As promised, I shall take your school's sign.
C-Come back!
The chagrin--!
Martial Arts Calligraphy
"Well done."
Now it is time...
to open my martial-arts calligraphy school in this area.
Soon martial-arts calligraphy will dominate all ofJapan.
Now, I must be off.
But first--
Perfect.
It's gone! Gone! Gone!
Not here!
Or here!
Gone!
If anyone should read it...
it will be the worst shame of Tatewaki Kuno's life!
C'mon, you've got monitor duty!
Slowpoke Akane! Catch me first!
Come back!
Come on, Ranma!
Nyaah! Catch me if you can!
What's this? Can't read it.
Can you read this, Akane?
Who could've written this? It's in cursive style.
It's someone's letter, right?
Allow me...!
"Dear..."
"Dear, dearest Akane, perhaps the soft approaching autumn...
has inspired me to write this note--
No, I'll be frank--this love letter to you."
Hmm, masterful strokes.
Could that be--?
Hey, don't stop.
"Pushing through maple leaves, the deer gasps.
Majestic Fuji looms from beneath the eaves.
It's true that the pigtailed Girl is charming.
Though small, her curvaceous body is difficult to forget."
Hm? Did I hear someone fall?
Keep reading!
Don't rush me!
"But the one I truly need could be you, Akane Tendo.
I love you, Akane Tendo! You I love, Akane Tendo!"
Whatta letter. Who wrote it, anyway?
Who wrote it?
I know. It's an upperclassman whose name begins with "Ku."
Begins with "Ku"?
- "Ku"? - "Ku" who?!
Let's see, the sender is...?
"Day and night, my heart is bursting with love for you.
On long autumn nights--"
Wretch! You dare--?!
You'll pay!
I didn't read it!
I'll punish you!
It wasn't me, I said!
Admit it like a man!
Did you write that letter?
What? Wretch--!
I am Sotatsu Jikei'in...
head of the School of Martial-Arts Calligraphy.
Sotatsu Jikei'in?
Won't you fight me in a match of Martial-Arts Calligraphy?
I've never heard of it.
It's simple.
Defeat me before I can write the character for "ei."
Is that all? It's no problem at all.
Wrong stroke order!
He disappeared!
Kuno disappeared!
Where'd you write it?
Look there.
The chagrin--!
Kuno!
Interestin'. Martial-Arts Calligraphy, you said?
Take me on now!
Then write out your challenge.
Sure!
What? Now Ranma's going to fight him?
What was the character for "challenge," now?
Only those with beautiful penmanship...
are worthy opponents of our school!
You're barely literate! I can't fight you!
Stop! Ya running away?!
"Wanted: Students for School of Martial-Arts Calligraphy."
The School of Martial-Arts Calligraphy?
He wants to open a training hall here without advance notice.
That's a school we've never heard of.
Why does he challenge opponents with the character "ei"?
He probably writes that best.
- Fool! - Why, then?
Tendo will explain.
Me...?
Ranma, the character "ei"...
includes all eight of the basic strokes in calligraphy.
So that's it.
Kasumi and Nabiki have good penmanship, too.
What about you?
A-And Dad wrote the sign for our training hall.
What about your penmanship?
Excuse me!
We've got company!
So this is your house?
Wanna fight me now?
I want a match with the man who wrote the sign outside!
You couldn't have written it!
No, but...
Saotome, quick... A dojo challenger!
Saotome!
Pop...!
"I'm a peace-loving panda"
Panda calligraphy? That's crazy--!
Drat! Farewell!
Hey!
What's with him?
I'll skip that training hall. It has a panda.
Drat, I'm thinking of it again!
Martial-Arts Calligraphy? Never heard of it.
Whoa. Not even the 3,000-year-old Chinese ghoul's heard of it--
Who's a ghoul?
I was only colorin' the conversation!
Great-Grandmother, I finish.
You did?
That's pretty nice.
Penmanship show one's heart.
Bad penmanship show bad person.
You didn't hafta go that far.
If Ranma want better writing, write love letter.
Show beautiful lover's heart to me.
Then writing improve.
Y'think?
It's only natural, Ranma-honey.
Ever since Miyamoto Musashi...
great martial artists have left writings or paintings.
Shouldn't a martial artist excel in both martial and literary arts?
It's no good unless my calligraphy is good?
After all, don't martial arts and calligraphy have the same roots?
The same, huh?
I can't explain it very well. Here, maybe this will cheer you up.
Fight, fight!
Learn Martial-Arts Calligraphy!
Enroll anytime! You'll start with the basics!
Learn Martial-Arts Calligraphy!
Sotatsu, fight me.
I'm finished with you.
Not till I say so! Let's end this!
Ranma!
Scared, Sotatsu?!
You're persistent.
But not worth the trouble.
Shaddap!
Ranma!
Now will ya fight?!
Satisfied now?
Martial-Arts Calligraphy!
Improve your penmanship and build a healthy body!
Martial-Arts Calligraphy!
Darn.
Ranma...!
Teacher, let me enroll!
Teacher, you're wonderful!
Can I improve right away?
The training is very difficult. I never compromise my lessons.
Will you make me practice every day?
If you wish it.
I want to join too!
They love him!
Kissing up--!
He won't beat me!
"Love is so tender-"
How's this?!
- No good! - This?!
- Wasted! Clumsy! - Even this?!
- You call that writing?! - Shaddup!
That's grade-school scribbling!
Just watch!
- Finished! - That's not bad!
Okay!
What's the idea?!
This is ridiculous. I can't be fighting only you.
Look!
They all sent written challenges?
Remember this: Of all martial artists in the world...
you probably have the worst handwriting.
You fail!
Fool!
Train ten years more!
I've had it! Who cares about Martial-Arts Calligraphy!
Don't be such a quitter!
Weren't you proud that you'd never lost to anyone in combat?
That ain't martial arts! It's just calligraphy.
If I gotta practice penmanship, I might as well fight Ryoga!
Ranma!
R-Ranma...!
- Ryoga! - Ryoga!
Pull yourself together, Ryoga!
You didn't --?!
Ranma, Sotatsu's a formidable fighter.
You gotta watch his every move!
Ryoga, did you come just to warn us?
I'm some kinda Mr. Nice Guy.
But where's your written challenge?
You mean this?
You probably made scrawls like a baby...
an' Sotatsu wouldn't even fight you.
It's great.
My handwriting is pretty decent.
Ryoga's handwritin's better than mine!
No...! Does that also mean...
Ryoga's stronger than me?!
The strong hawk never shows his talons, they say.
Ryoga, let's wash you off.
R-Ranma!
I ain't gonna lose! Dammit!
What fighting spirit!
It's because he can't stand being ignored as a fighter...
and because he doesn't want to lose to Ryoga!
Ryoga...?
P-chan! Where've you been?
Damn!
Pardon!
You again? I must say I admire your persistence.
Let's see.
W-Whaddya think?
Very well. I shall grant you a special match.
Honest?!
However, if you should lose, you shall be my student.
Anythin'! The match is all I want!
All right, will you leave now?
I'll be lookin' forward to it!
Yaay!
I couldn't have kept a straight face much longer!
Yay, Ranma!
Go, Master Sotatsu!
Sotatsu Jikei'in of the School of Martial Arts Calligraphy will fight...
Ranma Saotome of the School of Anything-Goes Martial Arts.
Judging this match will be I, the Blue Thunder of Furinkan High...
master of martial and literary arts, Tatewaki Kuno!
Good luck, Master Sotatsu!
Good luck, Ranma!
For our Anything-Goes School, fight!!
This is a single-fall match with no time limit!
The man who fells his opponent and writes the characters first wins!
These are the characters!
Yay! Hiragana!
I'll win, no matter what they are.
Begin!
First, mix the ink...!
Tryin' t' catch me off-guard?!
Darn! Can't find an opening!
You've improved considerably. But not in writing! Take this!
Martial-Arts Calligraphy secret move: Red-Ink Spray!
Good boy, Ranma! That's the way!
Flying Paperweights!
Can'tcha do better than that?!
Ranma-honey sucks!
He have no time to write.
Go, Teacher!
Finish him!
Hey, that hurt. You woke me from a nice nap.
What'm I doing here?
Try as I might, I can't remember.
Yaay, Master Sotatsu! Go!
There, Ranma, right there!
" Right-there" where?
Ranma's fighting!
Fight! Go!
Pretty girls!
Even Akane!
Square-Print Blow!
Come on! Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire!
Atta boy, Ranma!
Hey, just because he's winning--
Here goes!
Kuno!
Sotatsu's such a coward!
Flying Writing-Paper!
Where are ya?! Sotatsu?!
I can't let this chance slip away!
That dirty--!
Hold it!
Out of my way!
Forget it!
Darling, fight!
Get him, Teacher!
Let me win!
You gotta be kiddin'!
What're you two doing?
What're you doing with those big brushes?
Stay out of this, ol' geezer!
Don't be rude to your elders!
Revered Elder, this is a contest in writing the Japanese ABCs.
Japanese ABC?
You don't know how to write?
Ranma, you're in high-school, too. How pitiful.
That's not it!
I'm afraid you misunderstand, sir.
To ask is but a moment's embarrassment.
Not to ask is shame forevermore. I shall teach you.
First stretch arms upward. Straighten and move body softly.
Now I'll write "l" with my butt, so watch carefully.
Like this.
And this.
Got that? I'll do it once more.
Master! The shame of it!
Here's "ro" now.
This one's a little tricky! Like this!
Sorry. He interrupted our important match.
It's hilarious! I've never seen anything funnier!
Ranma! Now's your chance!
Right!
Right. Curve it right there.
Like this?
Good-bye, Teacher.
We're disillusioned.
No! You've got it all wrong!
I did it!
No!
It's this way--!
Look, look.
Here's how to write "ha."
It's all over!
Wanna know how to write the next letter?
Where's judge? Hurry and name winner already.
This match is a draw.