Who told Nodoka where her husband and son were?

[LawOhki]

Um... Wouldn't that mean that...

It'd probably mean what I said it would mean. That Nodoka heard about Ranma because he's a rather public figure and tracked down the Tendo's to find out if the rumors were true.

...this wouldn't apply, since some time and events would have to happen in order for enough duels and such to occur, that would make it possible for people to be talking about him?

Yes but Nodoka could have shown up early, say after the fight with the Golden pair, and her finding out about the curse could have happened as soon as the Ukyo introduction arc was done. The point is that many chapters and arcs can be easily moved around without affecting the "plot" at all. So just because Nodoka doesn't show up to volume 22 doesn't mean she did chronologically.

So he has thoughts about having a mother a day or more after it's brought to his attention, rather than later that same day? O.o;

Ranma could have been thinking about it for a week+ for all the information is given between the two scenes.

[Zwzn]

I always assumed she heard something about a Ranma Saotome had a martial arts match with Kodachi, and the ice skating match, and noticed the name Tendo, and then checked for dojos in the area.

- Since there's no single timeline and no times passes between story arcs so Nodoka could have shown up shortly after Genma/Ranma had arrived at the Tendos without breaking any of the other story arcs.

If I'm misunderstanding something please try to explain.

It's rather heavily implied time passes between story lines, and stuff is happening that is not shown. Some story lines out right say Ranma was bedridden or at least expected to be for weeks or months. Even if you assume that was the minimum amount of time for a normal person to recover that still leaves Ranma in a full body cast for a day or two at least. We also know Ryoga was ambushing Ranma a lot, but we only see it once. Ranma's life is not just one misadventure after another. It isn't hard to believe nothing note worthy happened in that time.

If Nodoka had come to the Tendo's before she appears in the series someone would have known who she was..

- Ranma is rather well known in the area due to the martial arts duels and such. Nodoka lives near enough by that she could have overheard someone talking about Ranma and went from there. I'm not sure on the exact translation but she does talk about a rumor that Ranma and Genma were at the Tendos, so she didn't truly know they were there but was looking for information.

I don't think Ranma is very well known at all outside of the school. The people who show-up to his fights are class/schoolmates, and a lot of Ranma's fights take place far away from the Dojo with only a handful of people there who we at least have no reason to even try to contact Nodoka.

At most people on the street know his face, but nothing else.

- Clearly it's not any of the Tendo's, they had no clue what was going on without some major unsupported assumptions.

How ever Nodoka learned Genma was living at the Tendo Dojo it could not have been a very detailed source. Said source left out information such as the curses, and seemingly Ukyo and Shampoo.

- It's not known whether or not Nodoka showed up on the same day as the visit to the grave.

There are only 114 story lines in the series, a year or two passes during the series, and a lot of the story lines don't seem to take more then a day or two if that. I don't think there is much reason to assume any story line overlaps. There could have easily been a few days to a week of "nothing".

- How Ryoga actually found out where Ranma was is a larger mystery.

Ryoga had lots of contact with Ranma and Genma. It's not hard to believe he heard Genma say something, or found some papers that either talked about the school. You have to enroll in schools weeks if not months in advance.

[LawOhki]

It's rather heavily implied time passes between story lines, and stuff is happening that is not shown. Some story lines out right say Ranma was bedridden or at least expected to be for weeks or months. Even if you assume that was the minimum amount of time for a normal person to recover that still leaves Ranma in a full body cast for a day or two at least. We also know Ryoga was ambushing Ranma a lot, but we only see it once. Ranma's life is not just one misadventure after another. It isn't hard to believe nothing note worthy happened in that time.

If Nodoka had come to the Tendo's before she appears in the series someone would have known who she was..

Time doesn't pass though between story arcs, during yes, after no. Trying to put it as one storyline, well over two years possibly three plus pass for the entire manga (3 new years festivals appear so 2 is the minimum), yet late in the manga during the mushroom arc, Tatewaki is the same age as the start. At the end, both Nabiki and him are still in school even though they would have graduated, and there are other consistency issues.

As for implication of time passing that's during arcs. There are parts like in the cat's tongue arc that actually come out and say "one week later" and there are some comments on events that happened before the story actually begins, but you don't hear characters comment on past events within it. There's also no repercussions for actions. At the end of the moxibustion arc, Ranma destroys part of Furinkan and the Tendo home. Next chapter everything is as good as new. Or when Pink and Link show up, they turn the schoolyard into their botanical garden, and Ranma burns it all to the ground. After that we get one chapter that doesn't have it, but then the next there's no damage to the school with nothing to indicate that everything was just set ablaze. No comments on missing class while it was being rebuilt, nothing.

It's a lot like the arcs are one shots that work within the same setting. Which is another way to explain the wildly varying abilities.

I don't think Ranma is very well known at all outside of the school. The people who show-up to his fights are class/schoolmates, and a lot of Ranma's fights take place far away from the Dojo with only a handful of people there who we at least have no reason to even try to contact Nodoka.

At most people on the street know his face, but nothing else.

All it would take would be some rumor about the fights at Furinkan, something a student made to their parents, and it could get around quickly. Nodoka does live close enough to where the action is that even though Ranma moves in with her, he still can go to Furinkan and everyone can easily get there on foot.

Ryoga had lots of contact with Ranma and Genma. It's not hard to believe he heard Genma say something, or found some papers that either talked about the school. You have to enroll in schools weeks if not months in advance.

Ranma didn't even know he was going to Furinkan, so no help there. School records aren't going to be just given out to some angry boy nor would they just be laying around (let alone could Ryoga actually find anything to start), and there are 10 public high schools in Nerima plus about five more.

[three headed dog]

I'm not disagreeing that the manga exists in Comic Book Time (basically the time was always the current time and things didn't change) but:

3 new years festivals appear so 2 is the minimum

Technically 3 new years festivals (on three different dates) can happen in one year. Buddhist New Year (which differs depending on the country your in and which sect/denomination your part of; for example Tibetan Buddhists celebrate it about a month later than the Chinese Buddhists do), Chinese New Year (lunar New Year), and January first New Year.

Tatewaki is the same age as the start

He is? I do not recall Tatewaki's age being given in the manga prior to the mushrooms of aging arc (it is in his intro during the anime but not in the manga). So it is entirely possible he was 16 at the beginning and turned 17 in the intervening time (similarly Ranma could have been 15 at the start of the manga and turned 16 shortly before the mushrooms of aging arc which is my personal favorite way of viewing it and it explains why Ranma says he'll lose a year rather than a few months if he ate the 17cm mushroom).

I prefer to view it as being one year but that's just personal preference. Takahashi always wrote it at the current time (the weather/seasons in the manga usually matched the weather/seasons that the story arc was put in Shonun Sunday).

[LawOhki]

He is? I do not recall Tatewaki's age being given in the manga prior to the mushrooms of aging arc (it is in his intro during the anime but not in the manga).

Hmm, that's true isn't it.

So it is entirely possible he was 16 at the beginning and turned 17 in the intervening time (similarly Ranma could have been 15 at the start of the manga and turned 16 shortly before the mushrooms of aging arc which is my personal favorite way of viewing it and it explains why Ranma says he'll lose a year rather than a few months if he ate the 17cm mushroom).

Yea if making it into some kind of coherent storyline I put Ranma at 15 to start, but not to fit it in with later storylines like that because other problems like below pop up.

I prefer to view it as being one year but that's just personal preference. Takahashi always wrote it at the current time (the weather/seasons in the manga usually matched the weather/seasons that the story arc was put in Shonun Sunday).

If you put up to the Mushroom arc as being 1 year, that means 93 chapters/arcs occur within a year. So about 2 story arcs per week on average, which doesn't take into account the arcs that are known to take weeks. That's a lot of craziness.

[Lioconvoy]

Honestly I believe Genma himself told her. She mentions that he kept her updated right up to Jusenkyo, it's very possible in the same postcard/letter he mentions Jusenkyo he could have told her he'd be going to the Tendo's next. As to why she doesn't show up sooner, she likely isn't aware Genma returned from China. I think she showed up when she did because after the long abesence of letters/postcards from her husband somehow she overheard Ranma's or Genma's name spoken somewhere and she remeber Genma said he'd be going to the Tendo home.

As LawOhki mentioned she doesn't live that far away, so word of Ranma could have spread to where she lived. Hearing just the name Ranma whether it was her Ranma or not it might have been enough for her to think of the Tendos'.

[Zwzn]

Time doesn't pass though between story arcs, during yes, after no. Trying to put it as one storyline, well over two years possibly three plus pass for the entire manga (3 new years festivals appear so 2 is the minimum), yet late in the manga during the mushroom arc, Tatewaki is the same age as the start. At the end, both Nabiki and him are still in school even though they would have graduated, and there are other consistency issues.

Yet we know characters do thing before Story arcs, but not things shown in earlier story arcs. We are told events happen between story lines.

When is the last time we see Nabiki or Tatewaki in class? It will sound odd, but just because they are there, and in school uniforms does not mean they are students.

I found this site interesting, but I'm not sure it matters to the topic. The first paragraph talks about the school year in Japan.
http://web-japan.org/kidsweb/explore/ca ... lyear.html

As for implication of time passing that's during arcs. There are parts like in the cat's tongue arc that actually come out and say "one week later" and there are some comments on events that happened before the story actually begins, but you don't hear characters comment on past events within it. There's also no repercussions for actions. At the end of the moxibustion arc, Ranma destroys part of Furinkan and the Tendo home. Next chapter everything is as good as new. Or when Pink and Link show up, they turn the schoolyard into their botanical garden, and Ranma burns it all to the ground. After that we get one chapter that doesn't have it, but then the next there's no damage to the school with nothing to indicate that everything was just set ablaze. No comments on missing class while it was being rebuilt, nothing.

After the weakness moxibustion arc we see in about three times that the Tendos don't have much in the way of savings, but to live in Tokyo the way they do they need to be fairly wealthy as I understand it. You can fix damage surprisingly quickly, but it gets pricey.
14.07-14.10 13.01-13.04 Ryoga and the mark of the gods.
16.08-17.04 15.01-15.08 La Belle France school of martial arts. Picolet Chardin. Madame St Paul.
I seem to remember Nabiki emptying the family bank account.

Link and Pink did what they did with magic, so who knows if the normal rules apply.

It's a lot like the arcs are one shots that work within the same setting. Which is another way to explain the wildly varying abilities.

I personally have no problem ignoring certain story lines. The Gambling King and Kasumi gets mad make no sense really.

All it would take would be some rumor about the fights at Furinkan, something a student made to their parents, and it could get around quickly. Nodoka does live close enough to where the action is that even though Ranma moves in with her, he still can go to Furinkan and everyone can easily get there on foot.

Given the people we are talking about Nodoka could live rather far by normal person standards.

We see no sign of such rumors, and we see no sign the person on the street has any idea who Ranma is.

How many fights does Ranma have at the school? 5?

Given what I have heard about Japanese schools the kids likely keep their mouth's shut so as not to get in trouble at home for revolting against the teachers.

Ranma didn't even know he was going to Furinkan, so no help there. School records aren't going to be just given out to some angry boy nor would they just be laying around (let alone could Ryoga actually find anything to start), and there are 10 public high schools in Nerima plus about five more.

But Genma had to have enrolled Ranma before going to China.

Ryoga just needs to have read a peace of paper saying Ranma was going to X school, or heard Genma say Ranma was going to go to X school. Genma can be very sloppy at times.

[LawOhki]

When is the last time we see Nabiki or Tatewaki in class? It will sound odd, but just because they are there, and in school uniforms does not mean they are students.

Not in class, but in school uniform and at school.
Volume 36.
http://www.sunmanga.com/online_manga/48 ... t=38&n=137
http://www.sunmanga.com/online_manga/48 ... t=38&n=141

Link and Pink did what they did with magic, so who knows if the normal rules apply.

Burned is still burned.

We see no sign of such rumors, and we see no sign the person on the street has any idea who Ranma is.

How many fights does Ranma have at the school? 5?

Given what I have heard about Japanese schools the kids likely keep their mouth's shut so as not to get in trouble at home for revolting against the teachers.

Ranma also takes part of several other events outside of Furinkan, such as the delivery race. The gambling king would have been well known around the area. Took part in the Romeo and Juliet play which was actually part of a regional competition.

No student has to tell their parents that they were causing troubles at school, Ranma would be a convenient scapegoat for any distractions that pop up. Furinkan is also a big rumor mill, what makes you think the students would never mention that crazy disruptive student and his friends at home?

But Genma had to have enrolled Ranma before going to China.

Nope, Ukyo as well had no issue getting into the school during the school year either. And if you want to talk about not knowing something, there's never a scene with Ryoga talking to Genma before Genma-panda tried to have him cooked. There really isn't even anything that indicates that they knew each other prior to his introduction.


Edit
Another example of how past events do not matter is that Ranma in the Akari introduction chapter asks Cologne for something that would force love. Cologne doesn't know that such a thing exists. But in an earlier chapter Ryoga used a cheap store bought magical item to do just that by accidentally hitting Ranma with the koi rod of love.

[TerraEpon]

Another example of how past events do not matter is that Ranma in the Akari introduction chapter asks Cologne for something that would force love. Cologne doesn't know that such a thing exists. But in an earlier chapter Ryoga used a cheap store bought magical item to do just that by accidentally hitting Ranma with the koi rod of love.

Would Colonge have to have known about the incident? I don't remember her being in that story.

[SpaceKnight of Chaos]

Even still, there is at least one occasion in the past where Cologne was involved with an incident that could indeed force love: the Love Pill Bracelet makes the swallower fall in love with the first person of the opposite sex they see, no matter who they are or how the swallower feels about that person. Case in point, Ranma was, for an instant, head-over-heels with Cologne, to the extent he actually talked about running away with her and getting married right away, even though Ranma is otherwise very much adverse to the idea of wedding at his age.

And even outside of love in general, Cologne knows of items that can be used to mess with minds. The Xi Fang Xiang Gao implies the existence of even more drastic memory-affecting shiatsu moves, the Hypnotic Mushroom can cause powerful suggestions in the eater, and Pink & Link had a flower that turned whoever it was placed on to assume the attitudes of a stereotypical docile housewife.

[Makoto]

Yeah, I was going to mention the bracelet (at the beginning of the original Japanese volume 10; I don't know where it falls in any other version).

However, Cologne does perhaps have reason not to allow Ranma access to any such love-inducing or mind-altering items (which she could do by pretending she doesn't know about those things) - Ranma could easily use those items to convince Shampoo to love someone else, etc.

...and maybe there's a slim chance he could use them against Cologne, too. But really, why take chances?

[three headed dog]

I do not think Cologne has any knowledge of the koi rod at all as for the love pills they were used up (except for the day pill). I just took that to mean that she doesn't know of any items like that that still can be used or that she has access too (i.e. the love pills were the only item that she new about that induces love which Happosai had stolen from her tribe and she doesn't know of any other items like that or if she does she can't get them). Though it does make me wonder what happened to the day pill since last it was seen was in Shampoo's possession.

Ranma would be a convenient scapegoat for any distractions that pop up

In my opinion, Akane would be a better one seeing as how she disrupts class more than Ranma does and was getting into fights at the school even before Ranma showed up (also Ranma's methods tend to be a lot less disruptive than Akane's - for example she hits him and to get the coconut with the pass in it she broke all the coconuts and got the students to search for them whereas Ranma went straight to the principal and tried to trick him into giving it to him). Though really Miss Hinako and the Principal disrupt class a lot more than any of the students do and most of Ranma's interactions are not disruptive since they are preplanned or school sponsored (they set up rings for the fights).

[Zwzn]

Not in class, but in school uniform and at school.
Volume 36.

And no school bag. Maybe I missed it, but it seems like every other kid has a school bag. Like I said when was the last time we see Nabiki in class? There are a number of reasons she might wear a school uniform. Just wearing a uniform does not prove anything. Some guys have a school girl fetish after all, and we know Nabiki dates for gifts/money...

http://www.sunmanga.com/online_manga/48 ... t=38&n=137
http://www.sunmanga.com/online_manga/48 ... t=38&n=141
He's gone a for day or so, and Akane is angry because he hasn't called!? She is really a BLEEP.

Burned is still burned.

And magic dose not have to play by the normal laws of nature. There are just to many unknowns. For all we know magic plant ash just magically disappears, and the damage caused is magically undone.

Ranma also takes part of several other events outside of Furinkan, such as the delivery race.

And they have what to do with school?

Why would they start rumors to give Ranma a bad reputation?

Most people aren't going to give these sorts of things more then a glance let alone remember him from these things.

The gambling king would have been well known around the area.

Something like this only stays open if the authorities don't hear about it.

Took part in the Romeo and Juliet play which was actually part of a regional competition.

Something no one really cared about again.

If Ranma is really well known around the area Tendo Dojo is in then there should be something to show it in the 38/36 volumes. Nodoka couldn't even find a picture of Ranma for crying out loud.

No student has to tell their parents that they were causing troubles at school, Ranma would be a convenient scapegoat for any distractions that pop up. Furinkan is also a big rumor mill, what makes you think the students would never mention that crazy disruptive student and his friends at home?

And the person who is best scape goat is Akane Tendo.

Ranma prefers to act in a far more quiet and subtle manner like Kasumi.

Nope, Ukyo as well had no issue getting into the school during the school year either. And if you want to talk about not knowing something, there's never a scene with Ryoga talking to Genma before Genma-panda tried to have him cooked. There really isn't even anything that indicates that they knew each other prior to his introduction.

You asked how Ryoga could have known what school Ranma was going to, and Genma is the only person who would have had the information, and Ryoga had contact with. So Ryoga had to get the information from Genma somehow. Either Genma said something when Ryoga was there, or Ryoga read something that Genma had that told him what school Ranma was going to go to that Genma had at some point. There is plenty of time and opportunity.

And when is it stated Ukyo enrolled? She could have just transfered? We just don't know.

One thing that is likely is that it was still near the start of the school year.
5-09.11 08.01-08.07 Ukyo Kuonji introduction.

Another example of how past events do not matter is that Ranma in the Akari introduction chapter asks Cologne for something that would force love. Cologne doesn't know that such a thing exists. But in an earlier chapter Ryoga used a cheap store bought magical item to do just that by accidentally hitting Ranma with the koi rod of love.

And that is easily explained as she can't get Ranma what he wants, and does not know where to get it, or she just doesn't want to give it to him.

You can't take what a characters says literally all the time.

She was willing to give Ranma some hypnotic incense as I recall.

[TerraEpon]

And no school bag. Maybe I missed it, but it seems like every other kid has a school bag.

She looks like she's holding one, it's just under the panel. Especially with the way her arm is straight.

[LawOhki]

And no school bag. Maybe I missed it, but it seems like every other kid has a school bag. Like I said when was the last time we see Nabiki in class? There are a number of reasons she might wear a school uniform. Just wearing a uniform does not prove anything. Some guys have a school girl fetish after all, and we know Nabiki dates for gifts/money...

Really? She's at school in her uniform (you don't see any shot that shows she doesn't have her school bag until after she's there) and you think she's out picking up guys with a schoolgirl fetish? Really?

And magic dose not have to play by the normal laws of nature. There are just to many unknowns. For all we know magic plant ash just magically disappears, and the damage caused is magically undone.

And manga that has reality breaking magic has no requirement to adhere to realtime.

And they have what to do with school?

Why would they start rumors to give Ranma a bad reputation?

It has nothing to do with school other than adding that a rumor reaching Nodoka based on something Ranma had participated in is a valid reason for her to seek him out.

You missed the point of Furinkan being a rumor mill. Everything gets talked about. Why would they stop at home?

Something like this only stays open if the authorities don't hear about it.

Go read that story arc. The authorities weren't involved at all. And again, you missed the point, that's something that would have been known around the community and could have helped add to Ranma's reputation as well as the Tendos.

Something no one really cared about again.

If Ranma is really well known around the area Tendo Dojo is in then there should be something to show it in the 38/36 volumes. Nodoka couldn't even find a picture of Ranma for crying out loud.

Something? The people who show up looking for him in a very exact location who have no other way of finding out where he is in a Ward of nearly 635,000 people. (1995 count)

Ryoga, Ukyo, Shampoo and everyone else that tracked down Ranma didn't have a picture either.

And the person who is best scape goat is Akane Tendo.

Ranma prefers to act in a far more quiet and subtle manner like Kasumi.

Ranma and Akane are almost always around one another. Even if someone mentions one, they're likely going to mention the other, and if they are relating a story they likely have to.

You asked how Ryoga could have known what school Ranma was going to, and Genma is the only person who would have had the information, and Ryoga had contact with. So Ryoga had to get the information from Genma somehow. Either Genma said something when Ryoga was there, or Ryoga read something that Genma had that told him what school Ranma was going to go to that Genma had at some point. There is plenty of time and opportunity.

Yes, Ryoga, someone who has serious anger issues, took the time to ask Genma AS A PANDA, where Ranma was going to school after the Guide tried to cook him alive after being curse. The same Ryouga who totally didn't know that Genma turned into a panda or Ranma turned into a girl until after Genma walked in as a panda while Ranma was a girl.

And when is it stated Ukyo enrolled? She could have just transfered? We just don't know.

One thing that is likely is that it was still near the start of the school year.
5-09.11 08.01-08.07 Ukyo Kuonji introduction.

Ukyo was a bad example for enrolling, but Ranma getting in did not have to take a long amount of time.

And that is easily explained as she can't get Ranma what he wants, and does not know where to get it, or she just doesn't want to give it to him.

You can't take what a characters says literally all the time.

She was willing to give Ranma some hypnotic incense as I recall.

As others have already pointed out, the love pills arc, which she was definitely involved in, was a time where something can force a person to love was involved. Cologne commented on Ranma's question in the Akari arc as if they DIDN'T exist because they would have used them on him already. Not that she didn't have any on hand. No one corrected her on this. If past events mattered then someone should have.