Ranma 1/2: Who Is That Radio Club Guy?

Ranma 1/2 features a cast of high school archetypes cranked up to eleven. Examples include the ultra-competitive rhythmic gymnast Kodachi Kuno and the womanizing figure skater Mikado Sanzenin. However, Netflix’s Ranma 1/2 reboot introduces a new student to Furinkan High, the high-energy broadcast club member Ichiro.

So, who is Ichiro (besides being ‘That Radio Club Guy’)? He’s narrated several sporting events, including the martial rhythmic gymnastics face-off and the figure skating team battle. Ichiro will likely get more air time with each martial arts showdown that Ranma and Akane encounter. But will Ichiro play a more prominent role in Ranma 1/2’s plot moving forward, or is he simply a narrative device?

Ichiro First Appeared in Season 1, Episode 2

He Could Play a Bigger Role as Furinkan High’s Fourth Estate

Whenever big news hits Furinkan High School, Ichiro ensures he’s the first to cover it. Viewers first met the broadcasting club personality in season 1, episode 2, “I Hate Men,” hounding Ranma with questions regarding his engagement with Akane. It’s clear Ichiro is a significant part of Furinkan High’s press corps.

Since then, Ichiro has been a mainstay tertiary character, giving play-by-plays of several school face-offs. His next significant appearance was in season 1, episode 4, “The Fighter,” when he recounted Ranma and Ryoga’s heated confrontation on school field 2. After that, Ichiro returned for the Kodachi Kuno arc. Most recently, he provided color commentary for the Charlotte Cup.

While Ichiro hasn’t directly influenced Ranma 1/2’s plot yet, fans can expect to see more of him in the future. After all, @ranma_pr teased Ichiro on X ahead of episode 2, indicating his role is more than a minor co-star.

Ichiro does not pose a substantial physical threat (he barely lifted Ryoga’s umbrella before throwing his back out). However, Ichiro’s investigative instincts are pretty dangerous to both Ranma and Ryoga. If the aspiring reporter discovers their secret, the two cursed teenagers will have a challenging future at Furinkan High.

Ichiro’s Japanese Voice Actor Worked On Another Takahashi Anime

Fans Speculate That Reboot Created Ichiro for Tomokazu Seki

Here’s a fun fact: Ichiro shares a connection with another Rumiko Takahashi IP, Inuyasha. The Netflix series cast Japanese voice actor Tomokazu Seki as Ichiro. And Seki’s various credits include playing Menōmaru in the film Inuyasha the Movie: Affections Touching Across Time.

Seki is a voice-acting veteran with an extensive resume. His anime roles include enigmatic characters like Toya Kinomoto in Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card and Panda in Jujutsu Kaisen. He’s also dubbed international releases, including Disney’s blockbuster Encanto.

Considering Seki’s talent and experience, some fans speculate that Ichiro was explicitly written for him. Additionally, casting a notable voice actor in your series can bring in more viewers who are less familiar with Ranma 1/2.

Related

How Ranma 1/2 Addresses The Significance Of Coming Out

Ranma 1/2 has several themes that will ring true to the LGBTQ+ community, including the experience of coming out.

Season 1, Episode 10 Spotlights Ichiro as Comic Relief

This Episode Also Showcases His Love for TV and Film

Regardless of Ichiro’s role in Ranma 1/2‘s plot, one can’t deny the character’s comedic appeal. One standout scene from the series is Ichiro’s recap at the beginning of season 1, episode 10, “Kiss of Death.” After recounting Akane and Ranma’s first bout against Mikado Sanzenin and Azusa Shiratori, the announcer vamps into a rapid-fire assault of pop culture references:

For the record, that passage includes four 80s film and TV references in less than seven seconds. Naturally, a member of the broadcasting club must consume a ton of media. (Which begs the question: is Ichiro also in the drama club? How fun would that episode be!)

The official Ranma (2024) website states that Ichiro is “known as the ‘word magician’ because he can manipulate words with ease.” After listening to his masterful use of imagery, antithesis, synonyms, and homonyms – just in the episode 10 recap alone – there is no denying that Ichiro lives up to this title. It will be exciting to see what tricks the “word magician” will conjure up next!

Your changes have been saved

Ranma 1/2

In this comedic series, martial artist Ranma Saotome navigates life with a unique predicament: he transforms into a girl when splashed with cold water. His engagement to Akane Tendo adds further complexity, as they encounter numerous challenges within familial and martial arts dynamics.

Release Date

October 6, 2024

Cast

Kappei Yamaguchi , Megumi Hayashibara , Noriko Hidaka , Minami Takayama , Kikuko Inoue , Akio Otsuka , Chō , Shou Okumura , Soshiro Hori , Kouichi Souma , Koichi Yamadera

Main Genre

Animation

Seasons

1

Studio

MAPPA

Character(s)

Ranma Saotome , Ranma , Akane Tendo , Nabiki Tendo , Kasumi Tendo , Soun Tendo , Genma Saotome , Passerby , Postman , Jusenkyo Guide

Based On

Manga

Creator

Rumiko Takahashi

Number of Episodes

9

MyAnimeList Score

8.07

Expand