Ranma 1/2

Publisher
VIZ
Country of origin
Japan
Length
30 +
Year
1987

Ranma 1/2 Volume 1

By Joseph (Joe) Wood
9th Jun 05

Ranma ½ (or Ranma fi) is an action packed martial arts/comedy/romance cross breed from Rumiko Takahashi most popular for (besides Ranma) Inu Yasha and Maison Ikkoku. Ranma ½ the manga has had over thirty three volumes released in Japan with slightly less having been translated into English.

The story starts with Soun Tendo telling his three daughters, Kasumi, Nabiki and Akane, that he promised his old friend Genma Saotome that one of his daughter’s should marry Genma’s son and that they would carry on their martial art discipline. The three girls are rather disappointed at this news, but not as much as when Ranma arrives (with a giant panda in tow) and turns out to be in fact female. After making sure that Ranma is really female, the Tendo’s welcome her, only to find out a few moments later that Ranma is really male. After telling the story of why he changes into a girl, and his father into a panda after being soaked by cold water and change back after having warm water poured onto them, Kasumi and Nabiki nominate Akane to be Ranma’s fiancé. This news doesn’t go down to well with Akane’s classmate Kuno who challenges male Ranma to a duel, and the falls for the female version (unaware they are the same). Also after Ranma’s head is an old rival Ryoga who has sworn to defeat Ranma, of course these are only the first in a long line of battles for our hero as the series continues.

The first volume introduces us to some of the many characters who populate the manga, and the range is vast. It’d be difficult to read up to volume sixteen (which is where I am at this time) and not have liked at least one character. While the first volume brings the reader in slowly to Ranma’s world there isn’t any kind of overall plot, yes theirs the “relationship” between Ranma and Akane, yet this stays at pretty much the same level even at volume sixteen. This does mean that you can go back to any previously read volumes and just pick it up without having to read in sequence. The jokes are sometimes quite repetitive with a lot of the comedy revolving round Ranma changing forms at a bad time, and this is continued into later volumes, however it’s kept fresh by the constantly changing situations, and thus makes volume one seem a bit old.

The first volume (and quite a few others) can be found in two formats, 1. A large paperback costing between £11-13, 2. A smaller paper back costing £6-8 (depending where it’s bought from). Either way volume one is slightly bigger than the other books in the same format but does sell for the same price, making it better value for money than the future volumes.

Ranma ½ is well worth the look for any fans of action/comedy genres although due to the immense size of the series (and apparently still growing) it may take you a long time to complete.

-- Joseph (Joe) Wood 9th Jun 05