Did Ranma lose his (her?) virginity in the Ranma 1/2 anime series?

Question

Remembering old anime series we happened to talk about Ranma 1/2 and the amount of sexual jokes it had. I then remembered that the show was emitted in Spain with a lot of controversy, and then I came across an article from the 90s, published in a major newspaper, that charged against the show and the channel emitting it.

In the article (in Spanish) you can read the following (my translation):

In the episode in which Ranma loses his virginity in the showers (the kid comes out tripping over, in shock), [...].

I sincerely cannot remember such moment. I am almost sure that the person who wrote the article just saw something that nobody else saw. I know that some years later, when Karekano was emitted in Japan, there was a lot of controversy and debate about the scene where it is poetically suggested that the two main characters lose their virginities with each other, I supposed because that was the first time that such thing was depicted in an anime series with teenagers as main characters. So I doubt that a similar scene really happened in Ranma 1/2.

But as I haven't watched the complete anime series, I ask: did Ranma Saotome lose his (or her) virginity in any episode of the series or any of the movies? Or at least is there any scene that can be misinterpreted as stated by the article?

Answer 1

There certainly is no virginity losing that I have noticed in Ranma 1/2. Neither the Manga, nor the Anime have anything of the sort.

That said, there are numerous bath and shower scenes. Doing a google translate of the page, extends the next line after what you have noted.

the master Chen is about to suffer a collapse when stumbling over a mountain of intimate clothes.

Judging by their description, I would assume "Chen" to be Happosai, the lecherous teacher of Ranma and Akane's fathers.

This leads me to believe that the scene in question, using memory offhand, is from one of two or three episodes.

• Bathhouse Battle! We're in Some Hot Water Now

  In this episode, the Tendo's bath is on the fritz, and so everyone must use a public bathhouse. Ranma is stuck with keeping Happosai out of trouble, which proves difficult. This episode also has a part in which Ranma is knocked unconscious, which could explain the stumbling in a trance.

• Rub-a-Dub-Dub! There's a Pervert in the Tub

  This episode is less likely to be the answer, but it does cover the theme of Happosai and Ranma at some sort of bath. Akane goes on a hot springs trip with some friends. This hot spring, as it turns out, is the hiding spot for Happosai's ultimate technique. Of course fighting between the two occurs, and Ranma, in female form, ends up inside the hot spring (thus returning to male form), surrounded by girls, which is a scene that they could be misinterpreting.

• The Mixed-Bath Horror!

  This episode, also seems unlikely to me, but the Tendo Family, the Saotome's, and Happosai got to a hot springs resort. Once again, Ranma and Happosai have a battle in the baths, with Ranma being transformed into a girl, and chasing Happosai around.

Those are what I can think of off hand, but honestly the article reads more to me like someone who happened to catch a few episodes of the show, and didn't like the themes therein, and so wrote an article with a bit of embellishment.

It's more up to interpretation. If someone has more traditionally wholesome views, they will tend to see minor lewdness as something much worse. The same with people who aren't bothered by lewd act, only in the opposite direction.

I would check around a few of the episode I've offered, and maybe kick around the wiki a bit, if you're interested in finding more information.

Answer 2

I don't think so.

At least the versions watched by me don't have any such instances. As a matter of fact, Ranma doesn't even care about all this stuff. He rarely gets cosy with any of the girls.

In other words, love does not exist for him. He only cares a little about Akane. However sometimes he does touch the female characters "accidentally" -pretty usual for the male lead.

When he's a girl, he's mostly beating the hell out of other guys who try to flirt with him.

So yes, he's a virgin.