I’ve been rereading Ranma for the first time since probably high school and, it’s really really funny?

Like I always enjoyed it but when I was younger I got really invested in the martial arts and the romance plot, so I always wanted more story development than we got.

But this time I know what to expect and just, the comedic timing is so good. I laughed out loud multiple times during the rhythmic gymnastics battle, and I’ve been pleasantly surprised to see how many of the jokes managed to age well.

Given the premise and the time it was written I was expecting to cringe a lot more but in all honesty it’s been a really interesting time capsule about gender roles in the 1980s Japan and while not everything lands today (the fact that nobody tells Akane that the pet pig she sleeps with and presumably changes in front of is actually Ryoga is pretty damn uncomfortable) there are little touches I really appreciated, such as Ranma’s friends respecting his pronouns regardless of his current form, or the way Ranma reacted to that figure skater deliberately and non-consensually kissing him.

Sure it’s still given a comedic bent, but I was impressed by how much focus was given to how much the act upset Ranma. Even that early in manga he would often use his female body to make use of the male gaze, but that was on HIS terms. When that guy started touching him and more without his permission, Ranma felt VIOLATED and even though it’s never delved too deep into, it was still far more than I’d ever expected from 30+ year old comedy manga.

I’m about 6 volumes in and overall the manga is still funny, touching, and expressive. It really is a classic.

Of course, I’m worried I’m going to have to eat my words about how funny this manga is and how well it’s aged as soon as Happosai shows up…