Just What IS Ranma 1/2

Ranma Saotome is the name of the main character in Ranma 1/2. He is a
martial artist from the Anything Goes School, who has a small problem. He
fell into a spring at the training grounds of Jusenkyo, where a girl
drowned, and now every time he gets splashed with cold water, he turns
into red-haired girl.

To add do his problems he has four girls after his hand in marriage. Akane
being the main romance in the show. She's a bit of a tomboy, is slightly
foul tempered, lacks cooking skills and pretend to have no interest 
romantically in him, and supposedly hates the fact that their parents 
engaged them. But its quite obvious she truely likes him, because every time
there is a competition for Ranma, she is sure to be part of it. 

Shampoo is a slight spaz. No.. she's a big spaz. She is from China and is
an Amazon. Her Japanese is very poor, so when she talks, she sounds a
little uneducated. She has the oddest looking grandmother too. She looks 
like a small monkey crossed with a duck. But she is after Ranma due to 
a law from her tribe that says she mus marry the man who bests her.
How ever Ranma was a girl at the time he beat Shampoo so at first
Shampoo gave Ranma the kiss of death, promising to kill him, that is
until she found out he was a guy. 

Ukyou is the owner of a small okonomiyaki place called Ucchans. Ranma's
father engaged Ranma to Ukyou for food. The two were good friends when
they were young, however Ukyou used to pretend to be a boy.. so only
recently did Ranma find out she was a girl, and that she was also one of
his suitors.

Kodachi is.. umm Kodachi, she is from the Kuno family, who happen to be
quite wealthy. She is an absolute nutcase.. He brother, Tatewaki.. is in
love with Akane, and Ranma's gril form, to which he calls pig-tailed girl.

As for the other characters in there show, a few others have curses too.
Shampoo turns into a cat. Mousse, a guy with super ability to hid weapons
and pull them from out of no where, turns into a duck.. He works at the
Nekohaten with Shampoo and Cologne. He tries to gain Shampoo's love but is
always put down.

Genma, Ranma's father, turns into a large kawaii panda. While in panda
form, he seems to have an endless supply of signs with comments on them,
to which he puts to use since he cannot talk in that form.

Ryoga, a friend of Akane's and semi friend of Ranma's turns into a small
black piglet. Akane doesn't know that Ryoga turns into a pig, and when she
found the pig, she quickly took it as a pet and named it P-Chan. P-Chan
oft times sleeps in Akane's bed, which enrages Ranma. Ranma cannot tell
Akane that P-Chan is Ryoga because of an honor bound agreement. However
Ranma constantly calls Ryoga names like pork-butt and bacon breath 
in front of Akane, causing them to fight a lot. And while Ryoga is P-Chan,
Ranma sneaks into Akane's room to pour water on him, yet usually ends up
getting called a hentai and punted into lower earth orbit

Now for the other main characters, who are for the lack of a better word,
normal.

Akane has two sisters, Nabiki and Kasumi. Kasumi is the motherly older
sister. She does most of the cooking and such, as she pretty much took
over that when their mother died. She seems to be the more rational and
traditional one. She does however like Dr Tofu.. who can't even be around
Kasumi with out his glasses fogging up.

Nabiki is the mercenary type. Anything for a few yen. She sells photos of
Akane and girl-type Ranma to their fanclubish followers. And when ever
possible she holds betting pools on Ranma's many challenges. And if there
is a little seed of information to be wanted about things that go on in
the Tendo home, she'll gladly tell you.. for a price.

Soun is Akane's father, and Genmas friend and fellow student under
Happosai. He is very easily moved to tears but things surrounding his
family. 

Happosai is the master of the Anything Goes School of Martial Arts. He is
a skilled fighter and panty thief. Yes, I said panty thief. He has more
panties than Victoria's Secret. When he isn't out "working" to collect
more, he's clutching onto random girl's chests, or trying to pour cold
water on Ranma so he can "share the wealth"

And last but not least, there is Tatewaki "Blue Thunder" Kuno. Captain of
the Kendo Club at Furinkan. He has to be one of the most disallusioned
people in Nerima, right above his sister Kodachi. He is always chasing
after Akane, and trying to beat Ranma, and fails miserably. He also cannot
grasp the fact the "pig-tailed goddess" is Ranma, dispite the fact he has
changed into her many times right in front of him. Kuno believes it is all
part of Saotome's sorcery that he cannot have Akane or the pig-tailed
girl.

Okay then. There ya have it. The new revised "What the hell is Ranma 1/2
guide."