There are some MI and Ranma spoilers below....

   Date: Sat, 06 Jan 1996 02:49:03 -0800
   From: reglee@smartt.com

   > [ this is me ]

   >obvious fact that the classic Ranma anime (first series) has captured
   >many hearts, and Viz's versions for the masses, the following recently
   >occured to me:
   >
   >R. Takahashi, perhaps because she was just coming from the superb
   >Maison Ikkoku, set up a wonderful romantic situation, which
   >(amazingly) the producers of the anime improved upon.  She (and they)
   >then fell back to UY style fun and games that only occasionally and by
   >small increments advance the romance.  

   MI takes forever to get anywhere (with the romance) too! Small increments 
   about once every dozen shows... at least for the first half. I gather 
   that the real reason for the difference between the first and second 
   Ranma series was ratings. 

Hmmm; perhaps.  I take the MI manga as canon (it's significantly
better than the anime adaptation), and while you have a point, I think
the advance is much steadier, and by much greater increments.

In Ranma, during/by the skating episode (which really belongs before
Shampoo's intro). Ranma and Akane have nearly kissed, are an
"unacknowledged" couple ("Akane is my fiance, touch her and I'll kill
you!"), etc. etc.  While I ought to review the manga, I'm not sure
there's any *advance* in the romantic relationship until they hold
hands at the end of the Water of Life arc.  Sure, there are plenty of
romantic moments, but precious little *advance*.

Whereas, to take one example, by the middle of the MI manga story,
Kyouko is saying she'll wait for a year for Godai when they think he's
going to flunk out.  By the beginning of the Yagami arc, she's
washing his clothes....

					- Harold