Ranma 1/2 Genre: Romantic Comedy Creator: Rumiko Takahashi Commercial Release: V iz V ideo

Overview:
Ranma 1/2 is an anime series involving action, romance, and comedy. It centers around Ranma Saotome, a normal male martial artist who visits a place of cursed springs in China while training. The springs are enchanted so that whoever falls in a particular spring gains the curse of turning into whatever drowned in that spring whenever the victim is hit with cold water. Hot water changes them back..until the next time. Ranma ends up falling into the Spring of Drowned Girl, and so turns into a girl when hit with cold water. At around the same time, Ranma is informed of an arranged marriage between his father, Genma, and his old friend, Soun Tendo. Soun has three daughters - the youngest of which, Akane, is now engaged to Ranma. Unfortunately, the two don't really get along...but through all the hijinx and the fighting, they somehow discover how to love one another.

Some Characters of Note:

Ranma Saotome: Ranma 1/2's main character, and the unfortunate victim of Jusenkyo's Spring of Drowned Girl, which has both females and males chasing after him for his love. Ranma is cocky, arrogant, and has the martial arts skill to back it all up. Of course he's never had to deal with love before, and so is therefore a bit clumsy about it - however, it is clearly seen that he does care about Akane even though he calls her "uncute" and a "tomboy" all the time.

Akane Tendo: The youngest daughter of Soun Tendo, and Ranma's intended bride. Akane is far from helpless, as she too studies martial arts, but is definitely no match for any of the strange rivals that Ranma eventually attracts. She's a notoriously bad cook, and not as feminine acting as a teenage girl might be expected to act, but one thing's for sure - she tries her very best. Her jealousy and quick anger have been known to get her (and more often than not, Ranma) hurt, but she too is inexperienced with the ways of the heart.

Genma Saotome: Father of Ranma, and one of the persons responsible for an arranged marriage between his son and Akane Tendo in order to insure the continuing line of Anything-Goes Martial Arts schools. It was Genma's idea to go to Jusenkyo in the first place, despite not being able to translate Chinese, and he doesn't escape unscathed - he falls into the Spring of Drowned Panda, causing him to turn into a panda when hit with cold water.

Soun Tendo: Akane's father, and one of the persons responsible for an arranged marriage between his daughter and Ranma Saotome in order to insure the continuing line of Anything-Goes Martial Arts schools. Soun offers his house for the Saotomes to stay in, not knowing what kinds of people were going to come knocking at his door. Emotional and easily swayed, Soun is known to be a coward when it comes to fights or confrontation, although if one of his daughters or the engagement is threatened, he is willing to fight for it.