I like the author's sense of humour (Rumiko Takahashi). From HaremAnime: Ranma is cursed to change into a girl occasionally, when he touches cold water! Just imagine the love graph that creates! Ranma 1/2 is a "lowest common denominator" kind of anime. It doesn't really do subtle or unpredictable (if you make a guess 5 minutes into an episode what will have happened by the end, you're normally right). But this isn't necessarily bad. There was a nice quote about this, which AlexChurchill has utterly failed to find by googling, but which went something like (paraphrased):
The range of anime is like the range of ingredients of a bento? lunch. There are some strong spicy parts, some unexpectedly subtle flavours. But a large part of a bento is the rice. The bland, basic rice. The widely available, popular rice. Strong spicy flavours aren't to everyone's taste. But everyone eats rice. In the bento that is all current anime, Ranma 1/2 is the rice.
Your version is actually more elegant than the original :-) The version I know is from Mangajin, so you won't find it on the Internet, unless, I suppose, it's a common piece of Japanese wisdom for which other translations exist - Mjb67
And what it does, it does well: it's funny, it's romantic, it's got implausible martial arts, and it's at times ecchi. All of this probably explains its huge success, both in Japan and in the West (see link at the top of the page).
Vitenka adds that, though he has not seen the anime, the manga is very very good. In a trademarked 'kinda lovey, kinda actioney extremely funny Takahashi kinda way'. Also, I thought it was spoken "Ramna one by two". {shrugs}
Originally, "Ranma Nibun no Ichi" (sp?) and so, literally, "Ranma One of Two"... I think :/ - Kazuhiko
I've heard both spoken on the television when it is announced on 'coming next'. They seem to have standardised on Ranma Half though now. I used to say Ranma One Two but a Japanese friend told me I'd be better off saying Ranma Half as Nibun means half. --Mjb67
Literally, "Nibun" means "two parts," "no ichi" means "one of." So, "Ranma, one of two parts." --Nataku
Vitenka has now seen an episode of the anime. It is indeed perfect to the manga. I dislike some of the voices. The humour is spot on though, and they've even added more jokes that are very much in theme, and don't clash at all with the original manga jokes. I kinda like, but not enough to track the rest down. I've also heard that it ends up very MonsterOfTheWeek (the manga certainly did - but it was easy to skim ahead) and turns into more of a fighting anime than the comedy it starts as.
I now have the first 6 series (which are available if anyone wants to borrow them). While it is episodic (usually either 1 or 3 week long episodes), there is definite (but slow) plot progression. --DouglasReay
Ryoga is even funnier in the series, and that's saying something. --Vitenka
Seen first two seasons now. Very very tight to the manga - which does grate in a few places but is an insteresting style for some of the comedic timing. Funny and sweet and well worth watching. --Vitenka