Stomperella

, also known as Steps by the Seashore, is the 239th chapter of the manga and the first chapter of the Heron Island Arc.

While training at the seashore Ranma falls off a cliff and is washed up on an island with a large castle. Ranma is found by a boy named Yohyo Tsuruyasennen who asks female Ranma to step on his head as hard as she can. Ranma thinks this is some sort of sexual kink and preceeds to beat up Yohyo. Yohyo explains that once he met a beautiful girl who stole all his food and stepped on his head. Now all he has to find her again is the footprint she left on the back of his head.

Arriving at Heron Island
Whilst training with his father, Ranma begins chasing after Genma when he steals some of his food. After fighting Genma in order to retrieve his food, Ranma accidentally ends up falling over a cliff.

When Ranma awakes she finds herself in a rather lavish room where a butler explains that she was found unconscious by the shore. Just then a man who the butler identifies as Master Yohyo walks in and welcomes Ranma to his humble mansion. Yohyo's butler notes his concern about his master walking around as he should be resting, but Yohyo reassures him not to worry as his search for true love has finally ended.

Yohyo then proceeds to ask Ranma to put her foot on the back of his head and press as hard as she can. Believing this to be some sexual kink, Ranma decides to beat up Yohyo instead, but this doesn't deter him from continuing with his request. After Ranma punches him on the nose, Yohyo explains he's been haunted by the vision of the perfect beauty and has spent every ounce of energy to find her. He continues by revealing that he has one clue to his beloved's identity, the footprint which has been left on the back of his head.

Ranma looks at the footprint and thinks to herself about how painful it must've been when Yohyo got it. Yohyo, meanwhile, turns around and attempts to beg Ranma to put her food on his head to prove she's the woman of his dreams, unfortunately when Yohyo turns around Ranma has disappeared without a trace.

Ranma's Search
By this time Ranma has escaped from Yohyo's mansion and is walking by the shore, noting her luck to run into another freak, when her stomach growls, causing her to remember that she's still hungry. Fortunately, Ranma comes across a group of attractive woman enjoying some grilled sea-food Kebabs. Starving, Ranma tries to crawl over to the food, but is quickly noticed by the other woman and fended off for being so dirty.

As Ranma looks out at the ocean, her hunger ever increasing, Ranma recalls Yohyo's comment on his being his private island. This prompts Ranma to decide that the island must be some sort of couple retreat, so she alters her training clothes to look like a swimsuit and begins to strut around the beach with the other women, waiting for some man to lavish her with food. However, by the time evening begins rolling in, Ranma hasn't been offered any food and begins to worry about appeal. At that moment some of the woman ask Ranma what she's doing as there are no men on the island as it belongs to Yohyo and he only invites women.

The woman attempts to explain about the special event tonight when some fireworks suddenly go off, signalling the beginning of the ceremonies. Elsewhere another group of women note their excitement as tonight will be the night Yohyo chooses his bride.

Finding Stomperella
While gorging herself on the buffet table, Ranma notices how all the woman are about her age and each-and-every-one has a braid in their hair. Just then one woman runs off in floods of tears, causing Ranma to wonder what the wealthy-wacko is up to.

Meanwhile, Yohyo is trying each of the women's feet on the back of his head one-by-one until he finds the correct match. As Yohyo becomes more woeful at his beloved not being present, his butler notices Ranma by the now empty buffet table and drags her over to put her foot on Yohyo's head. Ranma decides to go along with the situation as a form of repayment for all the food she ate. As Ranma waits, Yohyo notes the arch of the foot and the daintiness of the sole before joyfully declaring that this is the foot of his beloved "Stomperella".

Ranma, however, is still unconvinced as she doesn't remember ever meeting Yohyo before. BUt before Ranma can protest anymore, Yohyo has a large spherical weight fall on her head and renders her unconscious. Yohyo continues by instructing his butler to bring his Pickaxe immediately. Some time passes and Ranma is laid onto the floor whilst Yohyo stands over her with the Pickaxe aloft, darkly noting that this will be a night she remember for the rest of her life...

Cast in Order of Appearance

 * Ranma Saotome (male)
 * Genma Saotome (panda)
 * Ranma Saotome (female)
 * Yohyo's butler (debut)
 * Yohyo Tsuruyasennen (debut)

Trivia

 * In Viz's translation, Yohyo address his butler as "Jeeves". In the original Japanese it was simply "Jiiya" which means "old man".
 * The women who line up to put their foot on Yohyo's head perform a "", which is a style of dance performed during a Bon Festival.