi, but with a few interesting twists - how would you all rate this series compared to Kenichi? It's definitely a bit longer...

I've seen both Kenichi and Ranma and I have to say that while there are *some* similarities, it's generally less serious and the fights are more like vehicles to drive the romantic comedy. Yes, Ranma basically is a rom-com...with fighting. There isn't really a quest to become "the strongest fighter there is" and Ranma only learns a new move when his ego is hurt and wants to beat someone he can't beat. Otherwise, he's a pretty lazy ass.

If you smashed Fruits Basket, School Rumble and Kenichi together, Ranma 1/2 is basically sort of what you would get.

[FREYMAX 3D]

Originally Posted by llj

I've seen both Kenichi and Ranma and I have to say that while there are *some* similarities, it's generally less serious and the fights are more like vehicles to drive the romantic comedy. Yes, Ranma basically is a rom-com...with fighting. There isn't really a quest to become "the strongest fighter there is" and Ranma only learns a new move when his ego is hurt and wants to beat someone he can't beat. Otherwise, he's a pretty lazy ass.

If you smashed Fruits Basket, School Rumble and Kenichi together, Ranma 1/2 is basically sort of what you would get.

OK, that's a fairly good analogy... I guess, lol! Thanks, llj!

Probably a little too light for my tastes to bother with a purchase, then - I did enjoy Kenichi even though that's a good bit out of the norm for my usual anime watching, but if Ranma is less serious then it's something I would more likely watch streaming or fansubbed.