Herb (ハーブ, Hābu?) is a member of the Musk Dynasty, an ancient community of Chinese martial arts devoted to transforming animals into humans using a cursed spring and breeding with them in order to produce heirs with bolstered genetic fighting potential. Herb is part of the royal line, which is descended from dragons, granting him chi-mastery. He is raised without female contact, as is every other male, and before being married, he attempts to use a spring to familiarize himself with women by transforming a monkey. Distracted by breasts, he accidentally falls into the spring and becomes trapped in a female form. He and his two servants, Mint and Lime, attempt to find an artifact to reverse the effect. Herb is callous, sadistic, and irate, showing little respect for the worth of anyone beyond himself. Due to his experience with the monkey that cursed him, Herb possesses an irrational hatred towards female breasts, and he is easily distracted and enraged by the sight of them.
Herb is an immensely skilled and ruthless martial artist, who consistently outmatched Ranma in direct combat. He believes himself to be a complete master of manipulating chi, though he is easily surprised by unknown attacks. He has the ability to fly, use supersonic strikes, multiple flexible chi blasts, a sword made from chi, and flying blades of chi, as well as the Amazon Hiryu Shoten Ha techique, which uses the power of an opponent to fuel a tornado. He is voiced by Katsuaki Arima.
Herb's two main, fearsome and bloodthirsty, but gullible and inexperienced, bodyguards are named Lime (Rimu) and Mint (Minte). Lime is of the tiger-clan, a massive master warrior dressed in animal skins, and the physically strongest and most durable character in the series, dwarfing even Ryoga in these areas, with an upper maximum of over 100,000 tonnes. Mint looks like a short young man, but is part wolf, wears the skin of one over his head, is a master swordsman, and the swiftest character in the series, more than a match for Mousse even when the latter goes all out, and utilises a limited number of throwing knives, but is easily distracted. However, although physically superior to Herb they have not displayed any special techniques.
Read more about this topic: List Of Ranma ½ Characters, Other Native Chinese
Famous quotes containing the word herb:
“Find out the peaceful hermitage,
The hairy gown and mossy cell,
Where I may sit and rightly spell
Of every star that heaven doth show,
And every herb that sips the dew;
Till old experience do attain
To something like prophetic strain.
These pleasures Melancholy give,
And I with thee will choose to live.”
—John Milton (1608–1674)
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The silvery haze of summer drawn;”
—Alfred Tennyson (1809–1892)