Konatsu

Konatsu is a fictional character in Rumiko Takahashi's manga series Ranma ½. The word "kenzan," used when Konatsu first introduces himself, is not his last name, though it is often claimed as such. It is an archaic Japanese word that means "I've appeared here just now" and can be broken down to mean "cruelty" and "sword." Konatsu's real surname is never revealed. Konatsu broken up can mean "Little Summer", ko meaning child or little and Natsu meaning "Summer."

History
Konatsu is a male kunoichi and supposedly a genius "female" ninja that is born every 100 years. He is very much in love with Ukyo Kuonji. When he was very young his mother died, which left his father very lonely. Afterwards his lonely father married Konatsu's stepmother. Shortly after that his father died, which left Konatsu to be raised by his cruel stepmother and stepsisters, who treated him like a slave.

Even though he's male he's a typical bishōnen in the respect that his face and body is indistinguishable from a female when fully clothed, and he was raised as a girl by his stepfamily in order to keep up the Kunoichi family tradition. Even though he is aware of being a male he continues to act like a woman, and he's also said to be the legendary genius ninja that's born every 100 years. Because of this he is capable of efficiently using a number of techniques, most remarkably the 'Duplicating Body Technique', but it has never been used in combat.

Konatsu fights using tea shop Kunoichi techniques and secret Ninja arts, and is capable of efficiently using trickery and traps in combination, such as sucker-attacking Happosai through the regular 'female distraction' tactic (which generally works for anyone, while the latter is virtually unbeatable otherwise).

Character
Konatsu was brought up as a female. Because of this he behaves, thinks and talks like a demure, humble and subservient Japanese lady. He is very shy at times, barely ever shows signs of anger and can sometimes be extremely kind and naive. However, he doesn't mind trying to poison others through trickery, though generally only by temporary paralysis. He usually wears female ninja clothing or cute waitress outfits, though in his last prominent appearance he was just as happy to dress up in a men's uniform (albeit a ridiculously over-decorated one) in order to attract female customers to Ucchan's, and referred to himself as a male.

His personality seems to be that of a Cinderella, and he is extremely grateful and loyal for the least amount of offered kindness, which Ukyo takes advantage of by letting him work double shifts for 10 Yen an hour (it was originally 5 Yen, but Ranma convinced Ukyo to raise it up by five).

When Konatsu ate an ingredient called Toushintan his full fighting instinct/ability was brought forth, and his personality changed to that of a Ninja assassin whose only desire was to fight and kill Ranma. Given that the latter severely held back during the fight, Konatsu managed to reach a draw.

Relationships
While an effeminate cross-dresser and not adverse to giving a quick peck on the cheek of men, he's completely heterosexual and harbors a strong (unanswered) romantic attraction toward Ukyo. Konatsu is very devoted to her and will gladly do almost anything to help her, as long as he can be with her. He expressed regret when Ukyo felt the need to help crash Ranma & Akane's wedding.

He despises his stepmother and stepsisters, and the feeling is reciprocal. However, he's been conditioned to the point where he can perform the tasks they assign him out of habit.

Fighting Techniques
Konatsu is a genius master in conventional ninja arts; mainly meaning stealth, distractions, ambushes and traps, but he is also extremely skilled in using swords, shuriken, smoke bombs and similar direct combat techniques. He generally doesn't seem as dangerous as Ryoga, Ranma, Ryu, or Mousse in open combat, but on the other hand, he was also too much for Ranma to handle in the no-injury manner used to, for example, effortlessly disable Shampoo in a few seconds, so he might give Mousse a challenge if he either was highly motivated or his killer instinct was enhanced by the "Toushintan" again.

Most of his special techniques are of a silly, or very weak nature (by Ranmaverse standards) or both, alternately simply recycled and renamed general techniques (All the kunoichi family members tend to shout out a name for anything they do, no matter how simple or pointless), but a few of them are quite useful, or can be dangerous when properly applied.

Generally useful moves:

Duplicating Body Technique: Konatsu turns into at least 4 doubles. Given that this would be Konatsu's by far most useful ability, and that it was never used in combat, it may be an illusion similar to Cologne's Splitting cat hairs, or given that it seemed real, more likely simply not developed enough yet to be useful under pressure.

Smoke bomb: Fog cloud to cover an exit.

Bill Whirlwind Attack: Unleashes a whirlwind of paper bills as a distraction.

The Greetings Suplex: Konatsu grabs his opponent from behind and slams him/her head first into the ground.

Beautiful Woman's Dart Attack: General multiple shuriken usage.

Kunoichi Takemitsu Blade: Originally meant to be a ninja blade, but it had been pawned to get food, so Konatsu resorted to using a Takemitsu—an imitation sword made of bamboo, but it is still capable of easily cutting through tree trunks.

Sixth Sense: Like several other martial artists in the series, Konatsu has displayed a certain extrasensory awareness, warning him for incoming danger.

Traps, or unreliable techniques:

Hundred Wet Towels Attack: Only used as a trap, and likely not preferable to shuriken in actual combat. Konatsu throws several rolled up hot wet towels with unusual force. This Technique was successfully used as a surprising ambush sucker-attack against Happosai, after first destroying his guard through faux 'feminine' distraction (as anyone is able to do with lingerie), and then throwing 4-5 of them into his open mouth.

The Drink-Snack Attack: Konatsu throws a barrage of very heavy and durable snacks. Used in combination with the former, and may technically be useful in general, but less so than regular shuriken.

The Drink: Another comical follow-up to the previous two. Konatsu hits the opponent over the head with a bottle of Sake. Happosai instantly recovered, but was bashed when groping 'her' behind (possibly characteristically freezing from revulsion).

Kunoichi Mystery Bust Technique: A one-use resort. Konatsu stuffs his chest with pepper smoke powder, and when an opponent tries to grab on to his non-existent breasts, it can be released, causing the attacker to sneeze, while Konatsu wears a scarf for limited protection. It can easily be reflected however.

Toushintan: A drug that was fed to him by his mean stepmother in order for his fighting instinct/ability to be stimulated to its full current potential. (Likely similar to turning supremely motivated for other fighters, rather than Akane's battle-dougi manner), which turned him into a much greater challenge for Ranma, and managed to reach a draw. However, it was explicitly stated and very apparent that Ranma held back and limited himself evasion and restraining tactics for all but the final seconds, due to his belief that Konatsu was a girl and given that the latter was subject to mind-control.

Poisonous potions: Konatsu paralysed Genma through leaving free food on the pavement. He tried to poison a meal to his abusive stepfamily, and later the Tendo's rice dinner, but decided to eat it instead. He gave Ranma an envenomed gym towel, but it's unknown if this would have worked through the skin.

Completely useless moves, or renamed previous mentions:

Sleepy Kunoichi Shuriken Throw: Just regular shuriken throwing, but while just awakened.

Sneak Up and Crimson Hell Attack: Despite how it sounds, it's just a small kiss mark, left on Ranma's shirt hem.

Kunoichi's Gratitude Technique/Kunoichi Delaying Tactic Crimson Storm: This technique can give hundreds of kisses in less than a second. It has also been used to keep male customers from leaving Ucchan's.

Cute Disguise: Konatsu will dress up as a cute girl, to get close to and poison an enemy, but similarly to Ranma's disguises it's quite transparent.

Trivia

 * His hair style is very similar to Sango's in her demon slayer offit from InuYasha.
 * His outfit is a little similar to InuYasha of the series InuYasha.
 * He bears some resemblance to Jakotsu (who, unlike Konatsu, is homosexual) of the Band of Seven from InuYasha.