The Ranma 1/2 Page!
Ok people...here it goes. I am going to attempt to explain to you the weird and complex 'love' triangle and the basics you need to know when watching the show.
The story started when Ranma and his father fell into some magical springs, each holding its own unique 'power'. (Ranma's friends also fell into the ponds). From then on, whenever hot water was poured on them, Ranma turned into a red-headed girl and his father turned into a giant panda. Ryoga, who also fell into the springs, turned into a cute little black pig named P-Chan. Not only is P-Chan very adorable, but he also became Akane's pet. The only way they can turn back to normal, is when they come in contact with cold water again.
The love triangle began with Ryoga, who fell in love with the female Ranma. However, he hated the male Ranma and desperately wanted to kill him. Shampoo, a bubble-headed girl with periwinkle hair, fell in love with the male Ranma, but was required to kill the female Ranma because of some oath (I'm not sure). The male Ranma fell in love with Akane, but unfortunately Akane was already in love with P-Chan. And so the hillarious, zany show begins!
As you can see, I am not the greatest Ranma 1/2 expert out there. However, if you want to know more about Ranma, his friends, and his home, here are some sites you can check out for more info.
The Ranma Info Page : This is a great site that contains detailed info on the who's and what's in Ranma 1/2.
Ranma FAQ : This site answers all of the questions you were wondering about, and even contains pics and character bios.
Jiji's Ranma Page : This page includes a chart and bios of all the characters and who they love.
Well...that's about it. Thanks to Heather McPhearson a.k.a. Shampoo for the great show bio! Without her help, this page wouldn't be up.