Nightmare on Hot Springs Street

Onsen-gai no akumu (温泉街の悪夢) is the 199th chapter of the manga it is also the first and only chapter of the Octopus Trap Arc.

Synopsis
Ranma, Soun and Genma travel to a seaside resort town that has been harassed by a "living octopus trap". As soon as they get there they hear reports of the trap stealing food and bothering women.

Plot Overview
Ranma has gone with Soun and Genma to a seaside resort town which is apparently being harassed by a "living octopus trap". When they arrive, Ranma attempts to get some more information from Soun about the situation, but Soun tells Ranma that they're still trying to get the details. Suddenly, a group of locals shout out for someone to catch the Octopus trap as it's just stollen some. However, before the trio can do anything, they are each hit by the trap as it jumps on their heads and makes it's escape.

Some time later, and a group of local store owners explain about how the trap steals all kinds of food; insults their visitors; behaves arrogantly and does other sorts of rude behaviour. The owners continue by saying that they are powerless to stop it and it's begun to chase away all of their customers, meaning that soon their resort with become a ghost town and they'll be ruined. Soun is touched by these words and declares that as Martial Artists they shall find this creature and rid the town of its foul presence. The owners are overwhelmed with joy at this and wish them the best of luck.

Later that day and Ranma has turned into his female form and awaits for the Octopus trap to appear as the owners told them that it seems to have a liking for women, so if they wait around the women's bath it's bound to appear. As Ranma waits she begins to think about how she has to do everything while Soun and Genma can just drink and sleep all day. After remembering what the owners said, Ranma then gets a bad feeling from their mention of the trap having a liking for girls...

At that moment, the trap appears and licks Ranma's back, much to her disgust. Ranma quickly attempts to attack the trap, but misses and gives the trap a chance to encase Ranma's head inside the jar where Ranma is subsequently hit by the jar's occupant. Losing consciousness, Ranma falls into the hot water of the bath. A group of women then walk in, talking about the living octopus trap, where they spot the unconscious Ranma (now in his male form) and quickly beat him up.

The morning after being attacked by the octopus trap, Ranma explains to Soun and Genma that there's someone inside the jar. Genma is skeptical of this and asks Ranma who could possibly be small enough to fit inside, to which Ranma says that only one person fits the bill. Ranma then remembers about how Pantyhose Taro carried Happosai off to a remote corner of the world several months ago, while Soun and Genma appear to realise who Ranma's referring to. The pair then declare that there's so much time a person can spend drinking and sleeping and decide to go home.

Ranma attempts to stop the pair, but he needn't bother as at that moment, Happosai emerges from his Octopus jar right in front of his pupils and is happy to see that they came all this way just to see him. Terrified, Soun and Genma hide behind Ranma, who notes that Happosai is alive after all. Just then the local store owners can be heard outside, who've followed the Happosai to the hotel room.

In order to protect the name of Anything Goes Martial Arts, Soun kicks Happosai along with his octopus trap out of the window, while Genma talks to the locals, saying he hasn't seen the octopus trap. The store owners then notice that the stolen has been returned by the octopus trap. Continuing to play their part, Soun and Genma declare that they'll deal with the evil octopus trap once and for all.

The pair then head outside looking for the jar, but the store owners tell them that it's behind them. Happosai then jumps around the pair asking why they're ignoring him, but Soun just kicks Happosai and his jar again into the ocean. Out in the ocean, Happosai (still inside his octopus trap) begins to wonder why his disciples are treating him like a stranger.

When Happosai returns to shore, he becomes furious with how he was treated so goes on a panty stealing rampage through the town. Ranma arrives to deal with the old lecher, who in turn demands Ranma tell him why Soun and Genma are treating this way. However, before Ranma answers, Soun and Genma grab Ranma by his pigtail and tell him that they're going home right now. Confused and angered, Ranma demands to know why they always run away from Happosai, but Soun and Genma tell Ranma not to be silly and that it isn't Happosai, just some other old man.

Happosai hears this and attacks the trio with his Happo-Fire Burst, and although they are hit by the technique, Soun and Genma continue to walk away after the initial explosion. Greatly confused, Happosai sinks into his octopus trap and begins to sob. Knowing that Happosai always gives chase, Ranma escapes his father's grasp and heads back towards Happosai, but Happosai remains in the trap and says they should just go away as if he comes out it'll just cause another riot and make more trouble for everyone. He then notes that it's no wonder nobody wants anything to do with him.

As the trio stand around the jar in a stunned silence at Happosai's words, the old lecher suddenly emerges from the jar and sobs into Ranma's shirt while declaring that he was lonely. After a moment's silence, Soun says that he supposes that Happosai can come with them, which overjoys Happosai greatly. Some time passes and Happosai makes Soun and Genma pull a cart full of items (all in octopus jars) which Happosai says are presents. However, the angered locals then appear and decide that Ranma, Soun and Genma must've been working with Happosai to steal from them. The trio are then beaten up by the locals, who also take back all the stolen goods. Happosai then pulls the others home on the cart.

Once they return to the Tendo Dojo, Kasumi offers Happosai some tea and notes how long it's been since she last saw him. Akane, meanwhile, asks Ranma if they got rid of the town's monster, which Ranma replies that they haven't yet.

Cast in Order of Appearance

 * Ranma Saotome (male)
 * Genma Saotome (human)
 * Soun Tendo
 * Ranma Saotome (female)
 * Pantyhose Taro (cursed form, flashback)
 * Happosai
 * Kasumi Tendo
 * Akane Tendo

Quotes
To be added

Trivia

 * The English title for this chapter is a pun on the film.