‘Ranma ½’: the anime series storming the Netflix charts
When it comes to entertainment, Netflix always has something for everyone. Romantic drama for the feel-good, laughter riots for comedy lovers, thrillers for thrill seekers, and anime for nostalgia. Speaking of anime, most recently, the second season of Ranma ½ was seen climbing the Netflix charts, proof that the manga fans are going all out with their marathons.
In the week dated October 6th to October 12th, Ranma ½ tiptoed onto the most popular non-English TV weekly charts on Netflix across the globe. After amassing 1.4million views this week, it’s currently the top ten show in 10 countries, ranking tenth on the international charts.
For those uninitiated with its origins, Ranma ½ is based on the manga series, which was published in Weekly Shōnen Sunday from August 1987 to March 1996. The anime, like its source material, is a unique gender-bending comedy which tells the story of Ranma Saotome, who has put blood and sweat into martial arts training since childhood.
But an unnatural accident amidst his training journey earns him the curse that causes him to change into a boy upon exposure to cold water, while changing back to a boy when in contact with hot water. Ranma ½ revolves around his desperate attempts to undo the curse as his family, friends, enemies, and fiancée end up standing in the way of his goal.
The curse becomes an outlet for endless comedic scenarios and misunderstandings. But it simultaneously becomes a challenge for his martial arts career. However, the comic sense is not just limited to circumstances and dialogues. It’s also very much physical, which makes the watch highly entertaining and engaging. Additionally, the anime series has unforgettable characters, which have deeply ingrained themselves in popular culture, giving the anime adaptation an edge on Netflix.
Although just two episodes are available from the second season on the platform, don’t expect the craze to die down in the days to come. In fact, with the weekly episodes coming fans’ way, the anticipation is only about to grow day by day. And Ranma ½’s sneaking into the weekly Netflix chart is probably the first step to the ambitious feat.
For those who are already caught up with it, this should be welcome news. As for those searching for anime to watch on Netflix, this is a sign. If you’re too sceptical to give it a try, you’re completely missing out on gold. So, join the Ranma ½ club before the third episode releases tomorrow!