Re: "Anything Goes Martial Arts"


to ranma@usagi.jrd.dec.com
from deckerd@agcs.com (Dwight Decker)
subject Re: "Anything Goes Martial Arts"
date Wed, 8 Feb 1995 15:54:19 -0700 (MST)
Like everybody else, I'd like to see Viz release _every_
Ranma TV episode in order, though I wonder if the
enthusiasm will last for the next six or so years and
70-odd tapes. Bear in mind that animation quality falls
off in Nettouhen (or at least gets very inconsistent).
Too many episodes with weak stories and sub-par animation
would surely have unfortunate effects on sales and whether
the series continues very long. My preference would still
be for Viz to release every episode in order, but we may
have to grant Viz a certain amount of latitude to adjust
to market reality. Therefore, I propose the following
informal suggestions...

1. Exact order is not as important as continuity. That is,
some shifting around of episodes so that two-parters can
be put on the same tape, for example, is fine, as long as
continuity is not affected. No Happousai episodes before
Happousai has been introduced.

2. Weaker stand-alone episodes (i.e., no effect on 
continuity) can be skipped or (better) held back for
pairing with stronger episodes. What's strong or weak is
a judgment call, of course.

To illustrate--
In an ideal world, I would have skipped the "Big Hips Blues"
episode and plugged in the first part of the skating arc,
with the second two parts in the following tape. "Big Hips
Blues" is a stand-alone episode with no particular effect on
continuity (it's kind of an anomaly in the first series
episodes, which are otherwise pretty tightly connected),
other than for the introduction of Dr. Tofu's mother (who
isn't seen again for as many episodes into Nettouhen as
I've seen). Until such time as Dr. Tofu's mother reappears
(if she ever does), "Big Hips Blues" could be held back
for filling out a tape. It's a pleasant episode, but the
world could have lived without it. There may be a number
of episodes throughout Nettouhen just like it, only not
as well animated (like the one where Kunou's ninja
manservant Sasuke runs away from home). Anyway, the 
above is just an example (Toshi has explained why
he couldn't insert the ice-skating trilogy between the
Kodachi and Shampoo arcs where it really belongs), but
the point is that if he had been able to do it, "Big
Hips Blues" probably would have been skipped or delayed
to make the number of tapes in the first series come out
even.

I know fans want to see everything. _I_ want to see 
everything. Viz's problem is keeping the series fresh and
interesting for as long as possible. I'd like the series
to continue at least through Ukyou's introduction, so if
Viz has to tinker with running order of non-critical
episodes to get there, I won't complain.

--Dwight Decker

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