Ranma 1/2 Just Missed Its Chance to Fix a Frustrating Issue from the Original Anime (2024)

Warning: Spoilers Ahead for Ranma 1/2 Episode #8The new remake of Ranma 1/2 just missed a major opportunity to fix one of the original anime's most frustrating issues. It goes without saying that the original Ranma 1/2 anime wasn't perfect. Certain head-scratching details and filler storylines made an already good show go on longer than it should have. However, while the remake has fixed a lot of these problems for the most part so far, one unsatisfying plot detail has stayed.

Ranma 1/2's eighth episode, "Darling Charlotte," puts Ranma's hot-blooded rival Ryoga Hibiki front-and-center as his pig form, P-Chan, is put up as a prize for the winner of a martial arts skating competition. To prevent Akane and Ranma from backing out of the challenge, figure skater Azusa puts a pink collar on P-Chan, which can only be unlocked by a special key. It's a high-stakes storyline, but when Ryoga makes an appearance in human form, it brings back memories of the most frustrating running gags in Ranma 1/2

Akane Never Figuring Out Ryoga's Secret is Incredibly Frustrating

She Should Be Smarter Than This

No matter which form Ryoga takes in the episode, he's always shown wearing the pink collar. Yet, despite this obvious evidence, Akane still doesn't figure out that her pet pig is actually Ryoga. The main reason why Ryoga's secret and Akane's delusion about it can be infuriating is because of how much it goes against who Akane is established to be as a character. She's a martial arts pro who can see the tiniest details in Ranma's opponents to help him in battle. She even called out many of Kodachi Kuno's moves during their Martial Gymnastics match to help Ranma come out on top. However, when it comes to P-Chan, she never connects the dots.

Akane herself sees first-hand that P-Chan is given the locked collar. It's even engraved on the tag that P-Chan's name is "Charlotte," which is what Azusa calls him when she first finds him on the rink. However, when Ryoga turns back to his human form and retains the tag, Akane never notices the collar on his neck, which is a dead giveaway for what is going on. Given how fans have come to know Akane over the past few episodes, it feels out-of-character for Akane, even though it's a joke that came from the creator of Ranma 1/2 herself, Rumiko Takahashi.

Ranma 1/2 Should Have Deviated from This Gag and Tried Something New

It's Okay for Remakes to Differ from Source Material to Fix What Doesn't Work

While it's good to see how faithful Ranma 1/2 has been to the original storyline, this is a point where the anime could have deviated from the source material to fix this glaring issue. Remakes tend to be at their best when changes are made to adjust what didn't work in the original story. There would no longer be any moments where Akane confusingly doesn't get that Ryoga is P-Chan, and while this would spawn a mini-arc where she and Ryoga would need to rebuild on better terms, it could circle back to the two working together as they do in later storylines.

How Ranma 1/2 Could Have Fixed the P-Chan Issue Without Altering the Joke

The Delicate Art of the Remake

Of course, given how dedicated the series has been to maintaining itself as a one-to-one adaptation of the manga, there is a way that Ryoga could have hidden his secret and not ultimately revealed himself when walking into the Tendo Dojo. A simple choice to move his bandana to cover his neck would have made all the difference, as he could have easily hidden the truth from Akane without having blatant evidence squarely pointed at her. It's a tiny change, but it would have worked in the long run to prevent the most frustrating running gag in Ranma 1/2 from being absolutely unforgivable like it is in episode #8.

Unfortunately, there's no stopping this glaring issue now as the episode has aired, and the story continues with Akane still not knowing the obvious truth. Still, that doesn't mean the series hasn't succeeded in most regards. It's still a phenomenal remake of the revolutionary 40-year-old story that has surpassed expectations and become one of the most talked about series among anime fans. Still, this running gag from Ranma 1/2 needed to be changed in some capacity, and the remake unfortunately missed its chance.

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9.7/10

Ranma 1/2

TV-MA

Animation

Action

Adventure

Fantasy

In this comedic series, martial artist Ranma Saotome navigates life with a unique predicament: he transforms into a girl when splashed with cold water. His engagement to Akane Tendo adds further complexity, as they encounter numerous challenges within familial and martial arts dynamics.

Character(s)

Ranma Saotome , Ranma , Akane Tendo , Nabiki Tendo , Kasumi Tendo , Soun Tendo , Genma Saotome , Passerby , Postman , Jusenkyo Guide

Release Date

October 6, 2024

Seasons

1