Ranma 1/2, Random Rhapsody: Master and Student...Forever!?

Ranma 1/2, Random Rhapsody: Master and Student...Forever!?
Fuji TV
April 3, 1992
Anime
DVD
D+

I think there's a potentially good story here, with Happosai, the tiny old man, using magic pills to make Ranma his student forever, and the spell backfiring so that they're sort of like conjoined twins, except he's attached in different places at different times.  But because the old man is a pervert, there's a lot of tasteless humor about him exploiting the situation, including throwing water onto male-Ranma so as to be able to touch female-Ranma's breasts.  And there's a lot of pointless violence, not funny or well choreographed or accomplishing anything.  I'll note that I thought Happosai was Akane's grandfather, but it appears that he's not actually related to any of them, which makes this all a little more palatable than it could be.  This episode drags down the average for the episodes on this disc (which oddly skips over the previous episode, "A Teenage Ghost Story") to a C+ instead of a B-, recommended but with reservations.

Ranma 1/2: Random Rhapsody: Akane's Unfathomable Heart

Ranma 1/2: Random Rhapsody: Akane's Unfathomable Heart
Fuji TV
March 20, 1992
Anime
DVD
B-

A mind-reading little boy* shows up and demonstrates his clairvoyance on the extended family, including the perverted grandfather (more about that character later).  He can't read the mind or heart of Akane, since he has a crush on her, and yet by episode's end he knows that both she and Ranma are liars, presumably about their feelings for each other.  There are a few scenes with "Chinese" Shampoo, she of the purple hair and crush on Ranma.  And a guy with a headband wanders the woods and he's probably another suitor, but again, I can't keep track of all these characters.  Note that Ranma does not transform into his female form this time.


*In anime, it's really hard to tell the ages of characters unless specified.  He could be six but more likely ten.  Prepubescent anyway, since he can wear short-shorts, a pink shirt, and the largest pompadour on the show.

Ranma 1/2, Random Rhapsody: Gosunkugi's Paper Dolls of Love

Ranma uses his feminine
wiles on Gosunkugi

Ranma 1/2, Random Rhapsody: Gosunkugi's Paper Dolls of Love
Fuji TV
March 13, 1992
Anime
DVD
B-

The Noozles and Tales of Little Women aside, this is the first anime series I remember watching as an adult and knowing it was anime.  The woman I was dating at the time ('98) was a fan, partly because of the gender-bending.  I've watched a handful of episodes over the years and I like it, but, no, I'm not a fan.  A couple years ago, my current boyfriend, who's much more into anime than I am, was clearing out his collection in order to make room for more, so I took this DVD.

And I could go into the actual background of the show, but you could get that anywhere.  All you need to know for the purposes of this blog is that each season had a different subtitle, "Random Rhapsody" for Season Five.  And this is the 21st episode for that season.  The gender-bending is present but taken as a given, with Ranma assuming his female form to fool Gosunkugi, who uses the dolls of the title to try to get Akane to go out with him.  Ranma and Akane are in high school but nonetheless betrothed.  They're attracted to each other but they bicker a lot.  And there are a bunch of possible alternate suitors throughout the series, one of whom shows up in one scene here, but I don't remember all the characters and, again, you can look this up elsewhere.

As a standalone, the episode works pretty well, with some nice twists and humor.  Gosunkugi is pretty creepy, but he's meant to be.  The disc has only two more episodes on it and I don't remember if they have any relation to this one.

Note that I watched the American dub today but I'm going with the original Japanese airdate and station, since I don't know when or where the translation first aired in the US, and I don't feel that the American actors are as impressive or as memorable as on His and Hers Circumstances or Fruits Basket.