Not sure how far the Spoiler protection should go. Oh well. Spoilers 
if you don't want to know about Konatsu. 

I am
a major
general
and a
...
well, 
I 
don't
know
the
rest
of 
it
so
here
goes
nothing

without a major problem equally problematic.  But still, perhaps, in 
time Ukyou can love Konatsu in return.  Certainly not now, perhaps not 
even soon, but some day.

However, this is not happening.

  I think you hit the nail on what I've been writing in my fanfics. 
HOWEVER, the fact is that getting Ukyo into a new relationship is not a 
subject of the story, and although it is a heck of a lot easier to get 
rid of Ryoga using Akari, it'd take a lot to get Ukyo to even notice 
Konatsu-- he is, after all, a wimp (I'm not talking in terms of fighting 
ability). 

I have spent a good amount of time reading Ranma fanfics, many of these 
continuations of the manga.  A suprising number of these make no 

mention 

of Konatsu at all.  

  Sometimes I wonder about that too. Then Tsubasa shows up. Splat. 

These either leave Ukyou with only sorrow and death 
as her life's companions 

  Seen a lot of those too. 

or place her with Ryouga, a questionable choice 
(although it certainly can be done well).  

  I don't think so, honestly. 

Others, those where Konatsu 
is taken into consideration, follow similar paths.  Ukyou is consumed 
with sorrow and Konatsu marries some nameless woman.  

  I have problems with that as Konatsu is hopelessly in love. Think 
Mousse. 

Ukyou crushes 
Konatsu with a vehement rejection and he disappears.  

  Not her style. Neither is it his. 

Konatsu dies and 
Ukyou realizes what she had too late.  

  Big cop-out. Too convenient to be real. 

Ukyou's grief pushes Konatsu to 
become someone else, either Ranma or Ukyou herself.

  I think I only thought that interesting the first time I saw it (then 
again, I think there's only one of those kind of fics?)

In fact, the best treatment Konatsu has gotten in fanfic appears to be 
in 'Waters Under Earth,' and there he's been kidnapped and abused by 
psychotic kunoichi and had an ancient evil grafted onto his soul.  At 
least his relationship with Ukyou is improving.

  That's it? (shameless plug, although the subject takes back-seat, but 
it's still there)

So, the point this rambling leads to is...

Why?

  Try Bud Dry. 

Why can't Konatsu catch a break?  Is it simply that no one save myself 
likes him?  

  Actually, I DO like him; although he is a kick-skidplate fighter, as 
mentioned above, he's a complete wimp about relationships. Without some 
major adjustments, he's doomed (just like Mousse). 

Since I freely admit to having no taste, am I missing 
certain aesthetic reasons for avoiding budding Ukyou-Konatsu romance? 

  No. I think, perhaps, it may be due to the fact that relatively few 
people know he exists, or even like him. 
  Not to mention that I also have problems with such a relationship as 
given (see below). 

Is it just that Ukyou is easier to write about as someone stuck to 
perpetual misery, rather than a vital Ukyou who rediscovers her heart?  

  Personally, when I wrote (still writing) my continuation, I thought 
that throwing Ukyo into another relationship so fast would be a bit too 
much an emotional strain (as it stands at the moment, she's just about 
ready to let go of Ranma, and is also wary of relationships-- but saying 
more would be telling). It is a problem I have with all continuations 
(one shot or not) that put Ukyo with Konatsu-- they happen way too fast 
to be believable. There IS a sequence to a successful relationship, you 
know. 
  As it stood at the end of the manga, Ukyo wasn't interested in 
Konatsu, even though she knew he was interested in her. The first thing 
that has to happen is for Ukyo to decide to ultimately move on-- the 
rest, then, is mainly up to Konatsu. He has to become a human being, so 
to speak-- grow a backbone (and consequently his own free will-- Ukyo 
certainly won't be interested in a yes-man as a husband), take 
responsibility, deal with people. I believe the independant woman needs 
the independant man before it'll work. 

Or do examples of this type of story exist, and I've simply been to 
foolish to locate them, though not for lack of trying.

  Stories as such do exist, but exist in tiny pockets of web pages. 

----------------------------------------------------------
General Sea Clamp: "And I have arranged for a covert operative-- you 
know the one. He has been given our secretly developed Transwarp 
crusier. He will trace the Transwarp wave back to its source."
General Ramhorn: "If Megatron is found still operating his own agenda, 
what are the agent's instructions?"
General Cicadacon: "Terminate, with EXTREME prejudice."

"Decepticons FOREVER!!" --Ravage, former Decepticon
"You've gotten tricker since last time. I LIKE THAT!!"--Rampage
"If you go to Z'ha'dum, you will die." --Kosh, Babylon 5
"Master! You mustn't! People are watching!!"--Cherry, Saber Marionette J

--Razorclaw X
Author: "Wheel of Fire" and "The World's Worst Ranma Fanfic!"

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