The long-awaited remake of “Ranma 1/2” was released this month on Netflix, bringing this anime classic to a new generation of fans This is the second reboot of legendary manga artist Rumiko Takahashi's masterpiece, following the successful summer revival of the “Urusei Yatsura” series

Under the direction of anime studio MAPPA, which produced “Jutsu Kaisen” and “Chainsaw Man,” and with the return of most of the original voice actors, this beloved gender-reversal romantic comedy is finally getting a revival (The previous two anime adaptations, in the late 80s and early 90s, ended before the manga)

Although it has been nearly 30 years since Ranma Saotome graced our screens, the story of “Ranma” still feels fresh, as it was surprisingly advanced for its time This new adaptation promises to introduce viewers to the cast of the most hilarious and notoriously complicated romantic comedy of all time, and if you're wondering whether you should watch “Ranma 1/2” on Netflix, it's worth adding to your viewing list this weekend

“Ranma 1/2” follows Ranma Saotome, a teenage martial artist After an unscheduled trip to a Chinese hot spring, Ranma is cursed with the ability to take on the form of a woman when exposed to cold water and revert to a boy when exposed to hot water

The hijinks continue Since this is a romantic comedy, much of it revolves around Ranma's attraction to suitors of both sexes Furthermore, due to a long-standing arrangement between their fathers, Ranma is engaged to his short-tempered, man-hating classmate Akane And as the series progresses, he picks up the engagement like a Pokémon card [The film is full of puns and slapstick humor, interspersed with frenetic and colorful fight scenes Ranma navigates character after character, all of whom are portrayed with a flippant, queer approach that anticipates the era with a wink to romance; the setting, “somewhere in Tokyo in the 80s”; the retro art style; the vivid and engaging color palette and more, MAPPA makes it clear that the film is a loving homage to the original, while also introducing several new original characters to add variety to the story

If you like your anime light and action-packed, “Ranma 1/2” is probably the next thing you should watch on Netflix The first season has 12 episodes, with new episodes available every Saturday through December 21

Need more streaming recommendations? Check out the 9 must-see new animated series this year and the 7 best Netflix animated films that scored over 90% on Rotten Tomatoes

Stream “Ranma 1/2” on Netflix now