I face each summer with a heavy heart.
As a result of our impartial lottery...
Akane Tendo will represent our class in the school swim meet!
Yay, Akane.
You're the best in the school. You'll win, won't you?
Of course! Leave it to me!
That idiot, pretendin' like that...!
Ya can't swim. Tell them no.
It's too late now.
Good grief! This is no time to be stubborn!
Akane Tendo is putting on a swimsuit for me?!
And a high-cut swimsuit, no less?!
Oh, how very much you must...
love meeeee?!!
Pompous clod!
Forget about it, Akane. Don't you sink like an iron hammer?
I'll swim in your place.
Go on and let her, Akane.
Ucchan's sure to win.
How can a hammer swim, anyway?
The only thing a hammer's good for is carpentry work!
Good one!
I'm entering that swim meet!
In Lane 3, Akane Tendo!
I went and said I was going to enter. What'll I do?
Miss Akane Tendo! Don't do dat!
Mr. Principal!
T'ink it ovah!
Help!!
Help! I'm drowning...!
Oh, my god! I wuz too late!
Akane!
Akane, you okay?!
No t'row your life away! How come you try drown yourself?
You pushed me in!!
Oh, Miss Akane! You no can swim?!
Dat's pitiful!
Furinkan High have rule dat say non-swimmers cannot graduate!
Cruel rule, you know.
Didn' you just now...
BASH
make up that stupid rule?!
Oh! Inspiration!
I goin' teach you how ta swim!
Isn't that nice, Akane?
They won't call you "Hammer" this year.
"Glad to hear it."
Isn't the principal gonna teach you Hawaiian-style swimming?
That's great, Akane.
I'll make it! Just watch.
Right, Ranma?
Whyd'ya agree to let that whacko train you?
Because--
Because I'm desperate to learn how to swim.
Every time summer rolled around...
I felt miserable.
At the beach or pool, even if I put on a new swimsuit...
I only felt empty!!
I know how you feel.
Not even a new swimsuit...
can help that figure of yours.
STOMP
That's not it!!
I swear on that star!!
This year I'm going to learn how to swim!!
I'm going to win the swim meet!!
Shouldn't ya let Ucchan take over, after all?
Ranma, don't you try to stop me!
I'm doing it, even if I have to cling to a rock!
A rock...?
The Tales of Ise begins with "Once there was a man--"
Hey! We're in the middle of a class!
Ask my permission first! Make way!
Want a photo of Akane in her swimsuit?
Only a limited number, ¥1,000 each.
I'll take them!
Lemme buy one, too!
Quit it!
This'll earn me plenty as a summer job.
-- Akane's coming! -- At long last!
Wow! She actually is clingin' to a rock!
What kind of training is that?
Miss Akane, get in da pool.
Hey, how'm I supposed to swim like this?!
Trying makes all t'ings possible. Try, try again.
Whup! I almost forget Hawaii specialty. Kamehameha, please.
What the heck was that?
Oo! Ignorant girl. Here ees lesson.
Bonito shark (Isurus glaucus). Length, 7 meters.
Inhabits warm waters. Flesh used for fish cake.
Unnerstan' now?
I wanna know why it's in the pool!!
My friend Kamehameha want fo' play.
-- I'm leaving. -- Just a minute!
You wan' be Hammer Girl all yo' life?
Peoples in Hawaii learn fo' swim wit' rock on da back...
an' shark chasin' 'um!
-- What a lotta bull. -- Don't listen to him, Akane.
Wow! People in Hawaii are awesome!
Mr. Principal!
You unnerstan' now, Miss Akane?
BOOT
Show me how!
-- Principal! -- So he's shark bait?
-- He ain't comin' up. -- What if he drowned?
-- Well, let's go. -- That was pretty cool.
Oh, no!
I've got to save him!!
Idiot! She'll sink like a rock!
What's the idea?!
You scared me silly!
Akane!
Ranma Honey!
If you jump in, you'll turn into a girl!
I forgot all about that!
Miss Akane!
I knew you wuz goin' try save me!
Now time fo' train. Come on heah, Mr. Shark.
You dirty--!
All right!
Quit it!
'Ey you, Ranma Saotome!
Ranma--!
No interfere wit' training!
How can this idiotic training help this Hammer Girl to swim?!
Miss Akane be great swimmah, for sure!
No way in hell! She's a clumsy klutz!
She can, she can, she can.
No way, no way, no way!!
FWIP
Ranma Honey!
That was close!
Mr. Principal!
I'll keep trying!
Oh! Nevah geev up! Resume wit' training!
Stop!!
What's with that get-up?
This westernized swimming isn't right for Akane Tendo.
In 1605, at the Battle of Sekigahara...
the enemy's swimming skills crushed Mitsunari Ishida's army.
Tacchi! Dis not history class now!
I'm not Tacchi, I say!
Look here!
Swimming is neither recreation nor a sport for good health!
It is a military art, born out of years of warfare!
Watch! Here's the Kuno Art of Swimming!
Lame!!
That's the Kuno Art of Swimming?
Come, Akane Tendo! Try it!
How can I try that?!
Now, Akane Tendo, let's not be stubborn.
In order to be my bride, you must learn this!
I'm not marrying you!
-- He woke up! -- Stubborn pest!
Help!!
Help!
Help! Somebody! Help!
Oh, Akane Tendo!
The day has come when you finally need my help!
Bug off!!
Hawaiian coconut tree!
WHAM
Ranma!
Vile beast!!
Wha--?! This is no match for his pearly teeth?!
Tacchi! Use this!
Right!
Nice, nice!
This is no porpoise show!
My, how you cling to me--!
Ho, Kuno's pretty fast.
I can't go out like this.
But I need AIR!
I always enjoy doing this.
A close call, wasn't it?
Yeah. I owe you one.
Shouldn't you give it up?
I've got to swim!
Akane, your trainin's only gettin' people hurt.
I want to swim!
Mr. Principal, please train me hard!
Good girl, Miss Akane!
Great Swimmah Training, Lesson 1--!
Da Swan Project!
Swan?!
Gliding across the water like a swan!
That's impossible for a hammer girl like you!
Now here special swimmah training suit I spend all night making!
You made this just for me?
Yes! Wit' dis suit, you be jus' like da swan!
Mr. Principal...!
Does this thing...
BLAM
look like a SWAN?!
You're making fun of me!!
No, no, you no understan', Miss Akane!
Forget it! Let go!
His fingers are toast!
He worked so hard for my sake!
I work all night to make swimsuit. No matter how sore needle--
Mr. Principal!
You unnerstan'?
That's what he took all night to make?!
Too stupid. Forget it.
Okonomiyaki! ¥300!
Stand in line!
Mr. Principal!
Miss Akane!
Let's begin!
Akane!!
Principal! What kinda training suit is that?!
She's drownin'!
Look!
Switch on!
My legs're moving!
Though the swan glides effortlessly above water--!
Underwater, its legs are churning!
Yes!
Miss Akane is dat very swan now!
But--
Her legs are churning above the water.
Can't breathe!
How can I save her?
Rent a polar bear suit. Only ¥300!
Air!
I was only tryin' to help.
Then be serious about it!
Anyhow, now you're ready to give up, right?
Not by a long shot!
Who are you?
"Just a passing polar bear..."
Transferee?
Mr. Principal! Please help me! Please proceed to Lesson 2!
Oh! Good girl, Miss Akane!
Here Great Swimmah Training Lesson 2--
Mermaid Project!
"Mustard"?
Idiot! It's the "Little Mermaid."
How romantic!
Let's begin.
Switch 'um on!
Lookin' good!
"How is that any different from the Swan Project!?"
Watch till da end!
Now you not drown. No be scared. Swim.
Yessir!
No, no, no! No, nooo!
Oh, no!
-- He was askin' for it. -- But this is harsh.
Where is Akane?!
She's underwater! Rats!
Akane!
I'm coming, too!
You wake up, Miss Akane?
What happened?
I'm sorry.
Mr. Principal!
I couldn' even help one girl who need da help!
Was the principal serious about trainin' Akane?
Mr. Principal, it's all right.
Miss Akane...!
Ukyo, take my place in the swim meet, okay?
Akane--!
I'm not going to live on a boat.
And I'll survive when a tsunami hits.
I'll just run to the hills.
I'm pretty fast.
Miss Akane--!
Thank you for everything!
Miss Akane, come back!
I wanted to swim so badly! Like a swan!
Ranma!
Ya really wanna end like this, Akane?
But--
After all--
I just can't--!
Weakling! You wanna run away a loser?!
Ranma Honey's right.
You mustn't give up.
We'll all help ya.
Let's go for it.
Guys--!
Youth, she spring eternal!
Mr. Principal!
Miss Akane, we do Lesson 3!
Yes, sir!
I have secret plan fo' make any kine Hammer Girl good swimmah!
There's such a powerful plan?!
Use dis!
-- This is-- -- Inflatable tube, yeah?
Let's begin!
Go, Akane!!
Oh, my god! I geev up!
Maybe she'll never learn.
Could her head be too heavy?
She's got a great kick, though.
That's IT!
Furinkan High School Swim Meet
Now for the girls' 50-meter freestyle race!
In Lane 1, representing Class 1-F, Akane Tendo!
Isn't Akane wearing such beautiful tubes?
Well, I suppose they are beautiful, in a way.
"Good luck, Akane!"
Ranma, can she really win like that?
Probably--!
C'mon, Akane!
Akane Tendo is a non-swimmer! She's wearing four inflatable tubes!
But they're slowing her down!
The other challengers are dead even!
But here comes Akane Tendo, pulling away!
She's pulling away from the rest of the pack!
Making the turn didn't slow her down!
Akane Tendo is forging ahead!
Miss Akane, you one great swimmah!
She churns her way to a miraculous win!
Akane Tendo wins!!
She did it!
"You did it, Akane!"
You were wonderful, Akane.
I guess strange things do happen, after all.
I can swim!
I'm no Hammer Girl anymore!