General Questions



How old is everyone?
Ranma, Akane, Ryöga, Gosunkugi and Ukyö are all defiantly 16 - they're in the same school year, and Ryöga would be if he went to school.
Shampoo and Mousse are most likely similar in age (since they grew up together), but their exact ages aren't given, but like Kodachi, Akari and Konatsu they are probably 16.
Tatewaki Kunö and Nabiki are 17, and Kasumi is 19. Pantyhose Taro looks a little bit older than the 16 year olds (probably 17-19), and it is also likely (for other reasons) that he is older. In the manga, Cologne's exact age isn't given, but she says she's over 100 years old (in the anime, she's over 300 years old). Happosai is about the same age (to within a few years) as Cologne.
Genma and the Jusenkyö Guide are probably in their early forties, Nodoka and Soün are probably in their late thirties, and Hinako and Dr Tofü are in their probably early to mid twenties.
No-one's birthday is known.

How well can everyone cook?
Ranma and Ryöga can both cook for themselves (though Ryöga has only been seen making instant food), and presumably Genma can as well (since he had to feed both Ranma and himself when they went on training trips), but Ranma has some real cooking skill (as shown in V23.7, and OAV 3).
Akane's cooking is generally terrible (though she did once make a 'normal' tasting curry in V25.10), probably because she tries too hard and also, she has no knowledge about cooking - she makes lots of basic mistakes. Ranma's fiancées can all cook very well over a wide range of foods (Ukyö can make more than okonomiyaki) and so can Kasumi and Nodoka.
There isn't any information about Nabiki, Kunö, Mousse, the Principal, and Akari. Dr Tofü, Pantyhose, and Hinako would all cook for themselves, and maybe the Principal as well, but they are never seen making food. Konatsu has some cooking skill, and has learned to make a reasonable tasting okonomiyaki.

What is that thing with the first and fourth fingers being extended?
It is a sigh of surprise or shock and is called oyakusoku pozu, which literally means "promise pose".

What do the sweat drops that occasionally appear on characters' heads mean?
Nervousness, fear, surprise.

What does the small cross that occasionally appear on characters' heads mean?
Irritation

What are some common gags?
hammers - it's Akane who mostly gets them, but almost all the characters have used them (and gotten them out of nowhere) at some point.
ink pens - sometimes characters have taken out a pen and then doodle on someone else's face.
bras - Ranma, Soün and Genma have been able to use bra's to get Happosai, but unless they carry them around all the time, they appear like hammers.
disguises and clothes - Ranma has used an amazing amount of disguises (Genma and Soün have also dressed in drag a few times). Maybe Mrs Tendö had a huge collection of clothes, or there are some very good rental stores in the area.
rain - Nerima has very strange weather patterns.
normal clothes (regenerate?) - Ranma has had a large number of clothes ripped, cut, burnt and otherwise damaged. So does he spend most of his money on clothes?
panda signs - like the hammers, they come from nowhere, and Genma always has a pen to write on them with. Ranma once came up with signs in V12.6.
mega-phones/microphones - when singing something, or when making a dramatic statement, people often have mikes in their hands. Also, they use a mega-phone when they want to yell into someone's ear very loudly.


This was taken from the Ranma 1/2 FAQ website http://www.wot-club.org.uk/RanmaFAQ/. I take no credit because I'm too lazy to write this kind of stuff. I merely fixed some errors. Please visit their site. Preferably within this year.