Ranma 1/2: One Page Per Volume, Part 27

[rainsometimes]

Art runs from left to right as it's been flipped. Sorry about the bad quality of the right-hand edge!

The "Invincible Glasses" (or "Lens of Invincibility") story is important for Mousse's development and for the glimpses it gives us of Shampoo. Mousse finds a heirloom of his village that allows him to defeat and lord it over Ranma, only to later overhear that he hasn't actually grown stronger as he first hoped, but that the glasses are specifically a weapon for weak people. Re-reading the story now, I thought it was interesting that once he learns this, he first intends to put the new tool aside, but then he hears Ranma laughing with scorn that this weapon for weaklings is perfect for a pathetic cheater like Mousse. Overcome with fury, he keeps indulging in beating a helpless Ranma up and forcing him to cry in apology (as the glasses make any opponent do).

When Akane confronts him, and at first even when Shampoo faces him as well, he's unrepentant and has the attitude that "nobody cares what I do, nobody expects better of me, if I'm supposed to be so pathetic and unscrupulous then I might as well enjoy myself", basically. The one thing that does make him pull back from this and towards a honourable path is seeing Shampoo shed a tear in front of him, saying that she loses faith in Mousse. That truly shook him - not just because he’d made the object of his crush cry, but also (and more, I think) the reveal that she did have some kind of faith in him after all.

All the above being said - the chief reason for me to pick this one page is that Akane holding Shampoo's hand is dead cute, even when it’s just in one small panel. ♥