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Ranma 1/2 (TV series, OVA series and Movies)

The third and most successful anime series adaptation of a Takahashi Rumiko manga series. Ranma is a young martial artist who has had an unfortunate accident. Akane is Ranma's fiance due to an arrangement between their fathers, much of the story is about how these two strong willed children deal with the situation they find themselves in..

I recommend concentrating on the TV series as the movies and OVAs have characters that enter the TV series quite late. One unfortunate example of misleading wording is that the early tape boxes describe the series as a "sex comedy" a better choice of words would have been "gender comedy" since traditional gender roles are poked fun at in the story and there is no sexual activity depicted.

There is also a translation of the manga series.

Cultural Details: School life, martial arts, relationships, foods, clothing, traditional home and garden.

Cautions: Some nudity.

Roujin Z - Movie

The Ministry of Health is trying out a new high tech automated bed for elderly patients, but the young nursing student in charge of the elderly man who has been chosen for the experiment has different ideas about what is best in patient care, and so does the bed.

Cultural Details: Everyday life.

Rurouni Kenshin Trust and Betrayal - OVA series (English redub titled and DVD labeled as Samurai X Trust and Betrayal)

The end of the Tokugawa Era was set in motion as a response to US warships under the command of admiral Perry sailing into Japanese territory and negotiating a treaty under threat of bombardment. This event set into motion a series of violent actions by various elements in Japanese society that led to the downfall of the Tokugawa Shogunate. This OVA is the story of one young swordsman who put into action his desire to better his nation by becoming an assassin in this bloody period of Japanese history.

This actually is a prequel for the earlier TV series, there is also a movie, Samurai X: The Motion Picture, and later OVA series, Samurai X: Reflection, which take place after the TV series, both of which many fans do not care for.

Cultural Details: Set in mid 19th century Kyoto, many details relating to political forces of the time. I have a special supplement to the Anime Companion devoted to the OVA series.

Cautions: Not for children, a sophisticated storyline & violence.

Rurouni Kenshin - TV series

A very long series set 10 years after the events of the OVA series. With a less realistic style and much lighter at first than the OVA series this series grows on fans quickly. But don't expect it to stay light for long, this series takes on some serious tones rather quickly.

The manga is also available in English.

Cultural Details: Rich in details about personages and life in the Meiji era.

Cultural Details: Everyday life.