Ranma ½ episode 12: The season ends with Shampoo walking away and Akane remembering Ranma

Modified Dec 22, 2024 04:00 GMT

Ranma ½ episode 12 highlights and more (Image via MAPPA). — Ranma ½ episode 12 highlights and more (Image via MAPPA)

Ranma ½ episode 12, released on December 22 in Japan, completes the first season of this 2024 remake, and ends with the resolution of the Akane Tendo amnesia subplot. It is revealed that Shampoo had executed a special technique to alter Akane's memories so she doesn't remember Ranma, much to the protagonist's frustration.

Ranma ½ episode 12 also highlights how far the protagonist is willing to go for Akane, since he had the intention of heading back to China to find an antidote. The episode (and the season as a whole) ends on a somewhat sad note as Shampoo chooses to walk away from Ranma while crying.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for the series. Any opinion expressed here belongs to the author and not Sportskeeda as a publication.

Ranma ½ episode 12 has Akane losing her memory

Akane Tendo slapping Ranma (Image via MAPPA)

Ranma ½ episode 12 begins where the previous one left off, as the protagonist finds Akane Tendo lying on the ground after her battle with Shampoo. He quickly realizes that she has lost her memory but seems only to have forgotten him, with Ryoga Hibiki also emphasizing that he didn't get to see what Shampoo did to alter her mind.

It was later revealed in Dr. Tofu's reception, through Genma Saotome, that Shampoo used a special Chinese martial arts technique with hair products to manipulate Akane Tendo's memory so she could forget about Ranma and only him. Then Tofu states that only a specific formula can fix it, but he doesn't have the shampoo to determine which one is it.

As they go home and talk with Akane's sisters, Nabiki and Kasumi, it is revealed that she still doesn't know anything about the protagonist, although Tofu and Genma arrive with a book that has knowledge on the formula, handed over by Shampoo. As the Chinese Amazon hugs Ranma, this triggers a reaction in Akane to hit him, emphasizing how, within her mind, she still has feelings for him.

Ranma is determined to find a solution

Female Ranma as seen in the last scene of the season (Image via MAPPA)

The second part of Ranma ½ episode 12 focuses on the protagonist deciding to head to China to find the 119 shampoo formula to fix Akane's memory problems. However, as he is trying to walk the streets, he is met by Shampoo, who shows that she has the 119 shampoo, and hides it in her breasts, while also claiming that if he wants it, then he has to "kill" female Ranma.

It is revealed that Shampoo still doesn't know that both versions of the protagonist are the same, although the change focuses on him trying to get beat up to convince the Chinese Amazon that she got the job done. However, this leads to a confrontation with Akane, where his insults manage to remind her of him as she slaps Ranma.

Ranma ½ episode 12 ends with a rather sad moment as the protagonist reveals to Shampoo that he is a woman and was pretending to be a man,— which is actually the other way around— leading the former to start crying and walk away. The season ends with female Ranma and Ryoga looking back at this situation.

Final thoughts

Shampoo as seen in the latest episode (Image via MAPPA).

Ranma ½ episode 12 concluded the season and provides an interesting cliffhanger with Shampoo walking away from her battle for the protagonist's love. It also established that Ranma cares deeply for Akane and wants to be with her, setting the stage for the upcoming season.

Edited by Ahana Mukhopadhyay