admittedly, I first picked up Ranma 1/2 when I was around twelve. I was in the library and searched desperately for something good to read. Then, I went to the Comic/Manga section and spotted this book. At my first few reads through the chapters I didn't really know what was going on, but I knew that I LOVED it. I even took it home for a few more reads over. Frankly, I wasn't getting anywhere. And then, about five months (I'm 16 now) ago my friend was watching some anime series and I remembered about this Manga. I couldn't remember what it was called, but recalled that the author was Rumiko Takahashi, creator of Inu Yasha. I Googled it, and then made a rash decision to watch all 161 episodes. At first I was a little thrown off by the 1990 graphics, but it didn't really matter in the end. No anime has ever made me laugh so hard and rewind, watch again. I once watched 45 consecutive episodes within a day. I don't know how I did it... but I couldn't stop. Eventually, after about two days, I grew obsessed. I even dreamt--as crazy as this sounds--about watching Ranma. Never have I found a series so enjoyable, so funny, and so heartwarming to watch. To this day 161 episodes are not enough to keep me satisfied. Of course the cliffhanger ending was enough to make me go bonkers, but the series alone was enough to make me continue reading. Ranma 1/2 is about a boy named Ranma Saotome and his dad Genma Saotome. INTENSE martial artists. They are so intense, that they went to the ancient training grounds in China and became 'cursed'. The grounds were full of different pools of springs, and if you land in one, you take the shape of whatever drowned there when doused in cold water. For Genma, that was a PANDA, and for Ranma that was a... girl! It's a very crafty fun loving story. On top of that, Genma promises his friend that Ranma will marry one of his daughters to keep the Tendo dojo alive. 'Course the one he gets matched up with hates his guts and the feelings mutual. Obviously they start to like one another, but both way to stubborn to admit it. But.. Genma has a history of doing this. He promised Ranma to many girls. Trust me. It's worth watching. It's humorous, heartwarming and all around amazing.

Another masterpiece by Takahashi, Ranma 1/2 is the story about a 16-yr-old martial artist, Ranma Saotome, who goes on a training mission with his father, Genma, to magical springs in China called the "Jusenkyo" (Except Ranma & Genma have no idea the springs are magical). Before they know it, they fall in two different springs! First, Genma turns into a panda, and then Ranma turns into a GIRL! To make matter worse, when they come to Tokyo, Ranma ends up getting engaged to Genma's friends daughter Akane Tendo, the martial artist/tomboy who wants nothing to do with Ranma (Or so she says...). Its actually a pretty funny series, with original characters! Like Tatewaki Kuno, the swordsman who's madly in love with Akane and "The Pigtailed Girl" (A.K.A, Ranma in Female Form), and Shampoo, the Chinese Amazon who male Ranma accidentally gets engaged to, and tries to kill Female Ranma! Nabiki, Akane's money-hungry elder sister, and Mousse, the martial artist madly in love with Shampoo, specializes in hidden weapons, and hates Ranma's guts The music in this show is also quite fantastic, like the DoCo (Female Ranma Cast: Ranma, Akane, Nabiki, Kasumi,and Shampoo)! I seriously recommend you watch this show! ITS WORTH IT! 8.5 out of 10 stars!

I pretty much got into manga and anime because of the first season of Ranma 1/2 (my first manga was the first appearance of Ukyo, and then a friend of mine loaned me his copies of the first season back in 1996). It's funny, clever, emotional, and well-animated. The dubbing was terrific--and after all these years, it's still the best dub I've ever seen, except for the Tenchi series (which, for some reason, I liked better than the Japanese voices)--but I just bought the DVD box set and watched the entire series in Japanese, and it's even better! I've been a big fan of Megumi Hayashibara (Girl-type Ranma, Tenchi's mother, Lina Inverse, Rei Ayanami, Momiji from Blue Seed, etc.) and I was not disappointed with her voice acting (I can't wait to hear her do the "Ranma's Declaration of Womanhood" episode). A bigger surprise for me was that the voice-actress of Nabiki also was Kiki from Majo no Takkyubin. Wonderful voices all around, but the Japanese Ryoga's voice is so strong and deep that I found it hard to believe he was as stupid as he is (interesting to note that he also plays the Jusenkyo Guide--I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen the credits!). Also, the subtitles gave some information that was important that was left out of the dub, and sometimes (such as repeatedly in the "Pelvic Fortune Telling" episode and that scene in Akane's lost love when they fight after eating hamburgers), I didn't understand what was really going on until I watched the subtitle. Still, I did find myself missing some of the Americanized jokes, especially in the episode where Akane loses her memories of Ranma and lists off a bunch of things that he must be ("That 1986 remake of King Lear directed by Akira Kurosawa" "That's Ran!" "That song by the Beach Boys!" "That's 'Help Me Ronda'"). Anyway, this is a wonderful series that doesn't have too much nudity and isn't too "kawaii" like Pokemon or Mon Colle Knights.

Where to start, where to start?!? Ranma 1/2 is possibly the greatest Anime series ever produced, written by the ever talented Rumiko Takahashi, based on the MANGA of the same name. It has it all, romance, comedy, and the GREATEST CAST OF CHARACTERS TO HIT MEDIA SINCE THE "A-Team!!!" But seriously though, Ranma 1/2 follows the plot of a young japanese boy going through an identity crisis of sorts. You see, whenever Ranma Saotome is splashed with cold water he, becomes a 'she'. This is all due to somestrange Chinese Curse, that he acquired on a training trip through China. The meat and bones of the series deal with Ranma's attempts to cure himself while dealing with numerous fiancees' none of his choice I might add. You see, Ranma's father is a bit of a heel. Genma Saotome, who takes the form of a giant Pandawhen wet has eveidently arranged for Ranma to merry into the family of his(Genma's) closest friend Soun Tendo. Soun ole' boy gets a little more than he bargained for. In addition to being promised to one of Soun's daughters, Ranma has also been promised to at least 3 others. In theend Soun decides it best to give Ranma his daughter Akane, whom at first, shares Ranma's extreme dislike for the entire situation. What makes Ranma 1/2 so great is the characters, and their very interesting personal relationships. The chemistry between Ranma and the rest of the cast is adorable. For example, Ranma while on the outside, rejecting Akane, deeply loves her, thismakes for a very heart-warming main plotline. In addition to the deep dramatic overtones, Ranma happens to be very funny. If youcan stand japanese slapstick, mixed with heartwarming drama, Isuggest you do as I did and START WATCHING RANMA IMMEDIATELY!!