English Dub Review: Ranma ½ “Training Meals”
Overview
Ryoga challenges Ranma, but Ranma’s battles with Cologne have made him far stronger. When Cologne appears before a vengeful Ryoga, what is her motive?
Our Take
Picking up long after the events of Season 2, Ranma ½ returns with its familiar mix of martial arts, comedy, and romantic chaos. Ranma and Akane are back to their usual antics, while Ryoga finds himself frustrated by Ranma’s growing strength. Meanwhile, Akane’s attempt to impress Ranma with her cooking, to put it mildly, shows that she’s not great at everything, leading to plenty of bickering and misunderstandings between everyone involved.
The premiere also shows a noticeable improvement in the animation and overall production quality. The action is especially well-animated, while even the comedic moments receive plenty of attention and fluidity. The new opening and ending themes are great additions as well, with the ending continuing the charming Ranma-and-Akane focus from the previous seasons.
Overall, Ranma ½ makes a fun and promising return with a premiere that captures the classic spirit of the series while giving the animation an extra boost. Between the comedy, character dynamics, and renewed romantic tension, it’s a welcome return that sets the stage for another entertaining season of martial arts mayhem and relationship chaos.
