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Ranma ½ #4
Ranma ½, Vol. 4 (Ranma ½
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.
216 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1988
12 people are currently reading
371 people want to read
About the author
Rumiko Takahashi
1,581 books2,135 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 - 30 of 79 reviews
August 16, 2024
hate reading manga online, curse the library for not having this volume
February 5, 2017
This is probably the end of my first love affair with Ranma ½. I’ll be back, because the characters are delightful and Takahashi is brilliant at creating nonsensical problems for them, including the manic cat phobia that she invents for Ranma in this volume. It’s largely a cute volume, first with a loser voodoo practitioner trying to manipulate his fear of cats, and later an ancient Amazon trapping him in his female form. Both of these set up zany antics, and subtly showing Ranma and Akane relying more on each other. It’s a cute love story that needs some nudging.
Yet this was the volume where the cheesecake got too much for me. I can handle it being part of a series, and Ranma ½ has been decent in riffing on it with both genders, but there comes a time when Ranma’s female form is stripped to a single scrap of clothing that is too prurient for me. And then Shampoo gets naked. And then there’s a damned beach story focusing pretty much exclusively on the girls in swimsuits. It’s a streak that probably helped the book sell to a bigger audience, but not to me.
With some time, I’ll revisit the series and probably gobble several more volumes, because there aren’t many writers who can juggle antics, love and comedy like this. It’s damned sure not a RomCom or a martial arts action book. Instead, it’s one of the weirdest sitcoms ever produced, simply executed through print. I know I won’t stay away.
(Written April 2014; edited for a typo January 2017)
Yet this was the volume where the cheesecake got too much for me. I can handle it being part of a series, and Ranma ½ has been decent in riffing on it with both genders, but there comes a time when Ranma’s female form is stripped to a single scrap of clothing that is too prurient for me. And then Shampoo gets naked. And then there’s a damned beach story focusing pretty much exclusively on the girls in swimsuits. It’s a streak that probably helped the book sell to a bigger audience, but not to me.
With some time, I’ll revisit the series and probably gobble several more volumes, because there aren’t many writers who can juggle antics, love and comedy like this. It’s damned sure not a RomCom or a martial arts action book. Instead, it’s one of the weirdest sitcoms ever produced, simply executed through print. I know I won’t stay away.
(Written April 2014; edited for a typo January 2017)
November 30, 2019
Entre la fobia a los gatos de Ranma y la aparición de Shampoo esto es un no parar.
October 28, 2021
The Shampoo shampoo(no that's not a typo) scene was one of the rare occasions that I laughed out loud while reading, but overall this volume was mediocre.
September 11, 2020
This is really finding it's stride and it's a joy to pick up one of these volumes and devour it whole in a single sitting. Sometimes it's nice to savor a book like this and read a few chapters at a time spread out across the week. But then there's books that are just too much fun to stop.
July 21, 2023
The fun continues! ON TO THE NEXT
September 20, 2019
This series is hilarious
September 24, 2025
As I've said before, these books always make me giggle( ≧ᗜ≦)
Personal rating:
★★★★☆/★★★★★
Personal rating:
★★★★☆/★★★★★
October 13, 2012
Bahaha!! Oh, poor Ranma! But he's so adorable as a girl!!
I still love Shampoo!! She's so cute! I think I'm gonna be a Ranma/Shampoo shipper. I mean, I'm not an idiot, I know in the end Akane and Ranma will be together because they so obviously like each other so much, but I'd rather see Ranma with Shampoo! They'd be so cute!!
The old lady cracks me up!! I love that she looks like a squid. Oh man, this series is hilarious!
I still love Shampoo!! She's so cute! I think I'm gonna be a Ranma/Shampoo shipper. I mean, I'm not an idiot, I know in the end Akane and Ranma will be together because they so obviously like each other so much, but I'd rather see Ranma with Shampoo! They'd be so cute!!
The old lady cracks me up!! I love that she looks like a squid. Oh man, this series is hilarious!
July 2, 2022
I initially thought I would just read the one book, maybe three tops. Yet here I am, finishing Volume 4 and man oh man, does it get better and better. There's Cat-fu in this one for Pete's sake, how can you not love this? Another love interest is thrown into the love-octagon(and counting) but Shampoo is such a charming and fun addition and easily the best of the bunch that what should feel formulaic and repetitive somehow doesn't. Good good stuff.
December 27, 2021
Muy entretenido. Y hay bisitos!!!! El slowburn sigue ahí y parece que se sobrepone incluso al fanservice.
April 25, 2025
Delightful kung-fu comedy that's heavy on romance and silliness.
June 19, 2025
There really is whole new life breathed into this volume!
There is a lot more playing with Ranma's identity in fresh ways while introducing a whole new cast of characters that settle in and make it feel like a whole new chapter for the series!
The "Ranma's weakness" arc has become one of my favorite stories so far and is so hilarious and adorable!
There is a lot more playing with Ranma's identity in fresh ways while introducing a whole new cast of characters that settle in and make it feel like a whole new chapter for the series!
The "Ranma's weakness" arc has become one of my favorite stories so far and is so hilarious and adorable!
August 10, 2011
I liked this volume less than the first three. All I can really say is that the storyline is just getting more... painful. Once again, the characters are all being forced to almost marry various different characters and must perform crazy antics in order to either get out of the betrothment or into it.
July 15, 2025
In this volume we are introduced to several new characters. We find out Ranma's secret weakness. Ranma has a fight with a new character named Mousse over Shampoo. Ranma gets stuck in his girl form and can't change back until he gets a magic pill from a crazy old lady. Everyone goes to the beach and Ranma continues to try and get the magic pill.
September 28, 2016
A new adventure for Ranama. This girl is no push over, Shampoo is under strict rules to kill any stranger that is the same sex that defeats her. What is poor Ranma to do. A must read manga
October 27, 2018
While the theme of "we must fight, and the winner gets the boy/girl" is becoming a bit tedious, I think that contributes to the overall silliness of this series and it's really enjoyable.
March 21, 2020
I love the Ranma series, but I hate Shampoo. I always have. I know it’s supposed to be funny, but she gets on my last nerve and I can’t stand her.
March 19, 2018
Poor Ranma, always either turning into a girl and getting chased by boys or getting into other sorts of trouble. Action meets romance and comade, in the best blend possible and I love the martial arts ‘blank’ system going on in the story. While the ‘curse’ has been done before, in other manga like Fruit Basket, it still seems freash and different in this series. I’ve always liked the hot headed characters, but Ryoga, Ranma’s rival with no sense of direction is my favorite character. It’s absolutly hilarous just how easily he gets lost. It’s such a unique attribute for a character, he’s the first I’ve seen with a natural compass in so much disarray. With such a similar core trait, fans of Fruit Basket are sure to enjoy this story.
September 6, 2021
CAN'T WAIT FOR THE NEXT VOLUME.
December 30, 2019
Fan y nostálgica por la serie en general, pero en lo que va ya me está cansando la constante disminución de las mujeres, sobretodo de Akane, qué hueá, y la ponen como super capaz y poderosa con las artes marciales, pero hasta cuándo con ponerla como premio o pasarse por la raja lo que tenga que decir. Ryouga culiao me tiene chata (Ranma igual, pero más el otro) y ni siquiera ha aparecido el viejo Happosai todavía, ahí me voy a querer matar.
November 16, 2023
The end of the martial art figure skating, and it got even more ridiculous. Ryoga's plan of turning off the light, throwing water on probably both Akane and Ranma, and then somehow taking Akane's hand to continue the figure skating fight is top shelf. And the fact that the fight then devolves into Ranma and Ryoga fighting each other and destroying literally everything around is peak chaos.
The whole Shampoo thing was just bizarre, and I don't really have anything else to say about it.
The whole Shampoo thing was just bizarre, and I don't really have anything else to say about it.
May 21, 2018
I read books 3 & 4 as part of a reading challenge. I've never read Manga before and although I did laugh once or twice, it was all so absurd and so filled with fighting that I did not find it enjoyable at all, mostly mystifying, and was glad it could get through it quickly. I also wasn't a fan of the female nudity/outfits. I definitely won't be back for more.
December 31, 2020
31 Dec 2020
Plot: Skate-Fighting match concludes, ft Ryoga. Shampoo gets introduced. Shampoo meets m!Ranma. Shampoo learns about Ranma's transformation problem.
1. Much like the last volume, we have too many panels of fighting scenes but eh. I'd probably have been more interested in the Shampoo bits if I didn't just watch the anime version of this volume like a week and a half ago; there are fewer gags in here than I like.
2. Definitely more of a future character/plot point setup volume. Points for more Asuza though.
Plot: Skate-Fighting match concludes, ft Ryoga. Shampoo gets introduced. Shampoo meets m!Ranma. Shampoo learns about Ranma's transformation problem.
1. Much like the last volume, we have too many panels of fighting scenes but eh. I'd probably have been more interested in the Shampoo bits if I didn't just watch the anime version of this volume like a week and a half ago; there are fewer gags in here than I like.
2. Definitely more of a future character/plot point setup volume. Points for more Asuza though.
August 29, 2020
I continue to enjoy my journey with this series. I find the shenanigans really entertaining, and it's a nice break from a lot of the serious things I read. If you are looking for a break from life, try this series out!
Read
December 28, 2022Okay, it's totally sexist to say that the girls can't keep up with the boys and that even Ranma, with all of his training, is immediately at a disadvantage when he's female. That's ridiculous.
Also, Akane is always getting mad over stupid shit.
Also, Akane is always getting mad over stupid shit.
May 31, 2023
Rumiko Takahashi is a superior comic book artist working in the Japanese manga style. Her beautiful illustrations and comedic excellence is the best in her field. And this volume is one of her 5 best of all time.
August 9, 2017
Shampoo es muy divertida y linda, cada vez que vemos más sobre Ranma y Akane y su relación son de los mejores capítulos. Como siempre el humor de Rumiko es genial.
July 10, 2018
The crack continues on. We learn about cat-fu, Mousse is introduced and Ranma gets stuck as a girl.
December 2, 2019
Stop with these cliffhangers! Every volume is incredible as always and this has become a favorite already even though I'm only 4 volumes in.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 79 reviews