Okay, a little explanation first.  A friend of mine, John Burt, 
has a database.  He started it about a decade or so ago, when the various 
comic book companies started coming out with Who's Who-type directories.
	He put in every comic book character he could find in a fairly 
standardized format, and I supplied him with bios for a bunch of manga 
and anime characters.
	Recently I realized that his Ranma entries were probably *way* 
out of date, since he hasn't read comics in some time (lack of money and 
time, not interest) and that when I'd done up those bios for him, Ranma 
didn't even *have* a mother.  So, I'm doing some updates.  And I thought 
it would be nice to get some feedback from you folks...
	Format Notes:  I'm using pretty much John's standard format, so 
it won't be changing.  ALL CAPS names in the text means the person will 
be getting her own entry.

RANMA SAOTOME

Source:  _Ranma 1/2_ by Rumiko Takahashi, first published in Shonen 
Sunday Weekly [date, anyone?], Japan.
Other Names:  Ranko Tendou, Osage no Onna ("Pig-Tailed Girl") 
Occupation:  Martial Artist, High School Student
Legal Status:  Japanese citizen with criminal record in Joketsuzoku 
village, identity private, engaged (multiple times), still a minor as of 
last appearance.
Place of Birth:  Japan
Base of Operations:  Tendou Dojo, Nerima Ward, Tokyo, Japan
Important People:  Genma, father; Nodoka, mother; Akane Tendou, Shampoo, 
Ukyou Kuonji, fiancees; Kodachi Kunou, stalker :-); Tatewaki Kunou, 
Ryouga Hibiki, Mousse, rivals; Cologne, Happosai, trainers.
Group Affiliations:  Team Ranma
Eyes:  Blue/grey  Hair:  Black, worn in pigtail (Ranma-A has red hair in 
female form)
Distinguishing Features:  Turns into a girl when doused with cold water.  
Hot water turns him back.
Costume:  Generally favors baggy Chinese-style martial artist garb, but 
will wear female clothing if circumstances warrant.
Powers:  Ranma is an accomplished martial artist, with a variety of 
special moves and ki attacks.  In addition to his Jyuusenkyo curse, he 
also temporarily had the "gift" of superfast hair growth. 
Equipment:  Ranma can use a variety of weapons, some of which would not 
normally be considered dangerous, but prefers not to rely on tools.

Background:  When Ranma was five, his father GENMA SAOTOME decided to 
take him on a training voyage to teach him the martial arts (and probably 
some less savory motives as well...)  Claiming that motherly love would 
make the boy soft, he pledged to his wife NODOKA SAOTOME that he would 
make Ranma into "a man among men" or commit seppuku (ritual suicide).  
Ranma also signed on to this pledge, although he was not aware at the 
time of what it was. 
	When Ranma was about ten, his father attempted to teach him the 
Nekoken ("Cat Fist") by tying fish sausages to the boy, then lowering him 
into a pit of hungry cats.  This training method gave Ranma a powerful 
technique, but one he could only use when his new fear of cats drove him 
berserk.  This was just one in a series of incidents that would come back 
to haunt Ranma later.
	When Ranma was sixteen, he and his father were in China, and 
visited Jyuusenkyo, the Forbidden Training Ground of Cursed Springs.  
Ignoring warnings by their guide, Genma insisted on training there, and 
as a result he and his son both fell into pools that transformed them.  
Ranma found himself cursed to become an attractive girl every time he was 
doused with cold water, hot water reversing the effect. 
	On their way out of China, Ranma accidentally ate Dragon Whisker 
soup, which caused him to have superfast hair growth in male form unless 
it was tied off with said whisker.  It was at this point he adopted his 
trademark pigtail.
	It was only a block from the Tendou Dojo that Genma bothered to 
mention to Ranma that he'd engaged his son to one of the daughters of his 
old friend SOUN TENDOU.  Due to rain, Ranma arrived at the Tendou home 
female, and struck up a friendship with the youngest daughter, AKANE 
TENDOU.  
	Unfortunately, Akane soon found out his true gender in a most 
embarrassing way, and Ranma found himself forcibly engaged to a girl who 
thought he was a pervert, and who seemed to have none of the qualities he 
thought a girl should have.
	Soon, Ranma acquired two other fiancees, a stalker, and a host of 
rivals.  He lived out the Chinese curse, "may you live in interesting 
times."  And slowly, despite all their quarreling and problems, he 
secretly fell in love with Akane.
	Eventually, Ranma was reconciled with his mother, and admitted 
his love for Akane (though he thought she was dead at the time...)  
Despite their wedding being cancelled due to chaos, it is virtually 
assured that at some time in the future they will get married. 
	Ranma's primary variant, Ranma-A (for "anime") is most easily 
distinguished by his female form's hair being red.


	What do you think?  Is this complete enough for a brief entry?  
(Shampoo's, Ryouga's, etc. entries will have descriptions of their 
relevant encounters with Ranma, so they're not covered in this text.)

SKJAM!