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Ranma ½ #16
Ranma ½, Vol. 16
Follows the adventures of half-boy, half-girl martial artist Ranma, whose transforming gender problems began at the Accursed Springs in China when he became cursed to turn into a girl when splashed with cold water, and back into a boy with hot water.
208 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1991
2 people are currently reading
245 people want to read
About the author
Rumiko Takahashi
1,586 books2,145 followersRumiko Takahashi (高橋留美子) was born in Niigata, Japan. She is not only one of the richest women in Japan but also one of the top paid manga artists. She is also the most successful female comic artist in history. She has been writing manga non-stop for 31 years.
Rumiko Takahashi is one of the wealthiest women in Japan. The manga she creates (and its anime adaptations) are very popular in the United States and Europe where they have been released as both manga and anime in English translation. Her works are relatively famous worldwide, and many of her series were some of the forerunners of early English language manga to be released in the nineties. Takahashi is also the best selling female comics artist in history; well over 100 million copies of her various works have been sold.
Though she was said to occasionally doodle in the margins of her papers while attending Niigata Chūō High School, Takahashi's interest in manga did not come until later. During her college years, she enrolled in Gekiga Sonjuku, a manga school founded by Kazuo Koike, mangaka of Crying Freeman and Lone Wolf and Cub. Under his guidance Rumiko Takahashi began to publish her first doujinshi creations in 1975, such as Bye-Bye Road and Star of Futile Dust. Kozue Koike often urged his students to create well-thought out, interesting characters, and this influence would greatly impact Rumiko Takahashi's works throughout her career.
Career and major works:
Takahashi's professional career began in 1978. Her first published story was Those Selfish Aliens, a comedic science fiction story. During the same year, she published Time Warp Trouble, Shake Your Buddha, and the Golden Gods of Poverty in Shōnen Sunday, which would remain the home to most of her major works for the next twenty years. Later that year, Rumiko attempted her first full-length series, Urusei Yatsura. Though it had a rocky start due to publishing difficulties, Urusei Yatsura would become one of the most beloved anime and manga comedies in Japan.
In 1980, Rumiko Takahashi found her niche and began to publish with regularity. At this time she started her second major series, Maison Ikkoku, in Big Comic Spirits. Written for an older audience, Maison Ikkoku is often considered to be one of the all-time best romance manga. Takahashi managed to work on Maison Ikkoku on and off simultaneously with Urusei Yatsura. She concluded both series in 1987, with Urusei Yatsura ending at 34 volumes, and Maison Ikkoku being 15.
During the 1980s, Takahashi became a prolific writer of short story manga, which is surprising considering the massive lengths of most of her works. Her stories The Laughing Target, Maris the Chojo, and Fire Tripper all were adapted into original video animations (OVAs). In 1984, after the end of Urusei Yatsura and Maison Ikkoku, Takahashi took a different approach to storytelling and began the dark, macabre Mermaid Saga. This series of short segments was published sporadically until 1994, with the final story being Mermaid's Mask. Many fans contend that this work remains unfinished by Takahashi, since the final story does not end on a conclusive note.
Another short work left untouched is One-Pound Gospel, which, like Mermaid Saga, was published erratically. The last story to be drawn was published in 2001, however just recently she wrote one final chapter concluding the series
Later in 1987, Takahashi began her third major series, Ranma ½. Following the late 80s and early 90s trend of shōnen martial arts manga, Ranma ½ features a gender-bending twist. The series continued for nearly a decade until 1996, when it ended at 38 volumes. Ranma ½ is one of Rumiko Takahashi's most popular series with the Western world.
During the later half of the 1990s, Rumiko Takahashi continued with short stories and her installments of Mermaid Saga and One-Pound Gospel until beginning her fourth major work, InuYasha. While Ran
Rumiko Takahashi is one of the wealthiest women in Japan. The manga she creates (and its anime adaptations) are very popular in the United States and Europe where they have been released as both manga and anime in English translation. Her works are relatively famous worldwide, and many of her series were some of the forerunners of early English language manga to be released in the nineties. Takahashi is also the best selling female comics artist in history; well over 100 million copies of her various works have been sold.
Though she was said to occasionally doodle in the margins of her papers while attending Niigata Chūō High School, Takahashi's interest in manga did not come until later. During her college years, she enrolled in Gekiga Sonjuku, a manga school founded by Kazuo Koike, mangaka of Crying Freeman and Lone Wolf and Cub. Under his guidance Rumiko Takahashi began to publish her first doujinshi creations in 1975, such as Bye-Bye Road and Star of Futile Dust. Kozue Koike often urged his students to create well-thought out, interesting characters, and this influence would greatly impact Rumiko Takahashi's works throughout her career.
Career and major works:
Takahashi's professional career began in 1978. Her first published story was Those Selfish Aliens, a comedic science fiction story. During the same year, she published Time Warp Trouble, Shake Your Buddha, and the Golden Gods of Poverty in Shōnen Sunday, which would remain the home to most of her major works for the next twenty years. Later that year, Rumiko attempted her first full-length series, Urusei Yatsura. Though it had a rocky start due to publishing difficulties, Urusei Yatsura would become one of the most beloved anime and manga comedies in Japan.
In 1980, Rumiko Takahashi found her niche and began to publish with regularity. At this time she started her second major series, Maison Ikkoku, in Big Comic Spirits. Written for an older audience, Maison Ikkoku is often considered to be one of the all-time best romance manga. Takahashi managed to work on Maison Ikkoku on and off simultaneously with Urusei Yatsura. She concluded both series in 1987, with Urusei Yatsura ending at 34 volumes, and Maison Ikkoku being 15.
During the 1980s, Takahashi became a prolific writer of short story manga, which is surprising considering the massive lengths of most of her works. Her stories The Laughing Target, Maris the Chojo, and Fire Tripper all were adapted into original video animations (OVAs). In 1984, after the end of Urusei Yatsura and Maison Ikkoku, Takahashi took a different approach to storytelling and began the dark, macabre Mermaid Saga. This series of short segments was published sporadically until 1994, with the final story being Mermaid's Mask. Many fans contend that this work remains unfinished by Takahashi, since the final story does not end on a conclusive note.
Another short work left untouched is One-Pound Gospel, which, like Mermaid Saga, was published erratically. The last story to be drawn was published in 2001, however just recently she wrote one final chapter concluding the series
Later in 1987, Takahashi began her third major series, Ranma ½. Following the late 80s and early 90s trend of shōnen martial arts manga, Ranma ½ features a gender-bending twist. The series continued for nearly a decade until 1996, when it ended at 38 volumes. Ranma ½ is one of Rumiko Takahashi's most popular series with the Western world.
During the later half of the 1990s, Rumiko Takahashi continued with short stories and her installments of Mermaid Saga and One-Pound Gospel until beginning her fourth major work, InuYasha. While Ran
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
January 26, 2021
Volume 16 began with a very short story about an artist whose family creates haunted scrolls. The youngest in this line, however, doesn't have the same talent. The newest scroll is a dopey cartoon panda, and when it comes to life, it just wants a date. The panda rejects Genma, but goes out with Ranma on the terms that it will willingly go back into the scroll when the date ends. This date is made two hours longer when the panda asks Ranma for a kiss, and he tries to comply. Turns out she just wanted a kiss on the forehead, so she headbutts Ranma and then goes back to the scroll, where the artist adds a badly-rendered Ranma, so she won't be alone.
The rest of the volume is dedicated to a heinous monster from Jusenkyo - a boy Happosai onced bathed in the pool of downed Crane-and-eel-riding-a-yak. He's been attacking anyone who signed the guestbook at Jusenkyo and attacks them with pantyhose. The gang assumes he hates his curse, but he reveals to Akane (after kidnapping her) that he actually LIKES his curse. What Happosai did was far, far worse. Ranma, Ryoga, Mousse, and Akane search for him to rescue Akane (well, Shampoo wants to kill Akane, and Mousse wants to defeat a weakened Ranma, but close enough!). After a long pursuit and climb up the cliffside (that's filled with water traps), and Akane breaks herself free (twice), they all manage to use pantyhose to knock down and then tie up the guy.
At this point, Happosai's crime is revealed: he was given the right to name the baby when it was born, as the village custom was that the first one to bathe a child gets to name it. So, after three days of thought, he settled on Pantyhose Taro. The group of fighters agree to side with Taro to fight Happosai and get him to change his name. They all go back to Tokyo and try to use herbs to regress his memory back to that day, and implant the idea that he would one day steal all of the pantyhose in the world because of his name (thus depriving Happosai of that joy). Eventually Happosai agrees to change the name, but can't come up with anything as good. He lets Taro name himself, and he chooses Awesome Taro.
This story is a little bizarre, but it really sets up the recurring theme of the cursed gang (plus Akane) continuing to fight issues related to the springs; that keeps coming back in the longer story arcs, and especially at the end of the manga. I also find it interesting that at the end of things, Shampoo is fine with the notion of actually killing Akane. I feel like... this is a bridge too far to consider her a legitimate romantic option for Ranma. But shippers gotta ship, I suppose.
The best part of the entire story, imo, is when Mousse and Ryoga turn themselves back into guys and have to find their way back up the cliffside. Ryoga says he remembers exactly where they came in, but it was dark when they first came in, so he doesn't remember a lot of the visual. Mousse, who's blind as a bat, says that he saw everything. Lololol.
The rest of the volume is dedicated to a heinous monster from Jusenkyo - a boy Happosai onced bathed in the pool of downed Crane-and-eel-riding-a-yak. He's been attacking anyone who signed the guestbook at Jusenkyo and attacks them with pantyhose. The gang assumes he hates his curse, but he reveals to Akane (after kidnapping her) that he actually LIKES his curse. What Happosai did was far, far worse. Ranma, Ryoga, Mousse, and Akane search for him to rescue Akane (well, Shampoo wants to kill Akane, and Mousse wants to defeat a weakened Ranma, but close enough!). After a long pursuit and climb up the cliffside (that's filled with water traps), and Akane breaks herself free (twice), they all manage to use pantyhose to knock down and then tie up the guy.
At this point, Happosai's crime is revealed: he was given the right to name the baby when it was born, as the village custom was that the first one to bathe a child gets to name it. So, after three days of thought, he settled on Pantyhose Taro. The group of fighters agree to side with Taro to fight Happosai and get him to change his name. They all go back to Tokyo and try to use herbs to regress his memory back to that day, and implant the idea that he would one day steal all of the pantyhose in the world because of his name (thus depriving Happosai of that joy). Eventually Happosai agrees to change the name, but can't come up with anything as good. He lets Taro name himself, and he chooses Awesome Taro.
This story is a little bizarre, but it really sets up the recurring theme of the cursed gang (plus Akane) continuing to fight issues related to the springs; that keeps coming back in the longer story arcs, and especially at the end of the manga. I also find it interesting that at the end of things, Shampoo is fine with the notion of actually killing Akane. I feel like... this is a bridge too far to consider her a legitimate romantic option for Ranma. But shippers gotta ship, I suppose.
The best part of the entire story, imo, is when Mousse and Ryoga turn themselves back into guys and have to find their way back up the cliffside. Ryoga says he remembers exactly where they came in, but it was dark when they first came in, so he doesn't remember a lot of the visual. Mousse, who's blind as a bat, says that he saw everything. Lololol.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 20, 2016
Part 1: Ranma accidentally breaks a seal on a cursed painting, letting loose a panda-like thing. Ranma and the panda go on a date, after which she promises to return to the scroll.
Part 2: Spring Demon: At Jusenkyo, the guide's visitor log is stolen. Later Sampoo finds duck Mousse with a pair of pantyhose around it. Ryoga is attacked and P-chan also ends up with pantyhose wrapped around him. Ranma is attacked. It rains, and the attacker turns into a demon.
Part 3: The Demon's Tale: Happosai fights the thing but it flies away, taking Akane with it. The backstory of the monster is told, along with how Happosai caused all the problems.
Part 4:Find Akane!: Ranma and Ryoga ride the being's back but fall off. Meanwhile Akane has tried to escape, but the being (Pantyhose Taro) finds her.
Part 5: S.W.A.T.: Shampoo and Mousse arrive to aid Ranma and Ryoga, sort of.
Part 6: The Watery Grave: Taro defeats Ryoga and Mousse by flooding them with cold water.
Part 7: The Geyser Traps: Ranma and Taro fight. Ranma ends up as Ranma-chan.
Part 8: Boiling Retaliation: Mousse, Ryoga, Shampoo and Ranma all end up doused with hot water to return to their human forms. They hit Taro, but he flies directly towards Akane.
Part 9: The Snap of Elastic: Ranma defeats Taro. The group ties him up and Akane asks him why he is so angry.
Part 10: What's in a Name?: It turns out Ranma had name him Pantyhose Taro. Taro wants Happosai to change his name. Ranma offers to help Taro get his name changed.
Part 11: Back to the Freak-ture!: The trick backfires and Happosai pledges to destroy Taro.
Part 12: And Back and Back and Back...: Taro has picked his new name. Awesome Taro.
Part 2: Spring Demon: At Jusenkyo, the guide's visitor log is stolen. Later Sampoo finds duck Mousse with a pair of pantyhose around it. Ryoga is attacked and P-chan also ends up with pantyhose wrapped around him. Ranma is attacked. It rains, and the attacker turns into a demon.
Part 3: The Demon's Tale: Happosai fights the thing but it flies away, taking Akane with it. The backstory of the monster is told, along with how Happosai caused all the problems.
Part 4:Find Akane!: Ranma and Ryoga ride the being's back but fall off. Meanwhile Akane has tried to escape, but the being (Pantyhose Taro) finds her.
Part 5: S.W.A.T.: Shampoo and Mousse arrive to aid Ranma and Ryoga, sort of.
Part 6: The Watery Grave: Taro defeats Ryoga and Mousse by flooding them with cold water.
Part 7: The Geyser Traps: Ranma and Taro fight. Ranma ends up as Ranma-chan.
Part 8: Boiling Retaliation: Mousse, Ryoga, Shampoo and Ranma all end up doused with hot water to return to their human forms. They hit Taro, but he flies directly towards Akane.
Part 9: The Snap of Elastic: Ranma defeats Taro. The group ties him up and Akane asks him why he is so angry.
Part 10: What's in a Name?: It turns out Ranma had name him Pantyhose Taro. Taro wants Happosai to change his name. Ranma offers to help Taro get his name changed.
Part 11: Back to the Freak-ture!: The trick backfires and Happosai pledges to destroy Taro.
Part 12: And Back and Back and Back...: Taro has picked his new name. Awesome Taro.
September 27, 2021
This volume has just two arcs, a short one chapter one and a long one that takes up the rest of the volume. The long arc introduces a new character who has shape changing powers and a grudge against everyone's favourite ancient pervert Happosai. The new comer is challenging everyone who has fallen into the tragic hot springs, so we get a fun reunion with all our favourite characters.
September 9, 2013
Emmy ReReads 9-9-13
December 3, 2023
The whole spring race was just weird, but I did feel kind of sorry for Akane. She tried to ask Ranma about participating in the race, but kept being interrupted but everything under the sun. Then there's the competitive eating thing, which is kind of gross. It me a bit to pinpoint, but it reminds me about Tarrare, the man that couldn't stop eating. I'm pretty sure sources also said he had an abnormally big mouth/throat. The only difference is that Tarrare also had a big stomach with a lot of loose skin when he hadn't eaten in a while.
November 2, 2019
I had a good laugh with this one because it's been so long since I've read Ranma 1/2 that I had forgotten that Shampoo and Mousse also turn into animals when splashed with cold water. 😂 Also, the end of this volume made high class French cuisine seem terrifying. Very funny , though. It seems Ranma has a new suitor, but this time he is a foreigner and a dude! We'll see how he gets out of the corset he's out himself in this time.
September 5, 2023
"Pantyhose Taro" is one of the less horrifying stories that involve Happossai. He is involved only as a way into the fuller story, which is a lot of fun. It is more martial arts-related, and I think it is the first real venture into a more serious opponent. This brings some of the fun of some earlier arcs (where characters like Ryoga are actual threats) into the later type of humor and characterization.
May 27, 2017
- Atletica termale (una gara a coppie irta di ostacoli) dove vi partecipano Ranma & Shan-Pu, Akane & Mousse e Ryoga & Ukyo (spassosissima).
- La lotta a tavola, dove Ranma vuole imparare questa nuova tecnica gastronomica e dove il ragazzo francese intende sposarla. (continua nel prossimo albo)
- La lotta a tavola, dove Ranma vuole imparare questa nuova tecnica gastronomica e dove il ragazzo francese intende sposarla. (continua nel prossimo albo)
December 30, 2023
This one is okay. I’m just not a huge fan of the really long drawn out fight scenes. But it’s definitely on brand for this genre of manga, so don’t let that deter you if you don’t mind those kinds of fights.
December 7, 2019
4,5 stars
November 22, 2022
No creo poder decir más de Ranma de una manera en la que no sea reiterativo. Simplemente mantiene todo lo que lo hace bueno, y hasta los arcos lentos son entetenidos.
January 12, 2024
4.5 stars
They are so close in winning, who knew the person who has no sense of direction won the race? Lol.
The French guy creeps me out!
They are so close in winning, who knew the person who has no sense of direction won the race? Lol.
The French guy creeps me out!
January 12, 2025
Amazing volume, the food arc is so funny!
December 6, 2012
Yay! Another story arc that lasted nearly the entire volume (I'm finding these are the volumes I enjoy far more than the ones made up of a bunch of smaller storylines). Enter poor Pantyhose Taro! He was actually pretty cute! There was a lot of action involving him and the other Jusenkyo springs characters that, at times, left me on the edge of my seat. And the ending was very sweet and fun! And Happosai still really makes me angry... I just can't get into his character. I very rarely ever find him funny.
Speaking of old characters, I was happy to see Cologne make a guest appearance. I wish she was around more because I adore her!
20 more volumes to go x_x Oh man...this series is sooooooooo long.
Speaking of old characters, I was happy to see Cologne make a guest appearance. I wish she was around more because I adore her!
20 more volumes to go x_x Oh man...this series is sooooooooo long.
December 7, 2022
Everything is fighting, even eating.
So first we have race arc, where Ranma and company are trying to win a trip to anywhere. Of course they want this to go to Jusenkyo to find a cure for all the transformations.
While it was a fun trip, I really don't like gag endings to events like this, even if it's a comedy story like this one here, I would have prefered to see Ranma lose in any other way.
Anyway, the second part is just hilarious, Ranma gets involved with a French Eating Martial Artist and must find a way to defeat him if he doesn't want to become his bride.
Eating as a martial art is just the kind of stupid I love to see.
So first we have race arc, where Ranma and company are trying to win a trip to anywhere. Of course they want this to go to Jusenkyo to find a cure for all the transformations.
While it was a fun trip, I really don't like gag endings to events like this, even if it's a comedy story like this one here, I would have prefered to see Ranma lose in any other way.
Anyway, the second part is just hilarious, Ranma gets involved with a French Eating Martial Artist and must find a way to defeat him if he doesn't want to become his bride.
Eating as a martial art is just the kind of stupid I love to see.
April 17, 2010
Akane wins tickets to a race at a spa, with the prize being a free trip to any spa. She invites Ranma, but through a long complicated, typically Ranma, series of events, Ranma ends up going with Shampoo, Akane with Mousse and Ryoga with Ukyo. But the race is not what it seems, as the town does not want to give away the prize. A mad-cap chase story with the bizarre humour that permiates Rumiko Takahasi's Ranma series.
April 22, 2011
They say you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover. But I did - And I was right ;) This series is amazing! You get genderbender, fantasy, action, romance and slapstick-humor along with intense serious moments, what more can you want?
May 14, 2016
Behold the tragic tale of Pantyhose Taro...who is a tragic character because his name is Pantyhose Taro. But if that's not tragic enough for you, he is cursed by the worst Jusenkyo spring ever: the yeti-ox-eel-crane spring!
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July 5, 2010F TAK ranma v.16
December 19, 2015
Every now and again I've got to re-read Ranma 1/2. Rumiko Takahashi is a great story teller. This is one of the funniest manga I have ever read.
March 27, 2016
Pobre Ranma, siempre termina pasándole de todo por culpa de los demás y también pobre de Pantimedias Taro, sufriendo por el nombre que le puso el odioso de Happosai xD
April 10, 2014
I wish they would get together already :)
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews