Dragon's Whisker Arc

The  is the 36th story arc covered in the Ranma ½ manga, spanning four chapters. This arc was included in volume 15 of the  and volume 14 of the Viz Media tankōbon.

Plot Summary
In China a man is being harassed by four individuals known as the Niku-men looking for the "Dragon's Whisker". The man tells them that it was taken by a foreigner fitting Ranma's description. They travel to Japan to find Ranma. Ranma and Akane meet the Niku-men who were attacking people with pigtails. The string that ties Ranma's pigtail happens to be the Whisker desired by Niku-men, and Ranma spends his time fending them off. Happosai learns the secret behind the Dragon's Whisker, and tries to get it for himself. The Niku-men manage to steal it from Ranma but has it taken away from them by Akane. She finds Ranma in hiding and figures out why he was guarding the Whisker so closely.

The Dragon's Whisker apparently causes a man's hair to grow uncontrollably when he consumes a stock made from it. The Salesman gave Ranma the whisker to seal the hair and prevent it from growing. Genma figures this out and steals the Whisker from Ranma, but has no idea how to use it. It has no effect on girls, so Ranma becomes a girl to find Genma. Cologne warns that Ranma may run out of hair soon. Niku-men, Happosai, Genma and Ranma all fight over the Dragon's Whisker, and eventually the Niku-men finally succeed in taking the Whisker. Ranma learn that its effect has worn out so his hair will not grow uncontrollably anymore.

Major Events

 * Origin of the string that holds Ranma's hair is revealed.
 * The Dragon Whisker's effect wears off just before Ranma's hair runs out.

Changes in anime

 * Niku-men try twice the same ambush on Ranma.
 * Happosai scenes are in a slightly different order and a bit changed. It's Genma who knocks Ranma out at dojo and Pork Buns with a sleeping potion are first eaten by random students. His first fight with Ranma is skipped as well.
 * The scene where Akane fixes Ranma's hair is really dark, ruining the joke (you can't see that pigtail is on top of his head now).
 * The story ends with Happosai, Genma and Niku-men, eating the Dragon Whisker Porridge, while Akane does pigtail badly again.

Characters Introduced

 * Niku-men
 * Dragon's Whisker Salesman