On Fri, 1 Mar 1996, Helen Suh wrote:

Since when has Ranma and Akane proclaimed their love to each other?.....I 
am sure if Ranma and Akane told everyone they loved each other and got 

I think the phrase "actions speak louder than words" fits here.  If Ranma 
and Akane didn't have even the least feelings for each other, then why 
would he go to any lengths to save her?  As for Akane, just going by the 
anime, she does admit (at least to herself) that she loves him in "An 
Akane to Remember".

married, then I doubt Shampoo and Ukyou would still stick around....they 

I don't know about that--take a look at the methods Shampoo uses.  She 
has absolutely no compunction about erasing memory, using magic, 
black-mailing, using drugs...not to mention the ever-commanding Cologne, 
who almost *more* persistent than Shampoo.  As for Ukyou--well, she'd 
still be her friend, because she simply doesn't seem to be the type of 
person to run off like that (but, then again, she did over-react slightly 
to Ranma's leaving her the first time.)

may until the last minute, but after they are man and wife...I don't 
think so....and about Ranma deserving the every beating Akane 
addministers, well if Ranma is ever mean, he expresses it in a verbal 
manner, he may call Akane "uncute tomboy" or a terrible cook, but all

Er....she does.  In fact, they use just about the same insults all the 
time..."Uncute tomboy," "can't cook" "pervert" etc... 

verbal, why can't Akane just call him names as well?....are you condoning 
violence as a means to express feeling?....than you should forgive 
Shampoo and Ukyou as well, because what ever they do is because they love 
Ranma (not to mention Ranma never says anything that isn't true...Akane 
is all those things and more :P)

Ok.  So you're saying that Akane is uncute.  That's a moot point, as just 
about everyone's gonna have their own opinion.  Akane can't cook.  Not 
true--she can cook, she just can't cook *well*.  I doubt her food is as 
poisonous as everyone claims--it just, well, doesn't taste (or look) 
right.  I don't think it would kill anyone forced to eat it.  So, what's 
the "more"?  I can think of more than two reasons that Ranma would fall 
in love with Akane....1. She never actively chases him.  For him, that'd 
be a welcome change, especially considering Kodachi and Shampoo's 
constant attempts to...persuade...him into loving her.  2. For all her 
violence towards Ranma (the phrase "we hurt the ones we love" comes to 
mind), Akane *never* actively tries to get the others out of the 
picture.  It's only Shampoo (and later, Kodachi), who tries to get the 
others out.  It seems to me that Ukyou and Akane get along pretty well, 
for the most part. 3. When they arrived in Nerima, Akane was the only one 
of the Tendos who took the news that Ranma was a girl in stride, and 
actively made friends with her.  Even afterwards, Akane tried on a few 
occasions to make up with Ranma, but he was always pig-headed about it...
So what if she can't cook?  That's one *minor* point, as Mrs. Saotome 
pointed out in "Like Water For Ranma", it's not talent, but love....also 
pointed out in a fanfic (can't remember which one), just because there is 
something you cannot do, it doesn't mean that you cannot *learn* to do it.
Besides, whenever Ranma has a problem, Akane's always the one to help him 
out (and vice versa).  That's a pretty strong bond to make, to always be 
there for someone, even if you can't admit it to them.

 Soun:"When he's a boy, she just wants him.  When he's a woman, she wants 
       him dead."
Ranma:"...salad sandwich, and soup bread.  Wait. Soup bread doesn't exist."  
Akane:"Pile up enough dust and you've got a mountain, right?"
"KEEP YOUR FILTHY HANDS OFF SHAMPOO!!! *SLAM*" -Mousse, in full kick-ass mode
"Only the supremely wise and the ignorant do not alter." -Confucius
email at:geist@holly.colostate.edu -- Ishido on IRC at #ranma!