Subject: Re: [FFML] Shampoo and Mousse
From: dwang@sprynet.com
Date: 5/2/1996, 2:58 AM
To: fanfic@fanfic.com

On Wed, 01 May 1996, Ben Kosse <bmk7411@cs.rit.edu> wrote:
On the surface (and she would probably tell Cologne this), it would be because
she'd have no chance in hell of being Ranma's wife if it was known she
deliberately killed Akane (she's smart enough to figure that one out). Deep
down, she would realize that she just did something quite awful.

	I agree with the first part.  However, the second part I'm not so sure. 
Yes, I'm sure Shampoo will know that she did a terrible thing if she killed 
Akane.  However, Shampoo's actions usually don't follow her thoughts.  I'm sure 
Shampoo would regret killing Akane, but that doesn't mean she'll think about it 
while doing it.  For example, during her first appearance, she wanted to kill 
Akane right away for being an obstacle.  After she failed and had some time to 
think about it, she then realize that's wrong.  Similar to many of the other 
characters (Ranma and Akane in particular), Shampoo's problems is that her 
brains is not usually fast enough to catch up with her action.  If she had time 
to think about it she might have made a better decision.

    Reason Akane's more at fault: While Shampoo deliberately tries to kill
people, she doesn't--she stops herself, or she devises a plan which is
guaranteed to fail--but it throws Cologne off her back for a while. Akane,
however, uses violence to solve *ANY* problem she has with Ranma. If Ranma
screwed up, hurt him (mallet, table, cold water, etc). It is only later that
she gets the brilliant idea that she screwed up, but heaven forbid that she
should apologize, willingly.
	
	I don't think Shampoo purposely designs a plan that's going to fail.  
The only reason why it fails all the time is because if Shampoo's plans does 
succeed, then the story would end rather quickly.  Akane hits Ranma constantly 
because Ranma annoys her a lot, similarly to how Shampoo hits Mousse for 
annoying her.  Also, sometime Akane does want to apologize but Ranma ruins it by 
saying something stupid back.  Also, Akane's very fiery-tempered and violent, 
that I agree.  However, this does not make her dangerous.  On a physical 
strength level, she is weak compared to other character.  The two person she 
hits the most are Ranma and Kuno.  You don't see Ranma or even Kuno suffering 
from fatal damage other than flying off into the sky.  Meanwhile, Shampoo might 
be able to control herself a little better, but not much.  She doesn't stop 
herself, at least not easily.  Ranma had to intervene when Shampoo was attacking 
Akane during the her first appearance.  Shampoo is more dangerous because she 
cannot control herself easily and also she is much, much more powerful than 
Akane.

    Reason for Akane to be at least as blamable as Shampoo: Hmmm. Shampoo's
a bimbo because she can't talk right (hmmm, maybe a short Japanese tutoring
might have just a little to do with that???). Oh, no, she's a bimbo because
she tries to glomp onto Ranma, and is willing to do ANYTHING he asks
(including stripping). No, that's just devotion and lack of inhibition.
She's a bimbo because she won't give up on Ranma, even though he makes it
obvious he doesn't want her that way. Well, let's add Ukyou to the list of
bimbos.
    And then there's Akane. She's too stupid to figure out that whenever
she pummels Ranma, she's getting farther and farther away from him. Despite
the obviousness of it all, she can't figure out that Ranma has no tact--only
an ABSOLUTE IDIOT could think that Ranma would have tact after being dragged
around by Genma for so long! Yeah, real brilliant.
	Let's face it.  All the character in Ranma 1/2 are a bit abnormal.  If 
the characters were normal, then we won't be discussing this!  Just about 
everyone has some kind of major personality flaw.  When Akane pummels Ranma, she 
does not necessarily distance herself away.  Like you say, Ranma has no tact.  
Sometimes he needs that bashing to remind him that he suppose to think about 
Akane also.  Most of the time, if Ranma was at fault, he needs to be hit so that 
he could recognize that.  Yes, Akane often hits Ranma in jealousy, but then that 
is normal.  After all, jealousy is something everyone has.  How can you blame 
Akane for being jealous that her financee is dating other girls, for example?  
Besides, Akane and Ranma's fighting is part of the story!  If Akane and Ranma 
stopped fighting and learn to appreciate each other, the story won't be half as 
interesting!

    Akane is popular with the guys as a result of Kuno. Hell, the marriage
prospect thing said it quite well--guys like her. Pherenomes or whatever,
she's popular with teenage boys. That says nothing about how good her
character is. Hell, if anything, it shows she's more of a boy-magnet than
Shampoo, and therefore worse.

	She is already popular with the guys, even without Kuno.  Kuno's effect 
was causing a bunch of stupid people trying to ambush her when she goes to 
school.  Also, it is kind of hard to discuss Akane's character because she 
almost has two different sides:  the tomboyish side and then a real nice, cute, 
and gentle side.  I believe Akane's the best in personality and character.  
That's my opinion and I respect your opinion also.

Now, I do truly believe that Akane should marry Ranma. It's obvious they're
in love (not to mention, engaged :). But, this says *NOTHING* about Akane's
character or Shampoo's character. If you attack Shampoo for wanting Ranma,
then you must also fault Kodachi, Ukyou, and Kuno (for wanting Ranma) as
well as Ryouga and Kuno (for wanting Akane) and Mousse (for wanting
Shampoo). Don't attack a character on the basis of a fault if you see fit to
ignore the fault when it appears in another character.

	I hope my criticism fits that description.  By the way, I'm the one that 
suggested writing a story exploring Shampoo's personality.  Even though Shampoo 
isn't my favorite character, I don't really think she is that bad.  Oh, she has 
her faults, but then so does just about everyone else in Ranma 1/2.

********************************************************************************
"RANMA NO BAKA!" Akane Tendo from November Rain, the March song from 1991 song 
calendar, and plus another hundred sources in Ranma 1/2 anime/manga/fanficition

"Gave me your best shot... if you're prepared for the void!" - Magus from Chrono 
Trigger 

Don Wang <dwang@sprynet.com>
RPG, strategy game, and Ranma 1/2 fan.