Review of Ranma ½
I went into Ranma 1/2 randomly one day as soon as I read what it was about, I just had to give it a shot. I'm so happy that I sat through and watched all 161 episodes (going to work on OVA's next). This series took me from December 1st of 2018 - September 7th of 2019 to finish. To say this show is good is an understatement. This show blends comedy so well with it's wide array of characters, that it truly sucks you into the experience, but not without some flaws. Story: (6) The story is straight forward. A boy named Ranma falls intoa cursed spring in a place called Jusenkyo which turns him into a woman and he has to find a way to change back into a man again permanently. Hot water makes him a Man and cold water makes him a Woman. Very interesting plot, but unfortunately it is never completed. By the end of the show, you'll feel that the story was thrown to the side due to most episodes being practically standalone. There are quite a bit of 2 episode arcs, but none of them are really about him setting out to break that curse of his. That's why I feel the story is worth my rating of 6/10 because while the idea is interesting, the execution is not good at all. The one thing this show needed was a good conclusion and true resolution and now, the show will never be completed like the manga was. With that being said, I'd say that most episodes in this series are very good, with seasons 1, 2, and 3 being my personal favourites. There is alot of filler but I found most of it to be good, with some filler ranging from really good to downright bad. Still, great show.
Art: (8) The art is good for it's time, a nice use of colors, pretty environments, the designs of the homes, the characters, and beautiful set pieces. There are some dips in art quality in further seasons unfortunately, especially for the bad filler episodes.
Sound: (8) The quirky sound effects and soundtrack blend very well, ranging from straight up silly to melancholic, filled with emotional notes. I watched with the dub, and the dub was very well done.
Characters: (10) This is where Ranma 1/2 shines the most. This show has a huge variety of characters with silly little quirks about them. For example, Ryoga is terrible with directions while Mousse is literally blind without his glasses and makes himself look stupid. Dr. Tofu is in love with Kasumi and as a doctor he is intelligent, but when she comes around, he turns into a total moron. Happosai has an undying love for panties and bras while Nabiki is a manipulative girl who will do anything to make money. That's just the beginning of characters, there are just so many to list. I will say that some do get repetitive, and out stay their welcome like Happosai. Regardless, the variety and dynamic the cast brings is truly something special. Also, a big love triangle will show up if that's what you're into.
Enjoyment: (9) I absolutely loved this show, the reason I can't give it a 9-10 is because there are lots of bad filler episodes and season 4 just didn't click with me that well, big step down in comedy and writing, on top of some repetition in some episodes plot wise. Also, Happosai becoming annoying and outstaying his welcome by bringing nothing new to the table further into the story.
Overall: (8) This show is fantastic for characters, fun episodes, lots of laughs and what Rumiko Takahashi has given us is a series with a lot of heart. It definitely has some flaws, but if you can look past the story never having a true resolution, characters getting kinda repetitive, some bad filler episodes, a dip in animation/art quality further into the series, then what you'll find is a feel-good show that will always bring a smile too your face.
I'm giving this an 8/10 and will go down as one of my favorite long-running series to date. Give it a watch! Hope you will enjoy it as much a I did. I'm going to miss it.