¿Por qué el estanque del hombre ahogado solo afecta a Ranma?

Have you ever wondered why Rumiko Takahashi never experimented or played with the idea of Akane, Shampoo, or Ukyo being affected by the water from the Drowned Man Pond in Ranma 1/2? Even if it were just a temporary transformation?

It is true that there are many interesting possibilities to explore with the characters and the cursed pond. However, the author seems to have kept this aspect very limited to Ranma himself and his interactions with the girls.

The comedic nature of the water

A reason could be that the water is used mainly as a comic and chaotic element in the story, especially regarding Ranma’s transformations. By centering the story on the fluctuation between Ranma’s forms, Takahashi may have considered that complicating the dynamics with more characters wouldn’t benefit the tone she wanted to give.

Character dynamics and narrative structure

In terms of Akane, Shampoo, and Ukyo, they already had their own personalities and enough conflict without needing to involve the pond. If the girls had been affected by the water, it could have interfered with the basic plot structure where interactions were already heavily charged with love, jealousy, and rivalries.

Also, there is something that might be a bit more practical! Transformations in female characters could have altered the narrative too much. By not going deep into it, Rumiko left the essence of her characters intact without adding confusion to their roles within the story.

Do you imagine how those alternative versions of the girls would have been?