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SAOTOME GENMA

Genma is the insesitive father of Ranma. He's the one to blame for most of Ranma's problems in his life right now.

Long ago he arranged with his closest friend, Tendo Soun, that their children would marry.

Ranma was separated from his mother, Nodoka when he was very young beacause of Genma. He took Ranma on a journey of training and forced him to do crazy things that, according to Genma, would develop his fighting skills.

When Ranma is being taken away from her, of course, Nodoka refused. But Genma promised her that when they return, Ranma would be "a man among men." If not, the father and son would commit ritual seppeku (self-abdomen stabbing) for having failed, and Nodoka, fulfilling her wifely duty, would cut off their heads and then slit her own throat. Being a martial artist's wife, she agrees.

Since he travels and doesn't have a job, and therefore, has no money, he usually sells Ranma (still a toddler) for food...And then he steals Ranma back.

While training Ranma at the remote Chinese training grounds Jusenkyo, Ranma kicked him into Shonmaoniichuan where a panda drowned 2000 years ago. Genma emerged as a panda, and as the guide explained the spring's curse, still went on to whack Ranma into Nyanniichuan.

Unlike Ranma, he doesn't have much trouble with his curse, and becomes quite accustomed to living as a panda (comporting himself with human dignity even as he sips tea and plays shogi with Soun). Since he can't speak as a panda, he uses wooden signs to communicate.

He pretty much stands out in the gang, because, well, he's a panda! He uses wooden signs as his weapons. When he's in human form, he wears round glasses with loops around each ear and since he is the master(?) of the Saotome School of Anything-goes Martial Arts, he can use pretty much anything as a weapon efficiently.

Notes about the name

Ranma calls him "oyaji" meaning "dad," though it's almost like "Pop" (that's what Ranma says in the English dub). As you can see, it's not that honorific. It's mostly used by guys like Ranma...girls don't usually do it(except Ranma-chan!)

Genma's name means "dark horse"