Ranma 1/2, Volume 30

by Rumiko Takahashi and Neesh Santiago

Author and artist Takahashi, the world's most popular and prolific female manga creator, continues her series about a teenage martial artist named Ranma Saotome. Also an anime series, all seven TV... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1591167760
• ISBN13: 9781591167761
• Release Date: May 2005
• Publisher: Viz Media
• Length: 192 Pages
• Weight: 0.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.1" x 7.5"
• Age Range: 13 to 17 years
• Grade Range: Grades 8 to 12

Customer Reviews

Of demons and armies

Rumiko Takahashi's "Ranma 1/2" series has always been all about the action and romance, and gender-switching martial-artist Ranma has trouble with both (sometimes at the same time) in the thirtieth volume of the hit series. If it's not Kodachi Kuno or Pantyhose Taro, it's... Akane? Trouble arrives when Pantyhose Taro crashes through the Tendo ceiling -- and has been beaten to a pulp. The suspect seems to be a pretty young girl Akane has befriended, Rouge, who claims that Pantyhose Taro has stolen something important frm her. But how can a delicate, shy young girl beat up the superpowered cursee? The answer turns out to be yet another Jusenkyo curse -- which turns Rouge into a cackling three-headed demon. Romantic trouble arrives when Kodachi is challenged by an old rival -- whoever has the best boyfriend wins. Akane agrees to let Ranma be Kodachi's boyfriend-for-a-day, but the old rival is determined to ruin Ranma's handsome face. And finally, Ranma is peeved when a legendary suit of armor chooses Akane as its wearer -- especially since it allows a newly empowered Akane to defeat him. But the only way to defeat "Armie" might permanently lose him Akane's love... Action and romance are split down the middle in the "Ranma 1/2" series -- if someone isn't levelling the Tendo house, then Ranma and Akane are running into new problems in their might-be-might-be-not relationship. Rivals like Ryoga, Ukyo and Shampoo fade into the background so that Ranma and Akane can deal with the biggest obstacles of all: each other. Not that there isn't also a lot of action comedy, such as Ranma being attacked with exploding lilies, or the abrasive Pantyhose Taro rubbing Ranma the wrong way, over and over. Too bad this was the character's final appearance, but he gets a killer exit line. And the mid-air battle between Ranma, Pantyhose Taro and Rouge is outstanding.... despite the fact that the Tendo house is practically in ruins. Ranma and Akane are the focus here, however. The confrontations in which they break one another's hearts is a shocker, as is the scene where Akane is reassured that Ranma really does like her. In Takahashi's world of romance, everything is two steps backward, three steps forward -- slow progress, but still, it's progress. Romantic lies and fiery tornados are the focus in the thirtieth Ranma 1/2 volume, with just the right mix of humor, action and attraction.