Catcher in the Rind

Suika batake de tsukamaete (スイカ畑でつかまえて) is the 193rd chapter of the manga it is also the third and final chapter of the Watermelon Island Arc.

Akane follows Kuno and Ranma to Watermelon Island. Kuno pursues the Pigtailed Girl and manages to knock her out. Unconsious, Ranma has a nightmare about living on the island with Kuno and starting a family. After waking up Kuno keeps persisting that they go out, and chases Ranma to a waterfall.

Continuing from the Previous Chapter
Having learnt that Watermelon Island is a legendary training ground from some of the local store owners, Akane takes a Jet Ski in order to get to the island herself. As she continues her way there, Akane recalls one of the locals also explaining that whoever trains on the island inevitably ends up getting amnesia. This makes Akane realise that Kuno must've gone to the island to train and effectively traded his memory for an ultimate sword fighting technique!

Meanwhile, Ranma has been cornered by Kuno. Kuno then prepares to strike Ranma, all the while demanding she date him, prompting Ranma to try to protect herself by throwing multiple Watermelons at Kuno. Unfortunately, Kuno simply cuts up the watermelons into perfect slices yet again, however, Ranma uses this opportunity to throw a boulder at Kuno, leaving him temporarily incapacitated. But as Ranma gloats, she gets hit on the head by a watermelon, which renders her unconscious.

Just then Kuno crawls out from underneath the boulder as looks on at his unconscious pigtail girl...

Ranma's Nightmare
As Ranma sleeps, she dreams about being trapped with Kuno on the island for years and years. Ranma then dreams about her raising four children with Kuno and them living happily together, before violently waking up from shock. However, immediately after waking, Kuno appears and comments on how good it is to see her awake. The panicked Ranma proceeds to slap Kuno several times and when he notes "that hurt", Ranma becomes convinced that it was just a dream.

Ranma then notices that the pair of them are in an abandoned. Not wasting any more time, Ranma tries to leave, but Kuno stops her before reminding Ranma that they're on a date, which is only way to refresh his memory, to which Ranma retorts that losing his memories hasn't stopped his stupid ideologies.

The pair then head out for a walk together, when suddenly Kuno warns Ranma that there's a waterfall up ahead. Sure enough, a waterfall comes into view around the next corner. This makes Ranma question Kuno about how he knew the waterfall was here. Kuno tries to remember, but ultimate uses the situation so that he can hug his pigtailed girl, angering Ranma who subsequently punches Kuno. The two of them then side beside the waterfall as Kuno notes the sense of that he's getting.

The Fall of Kuno
Elsewhere, Akane has arrived on the island and continues her search for Ranma. As she explores, Akane comes across a barrier in a nearby river which is preventing multiple watermelons from floating any further downstream. After getting closer to the river, Akane notices a sign instructing trainees to pull the rope to begin their training. Akane quickly deduces that this must've been part of Kuno's training, however, she absentmindedly pulls on the rope, lifting the barrier and sending the watermelons down river.

Back at the waterfall, and Kuno successfully recalls that he was stood in a particular stance whilst attacking watermelons with his. Ranma tries to get Kuno to remember that he was her to fight her, but he falls to his knees before suggesting that they swap diaries in order to make things clearer for him. This infuriates Ranma, who tells Kuno that this is no time for stupid tricks like that, however, Kuno threateningly points the end of his Bokken at Ranma, reminding her how much stronger he is than her.

Kuno then darkly reminds Ranma that this is an abandoned island, so that if she screams nobody will be around to hear her. Terrified, Ranma runs away as fast she can, with Kuno in hot pursuit. Suddenly the watermelons Akane released come crashing down the waterfall towards them. Ranma dodges the watermelons, whilst Kuno begins slicing them up with his Bokken. In an attempt to stop Kuno, Ranma throws another watermelon at Kuno, which he easily avoids before slicing.

The pointless slicing of the watermelon confuses Ranma slightly. After seeing Kuno slice another watermelon which she throws past him, Ranma deduces that the watermelon must be a reflex, meaning Kuno is doing the action subconsciously. With this knowledge, Ranma pretends to be running up to hug Kuno. Kuno falls for the roux and runs up to his pigtailed girl, but before they hug, Ranma gives Kuno a gift, a watermelon on his head. Sure enough, Kuno's reflexes kick in and he use his Bokken to an attempt to slice the watermelon, only for it to result in him being left unconscious with the watermelon on his head.

Once Akane finds the pair and uses the hot water she brought to turn Ranma back into his male form, she asks him how he defeated Kuno. Ranma explains that by using the falling watermelons as targets for long enough will make the action of slicing them purely reflexive. He continues by adding that a watermelon inevitably landed on Kuno's head, and the slicing reflex made Kuno hit his head and lose his memory.

Just then Kuno wakes up and has seemingly regained his memories, apart from those since he got his amnesia. Ranma tries to compliment Kuno about his swordsmanship in their fight, however, Kuno doesn't recall any of this. In an attempt to remind Kuno, Ranma shows him the challenge letter, but after reading it informs the pair that the letter was meant as a love letter for the pigtailed girl. As Kuno spins around, wishing the pigtail girl could see his watermelon slicing skills, Akane asks Ranma if he wants her to get some cold water, but Ranma retorts that she must be kidding.

Cast in Order of Appearance

 * Akane Tendo
 * Tatewaki Kuno
 * Ranma Saotome (female)
 * Ranma Saotome (male)

Trivia

 * The english title for this chapter is a pun on the 1951 novel,.