Book Off Manga
Rumiko Takahashi, Ranma ½ 23, SS Comics
Ranma ½ is another small-format long-running volume, drawn by Rumiko Takahashi, “the most successful female comic artist/writer of all time”. I had no idea who she was when I bought it, so the work speaks for itself. Apparently this follows a girl from the present day who’s fallen down a well and ended up in feudal Japan, although history seems to have taken a few strange turns along the way. In this 23rd volume, published in 2003 (at ¥390), Ranma hangs out with a kung-fu panda, does battle with a bull demon, prances around in a bikini for a bit, and by the end is wearing robot armour, which doesn’t seem very feudal. The line is fluid, the eyes are big, and the action is non-stop. We’re sending our love down the wellll...