Summary: While training at Jusenkyo in China, Ranma Saotome and his father Genma each fall into one if the training grounds cursed springs. Genma, having fallen into the "Spring of Drowned Panda," transforms into a giant panda when splashed with cold water. Only hot water can return him to his natural form. Ranma falls into the "Spring of Drowned Girl," and thus transforms into red-haired girl. Before the training mission, Genma had promised his friend Soun Tendo that Ranma would marry one of his daughters, and now Akane Tendo finds herself engaged to the gender-changing Ranma. Neither Akane nor Ranma want anything to do with the arrangement. Ranma's gender-swapping and martial arts hijinks result in several on-going love triangles and sticky, yet hilarious, situations. As the series continues, you meet several other cursed individuals including Ryoga, who becomes the pig p-chan; Shampoo, who becomes a cat; and Mousse, who becomes a duck.

Review: Ranma 1/2 has six TV seasons and and OAV series. The first season is definately the best. At this point the novelty of Ranma's gender issues has not worn off, the antagonism between Ranma and Akane is fresh, and the number of cursed shape-changers is relatively few. It is at this time that the series is funniest. As it progresses, it becomes sillier and less amusing. The characters are all interesting, but they do not change at all over the course of the seven seasons. Akane is the tomboy, Ranma is insensitive, Ryoga is eternally lost, Shampoo speaks in third person and is slightly lacking in intelligence, Mousse is blind without his glasses, Nabiki continually comes up with plots to make a few bucks, Soun is emotional, and so on. The plot of course varies from episode to episode within the general theme of the Jusenkyo curses, the love triangles, and the rivalries. I definately give points for the originality of the series, both in general concept, and in such highlights as the Martial Arts Rythmic Gymnastics story arc. The animation is fairly normal.

Ratings: Characterization: 7 Plot: 7 Animation: 7

Things to note: Ranma 1/2 contains nudity, though no sexuality. It has lots of martial arts scenes which are moderately violent.

Ranma 1/2 music videos are available from Phade, Doki Doki, Arrex, Mad Mank 5, Jesmaster, Anime Tosuto, and C-Kun Video Productions.

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