Chapter 41

Chapter 41
Name
Japanese	誰でもよかったの
Romanized	Dare demo yokatta no
English	You'd Have Kissed Anybody?
Information
Chapter	41
Volume	4 (Viz Media) 5 (Tankōbon/Shinsoban)
Anime Counterpart	Episode 21 Episode 14 (2024)
Chronology
Previous:	← Chapter 40
Next:	Chapter 42 →

You'd Have Kissed Anybody? (誰でもよかったの, Dare demo yokatta no^?) is the 41st chapter of Ranma ½ manga and the fifth and final chapter of the Neko-Ken Arc.

Summary

Genma tells Ranma about the kiss, but Ranma can't seem to remember anything that happened while he was acting like a cat. Ryoga and Kuno come to give Ranma a little punishment for kissing Akane. Meanwhile, Akane is trying to talk to Dr. Tofu about what happened, but can't seem to work up the courage.

Plot Overview

Gosunkugi has a picture of Ranma kissing Akane. Angered by how (in Gosunkugi's opinion anyway) that Ranma took advantage of the situation so he could kiss Akane, Gosunkugi places a nail through the picture and attaches it to a tree.

Ryoga breaks the tree in anger at seeing Akane getting kissed by Ranma.

Gosunkugi is about to hit the nail into the tree, when suddenly a fist passes past his face and does the job for him. However, the punch is also strong enough to break the tree from where the nail was located. The fist turns out to be Ryoga's who equally angry about the kiss, if not more-so.

Meanwhile, at the Tendo Dojo, Ranma is told by Genma (who's in his panda form) that he kissed Akane. Ranma tells Genma to stop pulling his chain as he'd never, before Ranma can finish a hand emerges from the floor beneath him, much to Ranma's shock.

The hand is that of Ryoga's who used Gosunkugi to help him arrive in this manner. Holding onto the scruff of Ranma's shirt Ryoga shouts to Ranma about what he did to Akane. Ranma shouts back what did he do, but is quickly provided with the photograph of him kissing Akane. After Gosunkugi notes that it was lucky he had his camera with him, Ranma punches Ryoga away and says it must be some sort of trick.

Kuno appears is about to beat up Ranma with Ryoga for kissing Akane.

Suddenly a wooden sword breaks through the wall Ranma's next to, which unsurprisingly belongs to Kuno. Kuno calls Ranma an animal from what he's done to Akane.

Some time has passed and Ranma's outside, limping along a street and using a stick as support. Ranma calls the other guys jerks for ganging up on him, especially when (in Ranma's opinion) that doesn't even count as a kiss. Ranma continues to walk, wondering if Akane's mad with him.

Meanwhile, Akane has gone to Dr. Tofu's Clinic and is in Dr. Tofu's treatment room when he suddenly speaks up and asks her if there's something bothering her as she's done nothing but sigh since she entered. Akane replies that nothing's bothering her and, after sipping some tea, decides to leave as she can just beat up Ranma when she gets back.

Akane and Ranma have a moment of silence now both know what happened.

However, as she is about to walk out of the door, Akane is met with the battered Ranma about to walk in. The two exchange a moment of silence when Dr. Tofu pokes his out of the door to his room and tells Ranma to come in. However, Ranma and Akane do nothing and both just look at the floor. Dr. Tofu takes Ranma into his treatment room when some shouts he has an express delivery, so goes to receive it.

With Dr. Tofu gone, after a few more moments of silence, Ranma apologises for kissing Akane. Akane thinks this means Ranma remembers, but Ranma says he doesn't as when he turns into his cat-state he doesn't remember what goes on. This makes Akane slightly angry and asks Ranma if this means he would've kissed anybody in that state.

Dr. Tofu opens his express delivery, but the box is empty with only a small hole in the bottom. Back with Ranma and Akane and the two are arguing about how if Ranma's wouldn't kiss anyone in his cat state then why did he kiss her. As the two argue a small black creature is watching them from atop a cupboard.

Akane and Ranma, while being secretly watched by the black creature.

The argument climaxes with calling Akane un-cute, which causes Akane cry in anger and call Ranma a coward and thinks about how he calls himself a man. Akanw continues by throwing a bucket of water over Ranma and telling her to be a woman for the rest of her life and find a real man to marry.

After Akane sends Ranma flying through the roof of the clinic, Dr. Tofu returns to the room and notes how bright the stars are. While Akane cries and says she hates Ranma, the black creature has an evil look in its eyes.

Ranma is in the bathroom of the Tendo Dojo and thinks about why Akane was screaming when she apologised, especially since it was just a kiss. Ranma then has an epiphany and thinks that she's not mad because he kissed her she's mad because... However, before can finish she notices a cat is in the bathroom as well, panics and tries to run away from it.

Akane is surprised to find Ranma in the bath with Shampoo.

The two then fall into the hot bath, and while Ranma returns to his male form the cat turns into Shampoo. Ranma stares at Shampoo in shock and surprise that she's returned.

Akane, meanwhile, has also returned to the Dojo and is thinking about how Ranma would've kissed anybody in his cat state. Back in the bathroom and Shampoo is delighted that Ranma is a man after all, Ranma, however, is still confused as to why Shampoo was a cat just now. Shampoo then hugs Ranma declaring how happy she is. At that moment, Akane opens the door to the bathroom, and sees Shampoo hugging Ranma, while Ranma panics at the sight of Akane.

Characters in Order of Appearance

• Ranma Saotome
• Akane Tendo
• Hikaru Gosunkugi
• Ryoga Hibiki
• Genma Saotome
• Tatewaki Kuno
• Tofu Ono
• Shampoo

Quotes

To be added

Trivia

• This chapter reveals Shampoo's newly acquired Jusenkyo curse.