Kunou

Real Name: Kunou Tatewaki

Identity/Class: Normal human

Occupation: School pupil, kendo champion

Affiliations: Captain of Furinkan High School's Kendo Club

Known Relatives: Kocho Kunou (father), Kodachi Kunou (sister)

Aliases: Aoi Ikazuchi (his own nickname for himself - translates as "Blue Thunder"), Tachi (his father's name for him),Upperclassman Kuno, "Shooting Star" (his former nickname for himself)

Base of Operations: Furinkan High School, Tokyo, Japan

First Appearance: Ranma Nibunnoichi, Vol. 1 (Anime)

Powers/Abilities: Kunou is highly adept at Kendo, the art of Japanese sword fighting. He never goes anywhere without his wooden "bokken" training sword. His biggest weakness is his own ego, as he continually over-estimates his own abilities.

History: Tatekawi Kunou comes from a long line of samurai (or so he claims), and tries to carry himself as a worthy successor of same, dressing in traditional samurai garb and speaking in poetic phrases (which he often garbles). The seventeen year-old son of the Principal of Furinkan High, and captain of the school's Kendo team, he goes through life with an arrogant self-assurance that he is always right, and should always have anything he desires. When he decided that one of those things he desired was Akane Tendou, he announced to the school that anyone who wished to date her would first have to defeat her in combat. He knew that Akane was the daughter of a top martial artist, and thus believed that no one else but he would be able to beat her; it never occurred to him to ask Akane's opinion in all of this. As a result of his proclamation, every morning on her way to school Akane fights (and defeats) dozens of would-be suitors (Kunou among them) from the moment she enters the school grounds to the point where she reaches the front door. In spite of repeatedly failing to win a fight with her, the stubborn Kunou has never given up. His desire isn't helped by the fact that Akane's own sister, the somewhat mercenary Nabiki, fanned the flames by selling him sexy photos of her younger sibling.

Failing to win Akane only served to increase Kunou's desire for her, unused as he was to being denied, and so he was enraged when he discovered that Akane had a fiancee, Ranma Saotome. Kunou immediately challenged his rival to a duel, but in the middle of the fight Ranma appeared to vanish and be replaced by a pig-tailed girl, who then knocked Kunou out. Kunou, of course, decided that he was now in love with this new challenge. Subtle (and not-so-subtle) hints that the girl was actually Ranma simply went over his head, though he did manage to grasp that his rival was somehow connected not to one, but both of the women he lusts after, increasing Kunou's hatred for his foe. The fickle Kunou insists he cannot choose between either of his loves, and Nabiki has adapted to this to make twice as much money bu now selling him photos of both girls.

Comments:Created by Rumiko Takahashi. His voice in the anime is provided by Hirotaka Suzuoki.

CLARIFICATIONS: None

Any Additions/Corrections? Please let me know.

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