Akane’s Skill-Set Debate: Is Akane's Interest in Marital Arts Only a “Hobby”?
This is another argument I've heard countless times that's never made sense to me. From the very moment we're introduced to Akane Tendo, she's shown jogging and then goes straight to the dojo to work out by breaking bricks with her fists. Martial arts is in her blood; it's part of her core identity. There's a reason one of her most worn outfits is her martial arts gi. So to claim she's not as passionate as others, just because she's not as strong or as skilled, is misleading and untrue.
It's clear where this debate originated: It's pulled straight from OAV 5, The One to Carry On.
So to disprove this ridiculous accusation, I decided to compile evidence from the actual source material. This evidence spans all 38 volumes. And it's important to point out that there is no manga-equivalent story to the anime-only OAV above.
MANGA EXAMPLES
Akane is constantly shown training and working out, competing in martial arts competitions, and fighting real opponents. She's constantly shown in her gi, training, sparring, exercising in the dojo. No, she's not on the same level as many of the other characters, but that's because she's not a monster.
FORMAL MATCHES
Akane vs the Dojo Destroyer
Akane vs Mariko
Akane vs Asuza
Akane vs Kuno
Akane vs Kodachi
Akane vs Pink and Link
Akane competing
[Fast or Free / Hot-springs Course]
Akane escaping captivity
[Pantyhose / Jusendo]
MISCELLANEOUS FIGHTS
WORKING OUT / TRAINING
Akane training
Akane - Miscellaneous
Where did this
THE ONE TO CARRY ON : PART I & II
These are anime-only episodes and have no manga-counterparts.
I have so many issues with these episodes. For one, it fundamentally doesn't make sense.
1.) There's no way Soun would risk his family legacy on a blurry photo. All he would have had to do was get a paternity test, and there goes their entire argument.
1.) Even if these two random girls were Soun Tendo's daughters, they still wouldn't be able to inherit the dojo! The entire premise of Ranma and Akane's engagement is that Ranma, a MALE, is supposed to inherit because a female can't. If this weren't the case, then why would Soun need Ranma to "secure the family legacy" at all? He has three daughters. So if these two girls were indeed legitimate heirs who wanted to "inherit" the school, that should mean that one of them would need to marry Ranma instead and "stake their claim" through him. So the idea that Soun went along with this at all makes no sense, and shows just how far off the mark the anime can veer.
2.) The fact that these two girls are strong doesn't matter. Akane is strong - that's one of her well-known, defining characteristics - but she's still not qualified in her father's eyes to carry on the dojo. Why? Because she's female. For Soun, strength isn't important when it comes to the female line. This is made clear from the very beginning when he says it doesn't matter which daughter marries Ranma . . . Kasumi and Nabiki aren't martial artists, but they're just as qualified as Akane to inherit and pass down their genes. Which means Soun doesn't necessarily care if their offspring is inhumanly strong or not; he's not trying to ensure strong children like the Amazons. If he was, he would have chosen Akane from the start since she's the only martial artist among them. So even in this instance, strength is reserved for the men. That's because Soun didn't have sons, so he needs a strong son-in-law to carry on his family's legacy, and two random girls showing up would not suddenly change this. Even if they do have a blurry photo signifying as much.
3.) Akane does not see martial arts as a "hobby" and she does not only work out to stay in shape. This is proven countless times in the manga. It's constantly shown in the manga that the heir needs to be male, and that HE needs to be strong. That's why Ranma and Akane's engagement is so rocky: it'd dependent on sex and strength. Several tenants that are brought up frequently.
4.) The anime could have easily reworked it to keep it more true to canon: Instead of having it be Soun's illegitimate "daughters" they could have changed it his illegitimate "son" or even another fiancé who challenges Ranma for the right to inherit the dojo (Soun already did it once with Picolet Chardin II, so it wouldn't be odd to learn he did it more than once). Both of these scenarios would make sense, increase the stakes, and hold potential for some fantastic Ranma/Akane moments. But instead we got this weird, random farce which seemed to go out of its way to paint Akane in a lazy, negative light.
5.) There were a million superior stories from the manga they could have adapted instead. This one was unnecessary and insulting.