Synopsis:
Ranma is a regular guy with a not-so-regular problem. See, when he was training in China, he accidentally fell in a cursed spring. As a result, whenever he comes in contact with cold water, he turns into a she. One fine day, a girl named Lychee appears with her pet elephant. Lychee has been holding on to a scroll that is supposed to help her find marital happiness with the prince of her dreams. The problem is, the scroll ends up in Akane Tendo's hands just as the prince arrives. Thus, he ends up claiming Akane as his bride! Ranma must now go and rescue his fiancee before she ends up marrying another.

Review:
The thing about Ranma movies is, they never quite capture the charm and magic of the TV series and OAVs. Now this particular movie's plot revels on a classic case of switcheroo. There's a girl looking for her fiancé. Her fiancé, however, mistakes Akane for his fiancee -- but Akane is actually Ranma's fiancee! This is the root of all the hijinks and adventures that follow. Pacing is good, and things are interesting enough to keep you watching. There's a lot of scampering around and comical fighting, but that's about the meat of the movie. There's no advancement for the characters or their relationships, and that trademark Ranma humor and wit aren't really there.

The art and animation reflect the simplicity of Ms. Rumiko Takahashi's drawing style. Nothing really extraordinary, but can be considered on the cute side. The video quality looks dated (even on DVD), as the colors seem a tad washed out. Big Trouble in Nekonron, China can entertain, but it's definitely not Ranma 1/2 at its best. Avid Ranma fans would probably still want to check it out for all it's worth though.

Miscellanies:
The Japanese title of this movie is "Ranma 1/2: Nekonron Dai-Kessen! Okite-Yaburi no Gekito Hen!". Translated, that's "Ranma 1/2: Big Battle in Nekonron! The No-Rules All Out Battle!".

Screenshots:

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AnimeNation Ranma 1/2 the Movie 1 & 2 (DVD Set)
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