Ranma And Akane Ranma is still up in the air, holding Akane and the Gekkaja, and is worried because Akane's eyes have just closed. He decides that he doesn't have enough time, so has to combine his actions.

### double colour page with the cast #### Banner across the pages: Finale with a smile. Title: The last episode - "Ranma and Akane"

The cavern containing the Dragon Tap is now open to the sky and Ranma is high above it, and he throws the Gekkaja down into the slot on the Dragon Tap's head. The Guide then tells Ryöga to turn the Gekkaja.

Ranma plans to use the hot air due to Saffron that is swirling up where Ranma is, and combined with the cold air from his punch, he'll be able to summon the water up to where he is. Ranma tells Akane to live until then, and he builds up energy on his right fist, and prepares to command the dragon to look up at the sky.

Ranma unleashes his Hiryuu Gyouten Ha (Flying Dragon Looking at the Sky Blast) and the tornado curves down at the Dragon Tap. Ryöga has gripped the Gekkaja, when he sees the tip of the tornado coming straight at him, and is rather startled, and Mousse wonders what Ranma is doing with the air.

The tornado curves through the neck of the Dragon Tap in a U-bend, smashing it, and Mousse thinks Ranma's gone mad. However, the head lands on the stump of the neck, and is pointing straight up at the sky, and then water gushes out, straight up at Ranma.

Ranma, who has been turned female by the water, holds doll-Akane into the water, and suddenly Akane's body is restored, and Ranma's holding a completely naked Akane in her arms. However, Akane doesn't react in any way and Ranma realises that she isn't breathing.

Ranma is now sitting on a ledge, now male thanks to a kettle of water, and is holding Akane in his arms, and has put his shirt on her. The others look a little sad about this, and Ryöga in particular.

While Ranma is cradling Akane in his arms, he tells her that this situation is because she always tries to help him with things that aren't her business. Then he calls her a stupid fool (baka yarou), but when he realises what he just said, he punches himself. He then says he was wrong, and he's sorry, and he meant to say 'thank-you'.

He then apologises to Akane again, and says that he's clumsy and can't express his feelings clearly and that he makes her angry and troubled, and he implores her to get up. He adds that he has something to say, and asks if she is listening, but he still gets no response, and Ranma starts to cry - tears fall onto Akane's cheek.

Ranma shouts out Akane's name in anger and sorrow, and he wants to be able to say 'I love you' to her.

Then a hand reaches up and touches Ranma's face, and Akane slowly says his name, and Ranma starts to cry again because Akane is alive. Akane then apologises to Ranma, because while her body was still she heard everything. Ranma is really shocked that she heard what he said, and then he's flattened as Ryöga sits on Ranma, and expresses his happiness that Akane's okay. Akane tells Ryöga she's sorry she worried everyone, and Shampoo calls Akane a resilient girl.

Mousse then overhears Kiima and the old guy referring to Saffron, and Kiima picks up an small ostrich-sized egg - Saffron. The egg breaks open, and out pops a baby Saffron, and when Ranma asks about the 'evil looking baby' Kiima explains that the intense battle exhausted Saffron's energy, and now this happened, and she has also put a pacifier in Saffron's mouth.

The narration explains that there is no reason for fighting, and that the people are returning to Phoenix Mountain, and Ryöga Kiima to raise the baby Saffron to have a better personality this time , while in the background the panda snuggles up to "Shampoo-sama".

Ranma thinks that Saffron will want to transform again some day, and Mousse wonders if Jusendo will be attacked again. However, the battle between Ranma and Saffron has altered how the underground water flows and Phoenix Mountain is now safe to live in, and the place has been quickly remodelled. Kiima, who's still looking after baby-Saffron is happy the battle wasn't for nothing, though Koruma and Masara doesn't look very happy with this because of all the trouble they went to, and they look rather worn out.

Later, it's raining at the legendary training grounds of Jusenkyö, female Ranma is standing in the rain near the Guide's house. She looks happy and says that she had almost forgotten about getting his male-body back for his own sake, that she had only wanted the Jusenkyö water for Akane's sake and that she was becoming indifferent to being half-way male. Akane comes up behind Ranma, and asks if Ranma's just pretending.

The shot widens, and we can see that all the pools have flooded, and the narration says that this is where the tragedy was. The Guide tells Ryöga (who's protected by his umbrella) that with it overflowing it's too perilous now and Ryöga angrily replies that he understands that, and the panda is holding up a sign saying 'DANGER: do not mix' - ie all the curses are mixed up.

Later Shampoo tells the panda to do whatever he likes, and so Genma is back to normal. Then back in Japan, there is a sudden rush, and we see Ranma knocked out, and Soün and Genma are changing his clothes while he's knocked out. When he wakes up Ranma is surprised to find himself in a white suit, and Soün tells a surprised Ranma that it's time for his and Akane's wedding, and Genma adds that it's absolutely not a lie, and Nodoka is crying because Ranma looks so manly.

Ranma then barges into Akane's room, and stops dead, when he sees Akane. She is wearing a western-style wedding dress, and she looks REALLY beautiful, and while Ranma is standing in the doorway, Akane wonders if maybe Japanese clothes would have been better after all. Ranma's heart is beating away, and he's blushing as he tells her that for him anything is cute, and Akane blushes and says she's happy. Ranma is now standing in front of Akane, but they're both unmoving, and can't think of anything to say.

We then see Ryöga walking down a street holding a letter of invitation for the wedding ceremony. He's thinking to himself - he's setting off on a journey, and he hopes that Akane will be happy and he apologises to "Akari-chan" that his gift is not longer in a good enough condition to bring to her.

"Ucchan's" is closed for the day, and Ukyö is making okonomiyaki, and Konatsu is worried about her, and Ukyö is making special celebration modern yaki. Konatsu timidly asks "Ukyö-sama" if it is really okay, and Ukyö replies that she has been thinking for sometime that such a day would come, but the only thing she can do now is to make the okonomiyaki, and Konatsu thinks Ukyö is really strong willed.

The Neko-Hanten is also closed for the day, and Mousse is telling Shampoo that she should resign herself over Ranma, and that he has only ever looked at her. Shampoo has had her back to Mousse all this time, and she turns around with a smile on he face, and says that she understands, and asks him to help her make some celebration niku-man. Mousse ends up expressing his thanks that Shampoo finally understands him to Cologne, who asks Mousse where he is looking.

Back in Akane's room, they're both sitting on the floor and Ranma is fidgeting, and asks her why she is so meek with the wedding ceremony coming up, and Akane responds that it's because Ranma confessed his love for her. Ranma asks her what she's talking about. Akane says that it's because of what happened at Jusendo, and Ranma gets a bit dizzy. He then angrily replies that didn't say it, and Akane angrily counters that he almost said it. Akane then says that they don't have force themselves to have the wedding, but then warns Ranma that he'll be sorry if they don't, which rather surprises Ranma.

Nabiki, who is in a kimono like Kasumi, asks Soün why is he hiding a certain thing from Ranma: Soün has gotten a cask of Nannichuan from the Guide, and Soün's plan is that Ranma can't have the water until he's married Akane. Nabiki realises that this was how he persuaded Akane to agree to the marriage. Soün is then surprised when Genma puts his hand on Soün's shoulder, and says that he is surprised that Soün hid this from Genma until now, and Genma then runs off with the cask.

Ryöga comes through a wall (wondering where he is) and sends Genma and the cask flying. Mousse is annoyed at the disturbance, and wants Ranma and Akane to be married quickly before they change their minds, but then he and Ryöga spot the cask (which has 'Nannichuan' written on it). Ranma has heard about the Nannichuan from Akane, and dashes off, saying she should have told him earlier, and leaves Akane looking rather annoyed.

Then Ranma notices an okonomiyaki and some niku-man coming right at him, and they explode around him. It's Shampoo (in a form hugging outfit) and Ukyö (in a kimono), and Shampoo is upset that she missed her target - Akane, and Konatsu who is clinging to the ceiling is worried about Ukyö. Then Kodachi turns up om a black-rose wedding dress telling her 'husband' Ranma to hang on, and the other two are upset - Ukyö calls her an impudent bitch.

Then Kunö tries to slice Ranma with his sword (metal, not wooden), and says he hasn't given permission for the wedding, and he's holding a fan with 'reject' written on it. Ranma isn't interested in this at the moment. He then slips on a bucket of water, and gets splashed, and Kunö then asks 'osage no onna' to have a double wedding with her, and Akane.

Akane is angry because Nabiki sent out so many invitations, and things have been ruined. Nabiki shows Akane an envelope and explains it's because of this, and Kasumi realises it's because they'll get more gifts this way. Cultural note: it's customary to give money (in decorated envelopes) at weddings/funerals to the couple/deceased's relatives, and later some of this money is used to buy gifts for the guests to thank them for coming, and also to help pay for the occasion.

The other guys are fighting over the Nannichuan cask, and it begins to fall over, and just before Ranma can reach it, Happosai gulps it all down, thinking that it's special sake for the wedding. A bloated Happosai then smashes up the cask, and is upset that it was just plain water. Ranma is upset that everything was drunk, and together with Ryöga, Mousse and Genma try to make Happosai throw up the water - Ranma and Ryöga are pulling Happosai's mouth wide, Genma is holding Happosai's legs, and Mousse is poking a stick up Happosai's mouth. Happosai then uses his Happö Daikarin - *KA-BOOM*

Outside, Hinako-sensei and Ranma and Akane's classmates are all in formal dress, and Hinako is looking forward to the wedding feast. The others are a bit dubious about Ranma and Akane getting married, and Gosunkugi is sobbing, and carrying another of his straw dolls.

When they arrive they find that the döjö's a mess - Hinako is upset the cake's ruined, Kodachi is searching for "Ranma-sama", Kunö gets kicked in the face by Akane after saying he'll have a wedding with her, and Happosai's clinging to Akane's dress, laughing about his young bride, Mousse has mistaken Cologne for Shampoo again, Shampoo and Ukyö are worried about the unconscious Ranma, and Konatsu is stealthily hiding behind Ukyö's word-balloon, Ryöga's depressed, the panda's is rolling around on the floor, Kasumi is impressed at all the activity, and Soün is cursing his back luck.

Also, Nabiki is putting out her hand to Hiroshi (blond haired class-mate of Ranma) asking for money - ie the gift envelopes with money. Technically, this shouldn't goto Nabiki, so she's either just plain stealing it, or setting herself up as the manager of the wedding, and any profit would just happen to become hers - and Nabiki would probably give photos of Akane/female-Ranma to the guys, instead of buying proper gifts to save money.

Later, Soün is sitting down at the table with Ranma and Akane, smoking a cigarette, and in the background the panda's playing with a ball, and Kasumi's taking down the washing. He explains to them that they can't have a wedding now because of the mess from the last one, and Ranma and Akane each blame the other, but without much heat. Cultural note: Before marrying, the couple clear all possible sources of trouble from after the marriage from their private life - relationships with boy/girlfriends, for example.

A literal translation of the narration at the end is: For such reasons [for delaying the wedding], from now on the [game in the] future is on extended time. In other words, Ranma and Akane will marry when all the relationships involving them are (more or less) settled. We then see Ranma and Akane run off to school side by side: 'itte kima-su' "we're off--".

************* THE END *****************