Ranma Saotome, 16. High school student, 10th grade.
Akane Tendo, also 16. High school student, 10th grade.
Nabiki Tendo, 17. High school student, 11th grade.
Kasumi Tendo, 19. Homemaker.
Soun Tendo, in his 40s. Owner, Tendo Training Hall.
Genma Saotome, in his 40s. Freeloader.
Happosai, approx. 400 years old. Also freeloader.
These are the main characters in our drama.
Hey, Kasumi! You're just in time!
Hello.
We got some fresh octopus in. Buy some?
I'll take the six-pack.
Thank you!
-- And one extra for a pretty girl. -- Oh, my.
TAKOYAKI
Oh?
Coming.
Yes, goodbye.
Thus began the most difficult mystery ever to face the Tendos--
The Aonori (Seaweed) Case.
This is the reason that I have summoned all of you here today--
The present and future trust...
among Tendo family members and our freeloaders is threatened.
A serious and critical incident has occurred.
Someone has eaten all of the takoyaki...
which Kasumi had bought for our family.
Let's hear the circumstantial evidence...
from Kasumi, who discovered the crime.
A-All right.
After speaking on the phone for three minutes...
I returned to the kitchen and found the empty takoyaki box.
And the back door, which I had closed, was open.
Also, a glass was tipped over on the table, dripping water onto the floor.
It could have been the work of a burglar.
But first, I must ask everyone:
If any of you did this thing, please come forth.
Um--
I didn't see him eating it, but I did see Ranma in the kitchen.
S-So what?! Are ya sayin' I ate the takoyaki?!
Now, now, Ranma.
Let's have Nabiki tell us what she saw, and we'll all think about it.
Fine! Tell us!
When I came home from buying a sports drink--
Ranma?
Why was Ranma in such a hurry?
Huh?
I see.
I was only drinkin' water in the kitchen!
Were you, really?
Okay, then. Why'd you come in from the back door?
Isn't there something more important to consider?
Wh-What?
Why'd you run off in such a hurry?
Anyhow--! When I got there, there wasn't one takoyaki left!
This is what could have happened--
Takoyaki?!
An empty takoyaki box?! They're all gone!
That's what could've happened.
-- Is that true, Nabiki? -- Naive as usual.
-- Always save your trump card for last. -- Huh?
What do you mean by that, Nabiki?
Out with it! What's this trump card?!
You see, deductive reasoning arises from physical evidence.
Here is that physical evidence.
-- What's that? -- Open it up.
Oh! It's the wrapper that was around the takoyaki box!
Where did you get that?!
Here's what I deduce.
Ranma got thirsty and came to drink some water. However--
Takoyaki! What luck!
That was great!
But I wish I had more.
I know! A girl's stomach would be smaller, and I'd feel fuller.
There! Gee, I'm smart.
Ranma! You lowdown--!
Wait a minute! Why should that piece of paper incriminate me?!
I see. Ranma never thinks ahead.
It's very plausible.
Hey--! You act like I'm really stupid!
For shame! You came back to the training hall as a girl! Confess!
I didn't wanna tell ya, but since you all suspect me, I guess I gotta.
I saw it.
What did you see, Ranma?
I saw it.
In the middle of training, I used the toilet and took a cold shower. After that--
Akane!
What awful manners. Huh?
What's this?
Rubber band?
And that's when Nabiki saw you from the doorway, right?
Hey...!
You're saying I'm the guilty one?
Ee! I only told ya what I saw--!
By the way, why were you in such a hurry?
I... I always move fast.
Akane, that's why people get mistaken ideas about you!
Da-a-d! You're not on Ranma's side, are you?!
No--! I'm just taking a father's impartial stance--!
Soun! You can't act completely innocent, either.
Huh?!
Dad--?!
It happened when I was researching a martial art technique in my room.
After Kasumi answer the phone I heard a suspicious sound from the kitchen.
Who's that?
A toothpick that lay in the wake of Soun's departure...
smelled strongly of the crime.
But Gramps, that's the kitchen.
What's so strange about a toothpick on the floor?
You fool! Look closely!
Aonori!
This is always used on takoyaki! It's not takoyaki without it!
If there's seaweed on the toothpick--
The toothpick was used by the thief who ate the takoyaki!
I don't want to believe that Soun, the master of the house, did it.
However, there's no disputing this physical evidence.
It wasn't me! It wasn't! Please believe me!
So who really did it, then?
-- Huh? -- What's wrong?
Look at Grandfather Happosai's lips.
On Grandfather Happosai's lips--
Aonori!
Hah?!
N-No! You're making a mistake!
Get him!!
Untie me! I'm just a weak, old man!
He acted so high and mighty, too!
It was Grandfather Happosai all along, wasn't it?
Creep! You lying letch!
I'm sorry, Master.
But now that seaweed has been discovered on your lips...
please do the right thing and admit to your crime.
Should we string 'im up in a tree for a while?
W-Wait, Ranma. Hear me out.
-- Don't be a sore loser! -- Please...!
Let him talk. It might be fun to see what he says.
That's right, Ranma. We shouldn't be cruel to him.
Grandfather Happosai seems to have admitted doing it.
-- Please listen to me! -- Okay. Explain, then.
It happened when I was young.
The village storyteller told the legend of the Seaweed Thief...
The so-called Aonori Legend.
"Aonori Legend"--?!
He ate people's takoyaki, yakisoba, tokoroten... even okonomiyaki.
Any and every food with aonori on it!
Ooh! Scary!
Moreover, the scoundrel would do something even more dastardly...
He smeared aonori on his victims as they slept to incriminate them!
A truly fearsome specter!
But not a single person ever saw the monster.
This incident must also be the work of the Aonori Thie--
That happened hundreds of years ago!
You're the only monster we need to see!
Akane, you're cruel...!
How sad!
The master we so revered, trying to protect himself with such lies--!
Through my tears, I, Genma Saotome, will punish you out of love--!
-- No! Not that!! -- You Peeping Tom--!
-- Oh, my. -- Hey, wait a minute, Mr. Saotome.
Don't stop me, Nabiki!
It's sad, but a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do!
That's not what I mean. What's that on your face?
Hey, Pop! Look this way.
-- Ranma--! -- Why, you--!
Pop was in cahoots with the ol' freak.
Not Mr. Saotome, too!
The shame of it! Sure, it always happens.
But is this where the Anything-Goes School of Martial Arts is headed?!
Master and student! After eating the takoyaki...
they tried to blame it on a monster and on me!!
What am I to believe in anymore?!
Ranma, you lack training.
What?!
It's only seaweed stuck on my teeth. What does that prove?
You dirty--! You were so anxious to blame it on the ol' freak!
I'll tell you about it, Ranma.
I'll tell everyone here of the horrible legend that no one knows.
The monster ate takoyaki, yakisoba, tokoroten, okonomiyaki.
Any and every food with aonori on it!
Ooh. Scary.
And he did an even more despicable thing...
He wiped aonori onto the teeth of his victims as they slept.
To incriminate them! It was truly a frightful monster.
This is the Legend of the Aonori Goblin!
Scared?
THWAK!
That's no different from what ol' Happosai said!!
Don't make up stories!
Honestly! You're the lowest.
Intruder! Come out!
Stop!
Who're you?! Show yourself!
Sasuke?!
Akane, you were magnificent!
You're the spy for the Kunos!
Why were you hiding in the ceiling?!
Sasuke, was it you?!
No! I only--!
Master!
-- What is it? -- I found this in the kitchen.
-- What?! -- This is--!
Sasuke!
Wh-What is it?!
You could not deceive my eyes.
Your crime has been revealed at last.
Bow down!!
Down, varlet! Can you not see this crest?!
That chopstick case--!
It bears the crest of the Kuno family!
This chopstick case is irrefutable proof that you had stolen into the kitchen!
The thief who ate the takoyaki has been found!
So-san, Gen-san, teach him a lesson!
P-Please wait, Lord Komon!
I know nothing about this--!
On your knees!
Raise your head, Sasuke. Though you are a spy for the Kuno house...
you ate all the takoyaki belonging to the Tendo house...
creating havoc among its members!
What are you talking about?!
Are you attempting to evade the issue?!
By no means!
Then do you also deny that you were nearly discovered in the kitchen?
I know nothing of the sort.
Cut the act!! Even if you say you've forgotten...
this red pigtail remembers!
You're-- The Pigtailed Girl!!
Well?
I remember--
It's the Pigtailed Girl!
My hours of waiting here have been rewarded.
Who's there?!
Do ya still deny yer crime?!
I-I'm no thief! Please listen to my story! I won't try to run!
Well said. Come, everyone. Let us hear him out.
I was watching all of you from inside the ceiling.
Huh?
Here are photographs which conclusively identify the thieves!
Please inspect them.
What do you think, sir?
O-O-kay! We had enough fun already!
My shoulders're stiff from all that talkin'. Pound, pound.
I quit, too.
-- You "quit"? Hey, you can't--! -- Nabiki! Wait!
I'm going to the department store tomorrow. Need anything?
I know, Saotome! How about a game of shogi in the hall?
-- Yes, I suppose so. Why not? -- No sneezing this time, please.
-- Do I do that? -- All the time!
Oh yes! I must perfect my Anything-Goes martial arts skills!
That's right, that's right!
But what about the takoyaki incident--?! Kasumi! Here!
I have one more photograph as evidence.
Oh dear, oh dear. It's almost time for dinner.
Don't you even care...?! Miss Kasumi--!
Hello?! Somebody, look at the photographs I took!
Everyone, please look here!
These photographs are evidence!
We didn't get to eat the takoyaki, did we?
I was dyin' for some, too.