Akane Tendo (live-action)

Akane Tendo is the secondary main protagonist throughout the live-action special.

Akane is one of the three daughters of Soun and Mrs. Tendo, with both her sisters Nabiki and Kasumi being older than her. She along with her sisters were to be chosen by Ranma Saotome to become fiancés as part of the agreement made by Soun and Genma Saotome prior to their birth. Ultimately, Akane was chosen by her sisters to becomes Ranma's fiancé due to them having the same age as well as Akane being the only of the three daughters who regularly practices Martial Arts as well as.

History
While Akane was still very young, her mother passed away. Since then Akane has focussed on her training to protect the Dojo and try to forget the loneliness she felt after her mother passed away. This has caused Akane to start treating the Dojo like her second mother and is willing to protect it with everything she's got.

Live-Action Special
After frightening off the School's last pupil, Akane goes to Kasumi who reassures her that everything will work out. Kasumi continues by noting that breakfast will be ready in about 5 hours, hearing this Akane attempts to help her sister, but just breaks an egg in her hand, causing Kasumi to tell Akane not to touch anything. Soun then comes in excitedly declaring that someone will be arriving soon, but before Soun can reveal who it is, Kasumi puts her hot pan on Soun's hand. Soun eventually notices and Akane takes him to the in order to treat the burn, but accidentally uses the hot tap, burning Soun's hand further.

Once Soun has had his hand tended to by Akane, he explains about Ranma, who's the son of his old friend Genma. Nabiki asks her father why they don't just tear down the Dojo and build some apartments instead (especially as they have no students anymore), but Akane insists that she wouldn't let that happen. Soun then explains that only men will be allowed to inherit the Dojo, so Akane must marry Ranma for it to continue. Akane is outrightly against this idea, so leaves for School in a rather foul mood.

One her way to School, Akane is photographed by Gosunkugi. Akane easily spots him as he's stood right in front of her, she then takes his camera and deletes all his pictures before reminding him that she's told him to not do this and adds that she doesn't even know who he is. When she arrives at the school gate, Akane notices a person who she doesn't recognise standing there, dressed in oriental clothing. After remembering what Soun said about Ranma just returning from China she engages in a conversation with them, but this person is female. The woman then asks for directions to the Tendo Dojo, however, before the matter can be settled a group of school thugs appear who challenge Akane and should they win she has to date them.

Akane begins fighting the thugs, but is stopped when Tatewaki Kuno arrives and tells the thugs that if they want to fight Akane they'll have to defeat him first. Kuno then easily dispatches the thugs and the woman walks over to Akane and asks her if she isn't happy that Kuno saved her, but Akane explains that it was Kuno who started the problem in the first place. Akane then watches on as the woman easily defeats Kuno after he told her and Akane he would permit both of them to date him. The woman then reveals herself to be Ranma Saotome, much to Akane's surprise.

A little later, Akane discusses with Ranma about their father's plan to have them marry, but of course this can't happen if they're both girls. Ranma tries to explain herself to Akane, but Akane offers Ranma a handshake saying that she's glad to meet her before Ranma can finish. Just then Vice Principal Okamada appears and tells Akane that he heard she beat up some male students again, the Vice Principal then notices Ranma, which causes Akane to explain to her that outsiders aren't welcome in the School. This prompts Ranma to ask Akane to take her to the legendary hot springs which Genma claimed she had and was the reason she came to Japan, but Akane says that they haven't any hot springs at her place. Just then Dr. Tofu (who's the school nurse) appears and says hello to Akane so she runs over to him, with Ranma following in pursuit.

Inside the Nurse's office, Akane explains about the situation regarding her and Ranma. Dr. Tofu notes that Soun believing that Ranma was male sounds like something he would do, he then tells Akane that she should marry somebody she likes and then asks if there is anyone. Akane sudden goes rather shy and quietly says that there isn't anyone she likes. At that moment Kasumi arrives and Dr. Tofu begins acting rather oddly (during this time he knocks the cup of hot water which Ranma had asked for out of her hand). Kasumi gives Akane the lunch which she'd forgotten to bring earlier. Akane watches as Kasumi gives Dr. Tofu something she hopes he'll like until Kasumi tells Akane that a panda came to the Dojo earlier. Hearing this, Ranma begins to panic and tells Akane to come with her back to the Dojo. As the pair run back to the Dojo, the Vice Principal looks on from an upper walkway.

The pair return to find Soun attempting to call animal control, but is having trouble as Nabiki refuses to allow him to do so. Ranma then asks where the panda is, to which Soun explains he's gone into the bath. Ranma quickly rushes towards the bathroom, while Akane chases after her shortly afterwards. However, when Akane gets to the bathroom she's met with the sight of two naked men fighting each other in the bathtub. After quietly and calmly shutting the door again, Akane screams in horror.

Some time later, Genma and Ranma explain about how they travelled to Jusenkyo and fell into the springs of Shonmaonīchuan and Nyannīchuan (panda and girl respectively) and are now cursed to turn into their new form whenever splashed with cold water. Akane and the other Tendo sisters initially don't believe the story, but as Ranma and Genma begin fighting each other, Genma throws Ranma into the pond outside and sure enough Ranma turns into a girl. Ranma then asks Soun to tell her where the Nannīchuan spring is. Akane tells Ranma that there is no such spring here, but Soun reveals that there is such a spring and he had intended only to tell the heir to the Dojo about it.

After hearing about the history of the Japanese Nannīchuan spring, Ranma agrees with Soun to marry Akane in order to get it. During their conversation, Ranma calls Soun "father" which causes Akane to angrily remind her that Soun isn't her father. Ranma takes this a sign that Akane is jealous of her, as even being a man she's still got a better body than Akane. This angers Akane further that she ends up punching Ranma in the face and knocking her unconscious.