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Ranma ½ (Japanese: らんま½) is a manga, and later an anime, that tells the story of Ranma Soatome, a boy who due to an accident while doing martial arts training in Chine is cursed to become a girl when he comes into contact with cold water, while warm water will return him to a male state. (His father also suffers from this, but turns into a panda instead.)

Why, though, does the name of the manga/anime have the "½"? I assume it has something to do with Ranma's gender bending, but is there an explanation for why the "½"?

Mithical
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It seems is just to describe he is a man and a woman. Is because of the gender switch

Rumiko Takahashi stated that Ranma ½ was conceived to be a martial arts manga that connects all aspects of everyday life to martial arts. Because her previous series had female protagonists, the author decided that she wanted a male this time. However, she was worried about writing a male main character, and therefore decided to make him half-female. Before deciding on water for initiating his changes, she considered Ranma changing every time he was punched. It was after deciding this that she felt Jusenkyo had to be set in China, as it is the only place that could have such mysterious springs

Source: Ranma ½ > Production

Memor-X
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myriaidee1sessh43
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  • This.... doesn't really address the question. – Mithical Jul 20 '19 at 22:24
  • Ranma being switched between both genders is what makes him half same name, personality, just physically different. The [1/2] is just more a way to explain the or give more emphasis on the character. Is more of a way of giving info, a clue, or to cause curiosity to the reader. Probably also to make the name shorter. Like in The Lion King 1 1/2. If you have no idea what Ranma is about amd read the title *Ranma 1/2* It will cause you a bit of curiosity of what is it about instead of just *Ranma* as you read or see it, you will comprehend that the 1/2 is because of the gender switch. – myriaidee1sessh43 Jul 20 '19 at 22:40