Ranma 1/2 - the story
Taken from the video jacket notes of Ranma 1/2 TV Series Vol. 1:
Meet the Tendos -- your average, run-of-the-mill Japanese family.
Along with his three lovely young daughters -- KASUMI (19), NABIKI (17) and AKANE (16) --
patriarch SOUN TENDO is the proud owner of the "Tendo Anything-Goes Martial Arts Training Hall,"
where literally anything can and will happen.
When old friend GENMA SAOTOME comes for a visit with young RANMA in tow, it seems the long-awaited
formal betrothal between one of the Tendo girls and Genma's son Ranma will finally take place.
Of course, no one expected that the little trip to China Genma and Ranma took on their way to the
Tendos would turn out so disastrously. Who could have known that falling into one of the area's
many springs would transform the unlucky swimmer into whoever -- or whatever -- drowned there hundreds of years ago?
Genma becomes a giant panda and Ranma. . . well, Ranma becomes a beautiful, bosomy young girl
(Thus the title RANMA 1/2). From now on, a splash of could water will instantly transform
both Genma and Ranma into their wacky alter egos. Hot water will reverse the effect. . . but only until the next time.
Will Soun accept his new daughter-in-law? Will Genma learn to like bamboo for breakfast?
Most importantly, will Ranma ever learn to stay out of the rain. . .? RANMA 1/2 by the irrepressible
Rumiko Takahashi -- yin and yang was never so much fun!
Well, ok. So there's the commercial, "yay, our series is so much goofy fun!" version. Woo! I take issue with a
few little things, like Soun "owning" his daughters and the dorky phrase "wacky alter egos." But what can you do?
The above (wacky!) blurb gives the basic plot foundation, but obviously doesn't do much in the way of self-examination.
Now, here's my take. (I've seen the TV series a couple of times, and read the first 4 graphic novel manga compilations. Just so everyone knows where I'm coming from.)
At the heart of Ranma 1/2 is this supposed couple, Ranma and Akane. They bicker, they fight, Akane regularily KO's Ranma with tables and mallets and stuff.
But every once and a while they actually show each other a little kindness or tenderness, and though he'd would never admit it Ranma has blushed once or twice at the sight/thought of Akane.
(That little blush you occasionally see across the cheeks and nose means an anime character has a crush.)
But Ranma 1/2 is far from a simple boy-meets-girl story. If anything, it's a girl-meets-girl, girl-likes-girl, girl-changes-into-boy, girl-hates-boy, boy-and-girl-fight-other-boys-and-girls story.
When Ranma and Genma arrive at the Tendo house, Ranma's in girl form and Genma is a big, fat panda. Ranma doesn't explain his curse, he just says "I'm Ranma Saotome. Sorry about this."
The Tendo's just assume that some bizarre misunderstanding has taken place, and Ranma is Genma's daughter and not his son.
Akane befriends the meek, troubled-looking Ranma and invites "her" to spar. The two bond, even though Ranma effortlessly whups the headstrong Akane.
Ranma heads off for a wash and Akane follows soon after. . . Ranma slips into the hot bath, thinking "oh well, they're bound to find out sooner or later. . ."
It turns out to be sooner, as a naked Akane enters the bathroom just as a naked, male Ranma steps out of the tub. There's a moment of stunned, frozen silence, and then Akane leaves.
She returns, slightly less terrified, ready to beat the mysterious "pervert" in the bathroom into submission. All is explained, the curse revealed and Ranma's identity clarified (as much as it ever can be),
but Akane is still furious at Ranma. For the deception, the flashing incident, the loss of her new normal female friend? It's unclear. But her hostility makes Ranma just as hostile in turn.
The fathers and Akane's two sisters decide Akane and Ranma are perfect for each other, and thus the main conflict of the series is set up. They can't stand each other, but they're stuck together.
Ranma 1/2 gets pretty formulaic after the main characters are introduced. Basically, a series of people from Ranma's past show up in town and either challenge him or fall in love with him, his female self or Akane.
This story trend makes Ranma 1/2 a really fun text to analyze, because it contains all these subtle variations on two basic character relationships: potential foes and potential dates.
Usually new characters arrive, Ranma must disguise, re-examine or redefine his gender and sexual identities in relation to the newcomer and/or Akane. Take an aquatranssexual (I just made that word up!) protagonist, add a tomboy fiancee and several transgender and transvestite characters, and let the queerness begin.
Now check out the How is Ranma 1/2 queer? page for more in-depth analysis.