The Secret Don of Furinkan High

The Secret Don of Furinkan High (風林館高校, 影のドン登場) is the 98th episode of Ranma ½ Nettohen.

Spurred by rumors, Ranma and Akane investigate the mystery of the lost secondary school store of Furinkan High.

Relation to the Previous Episode
None.

The Second School Store
During another busy lunchtime rush on the Furinkan High store, Ranma looks on as the other students fight for the best food. As he comments on how everyday's the same thing, Ranma notices that hidden behind a flyer there's an old sign to the second school store. After following the direction pointed out on the sign, Ranma finds himself in a rather poorly maintained and seemingly abandoned part of the school. As he continues his walk down the abandoned corridor, Ranma trips over a no entry sign, but continues onwards regardless.

A little further down and Ranma notices a sign for the second school store, but when he enter, Ranma is greatly disappointed by the store's run down and dusty appearance. Believing the place to be deserted, Ranma begins his way back when suddenly the door behind the store slides open and an old man appears, asking Ranma what he wants. Nervous, Ranma explains he just wanted something to eat, prompting the old man to point out the piles of dusty buns in the corner. However as Ranma picks the bun and comments it might've been one at one time, the bun suddenly disintegrates in his hand.

Terrified of the old man, Ranma runs out of the store and back up to the other students. As Ranma runs off, the Principal catches him running away from the second store and comments on how Ranma shouldn't stick his nose is things which don't concern him...

News of the second store soon circulates throughout the student body, but everyone who purchases something from their is disappointed with their purchase. After hearing about everyone's complaints, Akane tells the students to just go back and get a refund, but Nabiki warns her younger sister that the second store's owner is known as the Master of Furinkan and adds that whoever goes near him or the store will be cursed. Nabiki then proceeds to tell the other students that its crazy for them to demand a refund and for their own good they should forget it.

Just then Kuno arrives and declares to his fellow pupils that he'll vengeance for them, but shortly after running down the darkened corridor to the store, Kuno rushes back with multiple arrows lodged in his clothing. Seeing this the other students are convinced of the curse, but Akane still has her doubts and decides to ignore her sister's warnings and goes towards the store.

When Ranma finally catches up with Akane, he's shocked to see her happily giving the old man who runs the store a back rub. Still doubtful, Ranma questions about the rumours of the store being cursed, to which the old man reveals stem from Principal Kuno's want to close the store down. At that moment, Kuno arrives and tries to hit the old man with his, but the old man swiftly avoids the attack. Having heard Kuno declare himself a "son of Furinkan High" when he attacked him, the old man comments on how he can't be a son of the school before mentioning how low the standards of sons of this school have fallen.

Kuno, however, still doesn't care about anything the old man says given his lowly position, forcing the old man to correct Kuno be revealing that being a school store owner is only a cover as he was given the important role of School Mentor by the very first Principal of Furinkan High. With this piece of information now revealed, Kuno bows to the old man (who's now introduced himself as Toramasa) in respect. Toramasa then demands Ranma and Akane bow as well, an order which Ranma refuses but quickly gives in to when Toramasa reveals he has photographs showing Ranma changing forms when hit with cold water. After gathering all of the photos, Ranma warns Toramasa that he'll get him for this. Intrigued, Toramasa proceeds to pull up one oe his wall scrolls - exposing a hidden passage behind it - before telling Ranma to come and get him.

After following Toramasa through the tunnel he used to escape, Ranma finds himself in the school's courtyard. Ranma is then confronted by Kuno who refuses to allow Ranma to hurt the School Mentor, but Ranma swiftly deals with Kuno and returns to finding Toramasa. Despite Toramasa's seeming disappearance, Ranma notices a series of wires falling from a nearby tree with a Megaphone hidden in the branches from where Toramasa's voice is coming from. Shocked that he was discovered so easily, Toramasa bows humbly at Ranma before using a trap door to escape underground before appearing behind Ranma and telling him the historic deeds of Furinkan High.

Once they head back to Tormasa's room, Tormasa proceeds to talk about the and how it was Furinkan High who delivered the world from chaos. He continues by adding that they hopes to unify the land, so marched onto the capital, only for to be on their doorstep.

Principal Kuno Strikes
As Akane comments on how mixed up Toramasa's history is, Ranma hears someone outside and finds the Principal snooping around. When the Principal realises he's been noticed, he panics and pretends to be the janitor so that he can make his escape. As Ranma wonders what the Principal's up to, the Principal himself declares he'll get old Toramasa.

Later that day the Principal calls a meeting of almost every athletic student at Furinkan High where he declares that they're going to tear down the second school store which the students happily agree with.

Upon hearing the news, Akane rushes to warn Toramasa who assures her that he'll trash them before opening up the passage behind the wall scroll again. Ranma, however, doesn't understand why Toramasa is retreating which prompts Toramasa to talk about that once his group were caught by surprise and fled from to the Chinese continent; where Furinkan High changed it name to "" and began terrorising all of Europe.

Having had enough of Toramasa's stories, Ranma tells him to stop, which only makes the old man threaten to commit. After Kuno accidentally makes Tormasa give up on the idea of Seppuku, Akane tells Ranma that they need to help him defend his store. Ranma, however, doesn't see why he should help until Tormasa takes out the pictures revealing Ranma's curse, which Ranma promptly collects up again before Kuno sees them.

Meanwhile, the Principal tells the pupils that if they win he'll excuse them from the taking their final exams. The students begin rushing towards the store, where they're met by Kuno who declares that he'll punish them for siding with the evil Principal. Unfortunately for Kuno, the students are stirred on by the thought of no exams so just run Kuno into the ground.

Further down the corridor, Akane throws down a bucket filled with oil and marbles which sends the group running back up the corridor, where they're met with Ranma, who showers them with a bucket of small firecrackers. The students continue trying to avoid the firecrackers until one explodes on the oil, creating a large explosion. Whilst Ranma and Akane go to Tormasa to report that the students have been stopped for the moment, the Principal decides he has no choice than to use his secret weapon.

Shortly after issuing their report, Ranma and Akane soon realise that the "Toramasa" they've been talking to is nothing but a dummy dressed in Samurai armour. The pair then head inside the shop where they find the real Tormasa relaxing. Just then the group hear a very loud noise coming from outside and find the Principal's "secret weapon" was a large which the Principal has hidden himself and multiple students inside. When Ranma and Akane try to flee from the students they soon find themselves trapped at the end of the corridor, fortunately, Tormasa opens up a trapdoor just in front of the pair which the other students quickly fall in to.

Kobayakawa vs. Principal Kuno
Angered, the Principal uses several exploding Pineapples before using a skateboard to hold Akane hostage in the ensuing smokescreen. Once the smoke clears, the Principal threatens to shave off Akane's hair. Whilst Ranma looks on powerless, Tormasa appears from a hidden passage in the wall and reminds the Principal that it's him he's after and the pair agree to fight each other fair and square.

After heading outside, several students gather to see who will win out of the Principal and Toramasa. As they look on, Ranma begins wondering why the Principal hates Toramasa so much when the pair begin projecting their Battle Auras against each other. The Principal then proceeds to attack Toramasa, but stops when Toramasa shows him something stuck to the inside of one of the fans he's holding.

Curious, Ranma takes the fan from Toramasa and sees that it's an old report card. He then notices, however, that its the Principal's. Despite the Principal's attempts to get to get the fan back, Ranma manages to read it and reveals that the Principal got an "F" in English whilst he was a student here. Eventually the Principal manages to shred the fan, only for Toramasa to reveal he's got plenty more copies where that one came from and subsequently begins throwing several of them towards the other students.

With the students having learnt his secret, the Principal admits defeat to Toramasa and allows the second store to remain open. Despite being allowed to have his store, Toramasa still remains unpopular with the majority of students given his old, rotting, stock. As Toramasa goes on at the students about how spoilt they are, Akane comments to Ranma and Nabiki how Toramasa hasn't changed a bit.

Trivia

 * This marks the debut of Toramasa Kobayakawa. While technically a filler character, he will appear later in the Phoenix Egg storyline as the one who sells Kuno the titular object, replacing the nameless shopkeeper from the manga version.
 * A slight continuity goof occurs when Toramasa tries to use the photos of Ranma becoming a girl to get him to help right in front of Kuno; who never finds out the truth regarding Ranma's Jusenkyo curse.