RANMA 1/2: UKYO CAN COOK
Finally! Ukyo's finally getting the props she deserves! I'm so sick of Shampoo and Akane, so BRING ON my okonomiyaki cooking goddess! This episode is the formal introduction of Ukyo and her spatula wielding glory (although her voice actor's in the credits before this episode... Why? Go figure!). Here's a sum up of the 1st episode...
It all begins with Mr. Saotome getting ambushed by a mysterious
individual who claims to be his long lost child, Ukyo.
Akane is walking home from school that day, and overhears this
conversation. Her and Ranma run over only to find Genma
lying unconscious on the ground from shock. As Genma wakes
up, "Ukyo" stands in the shadows and threatens to come
after Ranma next. He chases after "Ukyo" in a fit
of rage, but Genma hold him back and tells him to keep back for
his own good.
Akane takes Ranma to the back of the dojo and tells him what she
heard that night "Ukyo" attacked Genma, and Ranma falls
over in shock. They both believe "Ukyo" is an
illegitimate child left behind by Genma (who'd have thought the
old man had it in him?!). Ranma angrily chases Genma
upstairs and demands to know what's going on, but Genma in panda
form holds a sign that says "It's not what you think!".
The next day at school, a new transfer student, Ukyo Kuonji, is
introduced into Ranma's class, cooking okonomiyaki to all the
students in the class. Ranma recognizes him from his
childhood as Okonomiyaki Ucchan. Ukyo and his father ran an
okonmiyaki stand back when Ranma was on his training
journey. It is revealed that Genma took off with the family
business to take Ukyo off of his dad's hands, but left Ukyo
behind. Ranma just wants to be friends with Ukyo, but he
challenges Ranma to a fight behind the gym after school.
He challenges Ranma to a Anything-Goes-Okonomiyaki match in a
ring surrounded by a piping hot cooking surface! Ukyo
attacks Ranma with all kinds of food and kitchen utensils, but
Ranma ends up winning by using her own noodle ropes against
her. Ukyo dashes away with Ranma hot in pursuit. He
grabs Ukyo's spatula and rips his shirt. Ukyo hold his
shirt together and jumps up a tree. Ranma and Ukyo fall
over into a storage room and when they land, Ranma grabs
Ukyo's.... BREASTS!
Ranma then discovers that Ukyo's a girl (How could you NOT tell
earlier in this episode!), and the others run in with Genma about
to tell him something surprising... Ukyo is his
FIANCEE'!!! Naturally, Akane gets pissed and the other
girls beat up Genma and Ranma for mistreating Ukyo. Ranma
gets away though and outside, he fixes Ukyo's spatula and tells
her she can beat him up for all that he's done.
Unfortuantely, Ukyo's pretty serious and she tries to whomp him
good. Ranma dashes away and distracts Ukyo by telling her
she's cute. Ukyo gets flustered and shys away. Akane
pops in, like she always does, and tells Ranma what a
"Cute" fiancee' he has (Read: Sarcastic!).
Ukyo quickly bakes Ranma okonimiyaki with a heart (with a grill
that came out of NOWHERE!) and tosses it to him. Ranma
anxiously laughs and asks Akane if she wants some
Okonimiyaki... Of couse, it's Akane: She shoves it in
his face and walks off.
What do I rank this
movie on a scale of 5? 1 being Otakrap, 5 being Must See (and/or
must buy!) 
Although I
love Ukyo and her astounding cooking skills, I'm just getting
tired of the Ranma series. This is one of the better tapes
in the better series. Viva la Ucchan!
This however is one of my favorite series so farbecause all my
faves are introduced in the Hard Battle Series (Ukyo, Tsubasa,
Sasuke ((...Who in ALL rights should be Gosunkugi!!!!) and
others.)
---Hiruna