Story

What can possibly be said about Rumiko Takahashi's Ranma 1/2 martial arts comedy series? Well Well other than it was love at first sight for me alot! Ranma1/2 is an extensive series(both Anime and Managa) with many characters.
Each has it's own lovable(and some despisable!) personality. I personally favor Ranma but enjoy all the characters equally.(They each have their moments)It all begins when Soun Tendo calls in his three daughters Kasumi, Nabiki, Akane to tell them something very important. An old friend of his, Genma Saotome, is coming from a 10-year long training trip in China along with his son, Ranma. Soun tells his daughters the reason for their coming. "If one of you three girls were to marry Ranma and carry on this dojo, the Anything-Goes School of Martial Arts' future would be guaranteed." Kasumi and Nabiki are intrigued by the prospect of having an innazuke, or fiancee, but tomboyish Akane isn't. "We've never even met him!" she complains. "That's a problem easily solved" replies Soun. Soon there are visitors at the Tendo Dojo, but not those that the Tendos are expecting!Instead of the father and son they thought would show up, a panda carrying a protesting red-haired girl come bursting through the doors. There is an even bigger shock for the Tendos when they find out that the girl is Ranma Saotome! While Soun is recovering from the initial shock (he had fainted at finding out Ranma is a girl) Akane invites Ranma to have a "little match" in the training hall. In the match Akane attacks relentlessly, but is unable to hit the more skilled Ranma, who keeps dodging out of the way. The match continues until Ranma flips over Akane and lands her only attack, a tap on the shoulder - "beating" Akane. A defeated Akane realizes that Ranma is no ordinary girl. This fact is made glaringly clear in a very short time. Kasumi insists that Ranma take a hot bath to get refreshed and then sends Akane to do so as well. Little did Akane know that a boy would be waiting in the bathtub instead of a girl! After much fuss made by Akane about a "pervert in the bathtub", the aforementioned boy appears before the entire family. "I'm Ranma Saotome," he says sheepishly. "Sorry 'bout this." Genma tells the Tendo family the story of their curse. It so happens that near the end of their decade-long training mission, Genma took Ranma to China to train at a place called Jusenkyo. Genma assumed this was a training ground, even though he doesn't speak a word of Chinese! The place consists of numerous springs, and, unbeknowest to Genma and Ranma at the time, falling into a spring gives you a curse which turns you into whatever drowned there when you are hit with cold water. Hot water reverses the effect, but only until cold water hits you the next time... Genma and Ranma each knock the other into a spring while training. Genma happens to fall in the spring called Shonmaoniichuan, or the Spring of Drowned Panda. Ranma, shocked, at seeing a panda assuming a karate stance, is knocked into Nyannichuan, or the Spring of Drowned Girl. Now, whenever Genma or Ranma is splashed with even the tiniest bit of cold water, they assume their cursed Jusenkyo forms, only temporarily reversible with hot water. This explains how Ranma-kun(boy-type) and Ranma-chan (girl type) are actually the same person. Soun, a little surprised at this "problem" of Ranma's, but relieved that it "isn't so bad", now brings up the question of which of his three daughters should become Ranma-kun's fiancee - Kasumi, 19, Nabiki, 17, or Akane, 16. Immediately Kasumi and Nabiki nominate Akane for the honor. "You hate boys, right?" says Nabiki. "Well, you're in luck Akane," Kasumi says cheerfully "Ranma's half-girl." Of course Akane disagrees to the whole arrangement, and begins arguing with Ranma, calling him a pervert. Ranma complains that he doesn't need a fiancee and needs to find a cure. "They're already the perfect couple." laugh Genma and Soun. The argument ends with Ranma remarking that in his girl-form he's even "better built" than Akane, who promptly picks the table up and smashes it on Ranma. A perfect start to a perfect relationship. The next day a reluctant Akane accompanies

To get a full understanding of the story read all about The Characters.