Death Analysis: Ranma Saotome (Ranma 1/2)
The analysis is a composite, gathering feats from:
The 2024 anime remake (Subject to be updated)
Anime counts with original episodes, characters and plots, which will be considered as they really don’t differ from the regular status quo of the series, but is perfectly understandable to not want to use them. That being said, let’s begin!
Background
Son of Genma and Nodoka Saotome, Ranma had his life written since the age of 2; his father Genma promised his wife to turn Ranma into a man among men, a legend of the martial arts, someone capable of defeating all odds that strived in his path, the successor of Saotome’s legend of Anything Goes Martial arts. Forcing his son Ranma to sign a deadly contract, which dictated to make him a fine man at the age of 16, otherwise it would result in Seppuku and beheading by Nodoka’s womanly hands.
While already terrible enough, this was just the beginning of the awful choices Genma would drive Ranma into; like selling his young son’s hand on marriage multiple times, live on the wild with barely food to consume on a daily basis, Genma’s multiple unfair victories against his inexperienced son, etc. But above them two were the most significant, one being the ancient promise with his all time friend, Soun Tendo, to marry their children in order to guarantee the success of the Tendo Dojo of Anything Goes Martial Arts. And second, to train in China’s cursed Jusenkyo lakes, which by mistake made Ranma fall into the Drowned Girl lake, turning him into her.
Ranma’s curse despite having a momentary solution with hot water, challenged Ranma’s inner manliness and usual attitude causing him a major hatred towards it, only being strengthened by his arranged marriage. Akane Tendo, being the younger and chosen one to marry Ranma, matched him like water and oil, both contrasting forces with harsh attitudes, they really didn’t make the best couple at beginning, but for sure this changed.
Holding this relationship homever, came with a lot of different problems. Ranma’s slowly progressing feelings towards Akane, and vice versa would almost and never shine through their own pride and insincerity towards themselves, and this is for sure always on-hand with the sprout of many many love rivals and interests, ranging from childhood friends to rivals to harassers, Ranma’s daily life will never be quiet or pacific and everyday is a new challenge to go against and keep his martial arts training, putting him at his limits every so and then.
His arrogance will never miss an opportunity to get rid of his female form, but perhaps with help of his friends and fiancee, Akane, no matter the fights and discussions, or how he takes advantage from the gender swapping, biting him back every time. The story would make Ranma think twice about accepting himself, his genuine feelings towards the girl he loves and the destiny he has got to accept along.
Skills and experience
Ranma has been training most of his life with help of Genma, all sorts of martial arts, tricks and techniques to overcome his opponents. He has confessed to having learnt some basics of Kenpo, and is stated Saotome’s side of Anything Goes Martial focuses on mid-air combat. His mastering is such that he can literally fight while drunk.
Ranma’s stubborn personality has made him a deadly foe from time to time, even after being defeated countless times by a same trick in different situations, he finds a way to counter attack it or learn it from the opponent, in early beginning we see that even being barraged by multiple sword strikes, Ranma was able to quickly find a couple of vulnerable spots and hit Tatewaki.
Another thing to recognize is how quick he adapts to most martial arts, seeing them in action for just a couple of minutes he’s able to imitate them or learn their key movements, being able to understand things like Hiryu Shoten Ha’s patterns after seeing them once, and the same with Umi-Sen-Ken. Happosai’s own technique of sending opponents flying. And Ranma is no stranger to facing characters with different weapons, despite not using them on average (despite knowing how to), examples of said fighters being Mousse and Konatsu.
Many of Ranma’s rivals have acknowledged as well about his incredibly dirty tricks, taking advantage of a blind spot from an opponent or a specific weakness.
Transformations
Curse of Drowned Girl
After deciding to spar with his dad on China’s Jusenkyo Hot Springs, Ranma punched Genma right into one of the many different cursed lakes within the zone, specifically Shonmaonīchuan (Spring of the Drowned Panda), the legend says that anyone who falls into one of this lakes gets the curse of whatever drowned into it. Now as a giant panda, Genma counter-attacked Ranma, throwing his son into Nyannīchuan (Spring of Drowned Girl), which as the name indicates turned Ranma into a girl.
The way to get rid momentarily of the effect of being turned into a girl is using hot water, but anytime Ranma gets in contact with cold water he turns into a girl, which has caused an inner debate on Ranma about his own masculinity and his mission is to get rid of it no matter the way.
But due how difficult this has resulted him, Ranma has decided to use it to his favor for the meantime. The transformation at first glance is not all that different from the usual Ranma besides giving him a female appearance, is basically confirmed by Herb (Another user of the Drowned Girl Spring) that this weakens their own aura/ ki control, acting like a nerf on its own to the maximum potential. In Ranma Nettohen, there’s a similar statement where Ranma’s male side is considerably stronger, but the Female side is faster. And there’s a chapter where, changing from male to female helped Ranma instantly get out of being drunk by a big pool of sake.
Which all things considered makes sense if you factor the small size and slender build of Ranma after turning into a girl.
This being holds the ability to phase through walls, seemingly teleport, use telekinesis to lift really tall objects (such as trees) and create barriers around her, as well hypnosis which mind controlled a really weakened Ranma who was only capable of snapping back into his senses thanks to his biggest fear. Ying Ranma is mostly weak towards sunlight and talismans, being able to kill her for good.
Nekoken
Martial Arts Rhythmic Gymnastics: Martial Arts Rhythmic Gymnastics, who’s main practitioner in-series is Kodachi, it’s a fighting style that uses quick, artistic and accurate body movements (reason why Ranma decides to use Female Form). But there’s one law about it, and is that it requires never to go bare-handed, meaning it’s a fighting style relying heavily on weapons. Given the nature of it, the main weapons include a ribbon, clubs and hoops, but the weapon can range to be anything, like people or the very own pole of the ring. Ranma is actually quite proficient with the clubs, using them as nunchakus.
Martial Arts Tea Ceremony: Somehow and someway, the traditional japanese “Tea Ceremony” is also a Martial Art, one that Ranma was instructed on. One of the main principles of it was learning how to “properly sit”, and somehow walk without needing the usual walking, but instead a form of squat walk, only using hands for what is necessary, being a technique so good that you literally can hold on the roof. But it isn’t the only thing, as Ranma has been able to use different objects of Tea Ceremony as weapons, like Tea Spoons, powder, napkins and kettles, barely moving his feet at all.
Parlay du Foie Gras: Given Ranma was physically unable to learn Picolet’s fast-eating technique due average human impossibilities (required a huge mouth and tongue specially). Ranma instead decided to learn a forbidden and feared technique among Chardin’s family: The Parlay Du Foie Gras. The basis is simple, and is that instead of eating fast, you are able to feed your opponent fast, fast enough to not be noticed, and clean your meals in record time. With this, Ranma needed to practice with an insane accuracy and speed.
Martial Arts Cheerleading: Cheerleading Martial Arts are quite similar to Rhythmic Gymnastics, but instead the effects and intent are different. While it requires some level of agility to move out, and especially a lot of leg work. The aspect of cheerleading is to motivate and raise someone’s mood through love and dedication to the specific person, Female Ranma required to keep Kuno on good terms, showing him for example, pictures. Just like Gymnastics Martial Arts, Mariko (main practitioner of the style) used batons to quickly swing them around, and Ranma was able to copy some of those movements in the same fight.
Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire Fist is one of Ranma’s most known techniques on the series and perhaps the first he mastered. Teached by Cologne, this technique has an emphasis on speed, since the name of it is related to the main exercise to do when learning it, taking several chestnuts from a fire without burning your hands, making you incredibly fast. Ranma in his case had to learn it from a similar method, with fishes and piranhas.
Later in the story, Ranma improves this technique with help of his dad Genma to defeat Ryouga. Using angry bees to go all against Ranma, the idea was to dodge them, this practice was enough to have Ranma be able to hit 100 times and make it seem like just one, an ability recognized by Cologne herself.
Shishi Hōkōdan: Learning it from a miner, Ryoga mastered this technique consisting of gathering all of your depressive and negative emotions, turning it into incredibly powerful blasts. which gave problems to Ranma at first. Ranma learnt this technique eventually, but it’s known that his usage is incredibly lackluster and not as good as Ryoga’s, the same reason why Ranma decided to use its opposite.
Mōko Takabisha: More fitting to his own personality, Ranma decided to create the Mōko Takabisha to materialize his pride and confidence as an attack. The attack did relatively well against the basic power of Shishi Hōkōdan, but ultimately wasn’t just as good. Later on, it is shown that Ranma can actually use two of them at the same time
Hiryū Kōrin Dan: Herb, one of Ranma’s strongest opponents, was able to master his own aura to turn it Cold, causing the original technique to not work against him. But Ranma soon realized that scraps/ particles of Herb’s previous techniques involving Hot Aura, were present in air. So Ranma decided to trick him using Hiryu Shoten Ha, Herb answered with a Cold Wave to render the technique useless, not realizing that it only helped for the particles to swirl around, and quickly being sent right in the air Ranma with Herb’s energy, Ranma answered with a cold-screw punch downwards, attacking with all of the opponent’s power.
Hiryū Hyō Toppa: The Gekkaja allows Ranma to generate ice aura without needing to fully concentrate which in exchange makes the process a lot easier, specially against fire opponents like Saffron. Ranma uses a small opening between two enormous fire attacks to send a cold blast, the level of squeezing of this attack is enough to make it stronger. Given the sheer size of the attacks, only doll Akane in this case was able to generate a small, yet good enough opening to send towards the ice blast
.Hiryū Gyōten Ha: Is a perfect way to aim and direct a Cold Aura attack, using all the hot steam/ aura from the surroundings, throwing the Gekkaja to a specific place (in this case was the Dragon Spout, this will guide the direction of Hiryu Shoten Ha.
Hiryu Shōten Ha, Kaiteiban Gedan Rasen (Revised: Horizontal Spiral): In the OVA number 6, The One to Carry On Part Two, a unique version of the Hiryu Shoten Ha is shown. As the name implies it’s the same movement, but done in a horizontal way, helped by a traveling method like Kurumi’s ribbon (which generates hot aura), and overpowering Natsumi’s own Cold blast.
Ranma can see and physically interact with ghosts for an unknown reason. And this is not something he has shown once with the creepy old man, but twice when escaping out of the Tunnel of Lost Love (albeit, only in the OVA version of the arc)
Umi-Sen Ken
Umi-Sen Ken is a fighting style developed by Genma Saotome himself (Ranma’s dad). Being the main opposite to Yama-Sen Ken, both were sealed for years due their deadliness. The styles resemble methods of robbing and sneaking into a house, while Yama-Sen Ken focuses on “opening a door” with all the required strength, Umi-Sen Ken focuses on going unnoticed as much as you can, requiring insane stealth and speed.
In this case, the house robbing analogy translates into the body. Most of the attacks Ranma does with this style involve attacking from blindspots. Umi-Sen Ken is composed of the following techniques:
Ki Vanishing: The opening stance for Umi-Sen Ken allows Ranma to vanish his ki, going unnoticed by the opponent.
Ranma needs to be fully focused and not enraged, otherwise he’d lose the presence evading effect.
Stance of the Collapsing Brace: If Ranma’s opponent slams him all way to the ground (specially after being fooled by a hand bite), Ranma can make them lose balance via using his legs to hold them from shoulders, and instantly proceed to open their legs with his own hands.
Strike of the Spitting White Snake: A rapid volley of strikes to the back, based on the concept of a burglar rapidly opening and closing drawers.
Mountain Falling Into Sea: This move requires a furoshiki. Ranma faces the opponent and ties up their head with the furoshiki, and jumping on a circle like a carp to the other side, strangles the opponent from behind.
Deep-Sea Demon Wrap: Using an even larger furoshiki, Ranma is able to hide himself better with it. But the thing is that this furoshiki, was used by Ranma to stuff a lot of different things he steals when hiding his presence, ranging from stones, dirt and clothes, weakening the ground, and causing the opponent’s attack (in this case, Ryu’s air slashes) to be applied a major pressure from above, which pulls the air from all directions, ripping apart the furoshiki and dropping all it’s content over the opponent.
Episode 2: As the above GIF shows, Ranko turns into dust leaving no trace, only to come back in the next episode as if nothing.
Episode 7: Ranko breaks into stone pieces, comes back in the next episode.
Episode 8: The most blatant of them all. After being kissed by Mikado, Ranko breaks like a glass into several pieces, and the pieces just… stick together.
In the anime, on Anything Goes Obstacles Race, Ranma was seen carrying a water bottle in case he required to turn into a female.
He uses another water bottle to his advantage of Ranma ½’s 2008 OVA.
In Ranma 1⁄2 's Live Action movie, Ranma carries a bottle with hot water to turn back into male.
False-Friendship Electric Shock Ring
Very self explanatory, doing the classic fake handshake gag. Ranma uses this self-defense ring from the Amazon ladies which shocks opponents after holding their hand.
Hay Fever Pollen Mask
Another of Cologne’s tools, Ranma’s Hay Fever Pollen Mask releases a gas which makes his opponents go sick.
Pacifier from Hell
The last of Cologne’s weapons Ranma used against Mousse, the pacifier from hell is a self-defense weapon for babies, which releases fire.
Evil Seal
Given by a monk to exorcize an evil Oni, this box in both the manga and OVA, is used to contain evil energies and creatures thanks to a seal on top of it. It has been stated that whoever enters here, can be contained for around 1000 years.
Magic Compact Mirror
This magic compact was given to Ranma once to trap a mirror clone of himself. After opening it, anyone who sees the compact’s glass will be trapped inside it’s dimension and will never escape unless the user so desires it by tapping it once.
The compact follows this properties:
Gekkaja
Given is essentially a staff with a blade it has an amazing cutting power, being able to slice a phoenix statue’s head with ease. Or even piercing power, as Ranma was able to lift a huge piece of rock off the ground, through just pinching it with Gekkaja.
Anything which comes in contact with the Gekkaja’s blade, is going to compacted into solid ice, even boulders aren’t safe. Ranma strategizes on this innate ability of ice control for a lot of tricks:
- Reinforcing the Hiryu Shoten Ha: As previously mentioned, in case Ranma is out of possibilities, or against a major source of hot energy. Ranma can use Gekkaja to replicate the spiral in Hiryu Shoten Ha’s process.
- Ice Armor: Against incredibly high temperatures which instantly dry your body and turn mountains into dust like Saffron’s attacks, Ranma can protect himself in solid ice just pinching himself a bit with Gekkaja, constantly producing in case it melts quickly.
Resistances
Illusion Creation: Full focus Ranma, is able to not be fooled by Toma 's sword illusion, which is based on light control. -Ranma ½: Kessen Tougenkyou! Hanayome wo
Feats
General
Underwent several years of painful training with his dad Genma.
Outcheats the Gambling King after an intense training.
Saves his mother after jumping really high.
Mastered the Hiryu Shoten Ha, Cheerleading Martial Arts and Umi-Sen-Ken in time record.
Revealed his Female Form to Nodoka, receiving acceptance from her and canceling the potential Seppuku.
Spoke out his true feelings to Akane in the final fight. (Sort of)
Defeated Saffron, bringing a new age of prosperity for the Jusenkyo springs and saving Akane from death.
Strength
With a good punch, cracks some ice from the ground. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 25
On Female Form, Ranma managed to stop a giant washing machine through Nekoken (?). -Ranma ½ Nettohen, Episode: 17 (General 35), 18:35
Fights and defeats against a giant shark using Nekoken, holding it with his mouth. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 50
On Female Form, kicks Kuno across a roof breaking it. -Ranma ½ Nettohen, Episode: 66 (General: 84), 18:55
His aura combined with Ryouga's generates a big explosion against Genma. -Ranma ½ Nettohen, Episode: 100 (General: 118), 18:55
Moves a couple of heavy objects with his hair. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 157
Destroys a boulder with a single punch. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 186 (0.001001912 Tons, Wall)
After gaining kinetic energy from a couple of Pantyhose’s elasticity, kicks Taro’s demonic form. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 187
Destroys another boulder. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 240 (0.0226 Tons, Small Building)
Matches against the legendary Yamata no Orochi, who is able to destroy huge pieces of rocks. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 274 (0.311 Tons, Building Level)
The OVA version has the Orochi blowing up a small terrain. -Ranma 1/2 OVA 8: Yomigaeru Kioku Part 2
Female Ranma was able to lift an enormous stone underwater and place it right on Yamata no Orochi’s jaw. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 275 (24 Tons, City Block)
With Gekkaja, slices a phoenix statue head clean. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 401
Ranma’s final Rising Dragon against Saffron, caused a chain reaction on Jusenkyo’s mountain to move the subterranean water. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 407
Snaps a tall ancient building in half. -Ranma ½: ¡Chūgoku Nekonron Daikessen! Okite Yaburi no Gekitō Hen !!
Rising dragon combined with a geyser 's water pressure, causes Kirin' s temple to collapse. -Ranma ½: ¡Chūgoku Nekonron Daikessen! Okite Yaburi no Gekitō Hen !! (0.26 Tons, Building Level)
One of his chi attacks blows up Tougenkyo’s water spring, sheer strength blasted him and Akane out of a mountain. -Ranma ½: Kessen Tougenkyou! Hanayome wo Torimodose!
Kicks Tatewaki 200 times in a very few seconds. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 7
Lands 518 hits to Mikado without being seen. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 25
Dodges very casually a quick swing from Tatewaki. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 37 (Mach 2.56, Supersonic+)
Ranma is able to catch different fishes from a pool in a few seconds. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 47
Ranma catches up some flying stones product of Ryouga’s Breaking Point. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 54
Tenshin Amaguriken allows Ranma to hit hundreds of times, making it seem like just one fist. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 55 (Mach 1.27, Supersonic)
Grabs a lot of pictures before they fall. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 82
Matches and surpasses Picolet's speed in a fast eating contest. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter: 171
Feeds a lot of people without them noticing in a matter of seconds with Parlay du Foie Gras -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter: 172
Fights his own shadow, which is a non corporeal being replicating everything Ranma does and depends it’s existence in light. -Ranma ½ Nettohen, Episode: 94 (General: 112)
Gets thrown several bricks by kids, and destroys them all in time. -Ranma 1/2 OVA 6: The One to Carry On Part Two.
Runs over water at high speeds. -Ranma 1/2 OVA 6: The One to Carry On Part Two.
Umi-Sen-Ken allows Ranma to go basically unnoticed in Tendo’s house doing all sorts of crazy things. Like moving drawers at “lightning like speed”, making a circle on Soun’s newspaper, removing the foundation of all the house without anyone in the house even sensing it. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter: 293
Using Umi-Sen Ken, steals Ryu’s belt after an attack without anybody noticing. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter: 295
Umi-Sen-Ken’s Furoshiki technique allowed Ranma to hold many random objects at insane speeds and steal Ryu’s clothes. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter: 298
Blocks Rouge’s fire beams with a pan. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter: 337
Reacts to Saffron’s Kinjankan attack from behind. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter: 393
Blocks Kiema’s “Thousand Bird Wing Slice” with help of Kinjankan. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter: 395
Moves some rice from one dish to another, grain by grain into almost nothing. -Ranma ½: Kessen Tougenkyou! Hanayome wo Torimodose!
Leaves an afterimage after Akane tries to hit him. -Ranma ½ (2024 Remake): Episode 1
Durability
Swims from Japan to China with Genma. -Ranma 1/2 (Anime): Episode 1, 15:25. Manga states this too later on.
Doesn't seem that phased by the fact his neck was broken by Doctor Tofu. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 9
Gets smashed against a wall after surviving Mikado and Azusa’s “Goodbye Whirl” . -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 27
Survives multiple of Ukyo’s powder bombs. Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 86
Has the stamina to keep trying to challenge Akane despite being owned by her amped strength. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 111
Was just fine after being kicked through the sky with one of Happosai's firework bombs. -Ranma ½ Nettohen, Episode: 26 (General: 44), 16:10
Happosai punches Female Ranma against a wall, generating a small crater. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 127 (0.001652 Tons, Wall Level)
Can fight at super speeds, even after being several days without food or drink. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 172
A rather weak building, implodes all over Ranma, Akane, Sasuke, Kuno and Azusa -Ranma ½ Nettohen, Episode: 68 (General: 86) 20:40
Withstands an electric discharge from a tower. -Ranma ½ Nettohen, Episode: 78 (General 96) 20:06
Tanks directly grenades from a master toad. -Ranma ½ Nettohen, Episode: 82 (General 100) 17:45
Survives attacks from the snow monster, Nu. Who caused Ranma’s town to have a terrible snowfall. -Ranma ½ Nettohen, Episode: 106 (General 124)
Takes several of Happosai’s bombs along his dad and Soun. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 199
Anime version of said feat. -Ranma ½ Nettohen, Episode: 114 (General 132) 12:38
Tanks Ryoga 's Lion Roar a couple times. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 207
Takes the maximum outputs for Lion's roar. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 207 (10.43 Tons, Large Building)
Anime version of the above feat. -Ranma ½ Nettohen, Episode: 124 (General 142)
Survives one of Kuno's drum explosions and gets blown away by Principal' s biwa multiple times. -Ranma ½ Nettohen, Episode: 139 (General: 157), 17:00
Takes upon an insane amount of water while rescuing his mom. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 229
Survives Gosunkugi's armor explosion. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 245
Withstands Herb’s Rising Soaring Dragon (who was on Male form) and some of his ki attacks while being on Female Form. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 254
Basically unaffected by Ryu’s Demon God Assault Bomb, which obliterates an enormous buddha statue in one go. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 297 (0.0084 Tons, Small Building)
Catched mid fight by Rouge’s fire tornado. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 337
Survives a fall of several meters along Genma, Ryoga and Mousse. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 395-396
With help of Gekkaja’s ice, survives Saffron’s Instant-Annihilation-of-all-Mortals-Blast, which vaporized 2 mountains in one go. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 406
Swims from Japan to China with Genma. -Ranma 1/2 (Anime): Episode 1, 15:25. Manga states this too later on.
Doesn't seem that phased by the fact his neck was broken by Doctor Tofu. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 9
Gets smashed against a wall after surviving Mikado and Azusa’s “Goodbye Whirl” . -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 27
Survives multiple of Ukyo’s powder bombs. Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 86
Has the stamina to keep trying to challenge Akane despite being owned by her amped strength. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 111
Was just fine after being kicked through the sky with one of Happosai's firework bombs. -Ranma ½ Nettohen, Episode: 26 (General: 44), 16:10
Happosai punches Female Ranma against a wall, generating a small crater. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 127 (0.001652 Tons, Wall Level)
Can fight at super speeds, even after being several days without food or drink. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 172
A rather weak building, implodes all over Ranma, Akane, Sasuke, Kuno and Azusa -Ranma ½ Nettohen, Episode: 68 (General: 86) 20:40
Withstands an electric discharge from a tower. -Ranma ½ Nettohen, Episode: 78 (General 96) 20:06
Tanks directly grenades from a master toad. -Ranma ½ Nettohen, Episode: 82 (General 100) 17:45
Survives attacks from the snow monster, Nu. Who caused Ranma’s town to have a terrible snowfall. -Ranma ½ Nettohen, Episode: 106 (General 124)
Takes several of Happosai’s bombs along his dad and Soun. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 199
Anime version of said feat. -Ranma ½ Nettohen, Episode: 114 (General 132) 12:38
Tanks Ryoga 's Lion Roar a couple times. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 207
Takes the maximum outputs for Lion's roar. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 207 (10.43 Tons, Large Building)
Anime version of the above feat. -Ranma ½ Nettohen, Episode: 124 (General 142)
Survives one of Kuno's drum explosions and gets blown away by Principal' s biwa multiple times. -Ranma ½ Nettohen, Episode: 139 (General: 157), 17:00
Takes upon an insane amount of water while rescuing his mom. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 229
Survives Gosunkugi's armor explosion. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 245
Withstands Herb’s Rising Soaring Dragon (who was on Male form) and some of his ki attacks while being on Female Form. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 254
Basically unaffected by Ryu’s Demon God Assault Bomb, which obliterates an enormous buddha statue in one go. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 297 (0.0084 Tons, Small Building)
Catched mid fight by Rouge’s fire tornado. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 337
Survives a fall of several meters along Genma, Ryoga and Mousse. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 395-396
With help of Gekkaja’s ice, survives Saffron’s Instant-Annihilation-of-all-Mortals-Blast, which vaporized 2 mountains in one go. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 406
Weaknesses
His ki can be absorbed and dumb distractions should make him lose focus.
His own overconfidence and arrogant behavior can bite his ass once in a while, interfering with some of his techniques.
Has been mind controlled every so and then.
By Ying Ranma’s hypnosis. (Anime only)
By Shampoo’s Red String of Fate. (Anime only)
By Happosai’s master-disciple pills. (Anime only) -Ranma ½: Nettouhen, Episode 118 (General 136) 17:30
Scaling
Akane Tendo
Being his love interest (despite denying it every time he can) Ranma has never landed a single hit on Akane in any serious context. But Akane meanwhile, often beats him up when he has it called for. Narratively anyways Ranma is stated to be superior whatsoever, and despite her often amps across the series Ranma has matched such powers with some difficulty but has done so.
Breaks some concrete tiles with a mighty fist of hers. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 1 (0.000014 Tons, Wall Level)
Amped Akane counters and slices an enormous bell. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 112
Amped Akane is able to lift with her strength alone a whole chunk of concrete. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 113
Very casually kicks a huge bomb several meters away. -Ranma ½ Nettohen, Episode: 36 (General: 54), 17:34
Akane with a power armor, was able to generate a crater from sheer anger. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 343
Dodges several arrows from skilled Phoenix warriors. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 398
Destroys part of a street in her sleep. -Ranma ½ OVA 13: 'Nightmare! Incense of Spring Sleep
Tatewaki Kuno
Tatewaki has never defeated Ranma in a fair fight without any outside help (like the wish granting sword). Ranma showed to not only be far stronger than him, but abnormally faster.
Cuts through a concrete wall with a wood sword. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 4
Slices a good chunk of a concrete wall with a single swing. -Ranma ½ (2024 Remake): Episode 2
Slices a concrete pillar with air pressure alone in a matter of seconds. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 7 (0.012 Tons, Small Building)
Amped by Musashi Miyamoto's spirit, Kuno broke through several windows of the school. -Ranma ½ Nettohen, Episode: 34 (General: 52) 2:10
One of his slices breaks through the ground, making an opening on it. -Ranma ½ Nettohen, Episode: 34 (General: 52) 15:00
Survives Ranma's second Hiryū Shōten Ha, which had not only his own energy but Mousse's and Happosai's. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 135
Slices multiple watermelons in a matter of seconds. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 191
Does it again. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 193
Slices a Ranma picture into several pieces in a matter of seconds. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 211
Using an ancient drum, blows up part of his house. -Ranma ½ Nettohen, Episode: 139 (General: 157), 5:00
Caught in the explosion of his dad's and his instruments explosions after getting canceled by Akane's major sound. -Ranma ½ Nettohen, Episode: 139 (General: 157), 20:30
Literally fine after having a huge bird over his head. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 302
This same bird "The Phoenix" flew across the city, causing struggles in several buildings. -Ranma ½ OVA 9: Team Ranma vs. The Legendary Phoenix, 22:42
Ryoga Hibiki
Ranma and Ryoga are eternal rivals since childhood, they have defeated each other a couple of times and therefore should be equal, with Ranma being commonly agreed to be the best between both.
Stops a massive boar rushing at him and sends it flying. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 10 (0.00041 Tons to 0.0073 Tons, Wall-Small Building)
In his introduction, Ryoga was able to generate a crater with sheer strength. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 10
Cracks up an ice skating field with a single punch. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 28 (0.044 Tons, Small Building)
Overall size of the field. Ranma ½ (2024 Remake): Episode 9
The feat on Remake. Ranma ½ (2024 Remake): Episode 9, 19:56
Splits a boulder in half with his strength alone. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 52 (0.019 Tons, Small Building)
Survived being hit with a rock multiple times as part of his training. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 53
Marks Akane’s name with his fingers over a rock in a matter of seconds. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 53
Lifts and chucks part of a pillar to Ranma. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 105
Ryouga managed to react to a rock coming at high speeds due a volcano's eruption. -Ranma ½ Nettohen, Episode: 44 (General: 62), 8:42
With his bare hands breaks across lots of iron doors. -Ranma ½ Nettohen, Episode: 44 (General: 62), 11:58
Moves like a mole across many many amounts of sand. -Ranma ½ Nettohen, Episode: 44 (General: 62), 20:26
Ryoga survives Ranma's first Hiryū Shōten Ha which used Ryoga' s own strength, -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 131 (14.74 Tons, City Block)
1989’s adaptation of this feat, had a tornado of such size that could be seen from another mountain. Ranma ½ Nettohen, Episode: 49 (General: 68), 20:45
In Ranma ½ Datou-Ganso Musabetsu Kakutou-ryuu ! (PC Game) The tornado was able to split some clouds.
Causes a huge crater the first time of awakening Lion’s Roar. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 205
Generates another crater with Lion’s Roar. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 205 (10.626 Tons, Large Building)
Ryouga's Lion Roar was amped after nearly dying, being seen from far by Herb in a forest. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 252
Shampoo
Ranma should be vastly stronger than Shampoo, and their supposed arrangement is proof of that, as Ranma defeated her on both male and female.
With a single kick, busts part of a wall. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 30
Mind-washed Akane over 56 seconds without giving her time to react. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 34
The 1989 anime’s version states it was during 5 seconds. -Ranma 1/2 (Anime): Episode 19, 19:48
Remake (the most accurate manga version) states again, that it was 56 seconds. -Ranma ½ (2024 Remake): Episode 12, 8:14
Amped Shampoo chucks a giant bell towards the fight. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 113
Mousse
Ranma has stomped Mousse every time they are shown fighting, the reason why Shampoo and Mousse have never managed to be a thing . So the scaling here is very obvious.
Mousse survives a huge bomb's explosion in his Duck Form. -Ranma ½ Nettohen, Episode: 36 (General: 54), 17:40
After dating with a stone statue for a good while, Mousse got strong enough to crack an enormous iron bell with a single punch despite not sleeping well. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 351
Dodges quick iron feathers from an opponent. -Ranma ½: Kessen Tougenkyou! Hanayome wo Torimodose!
Secondary characters
Every single of these characters have been faced at one point by Ranma across the different silly stories of the manga, so he should upscale.
Kodachi can move FTE while using 20 clubs to attack Ranma. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 21
Kinnii’s strength with his sword swing was enough to tear apart some trees and rocks. -Ranma ½ Nettohen, Episode: 30 (General: 48), 18:48
Azusa is able to generate a wind around a building with her dancing alone. -Ranma ½ Nettohen, Episode: 68 (General: 86), 18:46
Falling right from the sky, Sentaro makes part of his house implode -Ranma ½ Nettohen, Episode: 75 (General: 93),
Picolet steals a bunch of different breads from students without being even noticed. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 165
Picolet eats bread so fast, it looks like it just vanished -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 165
Picolet eats a whole meal so quickly, just light can be seen. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 165
Soun kicks Happosai towards the ocean. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 199
Ryu as part of his training to defeat Ranma, destroyed a buddha statue in one go. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 294
Rogue evaporates a fountain’s water in an instant. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 335
Pantyhose Taro dodges lightning from Rogue’s best attack, the latter who is able to control fire and light with her Asura powers. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 337 (Mach 914- Mach 4,104, Massively Hypersonic +)
Happosai and Cologne
Albeit, scaling Ranma fully to characters like Happosai and Cologne could be seen as a weird thing to consider given the multiple showings that both elders have the experience and strength to take him down easily. They have never shown the full extent of this power and Ranma has faced them in situations with casual power outputs that he has been able to handle just fine, especially with Cologne’s case.
Cologne leaves residual images and moves in circles around Ranma. -Ranma ½ Nettohen, Episode: 3 (General: 24) 18:40
Cologne attacks Female Ranma with a water vortex, which has a notable size. Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 49
Cologne generates a snow tornado with one of her techniques. -Ranma ½ Nettohen, Episode: 6 (General: 27) 13:07
Happosai, very casually generates a couple of tornadoes which the main group survives. -Ranma ½ Nettohen, Episode: 18 (General: 36), 16:10
Happosai’s bombs have enough potency to blow up a boulder. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 107 (0.155 Tons, Small Building)
Herb
Scaling Ranma to Herb is admittedly weird, considering how superior Herb seemed to be in their fight. Herb’s aura control was definitely a lot better, and if it wasn't for Ranma’s Revised Hiryu Shoten Ha he’d never be able to win.
Homever, it’s important to note Female Ranma managed to survive several attacks from Male Herb, and the latter very blatantly stated that he’s stronger while on male form. And as well, the very same “Soaring Dragon Spirit” is what Herb attacked Ranma with.
So at worst, I’d say it is likely a downscaling since Herb’s aura powers were above Ranma and the latter couldn’t keep fighting for longer.
One of Herb’s attacks, clipped Ranma’s cheeks and proceeded to slice a chunk of terrain. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 254
Herb causes an earthquake across Horai Mountain, which proceeds to crack it in half. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 257 (403 Megatons to 1.96 Petatons, Large City to Continental)
Herb states that his “Soaring Dragon Spirit” is able to cause Horai Mountain to collapse. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 257
The mountain eventually crumbles into pieces, with the characters inside it. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 258
The continental end for this feat, is entirely depending on whether you believe Herb split the mountain all the way to the bottom of earth, Official Translation misses this element and going by it there’s no way to prove it was, but in the old fan translation, the dialogue is more akin to the Original Japanese, where it’s specifically said that “it’s impossible to recover the kettle from bottoms of earth”. Whether this was said by Ranma or Herb, is weird as the dialogue bubble is unclear. Homever, digging in the writing, when referring to “earth”, it actually uses the kanji 地 (Chi) which refers to the ground, if it was actually the planet earth it would be 地球 (Chikyuu).
Lime, one of Herb’s followers was strong enough to hold the closing gap Herb generated with his mountain crack. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 257
Saffron
This is a difficult topic to discuss, across this final arc Saffron’s power seems rather unmatched and super deadly. Especially considering his main weapon, the Kinjankan which can turn people into literal dolls after burning their entire body. Is up to remember that the main reason Ranma survived the Instant Death Annihilation of all Mortals was due Gekkaja’s direct counter to heat, or otherwise he’d be dead.
But there’s a few things to consider, and is that technically Ranma should be physically similar to Saffron. Since the very manga states that Saffron’s biggest weakness was direct hits, we see Ranma kicking his ass in the process and some rocks affecting him. And while you can argue “well, isn’t he then a glass cannon”, Saffron blatantly no-scoffed one of Ranma’s Hiryu Shoten Ha, his very own transformation caused an earthquake across Jusenkyo’s peak and he’s seen engulfed in his very own attacks, even barring the heat that this generates and the resistance he could have, this is impressive in terms of force.
Oh and well, having Ranma react to some of its attacks and engage mid-air combat with Saffron using it, the Kinjakan feats should be used and are fine.
Using Kinjankan’s power, weakened Saffron was able to boil several lakes across Jusenkyo. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 393
Kinjankan can reach Ho-Oh’s mountain peak before evening. In a travel that would cost the protagonists another two days. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 393
Kinjaka is able to travel from China to Moscow in a matter of hours. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 396 (Mach 0.7 to 2.17, Subsonic + to Supersonic)
A weaker follower of his, Kiema was able to travel from China to Japan to steal Akane, in a matter of hours. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 396
Saffron is able to shake the entirety of Ho’Oh’s peak on his incomplete re-awakening. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 403 (109 Kilotons, Large Town Level)
It’s stated to control fire and light, opening a path for some of Ranma’s reactions to his admittedly fast attacks. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 403-406
Instant Death Annihilation of all Mortals, vaporized two mountains in one go. -Ranma 1/2 (Manga): Chapter 406 (1-6 Gigatons, Island Level)
Summary
Ranma is a very very great series, I really enjoyed going through it despite the low moments it had. And despite being such a popular and influential anime/ manga, gotta say is barely talked about on vs community, which I feel is a major disservice for such a fun character to use.
On the tier I give him, with the current calcs I got from my amazing friends Rina and Z1 who I couldn’t thank enough for their major efforts in helping me with them. Ranma should be around Large City (403 Megatons) to Island (6 Gigatons) scaling to Herb and Saffron, and Massively Hypersonic (Mach 914) scaling to Pantyhose Taro.
I have nothing much to say, barring that I am glad I made it this far with the research. And is not going to be the last! More are coming eventually with characters which I love just as equally, finding something worth in the obscure and forgotten series. Until next time!
P.D: Still crying to “Can’t You See Where I’m Coming From”.
Suggested opponents
Inuyasha
Rumiko Takahashi 's most beloved.
This is by far Ranma’s most popular match-up and is undeniable. Both Inuyasha and Ranma ½ have been in a very specific rivalry due being Rumiko’s most known and remembered works from the 90s, being compared in several fanarts and debates across the decades. Inuyasha’s attitude and characterization is blatantly taken from Ranma, like most character dynamics from the former’s series. Both being this male tsunderes with a lot of pride in them, which gets them in conflict with the main girl of the show, highlighting the comedy centered romances. Both are severely affected in life by their other self halves and overcoming the challenges of different crazy antagonists.
While obviously superficial and a huge stomp by Inuyasha’s side, their abilities' interaction is interesting as far as their contrast goes on, with Inuyasha being the brute power house he is with his enormous sword (Tessaiga), Ranma can take advantage of his quick thinking and genius to avoid getting one shotted, and wouldn’t be the first time either to face a swordsman. Inuyasha’s often anger issues can make him a candidate to get hit by Hiryu Shoten Ha as well, using that same brute strength against himself, this would be a match to have Inuyasha think harder than just slicing a couple mountains to win, which to give him credit he wouldn’t get to fall that easy for some of Ranma’s tricks either with his really busted Tessaiga forms or his sense of smell, which can go well against Ranma’s Umi-Sen-Ken. Truly a real death situation to Ranma, more with a physical superiority that he isn’t going to handle at the very end.
Kenichi Shirahama
One of the most solid Ranma ideas.
Ranma and Kenichi both want to become the best in what they do, working hard every day to be stronger, faster and precise. But this wasn’t something they’d do alone, as they found themselves in completely new families, those being Dojo Tendo and Ryozanpaku, specialized not on one or two, but several martial arts. Enemies? Several, but it doesn't matter how strong or threatening, they’ll always stand back. With a single exception, one so miniscule yet bothering enough to turn their wheels in 360, love.
I think it’d be sick for both to focus on their several martial arts, as Kenichi’s are a lot more realistic while Ranma’s get a bit away with creativity. Seeing them both learn from each other and counter their respective techniques with smarts, is definitely a bingo for both.
Baki Hanma
The pinnacle of being ridiculous in a martial arts manga. While a strange idea at first, surprisingly it makes a lot of sense.
Both Baki and Ranma have got it difficult with their not so ideal family, but their persistence and hard training has got them across the most bizarre of situations, to one day reach the top in martial arts. They have a lot of nonsense abilities, being placed against each other make for a great clash due the counters they could create mid fight.
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