Ranma 1/2, (Two-in-One Edition), Vol. 1 & 2

One of the bestselling manga from the early %E2%80%9990s, a gender-bending rom-com mixed with copious martial arts action, returns in this rerelease. World-class martial artist Ranma Saotom%C3%A9 has been cursed with a special fate: when doused with cold water, he turns into a girl. This oddity is little more than an irritation to him until he becomes engaged to Akan%C3%A9 Tendo, a prodigiously strong fighter who also happens to hate men. Akan%C3%A9 has two sisters, and together they form a triad of womanhood: the motherly type (Kasumi), the independent artist (Nabiki), and the Diana (Akan%C3%A9). As the sisters%E2%80%99 world and its love triangles are explored, female Ranma gets some badly timed admirers of her own, and slapstick comedy and eye-catching battles ensue. Add in a rival of Ranma%E2%80%99s set on revenge (who turns into an adorable but spiteful piglet) and soon Akan%C3%A9 and Ranma are thrown together in ways that challenge societal preconceptions of masculinity, femininity, love, and identity%E2%80%94albeit through the lens of feminism 25 years ago. Takahashi (Inu Yasha) is one of the most renowned manga artists of all time, and the masterful storytelling and expressive body language make this a timeless manga classic. (Apr.)