
I finished reading the
Ranma 1/2 manga about a month ago, and it was a hell of a lot better than the anime. The anime was rather sub-par to begin with, regardless of the fact that it is rather old. The pacing of the anime was just terrible. The animators would draw out everything as long as possible, making the anime fall prey to the
DBZ syndrome (no action in entire episodes).
While manga can tend to be rather confusing because the
mangakas are trying to cram as much as possible into each episode, Rumiko Takahashi's skill as a master of her art shines through in the
Ranma 1/2 manga. The pacing is absolutely perfect. Additionally, Ranma and Akane's feelings for each other really show themselves in the manga, whereas one is left to guesswork with the anime. The
Ranma 1/2 manga offers a perfect example of why manga typically surpasses anime in terms of the conveyance of emotions. Furthermore, as the anime ends before the manga's conclusion, anyone who wants to get the full story simply must read the manga.