TS>3)  Most of the characters in Ranma 1/2 have name-puns. Saotome being a 
TS>reference to "girl," etc.  How far does it go?  Does everyone's names 
TS>work as a pun?

I don't think so... I think Akane is a pretty normal name.
As for names, most of them have meanings. Ranma I think
means "Wild one" and Genma means "Black one." Kasumi
means something like mist or river, I'm not sure. Nabiki
has a meaning, but I forgot.

These are the translations I've heard:

Saotome: Old word for "Girl"

Ranma: Wild Horse
Genma: Dark Horse

Ranko: Wild Girl

Soun: Fast Cloud
Kasumi: Fluttering Cloud
Nabiki: Mistlike Cloud
Akane: Scarlet Cloud

	Notice the "cloud" in all the Tendo's names.
There were more, but I forget, btw:

	What does the Kanji in Tenchi's name mean?  I heard it means
something like "Heaven and Earth"