Ranma ½: Set 7 Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		1.5
Overall		3.5

Ranma ½: Set 7 Blu-ray Movie Review

"Girls' clothes? My son likes girls' clothes?"

Reviewed by Kenneth Brown September 12, 2015

Ranma ½'s final season plays out much like those that came before it: laugh out loud funny. If there's a problem it's that there's no real resolution to the 161-episode show. Things literally end with the words "see ya!" -- aimed more at the viewers than the characters -- after a fantastic buildup to a mother-son reunion... the payoff to which isn't very becoming of a series finale. Ranma just sort of ends; on something of a high (seppuku jokes!), albeit an unceremonious one. Is it enough to spoil anything that comes before it? Of course not. Ranma ½ prioritized spontaneity and episodic misadventure over a more harmonious story long before Season Seven. Is it any surprise that the last few episodes are light, inconsequential and open-ended?

Ranma is challenged by Ryoga to fight yet again, but this time he is completely defeated by Ryoga's new technique, the 'Lion's-Roar Blast." It is said that the more miserable the user, the stronger the technique becomes - does Ranma have a chance against the tragic Ryoga?! Then, Ranma must master martial arts cheerleading, but in order to win, he is going to have to cheer for Upperclassman Kuno. Finally, Ranma's mother at last comes to the Tendo Dojo, but why is Genma doing everything he can to stop Ranma from meeting her? Akane feels sorry for Ranma, who barely remembers his own mother, and forms a plan to bring them together.

Like Sets 1-6, Ranma ½: Set 7 has been meticulously restored and is, once again, faithfully presented. Initially cancelled in 1989 after just 18 episodes, the iconic 161-episode anime series was almost cut down as quickly as it cropped up. Ratings were abysmal. The series wasn't; a small glimmer of hope that led to a stay of execution. Reworked and re-planted in a different time slot, the next incarnation of Ranma, Ranma ½ Nettôhen, proved far more successful, delivering 143 episodes over the next three years. Even at the end of its run, Ranma ½ wasn't done. In addition to 11 OVAs (not yet available on Blu-ray), the series was one of the earliest to arrive stateside, where it served as the first spark of many that ignited North America's mid-90s anime firestorm. And it's still going strong today. VIZ is well into an ambitious franchise-wide resurrection, remastering and releasing the original right-to-left Rumiko Takahashi manga (with a new, more accurate translation, among other improvements) and revitalizing the series -- both the original 18-episode first season and the subsequent 143-episode series proper -- via 7 restored and remastered Blu-ray sets, each one presenting the series in its original 4:3 cropped aspect ratio with lossless Japanese and English audio.

VIZ, whether by good luck or raw determination, continues to deliver one of the most definitive home video releases of any classic anime series to date. Sailor Moon may continue to tarnish VIZ's reputation, but the Ranma releases prove VIZ is capable of great things. VIZ's seventh and final Ranma set features episodes 139-161, which encompasses the bulk of the series' seventh season "Ranma Forever." (The only missing "Ranma Forever" episodes are 137- 138, which were included on Set 6.)

The quality of the series' original animation and scripts still waver a bit in Set 7; just not as noticeably as in Season Six. Fortunately, the final 23 episodes are quite often -- not always, but quite often -- as funny and infectious as Ranma is at its best. Even at its quote-unquote worst, though, Ranma's closing stretch is still well worth the investment. Plenty o' grins, plenty o' leftfield surprises. Unfortunately, this isn't the first time I've binge-watched "Ranma Forever," and it isn't the first time I had a much better time early on than the last time the credits rolled. The series' ending has always left me cold... probably will always leave me cold, no matter how much I try otherwise. In a strange twist of fate, it's my love for the show that places it on so tall a pedestal and gives it so far to fall. Not everyone feels the same way; some even defend the ending as one that allows the viewer to continue the story in their imagination. For those hoping for closure, there isn't much. For those hoping for more of the things Ranma does right, there's a lot to go around. Like any great series, finales are notoriously difficult, and fans are even more difficult to please.

Ranma ½: Set 7 Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The restoration and 1080p/AVC-encoded video presentation of the final 23 episodes of Ranma ½ look -- no surprise here -- fantastic. While the animation itself isn't as refined as early seasons, VIZ's efforts hold true. Colors are strong but not overly bright or vibrant. Primaries pack a welcome punch, black levels are deep and inky, and, aside from a few contrast inconsistencies that trace back to the original elements and animation, there isn't much of anything to complain about. Detail is excellent, even though the line art in several scenes grows soft. Grain is present and little background touches are intact. And there isn't any significant macroblocking, banding or aliasing to report. Ranma's high definition presentation ends as impressively as it began. Fans can finally breathe that sigh of relief. All seven series sets are terrific.

Ranma ½: Set 7 Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Like the series' previous six Blu-ray releases, Ranma ½: Set 7 offers two solid audio options: Japanese and English DTS-HD Master Audio stereo tracks. Voices are well prioritized and intelligible, sound effects pop nicely, and music doesn't overwhelm the two-channel soundscape. The original audio elements naturally present certain limitations, and tininess, slight hiss and other unavoidable mishaps do find their way into the experience on occasion. However, if you need classic anime to sound as if it were produced in 2015, you were doomed to disappointment no matter what VIZ invested in its lossless tracks. All told, fans will be more than satisfied with the quality of Ranma's final AV presentation.

Ranma ½: Set 7 Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• We Love Ranma, Part 8: We Love Rumiko Takahashi (HD, 7 minutes): Anime industry professionals, voice actors, cosplayers and Ranma super-fans offer their impassioned thanks to Rumiko Takahashi for her contributions to the world of anime.
• Next Episode Previews (HD, 6 minutes): Twenty-three original, surprisingly entertaining "Next Episode" previews, presented in English or in Japanese with English subtitles.
• Clean Opening (HD, 2 minutes): A textless opening, with optional English and Romaji subtitles.
• Clean Ending (HD, 2 minutes): A textless closing, with optional English and Romaji subtitles.
• VIZ Media Trailers (HD, 2 minutes)

Ranma ½: Set 7 Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Ranma ½: Set 7 at long last completes one of the finest classic anime restorations we've been treated to. From the beauty of Set 1 to the strong finish of Set 7, VIZ has delivered something special, without any dip in quality. The series itself is a bit more hit and miss, but even after 161 episodes, it's clear Ranma's status, influence and legacy among fans are deserved. If you've been waiting to dive in, there's no reason to continue hesitating. All seven sets have been released and, the lack of substantial special features notwithstanding, all seven sets are excellent.