Danica Davidson
August 16, 2024 
Ranma ½ is back in the news again! First it was in the news because the cult classic is getting a new anime adaptation. Then it was in the news because part of that anime adaptation got illegally leaked to the public. This time it’s in the headlines for a very different reason — because a newly discovered species has been named after its main character!
The new species is a crustacean, like crab, lobster or shrimp. Though no one has reported it before, it was found at the Port of Nagoya Public Aquarium by Dr. Keiichi Kakui and Master’s student Yoshinobu Matsushima.
The new species contains both male and female sexual parts. The majority of crustaceans are clearly male or female, but some species are known to be hermaphrodites. Because you could say it’s both male and female, the experts who found it decided to name it after Ranma. This is because Ranma is cursed to change from male to female and back again in the story, depending on what temperature of water touches him. As a result, the species has specifically been dubbed “Apseudes ranma.”
It’s not known what creator Rumiko Takahashi thinks of this, but maybe she’s getting used to species being named after her characters. Previously a new type of Harvestman spider received the moniker “Taito kakera” in honor of Inu-Yasha, and the Cigaritis syama Lamuae butterfly got its title thanks to Lum in Urusei Yatsura.
VIZ Media publishes the original Ranma ½ manga by Rumiko Takahashi and gave this description for the first volume:
Ranma 1/2 Plot
Years ago, Genma promised his old friend Soun Tendo that Ranma would marry one of Soun’s three daughters and carry on the family’s martial arts school. Except that the girl picked to be Ranma’s bride doesn’t seem to like him, Ranma keeps getting into fights…and did we mention that whole changing into a girl thing?
Source: ANN
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Danica Davidson is the author of the bestselling Manga Art for Beginners with artist Melanie Westin, plus its sequel, Manga Art for Everyone, and the first-of-its-kind manga chalk book Chalk Art Manga, both illustrated by professional Japanese mangaka Rena Saiya. Check out her other comics and books at www.danicadavidson.com.
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