What to look out for in the completely new TV anime Ranma 1/2!
Konosuke Uda (Director/Sound Director) X Hiroya Hasegawa (Production Director) [Interview]

Translation by: Harley Acres

Konosuke Uda-san, who serves as director and sound director for this new series, and Hiroya Hasegawa-san, who is the production manager, both spent their adolescence watching Rumiko Takahashi's works. Both have a strong attachment to Ranma 1/2. We spoke to them about the highlights of this series and what they have been particular about, while delving into what they perceive as the appeal of Takahashi's work.

Interview and text by: Motoki Kurata

The cast is mostly the same as the original anime, which I think fans of the original will be pleased with.

Uda: I mentioned this at the press conference the other day, but there was also talk of changing the cast. Since this is advertised as a completely new work, I thought it would be better to have a completely new cast.

Hasegawa: However, I wanted to know how the voice actors from back then would act when they voiced the characters of today. So, although it was a little rude, we had to do a voice test. ^[1]

Uda: I can only say that they were very expressive, and their understanding of the dialogue was very fast.

Hasegawa: So by the end of the test, even if they said, "I don't want to do it," I would try to get them to participate somehow (laughs). ^[2]

Uda: During the actual recording, they didn't just repeat the lines from the previous version, instead they considered how to express the lines written in the script in front of them. This was in line with what I was aiming for with this project, so it was very helpful.

I heard that with this new series, you're hoping to animate the original manga as faithfully as possible.

Uda: Yes. I wanted to animate the unique rhythm and development of Rumiko Takahashi's work in its original form. It's difficult to know how faithfully to reproduce it, but if I change the structure, the good parts will disappear, so I'm conscious of making it as close to the original as possible. Also, since the manga serialization and the previous anime started airing in the late 1980s, I'm also careful to keep in mind the atmosphere of that era.

Hasegawa: In this series, we're trying to keep the atmosphere of Takahashi-sensei's drawings from the time while staging it in a modern style. When I saw the completed footage of the first episode, I felt that the current staff was digesting the "80s-ness" and reshaping it.

I wanted to reproduce the unique tempo and story development of Takahashi's works in animation. -Uda

Uda: The same goes for the voice acting. Nowadays, people tend to demand realism, but in the old days, the acting was a bit exaggerated in anime. We're particular about the nostalgic aspects of the characters, such as the writing that appears on the screen as if it were a manga.

We also paid special attention to the gradually changing emotions of the two characters.

Takahashi's works have been loved by many people throughout the ages, but what is it about them that you find so appealing?

Hasegawa: What I appreciated after becoming an anime creator was the tempo. Unlike with anime, you can adjust the speed at which you read manga to your own pace, but Takahashi-sensei's works are so wonderfully paced in terms of frame layout and development that anyone can read them and share the same enjoyment. However, on the other hand, it's quite a hurdle to make an anime version of her works (bitter smile).

Uda: If I were to talk about it, it would take all night, and I still wouldn't be able to finish (laughs). What I find attractive is that Takahashi-sensei's unique perspective is expressed everywhere. For example, in the scene where Akane's hair is cut, Akane and Ranma have expressions that had never been seen in a shonen manga before. Various feelings can be gleaned from that, so I try to incorporate as many of the small expressions as possible into the anime.

Hasegawa: Another thing is how interesting it is as an ensemble drama. Ranma 1/2 revolves around the love between Ranma and Akane, who don't seem to get together easily, but what makes it so special is that there are so many appealing characters around the two of them. It's really interesting to see how the story progresses between Ranma and Akane, but also how they get caught up in the chaos around them. I think the balance between the romantic elements and comedy is excellent.

Uda: In recent romantic comedies, the characters often start dating and become a couple early on, or even if it's unrequited love, the story unfolds after the two characters have discovered each other's feelings. In that sense, a series like this may be rare in this day and age.

The slow-moving love story and the chaotic nature of the people around them have captivated the hearts of many people. -Hasegawa

Hasegawa: What's more, the love between Ranma and Akane develops subtly, little by little (laughs), which I think is exquisite.

Uda: That's right. That's something I'm conscious of in my direction as well. Even when Akane calls out "Ranma!", her feelings should be slightly different in the first and second episodes. We all discussed how much of the "love" element Ranma puts into his words, such as the nuances of his voice, when he says to Akane, "You're cute when you smile." Of course, those are just some of the answers we've come up with, and there's no real right answer, so I hope the viewers will interpret it freely.

Hasegawa: Even though it's an interpretation, it's not necessarily difficult at all. I think it's an anime with a wide reach that even people who haven't come into contact with Takahashi's work before can enjoy. If you watch the anime and find it interesting, I hope you'll take this opportunity to experience the greatness of the original manga.

Uda: That's right. If people can empty their minds, laugh out loud, enjoy themselves, and think, "Ah, all the fatigue from today has been wiped away," then that would be the greatest happiness for me.

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Konosuke Uda
Born in Shizuoka Prefecture in 1966.
As an anime director his major works include the TV anime series ONE PIECE, Hinomaru Sumo, DAYS, Love★Com, and Nijiiro Hotaru: Eternal Summer Vacation.

Hiroya Hasegawa
Born in Hokkaido in 1980.
Joined MAPPA in 2021. His major works as an anime producer include Wakyo Battery, Vinland Saga, and The Ancient Magus' Bride.

Anime expressions that make the most of the original work①
Incorporating old techniques to create the atmosphere of the time of the original series' serialization.
"In order to recreate the atmosphere of the '80s when the original manga's serialization began, this anime incorporates some old expressions and techniques. For example, the handwritten characters that appear on screen are one of the characteristics of Takahashi-sensei. In addition, we deliberately made use of the original's dialogue." (Uda)
Some scenes are deliberately expressed in monochromatic tones, while retaining the original writing! Akane's sister, Kasumi, unintentionally throws a frying pan and Ranma quickly catches it.

Anime expressions that make the most of the original work②
Expressing emotional changes through subtle differences in facial expressions.
"Takahashi-sensei's works often depict subtle emotions in each frame. Please pay attention to the small changes in the expressions of each character, such as the moment Akane's hair is cut and Ranma's face when he sees it, and the way Akane gives up on her unrequited love for Tofu Ono-sensei." (Uda)
Akane reminisces about her past with her first love, Tofu-sensei, the orthopedic clinic owner. Her melancholy expression is heartbreaking.

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Footnotes

• [1] Kappei Yamaguchi and Noriko Hidaka discuss what they bring to the 2024 adaptation of the series and both comment on how fortunate they are to be able to play Ranma and Akane once more in this interview.
• [2] Some actors from the original series have passed away (Hiromi Tsuru, Hirotaka Suzuoki, Ichiro Nagai and Miyoko Aso), others have retired (Saeko Shimazu) and others have returned but in smaller roles (Kenichi Ogata).

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