There must be something insatiably valuable to crating fantastic works of fantasy, because Walt Disney is not the only person to become one of the richest people in his own country. Rumiko Takahashi is one of the richest and most famous women in Japan, known most for creating Ranma 1/2, her longest-running series. The success of her work is rooted in the development of strong characters who break away from the traditional archetypes of Japanese society.

The demure woman of traditional Japan give way to female characters as tough, courageous, and determined as their male counterparts. Her plotlines do not rely only on fantasy, but rather in the realistic emotions of human interaction.

Takahashi is widely considered one of the first anime directors known for her comic sensibilities and the incorporation of slapstick humor. Other reknowned works include Urus ei Yatsura and Maison Ikkoku.