New Year's Curse

Joya no noroi (除夜の呪い) is the 208th chapter of the manga and the first chapter of the New Year's Cat Spirit Arc.

Synopsis
Shampoo is trapped in the Cat Temple and it's up to Ranma to save her.

Plot Overview
The New Year is drawing near and people of Nerima are busy shopping. Shampoo makes her usual delivery around the town when she is instructed to deliver to the Cat Temple. When she arrives, she finds it empty and wonders around looking for her customers. Suddenly, cold water is splashed on her, turning her into a cat. As Shampoo shakes off the water, giant cat eyes appear amidst the darkness.

It's a day before the New Year's Eve and Ranma and Akane are coming back from shopping when Ranma notices Mousse running after them. Once he gets close, Mousse embraces Ranma tightly, mistaking him for Shampoo. Ranma tells him to put his glasses back on, at which point Mousse sees the error he made. He then tells the couple that Shampoo had been missing for some time.

Mousse takes Ranma and Akane to the Cat Temple, location of Shampoo's last order.The temple appears deserted aside from several cats in the vicinity. The temple front is blocked with a piece of rope. They then notice Shampoo from within the temple cheerfully running towards Ranma. Mousse expresses his concern about her disappearance, but receives a kick to the face for getting in her way.

When Shampoo comes to hug Ranma, however, she instantly turns into her cat form. She clings to Ranma anyway despite his obvious terror, and Akane and Mousse wonder how she is able to transform without getting wet.

Then a voice explains that whenever she crosses the rope she will turn into a cat. They turn to find Maomolin with a giddy grin on his face. He explains that he put a curse on Shampoo, and she will be forced to marry him once she is permanently a cat.

Before Maomolin's plans can be explained any further, he receives a kick to the face by panicking Ranma with cat-Shampoo still attached. Once they cross the rope again, Shampoo finds herself back in her human form, only without her clothes. Maomolin, being a cat, is able to paralyze Ranma even when he is crying in pain from the kick he received. Frustrated Mousse knocks Ranma out with a mallet. Shampoo then explains that to cure her curse, she must get a kiss from the one she loves most. Akane immediately has problem with this solution and pulls half-dazed Ranma away from Shampoo to prevent her from kissing him. Mousse volunteers to free her from the curse, but gets booted out of the temple. Ranma gets up to ask Shampoo about the curse, but Maomolin licks his face and leaves him petrified. Akane take him back to the dojo to think of a plan.

Back at the dojo, Ranma is still unable to move due to his severe ailurophobia. Then a large bell appears before them carrying fish and wine. Maomolin comes out from the bell and is confronted by Akane who asks if the kiss is really the only way to break the curse. He confirms, and adds that it must be done before New Year's bell tolls, at which point she will become a cat forever. He presents the fish and wine as gifts and pops a bag full of powder in front of Ranma. Akane asks what the powder was, but Maomolin only giggles before disappearing. Within the Cat Temple, Shampoo is waiting for Ranma to give her the kiss, while Maomolin prepares for the wedding. She starts beating the ghost cat when Ranma calls from a distance. He sprints into the temple telling her that he is willing to kiss her this one time, while Akane follows along grumbling. But before Shampoo can get close, Ranma is ambushed by a flurry of cats in all directions. As they pile on top of him, Maomolin appears and explains that the powder was catnip, which he covered Ranma with to prevent him from reaching Shampoo. As clock winds down to bring the New Year, Ranma is hopelessly stuck on top of a telephone pole away from the clowder.

Cast in Order of Appearance

 * Shampoo (human, cat)
 * Maomolin
 * Akane Tendo
 * Ranma Saotome (male)
 * Mousse (human)
 * Kasumi Tendo
 * Nabiki Tendo
 * Genma Saotome (panda)

Quotes
To be added

Trivia
To be added