Hehe, bit late on posting this - should have done it last month...
About the only thing different this time is that I added some stuff about
Inuyaksa. Minor spoilers...


        The Jusenkyo Guide welcomes you to the Ranma 1/2 Mailing List
----     ----     ----     ----     ----     ----     ----     ----     ----

This is a short introductory help text. You should already know something
about Ranma 1/2, and this guide should help you at least understand most of
what you see on this ML. This is not a FAQ, and if one is done you will be
told about it. Because this is a small help, the explanations are simplified,
but though they are not necessarily wrong, they will not give you the
complete picture.
This should not be used as a definitive reference.
The full FAQ is in the final stages of development, but I don't have enough
spare time to complete it yet. The permanent address is:
http://www.wot-club.org.uk/RanmaFAQ/

        The Ranma 1/2 Manga ended Wednesday the 21st of February.
While there has been no official announcements, it is highly likely that more
OVAs will be coming out shortly, as well as the final movie.
          *          *          *          *          *          *           
        Rumiko Takahashi's new series started on Wednesday 13th November 1996.
The name is:
      Inuyaksa
-Sengoku o-Togi Zoushi-
The story (so far) is about Kagome doing a timeslip back to Japan's Warlord
Era (Sengoku Jidai) on her 15th birthday. There she comes across Inuyaksa,
who has been sealed to a tree for the last 50 years by a special arrow. That
arrow had been shot by Kikyou, a Kagome look-alike, because of the death
and destruction Inuyaksa ('dog-demon') had caused while looking for the
'Shikon no Tama' (Base of the Soul Jewel).
The story is a lot darker than Ranma 1/2, but it still has a fair amount of
humor. Since I've only seen 3 parts, it hard to say just how the story is
going to develop, but it looks pretty damn interesting.
For more information (including scans and translations) goto:
http://www.wot-club.org.uk/Inuyaksa/

As yet, there are no tankoubon - they'll be out early next year.

          *          *          *          *          *          *          
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          *          *          *          *          *          *          
                      Recent change to the Mailing List
For technical reasons and to reduce spam, all people who were not on the
'matome okuri' mode have been moved onto a 1 hour 'matome okuri' mode.
'matome okuri' means sending a collection of items - ie posts are collected
and send out every hour. Until further notice the new address to post to is:
ranma-tmp@usagi.jrd.dec.com
          *          *          *          *          *          *          


Some acronyms I'll be using (others do too):
RT  Rumiko Takahashi
ML  Mailing List
SOD Spring Of Drowned ...
GN  Graphic Novel
OAV Original Animation Video
Note: OAV and OVA (ie Original Video Animation) have the same meaning

The volume and part numbers are as in the original Japanese.
Available: Manga (which started in September 1987), 38 original Japanese
volumes - the whole series. Also available is the 'Ranma 1/2 Memorial
Book' priced at 1,300 yen, and contains an interview with Rumiko Takahashi
and has lots of information and pictures from the series.

From Viz, 7 GN's - up to V9.4, and up to V11.2 for monthly releases.
Anime: Nibunnoichi TV series 18 eps (Apr 89-Sept 89), Nettouhen TV series 143
eps (Oct 89-Mar 92), 3 Movies, 6 OVAs, 2 Special OVAs, 3 Super OVAs and
probablly more soon. Viz have done about 30 TV episodes dubbed and 18
subbed, the 3 movie and all the OVAs.
Viz actually started releasing the OVA's (which came after the TV series in
Japan) and the movies (which started well into the TV series) shortly after
starting the TV series, which is the cause of a lot of confusion, because
there are a lot more characters later on.
There are also about 20 CD's, and lots of merchandise - posters, calendars,
badges, t-shirts, and computer games, and coming soon is a 3D battle-arena
style game for the Playstation.

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The Ranma 1/2 Universe - check this out, especially the who's-who and
what's-what:
    http://iczer1.usacomputers.net/~ranma/ranma.html
For a LOT of Ranma fan-fiction ftp to:
    ftp://ftp.std.com/archives/anime-fan-works/Ranma/
Hitoshi Doi's ML page (includes this one):
    http://www.tcp.com/doi/doi/anime-ml.html
Hitoshi's ML archives:
    http://www.win.or.jp/~toshi/ML/

ftp upload sites (remember to use BINARY mode for images etc.):
    venice.tcp.com/pub/incoming/
    iczer1.usacomputers.net/e/incoming/
    server.berkeley.edu/pub/anime/incoming/

To join the fan-fic ML: email 'fanfic-request@tendo-dojo.ranma.net' with
subject 'subscribe'. Run by: White Wolf, wwolf@cais.cais.com. Send mails to:
fanfic@tendo-dojo.ranma.net
Main news groups: rec.arts.anime.misc, rec.arts.manga, alt.fan.r-takahashi
IRC channel: #ranma!
A good general site is the Anime and Manga Resources List :
    http://www.csclub.uwaterloo.ca/u/mlvanbie/anime-list/
Good place to mail-order from are Nikaku Animart, for their catalogue:
email nikaku@netcom.com, with subject 'catalog'.

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Using this ML:
SUBSCRIBE'ing or UNSUBSCRIBE'ing, e-mail ucchan@usagi.jrd.dec.com.
POSTING: ranma@usagi.jrd.dec-j.co.jp
Note: while posting to 'ranma@usagi.jrd.dec.com' works, it is slower.

When Subscribing or Unsubscribing, put on the subject line: [un]subscribe

Double posting: some mailers don't work well with ML's as they're normally
configured, and results in double-posting - same mail posted twice.
In Pine, if you reply to a message from a mailing list, you may see this 
message:

        Use "Reply to:" address instead of "From:" address?

If you reply "yes" to the question, you'll send your reply to the mailing 
list.

If you reply "no" to the question, you'll send your reply to the original 
author of the message.

The next question you'll see is:

        Reply to all recipients?

Always reply "no" to this question. If you reply "yes," the message will 
get double-posted.

----     ----     ----     ----     ----     ----     ----     ----     ----
Most of the names used on this ML and in the English versions, are spelled
using the standard romaji methods, while some aren't eg Kuno instead of
Kunou, Tendo Dojo instead of Tendou Doujou.
There words listed below are all more or less in dictionary form.
Some commonly used Japanese on this ML, and this document:
baka       : stupid, idiot - often used by Akane to Ranma
ecchi      : dirty, lewd, kinky - the 'H' of hentai
furigana   : small kana spelling the kanji next to them to help younger
    readers
gomen [nasai] : I'm sorry, excuse me
iinazuke   : one's fiancee
ja ne      : see ya - (very casual and only amoung close friends)
joudan     : joke, jest, fun - sometimes spelt jodan
kana       : the hiragana (cursively drawn characters, used for grammar and
    in special cases) and the katakana (sharply drawn characters, used for
    foreign words, emphasis, etc.) each have around 75 characters, generally
    quite simple and have no intrinsic meaning
kanji      : the several thousand (generally complex) Japanese characters
kawaikune  : uncute - often used insult to Akane by Ranma. This is a typical
    mangling of the language by Ranma - it should be kawaikunai
kawaii     : cute
kouchou    : principal
hentai     : pervert, perversion. Literally 'transformed'
nan/nani?  : what?
nettouhen  : Hot Fighting Action. More literally, Hot-Fighting Contest
    Edition. This series is called Anything Goes Martial Arts by Viz
nibunnoichi: literally the fraction 1/2 ie one of two
okonomiyaki: a bit like a pizza, but the base is more like a pancake, and the
    toppings are Japanese, but the variety is the same
onna       : woman/female
osage no onna: pig-tailed girl (ie onna-Ranma to Kuno)
otoko      : man/male
oyakusoku pozu : term for 1st and 4th fingers being extended on both hands
    when a character is surprised, shocked etc. It literally means "promise
    pose" and has no actual meaning
romaji     : Japanese characters written using the Roman English characters
sempai     : elder, senior
sensei     : teacher, doctor, master
seiyuu     : voice actor/actress. Eg Megumi Hayashibara (onna-Ranma), Kikuko
    Inoue (Kasumi) and Noriko Hidaka (Akane)
tankoubon  : collection of manga parts (typically 11 for Ranma 1/2) - like
    graphic novels
yatai      : hand-drawn cart
-san       : polite name-ending: similar to Mr./Ms.
-kun/-chan : diminutive form of -san. Girls are more likely to be referred to
    with -chan, and boys with -kun especially in anime, but both are actually
    gender less. You would mostly use -kun and -chan to people who of lower
    social standing than yourself (particularly by parents to their children)
    or when among close friends
-sama      :(or other appropriate references) are used to people of
    significantly higher social standing than yourself

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Differences between anime and manga are mostly minor character personality
changes, minor changes to some stories, and entirely new stories created. The
most obvious example is that (originally) onna-Ranma does not have red hair in
the manga. RT had a little input at the beginning of the TV series, but
that's it for the anime - the first two movies, about half the TV episodes
and some of the OVAs are not based on any of her stories, not were they
written by her. RT's work has made her the 5th richest person in Japan, at
the age of 37. Her other major works include Urusei Yatsura and Maison
Ikkoku. Smaller works include Dust Spot, One-Pound Gospel, the Mermaid Saga,
Those Selfish Aliens, Maris the Wondergirl, Fire Tripper, Laughing Target,
and "1 or W".

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Some often mentioned characters you might not have seen yet, with their first
or only appearance in the anime and manga. These can be considered minor
spoilers, but they will appear without warning on this ML.
()'s refer to English/Viz version
[]'s refer to anime, numbers are 2nd series episodes
Satsuke Sarugakure [2]: The Kuno family's ninja and lackey, anime only
Happosai V7.5 (GN 6)[15]: Perverted, tiny, ancient and a martial arts master,
    trained Soun and Genma, frequently goes on lingerie raids and chases
    after any girl.
Ukyou Kuonji V9.5 [23]: After engaged to unknowing Ranma at 5 and Genma
    running off with the dowry, turns up for revenge, but falls in love with
    Ranma again. she owns Ucchan's, an okonomiaki shop, often wears boy's
    clothes, and wields a massive spatula. 'Ucchan' is Ukyou's cutesy
    childhood nickname to Ranma - which he still uses (this is common in
    Japan), and 'Ran-chan' is Ranma's nickname to Ukyou.
Tsubasa Kurenai V10.9 [27] once-off : Cute looking boy who loves Ukyou, and
    dresses as a girl (to match with Ukyou dressing as a boy) and attacks
    disguised as vending machines, post boxes, sign posts etc.
Kouchou-Kuno V12.1 [46]: Tatewaki and Kodachi's wacky Hawaiian-style father,
    principal of Furikan, returns after been missing for several years and
    enjoys being hated by the students, and makes up stupid rules.
Pantyhose Tarou V18.1 [103]: Baptised in SOD-yeti-riding-a-bull-holding-a-
    crane-and-eel by Happosai, who is the only one who can change his
    humiliating name. His cursed form is like a 10m high minotaur that can
    fly, and later he uses SOD-octopus to give himself tentacles and the
    ability to squirt ink.
Nodoka Saotome V22.1 [142]: After parting with Ranma at an early age, she is
    now hoping to find her son a 'man among men' and carries a sword to help
    Ranma and Genma commit seppeku (ritual suicide) if he isn't, despite her
    kind and gentle nature.
'Ranko' V22.1 [142]: Ranma's lifesaving alias in front of his mother as
    Akane's cousin.
Herb, Mint and Lime V24.1 once-off : Their tribe (Musk Dynasty) used the
    SOD-girl pool, and Chiisuiton (a special bucket that produces magical
    water) to make permanent girls of animals and then to marry them to
    inherit their powers. The leader Herb (dragon-like) has very nasty
    chi-attacks, Mint (wolf-like) is lightning quick, Lime (tiger-like)
    is incredibly strong.
Hinako Ninomiya V25.3 [in OVAs]: Furikan gets a child-like English teacher,
    with an awesome chi-sucking attack, which temporarily turns her into the
    best shaped babe in the series. In child form has many child-like
    attributes, like wanting sweets, playing with toys etc., and she also
    wants to marry Soun.
Shinnosuke V25.10 [in OVAs] once-off: A forgetful boy who lives with his
    grandfather in a forest, who saved a young Akane, and almost dies because
    of that. He falls in love with her when they meet again.
Kumon Ryuu V28.1 once-off: A powerful young man with attacks based on a
    thief attacking a house using brute strength (the Yamasen-ken), who is
    searching for the Umisen-ken - attacks based on a thief attacking a
    house quietly - to help him resurrect his lost dojo. Because both styles
    were developed by Genma, Kumon pretends to be Ranma, to get the scrolls
    describing the moves from Nodoka, who has had them all this time.
Akari Unryuu V30.1 : Ryouga's new love interest, who gives him a love letter
    after he easily beats her champion sumo-pig, knows about his curse and
    loves him all the more for it. She's very similar to Ryouga except for
    his temper, and he now loves her and Akane equally.
Konatsu Kunoichi V35.7 : Highly skilled but downtrodden male fighter, who was
    brought up female, and trained in female ninja attacks, and is used to
    (and happily does) menial labour. Works at "Ucchan's" as a waitress for
    Ukyou, who he loves.
Kiima V37.1 once-off : Pretty young lady from Mount Phoenix in China (near
    Jusenkyou) and like the rest of her people is born with wings and the
    ability to fly. Highly skilled at martial arts, she is also very loyal to
    her prince - Saffron. She also deliberatly made Akane fall into and curse
    a Jusenkyou pool so that she could use the water to get Akane's body.
Saffron V37.5 once-off : The (initialy) arrogant young prince of the Mount
    Phoenix people. He uses some special water to cocoon himself, and later
    hatch as a full-grown adult, and as such has VERY strong and powerful
    ki-attacks. Because Ranma has distrupted the process, Saffron get his
    full strength and tries to kill Ranma for this, but is eventually
    defeated, and reverts to a baby because of the damage he took.

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Some of the more often used special moves - the translations are a balance
between what the kanji literally mean, and what sounds good in English.
Kachuu Tenshin Amaguriken "Sweet Chestnuts in the Fire Attack" V5.10
    (GN4)[4]: ability to punch very very fast.
Bakusai Tenketsu "Blasting Point Hole" V6.5(GN 5)[10]: makes rocks explode
Hiryuu Shouten Ha "Flying Dragon Killer Strike" V13.4 [49]: an awesome move
    that creates a temporary tornado many 100m high using opponents' chi.
Shishi Houkoudan "King of the Beasts Roaring Blast" V20.1[123]: depression
    fuelled chi-blast of force - it's like being hit by a huge fist . The
    perfected version (need to be VERY depressed) makes >10m crater, and
    light-sphere >100m wide.
Mouko Takabisha "Fierce Tiger Domineering" V20.5 [124]: confidence fuelled
    chi-blast - similar to shishihoukoudan.
Happou Daikarin "Happy's Loud Blossoms" V11.4 [26]: Happosai's fuse-bomb
    attack, hand-sized to van-sized.
Happou Go-en Satsu "Happy's five-yen obliteration" V25.3 [OAV 4]: Hinako's
    awesome ki-sucking move, which temporarily turns her into an adult.
Happou Tsurisen Gaeshi "Happy's Change Returned" V35.9 [OAV 4]: Hinako's
    method of blasting back her sucked up ki energy.
Ranma got the Kachuu Tenshin Amaguriken and Hiryuu Shouten Ha and Ryouga the
    Bakusai Tenketsu from Cologne (Shampoo's great-grandmother). Ryouga got
    the Shishi Houkoudan from a civil engineer, and Ranma created the
    Mokou Takabisha to counter that. Hinako was taught her moves by Happosai
    when she was a young and sickly girl.

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Please don't _start_ threads that are unrelated to Ranma - cultural, Japanese
language questions, and net-related are okay. Threads we've seen too much of,
and most of the ML doesn't want to see again: dubs VS subs, hentai stuff,
trying to work out character's martial arts skills properly, marrying off
characters, best babes wars, and just about anything related to Jusenkyou.

If you want to ask a question, try and make sure, that the answer doesn't
already exist somewhere - most likely the Expanded Home Page. And if you
still need to ask it here, give as much information as possible. If you can't
use ftp or a web browser (like Netscape) then ask someone to mail you the
necessary info.

For referring to Ranma's gender problems, if you use Ranma-chan, onna-Ranma
or female Ranma, for his cursed form, people will know what you're talking
about. But Ranma-chan and Ranma-kun are just net-style, and aren't
technically correct.

PLEASE DON'T use long sigs - some people have to pay for net access for a
    start, they're not useful at all and are probably a sign of insecurity.
    If your posts often have a longer signature than what you write then you
    must be pretty sad.
PLEASE DON'T post 'me too' type replies - if someone is asking for requests
    for something, mail that person directly that you want it and don't waste
    space on the ML.
PLEASE DON'T post big mails - for anything over about 10Kb (or around 200
    lines of text) it is most likely best to offer to directly mail
    interested parties. For scans and image grabs etc., upload them to a ftp
    site, for fan-fiction proof-checking, either use the fan-fic ML or
    directly mail, or both. Fan-fiction should be sent to
    rec.arts.anime.creative when finished.
PLEASE use the DELETE key - if you're replying to a thread _only_ include
    what is _relevant_ to the reply. Signatures are almost never relevant.
PLEASE try to work out for yourself the answers to your questions, and if
    you're really stuck, or you want confirmation, then mail this ML, and
    include a good description of your question.
    You can also try emailing Kevin Lew, a long time contributer, who runs
    the Ranma 1/2 Help Desk, at: kasumi@eden.com

If you reply to a post immediately after seeing it, when you have unread mail
you might be replying to a post that has already been answered properly. So
it's a good idea to read all your mail first (deleting all the mails you
don't want to keep), then go back, and reply to the ones that weren't
answered if you wish to do so.

REMEMBER Ranma 1/2 is _not_ serious, and over-analysis is bad for your
health. Thinking that this series is serious or treating it as if it is,
or that the plot should hang together or that everything is explainable will
probably damage your mind.
All characters are fictitious, and any resemblance to people past, present
and future is purely for comical reasons.

-- 
+---- Chris Rijk --- cpr1@doc.ic.ac.uk --- http://www.wot-club.org.uk/ ----+
+---- New to the Net or this Mailing List? Email me to get a short FAQ ----+
+----------- Goto my Web site above for a huge FAQ on Ranma 1/2 -----------+
| Students' Revenge by quotes from lecturer Paul Kelly:                    |
| "It's a strange example but you need this example to make this example   |
| happen."                                                                 |