English Dub Review: Ranma 1/2 “Shampoo Cleans Up”

OVERVIEW (SPOILERS)

Akane awakens from her fight with Shampoo with all her memories intact except for those about Ranma, so everyone tries to help jog her memory while Shampoo attempts to stop them.

OUR TAKE

And after a nice soft rinse, that concludes the Shampoo arc I guess! You know, maybe it’s a sign of me just getting old or growing out of having a taste for this kind of soap opera harem comedy nonsense, but this whole bit just felt kind of…dumb. Like I dunno, it just feels like having Shampoo, this supposed romantic rival for Ranma’s affections, use these underhanded tactics to block memories of him from Akane’s mind, but then having the fact that she did that be fully known by Ranma and everyone else AND being open about trying to stop them from helping her regain them…just doesn’t seem like that great a plan if you’re actually trying to get Ranma to like you, ya know? I mean, I get that part of her character is that she’s kind of dumb because she doesn’t talk in full sentences and only thinks according to her people’s code about being betrothed to whichever man beats her in battle, but if she thought any of her actions out and the inherent consequences of them, how did she think this was going to go when all was said and done? How does this benefit her AT ALL?

Obviously they’re able to jog Akane’s memories loose after enough prodding, though oddly enough, it’s her annoyance with Ranma that gets her to remember everything. That’s kinda funny since it highlights they’re closeness and unique relationship, though that’s kind of cancelled out by the fact that her not remembering him most of the episode was not that funny at all, and honestly made me more concerned she might have brain damage if anything else. And then there’s the resolution for Shampoo, at least for now, where she is finally told about Ranma’s gender bending ability, which Ranma plays off as him truly being a girl and Shampoo responds to by being genuinely heartbroken and running away, supposedly never to be seen again with everyone feeling like they maybe went too far. Except, considering her actions and clear lack of ability to comprehend the consequences of them, I really don’t feel any reason to sympathize with her in the slightest? Like yeah, get the hell out of here, dude! But somehow I doubt this will be the last we see of her, since there are supposedly more “Chinese Amazon” characters out there, though we’ll have to wait and see for when they’ll pop again. At least Shampoo is OUT OF OUR HAIR for now, haha. Get it? GET IT?