Shampoo Cleans Up

Hissatsu Shampoo (必殺シャンプー) is the 34th chapter of the manga and the fourth chapter of the Shampoo Intro Arc.

Ranma tries to figure out what could make Akane forget all about him. She seems to remember everything except him, even P-chan and Mr. Saotome. Ryoga was beside her when it happened (as P-chan) and Ranma threatens to let some girls see him naked unless he talks.

Continuing from the Previous Chapter
Akane has a flashback to her fight with Shampoo. Akane notes that she remembers everything up to the point that Shampoo jumped behind her and then nothing, she also notes that she feels refreshed for some reason. Ranma runs up to Akane, but when he tells her to wait she turns round and asks him just who is he anyway and then asks Ranma if they've met somewhere before.

As Ranma deduces Akane must have amnesia, a group of students run up to the two of them, shouting to Akane, asking if she's okay. Akane replies that she's fine. The students then ask her if Shampoo was tough, to which Akane says that she wasn't that much. Ranma then butts in and reminds Akane that she was flat on her back, to which Akane replies by asking Ranma who he is again.

Ranma then tells Akane to cut that out, but Akane asks her friends if this is a new student. Surprised by this comment, her friends ask her if she honestly doesn't remember and then tell her Ranma's her fiancé. Akane's friends continue by reminding Akane that they've been living together all this time. This causes Akane think that the word does sound familiar, but when she tries to remember what it means she suffers from a headache.

Suddenly Akane thinks she's got it, but all of her guesses are incorrect (meanwhile the other students run off). After she finishes guessing, Ranma takes P-chan and explains to Akane that he's going to ask P-chan something. However, Akane is angered at the thought of P-chan being stolen so attacks Ranma and demands he returns P-chan.

Despite her best efforts, Akane's kick is dodged by Ranma, who then proceeds to jump away with P-chan. After admiring the jump Ranma just did, Akane becomes angry with him again and asks who on earth is that person. Her confused friends (who have returned) tell Akane that they've been trying to explain that it's Ranma.

Ranma Confronts Ryoga
Ranma pours some hot water over P-chan, turning him back into a naked Ryoga. Ranma then demands that Ryoga tell him what he saw and what did Shampoo do to Akane. Ryoga smirks and asks Ranma if he thinks he'll help him so Akane can remember who he is. This response obviously annoys Ranma, to which Ryoga continues by saying that this situation is a dream for himself.

Seeing no other option, Ranma pokes his head out of the P.E. equipment shed he and Ryoga are in and shouts to a group of girls if they'd like to see something really funny. Panicking, Ryoga agrees to tell Ranma what he saw so long as stops what he's doing.

Ryoga warns Ranma that the footwork which Shampoo used sends a chill down his spine. Ryoga then continues by having a flashback to when Shampoo jumped behind Akane, however, Ryoga reveals that Shampoo knocked him out with her feet before she actually did anything. This angers Ranma, who hits Ryoga with the Tetsubin and tells Ryoga that in short he saw nothing.

At Dr. Tofu's Clinic
Once School has finished, Ranma takes Akane to Dr. Tofu's Clinic and has Dr. Tofu look at her to see if he can deduce the problem. Dr. Tofu examines Akane, but sees no external injury, he then asks Akane how she felt when she woke up; to which Akane replies that she felt refreshed.

This causes Dr. Tofu to declare that it could be the legendary Shiatsu Martial Arts technique, Xi Fa Xiang Gao. Ranma asks Dr. Tofu to explain the it is. Just then Genma (in his panda form) walks in and holds up a sign stating that Dr. Tofu is correct and it is the Xi Fa Xiang Gao.

Slightly shocked, Ranma asks Genma if he saw the fight, to which Genma holds up a sign saying he did. Genma then is about to write out what he saw, but Ranma holds up a Tetsubin and tells him to turn human.

Once Genma is in his human form he sits down and recalls the events of the fight. Genma explains that as soon as Shampoo had Akane's back her movements can only be called superhuman. Genma's flashback to the fight continues, revealing that Shampoo put some shampoo on Akane's hair, washed it out and blow-dried.

Now knowing what happened, Genma exclaims that it only took fifty-six seconds, which Dr. Tofu finds incredible. Akane comments that its no wonder she feels refreshed. Ranma, however, stands completely lost and asks what the heck was it.

Dr. Tofu explains to Ranma that the Xi Fa Xiang Gao shiatsu combines the use of Chinese herbal shampoo and the pressing of points on the skull to manipulate memory. Ranma turns to Akane and says that's why she forgot him, but before he can finish Akane interrupts asking Ranma who he is.

Ranma turns back to Dr. Tofu and asks him if there's anyway to cure Akane, to which Dr. Tofu replies that they can't unless they have the shampoo. Ranma takes Akane out of the clinic, while Akane asks where they're going.

After leaving the clinic, Ranma (with Akane around his arm) runs all over Furinkan looking for Shampoo. Back at the clinic, Shampoo walks in and says "I home". When she walks into Dr. Tofu's room, he introduces her to Genma (who's back in his panda form) as his new apprentice nurse who'll be living here for a while. Set aback, Genma holds up a sign saying "Small world... isn't it?".

Cast in Order of Appearance

 * Akane Tendo
 * Shampoo
 * Ranma Saotome (male)
 * Ryoga Hibiki (P-chan)
 * Yuka and Sayuri
 * Hiroshi and Daisuke
 * Ryoga Hibiki (human)
 * Tofu Ono
 * Genma Saotome (panda)
 * Genma Saotome (human)
 * Betty

Trivia

 * This is one of the shortest chapters of the Ranma ½ manga, with only 15 pages (including the title page).
 * When Akane tries to remember Ranma's name see mentions in the English version they say something about the Indian god "Rama". While in the original Japanese she talks about the ornately carved area between the ceiling and the lintel that allows ventilation (which is also called a "ranma" but uses different kanji to Ranma's name).
 * Both versions use the use the "rumba" pun about a Cuban dance style and the "ramen" pun.