Genma Takes a Walk

Genma, Iede Suru (玄馬, 家出する) is the 4th episode of the fifth season of Ranma ½, Martial Mayhem, and the 92nd episode overall.

After a petty argument with Soun, Genma Saotome decides to leave the Tendo Dojo behind, taking his son with him. Things complicate further after Kuno moves into the dojo and Ranma decides to shack up with Kodachi.

Relation to the Previous Episode
None.

Plot Overview
It's a beautiful day in Nerima over the Tendo Training Hall, as noted by Kasumi Tendo. In the meantime, Soun Tendo and Genma Saotome are playing shougi with the former about to win. Genma begs for a do-over but Soun chides him for not accepting defeat like a true martial artist, the Saotome countering that mercy is also part of their code. It is then that Soun lets it slip that Genma always asks for a break more than once or twice. A now offended Genma asks what he meant by that only for Soun to defend that he meant nothing. Genma doesn't buy it however and presses the question only to be given the same answer. A moment passes before they seemingly laugh it off, only for Genma to toss the shougi board in a rage and storm off. A nonchalant Kasumi notes what good friends her father and Genma are.

At dinner, the two Anything-Goes heads are not speaking to each other. Ranma Saotome and Akane Tendo tell their fathers to get over it but they ignore them and instead fight over a potato. Soun is able to win the prize after deceiving Genma, and the Saotome clan leader decides he's had enough and that he's moving out. As he storms off to pack, Akane begs Ranma to say something, only for the younger Saotome to dismiss it, saying that his old man wouldn't just stomp off on his own. His father agrees since, against his will, says that Ranma is coming along for the ride. He drags him out of the room and the house as Akane watches them go. She tries to ask her father to stop them but Nabiki Tendo simply shakes her head. It turns out that Soun is chocking on a potato (maybe or maybe not from Genma's announcement to leave) and Kasumi wonders if they should call a doctor.

Elsewhere Sasuke Sarugakure has just left from having a few drinks with (presumably) a fellow ninja. Quite plastered, the ninja wonders what he should do with his time until he hears some clanking. The source of the noise turns out to be the Genma setting a tent up in an empty lot. He announces that it will be the Saotome's new home for the moment. Ranma asks if his father's okay with this, noting that it's not to late to return to the Tendo residence. Genma won't hear of it and says to just forget that the Tendo Dojo ever existed. From now on it will just be the two of them alone, forming a whole new era of martial arts. As Genma notes on how the world will write songs, movies, and novelizations about them, Ranma notes that his head is on fire. Quickly he dives into a nearby fountain, turning into a panda but extinguishing the flames. The younger Saotome decides that he has no choice if it really means that much to his dad. They start sparing (shortly after Ranma turns Genma back to normal) and the ruckus they make wakes up the neighbors, threatening to call the cops on them. Ranma turns to his father only to find him in the fountain as a panda again, cracking shells like a sea otter. An angered Ranma kicks his father away, telling him to quit acting innocent. Sasuke, having witnessed the whole thing, heads off to inform Tatewaki Kuno.

The next day at school, Ranma is starving and, to his embarrassment, has his stomach growl while in science class. They happen to be dissecting a frog, one of the students joking "Don't eat the frog, man!" After class Ranma has to resort to drinking from the water mane to head off hunger. Thankfully Akane (who was also in science class) brings him some bread for lunch. They talk under a tree, Ranma cursing his father's idiocy for not knowing what they were going to do for food. Before they can really discuss anything, Kuno comes up to them and points his bokken at Ranma. Having heard about his family's move to an abandoned lot, Kuno rationalizes that Ranma has no right to even look at Akane and smacks his bread away. The pigtailed boy is quick to catch the remainder of his lunch but the Blue Thunder has already begun courting Akane. The Tendo girl has just about most interest in him as his previous attempts, namely none, and punches him away.

Trivia

 * The first episode of the TV series where Erin Fitzgerald voices Kodachi Kuno, replacing Teryl Rothery who voiced her in the first four seasons (as well as the OVAs and briefly in Big Trouble in Nekonron, China).
 * Once again, music from Maison Ikkoku is reused in Ranma 1/2. The scene where Genma and Soun fail to make up with each other is a prime example in this episode.