Goodbye Ranma?!

Goodbye Ranma?!, also known as Ranma Leaves the Tendo Home, is the 385th chapter of the Ranma ½ manga it is also the first and only chapter of the Ranma Moves Out Arc.

Nodoka leaves Ranma and Genma at the Tendo's for one more night to say their goodbyes before she comes for them the following morning. Genma hates the thought of returning to a domestic situation after all his freedom and plans on going on a training trip, which Ranma quashes. Nabiki tells Ranma that Akane is crying down in the dojo about his leaving and that he should go and cheer her up.

Leaving the Tendos
Ranma is backing up his belongings, while he packs Ranma thinks back to Nodoka saying she'll be back to pick him and Genma in the morning so he'd better say his goodbyes. This causes Ranma to think to himself that he's not ready to leave yet. Just then Genma finishes writing a note saying not to try and look for him, he then tries to leave through a nearby window. However, Ranma quickly stops Genma and asks what's with the note, to which Genma retorts he was just going on a trip.

Genma continues by saying that he will train relentlessly and won't stop until he becomes a good of a father. Ranma mishears Genma and thinks he said "Martian", so tells Genma that he already is one, making Genma reiterate to Ranma what he actually said.

Suddenly, Soun appears, hit Genma with a mallet, and asks Genma just where he's thinking of going. Nabiki then appears with Kasumi and says that it should be OK since as long as Nodoka has Ranma she'll be happy. Kasumi tells Nabiki that this isn't a very nice thing to say, while Soun notes that Nabiki does make a good point. The Tendo trio then tell Ranma that they're leaving too (Kasumi also offers Genma come with them) and soon Ranma is left on his own.

With everyone gone, is left distraught as nobody cares enough to even try and stop him leaving. At that moment, Nabiki returns and tells Ranma to go and see Akane since she needs cheering up and is taking Ranma's departure the worst. At first Ranma is a bit skeptical of Nabiki, but she tells Ranma that Akane's crying. This boosts Ranma's ego and says that it's about time she did something cute. Nabiki then leaves, where Kasumi tells her that Akane isn't crying, to which Nabiki unconvincingly says that it must've slipped her mind.

Ranma Goes to Akane
In the training hall, and Akane is sat quietly, thinking about she should be happy for Ranma especially as they'll never see each other again. Ranma peeks round the entrance, but can't bring himself to go in and say something to her. He then imagines himself commandingly walking up to Akane and telling her not to cry and that she shouldn't think about their parting (a teary-eyed Akane then tells Ranma not to say "parting" as it's too upsetting a word). Ranma's fantasy continues with him trying to leave, while Akane grabs ahold of his leg and tells him not to leave.

By this point Akane has found Ranma deep in his fantasy, so blows up a small balloon and bursts it behind him in order to snap him out of it.

The pair go to the walkway near the living room, where they sit and look out at the garden. Ranma eventually says that this situation was all kind of sudden, to which Akane agrees. Akane continues by saying that she should've expected something like this from the beginning, she then tells Ranma that he must be so happy since he can go and live with his mother. Akane also adds that she guesses this is the best thing for him, to which Ranma questions slightly. Hearing this reply, Akane asks if this means Ranma doesn't really want to leave. With his true feelings discovered, Ranma lies and laughs off Akane's remark. This annoys Akane slightly, who says she'd forgotten he had no sense of feeling at all.

Akane's comment, in turn, annoys Ranma slightly so he tells Akane that even if she cries it's not going to change his decision. Akane tells Ranma not to let her stand in his way. The pair then begin arguing, with Ranma saying that after tomorrow he'll never have to see her un-cute face again. This is the final straw for Akane, who tells Ranma that if he feels that way, why wait for tomorrow and just leave right now! Akane then proceeds to beat Ranma up.

The Departure
That evening, the Tendos have a farewell party for Ranma and Genma. However, when Soun sees the anger between Ranma and Akane he asks who's idea was it to leave them and let nature run it's course, to which Kasumi reminds Soun that it was his idea. Nabiki, meanwhile, asks Genma (now in his panda form) why he's here as wasn't he going on a training trip.

The next morning soon arrives, and Nodoka is about ready to leave with Ranma and asks him if he's sure he didn't forget anything. As the Tendos start bidding Ranma farewell, Nodoka notices that Akane isn't present and wonders where she is.

Akane turns out to be in her room, and still slightly angry with Ranma, thinking about how he gets off saying such things to her. Back outside, and Ranma and Nodoka start walking off. Akane then looks through her bedroom window and the two notice each other. Akane proceeds to open her window, however, she starts throwing insults at Ranma by calling him a jerk and an idiot. Ranma, in turn, holds up a sign calling Akane fat. This angers Akane who throws a chair at Ranma which hits him. As Nodoka asks Ranma where the chair came from, Ranma just tells her that it's a long story.

Back downstairs, Soun and Kasumi come in and are shocked to see that Genma is still there. Kasumi says that Nodoka forgot to take him with her.

That night, Ranma begins thinking about how he didn't want to say goodbye the way he did. He tries to shake this feeling off by saying that Akane was just a stupid tomboy and then tries to get some sleep. However, Ranma is unable to and begins to mope instead. Outside his room, Nodoka notes that Ranma doesn't look very manly and takes her sword to commit, while Genma desperately tries to convince her to put the sword away.

Akane's Visit
Three days pass and Kasumi suddenly asks Akane to deliver Ranma's laundry to him as she forgot to give it to him before. Nabiki also appears and suggests Akane talks to him afterwards, much to Akane's distaste. Despite this, Akane agrees as she didn't want to say goodbye the way she did either and maybe if they talk after they meet they can still...

Meanwhile, Kasumi phones ahead to Nodoka and explains that Akane will be visiting. Shortly after Ranma thinks to himself that it wouldn't be long before Akane caved in, the doorbell rings. Obviously expecting Akane, Ranma goes to answer it. However, instead of Akane, Kodachi is there and explains she heard the news that he was kicked out by Akane. Someone else then appears at the door and Ranma believes it might be Akane so protests his innocence and the scene isn't what it looks like. However, it turns out that Shampoo and Ukyo have heard the news as well so too have come to visit Ranma.

Akane eventually gets to the Saotome household, but when see arrives, Akane (having only poked her head through the door) is met with the sight of Ranma surrounded by Kodachi, Ukyo and Shampoo. Nodoka believes them to just be Ranma's friends, although Kodachi says that they are much more than that. As Shampoo tries to feed Ranma some Ramen, he asks why they had to come at a time like this, causing Ukyo to ask Ranma what he means. Embarrassed, Ranma doesn't explain what he means.

Deciding not to intrude, Akane closes the door and prepares to go home. She then remembers she has to deliver the laundry, when she notices a cement block next to a bench. Back in the Saotome house, and Nodoka says that Akane seems to be late. Ranma, however, says that he thinks she left already as the cement block with his laundry flew through a window and hit him on the back of the head.

Cast in Order of Appearance

 * Nodoka Saotome
 * Ranma Saotome (male)
 * Genma Saotome (human)
 * Soun Tendo
 * Nabiki Tendo
 * Kasumi Tendo
 * Akane Tendo
 * Genma Saotome (panda)
 * Kodachi Kuno
 * Shampoo
 * Ukyo Kuonji