Akane Tendō, born August 24, 1971, is the youngest daughter of Sōun Tendō and his late wife. Her mother's death during her early childhood meant she missed learning many traditional feminine skills; her notoriously poor cooking, causing illness with nearly every dish except her curry, became a recurring joke. Her eldest sister, Kasumi, stepped in as a surrogate mother, attempting to teach feminine arts like the tea ceremony, but Akane struggled with the required patience. Embracing a tomboyish lifestyle, she frequently fought and trained in martial arts. A childhood trip to Ryugenzawa saw her stray deep into the forest, where a boy named Shinnosuke rescued her from a giant platypus, sacrificing his own health. In elementary school, classmates viewed her as boyish and cast her as Romeo in *Romeo and Juliet*; she accepted the role despite secretly wishing to play Juliet, a desire that resurfaced years later when multiple suitors vied for her. She developed a crush on Dr. Tofu after he treated her injuries, but upon realizing his affection for Kasumi, she grew her hair longer in an attempt to appear more feminine and win his attention. This unrequited love led her to initially declare she hated boys. Her stance hardened when suitor Tatewaki Kuno proclaimed only someone who defeated her in combat could date her. This resulted in daily violent ambushes by male athletes at Furinkan High, all of whom she effortlessly defeated without being late for class. Her life shifted dramatically with the arrival of Ranma Saotome at the Tendō dojo. Unaware of Ranma's curse—turning him into a girl with cold water and back with hot—Akane befriended his female form. Discovering his male form during a bathroom encounter caused outrage and led her sisters to select her as his fiancée, citing her dislike of men and Ranma's dual-gender condition as compatibility. Their arranged engagement began contentiously, marked by frequent arguments and physical fights, often triggered by Ranma's insensitive comments or Akane's misinterpretations of situations involving other girls. Akane's appearance evolved. She initially had long hair, but it was accidentally cut short during a battle between Ranma and Ryōga Hibiki; she maintained the shorter style afterward. She typically wore Furinkan High's girls' uniform but appeared in varied outfits, including a light yellow karate gi for training. Physically the shortest among main characters—shorter than male Ranma but matching female Ranma in height—she had a slim, well-defined build, black hair (blue-tinted in the anime), and large brown eyes. Personality-wise, Akane demonstrated compassion and self-sacrifice, aiding others in distress, including rivals like Shampoo or adversaries like Happōsai. She strongly opposed attacking defenseless individuals, refraining from hitting Ranma when he was cursed into a child. However, she was also insecure, stubborn, and prone to violent outbursts, particularly directed at Ranma, often fueled by jealousy or misunderstandings. Her insecurities stemmed from perceived lacks in femininity, attractiveness, or martial arts prowess, despite being considered the most beautiful girl at school and attracting suitors like Ryōga, Kuno, and Gosunkugi. She often remained oblivious to this attention, focusing instead on her frustrations with Ranma. Her relationship with Ranma developed gradually. Early conflicts arose from mutual distrust, but they repeatedly risked their lives for each other: Akane used a magic paper doll to absorb lethal snake venom meant for Ranma, and entered a monster's mouth to save him. Key moments included Ranma complimenting her smile, flustering her, and his genuine concern after her hair was cut, where he softened his demeanor to support her, stating she looked better with short hair. During the battle against Saffron at Mount Phoenix, Ranma admitted his love while holding an unconscious Akane, believing her dead. Afterward, she agreed to marry him to secure a cure for his curse, though their wedding was disrupted by chaos orchestrated by Nabiki and others. The series concluded with the implication they would marry soon after. As an heir to the Anything Goes Martial Arts School, Akane possessed considerable strength and agility, excelling in armed combat with weapons like bokken, staffs, and bows. She could defeat multiple attackers simultaneously, as when she instantly overwhelmed nine Furinkan High fighters, and held her own against opponents like the Dojo Destroyer or Kiima. However, her skills were less refined than peers like Ranma or Shampoo, who had more intensive training. Her regimen included breaking cinder blocks, jogging, and basic katas, but she balanced this with schoolwork and social life, limiting her growth. In the OVA *The One to Carry On*, she trained rigorously under Ryōga's guidance and collaborated with Ranma to defeat adversaries Natsume and Kurumi using a combined technique. Akane's character portrayal sometimes differed across media. The 1989 anime amplified her violent reactions while omitting manga context like her apologies or others' instigating behavior. It also depicted her as less competent against rivals like Kodachi or Ukyo compared to the manga, where she handled them easily. Conversely, the 2024 remake highlighted her physical struggles more visibly. Fan interpretations often exaggerated her tsundere traits, overlooking her nuanced manga portrayal where her actions were frequently responses to Ranma's provocations or protective instincts.