Actaully, wouldn't it be ineffective against some who wasn't angry?  (I
know, a rarity in Ranma-world, but it could happen.)  One of the things I
remember most from the little martial arts training I have is to NOT get
angry; it makes you do stupid things.  My instructor always said that you
should be cool and level headed.  Wouldn't that sap much of its power?

D

Reid Carson wrote:

William Jones writes:

Hiro Shoten Ha:  Dragon ascension punch.  Probably the most powerful of
all the techniques.  Uses the heat from the enemies anger, lust, or chi
to generate a heat source.  Ranma moves in a spiral forming a chi
vortex.  When Ranma reaches the center of the spiral he uses his cold
spirit or cool chi in an upercut.  It reacts with the hot chi forming a
tornado.  A very cold tornado.  Has been countered by both Taro, Herb,
and Happosi.   How?  Taro and Happi by not getting mad and releasing a
battle aura.  Herb being the master a chi turns his off at the last
second.

    One question about the Hiryu Shoten Ha. Has Ranma ever tried to use
it against Tarou? I've only got the manga for the first couple of Tarou's
appearances, but I don't recall Ranma using any ki attacks against him -
as a general rule, I don't recall Ranma using such attacks except against
opponents who have them also - the exception being during the Hiryu Shoten Ha
storyline, when he had lost his strength and was otherwise helpless.

    It's true Happosai could negate the Hiryu Shoten Ha, but apparently
only at the cost of not trying to fight back against Ranma, even when
Ranma burned his underwear collection. Since Ranma was weak, Happosai
could adapt this strategy with no risk (except to his lingerie), but it
wouldn't be a workable solution once Ranma got his strength back. As far
as I know, Herb is the only opponent Ranma has faced who was able to
withstand the Hiryu Shoten Ha while continuing to fight, and that was
due to his exceptional control of his ki. If Happosai couldn't manage it,
I'm not sure Tarou could.

Reid Carson
rcarson@mnsinc.com