Ranma ova?

[Elcoholic]

I am pondering if I should get into the Ranma 1/2 series. If I start watching a series I want to finish it but I will have to be sure if I will like it because it's alot of discs=$$.
Now my question is if I get the OVA's (FX) will they give me a good feel for the rest of the series or are they different from the series in terms of animation and story telling?

Any help would be appreciated.

[rugrats1]

Haven't seen it myself yet, but as I heard, the story and action is the same as the TV series. The animation's a little different, though.

[evilomar]

Actually chronologically speaking the oavs follow the Tv series and the movies, but they are great to watch and to get a feel of the series.

[morgorath]

Ok yes by watching the OVA's you will get a feel for the series, but if you know nothing about Ranma then the OVA may leave you with a lot of questions. The OVA's expect you to know the core charcters and what problems they have with each other. (IE why Ranma run's away when Shampoo turns into a cat)

Look to be on the level with you if your going to get one Ranma to see if you like the show, I suggest you either A: get the first 4 episodes from a friend internet or somewhere or B: get one of the movies at least with the movies they are self contained and when the movie is over if you don't care for the series you can leave it there...

[Vicious]

Morgs right. You cna't watch the OVA's without having seen at least the 1st 4 seasons of the series. You will be lost and confused and it will make no sense to you whatsoever. I loved the Ova's and thought they were actually better than the series, but you can't watch them alone. Go rent the 1st disc from Netflix or somewhere for season 1 or start by buying the 1st season.

[evilomar]

Ok, you won't be that confused now guys... remember when VIZ first released the vhs here the oav volume, was released right after the volume one vhs which at the time had only two episodes. But I do recommend buying them because they are worth it specially the HK releases which are soooo much cheaper.

[morgorath]

evilmar said

Ok, you won't be that confused now guys...

How could he not be a little confused... The OVA's don't tell you how Ranma and the rest of the gang got the curse. It doesn't explain how and why Kuna wants ranma dead and in his bead... (now I am being a little devil with my play on words.) It is very vague in the OVA's although some of Ranma's best stories are in the OVA's but you can't truly fall in love for ranma unless you watch the first 4 episodes...

[Ravenwood]

In the US, at least, Ranma is actually one of those shows that has a good chance of showing up at the public library, if only a few volumes. If you want to check and see if you like it, you might ask the librarians if they have it or can get it loaned for you. The first volume, vhs or dvd, would give you a pretty fair idea of how the show goes on. I have to agree with Morgorath, the first four eps or so would give you a much clearer idea than the ovas.

Actually, if your library has the manga, the first volulme of *that* might give you a good taste-test too. The style is very congruent. That would also probably be easier to get through interlibrary loan.

It's amazing what you can get if you just ask the reference librarian, even at a dinky little branch.

[Elcoholic]

Thanks for the reply's people. I can't get the first dvd because it's not available on european R2 dvd's, but that netflix idea of vicious is a very good one. I am definetly going to try that and if I like it i'll get all the seasons at once on HK.

So Ravenwood, are you telling me you can get dvd's at your library?
That's very cool if you only need a membership and no rental fee.

[Ravenwood]

Yep. It's exceedingly cool. The selection is always very spotty, because most acquisitions librarians aren't heavily into anime, but a handful of volumes of popular shows are often tucked into the foreign films section.

Of course, it also really helps being married to a librarian. Not only does he know where to look, but librarians can often get ahold even of materials that don't normally get sent on interlibrary loan. That's most anything that isn't text, in general.

I take it the Netherlands don't do av media in the library? Bummer.

[Vicious]

I know libraries carry some DVD's, but Ranma??? I wouldn't be so sure of that. Would they carry stuff that has nudity in it? I mean since Ranma is flashing his chest around every 5 minutes?

I love Netflix. You should definitely try it. I know for a fact that they used to carry the 1st season of Ranma. Haven't checked in a while, but I don't see why they would teke it down.

[Ravenwood]

Librarians are absolute death on censorship. The professionals are *not* the ones who insist on nanny software on the terminals or similar measures. These are people who have fought tooth and nail to make it impossible to track what books a patron has checked out so that they cannot be supoenaed to persecute some poor yutz on the basis of what he/she reads. They may rate something higher if they work in a parochial area, but you're damn straight they'll have the material.

The Colulmbus Metropolitan Library has both vhs and dvd copies of Wicked City for crying out loud. Public libraries keep holdings of Playboy, you just have to show id to check it out.

Pardon the rant, but I know a lot of librarians and they're far more liberal-minded than seventy-five percent of my fellow college teachers. Check your catalogue before you accuse the library of being prudish.

That said, it's certainly true that North Campus Video has a far wider selection. The library is best for popular or high-profile releases.

[Vicious]

Huh? Accusations? What accusations? I asked a simple question because I didn't know. Did I say libraries are prudish? I simply asked if they would carry something like Ranma. Don't fill in the blanks yourself and assume things. Just because you're in love with a librarian doesn't mean you have to be so defensive about libraries. I was just wondering, not accusing. So get off your soap box and your obviously biased viewpoint.

[Ravenwood]

You did not simply ask a question. You said you wouldn't be so sure what I said was true, and went on to mention the nudity in Ranma as a reason for your doubt. So, no, you did not actually accuse the library of prudishness; I apologize for overstating the case when you merely implied prudisheness.

You have also, twice now, implied that I am either careless or stupid. Once by assuming that I would say Ranma could be available without knowing for sure that it *was* in some places. Twice by assuming that my feelings for my spouse have anything to do with my high opinion of public libraries. If you want me to stop assuming things, I will thank you to stop as well given that your assumptions have been considerably more insulting.

If your intention was simply to ask a question, may I suggest that you do so without immediately casting doubt on your target's truthfulness and/or knowledge. It rather undermines the chances of your query being taken seriously, not to mention calmly.

Arlington libraries, by the way, only have the OVA, a fact I found mildly ironic considering the recommendations made in this thread. They do, however, have a nice bunch of the manga, should you happen to be missing any of the early volumes.

[DARK OSAMU]

Hey it doesn't surprise me that Ranma was in the library. Ranma was played on PBS after school for quite some time in California!!!