Appare-Ranman!

Appare-Ranman! (天晴爛漫！, "Appare in Full Bloom!") is an original Japanese anime television series produced by P.A. Works, and directed by Masakazu Hashimoto. The series aired from April to September 2020. A manga adaptation by Ahndongshik was serialized in Kadokawa Shoten's Young Ace magazine from April 2020 to January 2022.

Plot

Set around the start of the Meiji era in Japan, an eccentric inventor and second son of a respected merchant family, Appare Sorano, decides one day to set off on an adventure. However, the samurai Kosame Isshiki is tasked with keeping Appare's eccentric behavior in check. While trying to drag Appare back to Japan, Kosame accidentally strands them both at sea, until they are saved at the last moment by a passing American steamship. Now stuck in Los Angeles with no money and no easy way to return to Japan, Appare and Kosame decide to enter the "Trans-America Wild Race," where Appare gets the chance to build a custom automobile and Kosame gets the opportunity to earn enough money to return home. The two of them will have to work together while fighting off other rival racers, bandits, and other challenges as they try to win the race.

Characters

Appare Sorano (空乃 天晴, Sorano Appare)

The second son of the Sorano merchant family. Much to his family's dismay, Appare does not care much for social norms or inheriting the family business, instead spending his time inventing new gadgets and studying various scientific texts. He was inspired from a very young age when he got a copy of the Jules Verne novel From the Earth to the Moon. He decides to enter Trans-America Wild Race in his own steam-powered vehicle.

Kosame Isshiki (一色 小雨, Isshiki Kosame)

The head instructor of his family's dojo and a samurai under Lord Kuroda. Kosame was tasked by his Lord with keeping Appare under control, but was dragged with him to America after a series of accidents. Despite being a strong samurai, he has PTSD from an incident in his past and has trouble attacking another person.

Hototo (ホトト)

A Native American boy from a northeastern tribe whose father was killed and family displaced by a man with a snake tattoo on his neck. After being rescued from thugs in Los Angeles, he joins Appare and Kosame while hoping to hunt down his father's killer.

Jing Xialian (ジン・シャーレン, Jin Shāren)

A Chinese-American general assistant for an auto-racing team who dreams of becoming a racer, only to be denied due to prejudice against women. She secretly drives the team's cars at night and befriends Appare and Kosame. After an altercation with the team driver, she earns the owner's grudging respect and he provides her with an old car to enter the Trans-America Wild Race herself.

Al Lyon (アル・リオン, Aru Rion)

A wealthy European (French in the English dub) from the family that owns one of the three B.I.G. Boss auto companies, Bright New Works (BNW). He seeks to win the Trans-America Wild Race to prove to his family that he should be the heir to the company.

Sofia Taylor (ソフィア・テイラー, Sofia Teirā)

Al's self-proclaimed "chaperone" and assistant whose mother serves as a domestic maid to Al's family.

Seth Rich Carter (セス・リッチー・カッター, Sesu Ritchī Kattā)

An engineer for Great Motors (GM) and an organizer of the Trans-America Wild Race, with ambitions of running the company.

Dylan G. Oldin (ディラン・G・オルディン, Diran G Orudin)

A top racer driving for GM in the Trans-America Wild Race and a skilled gunman. One of the legendary "Thousand Three" outlaws known as "Dylan the Hero."

TJ (ティー・ジェイ, Tī Jei)

Known as Crazy TJ, he is another of the legendary Thousand Three outlaws who is hired by the Iron Motor Company to drive the Trans-America Wild Race.

Tristan the Bad (トリスタン・ザ・バッド, Torisutan za Baddo)

Driver for Tlaloc. While he begins the race under the identity of Gil T. Cigar, he later reveals he is actually Tristan of the Bad Brothers and that he impersonated Gil at the organizer's request.

Chase the Bad (チェイス・ザ・バッド, Cheisu za Baddo)

Partner and brother of Tristan.

Richard Riesman (リチャード・リースマン, Richādo Rīsuman) / Gil T. Cigar (ギル・T・シガー, Giru T Shigā)

A competitor who drives his car, the GT3. He is later revealed to be Gil the Butcher, the leader of the legendary Thousand Three outlaws. He is hired by a railroad magnate to sabotage the race but decides to use the opportunity to make a profit by holding the train and passengers for a ransom.

Production and release

On October 12, 2019, P.A. Works announced that they were producing the 13-episode original anime television series directed and written by Masakazu Hashimoto. Yurie Oohigashi designed the characters based on the original designs by Ahndongshik, with Shiho Takeuchi handling mechanical designs, and Evan Call composing the series' music.^[1] Mia Regina performed the series' opening theme song "I got it!" while the ending song was performed by Showtaro Morikubo. It aired from April 10 to September 25, 2020, on AT-X and other networks.^[2][3] On April 17, 2020, it was announced that airings of episode 4 and onward were delayed due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.^[4] On June 9, 2020, it was announced that the anime would restart on July 3, 2020, and the fourth episode premiered on July 24, 2020.^[5]

Manga adaptation

A manga adaptation by Ahndongshik was serialized in Kadokawa Shoten's Young Ace magazine from April 3, 2020, to January 4, 2022.^[6][7] It has been collected in three tankōbon volumes.^[8] At Anime NYC 2022, Yen Press announced that they licensed the manga for English publication.^[9]

Notes

1. ^ In North America through Crunchyroll, LLC (formerly known as Funimation).

References

1. ^ Loo, Egan (October 12, 2019). "P.A. Works Makes Original Wild-West Car Race Anime Appare-Ranman!". Anime News Network. Archived October 11, 2019 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved October 12, 2019.
2. ^ Pineda, Rafael Antonio (January 6, 2020). "P.A. Works' Appare-Ranman! Wild West Anime Reveals Cast, Character Profiles, April Debut". Anime News Network. Archived January 12, 2020 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 6, 2020.
3. ^ Pineda, Rafael Antonio (February 11, 2020). "P.A. Works' Appare-Ranman! Wild West Racing Anime Reveals More Cast, April 10 Debut in Video". Anime News Network. Archived February 19, 2020 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved February 11, 2020.
4. ^ Sherman, Jennifer (April 17, 2020). "P.A. Works' Appare-Ranman! Anime Delayed Due to COVID-19". Anime News Network. Archived April 24, 2020 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
5. ^ Pineda, Rafael Antonio (June 9, 2020). "P.A. Works' Appare-Ranman! Anime Restarts on July 3 After COVID-19 Delay". Anime News Network. Archived July 6, 2020 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved June 9, 2020.
6. ^ Pineda, Rafael Antonio (March 4, 2021). "P.A. Works' Appare-Ranman! Wild West Racing Anime Gets Manga in April". Anime News Network. Archived December 6, 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 4, 2020.
7. ^ Pineda, Rafael Antonio (December 4, 2021). "Appare-Ranman! Manga Ends on January 4". Anime News Network. Archived January 9, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
8. ^ "天晴爛漫！" (in Japanese). Kadokawa Shoten. Archived April 15, 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved April 15, 2025.
9. ^ Loo, Egan (November 19, 2022). "Yen Press Announces Over 2 Dozen Titles at Anime NYC". Anime News Network. Archived November 19, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved November 19, 2022.

External links

• Anime official website (in Japanese)