Ranma ½ is the father of tsundere and the grandfather of wacky romantic comedy hijinks. Not exactly the best track record, is it? Alas, as a critic, I'm too honest to say that Ranma is a good show. But, odd as it may seem, it is a very enjoyable one nonetheless. Sound confusing? I don't completely understand it either, but I'll do my damnedest.

Story: Most of us are probably familiar with the general premise of the show. Boy gets cursed such that every time he gets splashed with cold water he turns into a girl, and then proceeds to move into the home of his arranged fiancée. Hilarity ensues. Beyond that, there's not a whole lot to say about the "story" of this show, as it's very episodic. For the most part, you can expect everything to be the same at the end of an episode as it was at the start... or, if not, it's a two-episode story arc, and you can expect things to go back to normal after the next episode. More characters (ie, comedy fodder) are introduced throughout the series, but it sticks to its episodic formula up until the very end, and there's no real development to be observed. Spoiler: Ranma and Akane will be just as awkward and tsundere towards each other by the end of the very last episode as they were at the start of the first. Such is the fundamental flaw of much of Takahashi's long-running bodies of work. But, familiar characters and easy-to-follow storylines are king in the world of comedy cartoons, so Ranma is just another victim of the genre, I'm afraid.

Art: It's an old show, so it's got pretty old art and animation. That's not necessarily a bad thing, as both remain consistent throughout the show's run and don't detract from one's enjoyment of the show. At least, I don't think they should. Fans of old-school animation the likes of Dragon Ball and Sailor Moon rejoice, because here you'll find it in spades, along with...

Sound: ...that classic 80's/90's cheap-but-nostalgic soundtrack sound. The music from this series is really nothing special—no soaring melodies or epic chords. But prepare for the earworm of those wacky Chinese hijinks riffs to be in your head for a long, long time, because there's no one who's seen this series who wouldn't recognize the music immediately. The Japanese dub is par for the course, and even features Kappei Yamaguchi (Lelouch, Usopp, and many others) singing a duet in about the sweetest damn closing sequence of all time in a set of OVA's. The English dub... varies a bit. The many seasons of Ranma span the transition between the dark ages (Ocean DBZ, Sailor Moon) and the period where dubbing started to be taken seriously (thanks, FUNimation). Thus, the first season or two is a little bit on the shoddy side—albeit still listenable—and improves pretty dramatically as the series progresses, actors become more comfortable with their roles, and some are replaced outright for the better. Despite the inconsistencies, it's still a perfectly enjoyable dub, and my preferred viewing experience.

So what exactly is Ranma's saving grace, then? I've described incredibly cheesy plotlines, dated artwork, and a laughably corny music score. But when you put it all together, what you get is this almost-grindhouse-goofy piece of animation that just makes you chuckle at how delightfully cheesy it is. And as a comedy, that means it's done its job, right? Ranma ½ may not be the thought-provoking pinnacle of writing that Satoshi Kon may have spawned... in fact, it's just the opposite. It's the kind of show that lets you just kind of turn your brain off for 20 minutes and enjoy the ride. Shows that make you think are important, but this can be fun at times, too. If you're the classic anime viewer who likes to reminisce about the good old days of 80's/90's anime, and you haven't seen Ranma, I recommend giving it a watch. It's a fun, goofy ride from start to finish.