Customer Reviews

Ranma 1/2 - The Movie 2, Nihao My Concubine

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This is a fun movie steming form the Ranma 1/2 series. I found this movie to be the better of the two Ranma 1/2 films. The story has a good plot filled with comedy and action in the right moments. It does require some previous knowlege of the characters prior to viewing, but that is easly rectified by taking advantage of the DVD's options. Also, for a DVD movie, this is great! The sound in the English track is digitaly remastered so it sounds great. No widescreen. There is also a ton of extra features. Inculding a fun Love Chart which displays which movie characters love, hate and are rivals of each ohther with a film clip. A must have for all Anime fans.

For Anime fans, DVD is a godsend. Purity and snobbery demands that you get subtitled imports and pay a high premium for a scarce collection of titles. Noninitiates prefer them dubbed, and get them cheaper and more readily available. Sometimes even the snobs have to make do with dubs, often poor dubs at that. Now along comes this fine edition of Ranma 1/2's second movie to make the future look bright.

Watch it in Japanese with English subtitles, English with Japanese subitles, English with English subtitles, Japanese with Japanese subtitles. Watch half of it dubbed, watch the other half subtitled, whatever blows your skirt up. Open-minded fellow that I am, I watched both modes. The dub is actually top-notch, and allowed me to focus on the action. The subtitles provided a more accurate translation of the dialog, a clearer understanding of what was going on.

So the DVD rocks. How's the movie? The first Ranma 1/2 movie was little more than a series of crazy set-pieces, manic and disconnected. This film slows things down enough to focus more on the characters, while still maintaining the series' high-energy fun.

I'll spare you another plot rehash -- check the Amazon review for that. Suffice to say that the movie gives fans what they want. Akane and Ranma have many great love-hate moments, Mousse shows some backbone, and even Ryoga makes himself useful. Nabiki shines in several scenes as she starts to enjoy being a love-goddess abductee. The new characters are memorable as well; the villain is a remarkably sympathetic boy whose tender scenes with Akane steal the show. The animation is not Disney quality, but it is smooth and stylish (particularly in the climactic shadowy battle scenes).

It's got action, it's got eye candy, it's got some underlying complexity but nothing that gets in the way of the fun. Definitely a must for fans of the series, and a good jumping-on point (with some backstory) for anyone anime-inclined.

As a practicing hardcore Ranma ½ fan (check out my site in my learn more about me page) I found this DVD highly enjoyable! I LOVED the animation, abseloutely amazing animation! The 1st class animation was my favourite part! AMAZING !!! Did i mention the animation was really good? Anyways, down to business, about the movie! It was very very funny, the usual hillarious comedy that Ranma ½ is so famous for! Pretty much all the characters in the story! Lots and lots of action, AMAZING affects! The guys were using their special attacks quite a bit, that was really cool! People getting on each other's nerves breaking into arguements asusual, especially Ryoga and Ukyo, that arguement was settled in a cute way! Sometimes in movies based on series, the personality and characteristics change slightly different, but thats not the case with this! The characters acted as you'd hoped and not make you think 'they're so stupid!' A little nudity at the beginning, and very 'dodgy' clothing throughout, worn by the girls! So, watch with discretion! I mean, in the series, all the girls were really decent and comparing it to the clothes worn in the movie was quite a difference! But, that's not a major drawback! The song at the end, A piece of love, was really nice! One of my favourite songs! About the DVD, EXCELLENT animation, very good sound quality! The extras, well we have character profile, explains curses and professions and personalities. That was fun to go through! They have actual sketches by Rumiko Takahashi, it was fun to look at! The love triangle, or as i'd call it, the love pentagon! That part was really cool, they had a short clip of each character's realationships with each other like Mousse totally inlove with Shampoo and Shampoo really bugged at Mousse for not leaving her alone! You get the picture! They had many more extras! Also a section all about VIZ products and you can watch Ranma ½ trailers of the first movie; Big Trouble in Nekonolon China! And the OAV trailer and the trailer for the TV series. Also, many trailers from other anime! That's all i can think of to comments about at the moment! Later!

First, let me clarify that Ranma 1/2 is one of the best and funniest anime/manga series that I've seen. One thing I appreciate about Ranma 1/2 in general is that it tells a remarkably good story with a great cast of characters for all its silly gags. However, Nihao My Concubine has a weak, scattered storyline with an unoriginal rehash of each of the character's personalities in a monotonous manner unworthy of Takahashi's genius (indeed, I am thankful to know that Takahashi didn't write this one). I got the impression that the production crew had no ideas for a plot, but just wanted to slop something together: getting the main cast together with the girls in playboy-worthy attire being the only premise. And as for the humor...I didn't laugh once.

If you're looking for some quality Ranma 1/2, go for the 1st TV season (subtitled of course), or get the manga (comic books). I couldn't stop laughing through those.

I bought this movie not knowing what the heck it was (I'd seen about half of the third series of Ranma 1/2 in Italian), and I watched it on a tiny low color computer. It left me..... in awe. It was a GREAT movie!!! Bet you guessed that by now. After watching this I immediately tracked down the Ranma series and ended up recording series 1-7 off TV... I also bought the entire manga series (in Italian, as far as I know vol. 38 isn't out in English). But on with the review.

There were a few things that I didn't particularly love about this DVD. The plotline is good, but has a few weak spots. It's the usual, Akane is kidnapped by a prince, Ranma goes to save her... but that's why it's good isn't it? (I'm a big R&A fan). There are also a few cute moments for... ((In my opinion)) Kuno and Nabiki, Ucchan and Ryoga, and even Shampoo and Mousse! Not to mention Ranma and Akane.

There are some great extras on this DVD, like the relationship chart, that gives you brief clip that shows the relationship. (Example: Kuno loves pigtailed girl. "Oh pigtailed girl thank the heavens you're safe!" *Gets kicked into the dirt by Ranma*) . Both the dubbed and subtitled versions are good, but in the sutitled version, Ranma NEARLY says that he LOVES Akane, while in the dubbed he... almost says he loves her. Get it? There are also trailers for the Ranma TV series and the OAVs, not to mention other Viz videos. Overall, it's worth the money, and is really fun to watch!!

I have been a fan of Ranma 1/2 since my high school days, and way before Pokémon was advertising it on it's videos. I have been involved in the fanfiction/fansites and fanclubs that follow this wonderful series from the genius mind of Rumiko Takahashi, and I think I can safely say that this is one of the best Ranma 1/2 plot lines out of all of the animated features (OAV, TV and Movie included) ever done.

I do not want to spoil the movie for you if you haven't seen it, but the basic plotline is that Ranma and the gang head out to sea in Kunou's new yacht and end up shipwrecked on an island. And island ruled by an illusion master prince, who happens to be looking for a bride, and is collecting young girls in order to make a good selection.

Suffice it to say a battle royal follows post haste when most of the girls are stolen from Ranma and the gang, and the movie winds down with Ranma making a HUGE sacrafice for Akane, along with demonstrating new techniques for both Ranma and Ryouga.

Over all if you like Anime you will like this DVD. If you like Ranma 1/2, you will love this DVD.

I am a fan of the magna, though just recently I started watching the videos. I tell you, it can be read better in German (there just is more personality) than in English. I hope German dubbed tapes will come out. Back to the movie: a great piece, has an involving story, AND you get to see Ryouga and Mousse lead two really COOL battle scenes. Ranma vs. Prince Toma is also pretty good, and Nabiki of course out does Kuno in skill. Typical Ranma, only it blends a lot of things together. All fiancees, competeres of Ranma, cats, and even a cure for the male cursed people are in this movie. Rent it, buy it, whatever. If you are a Ranma fan, you need to get this movie. (Pref. a DVD, it sounds cool in Japanese, with slightly different English dialouge.)

Plot: On a beach vacation, all the girls get abducted. (The guys stop fighting each other and team up for a change) How will Ranma, Ryoga and Mousse save them?

Good points: Story has a better flow than the first movie, and the animation is as excellent. I especially liked the hints as to who will end up marrying each other; nice touch. Preserving Akane requires a special sacrifice from Ranma. Will he be willing? Does he really, ummmm, Love her?

Bad point: The cute innocence of the series is lost with a bit too much skin. One might conclude that the REAL plot centers on who is the ultimate babe -- Nabiki or Ukyo? Both are animated as fabulous babes, wearing revealing bikinis, but where's the humor? (The series has Shampoo providing humorous contrast to Ranma's repeated complaints about Akane. Shampoo can cook, fight, is madly in love with Ranma and also happens to be THE ultimate babe. It's enough to make guys sigh "Ranma, don't be such an idiot!")

Overall: It's an enjoyable movie, but don't be surprised if females get disgusted from the slow pans of the jiggling Nabiki and quivering Ukyo. On the other hand, otaku guys into this stuff will think this is the best ever. Ranma 1/2 collectors will want to get this, but might think about getting the OVA Series first. People new to Ranma 1/2 wanting the ultimate Rumiko Takahashi viewing experience should start with the TV series.

I thought this movie was ok but could of been better if they would of thought of a better story line. There are really good scenes and some good battles but it could of been longer and better in some kind of way. I have a large collection and will continue with ranma 1/2 as the series are really getting good. I hope they make a movie 3 where when they are done with ranma's that finally ranma and Akane both marry each other. But until then they continue with this awesome series.

This movie was much better then the first one. This is the first anime i have seen thats better in the english version then the japenese version. It is a must have for any Ranma fan. The only problem with it is that there is too much showing of the girls (if u know what i mean) The first one wasn't like that and because of that. now i can not show it in my schools anime club. A sham yes but i can't complain on normal standards. It seems to have too much in comon with the first one. For instance, Akane is kidnaped and is chosen to be someone's bride, The kidnaper is a prince of a place few have heard of, and in the end they become friends. (also Kuno and his boat) Although i can't get by the fact that it was better then the first. I mean lots more action, and the fights are longer, plus Ranma isn't the only one u get to see fight. Buy it, laugh, and enjoy.