Ranma 1/2, Vol. 1
by Rumiko Takahashi
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Book Summary Information
Author: Rumiko TakahashiIllustrator: Rumiko Takahashi
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2003-05
ISBN: 1569319626
Number of pages: 304
Publisher: VIZ Media LLC
Book Reviews of Ranma 1/2, Vol. 1
Book Review: Great Manga
Summary: 5 Stars
Ranma 1/2 has long been my favorite manga. Ranma 1/2 is romance, comedy, martial arts, wackiness and sheer brilliance at its best. Although, to sum it up into a basic genre, I'd have to go with romantic comedy (okay. Two genres). Viz seems to think the correct answer is Action. Well, I hate Viz more than anything, and I'm gonna tell you how stupid they are. Viz has categorized their manga into four groups. Action being the only one that is really a genre. And because there's nothing for comedy, things like Excel Saga have ended up in there. Shojo isn't really a genre. It's just certain mangas directed at a certain audience. So, no matter how appealing certain romances would be to men, they end up in shojo. Then there's Editor's Choice. This isn't really a genre, though it's far better a genre than Shonen Jump. All mangas that have appeared in Shonen Jump magazine are categorized as "The World's Most Popular Manga." Brilliant Viz. A wiser thing to do would be to categorize every manga based on that manga, not a generalization. On the back of Ranma 1/2 it should say Romance/Comedy/Action. Not ACTION on the front, followed by a dictionary style meaning inside the book. Not to mention, while heeds of other second edition mangas are getting the un-flopped style they deserve, Ranma 1/2 and Inu Yasha (by the same artist) are left flopped in second edition format. Why? I think I know why. Inu Yasha is viewed on TV by people who around half of aren't die-hard manga freaks, and are so skeptical of other cultures that the moment they'd pick it up thinking "oh, cool" they'd put it back down after noticing that it's "backwards." So Viz flopped it. And in an attempt to give Ranma better sales, they slapped a big "From the Creator of Inu Yasha" sticker on the front, that you want to take off but can't because it leaves a mark, and they flopped it for the same reason. "From the creator of Inu Yasha? Oh, cool." And then, oops! It's "backwards." People who are racist and skeptical of other cultures like that don't deserve to read either of the two mangas. But it gets worse. Viz is releasing Ranma 1/2 every three months. Sure, they're releasing three graphic novels at a time, two of which were released in first edition, so I guess it's better for newer fans, but those like me who are up-to-date (because they wasted almost 150 dollars extra on 1st editions before the 2nd editions came out) have to wait three months for eleven new chapters of Ranma, and, is it just me or does reading the newer volumes seem to go a lot faster. And the worst part is, unless they do something stupid, Viz has 7 more volumes to put out (as of this writing volume 30 has just been put out). Also, I realized that each new volume contains the exact same chapters as the volume two numbers ahead of it in their Japanese counter part, so their will be 36 volumes), so unless they speed it up once their done republishing vols. 1-21 there will be around 18 months until every volume's published. I do not want to wait that long! Anyway, about Ranma 1/2.
It is sheer comic genius. No one but Rumiko Takahashi could create something so great. Okay, so maybe the plot's not gonna win an award, but the writing is just truly some of the greatest stuff I have ever read, and combined with Rumiko Takahashi's excellent artwork that she can blend perfectly with the writing no matter what's going on, it makes for a true masterpiece. And while maintaining originality when compared to all other mangas, it is uniquely Takahashi, and it bares similarities to other Takahashi mangas. It's entertaining every time that something happens that is so classic Takahashi. For instance the comedy. It uses the same brilliant style of comedy noticeable in her other mangas that no other manga artist can create, and yet is fresh and just as hilarious. And you can go back and read a certain part that you've read over a hundred times and be laughing so hard you'll need stitches. And the romance remains Takahashi's original breed that only she can pull off. Sorry if I repeated myself at all in that paragraph. Anyway, if after reading even three volumes and you're not completely satisfied, please note that the beginning is rather, um, not as great. I mean, it's good, enough to make me read more, but I promise you, just try reading some more volumes and it'll get better. After reading 5 volumes and you still hate it, give up. But I don't see how you can hate it. But I'm me. But, I even got my Inu Yasha-obsessed friend to say he likes it more than Inu Yasha after he read only four volumes. So anyway, Ranma 1/2 is a must read. Even if you don't like Inu-Yasha give this a try (but if you don't like this don't try any other Takahashi series, unless you're really into horror, then try Mermaid Saga, or you're really in to romance, then try Maison Ikkoku, but that's it). So anyway, I love Ranma 1/2, and goodbye!
Summary of Ranma 1/2, Vol. 1
This best-selling series, considered the greatest of the gender-bending kung fu comedy genre, starts with an accident at a cursed Chinese training ground.Fantasy Books
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