Tendo Souun receives a Panda postcard from Saotome Genma saying that he's bringing Ranma from China. Souun gathers his daughters to tell them the good news, but Akane is out training. Akane returns from jogging, changes into martial arts clothing, and breaks a few cement blocks with her fist. Nabiki enters and comments that it's no wonder all the boys think she's wierd. Akane promptly replies that the world doesn't revolve around boys, to which Nabiki responds that their father's news wouldn't interest her. Souun tells his gathered daughters that his friend Genma is brining his son Ranma to be one of their fiances. One of his three daughters will marry Ranma and carry on the Tendo's Martial Arts School of Indiscriminate Grappling so that the Tendo family legacy will be secure. Akane and Nabiki protest that they've never met Ranma, but Souun replies that that is easily fixed.
A panda chases a girl down a street in Tokyo. The girl and the panda fight with the girl blocking each of the panda's moves while complaining about the panda picking her fiancee for her without even asking. She knocks the panda over, exclaiming that she's going back to China. As she walks away, the panda knocks her out with a street sign and carries her off. Back at the Tendo School of Martial Arts, Souun explains that Ranma and his father have been off training in China. The girls ask what kind of guy he is, but Souun doesn't know because he's never met Ranma. Noises echo from the entrance to the dojo and everyone rushes to greet the guest, expecting it to be Ranma and his father. The panda walks in with the girl over his shoulder. The girl complains that the panda is scaring everyone and the panda sets her in front of Souun. Kasumi asks if Souun knows them but he denies it. The girl states that she is Saotome Ranma and apologizes. Souun hugs her in joy and is shocked to find that Ranma is a girl.
Souun cries in disappointment as Nabiki yells at him for not making sure Ranma was a girl. Akane asks Ranma to join her in the practice hall as friends. Ranma tells Akane that she does a little Karate after Akane asks her, which prompts Akane to challenge Ranma to a match for fun. Akane promises not to hurt Ranma. Akane attacks multiple times but Ranma dodges each blow. Akane is confused as to why she keeps missing and begins to attack for real. Akane breaks a hole in the wall where Ranma was standing as Ranma taps her on the shoulder. Both girls laugh and Akane comments that Ranma's pretty good. Akane tells Ranma she's glad Ranma is a girl because she'd hate to lose to a boy. The panda soaks in steaming hot water. Souun sits with Genma, each saying nothing with tears streaming down their faces. Nabiki asks Kasumi who the old guy sitting with their father is, but neither knows.
Kasumi asks Ranma if she'd like a bath. Ranma refuses, but Kasumi insists. Ranma enters the bath and wonders what to do now. Nabiki tells Akane that the bath is ready. Akane prepares to enter the bath as Ranma thinks that they'll find out sooner or later. Akane enters the bath just as Ranma gets out of the tub. Akane stares at the strange man in her bathroom for a few moments before calmly shutting the door and getting dressed. As soon as she steps into the hallway, she screams and runs to pick up a statue, intending to throw the statue at the man in the bathroom. Akane tells Nabiki there's a pervert in the bathroom and Kasumi comments that Ranma was in the bath just now. The man walks up dressed in a Chinese outfit. Nabiki asks who he is, to which the man replies that he is Saotome Ranma and apologizes.