Akane2Reme@aol.com wrote:

     After reading many of the fanfics that have graced the internet over the
few years I am forced to ask why?  Judging from what I see in much of the
fanfic the authors seem to have a hatred of the series main characters.  In
short why is their such strong like or dislikes of such characters.  People
who love Ryoga hate Ranma, people who love Ranma hate Ryoga.

This is a rather extreme viewpoint, I believe the majority of the R1/2
fandom do not take such extreme sides amongst the characters. There are
vocal exceptions to be sure, but they are just that, exceptions.

     The girl loyalties are far worse.  If you like Akane then Shampoo is a
stupid bimbo.  If you like Shampoo then Akane is a clod.  If you like Ukyo
then the others are self interested brats.

One of the things that makes the work of Rumiko Takahashi so popular is
her talent for conjuring up characters that readers can get "into"
quickly. Often she will only focus on one or two characters for any
meaningful development, leaving the rest interesting but 2-dimensional.
>From this 2-dimensional perspective, it is easy for the reader to
associate strongly with one character over another. 

Many of her characters are "One Shots," meaning they appear for a single
story line and are never seen or heard from again. There is no character
development, so Takahashi must foster an immediate and strong feeling of
identity in the character in order for the reader to accept another
addition to the dizzying array of R1/2 characters. Sure a few of them
are stereotypes, sure they're 2-dimensional, some were meant just for
entertainment value -someone is going to like them and wish she had done
more with them. Pantyhose Taro is a good example of this, just ask
Blade. Ukyo is an example of a one-shot that was so popular with fans in
Japan that Takahashi decided to keep her.

As for the three (four?) fiancees of Ranma, well, another trademark of
Takahashi's characters is that they are all too human sometimes. In
other words, they have character flaws (pardon the pun). Stubborness is
a favorite with Takahashi, as is a failure to see/accept reality. Get a
few girls with both of these traits (and all of Takahashi's characters
have them to some extent) and it's easy to see why they never give up
fighting each other over Ranma. She also wouldn't have much conflict in
the storyline if everyone got along, and then she'd have to keep
reinventing "The Villain of the Week." Wonder how long she could have
kept up the steam doing that...
 

     I guess I am just confused.  How can a series as popular as Ranma 1/2 be
based on characters so hated.  Even my boyfriend can't explain it.   He
collects Ranma religously yet thinks Ranma is a jerk  and Akane is to good
for any of the male characters of the series.

Hatred is a strong word, but sometimes the best villains are the ones
people "love to hate." By causing such a strong reaction in a reader,
Takahashi has kept their interest.
 

     So why is Ranma the most written fanfic series on the web?  What causes
the passion both good and bad about this series?

You just said it: Passion.

No, not the romantic kind, there isn't much of that going on in the
anime/manga. Fanfic lemons on the other hand... 

What I'm talking about is the kind of passion inspired in a writer to do
something with the characters he/she feels so strongly for. He/she may
like them or hate them, but because they are all such wonderful
characters with a fully realized (and very tangled) web of
relationships, they are easy and fun to write about. Writers who dislike
Shampoo can portray her as the purple haired bimbo they feel she is.
People who feel Ryoga and Akane or Ranma and Ukyo are the only possible
match can make it happen in their stories. After the 'fic is written,
all it takes is a reader with an opposing view to starting venting on
the ML and you've got the character hatred you've seen so far.
 

     I love it because of the humor.  To me a mallet thumping is funny, it's
physical comedy.  I believe Ranma and Akane are the perfect couple.  I think
Ryoga and Akari are so kwai!!  Kuno is so obsessive it's funny.  Come on
girls, we all know that the guys we have the least interest in are the one's
we can never get rid of.  In short I like the entire cast of Ranma.  Each
builds off of the other to create a wonderful world rich in adventure, humor,
and entertainment.

Well said!
 
J. Austin Wilde
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