S.O.S.! The Wrath of Happosai

S.O.S.! The Wrath of Happosai (SOS エロ妖怪八宝斉) is the 17th true episode in the second season of Ranma ½, Anything-Goes Martial Arts, though it is treated as the 20th episode, and is the 38th episode overall.

Relation to the Previous Episode
None. The flashback to Ranma's fight against Happosai comes from Enter Happosai, the Lustful Lecher!

Plot Summary
One morning, the representative from the Neighborhood Watch Committee approaches the occupants of the Tendo Dojo. Sitting down with Soun and Genma, he explains that a prowler has been harrassing the neighborhood, to which the two martial arts masters express their sympathies. When it becomes clear that they are after the assistance of the two, they are eager to boast of their willingness to help, assuring the elderly visitor that they will soon have taken care of the culprit. Relieved, the man thanks them, noting his own wife hasn't been sleeping too well because of all this problems with the panty thief. Soun and Genma both tense up at that, whispering to each other because those two words give them a clue as to who the problem is. Unfortunately for them, their guest overhears, but they manage to convince him that they don't know anything - and also to obscure the passing-by of Happosai. Uncertain, but deciding not to push, the man gives them some photos that he and his fellows have managed to acquire, though they have yet to show them to the police, which may identify the culprit.

When Ranma and Akane get home, they find Soun has taken to his bed in dismay and shock, while Genma gives them the photos after explaining how they got them. As the two masters feared, it is ironclad evidence of Happosai - he's even posing in the last picture. Genma notes that Happosai fears nobody, but they still can't allow him to just drag their names through the mud with him. Soun weakly encourages Genma in his efforts to handle it, which causes Genma to point out that Soun was just as much talk when they had no idea who it was they would be going after. Ranma, never afraid of Happosai in the slightest, promptly suggests he and Genma go and catch a thief. Genma promptly turns into a panda, though Ranma will have nothing of it, and Kasumi notes that Genma really does choose the worst times to become a panda.

In his room, Happosai is ironing some panties when Genma, still in panda form and being dragged by Ranma, hits him, the old pervert angrily turning to confront the intruders in his chambers. Ranma claims that Genma wants to talk to Happosai, sneakily holding up signs covered in insults when Genma weakly tries to "talk" to Happosai after Ranma literally beats him into doing so. Insulted, Happosai leaps forth, kicking Genma in the throat, hurling him to the ground with a slap to the head as he flips over the panda's bulk, and then tosses a coal from his pipe onto Genma's back for added insult. Ranma tries to exhort Genma to fight, but even when he starts feeling the coal burn his flesh, he won't do it - Ranma ends up kicking him at Happosai as he dances around in anger. Happosai simply sends Genma flying through the roof with a twirl of his pipe, whereupon Ranma drenches himself in cold water and flashes her breasts at him, causing him to come leaping forward just in time for Genma to crash back down on top of him.

As the Tendo girls sort out the panties, Nabiki raises the question of what they're going to do about Happosai to punish him for putting their reputation at risk like this. Ranma suggests sewing him into a rock-laden sack and tossing it into the ocean, after silencing Happosai's protests to leave his panties alone lest he call the police by punching him in the head and pointing out he's the criminal here. Genma nods in agreement, then freezes up at a most terrible sound; a deeply furious growl from Happosai. He quickly gets off of his master and pats him down, even as Happosai growls that it's too late to try and suck up. He kicks the panda squarely between the legs, smacks Ranma on the head as he springs to the door, and then pauses to growl that they have aroused his anger, bounding away even as Ranma taunts him, not afraid in the slightest.

Reporting this to Soun causes him to cry out in terror; this is exactly what he feared might happen if they went up against Happosai. To Ranma's upset confusion, Genma has grabbed his pack and is racing for the door, his son-turned-daughter tucked under his furry arm. Soun catches him at the foot of the stairs, Ranma chosing this as an opportunity to slip free, but makes it clear he intends to go along with Genma. Akane and Ranma bluntly question their fathers' mental states, to which Soun remarks that Ranma has made a grievous error in truly angering Happosai. While Akane does thoughtfully remember that she hasn't seen such a powerful battle aura as she saw during that first match between Ranma and Happosai, Soun proclaims that to be the least of the terrors that Happosai can unleash, falling to his knees and weeping about what Ranma has done.

Ranma displays no remorse, and is if anything kind of excited, proclaiming her utter lack of fear. And that is when the doors explode as a huge horde of deliverymen carrying massive orders of food and outraged women storm into the Tendo Dojo; the former are here because somebody ordered from them, while the women are here for Ranma, having received a taunting letter from "Ranma" claiming that he is the one who stole their underwear. Happosai drizzles hot water on Ranma by surprise, leaving the three men backing away as the increasingly irate mob closes in, demanding satisfaction.

While they try and explain that they are neither the ones who ordered all that food nor the underwear thieves, Happosai steals some of the deliveries and retires to the rooftop, gorging himself even as he darkly grins that Ranma has only just begun to taste his wrath.

However, much like his opening volley, it turns out that "the dreaded wrath of Happosai" seems to be much more hype than substance. As the disbelieving teens watch, Happosai pokes holes in the paper walls, paints graffiti on the walls, doodles on Soun and Genma's faces, sprinkles matches into cups of tea and tacks into shoes, and otherwise makes a nuisance of himself. As Nabiki notes, she expected something a bit more intimidating, and it's almost too childish to actually take seriously. Still, she chastizes Soun and Genma for being such wimps, and they do take a stand... in preparation to grovel before Happosai, much to Akane's infuriated disgust. Happosai, however, makes it clear that just their sychophancy won't work; only when Ranma himself has bowed and scraped for forgiveness will he call an end to it. Ranma refuses immediately; when Soun and Genma flatten him to the ground themselves and try to persuade him to just fake humility, all it succeeds in doing is having Genma thrown through the doors and into the garden as Ranma violently expresses his sentiments toward the idea. Happosai promptly graffities Genma some more, then declares that this reign of terror is going to go on until Ranma apologizes to him.

Unable to placate Happosai otherwise, and knowing they haven't a snowball in hell's chance of beating Ranma into going along with it, the two men settle for the next best thing; exiling Ranma from the dojo until Happosai cools off. Making camp in a vacant lot, Akane sneaks out with some hot tea and pork buns, gently bringing up the idea of Ranma just going with the apology. Ranma insists that doing so is out of the question, then tells her that he has a plan - but he'll need her help. Akane naturally accepts his plea and agrees to do it.

The next day, with a fair amount of fuss in attendance, Akane sets to work sewing a patch onto Happosai's shirt, something that he is delighted with. As she works, she recalls Ranma's plan; the patch contains a secret Chinese herb that reacts with human body temperature to produce a noxious odor that only women smell - and they can't bear to be around it. Ranma's plan is to deprive Happosai of contact with the pretty women he so lusts after, in order to make him regret picking a fight with Ranma. Finally, it is done; Happosai is delighted with his patch (though Akane isn't too impressed he mistakes it for a pig - it's supposed to be a dog), and even goes to show it off to Soun and Genma. When Happosai announces he's going out to admire the women, Genma begs him to only look at them, for which Happosai throws his pipe at his face. Soun grimly notes that their school will be done for if Happosai really makes a nuisance of himself, Genma suggests that they try moving, then admits that would do no good, after which the two chase after him

However, to Happosai's confused dismay, the outing goes terribly; the women take one look at him, lash out if he's within arm's reach, and then run off as if their life depends on it. Happosai gets more and more upset, wondering what's going on before falling to his knees crying. Akane watches in amazement at Ranma's plan having worked when Ranma shows up to taunt Happosai, revealing the presence of the Girl-Away on Happosai's body. Furiously proclaiming it would have been kinder to kill him, Happosai leaps at Ranma, only to be flung skywards with a fan in a reversal of his own trick. Ranma gloats over his success, only for Soun and Genma to leap out and insist that Ranma's just making things worse, as Happosai doubtlessly has Ranma right where he wants him... only for the old pervert to suddenly fall right back at their feet, unconscious. Eagerly, the two start kicking at him, but Happosai regains consciousness and slips out, causing them to beat up on Ranma before he knocks them out cold for daring to attack him.

As Ranma struggles to his feet, Happosai proclaims that he accepts and even expects a certain amount of "playfulness" from his two disciples, but Ranma should be ashamed of what he did by messing with Happosai's ability to touch women. The two start running down the road, when all of a sudden Happosai runs out of energy in mid-chase, Ranma accidentally running over him before he realises what's happened. As he watches in growing disgusted nervousness, Happosai creeps along the street, weakly calling for "pretty ladies" and trying to molest a poster and a statuette of a vaguely anthropomorphic female hippo in a nurse's uniform. Soun and Genma arrive and explain to Ranma that Happosai is in withdrawal; he's so immersed himself utterly in perversion that he's like an addict - not being able to regularly touch a woman is like not being able to breathe. Ranma locks up in shock and perhaps some guilt, snapping to his senses when he realises that the merciless masters of the two branch schools of Anything Goes are sealing Happosai into a little box and taunting him with the fact they're going to express-mail him to the north pole. Guilty, Ranma makes a moral stand and snatches the old pervert's box away from them, running off even as they cry out in horror for him to stop and think about what he's doing.

In a vacant lot, Ranma sets Happosai free, admitting that he couldn't just stand back and let somebody be abused and bullied like that. As Happosai stares at him in teary-eyed disbelief, Ranma promises to remove the Girl-Away so he can get his charge, whereupon the old pervert tearfully hugs up against Ranma and apologizes for being so mean to Ranma. But then, much in accordance with Ranma's pitiful luck, a sudden shower breaks out, leaving Ranma female, reeling from the scent of Girl-Away, and Happosai eagerly groping and fondling her. The moment he is back to full energy, Happosai casts aside his former apologetics and declares himself ready to beat Ranma down, taunting the weakened boy-turned-girl for being so foolish that his own weapon could be turned against him.

Declaring his intent to force Ranma to model a bra so that he can take photos, he falls for a flash of Ranma's breasts, the transformed boy pinning him to the ground and struggling to tear off Akane's "3rd graders sewing job" - a sentiment she is unwise enough to voice, for which Akane whacks her in the head with the kettle of hot water she brought. Ranma complains that Akane has just allowed Happosai to escape, but when Akane tries to turn Ranma back so that he can go after him, Happosai reveals he's slipped into the kettle and drunk all the water. Thinking quickly, Ranma tapes Happosai inside the kettle, blocking out the scent of Girl-Away, and then kicking him away - which is when Soun and Genma appear out of nowhere, scooping Happosai up in an oil drum, upending it onto the earth and beating it flat with stamps and mallet blows. Once they have succeeded, they clasp hands tearfully, celebrating this apparent victory, only to be blown aside when it suddenly shatters in a burst of battle aura, Genma falling into a puddle and resuming a panda's body. With a cry of rage, Happosai grows into a giant version of himself, towering over the buildings, causing Soun to grovel before him in utter fear as his daughter disgustedly shouts at him that he is pathetic. When Happosai thunders a demand for Ranma to wear the bra, Ranma still stands defiant - then Genma shoulders her aside, declaring he too has his pride, and proceeds to grow into a giant burning panda, easily the size of Happosai. Ranma watches, amazed and even respectful, as her father actually manages to grow larger yet in response to Happosai doing so... and then faints, having exhausted all of his strength. Fortunately for everyone, the expenditure of energy is too much for Happosai as well, and he faints too.

As Ranma disgustedly notes; this was a fight that achieved absolutely nothing.

That evening, Happosai clings to the still-female Ranma and rides her around and around the house before Ranma finally punches him off of her and stomps him into the ground. Menacingly, Happosai asks if Ranma is sure she wants to make him angry, as she won't like him when he's angry.

Trivia

 * In the manga, Ranma bought the Girl-Away himself from a drugstore in China, perhaps as an intended way to chase off Shampoo. Here, she was the one who gave it to him as protection (implicitly from Akane).
 * In the subtitles, Girl-Away is referred to as "Nyokenko", and Ranma explains that, according to Shampoo, it was used by the Empress Xi-tai-hou of the Ching Dynasty to punish men who disobeyed her; she would have it rubbed all over their bodies.
 * While not as emotionally expressed as when she called Genma a fool for taking his son to Jusenkyo in the first place in the manga, Kasumi's upbraiding of Genma for trying to "panda" his way out of responsibility is one of the few times (if the only time) she actually sounds genuinely irritated or sarcastic.
 * This is the first episode in which Happosai displays the ability to use his aura to grow into a giant.
 * While celebrating having Ranma turn into a girl in his arms, Happosai can be seen licking Ranma's buttocks/groin from behind while Ranma is bent over thanks to the Girl-Away.
 * Happosai's closing line is taken from The Incredible Hulk.