Ranma 1/2

Series: Ramna 1/2
Media Type: Manga
Mangaka: TAKAHASHI Rumiko
Length: 38 Volumes
Genre(s): Action, Comedy, Ecchi, Gender Bender, Harem, Martial Arts, Romance, School Life, Shounen

Introduction:
Brought to you by the same author of Inuyasha...which for me wasn't important at all, but instead more of a bad thing. I didn't really care for Inuyasha, but enough about that. What got me interested in a Gender Blender, and b. dad = panda, I mean that is just awesome! lol So I picked this manga up on a whim again, and because the Walden Books by me was closing so it was 40% off everything. But it was definitely worth the buy. Oh there is an anime, haven't seen it, but I'm assuming it's probably the same as the manga.

Quick Summary:
Ranma 1/2 weird title I know, but it all makes sense, main character is Ranma, and he is 1/2 male and 1/2 female, and no not a transvestite. See Ranma and his father and hardcore martial artists, and while training by some magic hot springs, Ranma fell into the female human spring, and his father into the Panda spring. Thus from now on every time they get wet with cold water they turn into a female for Ranma and a panda for his father, hot water reverses the process. Ok so lets move to the actual story so Ramna's father meant Tendo Akane's father, and set up an arranged marriage between Ranma and Tendo Akane. And so we begin to live together. At heart Ranma is a comedy, with a martial artist theme, with a bit of romance thrown in. Most of it focuses on Ranma having to fight strange characters for one reason or another, sometimes to save/protect Akane. Very few people however knows Ranma's secret, which causes a few misunderstandings including one of the love rivals falling in love with him. Otherwise just a fun comedy with strange characters, and a mix of romance polygons thrown in. There is a semi-conclusion to it, but no real complete conclusion.

Closing Comments:
So Ranma 1/2 is a fun romance/martial artist comedy, that likes to use the same gags many times over. Although this stays amusing for awhile, eventually it does start to get old towards the later volumes. Things also get a bit odd at parts, but overall it's just meant to be a fun comedy with an amusing cast. Overall I would recommended reading it or at least trying it, but buying it would be in the air unless you could find it cheap. It's not one of those that I would want to read the whole thing over again, but some parts I would like to read again type thing. Well enough about Ranma try it and see what you think.

~dinoman411