L! O! V! E!

HATUKOI chiagaru (HATUKOIチアガール) is the 219th chapter of the manga and the first chapter of the Martial Arts Cheerleading Arc.

Ranma and Akane encounter a dangerous new foe: a cheerleader.

Unfair Match
Hiroshi and Daisuke are trying to pressure Ranma into going to the gym to support Akane in the all-girl volleyball match. Ranma, however, is too busy snacking to bother moving out of his desk. He reasons that since Akane is playing for Furinkan High School, the match is an easy win and not very interesting. Hiroshi tries to get him to go by telling him that Akane will be in gym shorts, but Ranma is not amused. Just then girls come in alerting them that Furinkan is currently losing. This piques Ranma's interest and he goes to investigate.

When they get to the gym, they find an exhausted Akane in a match and surrounded by her teammates who have been knocked out. The other team doesn't look especially strong and the boys wonder what could be causing such catastrophic loss.

The opposing team serves once more and Akane dives to hit the ball when she notices something flying her way. Ranma notices this as well and flicks a piece of his snack to deflect the hit. The object returns to the owner in silhouette, and reveals herself to be part of the Seisyun High School Cheerleader squad with the object being her baton. The other cheerleaders chant that only one more point is needed for them to win. It's only then that the boys realize there are cheerleaders in the gym. Akane is angered that all her teammates were knocked out by her baton and jumps to the balcony to confront her. While they bicker, the other team easily hits the ball over to the empty side of the court and wins the game. The final score: Seisyun High 15, Furinkan 0. The girls then recognize the leader cheerleader as Mariko Konjo, heir to the Martial Arts Cheerleading School and known for cheering so hard their team never loses.

As the day ends, Akane and her teammates are crying in disbelief over their loss and one of the girls try to get Ranma to comfort her. When Ranma refuses, Kuno suddenly appears and hugs Akane from behind, horrifying Akane and all bystanders before being punted away by Ranma.

Cheerleader in Love
Meanwhile, the cheerleaders of Seisyun high are leaving after their victory when they notice that their leader has a gloomy look on her. Mariko confesses that even in a win she feels there is something missing in her life, that being love. With tears in her eyes she wishes that a handsome man would just fall into her life at which point Kuno, having punted into the air by Ranma, falls on her head. He apologizes and puts a bandage on her head before walking away. Before he leaves Mariko asks for his name, which he gives. She repeats it in her head and instantly falls in love with him.

Next day, Ranma is running outside after being caught in a rainstorm. She hears footsteps behind her before being embraced by Kuno. Ranma kicks him away but he zooms back and holds her hand, evidently to say something important. He tells Ranma that the Furinkan Kendo Team will be going to a match in the upcoming week and wishes her to cheer for him. When Ranma refuses, three batons come flying in their direction. Ranma avoids a hit by using Kuno as her shield and faces her attacker, Mariko. She tells Ranma that she is going to be Kuno's cheerleader and Ranma remembers her to be the one that made Akane cry the day before. Mariko asks who she is to Kuno, but Ranma doesn't give her an answer, instead letting Mariko accept that they are now enemies with the assumption that Ranma is in love with Kuno as well. Ranma then agrees to cheer for Kuno whereupon Kuno hugs her leg tightly before being kicked away. Mariko then whips out one of her batons and shreds her pompom, using the fluff to form a "V" for victory to initiate the challenge of cheerleaders. In the background hiding, Akane was listening carefully to the whole conversation, wondering if Ranma really has what it takes to defeat her.

Cast in Order of Appearance

 * Ranma Saotome (male)
 * Hiroshi and Daisuke
 * Yuka and Sayuri
 * Akane Tendo
 * Mariko Konjo
 * Tatewaki Kuno
 * Ranma Saotome (female)

Trivia

 * Ranma's outfit on the cover page reads "Ranma" in Kanji.
 * The colorized version of the cover page has Ranma with dark brown hair and red outfit.Ranma_cheerleader_manga.jpg