Nirima, Nirima, it's a heck of a town...

...Ranma's attitude is up, and Ryoga's is down! Akane's food will make us go underground - Nirima, Nirima!

Okay, bad singing aside, thats my introduction. In short, this is my review : Ranma1/2 is a favorite of manga and anime collectors everywhere. If your reading this, you will find out why. Of course, if you want to skip a lot of stuff, just go to the bottom and read my recommendation.


A Magical Curse...

The basic plot of the story is that there is a boy who is cursed by the waters of Jusenkyo, a mystical training ground in China, where whatever last drowns in a spring causes that spring to be "Spring of Drowned ____", and anyone else who falls in after becomes that ____. This isn't permanent. Just until one can gets his or her hands on hot water, which, if they immerse themselves in it, allows them to become there original form. That is, allows them to become that until they are next hit with cold water, changing them back to their cursed form.

In this case, Ranma fall in Nyannichuan, or "Spring of Drowned Girl." You may see probability for mischief already, but there is more. His father fell in "Spring of Drowned Panda." But that isn't what is so interesting...


"I'm sorry, my dear, I have other engagements this evening."

In Ranma's case, one should appreciate the full possibilities of mischief, because, though this once oft used movie quote isn't meant in the fashion I mean it here, it can imply many things.

Okay, so Ranma has a curse. Big deal, right? Well, it also turns out that, though he hasn't ever met the girls, he was engaged to marry one of Soun Tendo's daughters so as to continue the school of "Anything Goes Martial Arts." So they arrive in, shall we say, an unexpected guise, and at first havoc ensues. After that, Akane Tendo is chosen to be Ranma's fiance by her older sisters, who didn't exactly like the idea of being engaged to a sex changing boy/girl. Neither does Akane, but there are advantages to age, and Akane is youngest of the three sisters.

Also, in reference to the quote, there are others, mostly (keyword) girls, interested in Ranma, and they lay interesting and conflicting claims on the boy.


"May you have interesting times..."

Of course, other people who know Ranma, or believe that they should, show up through out the series. These people range from old "friends" in China to former class mates with grudges, but most are after him for something or another. I will say, for those who read the manga, that this season stops just after Shampoo heads back to China.


My recommendation is that any one who is a anime fan in general should at the very least find a place to rent the first DVD or VHS, or borrow it from a friend. This is certainly one of my favorite anime series, and the more people who like it, the better. Also, if you have seen or read any of Takahashi-san's other work, then this would be a great addition to you collection.

Don't worry if romance isn't you thing - there is plenty of action and comic relief to go around for every one! Indeed, some of the fights are, at least in my narrow views, quite original, and if your a casual action fan, this is a good anime to get.

Other work you may like or, if you do like, will like this, include Urusei Yatsura, also a story originally created by Rumiko Takahashi, Tenchi Muyo, except that I think Ranma 1/2 is much better, or Slayers (Or Slayers NEXT, or Slayer TRY, or any other "Slayers" series I left out.). Their are others, but I found these anime related to it on a fairly close level.