On Wed, 7 Aug 1996, Cynewulf wrote:

	I was just wondering, about something that keeps popping up in 
Ranma.  Why, before they go to take a shower or bath, do they keep 
dumping a bucket of cold water on themselves?  I mean, when I clean, I 
just step into a hot shower... why freeze first?

I think it's the Japanese thing of rinse first, then soak. I think he's 
rinsing the dirt off first, then soaking in the bath tub so that tub 
doesn't get dirty.

	Also... in the Cooking Competition OAV, why does Soun go outside 
and start dowsing himself in cold water?  You see him freezing, snot 
dripping from his nose, praying for Akane's sake... what, some kinda 
endurance test or something?

I'm just making a guess, being a martial artist myself, that it's some 
sort of self-displine thing and self-control thing and training or 
something. It's just being abstemious.
                            
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