Ranma Saotome is not your average 16 year old martial artist. Having fallen into a cursed pool while in training with his father in China, Ranma is now victim of a strange curse: whenever he gets splash with cold water, he turn into a girl! And to complicate things, his father also felt into a cursed pool and now becomes a giant panda when wet. Luckily, a hot water will turn them there normal selves... until they get wet again.

To make matter worse, back in Japan, Ranma learns that, thanks to his father, he's now engaged to Akane Tendo, a tomboy, uncute, violent, martial artist girl, daughter of his father old friend, Soun Tendu, owner of the "Tendo's Anything Goes Martial Arts School". From there starts a series of very silly adventures where Ranma has to deal with: Kuno, the school bully who has a crush on both Akane and Ranma-girl; Ryoga a.k.a. P-chan the adorable black piglet, who's out to get revenge on Ranma; Shampoo a Chinese amazon warrior, who want's first to kill Ranma-girl, then marry Ranma-boy; Cologne, Shampoo great grand mother; Happosaï, a little old pervert who was Soun Tendo and Genma's (Ranma father) master; Ukyo, who is also engaged to Ranma...

I haven't seen much of the anime TV series yet (only 2 episodes), so I can't really judge yet whether it is good or not. It seems nice at first glance, but as always not as good as the manga. I can say however that the OVA series (at least what I have seen yet) is excellent. On the other end, I can truly say I enjoy the manga. If I where to try to describe Ranma 1/2 in one word, this word would most likely be "silly". But Ranma 1/2 is much more. Sure, it is first a humorous series, but it is also an adventure/action story, along with a romantic story. That is the essence of Ranma 1/2. Ranma loves Akane. Akane loves Ranma. But both of them are too stubborn, too proud and to shy to admit it. This, added to the curses and I don't know how much fianctées creates lots of funny and ackward situations... A lovely and enjoyable story.

On an artistic level, I'd say that the Ranma 1/2 manga drawing is not the nicest I have seen, but it's not bad either. However, the manga art is more "mature" then the anime art (in the manga, Ryoga seems dangerous, in the anime he looks more childish). Although I some may comment that it's easier in the anime to distinguish Ranma-kun from Ranma-chan. I can only agree.

Updated September 21th 1998