Manga Extras
Volume 4
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| The Making of Ranma 1/2, Part 4: Happosai | |
| Translation provided by: Robby Stine of Kanabits |
The strongest and most perverted member of the School of Anything Goes Martial Arts! This time we talk about the inspiration behind Happosai, arguably one of the greatest misfortunes to befall mankind.
Q: Happosai is incredibly strong, but he’s also a massive pervert. How did you come up with such a character?
Takahashi: I thought that if he was going to be so terrible that Ranma and Akane’s fathers would bury and abandon him, he’d have to be someone along those lines. I also wanted the chance to write a story where a creature long sealed away awakens and makes a very yokai-like first appearance.
Q: How is a man as old as Happosai as strong as he is?
Takahashi: Because I think something happens to people as they get older. Like the way nekomata are born. And strong old people are just cool.
Q: Now that you mention it, there are some inexplicably strong old dudes in there series.
Takahashi: Old dudes? Who are you referring to?
Q: You know, like Kuno’s father.
Takahashi: Yeah, I dunno what his deal is.
Q: Soun and Genma are martial artists, so I get that, but…..
Takahashi: There must be something about Hawaii, right?
Q: But moving on, Happosai appears to be amongst the strongest characters in the series.
Takahashi: That’s right. I drew Happosai and Shampoo’s great grandmother thinking it would be nice to have them as these two impenetrable fortresses of sorts. They’ve reached such a ripe age, it only seems appropriate.
Q: Cherry from Urusei Yatsura was like that as well.
Takahashi: Personally, I’m of the opinion that older people need to stay strong.
Q: There are quite a few like that in Kung Fu movies.
Takahashi: The wise Kung Fu masters.
Q: How old is Happosai, exactly?
Takahashi: You know, I’ve never thought about his age much.
Q: He showed up in a flashback scene with Cologne (Shampoo’s great grandmother) where they looked roughly the same age, so that would make him around a hundred or so.
Takahashi: I suppose it would.