Tarou, as a baby, was baptised by Happousai in the spring of drowned yeti riding bull carrying crane and eel (Niuhoomanmaoorenniichuan). He tracks down Happousai after stealing the Jyusenkyou guide's client register. Upon his arrival in Nerima, he attempts to find Happousai by attacking anyone with a Jyusenkyou curse-beating up Ryouga, Mousse and Genma in short order. Ranma is now forewarned of a powerful new threat, so when Tarou attacks him with cold water, Ranma is able to get out of the way. They fight for a short time inconclusively until it starts to rain, and then Tarou changes into his cursed form-a huge winged minotaur-and quickly defeats Ranma-chan. As he is about to finish his opponent off, however, Happousai finally appears and stops him. Tarou instantly attacks the old lech, but he uses one of his Happoudaikarin fuse bombs. Tarou, apparently deciding this isn't going to be as easy as he thought, breaks off the fight and kidnaps Akane, flying away before Happousai or Ranma can stop him. Later, he goes to the Tendo Dojo and demands Happousai, but when the old man appears, he knocks Tarou-monster out and escapes. Ranma, Ryouga and Co. change Tarou back to a human and tie him up before he awakens, and then attempt to find out where he's holding Akane. However, Tarou manages to trick them into splashing him and escapes, with Ranma-chan and P-chan holding onto his back. He flies most of the way back to his hideout before outsmarting and dislodging the two, tossing them down a canyon into a river. Then he flies on and catches Akane, who had attempted to escape, but found it impossible because there are rivers everywhere and she can't swim. As he prepares to take her back, they are distracted when Ranma-chan's unconscious body floats by, P-chan on her back, about to go over a waterfall. P-chan wakes Ranma up as Tarou flies over to make sure they're finished. They fight, and Ranma-chan manages to smash Tarou in the shoulder with the log she was floating on, sending all three combatants over the waterfall. Only Tarou comes up, and Akane wonders what happened to Ranma. We get the answer ( though she doesn't) as we see P-chan drag Ranma-chan to shore, saving her life. They then run into Shampoo and Mousse. Back at Tarou's hideout (an old cottage perched on a cliffside), Tarou is bandaging his arm, obviously angry. Akane offers to help, and Tarou, after his initial suspicions, finally agrees. She asks him if he is really so upset about the curse, and he replies that the curse doesn't bother him very much-he likes having a strong body. It is something far worse that Happousai did...Akane wonders what could possibly be worse than a curse. Tarou doesn't say, but angrily declares that before he gets to the old lech, he's going to "pound that unforgivable cross-dresser to a pulp!" Akane asks why he is so upset at Ranma, but Tarou refuses to answer. Back with the others , Ranma is just waking up. He notices that Shampoo, Mousse and Ryouga are there, Ryouga and himself having been changed back. Ryouga is suspicious of why Shampoo or Mousse would want to help Akane, but they feed him a story about how much they've all been through together, and the loyalty they have. Ryouga, unsurprisingly, falls for it hook, line, and sinker. In actuality, Shampoo thinks thi s is a perfect opportunity to kill Akane, while Mousse is plotting to kill Ranma. Back on the cliff, Tarou lights a huge bonfire to show Ranma and Co. the way. Akane tells him not to underestimate Ranma, but Tarou confidently replies that he is ready for him. The four martial artists below see the bonfire, and head for it...a long battle follows, with Tarou using a variety of water traps to dispose of his opponents. Finally he fights Ranma himself, which is inconclusive (though Tarou has the advantage) until Tarou gets splashed, when he _really_ begins to win. Ryouga and Mousse have returned by this time, and then Shampoo gets returned to normal as well. The four martial artists attack Tarou-monster, who attempts to use Akane as a decoy, attacking her instead of them. Happousai shows up and saves her, and Tarou ignores the four martial artists on his back and starts attacking the old lech instead. Finally the four do enough damage to get Tarou's attention, and he flies through a waterfall, eliminating three of them. Ranma-chan (still on Tarou's back) appears to be in dire straits, until Akane helps her out; tying together Happousai's pantyhose and tossing it to her. Ranma-chan ties up Tarou's wings, forcing him to land. Tarou nearly crushes Ranma-chan as they do so, and then manages to tie _her_ up with the pantyhose and send her flying. But he hadn't noticed the pantyhose was still wrapped around one of his horns, and Ranma uses this to slingshot herself back in a "Pantyhose Shooting Star Kick" that sends them both flying into a hot spring. Tarou someh ow manages to get up after that and tries to attack Ranma again, but Ranma finally knocks him out. Later, Tarou is tied up back at the hideout, but he refuses to explain why he is so angry at Happousai, and actually manages to attack Ranma before Happousai can say what it is. The two start arguing, and Happousai breaks it up, before finally remembering the reason for this whole mess: he had named the infant Tarou "Pantyhose". The five teenagers try to be kind, but their suggestions of worse names than "Pantyhose" don't go over well with Tarou, who breaks his bonds and hurls himself into the river below, returning to attack the group. Happousai uses a bunch of Happoudaikarins to knock him out, and the other's turn him back. Tarou, awake again, demands Happousai change his name, but the old lech uses yet another fuse bomb on him and runs away. Later, as the others are talking, Happousai returns, declares that he will never change Tarou's name, and runs away again. Tarou is upset by this, but Ranma confidently declares he has a plan...later in the Dojo, Soun asks Ranma why he would help Tarou, and Ranma replies that Tarou could get rid of Happousai for them if it's done right. Soun, of course, heartily approves. Later, he sets up the plan: a hypnotic play to convince Happousai he must change Tarou's name. Tarou is rather dubious about the idea, but goes along with it. They then launch the plan: attempting to make Happousai believe Tarou has destroyed all the pantyhose in the world as revenge for the naming. They give Happy a chance to rename Tarou, but he doesn't quite get it, and instead gets enraged at Tarou, using his "battle aura" technique to swell to Godzillaesque proportions and vowing vengeance on Tarou. Tarou is _not_ pleased with Ranma at this point, but Happousai suddenly discovers them and they scatter in different directions. Tarou, realizing he has nothing to gain by running, turns back and confronts the gigantic Happousai, but the old man blasts him. Then it starts to rain, and Tarou smiles...Ranma returns (he had been drinking tea at the Tendo's) to find Tarou-monster and Happousai-giant facing off. Happousai quickly defeats Tarou, however, and Ranma steps in, knocking out the old lech with a barbell hidden inside a ball of pantyhose. Shortly afterwards, Tarou and Ranma seem about to get into another fight when Happousai wakes up, and agrees to change Tarou's name. Tarou is ecstatic...until the old lech starts suggesting alternate names, all of which have to do with underwear (and rhyme with "Tarou"). Tarou, extremely upset, runs away. Later, they find him again, and say that Happousai (with a little "persuasion" from the martial artists) has agreed to change it to what Tarou wants. Overjoyed, Tarou declares he wants to be renamed "Cool Tarou"(Kakkoi Tarou), thanks them all, and flies off with Happousai. Of course, midway across the Sea of Japan, Happousai changes his mind...

Tarou reappeared twice in the manga. The first time, Happousai was going around Nerima, happily stealing panties, when suddenly a huge shadow looms over him...later, he staggers back to the dojo, beaten up and covered with ink. Ranma, Soun, Genma and Akane wonder who could possibly be powerful enough to do this to Happousai, when suddenly Tarou bursts through the wall. Ranma, who only gets a fleeting glance of Tarou's cursed form, nonetheless recognizes him and calls him by name as he changes back, prompting Tarou to attack him. ^_^ Tarou then asks where Happousai is, but the old lech has escaped, leaving only a note saying that he will never change Tarou's name. Tarou is upset by this, but then talks with Ranma and Akane, explaining that he returned to China for awhile after his name wasn't changed. While there, he had saved a girl named Fafa from a raging bear. It was love at first sight, but then Fafa asked who her rescuer's name might be, and Tarou was forced to run off. As if this wasn't bad enough, the next day, there was a girl named Saffron being chased by a wild boar. Tarou saved her as well, but she again wanted to know his name, and Tarou was forced to leave once more. And then, the next day...Ranma cuts him off at this point. ^_^ They ask what Tarou intends to do, as he cannot get Happousai to change his name, but Tarou smiles and pulls out a large bottle of water. He explains that he went to Jyusenkyou, and that this is water from the spring of drowned good samaritan. Everyone is overjoyed at Tarou's plan, but when Ranma offers (rather condescendingly) to help, Tarou dumps ice water on him and says that he doesn't need a cowardly crossdresser's help. Soun and Genma hold back the raging Ranma, while Akane asks Tarou if he really thinks he can beat Happousai alone. Tarou chuckles, and reveals that the person who had beaten Happousai was him. He leaves with Soun and Genma's blessing, while Ranma sulks. However, just then Akane ge ts a call from the Jyusenkyou guide, and then runs into the room, crying that they must stop Tarou...he has water from the wrong spring! Ranma, Soun and Genma speculate on what water it might be, and end up concluding that nothing could be worse...until Akane says that it is the spring of drowned twins. They all rush out after Tarou, who by this time has found Happousai. The old man defiantly declares he will be evil till the day he dies, but Tarou lures him in with a bra and is about to pour the water on him when Ranma comes flying in and grabs the jar himself. Tarou is steaming mad at Ranma-"Since when are you protecting the old geezer!?"-but as Ranma tries to explain, he get distracted by Happousai. Tarou and Ranma face off, and Ranma says that Tarou can't have the water no matter what. Tarou has regained his composure by now, and cooly reminds Ranma that he, Tarou, beat Happousai, and thus Ranma has no chance. Ranma is determined anyway, but Tarou chuckles and declares Ranma will see his new weapon, just as it starts to rain...and Ranma-chan is confronted with the huge minotaur, except that now he has tentacles sprouting from his back! Happousai saves Ranma-chan from Tarou, but then Tarou uses another bra to trap the old lech, and then attacks Ranma-chan once more. She manages to dodge the tentacles, but then Tarou shoots ink in her face and grabs her. Retrieving the water, he starts to pour it over the semiconscious Happousai...when Ranma-chan desperately rips open her shirt, causing the old lech to revive and glomp onto her instead. Tarou enraged, is about to crush Ranma when Akane, who had been watching, throws a kettle of hot water and turns Tarou back. Both Ranma-chan and Tarou run for the lost water, but Happousai glomps Ranma-chan and Tarou gets it. He runs off, angrily declaring that he'll kill Ranma. However, they still have Happousai, and thus lure the old lech into a bathhouse, where Ranma, Soun and Genma disguise themselves as janitors. The plan is that Tarou-minotaur can't get in because of all the hot water around, but Tarou simply pays 330 yen and walks in the front door as a customer. Once inside, he sprays himself with cold water, and prepares to attack. Soun desperately tries to point him to Happousai, but by this time the old lech has escaped and gone into the girl's side. Ranma is summarily turned into a girl and tossed over there, managing to retrieve the old man. By the time he returns, Tarou-minotaur has disposed of Soun and Genma, and he quickly attacks Ranma. He tries to spray Tarou with hot water, but the monster counters by using his ink to block it. Tarou then grabs a bunch of shower heads with his tentacles and sprays Ranma, then attacks, forcing her to retreat. Ranma-chan suddenly thinks of something, and thinks that she knows the tentacles' weakness. She challenges Tarou to a final fight, and then runs away, still carrying Happousai. They exit the bathhouse and Tarou chases Ranma-chan along the rooftops, but in the confusion Happousai escapes. He has returned to the girls, but there he is confronted by Akane, who punts him back out. Happy flies through the roof and up by a large smokestack, which Ranma hurriedly climbs up catching the old man, she lures Tarou in...and then just as he is about to catch them he is startled as the tentacles snake into the smokestack of their own accord, trapping him. Soun and Genma, watching this, realise that the tentacles have the same octopus instinct of liking to hide in small dark places. Ranma-chan thinks that she has won, but Tarou proves the gloating martial artist wrong by ripping off the smokestack and smashing her over the head with it, KO'ing Ranma. However, the concrete is too heavy for him to lift up with the tentacles, and a moment later it comes down on Tarou's head as well. Both Ranma-chan and Tarou-minotaur fall towards the bathhouse, and in the air the dropped Jyusenkyou water spills on a bird, which instantly becomes twins. Tarou sees this and realizes his mistake, and as the two crash land in the water below and return to normal, Ranma tells Tarou what the guide said. Tarou is crushed with disappointment, and Ranma makes a few (rather insincere) platitudes. Tarou, a bit too calmly, says now he'll have to try something else, and Ranma, Genma and Soun are thrilled, asking if he's going back to China. Tarou, smiling, says that first he has to do something else...then lifts up the bottle and roars that he's going to turn himself into twins and beat them all up. Ranma, Soun and Genma jump him and take the water before he can use it, but then Happousai grabs it, having heard the whole story. Thinking that if he's twins he can get twice as many panties, he tries to run away, but Ranma manages to hit him with a well-thrown concrete slab, and Happousai drops the bottle...which splashes on his head. Everyone is horrified...and then the bump on Happousai's head turns into two lumps. Later, Ranma asks Tarou "Calmed down yet, Pantyhose Tarou?", and Tarou hits him and tells him not to call him that. In his third appearance, Ranma, Genma, Soun and Nabiki are watching TV, which shows footage of Tarou-minotaur battling some sort of strange light over Shanghai. Ranma realizes who it is and is about to comment, when Tarou-minotaur crashes through the roof and lands on top of him, beaten up. Meanwhile, Akane is coming home from a game of tennis when she notices a bright light in the sky. The light falls until it hits a fountain, and when Akane goes to investigate, there is a beautiful young girl in the fountain, who promptly passes out. Back at the dojo, they have returned the still-unconscious Tarou to normal, and Ranma is having oh-so-mature fun by doodling on his face with a marker. After awhile, Tarou hasn't woken up, and Ranma insincerely seems sorry...but Tarou leaps up and hits him after Ranma mentions his name. He is still quite injured, but when Soun and Ranma ask who did this to him, Tarou coldly tells them it's none of their business, at which point Ranma and Soun pull out mallets and promptly put Tarou back to sleep again. ^_^ Later, Akane introduces everybody to the girl she found earlier, who has by now recovered. She says her name is Rouge, a "shy and beautiful young girl". She begins telling a story about how she was accosted when bathing by a foul lecher, but just then Tarou-the lecher she had been describing-shows up and calls her a liar. He starts to attack the terrified Rouge, but Ranma and Soun jump the still-injured martial artist and stop him. Tarou protests that he's the victim, but Soun and Ranma don't believe him. Rouge tells Tarou to return what he stole from her, and nobody believes Tarou's protests that he has no idea what she's talking about. Angrily, he declares that he was a fool for trusting them even a little bit, and then leaves...though not before splashing himself and wrecking the dojo. Later, Rouge has fallen asleep, and Ranma and Akane are discussing the light that Tarou was seen fighting on television. Happousai is coming in from his regular panty raid, and accidentally splashes water on Rouge, whose eyes snap open...there is a scream, and Ranma and Akane rush over, to find a charred Happousai and a glowing, monstrous Rouge. This Rouge is now a demon, with six arms, three heads, fangs, and a decidedly more aggressive personality. She flies out the roof of the dojo, looking for Tarou. Meanwhile, Ranma decides that Tarou might have been telling the truth after all, and goes out looking for him. After he calls out Tarou's name in a loud voice, Tarou hits Ranma over the head and tells him to shut up. Later, Tarou and Ranma are talking in a park. Ranma wants to get Tarou's side of the story, and says he might help, but Tarou scoffs at the idea of Ranma helping him. Ranma points out that even Tarou can't beat this monster alone, and asks if Tarou has any friends. Tarou angrily hits him. Just then, Rouge shows up again, and Tarou makes a dash for the fountain, but Rouge sends a blast which boils the water, keeping Tarou from changing forms. Tarou and Ranma dodge Rouge's blasts for awhile, but then get into a fight and Rouge blasts them both. She is about to finish off the semiconscious duo, but suddenly something happens and she flies off. After they recover, Ranma asks Tarou for his side of the story, and Tarou tosses a scratched up barbell at him and starts to explain. Apparently, he had been training near a hot spring in China (lifting weights), when suddenly there was a noise and something hit his barbell. Tarou went to investigate, and was surprised to find Rouge bathing in the spring...Ranma asks Tarou what happened after he was peeping, and Tarou hits him while angrily saying he wasn't peeping. He starts talking again, and we see Tarou letting Rouge batter him with a variety of objects, until finally Tarou figures he's done enough and starts to leave. However, as he is doing so, Rouge demands Tarou return what he stole from her. Back at the park, Ranm a says he understands...and then asks Tarou why he doesn't return what he stole. Tarou, enraged, kicks Ranma into the air and then KO's him with the barbell. As he walks over to get it back, however, he notices the barbell has been cracked...back at the dojo, Akane has just gotten off the phone with the guide, and reveals the source of Rouge's power...she fell into Asura-niichuan, where a statue of a Hindu demoness drowned. Just then, Rouge-asura herself bursts in, wrecking the roof again...meanwhile, Ranma has woken up, but Tarou is nowhere to be found. As he returns to the dojo, he finds Rouge there...showing that she has quite an appetite, with three mouths to feed! Elsewhere, in an alley, Tarou has found something inside the cracked barbell, and smiles evilly...later, the family and Rouge are working to repair the roof. They have just finished and are sitting down for a snack when Tarou-minotaur bursts in-demolishing it again-and changes back. He is carrying several small objects, which Rouge identifies as the "source of power" she accused Tarou of stealing. She tries to get them back, but Tarou refuses, declaring that she must pay him back for calling him a thief and attacking him. Rouge, weeping, says that even if it makes her skin crawl, she'll go on a date with him, and Tarou asks her "who said I wanted a date?" ^_^ Then he reveals what he _does_ want...he wants to know how to use them. Everyone is scared at the thought of Tarou getting his hands on the strength of Asura, but Rouge declares that they needn't trouble themselves, and pours water over herself . Tarou angrily leaps into the pond, and the two monsters rise to face each other-Rouge demolishing the house again as she does so. The two monsters fight inconclusively-Rouge's ability to create intense heat makes it hard for Tarou to hit her, but she has to be wary because Tarou is holding her "source of power". Soon, however, Rouge begins to lose power, and her movements get slower. Tarou closes in for the kill...but then it starts to rain again. The heat around Rouge evaporates the water into clouds of steam, and she turns back to human form in mid-air and begins to fall. Tarou-apparently instinctively-saves her, which surprises everybody...but then he traps her in his huge hand. Rouge says that she'll tell Tarou how to use the "source of power", but then the rain starts again and she turns back. With a laugh she grabs them back..they had been in the same hand Tarou saved her with! Applying them, she glows even brighter and fires a huge array of bolts at the minotaur. Taken off-guard, Tarou is dazed and falls to the ground...smashing through the roof of the dojo once more and landing in the bath. Rouge fires a final blast at the dazed Tarou-human...when suddenly Ranma shows up and blocks the shots with two frying pans. Having been watching the fight all along, he devised this way to block Rouge's shots. Tarou is astonished that Ranma would save him (Ranma's real reason, however, is that he didn't want the house to get any more wrecked). Ranma suggests they cooperate, and Tarou leaps up, declaring Ranma isn't so bad after all. Soun cries that the seeds of friendship have been sown...and then Tarou says "Thank you, fem-boy!" as Ranma says "You're welcome, Pantyhose!" and they start fighting again. Nabiki comments that the "friendship" didn't last five seconds. However, a bargain is struck, and Rouge is confronted by Ranma and Tarou-minotaur flying up, with Ranma still having his frying pans and Tarou-minotaur holding a variety of objects with his arms and tentacles. Rouge breathes fire at Ranma, which he deflects with his frying pan...right onto Tarou's head. Tarou, in retaliation, smashes Ranma with several of the objects he's carrying, and then Ranma slams Tarou on the head with the frying pan. Things quickly degenerate from there, much to Rouge's amusement. However Ranma manages to throw a kettle at Rouge, but she boils away all the water before it splashes her and merely gets enraged. Spinning around, she creates a huge firestorm, which can't be blocked by the pans. Tarou, irritated by the heat, accidentally hits Ranma, but this has the beneficial effect of sending him out of the firestorm and above Rouge's head, where she is still vulnerable. Ranma comes down at Rouge-several small objects shaken loose by her spinning hitting the frying pan as he does. She breathes fire at him, but he blocks it with the pan and knocks one of her heads senseless. Rouge is dizzied, and the firestorm fades out. Ranma tries for another shot, but suddenly is grabbed by Tarou, who relieves him of the frying pan. Ranma and Rouge see the objects stuck to the frying pan, and Rouge cries it was her "source of power". Ranma tries to get a better look, but Tarou smashes him in the face with the pan and then hurls him away. Ranma lands on Rouge's back, and now both of them are on the run from Tarou. Slowly but surely he is winning, when Ranma suddenly tells Rouge not to worry, and performs a move on her back, the "Empty-Handed Filial Piety Strike". It suddenly reenergizes Rouge, who begins tossing lightning bolts at Tarou. The monster, still clutching the frying pan, manages to avoid them all, but a big one has been building up overhead. He tries to dodge it, but the huge bolt is drawn to the pan and fries Tarou. Rouge laughs, and Ranma says that Tarou's lust for the power doomed him, as he wouldn't let go of the frying pan until it was too late...just as the selfsame pan falls out of the air and slams into the back of Rouge's skull, knocking all three heads out. Tarou, Rouge and Ranma all fall-destroying the dojo one more time-and thus the battle ends without a victor. Later, Ranma is being bandaged-Tarou is still unconscious-and Rouge is crying, as the "source of power" was destroyed in the conflict. She takes out her frustrations on the unconscious Tarou, first kicking him, then hitting him with a fold-up chair, and finally slamming him with a table, at which point he wakes up and yells at Ranma for not stopping her. Ranma tells Rouge not to fret, as they can go buy more source of power...later, we see them at a drugstore, where they are indeed buying more...the "source of power" are magnetic plasters for back pain. With six arms, Rouge is subject to terrible backaches. Ranma explains to Akane that the "Empty-Handed Filial Piety Strike" was actually just a backrub. Rouge buys a lifetime supply and leaves, while Tarou, back at the dojo, thinks he'll use them to rule the world.

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