Ranma||Ryouga||Shampoo||Ukyou||Kunou||Kodachi||Martial Arts, page 2||Other characters|
Ranma Saotome
Style: Anything-Goes Martial Arts (Saotome school)
Strengths: It seems that Ranma is an adaptive martial artist; that is, he learns from his mistakes very well. I do not think I have seen Ranma get defeated twice in a row. He always finds a way to get around someone's defense or technique. Of course, Ranma possesses a very high skill level as well, and can learn things literally overnight. Possessing a blend of the Japanese style, and a little of the Chinese, Ranma is a very formidable foe. A quick thinker in battle, Ranma (at full strength) is more apt to beat you with battle savviness rather than raw power.
Weaknesses: If Ranma has one weakness, it's his ego. Ranma's a proud guy, and obviously thinks he can beat anyone. This has been taken advantage by many a new opponent. Ranma also has a horrible fear of cats, instilled in him when he was young by his father Genma, who tried to train him once by repeatedly throwing him into a pit of hungry cats. This weak spot may become a strength for Ranma, because he learned the near-invincible cat-fist in the process (see below). Ranma's girl-form is weaker than his male form, but his girl-form is faster. Ranma also tends to hold back against female opponents, hesitating to use full strength on them.
Special Techniques:
Kachu Tenshin Amaguriken (Chestnuts Roasting Over an Open Fire Punch): This is a technique taught to Ranma by Cologne. The move involves punching so quickly that one could grab chestnuts from an open fire without gettting burned. Obviously, that's pretty darn fast.
Moko Takabisha (Fierce Tiger Ball): Ranma invented this technique himself as a countermeasure to Ryouga's Shishi Hokoudan technique. Ranma draws upon his confidence and determination, and releases it in the form of a ball of chi energy.
Hiryu Shoten Ha (Rising Dragon Hurricane): Ranma learned this from Cologne as well. This powerful technique of Ranma's takes an opponent's heated anger, and Ranma's cool calmness and brings the two forces together. The resultng opposite tension creates a twister of energy/wind which hits the opponent.
Saotome Secret Technique (Fast Break): Not much to this one. Ranma faces away from his opponent and runs away to buy himself time to think on how to defeat a suppposedly invincible opponent.
Neko Ken (Cat Fist): Ranma employs this technique automatically when his fear of cats peaks. Ranma suppresses his fear of cats by acting like one (he remembers none of what happens in this state). In this state, he is near invincible.
Dual Jet Stream Raging Waters Attack: See entry below for Akane Tendou.
Ranma/Akane Hiryu Shoten Ha Revised Attack: See entry for Akane.
Saotome School Final Attack: Man Muss Project: Ranma used this to trick and weaken Happosai one time. He had Akane replace the old pervert's stolen panties with unwashed men's undergarments and sportswear.
Saotome Shooting Star Kick: Ranma flies forward, channeling his chi into a deadly jump kick. He used this against Tarou to weaken his gigantic cursed form.
Shishkabob: An vicious upward kick meant to hit an opponent like a sharp stick going through pieces of meat and vegetables. Ranma used this to counter one of Mousse's attacks.
Umi-sen-ken Techniques: One-half of a series of techiques created by Genma, the techniques are designed to emulate a quiet thief's moves. These techniques involve trickery and fast movement. Ranma learned these to counter Ryuu Kumon, who possessed the other half of the techniques.
Ryouga Hibiki
Style: Kenpo/Karate
Strengths: Ryouga may not have as much skill as Ranma, but he makes up for this in strength. He is obviously stronger and has more stamina/endurance than Ranma, and this is demonstrated in the style of his techniques. He lifts and breaks large objects very easily. Ryouga also possesses a wealth of projectile weapons (bandannas and umbrella) which can be easily manipulated to his advantage in a fight. He also has shown a propensity to taking damage, able to take large amounts of it and still keep fighting. A couple of hits from a strong martial artist like Ryouga could probably end a match very quickly.
Weaknesses: Ryouga's obvious first weakness is that he can't get hit with cold water, or else he becomes a pig. Aside from biting and bouncing around,Ryouga is pretty weak as a little black pig. Ryouga also tends to rely on a newly-learned technique by itself to win sometimes. Ryouga is also an emotional fighter, and this can either be a strength or a weakness for him. Ryouga's horrible sense of direction may also cause him to lose his opponent. He also tends to have a "berserker" type of fighting style - not fighting very carefully and attacking more than defending.
Special Techniques:
Aside from using:
An umbrella, which weighs a ton, but which Ryouga wields one-handed very easily,
and numerous bandannas, which are all tied around Ryouga's head at the same time, and are used by him as shuriken...
Ryouga also employs these techniques:
Bakusai Tenketsu (Blasting or Breaking Point/Earth Tremor Attack): This technique was taught to Ryouga by Cologne to help him try to beat Ranma. It involves seeing the breaking point of something with your mind, and hitting it with one finger, shattering the object. This only works on objects made of stone and rock, however.
Shishi Hokoudan (Roaring Lion/Depression Blast): This technique was learned by Ryouga when he became trapped in an underground excavation tunnel. An excavation worker taught Ryouga this. The technique goes as follows: one channels the negative energy of heavy feelings, like depression, into his/her body and releases it in the form of a giant discharge of "chi" energy. The more heavy the feeling is, the bigger the blast, and for Ryouga and his depression over many things, especially his love for Akane, this is a perfect technique for him.
Shampoo
Style: Joketsuzoku (Chinese Amazon Style) Fighting
Strengths: Shampoo is obviously very skilled. After all, she was trained by the best, her great-grandmother Cologne. Shampoo has only suffered defeats in one-on-one combat to Ranma. A very quick fighter, and yet fairly strong, Shampoo uses all of the techniques taught to her and takes advantage of an opponent's weakness or slowness quite quickly. Can attack and defend with equal efficiency. Shampoo strength is also high enough such that she is able to crash through walls and other strong substances without suffering injury.
Weaknesses: Of course, Shampoo's first weakness is her Jusenkyo curse, as she, like Ryouga, can't really fight in her cursed form. Also, Shampoo can be distracted by Ranma.
Special Techniques:
Aside from being able to wield Bonbori, two sticks with large heavy balls attached to the ends, and various swords and Amazonian weapons,
Shampoo possesses these techniques:
Xi Fang Xiao (Memory Loss Shiatsu Technique): Shampoo employed this technique on Akane once, to try and get her to forget Ranma. The technique involves blending special Chinese herbal shampoo with the pressing of pressure points on the head to manipulate memory. Akane, as a result, remembered everything but Ranma, and Ranma had to find an antidote.
Delivery Box Blowout: (NOTE: Only seen in Manga): Shampoo somehow strikes the outside of a delivery container such that the food inside is ruined. She used this technique in a delivery race, where destroying the food meant disqualifying whoever had his/her food destroyed.
Ramen Suffocator (NOTE: Only seen in Manga): Shampoo used this technique to try and gain the upper hand in a delivery contest. It involves wrapping the opponent's head completely in cooked ramen, cutting off their oxygen supply. The only way out is to eat the noodles.
Ukyou Kuonji
Style: Own Style - Okonomiyaki Chef techniques
Strengths: Ukyou really knows how to wield that giant spatula she carries to her advantage. She can also be deadly accurate with the mini spatulas she throws. Her range is excellent with these two weapons, having shown an ability to keep an opponent at a distance and escape injury. Ukyou rarely loses focus in a fight. When she is focused on defeating an opponent, she will win.
Weaknesses: Ukyou can lose her focus, though, especially around Ranma. There are some situations where Ranma disarms Ukyou's focus or anger with a few words. Ukyou also sometimes can become angry to the point of brawling instead of fighting (this has been seen many times with Shampoo around her). Her unique style of fighting may be, when compared to the other "pure" fighting styles around her, more inferior in a fight.
Special Techniques:
Aside from a giant spatula, which she uses to bludgeon or slice opponents with. She also possesses many mini spatulas, which she employs as throwing weapons, like shuriken.
Ukyou employs these techniques:
Flour Bomb: Ukyou uses this as a smoke screen, to confuse her opponent by blinding them with a cloud of flour.
Noodle Lariat: Ukyou uses okonomiyaki noodles to bind her opponent.
Explosive Okonomiyaki Mixture: Ukyou throw a mixture of tempura flour and gunpowder at her opponent. The substance explodes on impact.
Kunou
Style: Kendo/Fencing Style - House Kunou
Strengths: Kunou can be deadly with his sword if he is focused on the fight. No one is Tatewaki Kunou's equal in the art of swordplay, and Kunou uses this to his advantage. The sword, in Kunou's hands, has been known to destroy concrete walls, chop down trees, and makes cracks in stone statues. A classic, but very deadly, Samurai-like style punctuates his moves.
Weaknesses: Aside from the fact that Kunou probably can't fight too well bare-handed, he also gets distracted very easily, either by Akane or his "pig-tailed goddess". He sometimes forgets the fight altogether and begins to spout poetry, professing his love for one or both of them. He is easily fooled into being falsely charmed, especially by Ranma-chan. Kunou also has a big ego, and tends to be overconfident in the fight. His speed is also slow compared to the other fighters.
Special Techniques:
As mentioned above, Kunou wields a wooden katana or bokken, which he uses quite well. Kunou also employs a couple sword techniques:
Blue Thunder Attack: Kunou yells repeatedly and strikes many times with his sword at an opponent, almost with the speed of Ranma's "Amaguriken" technique.
Watermelon Slice: Trained to him through hypnotic conditioning, Kunou immediately cuts in half any watermelon on sight - even if it happens to be held by someone at the time. The resulting attack usually ends up with the person bumped and bruised and the watermelon cleanly sliced down the middle.
Kodachi Kunou
Style:Martial Rhythmic Gymnastics
Strengths: Kodachi knows the philosophy behind her style of fighting very well: anything can be used as a weapon. Kodachi has a talent for making gases, poisons, and other underhanded items, and uses these to her advantage. She has truly extended her array of weapons beyond the basic Rhythmic Gymnastics ones. Also known to be quicker among the fighters. Though some may say her psychotic nature hinders her, it can be argued that it helps her in a fight, enabling her to fight without fear of holding back.
Weaknesses: It seems that most of the females in love with Ranma get distracted by him, and Kodachi is no exception. Like her brother, she also seems a little too overconfident in her skill. Her tricks also sometimes backfire on her.
Special Techniques:
Aside from the basic weapons of Martial Rhythmic Gymnastics, which she has twisted for her own use (spiked clubs, a razor hoop, and a rope rod among them),
Kodachi employs these techniques:
Blow of 1,000 Clubs: This technique involves striking quickly with twenty or so clubs - so quickly, in fact, that it looks like only two clubs are striking at the opponent.
Black Rose Petal Exit: This is mostly for show. Kodachi twirls her ribbon, sending tons of black rose petals swirling around her opponent, and then leaves.
Black Rose Gas: Kodachi often plants paralysis or sleeping gas in a bouquet of black roses to incapacitate someone.
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Cologne says:
"Well young ones, you aren't so bad at finding your way around this place. With three hundred years of Chinese Amazon history right before your eyes, who would want to leave? But if you do want to go somewhere, just click on the left arrow to go to The Cursed Springs of Jusenkyo or click the right arrow to go to Ranma's World. Maybe the Ranma 1/2 Library Main Page is the place you want to go. See you later...and tell that future son-in-law he's still 100 years too early for me!"
© 1997 by Frank SanchezThis page was last updated on January 8, 1998
Another big part of the series is the fighting and the martial arts techniques that come from that fighting. "Anything-Goes Martial Arts" is, in effect, anything and everything can become a part of the style, and I do mean EVERYTHING.