Nodoka Saotome, Ranma's mother and Genma's wife, is planning to visit the Tendo household. It is revealed that Nodoka gave custody of Ranma to Genma. Genma promised her that he will raise Ranma to be a master of anything-goes martial arts. However, if he fails to do so, he and Ranma are to perform Seppuku, a form of Japanese ritual suicide by disembowelment. Ranma and Genma must stay in their cursed forms and hide their true identities from Nodoka.