After the resounding success of the first season of the reboot of Ranma ½ by the MAPPA studio, the cult series is preparing to make its big comeback on Netflix. Adapted from the iconic manga by Rumiko Takahashi, the reboot launched in the fall of 2024 had seduced both nostalgics and newcomers, through careful animation and a deliberate fidelity to the original material.
What's it about?
Ranma Saotome, a teenage martial arts expert, finds himself the victim of a curse during a training session in China. With each contact with cold water, he transforms into a girl, a secret that complicates his life and especially his arranged engagement with the tempestuous Akane Tendo.
New rivals and old feuds
Season 2, whose trailer has just been unveiled, promises to introduce new characters, while giving pride of place to the emblematic figures of the first opus. The voice cast is enriched with recognized talents: Toshihiko Seki reprises his role as Mousse in the original version, 32 years after the first adaptation, while Kaori Nazuka lends her voice to Ukyo Kuonji. Other essential figures make their appearance, such as Happosai (Kazuhiko Inoue), Cologne (Mayama Ako) and Hikaru Gosunkugi (Akira Ishida). The historic voices of Ranma (Kappei Yamaguchi and Megumi Hayashibara), Akane (Noriko Hidaka), and Shampoo (Rei Sakuma) will also be returning.
At the heart of Ranma ½, the explosive dynamic between Ranma and Akane remains at the epicenter of the story. Oscillating between arguments, misunderstandings, and awkward moments of tenderness, Season 2 promises to be full of twists and turns: the trailer hints at epic confrontations and farcical situations punctuated by a gallery of suitors increasingly determined to win the heart of Ranma or Akane.
An intergenerational phenomenon
The return of Ranma ½ is part of a wave of reboots celebrating the great works of manga, like the recent Urusei Yatsura. The series, which had left its mark on an entire generation in the 1990s, is now enjoying a new lease of life thanks to Netflix and the dynamic touch of the MAPPA studio. This revival draws on nostalgia but also on the work's ability to appeal to a contemporary audience. The series' message has always been very avant-garde, and this is even more true in 2025.
The exact broadcast date has not yet been officially revealed, but one thing is certain: Ranma ½ season 2 promises to be one of the must-see events of fall 2025 for fans of Japanese animation.
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