Shampoo Rides Again



 is 42nd chapter of the Ranma ½ manga and the first chapter of the Full Body Cat's Tongue Arc.

Ranma thinks about laying down the law with Akane so she won't think she can just get upset and expect an apology from him all the time, but she catches him off guard by being surprisingly cheerful about seeing him in the tub with Shampoo. But then Akane splashes Ranma and tosses him through the air. While Ranma flies through the air he narrowly avoids an old woman who almost hits him. She calls him "son-in-law" and then tells him they will meet again.

Ranma Confronts Akane
Ranma is preparing himself for his confrontation with Akane about the incident that happened last night. Ranma imagines him noting the evidence is circumstantial, followed by Akane crying and shouting, and then Ranma slapping her saying that there is nothing more to be said. Finished with practising Ranma decides that that's how he'll do it.

Ranma proceeds to go up Akane, thinking to himself that he won't give excuses or apologise as that'll make Akane think she can walk all over him. Ranma then stomps up to Akane and shouts her name to get her attention. Surprisingly, Akane is cheerful in her response, which sets Ranma aback.

Trying to put his plan in motion, Ranma brings up the subject of what happened last night. Akane turns round to Ranma and, as she throws water over him, says it doesn't bother her... Akane continues by kicking Ranma into the air, finishing off her sentence by saying "one bit!".

As Ranma flies off she thinks to herself that she still doesn't think that Akane's cute. At that moment Ranma notices something jumping up to her. The thing jumping up to her turns out to be an old woman, who attacks Ranma, but misses.

The pair land and Ranma prepares for a fight, but not before asking the woman who she is. The woman just replies by calling Ranma "son-in-law" and complimenting her on how she dodged, before jumping away telling Ranma they'll met again. Ranma is left wondering why the old woman called her "son-in-law".

Later On
Back at the Tendo Dojo and Shampoo has come to visit, carrying to large food delivery crates. Shampoo is met by Kasumi and Nabiki, who note that she hasn't visited in a while and they thought she went back to China, respectively. Shampoo reveals that she's brought them a coming home dinner.

Ranma returns to the Dojo and is shocked to learn that Shampoo is moving into Furinkan, as she's opened up a restaurant in the neighbourhood. Nabiki tells Akane to try the noodles as they're delicious, but Akane refuses.

Just then the old woman from earlier appears and tells Ranma she knows about everything from Shampoo, and tells Ranma she should be a man and marry her. Ranma is surprised to see the woman again, to which Shampoo explains that this is her Great-Grandmother.

Angered by these remarks, Soun tells Shampoo's Great-Grandmother that Ranma is Akane's fiancé but Shampoo's Great-Grandmother just says that their way is to marry strong men. Kasumi then compliments Shampoo's Great-Grandmother on her Japanese, to which Shampoo's Great-Grandmother replies that she hasn't lived 100 years for nothing. Hearing this Nabiki says that she's much younger than she looks.

Hearing all this, Ranma, as he pours some boiled water over himself, that he's not even thinking of marrying Shampoo. Before Ranma can continue, Shampoo tells him to come with her for a second.

The pair go up to the bathroom, where Shampoo removes her clothes, with only her arm and hair to hide her modesty. Panicking, Ranma backs away and tries to tell her she can't seduce him into marrying her. Shampoo calls Ranma stupid and spares cold water over herself to turn herself into a cat, and reduce Ranma into a quivering wreck.

Shampoo's Explanation
Shampoo the has a flashback to some weeks earlier, where she returned to China only to have to retrain with her Grandmother in Jusenkyo. As the two fight, the Jusenkyo Guide wonders why so many people are using the cursed springs as a training ground.

Just then Shampoo falls into a Cursed Spring, which the Guide identifies as the Spring of Drowned Cat, where a cat drowned eighteen hundred years ago. The Guide then explains that whoever falls into the Spring takes the body, which Shampoo undoubtably does, much to the distress of her father.

Returning to present day, as Shampoo sheds a tear for what's happened to her, Ranma tells her to wait a minute. Shampoo suddenly declares to Ranma that this is all his fault, which Ranma obviously disagrees with. Shampoo's Great-Grandmother then appears and hits Ranma, noting that he's the cause of all of this. By this point, Ranma has had enough of these accusations so launches a kick at Shampoo's Great-Grandmother, only to miss.

Shampoo's Great-Grandmother fights back with her walking stick. Ranma manages to dodge the attack, but slips on some soap and hits the floor head-first. This gives Shampoo's Great-Grandmother the chance to hit Ranma on the head with her walking stick.

Ranma's Chase
This humiliation has angered Ranma even more, so when Shampoo's Great-Grandmother runs he follows in hot pursuit. Shampoo's Great-Grandmother turns to Ranma and tells him to catch her if he can, she then proceeds to run up a telegraph pole.

Some time has passed and Shampoo's Great-Grandmother is atop a shire entrance, where she thinks to herself that Ranma is about 100 years away from catching her. However, Ranma then suddenly appears behind her and tells her that she took her time. Shampoo's Great-Grandmother notes that she shouldn't be surprised since Shampoo chose him as her groom, to which Ranma retorts that he's not her groom. Just then Shampoo's Great-Grandmother pokes part of Ranma's body with her walking stick and telling him that in two or three days he'll be begging to be Shampoo's groom!

Cast in Order of Appearance

 * Ranma Saotome (male)
 * Akane Tendo
 * Shampoo (human)
 * Ranma Saotome (female)
 * Cologne (debut)
 * Kasumi Tendo
 * Nabiki Tendo
 * Soun Tendo
 * Genma Saotome (panda)
 * Ryoga Hibiki (P-chan)
 * Shampoo (cat)
 * Shampoo's Father (debut)
 * Jusenkyo Guide

Trivia

 * When Ranma imagines him explaining himself to Akane, and Akane replying in gibberish symbols, one of the symbols is a Swastika.
 * However the Swastika is in the traditional Hindu style, not that commonly associated with the Nazi Party.
 * The name for this chapter may be a reference to the 1970 album, James Gang Rides Again, by the James Gang.
 * Similar to how Nabiki's Chinese-Japanese translation book called "E-Z Chinese" in You I Love, when Ranma chases after Shampoo's Great-Grandmother there's a sign which says "E-Z Printing".