2005-12-31 Lovers' tiff

Ever since Akane Tendo tried to drown Ranma Saotome in the bathtub, their relationship has been a bit rocky. But it reaches a turning point in the thirty-second volume of Rumiko Takahashi's "Ranma 1/2," where bean plants, chocolate hearts and spring incense cause new mayhem.

The Tendo dojo has been entrusted with a demon-fighting bean plant, which shoots beans at anyone who looks angry. So now everyone has to look happy -- or else. After that, the principal becomes obsessed with making the students bow to his statue -- and inadvertantly sends dizzy teacher Hinako on a homicidal mission.

Later on, Akane accidently inhales the "Incense of Spring Sleep," has a series of odd dreams about Ranma -- and acts them out. Mousse fears that Shampoo is inflicting an Amazon torture on him, and enlists Ranma and Akane to help defuse her rage. And Valentine's Day rolls around -- will Akane give Ranma chocolate, or will the depressed boy/girl go without?

Finally, Nodoka Saotome takes Ranma and Akane for a shopping trip, resulting in a heated "battle of the bosoms." She also catches a glimpse of her son racing away -- dressed in "Ranko's" clothing. As Ranma tries to salvage the situation, both with Nodoka and Akane, his mother prepares to welcome him home. But meeting his beloved mother might end up killing him...

Though Ranma has lots of suitors, it's pretty obvious that Akane is the only one he wants. Too bad he's too clueless about girls to get on her good side -- after apologizing for mocking Akane's breast size, he asks, "What did I do wrong, anyway?" Wrong question to ask.

Since they are the center of the series, there are quite a few cute moments here. There's Ranma's reaction to chocolate (or lack of it), Akane's dreams about Ranma as a handsome prince, and the mama of them all: Ranma and Akane almost go all the way, after Ranma gets the wrong idea about why Akane dragged him into a dark room.

We also get to see some amusing humour about the supporting characters. Mousse, who normally gets endless abuse from his beloved Shampoo, gets freaked when she starts smiling at him. Hinako goes on a rampage, involving spray paint and wet cement. And that bean plant, which flies around shooting at people, is an inspired idea -- nothing makes you want to get angry like being told you can't.

Bra sizes, bean plants and bowing to the principal cause lots of problems in the thirty-second volume of "Ranma 1/2." But fun as the comedy is, the awkward attraction between Akane and Ranma is what really makes it enjoyable.