Ranma Saotome

History

Ranma is the only son of Genma and Nodoka Saotome; his father Genma took him on a training trip at age two to fulfill a promise of manlyness to Ranma's mother and they have not returned home since. After training for over ten years, they came upon the fabled training grounds of The Cursed Springs of Jusenkyou in China. Despite the guard's warnings, Ranma began sparring with Genma and eventually ended up falling into one of the cursed springs. Now, whenever he is splashed with cold water, Ranma turns into a girl, and whenever she is splashed with warm water, Ranma turns back into a boy.

Whilst a girl, Ranma accidentally dealt a grave insult to one of the Amazon warriors in the area, Shampoo. This elicted from Shampoo a Kiss of Death, a sworn oath to hunt down and kill Ranma. Such was a reason for a very rapid departure from Jusenkyou and China.

After this Jusenkyou debaucle, Ranma and Genma decided to return to Japan. Genma led them to the home of his long-time friend, Soun Tendo, with whom he arranged such that their children would marry so that Genma's son would carry on Soun's Tendo Dojo. After an awkward meeting and reveal of his curse, Ranma was pressured into picking one of Soun Tendo's three girls: Kasumi, Nabiki and Akane. Quickly, Akane was pressured by her sisters to be selected, and Ranma and Akane have been engaged ever since.

It is this event that marks the beginning of Ranma's many troubles, as multitudes of suitors, rivals and abnormalities chase him around the Nerima ward, and make him living in interesting times indeed.

Suitors

Akane Tendo

Ranma's relationship with Akane is one filled with both love and hate. They both throw insults at each other, Akane bashes Ranma around and Ranma ends up sulking. Despite all this, they do have an affection for one another, shown by Akane's eternal concern for Ranma and Ranma's repeated rescues of Akane from other suitors and monsters.

Ukyo Kunoji

While on their training trip, Ranma became friends with Ukyo, the daughter of a man who owned an okonomiyaki cart. Genma engaged Ranma to Ukyo in exchange for the cart, and then ran off with Ranma. Thus, Ukyo's father told Ukyo to chase after them, and so, when Ukyo meets up with Ranma in Nerima, she becomes another one of his suitors. Ranma continuously calls Ukyo "cute" and is one of the major regulars at her restaurant. Ukyo and Ranma also have childhood names for each other: "Ucchan" and "Ranchan" respectively.

Shampoo

After coming under the Jusenkyou curse, Ranma-- in female form --accidentally ate the winnings of a female martial artist, Shampoo. She eventually tracked female Ranma down in Japan and attacked "her." When Ranma-- as a male --defeated Shampoo, she declared that she would have to marry Ranma. Shampoo chases after Ranma with an unshakeable determination. Often she uses drugs and ancient Chinese medicines to help her, but her efforts have yet to bear fruit.