Shampoo's Sudden Switch - The Curse of the Contrary Jewel



Shampoo's Sudden Switch - The Curse of the Contrary Jewel (Shampoo Hyōhen! Hanten Hōju no Wazawai, シャンプー豹変！反転宝珠の禍), also listed by Viz Media as Desperately Seeking Shampoo, first episode in the Ranma ½ OVA series.

Shampoo discovers a broach which makes her feel the opposite of her true feelings for Ranma. Ranma begins to panic at the thought of losing one of his fiancees, and plans to tell Shampoo that he loves her.

One Morning in Furinkan
Ranma and Akane are running across a bridge on their way Furinkan High School, to which they are going to be late getting to. Just then the pair hear a bell ring and see Shampoo riding her bike along the railing that goes next to the river bank.

Shampoo quickly jumps off her bike, knocking it to the ground, so she can hug Ranma, who she is overjoyed to see. Shampoo stretches Ranma's cheeks and asks him if he's happy to see here, to which Ranma mumbles he's very happier. Akane, still running, steps on Ranma's face and tells him, in a rather annoyed tone, she's going on ahead and to take his time.

Shampoo wonders why Akane's such a violent girl. Ranma, meanwhile, tries to make Akane wait, but Shampoo interrupts and hugs him, asking if he wants to stay with her. Ranma tries to explain to Shampoo that she's going to make him late, to which Shampoo tells Ranma not to go to school and take her on a date instead.

At the Cat Café, Cologne is cleaning a large pile of jewellery when Shampoo returns from doing deliveries. After greeting Cologne, Shampoo notices the large pile of jewellery and notes how beautiful it is. Cologne tells Shampoo she used to wear it in her younger days and continues by telling Shampoo she can pick anyone she likes, before hoping off.

Once Cologne has left Shampoo to it, she inspects the pile and notices an odd box mixed with the jewellery that has a sealed lock on it. However, Shampoo easily breaks the aged lock and sees the broach inside, which Shampoo describes as beautiful. Shampoo sons becomes entranced by the jewel and just stares at it in silence.

Back with Akane and Ranma, and Akane begins to enquire about Shampoo's relationship with Ranma, citing that the only reason she's still after him is because he leaves her hanging. Angered, Ranma asks Akane what is he meant to do, tell Shampoo to go and take a hike?

Just then Shampoo appears and slams Ranma in the face with her front bike wheel. Shampoo asks Ranma why he's in here way, which angers Ranma who is about to shout at her. However, Shampoo interrupts by telling Ranma that if he has no business with her then he should get out of her hair and then punches Ranma into the air.

A slightly confused Akane observes this scene, as Shampoo cycles away the broach she found and is now wearing glints.

After Ranma Gets Attacked by Shampoo
At the Tendo Dojo, Genma and Soun are trying to cool themselves off with a fan. Ranma, screaming, then falls into the Koi pond and splashes the pair with the cold water, turning Genma into his cursed form, while Ranma lies face down in the pond, gurgling something.

Some time passes and Ranma is out of the Koi pond and being seen to by Akane. Akane asks Ranma if she did anything to anger Shampoo, to which Ranma says that she couldn't be happier as it would be nice to get rid of her once-and-for-all.

Nabiki then walks in and begins to tell Ranma that she heard that Shampoo gave him the old "heave-ho". Nabiki continues to comment about this until Ranma angrily shouts that they weren't exactly dating, so it's not like she dumbed him. In her anger, Ranma accidentally puts Soy Sauce on her Ice cone and is obviously disgusted by the taste when she tries it.

As Ranma coughs in reaction to the horrible taste, Nabiki says she's unconvinced, while Kasumi notes that it seems Ranma cares after all.

Ranma Goes to See Shampoo
After returning to his male form, Ranma goes to the Cat Café in order to talk to Shampoo. When he enters, Shampoo believes him to be another customer until she looks at his face and is put aback in disgust.

Ranma says hi to Shampoo, but she just pouts in reply. Undeterred, Ranma asks her why she's mad, but Shampoo says that she isn't mad. Continuing, Ranma says that's fine but then asks her what's with her attitude and places his hand on her shoulder.

This is viewed as a step too far by Shampoo who proceeds to slap Ranma repeatably as punishment. Cologne hears the ruckus and asks what all the fuss is about, just when Ranma is thrown against a wall. A cold tension is past between Ranma and Shampoo, when Mousse appears and stands on Ranma's back. Drawing from his years of experience of being rejected by Shampoo, Mousse determines that Ranma is now 120 times more disliked by Shampoo than he is. This statement shocks and surprises Ranma.

Cologne, meanwhile, looks at Shampoo and notices she's wearing the Reversal Jewel, a secret jewel of their tribe that when worn rightside-up amplifies a wears feelings for a person, but when upside-down turns that love into bitter hatred. Shampoo is wearing the broach upside-down, explaining her hatred towards Ranma.

Mousse tries to ask Shampoo what's the meaning of all this, but is interrupted by Ranma who tells Shampoo he's not leaving until she tells him what's going on. Shampoo throws a bucket of water over Mousse and Ranma, turning them into their cursed forms, saying that if Ranma won't leave then she'll just leave.

Undeterred still, Ranma chases after Shampoo and tells her to wait. After the two have left, Mousse quacks frantically while Cologne says that this is the terrifying power of the Reversal Jewel. Cologne then continues by saying that this could be a blessing in disguise as when one runs the another must pursuit, so is the way of human emotion and perhaps Ranma will even catch Shampoo!

After chasing Shampoo over several rooftops, Ranma catches up and the pair stop on the roof of a large, concrete, building. Shampoo asks Ranma when he'll stop chasing her, to which Ranma replies he will when she tells him what's going on. Shampoo says she'll tell and signals Ranma to come closer so she can say it in her ear.

However, Shampoo screams down Ranma's ear and begins to beat her up. As she beats Ranma up, Shampoo says she never wants to see him again and if she does she'll scrape him off like soap scum. Ranma is then punched in the face by Shampoo and sent flying into the air.

Landing atop the roof of a house, Ranma stands up and begins to laugh. While laughing, Ranma says that if that's the way they she wants to play it then fine and she won't stop until Shampoo says "I love you!" to Ranma.

Meanwhile, Akane, who's cleaning plates with Kasumi, suddenly breaks one in half. As Akane stands in shock at what she's heard, Kasumi wonders if it was a battle cry.

That evening, Ranma goes to wear Shampoo is. Ranma enters, carrying a rose bouquet and notifies Shampoo of his presence. Shampoo, who was having a shower in the other room when Ranma entered, wraps a towel around herself and runs up to hug Ranma, delighted he's come to see her.

As a confused Ranma wonders why Shampoo's suddenly in a better mood, Cologne notices the pair and panics. Cologne grabs the broach off Shampoo's top and puts in the back of her towel, causing it to take effect again. Shampoo angrily looks up to Ranma and punches him, sending Ranma skyward, while calling him a peeping-tom.

Mousse appears and asks Cologne what she did to Shampoo, but not before calling her a "tried-up monkey". This angers Cologne who hits Mousse face-first into a wall with her walking stick. Cologne then takes Mousse away and explains to him about Shampoo wearing the Reversal Jewel. Mousse believes this to be his chance to go out with Shampoo, but when he tells her he loves her, Mousse just gets beaten up as usual. As Mousse lies on the floor beaten up, Cologne goes up to him and asks him if he'll remain quiet about the Reversal Jewel.

The Next Day
On another bright day at Furinkan, Ranma is sat atop a telegraph pole and reading a scroll called the "Anything Goes Martial Arts Saotome's School of Making Women Fall in Love with You". Ranma reads the first step which is that if she's cold make her laugh as she'll love you for it.

Ranma tries out the step by tacking down Shampoo, who's out on deliveries. After jumping on the back of her bike, Ranma tells Shampoo a joke and asks her "Why does the Weeping Willow weep?", but Shampoo quickly replies "Because the mother was a Pine". Shampoo then tells Ranma if he wants to make her smile then he should go and jump a Cursed Spring. Just then Shampoo rounds a corner and as Ranma isn't concentrating, he slams straight into a wall.

At Furinkan High School's footlockers, Ranma reads the second step which is if you can't push, pull, as a woman spurned is a woman intrigued. Ranma sees Akane and tells her to come over to him. The two are then walking briskly towards the Cat Café, with Ranma tightly holding on to Akane's hand.

Shampoo then comes into view and so Ranma puts his arm around Akane's shoulder, while saying hi to Shampoo. However, this causes no reaction from Shampoo who cycles away, much to Ranma's disappointment. Unfortunately for Ranma, this display has angered Akane considerably and so she beats him up for it.

Now struggling to stand thanks to Akane's beating, Ranma reads step three which says that to play on her natural instincts and show her that you need her and she'll be all yours. Ranma then hears Shampoo's bicycle bell ring, but before he try anything, Ranma gets run over by Shampoo who tells him to get out of the road.

That night, Ranma returns to the Tendo Dojo and has his injuries seen to by Kasumi. Soun enquires to Ranma what these things he's hearing about him chasing after Shampoo, to which Ranma replies that it's a guy thing and it has nothing to do with him. Nabiki then pipes up and reminds Ranma the only reason Shampoo ever liked him in the first place was because of her tribal law and he should get a hold of himself.

This strikes a cord with Ranma who with excitement that he wonder's why he didn't think of it sooner. Akane, with her back to Ranma, looks on at the garden with a shocked look on her face.

Ranma's Puts His Plan in Motion
The next morning while students are going to Furinkan High, Shampoo is out doing more deliveries. She is then intercepted by Ranma who reminds her about her being forced to marry the person who beats her, as set by the rules of her tribe.

Trivia

 * When Shampoo hits Ranma with her bike a second time, during the screen flash a picture of Shampoo in a towel from later in the episode is shown.