The production announcement event for the completely new anime "Ranma ½" (premiering on October 5 on Nippon TV) was held on the 17th in Tokyo, featuring cast members Kappei Yamaguchi as Saotome Ranma, Megumi Hayashibara as female Ranma, and Noriko Hidaka as Akane Tendo. The original cast from the 1989 broadcast will reprise their roles, each sharing their thoughts on the series.

At the beginning of the conference, Yamaguchi cheerfully said, "I've been looking forward to doing Ranma again!" Hayashibara added, "I think this is a kind of miracle even within the industry," while Hidaka expressed her joy, saying, "I am so happy to be standing here together (with the other two)!"

Regarding the new anime, Yamaguchi explained, "We took the voice test in December the year before last. It was decided that we would do it with this cast at the end of January last year, so we had to keep it a secret for about a year and a half," with a wry smile.

Hayashibara shared, "When they mentioned a voice test, I asked the staff, 'Can I talk about this?' They hesitated but as a joke, I said, 'Oh no, I don't want to.' Initially, I was a bit reluctant, saying, 'I'll do it if Kappei does it, but if it's not him, then I won't do it,'" making everyone laugh.

Yamaguchi then recalled, "Out of the blue, I got a rare phone call from Hayashibara, and she asked, 'Are you doing it?'" to which he grinned. Hayashibara explained, "We're a set," emphasizing their inseparable dynamic in the spirit of "Ranma ½."

"Ranma ½" is a martial arts romantic comedy centered on high school student Saotome Ranma, who turns into a girl when splashed with water, and his fiancée Akane Tendo, depicting their daily lives and the chaos that ensues around them. The popular manga by Rumiko Takahashi was serialized in "Weekly Shonen Sunday" from 1987 to 1996, with the TV anime airing from 1989 to 1992. It was later adapted into theatrical and OVA formats, and in 2011, it was made into a live-action drama starring Yui Aragaki as Akane.

Source : ORICON NEWS