Warning: SPOILERS for Ranma 1/2 aheadThe long-awaited Ranma 1/2 reboot has brought back one of anime’s most beloved couples for a new generation to enjoy. The complicated relationship between the titular protagonist and his fianceé, Akane, is filled with hilarious mishaps, tear-inducing conflicts, and several wholesome moments. Ranma and Akane are considered the original "tsundere" characters in manga for how hard it is for them to confess their feelings.

Despite how one-sided it may feel at times, the series makes it clear that Ranma and the youngest Tendo sister are destined for one another. Yet, the never-ending complications that occur in Nerima make it seem as if this iconic duo will become one of the many anime couples who never officially start dating. Nonetheless, a deep love between the protagonists is thoroughly explored as the series progresses.

Ranma and Akane's Relationship Only Becomes More Complicated

Despite Confessing Their Feelings, Their Relationship is not Official

Throughout the Ranma 1/2 manga series, the heir to the Saotome school of anything-goes martial arts learns to deal with the many struggles on his path. By the end of the series, his various enforced fiancées and the curse he acquired while visiting the legendary Jusenkyo Springs have become a part of his life. With some sense of normalcy back in his life, Ranma tries his best to demonstrate to Akane that he loves her. The final chapters go as far as to depict the wedding of this amazing couple, something fans had been expecting to read for years.

Soun Tendo, Akane’s father, even promises Ranma water from the Spring of the Drowned Man to revert his curse. Despite truly wanting to marry his fiancé, the protagonist becomes even more excited about the possibility of breaking the spell. Nevertheless, as often occurs in the exciting world of Ranma 1/2, the ceremony is disrupted by many recurring characters looking to obtain the spring’s water for themselves. This ultimately prevents Ranma and Akane from getting married, and the series ends shortly after, with an ambiguous future for the duo.

The Series Does Hint At Ranma Marrying Akane In the Future

The Author Revealed Her Idea Was To Confirm Their Relationship

While their relationship never became official, the series' finale hints at Ranma and Akane getting married in the future. Both characters had already confessed their feelings before their wedding was interrupted, making it clear that the protagonist would not choose any of his other fiancées over the youngest Tendo. The proof of this being the story’s true ending also includes a quote from the author, Rumiko Takahashi. In a 1994 interview, the creator of the series stated that her plan was always to have Akane and Ranma become a couple by the end of the series.

As wholesome and fulfilling as it would be to see the protagonists of Takahashi's manga becoming one of the best couples in anime, the duo ended the series without making their relationship official. The reboot of this beloved anime might be the one to give fans the ending they have been hoping to see for many decades. Regardless, Ranma 1/2 will undoubtedly remain one of anime's most iconic romance stories ever.