Editorial Reviews
About the Author
The spotlight on Rumiko Takahashi’s career began in 1978 when she won an honorable mention in Shogakukan’s prestigious New Comic Artist Contest for
Those Selfish Aliens
. Later that same year, her boy-meets-alien comedy series,
Urusei Yatsura
, was serialized in
Weekly Shonen Sunday
. This phenomenally successful manga series was adapted into anime format and spawned a TV series and half a dozen theatrical-release movies, all incredibly popular in their own right. Takahashi followed up the success of her debut series with one blockbuster hit after another—
Maison Ikkoku
ran from 1980 to 1987,
Ranma 1/2
from 1987 to 1996, and
Inuyasha
from 1996 to 2008. Other notable works include
Mermaid Saga
,
Rumic Theater
, and
One-Pound Gospel
.
Takahashi was inducted into the Will Eisner Comic Awards Hall of Fame in 2018. She won the prestigious Shogakukan Manga Award twice in her career, once for
Urusei Yatsura
in 1981 and the second time for
Inuyasha
in 2002. A majority of the Takahashi canon has been adapted into other media such as anime, live-action TV series, and film. Takahashi’s manga, as well as the other formats her work has been adapted into, have continued to delight generations of fans around the world. Distinguished by her wonderfully endearing characters, Takahashi’s work adeptly incorporates a wide variety of elements such as comedy, romance, fantasy, and martial arts. While her series are difficult to pin down into one simple genre, the signature style she has created has come to be known as the “Rumic World.” Rumiko Takahashi is an artist who truly represents the very best from the world of manga.
About the author
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The spotlight on Rumiko Takahashi's career began in 1978 when she won an honorable mention in Shogakukan's annual New Comic Artist Contest for Those Selfish Aliens. Later that same year, her boy-meets-alien comedy series, Urusei Yatsura, was serialized in Weekly Shonen Sunday. This phenomenally successful manga series was adapted into anime format and spawned a TV series and half a dozen theatrical-release movies, all incredibly popular in their own right. Takahashi followed up the success of her debut series with one blockbuster hit after another--Maison Ikkoku ran from 1980 to 1987, Ranma 1/2 from 1987 to 1996, and Inuyasha from 1996 to 2008. Other notable works include Mermaid Saga, Rumic Theater, and One-Pound Gospel.
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Late last year, Viz Media announced that they were going to be re-releasing Ranma 1/2 on Blu-ray and DVD. These new releases would be pulled from a new HD transfer created in Japan for a triple-billed box set containing the entire animated series. At the same time, they also announced a re-release of the Ranma 1/2 manga. It would be a remastered publication, marking the first time it had ever been released in the original right-to-left reading format here in America.Ranma 1/2: 2-in-1 Edition Volume 1 is the first book in this new line, and the quality of it is pretty amazing. The artwork is considerably cleaner in this new volume (I'll include user images after posting the review). Some of the shading has been tweaked slightly -- I assume to bring it closer to the original printing -- and some pencil lines are a lot stronger, especially on dialog bubbles. The font with which the dialog is written has also been changed. It's less blurry and pops off the page a little better than before. I also noticed that a lot of large "balloon" text (such as Akane letting out an almighty scream after walking in on Ranma in the bathroom) went from being an empty outline to fully shaded.Originally, I had written here that the translation seemed to be unchanged, but it turns out that this edition does feature a new script. While a lot of the dialog is the same, there are noticeable changes to the way some characters speak. A prime example is the scene where Soun is telling his daughters that Ranma and Genma have just returned from China. In the original translation, Akane says, "What's so great about walking to China?" In the 2-in-1 Edition, Akane says, "Whatever. Any schmuck can go to China." Most of the dialog around it is unchanged, but seeing Akane use the word "schmuck" jumped out at me immediately because I knew she didn't use it in the original book. There are scattered instances of this kind of re-translation, and I think it's been done to more clearly define the personality of the characters. Over all, it works.As good as all seems to be, I have noticed one tiny issue: on the very first page of the book, two of the dialog bubbles read in left-to-right format despite the art having been reverted to its original format. When held side-by-side to the original publication, the dialog has not been swapped around, so if you read it right-to-left, you're reading it in reverse. Thankfully, I've only noticed this once so far. I'll update the review to reflect further instances as I notice them. (UPDATED: I was in touch with Viz Media on Facebook, and they assured me that this is a singular issue isolated to page 1. The rest of the book should be oriented correctly for right-to-left reading, and page 1 will be fixed upon reprint.)I also have a minor quibble with the way Viz is promoting the release. This has been marketed as a 2-in-1 Edition, meaning it should include all of the content from Volumes 1 and 2. But that's not quite the case. Volumes 1 and 2 as originally published consisted of chapters 1 (Here's Ranma) through 25 (Lips at a Loss). The 2-in-1 Edition only contains chapters 1 (Here's Ranma) through 17 (Kodachi, the Black Rose). Given that this book is missing a full third of the chapters that originally made up Volumes 1 and 2, it's a little bit disingenuous on the part of Viz to be promoting this as two volumes in one book. Volume 1 as originally published was 14 chapters long, so they've only included an extra 3 chapters in this version.With that said, it's been brought to my attention that the original Japanese publication of Ranma 1/2 ran for 38 volumes as opposed to the 36 we got in America, and that the Japanese editions of Volume 1 and 2 did consist of 17 chapters. It would seem that Viz is using the original Japanese publication as the template for the 2-in-1 Edition rather than the original American release.So with all of that in mind, the question becomes: is this worth buying if you own the older editions?If you have the original Viz printing (the tall, wide books that were eventually replaced by more traditionally sized graphic novels) and you're a hardcore fan, then I would say probably. The improvement in the art is noticeable even without doing side-by-sides, and the text is easier to read. It's also extremely nice to have two books in one this time around. If you're not a fan of right-to-left orientation you might not like this edition, but in my experience most fans want to read it the way it was originally intended. In my opinion, it's well worth the upgrade.If you've never read Ranma 1/2 before, then definitely pick this up. Despite the fact that it eventually loses focus and devolves into what is more-or-less a plot-empty sitcom, it's my favorite of Rumiko Takahashi's long-running franchises. It has the most endearing characters, the most original setup, and is something every manga fan should experience at least once in their life. I'm quite happy with this reprint, and have already pre-ordered the next four volumes.It should also be noted that Viz has included a making-of about the remastering of the manga on the new Blu-ray set due out March 25th. If you like the manga, consider picking that up as well. The show loses focus as it goes on as well, but the first three or four seasons are mostly golden.
Images in this review
Late last year, Viz Media announced that they were going to be re-releasing Ranma 1/2 on Blu-ray and DVD. These new releases would be pulled from a new HD transfer created in Japan for a triple-billed box set containing the entire animated series. At the same time, they also announced a re-release of the Ranma 1/2 manga. It would be a remastered publication, marking the first time it had ever been released in the original right-to-left reading format here in America.
Ranma 1/2: 2-in-1 Edition Volume 1 is the first book in this new line, and the quality of it is pretty amazing. The artwork is considerably cleaner in this new volume (I'll include user images after posting the review). Some of the shading has been tweaked slightly -- I assume to bring it closer to the original printing -- and some pencil lines are a lot stronger, especially on dialog bubbles. The font with which the dialog is written has also been changed. It's less blurry and pops off the page a little better than before. I also noticed that a lot of large "balloon" text (such as Akane letting out an almighty scream after walking in on Ranma in the bathroom) went from being an empty outline to fully shaded.
Originally, I had written here that the translation seemed to be unchanged, but it turns out that this edition does feature a new script. While a lot of the dialog is the same, there are noticeable changes to the way some characters speak. A prime example is the scene where Soun is telling his daughters that Ranma and Genma have just returned from China. In the original translation, Akane says, "What's so great about walking to China?" In the 2-in-1 Edition, Akane says, "Whatever. Any schmuck can go to China." Most of the dialog around it is unchanged, but seeing Akane use the word "schmuck" jumped out at me immediately because I knew she didn't use it in the original book. There are scattered instances of this kind of re-translation, and I think it's been done to more clearly define the personality of the characters. Over all, it works.
As good as all seems to be, I have noticed one tiny issue: on the very first page of the book, two of the dialog bubbles read in left-to-right format despite the art having been reverted to its original format. When held side-by-side to the original publication, the dialog has not been swapped around, so if you read it right-to-left, you're reading it in reverse. Thankfully, I've only noticed this once so far. I'll update the review to reflect further instances as I notice them. (UPDATED: I was in touch with Viz Media on Facebook, and they assured me that this is a singular issue isolated to page 1. The rest of the book should be oriented correctly for right-to-left reading, and page 1 will be fixed upon reprint.)
I also have a minor quibble with the way Viz is promoting the release. This has been marketed as a 2-in-1 Edition, meaning it should include all of the content from Volumes 1 and 2. But that's not quite the case. Volumes 1 and 2 as originally published consisted of chapters 1 (Here's Ranma) through 25 (Lips at a Loss). The 2-in-1 Edition only contains chapters 1 (Here's Ranma) through 17 (Kodachi, the Black Rose). Given that this book is missing a full third of the chapters that originally made up Volumes 1 and 2, it's a little bit disingenuous on the part of Viz to be promoting this as two volumes in one book. Volume 1 as originally published was 14 chapters long, so they've only included an extra 3 chapters in this version.
With that said, it's been brought to my attention that the original Japanese publication of Ranma 1/2 ran for 38 volumes as opposed to the 36 we got in America, and that the Japanese editions of Volume 1 and 2 did consist of 17 chapters. It would seem that Viz is using the original Japanese publication as the template for the 2-in-1 Edition rather than the original American release.
So with all of that in mind, the question becomes: is this worth buying if you own the older editions?
If you have the original Viz printing (the tall, wide books that were eventually replaced by more traditionally sized graphic novels) and you're a hardcore fan, then I would say probably. The improvement in the art is noticeable even without doing side-by-sides, and the text is easier to read. It's also extremely nice to have two books in one this time around. If you're not a fan of right-to-left orientation you might not like this edition, but in my experience most fans want to read it the way it was originally intended. In my opinion, it's well worth the upgrade.
If you've never read Ranma 1/2 before, then definitely pick this up. Despite the fact that it eventually loses focus and devolves into what is more-or-less a plot-empty sitcom, it's my favorite of Rumiko Takahashi's long-running franchises. It has the most endearing characters, the most original setup, and is something every manga fan should experience at least once in their life. I'm quite happy with this reprint, and have already pre-ordered the next four volumes.
It should also be noted that Viz has included a making-of about the remastering of the manga on the new Blu-ray set due out March 25th. If you like the manga, consider picking that up as well. The show loses focus as it goes on as well, but the first three or four seasons are mostly golden.
Late last year, Viz Media announced that they were going to be re-releasing Ranma 1/2 on Blu-ray and DVD. These new releases would be pulled from a new HD transfer created in Japan for a triple-billed box set containing the entire animated series. At the same time, they also announced a re-release of the Ranma 1/2 manga. It would be a remastered publication, marking the first time it had ever been released in the original right-to-left reading format here in America.
Ranma 1/2: 2-in-1 Edition Volume 1 is the first book in this new line, and the quality of it is pretty amazing. The artwork is considerably cleaner in this new volume (I'll include user images after posting the review). Some of the shading has been tweaked slightly -- I assume to bring it closer to the original printing -- and some pencil lines are a lot stronger, especially on dialog bubbles. The font with which the dialog is written has also been changed. It's less blurry and pops off the page a little better than before. I also noticed that a lot of large "balloon" text (such as Akane letting out an almighty scream after walking in on Ranma in the bathroom) went from being an empty outline to fully shaded.
Originally, I had written here that the translation seemed to be unchanged, but it turns out that this edition does feature a new script. While a lot of the dialog is the same, there are noticeable changes to the way some characters speak. A prime example is the scene where Soun is telling his daughters that Ranma and Genma have just returned from China. In the original translation, Akane says, "What's so great about walking to China?" In the 2-in-1 Edition, Akane says, "Whatever. Any schmuck can go to China." Most of the dialog around it is unchanged, but seeing Akane use the word "schmuck" jumped out at me immediately because I knew she didn't use it in the original book. There are scattered instances of this kind of re-translation, and I think it's been done to more clearly define the personality of the characters. Over all, it works.
As good as all seems to be, I have noticed one tiny issue: on the very first page of the book, two of the dialog bubbles read in left-to-right format despite the art having been reverted to its original format. When held side-by-side to the original publication, the dialog has not been swapped around, so if you read it right-to-left, you're reading it in reverse. Thankfully, I've only noticed this once so far. I'll update the review to reflect further instances as I notice them. (UPDATED: I was in touch with Viz Media on Facebook, and they assured me that this is a singular issue isolated to page 1. The rest of the book should be oriented correctly for right-to-left reading, and page 1 will be fixed upon reprint.)
I also have a minor quibble with the way Viz is promoting the release. This has been marketed as a 2-in-1 Edition, meaning it should include all of the content from Volumes 1 and 2. But that's not quite the case. Volumes 1 and 2 as originally published consisted of chapters 1 (Here's Ranma) through 25 (Lips at a Loss). The 2-in-1 Edition only contains chapters 1 (Here's Ranma) through 17 (Kodachi, the Black Rose). Given that this book is missing a full third of the chapters that originally made up Volumes 1 and 2, it's a little bit disingenuous on the part of Viz to be promoting this as two volumes in one book. Volume 1 as originally published was 14 chapters long, so they've only included an extra 3 chapters in this version.
With that said, it's been brought to my attention that the original Japanese publication of Ranma 1/2 ran for 38 volumes as opposed to the 36 we got in America, and that the Japanese editions of Volume 1 and 2 did consist of 17 chapters. It would seem that Viz is using the original Japanese publication as the template for the 2-in-1 Edition rather than the original American release.
So with all of that in mind, the question becomes: is this worth buying if you own the older editions?
If you have the original Viz printing (the tall, wide books that were eventually replaced by more traditionally sized graphic novels) and you're a hardcore fan, then I would say probably. The improvement in the art is noticeable even without doing side-by-sides, and the text is easier to read. It's also extremely nice to have two books in one this time around. If you're not a fan of right-to-left orientation you might not like this edition, but in my experience most fans want to read it the way it was originally intended. In my opinion, it's well worth the upgrade.
If you've never read Ranma 1/2 before, then definitely pick this up. Despite the fact that it eventually loses focus and devolves into what is more-or-less a plot-empty sitcom, it's my favorite of Rumiko Takahashi's long-running franchises. It has the most endearing characters, the most original setup, and is something every manga fan should experience at least once in their life. I'm quite happy with this reprint, and have already pre-ordered the next four volumes.
It should also be noted that Viz has included a making-of about the remastering of the manga on the new Blu-ray set due out March 25th. If you like the manga, consider picking that up as well. The show loses focus as it goes on as well, but the first three or four seasons are mostly golden.
Images in this review
All of their work is amazing. Inuyasha and Ranma 1/2 had a huge impact on me. I really hope more volumes get reprinted.
Bad Synopsis: Ranma has trained in martial arts since he was a kid. After a hilarious accident while training, he gets cursed to turn into a girl when splashed with cold water.
Such a funny genderbend story imo.
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Ranma 1/2 vol 1 & 2 was the first manga I ever read, so I am thrilled to have it once more. The translation is great. I will recommend this as a good intro to manga.
It was in good condition when it arrived and I am quite happy with the quality of the book. I have been a huge fan of Ranma 1/2 since I was a kid, having first been introduced to it when it used to air on Sony TV dubbed in Hindi. So I decided to get the manga because, why not?
At first I was a bit worried about whether the book would be delivered to me or not since I had placed the order on 2nd of June and it was already 21st of June and the book hadn't been shipped yet. I even contemplated cancelling the order but I decided to wait and give the dealer the benefit of the doubt because of the pandemic situation, and also because the delivery date was mentioned to be on the 26th of June. It was a huge relief when it finally got dispatched in the following days and it finally arrived on 28th of June.
The story is loads of fun and the characters are quirky and some even cute, not Akane xD
A must have if you're a fan.
Images in this review
Venho por aqui mostrar o meu descontentamento com este livro, comprei à pouco mais de 1 mês mas só agora tive tempo de ler, tal não é o meu espanto que quando acabo o cap 16 e vou passar para vou passar para o 17 (supostamente o último), deparo-me com uma falha de edição e meteram lá novamente o primeiro, isto é, o livro não está completo, falta um capítulo por falta de cuidado na edição do mesmo.
O meu problema é como não tive tempo de ler antes, já passou os supostos 30 dias para devolução. Ia comprar os restantes livros assim já não o vou fazer.
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