Ranma 1/2 - Episode 5: "Who Says You're Pretty?"

Let's talk about Dr. Tofu.

Something I missed when I first watched the series at age 12 – something's not quite right here. He's a licensed chiropractor (which isn't actually a medical doctor), who is infatuated with a 19-year-old. Okay, that's fine, most people agree that 19-year-olds can consent to a relationship, even if we don't actually know how old Tofu really is.

But in this episode, there's a flashback to when Akane decided to grow her hair out. In this flashback, Akane looks very young, clearly elementary school-aged, while Tofu is tending to her injuries after a scuffle. Kasumi comes to pick her up and chides her for her tomboyish behavior. As Tofu awkwardly hovers, it's made clear that he already has a crush on her.

The problem? Kasumi is only three years older than Akane. Maybe Furinkan has a middle school that wears the same uniforms? But Akane is a freshman in high school, maybe fifteen years old at most, while Tofu is already practicing as a chiropractor – meaning he was into a pre-teen as a grown man. I cry foul!

The obvious answer, of course, is that Takahashi wasn't paying close attention to the timeline when she drew this chapter. The ages just don't line up. If you look for in-universe explanations, there are all sorts of excuses to make – Tofu is emotionally stunted, it was more socially acceptable in the '80s for adult men to date high schoolers, and so on – but the fact remains that it just doesn't look good in modern times, even if Ranma 1/2 is technically a period piece in 2024.

The good news is that it doesn't actually matter, because Tofu's role in the narrative is complete, and we probably won't see him again – assuming they don't adapt the anime-exclusive plot where his mother seeks out a bride for him. Akane grew her hair out to appear more feminine and appeal to her crush, and now she's ready to move on. Cutting off her hair as a sign of accepting rejection might be a stronger symbol in Japan, but regardless of cultural context, the purifying power of a fresh haircut shouldn't be underestimated. Everyone has their own opinion on which hair length suited Akane better, but it can't be denied that her iconic chop sets her apart from the mostly long-haired, moody beauties that dominated shonen romcoms in the '80s.

Since this anime is faithfully following the pace of the manga, the episode ends in two parts: The first half resolves Akane's crush, and then the plot switches gears to new, Ryoga-related matters. I'm not thrilled with this disjointed feeling, especially since it sometimes feels like the jokes are rushed, without giving them time to really land. Pacing is undoubtedly tricky in TV when every second of footage has to be accounted for, and I understand that they wanted to conclude the haircut in the last episode. Still, I feel like there should be a way to end the episode more cleanly at the end of a story arc instead of splitting it in half like this.

In the second part, Ryoga reappears at the Tendo household, still determined to fight Ranma. Through various shenanigans, we learn two things: He's been cursed after falling into the Spring of Drowned Black Piglet in Jusenkyo, and it's 100% Ranma's fault. Suddenly, Ryoga's almost homicidal rage makes sense, especially when Ranma complains about his cursed body. But then he spies a shining light that might make it all worth it: being Akane's pet P-chan, without her realizing that the being she's cuddling is her fiancé's rival.

Look, I love Ryoga. Structurally, he's the perfect foil for Ranma: Both are socially inept teenagers who are cursed to transform – Ryoga, however, is plagued by bad luck, unlike Ranma's carefree nature. Character-wise, he's pathetic and kind of dumb – two qualities I very much appreciate in a man. But there's no denying that what he's doing here is pretty unacceptable. Akane never consented to a teenage boy snuggling up to her and sleeping in her room; if she knew the truth, she'd be mortified and humiliated by the vulnerability she showed when she thought it was just her and her pet – both with a limited understanding of human emotion. Even if Ryoga closes his eyes when she changes in front of him – which he probably does – it's a massive breach of trust. He's behaving like a pig – and I mean that both literally and figuratively.

This is one of those things that doesn't hold up as well once I take off the nostalgia goggles that are usually firmly affixed to my face. I used to barely pay attention to this, because Ryoga was funny and cute in both forms, and it provided a rich source of humor. It wasn't until my most recent rewatch that I really realized how grim the situation was, and modern audiences tend to be more aware of problematic comedy than we were in the '90s. While this doesn't diminish my affection for Ryoga, it's something I'll be thinking about moving forward.

Ranma ½ – Episode 5 is now available on Netflix.