Why Not Mousse and Shampoo
Along with the Ranma/Akane and Ryoga/Ukyo supporters, there also seem to be a great number of Mousse/Shampoo supporters as well (and they're usually the same people). I really _do_ like Mouse as a character but with all due respect to him, a relationship with Shampoo will never happen.
While Shampoo doesn't _hate_ Mousse, she also doesn't care about him either. Hell, even Ranma and Akane gives more of a damn about Mousse's life than Shampoo! There is an arc in volume 33 called 'Two Shampoos' in which a statue comes to life as Shampoo and dates Mousse. In this arc, the whole group are under the impression that Mousse could _die_ and yet Shampoo refused to help until she was bribed by Ranma. (and no she didn't know that he was okay, she thought he was dying too)! Ranma wants to help Mousse even after all the grief he's given him, but Shampoo doesn't want to lend a hand to help save a fellow warrior and fellow tribesman-in-a-foreign-land!
While Shampoo doesn't _hate_ Mousse, she also doesn't care about him either. Hell, even Ranma and Akane gives more of a damn about Mousse's life than Shampoo! There is an arc in volume 33 called 'Two Shampoos' in which a statue comes to life as Shampoo and dates Mousse. In this arc, the whole group are under the impression that Mousse could _die_ and yet Shampoo refused to help until she was bribed by Ranma. (and no she didn't know that he was okay, she thought he was dying too)! Ranma wants to help Mousse even after all the grief he's given him, but Shampoo doesn't want to lend a hand to help save a fellow warrior and fellow tribesman-in-a-foreign-land!
Ranma 1/2 volume 31 (English) volume 33 (Japanese)
Also, In the first OVA and manga of the "Contrary Jewel" story, Mousse tryies to with favor with Shampoo, thinking that she may love him now due to the jewels reverse effects. Mousse; for all he tries still got the boot _even_ when she was wearing the jewel, meaning (For Good) that she has never loved him.
Ranma 1/2, OVA 1 'Shampoo's Sudden Switch Curse of the Contrary Jewel'
Shampoo obviously seems to want a man who is strong and can take care of her when she's in trouble (like Ranma). Not just because it's Amazon law but because that's the kind of man most woman want (I'm talking about mental strength as well as physical) What girl wouldn't want a guy who's stable. In Shampoo's eyes, Mousse has done nothing but prove that he's the complete opposite and being a "Mater of hidden weapons" isn't a sign of strength. True Mousse can do _some_ actual fighting but he's not very good at it nor it's not his field of expertise.
Mousse could _very well_ be physically strong if he actually took the time to train. In the "Two Shampoos" arc, Mousse got incredibly strong because he had been carrying the heavy Shampoo-looking statue around for weeks. Hell, even Ranma was afraid of him for a while until Shampoo intervened on his behalf.
Mousse could _very well_ be physically strong if he actually took the time to train. In the "Two Shampoos" arc, Mousse got incredibly strong because he had been carrying the heavy Shampoo-looking statue around for weeks. Hell, even Ranma was afraid of him for a while until Shampoo intervened on his behalf.
Ranma 1/2 volume 31 (English) volume 33 (Japanese)
If he one day decided to train seriously in hand to hand combat, perhaps, Shampoo wouldn't be so easy to dismiss him. However, it's shown many times that Mousse is more the lover type instead of the fighter, and I think he prefers it that way. If he didn't, he would have gained the courage to learn a some techniques and defeat Shampoo once and for all.
As far as his mental strength - he's most defiantly weak, as seen by how easily Shampoo can effect his moods with eases and how he's been obsessing over her since they were three years old. Someone that obsessive couldn't be mentally healthy or strong.
As far as his mental strength - he's most defiantly weak, as seen by how easily Shampoo can effect his moods with eases and how he's been obsessing over her since they were three years old. Someone that obsessive couldn't be mentally healthy or strong.
Mousse is also pretty bad in terms of ethics. While Shampoo admittedly isn't amongst the highest in such terms herself, Mousse is worse. In his duel with Ranma after returning from China, when Ranma reveals that Akane intended for Ranma to throw this fight, Mousse is not only unconcerned by such a distasteful method of victory, he declares he would be perfectly happy with it and that he has no need for pride if it means he can win Shampoo. He then starts fighting Ranma even more viciously, while demanding that Ranma throw the fight as he was supposed to.
In the anime episode "Mousse Goes Home To The Country", he breaks a promise he had made to Shampoo, that he would go home to China and give up chasing her permanently if he lost his next duel with Ranma. While he tries to justify himself by claiming he's looking out for Shampoo's happiness, what's really going on is that he's looking for any opportunity to go back on his word, and picking fights with Ranma when he gets the chance. In the Items of Weakness manga story, he stops using the Glasses of Submission only after Shampoo tells him how disappointed she is with guys who would purposely use such cheap tricks. The only reason she went out with Mousse at the end of that story is because he impressed her by stopping, while Ranma disappointed her by being willing to sink to just as petty a level as Mousse was, if not worse.
Despite glaring evidence that Shampoo will _always_ feel nothing for Mousse, people still seem to come up with evidence to support them being together. One argument often used, is a scene from the second Ranma Movie "Nihao my Concubine," where Mousse gets severely hurt rescuing her from the Birdman. Mousse starts to fall and Shampoo catches him and sadly says "Stupid Mouse. You no have to do that." (According to the DUB)
Ranma 1/2 movie 2 'Nihao My Concubine'
The other argument that people like to use, is a small segment in the last volume of the manga, where Shampoo seems to have given up on Ranma and asks Mousse if he wants to help her make celebratory buns for Ranma and Akane's wedding. Unfortunately, she later helps ruin their wedding in a last attempt to get Ranma.
While I'll admit that Shampoo does have rare moments of caring, that’s really all they are. They are not a sign of love or an insinuation that something _could_ happen between them later on. Since childhood, she's only ever considered Mousse an annoyance and sometimes friend; a few rare moments of kindness doesn't mean anything more then what it is.