"Okonomiyaki" Means "I Love You"

Okonomiyaki no Ukyo (お好み焼きの右京) is the 85th chapter of the manga and the first chapter of the Ukyo Kuonji Intro Arc.

Genma is waiting in a field ready to face off against a masked foe who claims to be the child he left behind. Akane overhears this and reports back to Ranma that Genma has an illegitimate child. Ranma and Akane go to school the next day and are introduced the same person Genma fought the previous day, Ukyo Kuonji.

The One Left Behind
On a dark and storm night, Genma is stood on a vacant lot facing a person with their hair tied in a and wearing a medical mask along with an apron which has "" written on it. The person tells Genma that it's been a long time, but Genma seems not to recognise them. This angers the person who identifies themselves as Ukyo, the one Genma left behind. This strikes a cord with Genma, just then some lightning crashes down.

The next day, Ranma is told by Kasumi that Genma received a rather odd challenge letter. She then hands Ranma the letter, which tells Genma to meet them at the empty lot at 4 o'clock. Ranma quickly notices that the challenge "letter" is actually made out of Okonomiyaki with the message being written in sauce.

Ranma soon heads to the lot himself, where he finds Genma lying slightly burnt in defeat. In order to learn what happened, Ranma begins shaking and hitting his father until he responds by hitting Ranma, telling him to stop. Just then a large Spatula lands near the pair with a message telling Ranma that he'll be the next one to pay. The person who fought Genma earlier then tells Ranma that he better understand and laughs before leaving, Ranma attempts to give chase but is stopped by Genma. Genma then tells Ranma to let it go... for his own good, Ranma just stares back at his father in silence.

Confronting Genma
Once they return to the Tendo Dojo training hall, Ranma (who's meditating while performing a handstand) begins to note that he's sure he's met the Okonomiyaki person before. He then asks Genma what he's hiding as he lost way too easily. Genma then faces Ranma and tells him to promise that no matter what he says that he won't be shocked, a condition which Ranma quickly agrees to. Genma proceeds to move right up close to Ranma's ear, but instead of talking about this "Ukyo" person he just screams right down Ranma's ear.

As Genma solemnly notes that he knew Ranma would be too easily shocked, Ranma throws a bucket of cold water over Genma. Angered, Genma tries to attack Ranma, but Ranma simply kicks Genma's nose while telling him to stay a Panda forever for all he cares. Outside, Akane overhears the conversation and wonders if she should tell Ranma what she knows.

Later that evening, Akane talks to Ranma alone in the Dojo garden. Akane nervously asks Ranma what he would do if he found out he wasn't an only child. She then explains that she overheard Ukyo talking to Genma whilst they were fighting, and Ukyo told Genma to feel the wrath of the child he left behind, to which Genma responded in great apology giving the reasoning that he could barely feed Ranma and himself.

Akane is then reduced to her knees at the thought of Genma having an illegitimate child. Ranma, however, isn't shocked, in fact he's pleasantly surprised that his father had it in him to do something like this, especially with his looks. His attitude soon changes when he goes to Genma and he begins hitting him. Genma (still in his panda form) puts up a sign asking who says he has illegitimate children, prompting Akane to wonder just what Ukyo was talking about.

The New Student
The next day at School, Ranma's class are introduced to a new student, Ukyo Kuonji, who's hobby is making Okonomiyaki. As Ukyo furiously makes some Okonomiyaki at the front of the class, Akane and Ranma realise that this must be the "Ukyo" who challenged Genma. Ukyo then tosses a finished Okonomiyaki at Ranma that has a childishly drawn face on it with sauce.

Seeing the face on the Okonomiyaki causes Ranma's memories to come flooding back and he recognises Ukyo as "Ucchan". Akane asks Ranma if this means that they were childhood friends, to which Ranma explains that they were, for a while at least.

Ranma then proceeds to have a flashback about his childhood with Ukyo, who Ranma nicknamed "Ucchan" at the time. During the flashback, Ranma remembers Ukyo giving him free Okonomiyaki practically everyday (the truth being that Ukyo continuously attempted to fight off Ranma, but always failed so Ranma got the Okonomiyaki as a sign of his victory). Ranma continues by explaining that Ukyo used to draw pictures with the sauce and notes what a sad day it was when he and Genma had to leave.

Ukyo then angrily tries to hit Ranma with her large Spatula and tells Ranma to cast his mind back to the day he left. Ranma does so and remembers Ukyo chasing after them in floods of tears, although Ukyo was angrily shouting at them as they said they'd take him with them. After being prompted to think a little harder, Ranma suddenly remembers that he was riding a top Ukyo's Okonomiyaki cart at the time. This confuses Ranma slightly as he can't figure out he was on Ukyo's Okonomiyaki cart. Akane immediately believes that it must have been stolen, but Genma suddenly appears and declares that it was a gift from Ukyo's Father.

Genma continues by explains that he was also meant to take Ukyo as part of the deal, but forgot. Ukyo then begins to cry slightly and notes that Genma broke his promise and left him behind. This causes Akane to ask Ukyo that they still had their own father, to which Ranma adds by asking Ukyo why they would want to come with his stupid old man. As Ukyo wonders if this means Ranma doesn't know the truth, Ranma pats Ukyo on the back and says that they should let bygones be bygones. He then tells Ukyo to be a man about the whole situation, this angers Ukyo slightly, so they walk over to the stove and make another Okonomiyaki which they throw at Ranma's face before angrily storming out of the room.

As Akane, Hiroshi and Daisuke read the challenge Okonomiyaki, which tells Ranma to meet Ukyo behind the gym after school, Ranma thinks to himself that some guys just don't make any sense...

Cast in Order of Appearance

 * Ukyo Kuonji (debut)
 * Genma Saotome (human)
 * Ranma Saotome (male)
 * Kasumi Tendo
 * Genma Saotome (panda)
 * Akane Tendo
 * Ukyo's Father (flashback, debut)
 * Hiroshi and Daisuke
 * Yuka and Sayuri