Rereading Ranma ½ Part 1

Re: Rereading Ranma ½ Part 1

feeds@yuku.com (Chun) — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 06:05:48 GMT

Hey just wandering. Is there any chance that Ranma1/2 will continue with the episodes? I'm a big fan. I watched all of the episodes and my fav is episode 15

Re: Rereading Ranma ½ Part 1

feeds@yuku.com (Yoiko Hibiki) — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 02:16:18 GMT

Thanks for the supplemental notes Tachihaki and Cocou, they're much appreciated. I'm hoping to get all this content added to the site eventually (not quite sure in which sections).

I'll try to get the next volume read and the discussion started ASAP.

Re: Rereading Ranma ½ Part 1

feeds@yuku.com (Cocou) — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 23:11:03 GMT

Just something I want to add to Yoiko's Cultural Notes, although this has nothing to do with Japanese culture:

In Akane's swimming class story, we see her wearing a swan-like outfit in a dancing position.
This has a reason that might be obvious for some people, but maybe not for others: it's a clear reference to Tchaikovsky's "Swan Lake" ballet. Considering that Akane is also wearing a crown, it could be affirmed that she is representing princess...

Re: Rereading Ranma ½ Part 1

feeds@yuku.com (Tachihaki) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:27:07 GMT

·Yotaro names Genma "Kumahachi" (written with the kanji for "bear" and "eight"). I'm not sure if Kumahachi is a reference to anything specifically, a literary character or somesuch.

I looked up "Yotaro(与太郎)" in my Japanese-English Dictionary and it says Yotaro means, "a slow-witted fellow; a donkey; a dunce; [怠け者] a loose, lazy fellow." This is because, a character of this name in the traditional...

Re: Rereading Ranma ½ Part 1

feeds@yuku.com (Yusaku Godai) — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 20:35:52 GMT

Excellent notes as always, bro! That Pekochan face has been showing up a lot lately in Hiromu Arakawa's Fullmetal Alchemist manga. Random, I know.

Re: Rereading Ranma ½ Part 1

feeds@yuku.com (Yoiko Hibiki) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 21:37:21 GMT

Volume 14 Chapters 136 - 146
Originally Published: July 1990 - October 1990
Tankoubon Published: May 15, 1991
Color Chapters: None

I forgot to mention that we've been doing this for a little over a year now. Thanks for sticking...

Re: Rereading Ranma ½ Part 1

feeds@yuku.com (Yoiko Hibiki) — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 21:56:46 GMT

Tachihaki wrote:
I can't believe that you can find an English speaker in Hirakata city, perhaps because they are in the vicinity of Kansai Gaidai, managers of shops might be required to learn English. If I come across English speaking people in a town, I would pretend not to know a single word of English because my ear for English is very bad, and it is as if I were a deaf when it comes to conversation, so I...

Re: Rereading Ranma ½ Part 1

feeds@yuku.com (Tachihaki) — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 02:44:55 GMT

Yoiko Hibiki wrote:
Speaking of "hanko" when I lived in Japan I was studying art (specifically sumi-e) and one of the requirements we had was to carve our own hanko out of stone. I remember having a difficult time finding the store where they sold them, and the manager of this big department store in Hirakata City wound up walking me over to the store and talking to me in English. He kept asking if I was sure I wanted...

Re: Rereading Ranma ½ Part 1

feeds@yuku.com (Yoiko Hibiki) — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 14:19:56 GMT

Speaking of "hanko" when I lived in Japan I was studying art (specifically sumi-e) and one of the requirements we had was to carve our own hanko out of stone. I remember having a difficult time finding the store where they sold them, and the manager of this big department store in Hirakata City wound up walking me over to the store and talking to me in English. He kept asking if I was sure I wanted one because it was "very difficult to carve".

Anyway I wound up...

Re: Rereading Ranma ½ Part 1

feeds@yuku.com (Tachihaki) — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 01:51:33 GMT

Yoiko Hibiki wrote:
Have you ever tried moxibustion or accupuncture yourself Tachihaki?

I have never tried them by seeing a doctor of Asian remedies, but we can purchase moxa in pharmacies, and I have ever tried the conscise version of the remedy. I doubt their effectiveness.

So, would it be safe to say that this dual meaning would be referring to Happi's purpose in using the moxa in the...

Re: Rereading Ranma ½ Part 1

feeds@yuku.com (Cocou) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 22:57:51 GMT

I think we finally get to see a lot of development in Ranma and Akane's relationship in these chapters, particularly from Akane's perspective. She feels pretty guilty about accidently hurting Ranma after trying to cheer him up and then even sheds a few tears after Ranma and Genma take off without telling anyone.

Wow, I REALLY appreciate that comment about Akane crying after Ranma's sudden dissapearance, Yoiko. I hadn't noticed those tears in...

Re: Rereading Ranma ½ Part 1

feeds@yuku.com (ryogasgirl) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 21:13:19 GMT

It's hard to imagine I was in 3rd grade when these originally came out in Japan. I guess it really puts it into perspective how long Takahashi's been doing this.

Ah, volume 13. I was in 4th grade, YH, and yes it's hard to believe it was nearly 20 years ago. How old did Takahashi just turn a few days ago..52? Yeah, she's been at this for quite some time. Even more amazing is...

Re: Rereading Ranma ½ Part 1

feeds@yuku.com (Yoiko Hibiki) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 19:56:03 GMT

Welcome to the discussion Kupo, glad to have you along!

*lol* That Hen na Ojisan clip was pretty funny Tachihaki. So I guess pacchi are sort of like the Japanese version of sweatpants, just something causal that you would lay around the house in, but wouldn't wear out (well, some people do, but it makes you look pretty lazy).

Have you ever tried moxibustion or accupuncture yourself Tachihaki?

Re: Rereading Ranma ½ Part 1

feeds@yuku.com (Tachihaki) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 00:18:28 GMT

I always assumed moxibustion was heated stones, but after doing a little research it's actually mugwort.

"Oxford Dictionary of ENGLISH" defines moxa as "a downy substance obtained from dried leaves of an Asian plant related to mugwort. It is burnt on or near the skin in Eastern medicine as a counterirritant. -ORIGIN late 17th cent. : from Japanese "mogusa", from moe kusa "burning herb"."

...

Re: Rereading Ranma ½ Part 1

feeds@yuku.com (Kupo) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 10:09:11 GMT

Mind if I join the discussion? I've been collecting all volumes of Ranma 1/2 since last Christmas holidays (bought number 17 a few days ago) so this is a really great way for me to talk about it.

·Tachihaki, maybe you can help with this question. When it shows Ukyo dreaming of living with a weakened Ranma on day, Ranma is wearing an outfit like Mr. Fujinami from Urusei Yatsura. What's the significance of this outfit? And what do you call that thing around the midriff in...

Re: Rereading Ranma ½ Part 1

feeds@yuku.com (Yoiko Hibiki) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 03:24:15 GMT

Volume 13 Chapters 125 - 135
Originally Published: April 1990 - July 1990
Tankoubon Published: November 17, 1990
Color Chapters: None

It's hard to imagine I was in 3rd grade when these originally came out in Japan. I guess it really puts it into perspective how...

Re: Rereading Ranma ½ Part 1

feeds@yuku.com (Tachihaki) — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 22:30:17 GMT

Thanks Tachihaki, the girl says "絶対両思いになれますわ。このおまじないは確実ですのよ。" She also little sparkles coming off of her. *laughs*

Hmmm, I think it is a language called "お嬢さま言葉(ojousama language)". I don't know if this type of language truely exists or not, but in manga and anime, it is often used to describe some kind of stereotypes.
And, it seems that they published a book about the language. Basically it was used by school girls at...

Re: Rereading Ranma ½ Part 1

feeds@yuku.com (Yoiko Hibiki) — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 16:56:09 GMT

Tachihaki wrote:

·The girl's Ryoga overhears talking about green ink have very unusual character designs, so I'm not sure if they are supposed to represent some specific characters or not.

I can remember that I had a feeling that these girls spoke high society language when I saw this scene on TV. So, out of curiosity, please share their coversation with us in the...

Re: Rereading Ranma ½ Part 1

feeds@yuku.com (jalp) — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 11:36:32 GMT

ryogasgirl wrote:

· Special toshi-koshi soba is served on New Year's Eve and is a tradition, just like black eyed peas are surved here on New Years (though that may be something only southerners do here in the USA).
I, a native New Englander, have no idea where this tradition came from, but on New Year's Eve it's traditional to get Chinese food around here. There are almost as many...

Re: Rereading Ranma ½ Part 1

feeds@yuku.com (Tachihaki) — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 06:47:41 GMT

·The girl's Ryoga overhears talking about green ink have very unusual character designs, so I'm not sure if they are supposed to represent some specific characters or not.

I can remember that I had a feeling that these girls spoke high society language when I saw this scene on TV. So, out of curiosity, please share their coversation with us in the original language.

Rereading Ranma ½ Part 1

feeds@yuku.com (Yoiko Hibiki) — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 15:14:01 GMT

I've been meaning to start rereading Ranma ½ again for the last few months, and today I finally got around to sitting down with the first volume. Since I haven't read some of these books in quite a few years, I thought I'd see if there was any cultural references I missed.

I'm hoping to read a new volume at the beginning of each month, and I'd love it if the rest of you joined in and read along and discussed things as well. Maybe if you haven't read Ranma...