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3.95 AVERAGE
3.95 AVERAGE
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I feel like the fight scenes are drawn out a little bit too much and almost prefer the releases with multi-vignettes. Not all of the multi-episodic chapters are bad, but this one wasn’t my favorite because of the drawn out plot with Ranma and his mother. That being said, it was still funny and entertaining.
I feel kind of bad for Shinnosuke. The memory of a goldfish, living alone with his weird grandpa, and repeatedly falling into the traps he sets up himself. Oh, and of course the fact that Akane and Ranma have such a weird relationship, and so he has no chance with Akane. Part of me think they would've been really cute together. One the other hand, it is really nice seeing Akane and Ranma in their feeling about each other.
funny
relaxing
medium-paced
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This volume is a more serious one, which really solidifies my notion that the triple threat of Nodoka's arrival and the Musk Dynasty and Ryugenzawa arcs were the turning point in the series.
The main story of this volume begins with Nodoka, Akane, and "Ranko" out shopping, and Ranma's lamenting that he has to try on girlish dresses to spend time with him mom. Akane suggests telling the truth, and Ranma refuses (since he doesn't want to have to commit suicide for not being a manly man). Then a bear escapes and Nodoka is threatened. Ranma jumps into action, but someone shouts "FREEZE!" and then defeats the bear. He's a taller martial artist of roughly the same age, and he drops a scroll with Ranma's name on it. Nodoka chases after him and asks his name. He says he's Ranma Saotome, and they hug. She invites him to stay with her.
Ranma, naturally doesn't like this. He hunts this fellow down at Nodoka's house and tries to fight him, and is losing prettily handily, but Nodoka's appearance cuts the battle short. Genma tells Ranma, afterward, that he almost had his heart torn out - and reveals that he invented the moves that this imposter has been using. It's a fighting style so violent it needed to be sealed away, and there are two halves, the 1000 Mountains and 1000 Seas. The imposter is using the 1000 Mountains technique and won't rest until he has the scroll of the 1000 Seas. Ranma goes to Nodoka's house to see if she knows where it is, and sees that the other Ranma has been ransacking the place, as well.
At school the next day, Akane points out that if he told Nodoka the truth none of this would matter, and then the imposter bursts through the wall to challenge Ranma. He says he's Ryu Kumon, who was supposed to inherit the Kumon dojo. He threatens to tell Nodoka that Ranma is Ranko, and when Ranma breaks down the technique of the 1000 Mountains (paralyzing the target with a shout), Ryu shouts "Hey, it's mom!" to freeze him. Ranma loses again, and Ryu tells him not to go to his mom's house or he'll expose him. Ranma stumbles home in the rain and Nodoka finds him. He tells her that he won't be stopping by for a while. He goes home, more determined than ever to defeat Ryu (who Akane has just shared the name of with Genma), so Genma begins teaching him the 1000 Seas maneuver.
Genma shows him the technique, and when Soun and Akane are let back into the dojo, Ranma is lying unconscious in his boxers, with shred marks all over his back. Genma tells Akane that 1000 Mountains erased the entire Kumon dojo from existence. Later, Akane goes to find Ranma but he's missing. She pulls out a drawer to get underwear and finds it filled with vegetables. Same with her other drawers and desk. Eating with the family, the foundation of the house is stolen out from under them. Ranma comes to Akane's room late at night, and at first she can't see him. When he reveals himself, he asks her for help (and she takes his hand and he holds it, OMG, it's so cute). She agrees, but tells him to stop training in her bedroom. The next day, Akane shows up at Nodoka's house to meet her fiance. Nodoka gives them space, and Akane issues Ranma's challenge to Ryu. She's very quiet and sweet, until she jerks him up by the collar and quotes: "Playing with my mother's heart just for some dumb scroll is a crime I can never forgive! I'll make you pay for that during this match, do you hear?" Nodoka returns and asks Akane to deliver a letter to Ranko. Ranma discovers, however, that the letter's envelope is made from part of the scroll of the 1000 Seas. He wonders if Nodoka knows he's really Ranma and is trying to help. After reading it, Ranma is looking for Genma but he's left on a trip. He's furious, and thinks "If what this says is really true, that old man is *done*."
The next two chapters is Ryu and Ranma and their challenge fight, with Ryu using 1000 Mountain techniques, and Ranma using 1000 Seas (with Soun providing analysis, stating that both styles equate the physical body with a house - you open your opponent's front door. And the names of the 1000 Mountains support that, referencing front gates and collapsing braces). Soun says he can't believe lazy Genma would come up with something so incredible and powerful, and Genma appears to bask in the praise.
Ryu and Ranma reach the point where they're pretty evenly matched, and Genma admits that he gave his father only the 1000 Mountains scroll when Soun and Akane tell Ryu that he's the true villain. Ryu states that Genma didn't destroy the dojo. It was literally leaning, and he told them this would lead to their dojo being reborn. But it didn't; all the moves led to it being knocked down.
Nodoka feels like something's wrong, so she finds her way to the temple where Ryu and Ranma are fighting. Genma (as panda) intercepts her though and uses the 1000 Seas technique to hide her. Ranma and Ryu continue to fight, and Ranma uses the 1000 Seas abilities to steal everything out from under Ryu - his clothes, and even the dirt, and eventually buries him under it all. Genma explains the tenants of the techniques, and Ranma notes that the 1000 Seas scroll says "sneak" - literally, the techniques are used for robbers forcing themselves in (1000 Mountains) and burglars going in without being detected (1000 Seas). They find Nodoka in a bag and Ryu tries to bring her to while Ranma runs away to find water. Per the agreement, Ryu tells Nodoka that he's not Ranma, and she says she figured it out by the way he reacted to Akane's arrival. He tells her that the real Ranma is closer than she thinks, and he tells Ranma to tell her the truth soon. "Ranko" asks Nodoka about the scroll, and she notes that as a poor martial artist's wife, when Genma told her to destroy it, she used it to make envelopes and kill two birds with one stone.
The last arc has Happosai feeling very old and infirm, and he finds a potion to youthen himself. However, he needs to tears of someone who is both male and female. So most of the story his him finding a way to get Ranma to cry, like lunches full of onions and such. He finally succeeds TOO well, and Ranma literally cries buckets because Happosai hits a pressure point. Unfortunately it works too well, and Happosai reverts to being a baby. The story ends with Ranma carrying him on his back, noting that he's going to be around for a while.
I really, really liked the main story in this arc. Ryu is way more likable than I remembered (I suspect I was reading translated summaries and not the real thing?), and maybe it's because I'm older and - while not a parent - I have more friends who are parents in my life, but the Ranma/Nodoka story is just heartbreaking. Like, now that he knows his mom is out there (and is nice, albeit weird) he just wants that. I liked this, too, because it really emphasized what a shitty guy Genma can be, and how good Ranma must be to live isolated with that moral compass for fourteen years and still consistently choose to do the right thing.
The main story of this volume begins with Nodoka, Akane, and "Ranko" out shopping, and Ranma's lamenting that he has to try on girlish dresses to spend time with him mom. Akane suggests telling the truth, and Ranma refuses (since he doesn't want to have to commit suicide for not being a manly man). Then a bear escapes and Nodoka is threatened. Ranma jumps into action, but someone shouts "FREEZE!" and then defeats the bear. He's a taller martial artist of roughly the same age, and he drops a scroll with Ranma's name on it. Nodoka chases after him and asks his name. He says he's Ranma Saotome, and they hug. She invites him to stay with her.
Ranma, naturally doesn't like this. He hunts this fellow down at Nodoka's house and tries to fight him, and is losing prettily handily, but Nodoka's appearance cuts the battle short. Genma tells Ranma, afterward, that he almost had his heart torn out - and reveals that he invented the moves that this imposter has been using. It's a fighting style so violent it needed to be sealed away, and there are two halves, the 1000 Mountains and 1000 Seas. The imposter is using the 1000 Mountains technique and won't rest until he has the scroll of the 1000 Seas. Ranma goes to Nodoka's house to see if she knows where it is, and sees that the other Ranma has been ransacking the place, as well.
At school the next day, Akane points out that if he told Nodoka the truth none of this would matter, and then the imposter bursts through the wall to challenge Ranma. He says he's Ryu Kumon, who was supposed to inherit the Kumon dojo. He threatens to tell Nodoka that Ranma is Ranko, and when Ranma breaks down the technique of the 1000 Mountains (paralyzing the target with a shout), Ryu shouts "Hey, it's mom!" to freeze him. Ranma loses again, and Ryu tells him not to go to his mom's house or he'll expose him. Ranma stumbles home in the rain and Nodoka finds him. He tells her that he won't be stopping by for a while. He goes home, more determined than ever to defeat Ryu (who Akane has just shared the name of with Genma), so Genma begins teaching him the 1000 Seas maneuver.
Genma shows him the technique, and when Soun and Akane are let back into the dojo, Ranma is lying unconscious in his boxers, with shred marks all over his back. Genma tells Akane that 1000 Mountains erased the entire Kumon dojo from existence. Later, Akane goes to find Ranma but he's missing. She pulls out a drawer to get underwear and finds it filled with vegetables. Same with her other drawers and desk. Eating with the family, the foundation of the house is stolen out from under them. Ranma comes to Akane's room late at night, and at first she can't see him. When he reveals himself, he asks her for help (and she takes his hand and he holds it, OMG, it's so cute). She agrees, but tells him to stop training in her bedroom. The next day, Akane shows up at Nodoka's house to meet her fiance. Nodoka gives them space, and Akane issues Ranma's challenge to Ryu. She's very quiet and sweet, until she jerks him up by the collar and quotes: "Playing with my mother's heart just for some dumb scroll is a crime I can never forgive! I'll make you pay for that during this match, do you hear?" Nodoka returns and asks Akane to deliver a letter to Ranko. Ranma discovers, however, that the letter's envelope is made from part of the scroll of the 1000 Seas. He wonders if Nodoka knows he's really Ranma and is trying to help. After reading it, Ranma is looking for Genma but he's left on a trip. He's furious, and thinks "If what this says is really true, that old man is *done*."
The next two chapters is Ryu and Ranma and their challenge fight, with Ryu using 1000 Mountain techniques, and Ranma using 1000 Seas (with Soun providing analysis, stating that both styles equate the physical body with a house - you open your opponent's front door. And the names of the 1000 Mountains support that, referencing front gates and collapsing braces). Soun says he can't believe lazy Genma would come up with something so incredible and powerful, and Genma appears to bask in the praise.
Ryu and Ranma reach the point where they're pretty evenly matched, and Genma admits that he gave his father only the 1000 Mountains scroll when Soun and Akane tell Ryu that he's the true villain. Ryu states that Genma didn't destroy the dojo. It was literally leaning, and he told them this would lead to their dojo being reborn. But it didn't; all the moves led to it being knocked down.
Nodoka feels like something's wrong, so she finds her way to the temple where Ryu and Ranma are fighting. Genma (as panda) intercepts her though and uses the 1000 Seas technique to hide her. Ranma and Ryu continue to fight, and Ranma uses the 1000 Seas abilities to steal everything out from under Ryu - his clothes, and even the dirt, and eventually buries him under it all. Genma explains the tenants of the techniques, and Ranma notes that the 1000 Seas scroll says "sneak" - literally, the techniques are used for robbers forcing themselves in (1000 Mountains) and burglars going in without being detected (1000 Seas). They find Nodoka in a bag and Ryu tries to bring her to while Ranma runs away to find water. Per the agreement, Ryu tells Nodoka that he's not Ranma, and she says she figured it out by the way he reacted to Akane's arrival. He tells her that the real Ranma is closer than she thinks, and he tells Ranma to tell her the truth soon. "Ranko" asks Nodoka about the scroll, and she notes that as a poor martial artist's wife, when Genma told her to destroy it, she used it to make envelopes and kill two birds with one stone.
The last arc has Happosai feeling very old and infirm, and he finds a potion to youthen himself. However, he needs to tears of someone who is both male and female. So most of the story his him finding a way to get Ranma to cry, like lunches full of onions and such. He finally succeeds TOO well, and Ranma literally cries buckets because Happosai hits a pressure point. Unfortunately it works too well, and Happosai reverts to being a baby. The story ends with Ranma carrying him on his back, noting that he's going to be around for a while.
I really, really liked the main story in this arc. Ryu is way more likable than I remembered (I suspect I was reading translated summaries and not the real thing?), and maybe it's because I'm older and - while not a parent - I have more friends who are parents in my life, but the Ranma/Nodoka story is just heartbreaking. Like, now that he knows his mom is out there (and is nice, albeit weird) he just wants that. I liked this, too, because it really emphasized what a shitty guy Genma can be, and how good Ranma must be to live isolated with that moral compass for fourteen years and still consistently choose to do the right thing.