Ranma 1/2 – Season 1 Episode 5 Recap & Review

Who Says You’re Cute

Episode 5 of Ranma 1/2 begins with Ranma (in her female form) checking on Akane. Remember, Ryoga accidentally chopped Akane’s hair with one of his weapons. More students arrive. They wonder what happened to Ranma. Ranma tells the students to abandon that thought. 

She and Ryoga tell Akane that Akane can slap her and Ryoga. Akane slaps them and returns home. At home, Akane reflects on a past instance between a young version of herself, Tofu, and Kasumi. Tofu treats one of Akane’s wounds. Kasumi arrives. She thanks Tofu for taking care of Akane.

Tofu blushes and tells Kasumi it was no big deal. Kasumi and Akane depart. Akane looks at Kasumi’s hair. She wants to grow her hair out so she can be like Kasumi. In the present, Ranma checks on Akane, and Akane tells her that she’s fine. 

Akane greets Kasumi in the kitchen. Kasumi is surprised by Akane’s shortened hair. Akane tells Kasumi she cut it on purpose. She asks Kasumi to help tidy it up. Later, Ranma (in his boy form) looks at Akane’s chopped piece of hair on a rooftop.

Ranma departs. He wants to apologize to Akane. He bumps into Akane minutes later. Akane got Kasumi to trim and shorten her hair. Ranma and Akane head to Tofu’s place. Tofu inspects Akane’s wound and tells her her short hair looks great. 

Akane cries. Tofu wonders if he said something wrong. Akane apologizes and cries more. Ranma and Akane head home. He congratulates Akane on getting Tofu to tell her that she looks adorable. Akane says it doesn’t matter to her anymore. She knows Tofu loves Kasumi and has come to terms with that notion. 

Ranma tells Akane that she looks great with short hair. Akane thanks Ranma for the compliment. Ranma looks at Akane and wonders if she looks cute to him. Akane pushes Ranma into a nearby river and declares she has a point over him.

Later, Ryoga arrives at the Tendo Dojo. Ryoga wants to fight Ranma again. He enters Ranma’s room and yells at him to get up. Genma pushes the two outside. Ranma lands in a nearby hot spring. He turns into a girl. Ranma yells at Ryoga for interrupting his sleep. 

She also wants to know why Ryoga’s mad at her. Ryoga tells Ranma that she stood him up in the past. This is why Ryoga followed Ranma to China. Ranma speculates Ryoga is going through the same transformation issue she’s experiencing. Ryoga is using his umbrella at the same time.

Ryoga doesn’t confirm Ranma’s theory. He fights and yells at Ranma. Akane and Kasumi wake up and check the area for intruders. The two spot someone in the distance. The poor weather makes it hard for Akane to realize it’s Ryoga. Kasumi hands Akane a dumbbell to use on the intruder. 

While Ranma and Ryoga fight, Akane throws a dumbbell at Ryoga. Ryoga drops his umbrella and departs. Ranma chases after Ryoga and finds his clothes somewhere. A dog growls at Ranma and Ranma thinks it’s Ryoga. Akane returns to her room.

A pig attacks Akane but Akane stops it. Akane promises to take care of it. Ranma returns with the dog and chats with it. Akane arrives with the pig. The two discuss the dog Ranma brought home and Akane says it’s the neighbor’s dog, Beth. 

Ranma pours some water on Beth and realizes Beth isn’t Ryoga. She tells Akane that she’s going to take a bath. Akane asks Ranma to bathe with the pig. Ranma brings the pig to the bathroom and puts it in the bathtub. The pig turns into Ryoga. Ryoga attacks Ranma. 

He tells Ranma how he gained these pig transformation powers. Ranma accidentally pushed Ryoga into a pond at Junsenkyo while she was chasing after Genma. Genma saw Ryoga (in his pig form) in the pond and brought him to Junsenkyo’s tour guide. 

The guide tries cooking Ryoga. The puts Ryoga in a pot and Ryoga transforms into a human. Ranma tries calming Ryoga down, but Ryoga refuses. Ranma sprays Ryoga with water to turn him into a pig again. Ranma suggests they try to talk things out. 

Ryoga bites Ranma and flees. Ranma chases Ryoga and Ryoga heads toward Akane. Akane tells Ranma to stop hurting the pig. She’s unaware that the pig is Ryoga. Akane brings Ryoga to her room and sleeps with him. Ranma (in his boy form) enters Akane’s room with a canister filled with water. 

He tries reasoning with Ryoga but Ryoga retaliates. Ryoga pushes Ranma and Ranma lands on Akane. Akane wakes up, slaps Ranma, and tosses him outside her window. Kasumi and the others scold Ranma in the morning for his behavior. 

The episode ends with Akane reacting to her family’s comments. 

The Episode Review

This episode seemingly wraps up Akane’s journey to win over Tofu. Seeing Akane cry into Tofu’s arms was touching. At least, the story will lean more into Akane’s romance with Ranma. Unlike Ataru and Lum’s companionship in Urusei Yatsura, there’s more focus on Ranma and Akane’s relationship. 

Having Ranma comfort Akane with kind remarks and actions was heartfelt. Hopefully, the story will give viewers more instances like that. The episode also unveils more lore surrounding the Junsenkyo spiritual ponds. As many may have predicted, the other ponds also hold magical properties. 

It’ll make viewers question what other characters will arrive with experiences like Ranma, Genma, and Ryoga’s. Speaking of Ryoga, this chapter reveals why he despises Ranma. Many will side with Ryoga’s anger, as no one should be subject to becoming food. 

At the same time, we’re hopeful the two will make amends. But all in all, this was a nice episode of Ranma 1/2.