[TV] The What Anime Are You Watching Thread!

[GasBandit]

I never watched it all, but isn't it just Ranma 1/2 but with more of an overarching plot ?

Oh, it's about how it relates to Isekai.

The character growth arc is different. Ranma just wants to fight and get stronger, and resents the interference of his parents in arranging a marriage for him, whereas Inuyasha's arc is more about moving on from the ex who betrayed him but he can't get over, thus wanting to embrace his demonic heritage as a toxic coping mechanism.

While they both had "villain of the week" formulas doing the heavy lifting, Ranma didn't have a macguffin to chase. You might also say that where Inuyasha was proto-isekai, Ranma might be considered proto-Slice of Life.

Also, though it took way longer than it should have, we finally got a conclusion to Inuyasha, whereas Ranma just kept going til it was cancelled without reconciling any of the plot. That's the first major shortfall of any Rumiko Takahashi series - they're not meant to be a complete story, they're meant to be her meal ticket until they get cancelled, and thus Status Quo is god, like an old sitcom.

And as is consisted with her works' second common shortcoming, they both fell victim to Dragonball Power Scaling rules. Both Ranma and Inuyasha follow the "I'm strong because I know this great technique which beats everybody until I go up against someone I can't beat, then I have to learn a new technique which then becomes the only technique I use until someone strong enough comes along that it doesn't beat, so I learn a new technique which beats everybody and becomes my only technique until..."

Ranma had his Cashew Fist, Heavenly Dragon Blast, Tiger's Pride, Thousand fists, etc
Inuyasha had his Iron Reaver, Wind Scar, Backlash Wave, Adamant barrage, etc

So they have similar framing and shortcomings, but different journeys. Also I think Inuyasha had a better stable of villains.

 

[@Li3n]

Ranma just got cancelled before the manga ended, didn't it ?

And obviously, simply by the fact that it had an overarching plot, Inuyasha had to be different, but in the end it was still about 2 people being awkward about their relationship for way too long.

As for the isekai stuff, Escaflowne was around at the same time as the manga's start (i could have swore it was very late 80's based on it's style, but it was mid 90's it seems), so i wouldn't really credit it for it as much as it was just an idea that was around at the time. Though i'd argue that isekai's are just power fantasies, so neither really counts.

 

[GasBandit]

Ranma just got cancelled before the manga ended, didn't it ?

The manga also never ended. The final issue was an "And the adventure continues..." copout.

And obviously, simply by the fact that it had an overarching plot, Inuyasha had to be different, but in the end it was still about 2 people being awkward about their relationship for way too long.

Well, that's 90% of media, really.

As for the isekai stuff, Escaflowne was around at the same time as the manga's start (i could have swore it was very late 80's based on it's style, but it was mid 90's it seems), so i wouldn't really credit it for it as much as it was just an idea that was around at the time. Though i'd argue that isekai's are just power fantasies, so neither really counts.

Inuyasha had much more mainstream impact than Escaflowne, largely due to its run on Adult Swim.

 

[@Li3n]

The manga also never ended. The final issue was an "And the adventure continues..." copout.

Reading the synopsis on wikipedia sounds like enough of an ending even without a high school wedding...

Well, that's 90% of media, really.

Sure, but it's not the same as the ones Rumiko Takahashi does... she has a style of her own. At least when i first found out Inuyasha was also by the author of Ranma 1/2, it made perfect sense.

Inuyasha had much more mainstream impact than Escaflowne, largely due to its run on Adult Swim.

My pirated Starcraft map packs say otherwise...

On a more serious note, you're talking America, and you guys where super late on the anime hype train...

The way the article talks about Kagome, i assume none of you even heard of Lady Oscar / Rose of Versailles.

Anyway, guess i should have said that, while it might have been "gamechanging" for America, it wasn't for anime in general.

 

[chris]

The way the article talks about Kagome, i assume none of you even heard of Lady Oscar / Rose of Versailles.

Anyway, guess i should have said that, while it might have been "gamechanging" for America, it wasn't for anime in general.

Right, the article sounds like it was written by someone who hasn't watched much anime before.

I was not really impressed by the article myself. But I guess the game changer was more a personal thing for the writer.

I watched Lady Oscar as a child by the way.