Name: Saotome Ranma (Japanese), Ran-chan (to Ukyou) "Osage no Onna" (pig-tailed girl, to Kunou).

Curse? Yes. Ranma turns into a girl.

First Appearance: Manga Volume 1 (duh)

History: Though it's kinda stupid to put up a history of him and the other popular characters, I will anyway. Ranma is the main character of Ranma 1/2, and is the son of Saotome Genma and Saotome Nodoka. He is affianced to Tendou Akane, Shampoo and Kuonji Ukyou, and Kunou Kodachi is also in hot pursuit of his bod as well. :P Ranma is known for having a large ego and protests against his curse rather passionately. His martial arts skill is arguably the best in his age group in the series (notice how I said arguably, so don't get on my case ^_~), as he tends to learn as he fights. Ranma can take an opponent's weakness and use it against them (wish I could do that...).