Bathhouse Battle

Batoru・ze・sento (バトル・ザ・銭湯) is the 65th chapter of the manga and the third chapter of the Happosai Intro Arc.

The Tendo family's bathtub is broken so Ranma, Akane, Nabiki and Happosai all head to the public baths. Ranma decides to try and keep Happosai out of trouble, which proves to be rather difficult.

At the Sentō
Kasumi explains that the bathtub has sprung a leak, so everyone will have to use the public baths instead. Once there, Happosai begins snorkeling around one of the male baths, when Ranma throws some string around Happosai's snorkel and pulls on it so Happosai can't advance any further. Happosai soon emerges and asks Ranma what he thinks he's doing, to which Ranma retorts by aggressively asking Happosai if he was planning to sneak over to the women's side of the baths.

Just then Nabiki pokes her head over the dividing wall (much to the awe of the male patrons) and tells Ranma to keep an eye on Happosai. Happosai then quickly deduces that if Nabiki's over there then so must Akane and begins pestering Ranma to go and see. Ranma just asks the Happosai why they don't go an see something "interesting", Akane hears this and throws a bath pail over the wall and manages to hit Ranma on the head while angrily saying "forgive me for being boring!".

On the female side, Akane pouts slightly and tells Nabiki that they should've come later. Nabiki just tells Akane that it's a lot more fun this way.

The Trouble Begins
Meanwhile, Happosai starts getting bored and decides to walk over to Ranma and offer to wash his back. Ranma, however, slaps Happosai with a towel before he can complete his offer, noting that he doesn't want Happosai behind him. This upsets Happosai who becomes teary-eyed and declares that he was only trying to improve their master-disciple relationship. Ranma explains that Happosai's going to try and splash him with cold water while his back's turned, but he's not falling for it.

At that moment, Happosai quickly turns on the cold tap in front of Ranma and sprays him with the water by using his hand to redirect the flow. Ranma then angrily calls Happosai a pervert and begins causing a ruckus on the male side, while the female side are confused by the sudden appearance of a woman's voice on the male side.

The pair quickly end up making their way over to the women's side, causing the terrified women to cover themselves in the presence of Happosai. Nabiki and Akane, meanwhile, watch on as Nabiki notes that this is a lot more fun while Akane just looks on in silence. Happosai then begins throwing several bath pails at Ranma, which Ranma easily avoids. Happosai continues by throwing a soap bar at Ranma. Ranma slips slightly on the first one, but recovers after jumping up. Just before Ranma lands, Happosai throws half-a-dozen more soap bars, causing Ranma to continue jumping backwards to avoid them.

Happosai is slightly impressed with Ranma's skill, causing Ranma to gloat midair about how she showed him. However, Ranma then notices that by jumping backward continuously she has ended right above the female hot-water bath. When Ranma lands in the water he desperately holds his breath while the other women in the bath wonder why the girl who just fell in hasn't come back up yet.

Back with Happosai and he's picked up by the back of his swimsuit. Happosai instantly recognises the voice of the person picking up as Akane and is overjoyed initially, until he sees that Akane is wearing a swimsuit. Nabiki then appears, also in a swimsuit, who asks Happosai if thought they wouldn't come without swimsuits knowing he's here. This upsets Happosai who begins to mope about his not having his perverted plan come to fruition. Akane calmly tells Happosai to stop pouting... and get back to the men's side! As she says this, Akane kicks Happosai over the dividing wall and back to the men's side.

Returning to Ranma and the as she still hasn't emerged, the other women in the bath think that the girl must've drowned, so begin feeling their way around the base of the bath to try and find her and pull her up. Nabiki and Akane look on, noting that they'd love to help, but sometimes a guy's just has to do it himself. Ranma desperately avoids the hands on the women and notes that he can't hold his breath much longer, when he notices a gap leading to the men's side. He swims over, but just before he attempts to squeeze through, Happosai appears and pulls a face which terrifies Ranma.

This is the final straw and Ranma finally comes up for air, making sure to hit the old pervert for what he did. Ranma then remembers the women behind him and tries to protest his innocence, but it's no use and both Ranma and Happosai are beaten up for their perverted antics.

Round Two
Having returned to the men's side the pair return to washing themselves, when Ranma begins rubbing shampoo into Happosai's a bit too vigorously. Happosai throws some soap in Ranma's face and soon the pair begin throwing several small objects at each other, while the other male patrons look on confused. The two then stare at each other, until Happosai angrily tells Ranma how he dare do this to his master.

Happosai then declares he'll teach Ranma the secrets of "Bathhouse-Fu" and throws several bath pails into the air. Nabiki and Akane look on from the dividing wall, and Nabiki is excited at hearing the usage of secret techniques. Just then Happosai seemingly disappears and Ranma gets several footmarks left from kicks preformed by Happosai as the bath pails fly past Ranma. Happosai then appears inside one of the bath pails behind Ranma and explains that technique as the "Hermit Crab Fist".

Nabiki continues spectating and adds that hitting Ranma from inside the pail was quite slick. Akane, meanwhile, says that shrimp would be a better description than hermit crab. Ranma then begins punching the bath pails, but as soon as he hits one, Happosai has already moved to another. Seeing that Ranma is getting nowhere, Akane decides to help by shouting that she guesses it's safe to take her swimsuit off now. A pail then begins climbing the dividing wall, which Ranma punches and reveals Happosai hiding inside it. Ranma gives pursuit as Happosai jumps over the dividing wall, but is soon set upon by the angered women who throw a multitude of objects at Ranma.

Meanwhile, Happosai has hidden under a pail and waits for the right time to peak out and gaze at the women. However, all Happosai sees is a group of very old women washing, horrifying him. Happosai quickly questions where all the women went, Nabiki explains that it's hardly surprising since what women would want to leisurely wash herself with the likes of him around. Desperate to fulfil his perverted desires, Happosai looks frantically for a young woman in the bathhouse. He then sees a woman washing her hair and jumps towards her overjoyed. However, it turns out the girl is Ranma in his cursed form, who punches Happosai to the ground while noting her disappointment that her "master" fell for an old trick like that one.

Having returned to the Tendo Dojo, Kasumi explains that it'll take about a week to fix the bath, so they'll have to use the bathhouse again. Happosai is overjoyed at the news and tells Ranma that they can go there "training" again tomorrow, Ranma (now sporting some band aids) hits Happosai for this comment. Akane, meanwhile, is brushing her hair and adds that she heard the bathhouse was going out of business.

Cast in Order of Appearance

 * Kasumi Tendo
 * Ranma Saotome (male)
 * Happosai
 * Nabiki Tendo
 * Akane Tendo
 * Ranma Saotome (female)
 * Genma Saotome (panda)

Trivia

 * The title page of this chapter, along with a few panels, can be seen in the second anime opening, Little*Date.