I had been a fan of Shampoo, a Chinese cute girl and martial artist for a long time. However I recently saw a woman called Hinako Ninomiya. I might like her. So I would like to stalk down her for a while.

This column was blamed by Rumiko's fans. Therefore I studied her works more. This column was revised on 02/17/98 and 03/10/98.

You know she is a character from RANMA 1/2 (TM). RANMA 1/2 consists of original comic books, anime and videogames. Comic-type RANMA 1/2 written in Japanese consists of 38 volumes. Ah....

RANMA 1/2 was very popular in Japan. However USA publisher, VIZ has published 9th volume of English-edition RANMA 1/2 (TM). 29 volumes was left untranslated into English yet. Ah....

You know English-edition RANMA 1/2 is related with two Japanese editors at least. They have checked the English works. Technical terms on martial arts have been accurately translated. Some UK web sites on Ranma 1/2 are based on Japanese original edition because more than 20 volumes are not translated. Therefore Japanese names from the title are not accurate.

Famous voice actress Megumi Hayashibara played the role of Female Ranma at TV-anime. She got more popular at the title.

1. Tendo Training Hall (Japanese: Tendo Doujou)
   Mr. Soun Tendo is a martial artist who has the "Tendo Training Hall (the official name from the English edition)" in Nerima Ward, Tokyo. His wife was dead. He has three daughters. He manages the hall and seeks for the heir of the hall.
   

   Tendo Family
   Name	CV	Comments
   Mr. Soun Tendo	Mr. Ryusuke Oobayashi	The owner of the Tendo Training Hall.
   Ms Akane Tendo	Ms Noriko Hidaka	The heroine of the title. One of Soun's three daughters. A student of Furinkan (Senior) High School. A powerful martial artist. She was not a beauty. Ranma's classmate and fiancée. She came to love Ranma just after she met him. Thereafter Noriko Hidaka played the role of Shiine-chan from Red Riding Hood Cha Cha and Mr. Soujirou Seta from Rurouni Kenshin.
   Ms Nabiki Tendo	Ms Minami Takayama	Akane's elder sister. A student of Furinkan High School. Tatewaki Kuno's classmate. She always tried to earn money. Minami Takayama is also famous as a singer. She plays the role of Mr. Conan Edogawa from Detective Conan. She formerly played the role of Ascot from Magic Knight Rayearth.
   Ms Kasumi Tendo	Ms Kikuko Inoue	Nabiki's elder sister. She is entrusted with household affairs. Ms Kikuko Inoue was one of the most popular voice actresses in Japan. She is famous for playing the role of Goddess Belldandy from OVA-type Ah! My Goddess. She formerly played the role of Princess Tatra of Chizeta from Magic Knight Rayearth.

   
   Mr. Genma Saotome is an intimate friend of Soun. It is thought that he is something because he created the great martial arts called "Umisenken" and "Yamasenken." However cold water will turn him into a panda and hot water will turn him into a man because he was put into JUSENKYO in China. He has a son. He and his son are parasites in Tendo Family. He promised that he would give Soun his son as the heir of the hall.
   

   Saotome Family
   Name	CV	Comments
   Mr. Genma Saotome	Mr. Kenichi Ogata	A martial artist who created Saotome's "Anything-Goes School of Martial Arts (Japanese: Musabetsu Kakutou Saotome Ryu)."
   Mr. Ranma Saotome	(Female) Ms Megumi Hayashibara (Male) Mr. Kappei Yamaguchi	A martial artist. Akane's classmate. He does not dislike Akane. He is "a half-guy, half-girl." However cold water will turn him into a cute girl and hot water will turn him into a man because he was put into JUSENKYO in China. JUSENKYO means the "Training Ground of Cursed Springs (the official term from English edition)." Mr. Tatewaki Kuno calls Female Ranma "The Girl with the Pigtails (Japanese: Osage No Onna)." You know Megumi Hayashibara is the most popular voice actress in Japan. Recently she played the role of Ms Nuku Nuku Natsume from Nuku Nuku, Ms Rei Ayanami from EVA, and Ms Lina Inverse from Slayers TRY.

   
   Master Happosai or Happy is also a parasite in Tendo Family. He is the teacher of both Soun and Genma. The two cannot overcome Happosai. He is very lecherous.
   

   Master Happosai
   Name	CV	Comments
   Master Happosai	Mr. Ichirou Nagai	An aged martial artist. An old acquaintance of Cologne. The master of the original "Anything-Goes School of Martial Arts (Japanese: Ganso Musabetsu Kakutou Ryu)." Very lecherous. His pupils consist of Genma, Ranma, Soun and Hinako. Ichirou Nagai is an aged famous voice actor. He played the role of Jigorou Inokuma from YAWARA!

2. Kuno Family
   Kuno Family manages the Furinkan High School (Japanese: Furinkan Koutou Gakkou). The father of Mr. Tatewaki Kuno is the principal of the high school. He is also good at sword arts. The principal went to Hawaii for three years to be a mania for Hawaiian ways. He has a son and a daughter.
   On the other hand, Ms Kodachi Kuno does not go to the Furinkan High School. She goes to "St. Bacchus's School For Girls" (Japanese: Saint Hebereke Jogakuin).
   

   Kuno Family
   Name	CV	Comments
   The Principal	Mr. Tateno Hitouchi	Tatewaki's and Kodachi's father. The principal of Furinkan High School. He tried to defeat Ranma for many days.
   Mr. Tatewaki "Blue Thunder" Kuno (the official term from English edition)	Mr. Hirotaka Suzuoki	Nabiki's classmate. He is often defeated by Male Ranma. However he loves both Akane and Female Ranma as "The Girl with the Pigtails." He will introduce himself as "the Blue Thunder of the Furinkan" anytime. He is good at sword arts, especially, a lunge art (Hajime Saitou was also good at the same art). You know Hirotaka Suzuoki plays the role of Mr. Hajime Saitou from Rurouni Kenshin at present.
   Ms Kodachi "Black Rose" Kuno	Ms Saeko Shimazu	Tatewaki's younger sister. She is good at cooking and pharmacy. Moreover she is also a martial artist. Tatewaki regards her as a "deviant." She loves Male Ranma. She regards Akane as a rival. However she has another rival. The name was Ms Asuka "White Lily" Saginomiya. Saeko Shimazu is a famous voice actress. She plays the role of Ms Akiko Natsume from Nuku Nuku.

3. CAT CAFE People
   The aged female martial artist Cologne manages a Chinese restaurant "CAT CAFE (the official term from English edition. Japanese: Neko Hanten)." She is Shampoo's great-grandmother. Myopic Mousse is a martial artist who loves Shampoo. These three Chinese live in the CAT CAFE.
   

   CAT CAFE People
   Name	CV	Comments
   Cologne	Ms Miyoko Asou	She is an aged martial artist. She also manages a Chinese restaurant "CAT CAFE." She is Shampoo's great-grandmother. She always tried to marry Shampoo with Ranma. She taught Ryoga and Ranma some special martial arts and secret martial information.
   Shampoo	Ms Rei Sakuma	A beautiful Amazon warrior. At first she was defeated by Female Ranma in China. So she came to Japan to kill Ranma. Then she was defeated by Male Ranma. Thereafter she tried to be married with Ranma. However she was put into "Spring of Drowned Cat" of JUSENKYO, China. Cold water will turn her into a cat and hot water will turn her into a girl. Cat is Ranma's hard antagonist.
   Myopic Mousse	Mr. Toshihiko Seki	A martial artist. He is good at hidden weapon. He loves Shampoo, but she does not like Mousse. He was often defeated by Ranma. Cold water will turn him into a duck and hot water will turn him into a man because he was put into JUSENKYO in China.

4. Mr. Ryoga Hibiki
   

   Ranma's Rival and Old Friend
   Name	CV	Comments
   Mr. Ryoga Hibiki	Mr. Kouichi Yamadera	Ranma's Rival and Old Friend. A martial artist. He is famous for no sense of direction. Thereafter cold water will turn him into a black piglet and hot water will turn him into a man because he was put into the "Spring of Drowned Black Pig" of JUSENKYO in China. Akane calls the black piglet P-chan. Akane does not know P-chan is Ryoga. Kouichi Yamadera is a famous voice actor and personality. He has his own TV program "OHASTA" at TV-Tokyo. He formerly played the role of Mr. Ryouji Kaji from EVA.

5. Ms Ukyo Kuonji
   

   Mistress of the Okonomiyaki shop "Ucchan's"
   Name	CV	Comments
   Ms Ukyo Kuonji	Ms Hiromi Tsuru	Mistress of the Okonomiyaki shop "Ucchan's." Ranma's classmate. She is good at cooking. She is also a powerful martial artist. Thereafter she works herself up to Ranma's Fiancée.

6. Ms Hinako Ninomiya
   

   English Teacher of Furinkan High School
   Name	CV	Comments
   Ms Hinako Ninomiya	Ms Yumi Touma	She was a very sickly child in her childhood. Young Happosai taught her how to keep healthy. She got good at some special martial arts of absorbing fighting spirits. Thereafter she became an high school English teacher. Using the arts she conquered three schools full of bad students. At last she came to Furinkan. However she was often defeated. In absorbing students' fighting spirits, she will turn herself into a best shaped lady. In releasing her accumulated fighting spirits, she will turn herself into a child. She is childish. Yumi Touma is a famous and popular voice actress. She formerly played the role of Urd from OVA-type Ah! My Goddess, Ms Mariko Nakasu from Gokinjo Monogatari, Ms Kyouko Hikage from YAWARA!, Ms Shilfiell Nels Rada from Slayers TV series, etc.