Review of Ranma ½

Ranma 1/2 is a classic anime/manga written by Rumiko Takahashi. This anime/manga is possibly the anime/manga that has started the popular comedy action mangas that are made today and for good reason. Progression (3): Ranma 1/2 is an action comedy manga/anime so it does not really need much progression. Often, what will happen in an episode/chapter will be events that happen in random intervals in Ranma's life that are hilarious. Story (5): This manga/anime story is not that great, however it is very unique. The reasons why I say it is not that great is because it is repetitive and no progression to the story happens atall. This is not needed however because this is a show mainly about making the viewer feel good, and thus during this time the story is the least thing on the viewer's mind. However, the biggest point damager for this category was the ending which was very unsatisfactory because it left no closure for the reader.

Art (10): The drawings to be honest are not that great, especially within the manga. However, Rumiko's unique style of art actually has enhanced it, even though it is not very realistically drawn, due to the style of art it enhances the comedic effect much more and actually fits the atmosphere well. At times, the poorly drawn faces with the look of surprise just make you laugh uncontrollably. The fact that this was to be taken for fun makes the artwork very excusable and even fitting. The battle scenes within this show were also surprisingly good and well done. It may just be for the fact that you watch this show for 2 reasons: the comedy and the fight scenes.

Sound (10): The music fits the anime well, there are even specific tracks that I would listen to without the accompaniment of the episode.

Characters (9): The characters within this show are all very lovable and interesting. It is impossible not to get latched to at least one, and even though there is no character development, the fact that it does not need any for the comedy makes that a statement that cannot boast much damage to the show overall. The thing that did bug me about the characters were their indecisiveness at times especially when it came to romance and the fact that some of them were somewhat annoying because they could be such jerks at times that you would want to see them get something coming to them only to find out that they were way too powerful.

Enjoyment (10): I would put an 11/10 here if I could because it's that enjoyable. Out of all the other anime/manga I have watched/read this was by far just the most enjoyable due to its pure fun. Every time I came out of reading this pick-me-up it has the effect of making me smile. It surpasses just about every other manga/anime I have read/watched so much in this art that I would give an 11, it's that good in making one feel good. However I cannot give something above a 10, thusly I shall just give it a 10. Often, the immersion I would have with this show would be unbreakable because of the interesting characters, the funny (which often made me shed tears of laughter), and sometimes the awesome battle scenes.

TLDR?

Pros:

*Funniest anime/manga I have ever seen
*One of the best feel good anime, anytime you watch this, you will probably come out of the episode with a smile on your face
*Unique for a manga/anime (possibly the first martial arts comedy manga/anime)
*Characters are lovable
*Immersion is nigh unbreakable, you will almost always be glued to the screen because something funny or awesome is bound to happen
*Great fight scenes

Cons:

*Story has virtually no progression (Not really an issue, since this story is more for laughs)
*Story is almost nonexistent (Again, not an issue since this is a purely feel good anime, and does not require it)
*Characters are too indecisive
*No character development (This was not needed in this type of show)
*The ending had no closure
*The sad realization that the show has ended and the fact that you may never find another manga/anime that's as funny as this one or has as many enjoyable characters as this one.

Overall Score: 8/10

***Please keep in mind that this is just a review and a personal opinion. I am just being entirely honest here about what I thought was good and what I thought was bad. This is not a hate review or a love review, and I try my best to be unbiased and write what I truly thought about the show/manga after watching/reading it. If you enjoy/hate this anime/manga, feel free to accept my thoughts on said anime/manga or discard it.