by Emil Favila, Reporter
If there was any anime that was easy to get into as a kid, it was Ranma 1/2. Fully presented in all it’s glory is Ranma 1/2: Set 7. Your favorite boy that turns into a girl makes his last showing in 1080p HD for all the Ranma fanatics. This is truly the definitive edition.
If you are not familiar with Ranma 1/2, it is recommended you start at Ranma 1/2: Set 1. Many of the previous series characters are revisited but it’s best to start at the beginning to see how they are introduced. If you’d rather just skip to Ranma 1/2 Set 7, then you can read all about Ranma on Viz Media’s site.
Ranma 1/2 Set 7 is composed of 23 episodes (139-161) on 3 Blu-ray discs. A 32-page booklet with synopsis and artwork is also included which helps you recap the episodes if you’re not sure which ones you’ve seen. A wonderful collector’s card is included and the special “We love Ranma Part 8: We Love Rumiko Takahashi” is also a nice tribute to the show’s inimitable creator.
Episode highlights from Ranma 1/2 Set 7 include “From the Depths of Despair”, “Pick-a-Peck o’Happosai”, and “Boy Meets Mom.” “From the Depths of Despair” is a two-part storyline involving Ranma’s greatest frenemy Ryogo. Ryogo learn’s the Lion’s Roar Blast in which to fight Ranma with for one last go around. “Pick-a-Peck o’Happosai” is about our favorite dirty old man Happosai who becomes cursed by the “Sorcerers Cards of Evil” which multiplies him into 6 twin demons. And finally the moment fans have been waiting for “Boy Meets Mom.” In Ranma’s final story arc, he meets his mother who has no clue about his cursed body. Also a two part story arc, Akane is determined for Ranma and his mother to finally meet. Story lines are wrapped and questions are finally answered in the final box set.
Although martial arts, food and gender are often the main topics hit in Ranma, it’s become more obvious that the biggest theme is family. From the fighting unit of Ranma and his dad Genma, to Soun and his three daughters, the interplay between your family members was integral to the show. In some ways, Ranma and Akane are their own family. Even though the two never married on screen, that was almost beside the point. When push comes to shove, Ranma and Akane always stand shoulder to shoulder. As Ranma 1/2 Set 7 brings the series to a close, the series wears it’s heart on it’s sleeve proudly.
If you’re like me and purchased the episodes on VHS and DVD, you will appreciate the compressed single case that holds all of Set 7. Openings and endings are much clearer and you can skip those sections at ease if you’d rather get right into the story. For those just getting into the series, it’s easier and just as affordable to pick up Ranma 1/2 Set 7 on Blu-ray format.
For fans who have seen Ranma’s final season, improvements have been made to both the audio and video. You will no longer hear the scratchy audio and will notice better transitions from scene to scene in picture quality. Purists like myself can appreciate that neither the English or Japanese cast have been redubbed.
We at ComicsOnline.com recommend you pick up your copy of Ranma 1/2: Set 7 ! If you’ve never watched anime before, then Ranma is a good place to start. If you’ve been collecting Ranma like I have then you’ll definitely want to pick up your copy off Amazon today!
Rating: 
ComicsOnline gives Ranma 1/2 – Set 7 5 out of 5 princess pandas!
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