First, a diversion:
> From: whuang@cco.caltech.edu (Wei-Hwa Huang)
> Subject: Re: Trivia
> 
> Incidentally, it's in this book that another character besides Genma 
> holds up signs instead of speaking...

Is this when Ranma has a fight with Genma, when he's trying to give him
lunch?  You know, that scene where Genma whacks him with a sign: "Hey! 
Answer me when I talk to you!"  Ranma counterwhacks with a sign(s):
"Idiot!  How can I hear you?" 

'Cause otherwise, I dunno when anybody else ever used a sign.

=========
I have been reading Volume 32 of the Ranma 1/2 manga since a few days ago. 
I've seen the discussion on this, and it's been pretty abstract, so I'd
thought the synopses should get a little more specific.  For those of you
that still don't have it, a few spoilers, and, for those that do, some
questions.  As always, any corrections on my info is welcome.  Y'know, I 
really should start learning some Japanese.

FIRST STORY:
   Rouge, a Chinese girl is introduced.  "Rouge", as in, "makeup".  I
noticed that Takahashi like to name all Chinese people, with maybe the
exception of Tarou, with an interesting English sounding name.  Too bad
she didn't use this pun on the Pink and Link story.  Would've been funnier
to have "Rouge" and "Blush" as the twins, IMSO.  [S = stupid]. 
   This story is pretty weird, as it concentrates more on fighting than 
story.  I didn't like it, but Rouge, in her normal form, is sexy, IMSO.  
   Rouge and Tarou apparently met in China somewhere, in a bad way.  Tarou 
was off practicing with dumbells, when they suddenly developed cracks.

--Is this because of heat?  I'm assuming that it is.

Anyway, when Tarou went to investigate, he found a naked Rouge bathing. 
Naturally, Rogue proceeded in hurling every object she could grab at him. 
For some reason or another, Tarou has a deep resentment for Rogue, and I
think it goes beyond the fact that she beat him silly during the bath
scene. 

--Why does Tarou want to beat up Rouge so badly?
--And what's that name that she keeps calling Tarou?  Something with the
katakana words "gasu" in front of it. 

   Anyway, Rouge is Jusenkyou cursed, and she turns into a six-armed,
three-faced (NOT three heads), fire-breathing entity.
   Stupid culture note: This is similar to the Buddhist god, Atavakah.  I
think Atavakah may be the same as Shiva.  If you play the games Pocky and
Rocky 2 (Kiki Kaikai 2) or Samurai Shodown 2 (Shin Samurai Spirits), then
I'll show you where you can find him. 
   This is, by far, the nastiest Jusenkyou curse that Takahashi has made
yet.  In this form, she can fly, surround herself in flames, and project
fire REALLY far from either her hands or her mouth(s). 
   Surprisingly enough, Tarou doesn't use his ink-shooting power in this
story.  That's actually a pretty annoying power of his, so I dunno why
he didn't.
   Well, this story had a lame ending, but it looks like the main point of
the story is that Rouge wants some medicine patches which Tarou has. 
Tarou calls them "Sakura no minamoto" which apparently allows the user to
resist heat. 

--Can somebody tell me what the hell they are?  I didn't understand the 
whole bit at all.
--And just why are they attracted to a frying pan?


SECOND STORY:   
   Asuka, the White Lily.  Kodachi, the Black Rose, had a rival with this
person (how appropriate).  Anyway, they are both pretty vain, and they had
a challenge 10 years ago on who could get the better-looking date.  Both
of them got their "boyfriends" via force, of course.  So the two of them
proceed to trash each other's dates using exploding flowers in order to
win.  I can only assume that it ends in a draw (or Kodachi won), and they
agree to a rematch 10 years from now (present). 
   Well, naturally, Kodachi asks Ranma to be her date, and you can guess
how he feels about it.  Akane obviously goes along with Ranma's feelings. 
Asuka arrives, hearing about Ranma being her suitor, and proceeds to trash
him via dirty tricks.  Asuka says to Akane to the effect: "Well, I thought
that I was at least going to be CHALLENGED by Kodachi!  This guy is a
loser!"  Naturally, Akane doesn't like to hear how her future husband is
plain looking, so she virtually ORDERS Ranma to date Kodachi. 
   Ranma gets beat up in this story so many times, that it's not even
funny.  It's about as bad as the Rouge story.  Remember, the best-looking
date wins, so Asuka sends everything she has at Ranma, including exploding
white lilies, bear claw-traps, and a stampede of cattle.
   Anyway, when the time for Asuka's date to reveal himself, both Akane
and Kodachi quite literally fall to their knees before him, because he is
so studly.  Ranma: "Oi!" (Hey!).  It turns out that Kameo-san is actually
dating somebody else, Tsuroko-san, so Asuka technically doesn't have a
date.  Theoretically, Ranma wins by default, but both Asuka and Kodachi
agree for a rematch 5 years from now.  Later, Ranma yells at Akane for
selling him out like that.  Akane is obviously amused. 


FINAL STORY:
   The dougi story.  It's an outfit which grants the wearer unbelievable
power.  Of course, the dougi is a sentinent creature, and won't allow just
anybody to wear it.  Akane turns out to be the one the dougi likes, and
she can wail on Ranma pretty bad when she wears it. 
   The suit is obviously masculine, as it likes to watch female idol
singers on TV, cut out picutes(tm) from Happousai's "Girls" magazine, and
peep in on Akane when she's bathing.  Akane isn't aware of this, but Ranma
burns in jealousy when she appears to favor the suit more than him.  (Not 
to mention the damage to his ego when she wails his butt).
   This story's ending has been discussed on this M.L., but I noticed 
that a few details are left out.
   Again, Ranma gets trounced on this one REALLY bad repeatedly, like in
all the stories in this volume.  Perhaps this explains why Ranma is in
bandages for the manga cover. 
   You'll see this story translated soon, I think.  (Shameless plug  ^_^)

BAKABAKABAKABAKABAKABAKABAKABAKABAKABAKABAKABAKABAKABAKABAKABAKABAKABAKA
      Kevin Lew -- "The Lai-Lai Boy"  (Tendou Kasumi no Iinazuke)
   Ranma 1/2 Stupid Help Desk and Other Stupid Spam E-mail Addresses:
               ra1628@email.sps.mot.com (Stupid Account)
               kasumi@eden.com     (Less Stupid Account)

SOME OF MY FAVORITE NON-QUOTES:
   Hey!  Future Ranma stories, as heard on the rec.arts.manga "Why I hate
Ranma" topics.  The volume numbers are guesses, and I've also paraphrased
the comments (NOT exact quotes, albeit close): 
   Volume 33 -- Alex Wong:  [Takahashi] tried to do something different. 
You get to see Kasumi get angry.  Still, not very interesting.
   Volume 34 -- (I forgot):  Hey, did you see that Ukyou has a new 
boyfriend?  [Ed. note: I have no details, other than he is into Takoyaki 
Style Martial Arts, I think].
   Volume 35 -- Iain Sinclair:  Speaking of drag-on manga...  Takahashi
has finally exceeded her 'personal best' of 34 volumes, so maybe it will
end soon, keeping what little dignity it has left.  The newest story has
Ranma meeting his mother finally.  He was wearing a sera-fuku at the time.