Ranma ½ is a manga (Japanese comic) masterpiece series created by Rumiko Takahashi. The video series of Ranma ½ was based on the Ranma ½ manga. The story is about a teen-age boy who got a weird Chinese curse while training in the Cursed Springs of Jusenkyo somewhere in China. Know more about Ranma and his weird curse in An Intoduction To Ranma ½.

an introduction to Ranma ½

The scene starts in the rain soaked streets of Tokyo. Out in the mist comes out a pig-tailed girl being chased by a huge panda. It resulted to a fight into which the pig-tailed girl emerged as the victor. She told the panda that she is going back to China. While the pig-tailed girl is walking away, the panda grabbed a street sign and whacked it into the pig-tailed girl's head, knocking her out unconscious.

The scene shifts into the Tendo Dojo somewhere in Tokyo. A man named Soun Tendo is crying at a postcard sent by his friend. The postcard says that his friend will come and visit them in Tokyo along with his friend's son named "Ranma". Soun calls out his three daughters and tells them about the story of his friend and Ranma and all the hard training they have done while in China. While this is going on, the bell rang. Soun rushed to the door only to be surprised to find a panda carrying a pig-tailed girl trying to escape the panda's grip. After they have settled, the pig-tailed girl introduced herself as Ranma. Confusion arises in the Tendo family because they are expecting a boy, not a girl. Soun fainted. A series of weird events came out. Akane, the youngest daughter, found a boy taking a bath in the bathroom. The boy also introduced himself as Ranma. After all the hysteria in the dojo, Ranma, and his father Genma, told the Tendo family their story…

Ranma and Genma were on a training expedition in China. They ended up in an ancient training ground called Jusenkyo. Long bamboo poles were sticking out of the springs in that area. Not heeding the warning of the tourist guide, Genma insisted on starting their training up at the bamboo poles. Ranma followed. They sparred for a short time. Ranma kicked Genma out of balance, and Genma got the plunge. Ranma was shocked to see a huge panda emerging out of the water and charging out to him. The guide explained to Ranma that Genma fell into the Spring Of Drowned Panda. A panda drowned in that spring many years ago and it left this curse: whoever falls into the spring will take the body of the panda. The panda knocked Ranma of balance and Ranma fell into a spring too. Ranma came out of the water as a girl. The guide explained to him that he fell into the Spring Of Drowned Chinese Girl. Unluckily for Ranma, he took the body of a girl. Ranma and his father, Genma, found out that the effects of the curse could be reversed temporarily. Whenever they were splashed with cold water, they turn into their cursed forms. And whenever they were poured with hot water, they return back to normal.

Going back to the present… Soun, being optimistic, didn't see much of a grave problem for Ranma. Genma and Soun agreed many years ago that Ranma would marry one of Soun's daughters in order for them to carry on the Anything Goes School Of Martial Arts. They all suggested that Ranma be married to Akane because Akane doesn't like boys, and thanks to the curse, Ranma was a half-boy, and a half-girl. And of course, the two didn't like the idea of them becoming each other's fiancee'. As the story of Ranma ½ goes on, Ranma finds out that he was not only engaged by his father to Akane, he has plenty more fiancee's arranged by Genma!

Rumiko Takahashi

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