(I suppose, though, that anyone who manages to come up with any
reason at all to believe that a Ranma/Akane marriage would actually
work might just be able to believe Ryouga/Ukyou as well. :)
Uh, what's wrong with the Ranma/Akane pair?
You don't _really_ want me to get into this, now do you?
Well, anyways, here's a list of the problems:
- Akane is overly sensitive about a number of things, and Ranma is
awfully good at insulting her about those things (both
unintentionally and intentionally.)
- The reverse is also true, albeit to a lesser extent.
- Akane simply can't seem to trust Ranma. Whenever anything happens,
she automatically assumes the worst from Ranma, and then either won't
give him a chance to explain himself, or if she does let him explain,
she won't believe it. This has happened _countless_ times in the
manga, and Akane just can't seem to catch on.
- Ranma is usually the guinea pig for Akane's cooking 'experiments',
and she doesn't give him much choice in the matter.
- And, of course, Akane is _excessively_ violent towards Ranma.
All in all, I'd say, this is not exactly the basis for a good
relationship!
Not to mention the Ryoga/Ukyo
pair?
Despite the similarity of the situations they find themselves in
(which seems to be the main reason they get stuck together in so many
'fics), they are largely polar opposites personality-wise. Take, for
example, Ukyou's optimism and Ryouga's chronic depression. Ukyou is
generally constructive, whereas Ryouga tends to be destructive.
Ukyou tends to be forgiving, while Ryouga has shown his ability to
nurse a silly grudge practically to the end of time - resulting in an
'arms race' with Ranma along the way. Also, don't forget Ryouga's
directionlessness - in fact, I find this to be the supreme irony of
this relationship - they get together because they're both lonely,
and, because Ryouga is so prone to getting lost, they would likely
both end up lonely most of the time anyways.
Ryouga tends to be quite immature - instead of trying to deal with
his problems, he tends to blame them on Ranma - and almost seems to
believe that all his problems will be solved if only he can beat the
#@$%$#@ out of Ranma. He is absolutely hopeless at expressing
himself - often destroying things in the process.
Really, Ukyou would have to be mother as well as girlfriend/wife to
Ryouga, and I'm really not sure how long she'd put up with that.
I can also see Ryouga's infamous 'glass heart' being a source of
trouble. Although Ukyou is one of the nicest characters on the R1/2
cast, if you manage to make her mad, you'll wish you hadn't. Ryouga,
I'm afraid, would assume the worst about such an episode, and would
be likely to do something stupid.
This is not a flame.
This is me being curious.
Do not take this the wrong way _please_ there are too many flame wars on
the ML already.
Ya got that right! I never thought that the simple matter of English
dub names vs. original Japanese names could inspire such vitriol. :)
Thanx for listening to me rant and rave.
Think nothing of it. I'll just rant and rave in return. :)
- Sean Connor (connor@meena.cc.uregina.ca)
"It jams." - Intel TV ad, referring to the Pentium chip.