Happosai's New Disciple

Happosai no shindeshi (八宝斎の新弟子) is the 323rd chapter of the manga and the first chapter of the Rakkyosai Arc.

A small child becomes Happosai's new disciple, and it's more than Ranma can handle.

Panty Thief
Another day in Furinkan High School and a small figure is being chased by the girls holding brooms. The boys on the field recognize that Happosai must be at it again and Ranma stops him by hitting him with a soccer ball, thus giving the girls time to give him a beating. But then from behind comes Happosai, prancing about and lifting skirts, seemingly oblivious as to what is happening. When the girls stop the beating to investigate, they find that a small child was actually responsible for the panty raid. Happosai is hurt that they would think so low of him that he takes off crying, but not before stealing the bundle of panties initially stolen by the child.

He is quickly stopped by Ranma, but the child soon wakes up and throws a smoke grenade. While others are distracted, he swiftly attacks Ranma before disappearing along with Happosai. When the smoke clears, the students find that the panties are also missing. Ranma stands quietly, unable to assess what happened. The other students are stunned at what happened to him. On his right cheek was written "idiot" in masterful calligraphy.

The New Disciple
Meanwhile, Happosai is safely carried away to a roof somewhere. There, the child gives the panties as gift for him, calling Happosai his master. He also hands him a letter.

Back at the dojo Happosai reveals that the child is to be his new pupil and states that he has an obligation to train him, showing the letter as proof. But when Ranma and Soun open the envelope to look at the letter, they find it to instead contain topless girl-Ranma drinking milk. Upon producing the proper letter, they read it and find it to have been written by Happosai's old friend Rakkyosai, asking him to take care of his great grandson Rakutaro.

Happosai then recalls a faithful day where he claims that he and Rakkyosai were once very close friends, but one day he simply disappeared. After all this time, Happosai had no idea Rakkyosai was still alive and was touched that he would now be entrusted to look after his descendant.

Happosai then goes on to tease Ranma, saying that this new pupil may even surpass him. Ranma acts unfazed. When Rakutaro begins drawing on Ranma to provoke him, he remains still proclaiming he will not come to anger from this child. Akane tells Rakutaro to apologize and he does so, but only in conjunction with a sly grope of her chest. Happosai is appalled by this display and smacks him into the ground, then offers to kiss Akane's chest as an apology. He is swiftly punted away and Rakutaro is left to be punished by Ranma. Once he regains consciousness, however, he places a bomb on Ranma's head which explodes immediately. Ranma is unwilling to harm the child until he is hit on the head by a toy hammer.

True Intentions
Ranma begins angrily chasing down Rakutaro but finds him to be too fast for him. Finally, on the roof, Ranma picks up a few tiles and flings him in his direction, knocking him down. But when Ranma tries to grab him, Rakutaro once again escapes his grasp and counterattacks with a special calligraphy move.

Ranma then finds himself ensnared in some kind of ink. Rakutaro explains that it is a special ink that has been mixed with glue. As he begins talking, Ranma realizes that Rakutaro may look like a child, but talks like an adult. He tells Ranma that Happosai is in possession of a Brocade Butterfly that he wants. Ranma confesses that he doesn't know where it is, but Rakutaro doesn't believe him and attacks him once more. Rain begins to fall.

Mid-attack, Rakutaro notices that Ranma changed to a girl and attaches himself to her chest before being kicked away. Ranma remarks that he is just as perverted as Happosai. Later, Ranma, Soun and Genma listens carefully as Rakutaro showers his master with panties. Ranma now aims to expose him for what he is.

Cast in Order of Appearance

 * Akane Tendo
 * Rakkyosai
 * Ranma Saotome (male)
 * Hiroshi and Daisuke
 * Happosai
 * Genma Saotome (panda)
 * Soun Tendo
 * Ranma Saotome (female)
 * Genma Saotome (human)