Shampoo

Real Name: Xian Pu

Identity/Class: Human transformed by magic

Occupation: Amazon, waitress

Affiliations: Ranma, Mousse

Enemies: Akane, Ukyou, Kodachi

Known Relatives: Cologne (great-grandmother)

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Neko Hanten Chinese Restaurant, Tokyo, Japan

formerly Joketsuzoku village, China

First Appearance: Ranma Nibunnoichi, Volume 8 (anime)

Powers/Abilities: Shampoo is an extremely adept martial artist - about the only person to better her in combat was Ranma. When exposed to cold water, she transforms into a small, pink furred, cat. The change is reversed by hot water.

History: Shampoo grew up in the Joketsuzoku village in China, a place where Amazonian women fought ritual combats against one another. Tutored by her great-grandmother Cologne, by the time Shampoo was sixteen she was the best martial artist in the village. To prove this she took part in Joketsuzoku's annual contest, taking on all challengers, and easily coming out triumphant. Then she spotted that two strangers were sitting down eating the banquet which was the first prize - a giant panda and a girl her own age (Genma and Ranma). Angered by this affront, Shampoo challenged the girl, only to swiflty lose to Ranma. Bound by the Joketsuzoku scriptures, which stated that if an outsider defeated one of the Amazons, the loser must either kill them (if they are a woman) or marry them (if they are a man), Shampoo gave her opponent the kiss of death, a sign of her vow to kill Ranma, no matter where she ran to.

Ranma and Genma fled across China with Shampoo pursuing them. Eventually the first two made it back to Tokyo, believing they had long since evaded their tracker. However months later Shampoo arrived in Tokyo too, and spotted Genma in his panda form. She followed him back to the Tendo Dojo where he and his offspring were staying, and encountered the male form of Ranma for the first time. Not recognising him, she instead attacked Akane Tendo, believing the girl was hiding her target. Ranma came to Akane's defence, and accidentally knocked Shampoo out. When Shampoo awoke, she immediately declared her love for Ranma and called him husband, much to his and Akane's consternation.

Determined to eliminate her rival for Ranma's affections, she tried to kill Akane, and Ranma had to reveal his curse to stop her. Devastated and unable to decide whether to kill Ranma or marry him, Shampoo returned home to her great-grandmother. Cologne ordered Shampoo to participate in a training session at the nearby cursed springs, as penitence for not killing Ranma. During the training session the sixteen year old was knocked into Maoniichuan, the Spring of Drowned Cat, where 1800 years ago a cat had drowned. Like Ranma and Genma before her, Shampoo became cursed, gaining a second form; that of a small, pink-furred feline. This allowed Shampoo to finally explain to her great-grandmother her dilemma regarding Ranma, and Cologne agreed to allow the girl to return to Japan, and even accompany her. Shampoo was now determined to make Ranma love her, by any means necessary. To pay the bills once they had arrived, Cologne set up a restaurant, the Neko Hanten (Cat Cafe), where Shampoo works as a waitress and delivery girl, all the while trying to eliminate the other women in Ranma's life and win him for herself..

Comments: Created by Rumiko Takahashi. Her voice in the anime is provided by Rei Sakuma.

CLARIFICATIONS: None

Any Additions/Corrections? Please let me know.

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