Ranma ½: Chougi Rambuhen

Ranma ½: Chougi Rambuhen (らんま1/2 超技乱舞篇), alternatively spelled as Chougi Ranbu Hen, is one of three Ranma ½ fighting games that was released for the. It was to have been released in the United States as the sequel to Ranma ½: Hard Battle as Ranma ½ II: Anything Goes Martial Arts by DTMC, which had adapted Bakuretsu Rantou-hen into Hard Battle. However DTMC's going out of business precluded this from happening, resulting in cancellation. The title directly translates as "Super Skill Wild Dance Chapter", but it is commonly referred to as "Super Hard Battle".

Overview
In the story mode, the player's chosen character gets a letter explaining that they just received the recipe to the most valuable of all treasures, the, which has the ability to grant any wish. The character must then set out to find the 12 ingredients of the Maneki Neko, located all over the world, before one of their rivals does the same.

Gameplay
Chougi Rambuhen has three modes of play: story, versus and tag team, where players can choose two characters to play as and can switch players by walking to their edge of the screen and holding Select, but only if the fighting character's health bar is lower than the other character. Whilst out of the fight, the other character will slowly regain health. There are twelve characters in the game, thirteen if Ranma's cursed form is counted, with eleven playable at the start of the game. By holding L and R before the character selection screen appears, Herb also appears as a playable character.

Playable Characters



 * Ranma Saotome (male and female): Hopes to get rid of his curse, but at the sight of the Maneki Neko quickly begins suffering from his and accidentally wishes it would get away from him, which it subsequently does.
 * Ryoga Hibiki: Wishes to get rid of his curse, but instead of making the Maneki Neko he instead makes a.
 * Akane Tendo: Wishes to finally be able to swim, but can't mix the ingredients together due to her lack of cooking skills.
 * Mariko Konjo: Is in search for the ultimate boyfriend, but when she asks the Maneki Neko to introduce her to him, the Neko tells her she's looking at him.
 * Genma Saotome (panda): Longs for a full head of hair, but unfortunately when he asks the Maneki Neko he's in his panda form with no hot water around, so puts up a sign with his wish, but the Neko can't read.
 * Tatewaki Kuno: Wants his two loves, Akane Tendo and the pigtailed-girl, but the Maneki Neko tells him he can only have one, so Kuno decides on the pigtailed-girl.
 * Kodachi Kuno: Wishes to have a date with Ranma, but because she wasn't specific enough Ranma appears in her female form, leaving Kodachi unable to find her Ranma.
 * Ukyo Kuonji: Wants better business for Okonomiyaki Ucchan's, so ends up taking the Maneki Neko and putting in her restaurant like an ordinary Maneki Neko for good luck.
 * Hinako Ninomiya: Hianko doesn't a specific wish, but when she makes the Maneki Neko she ends up wishing for lots of different snacks to gorge on.
 * Shampoo: Also wants a date with Ranma, she gets her wish, much to Ranma's disappointment.
 * Mousse: Desperately wants to be Shampoo's groom, but has also lost his glasses. Once he finishes making the Maneki Neko he accidentally asks it find his glasses and as the Neko's purpose was fulfilled it leaves.
 * Herb: After making the Maneki Neko, he demands it as the heir to the throne of the Musk Dynasty that it serve him forever. Terrified, the Neko agrees and Herb becomes the wisest ruler of them all.

Planed Western Release
After the successful release of Hard Battle, Toho had planned to release Chougi Rambihen as a sequel under the title "Ranma ½ II: Anything-Goes Martial Arts". The game was advertised but unfortunately Toho cancelled the game due to poor sales of their prior Japanese game that was published in the US, Super Gozilla. Since then a rumour developed regarding Rumiko Takahashi claiming to have been appalled by the poor voice acting in Hard Battle, possibly indicating another reason why the game was never released.

Trivia

 * Kuno, Ukyo, Hinako, Shampoo, and Herb are the only characters who get their wishes without them backfiring in some manner.