Well, hopefully someone can shed some light on this. I'm trying to
construct a decent textual description of the Tendo-ke based on the one
Vera posted to the FFML last year in turn based on the flaw plan
included in the Shonen Sunday Comics Visual Selection Ranma 'Anime Comic'
(ISBN4-09-121879-2, published 15 Oct 1994 (1st printing)). I've included a
portion of his original post below with my own comments in <> -- I had
intended to include my own interpretation but things are just too much of a
mess at the moment. I don't have the publication and with my lack of visual
acuity it wouldn't do me a great deal of good trying directly to translate the
plan into text in any case. Also, I'm *not* having a shot at Patrick here -
I'm simply confused about a few things in his description. Anyway, here goes:
----------Forwarded Message----------
From: Patrick Vera <kasuga@mnl.sequel.net>
Subject: [FFML] [FFML] Layout of the Tendo-ke
[...]
Starting at the front gate, on comes to the front door after a short
walkway. Entering the door <west>, to the left <south> is a rack of house
slippers for guests and a table with the Tendo phone. The front door is on the
east side of the house. (I recognize the characters for the four compass
points from hours of playing Mah Jong.)
To the right <north> is the stairs leading <north> to the second
floor. Staying on the ground floor, we turn to the right and proceed along the
corridor. The corridor turns left <west> with branch to the right. <Not
certain what he means here, is the right branch eastwards or a continuation of
the north passage?>
This branch leads to a closet under the stairs and to the <south
entrance?> door which leads to the dojo proper.
Proceeding straight <After turning west?> is hallway with a door to
the left, a door to the right, a door at the end and a turn to the left. The
door to the left is the kitchen. <IMO this doesn't make sense, the kitchen
should be to the right (north)> Looking into the kitchen from the hall,
directly opposite is the sink. In the <northwest?> corner of the kitchen to
the left of the sink is a doorway which leads to the area in front of the dojo
<which is why it has to be on the same side as the Dojo and so to the north>
and the place <Outside?> where Soun was pouring cold water on himself in the
OVA where Nodoka came by to help Akane cook.
Directly opposite the kitchen door <IMO the left (south) door> is the
sliding door which leads to the room that Happosai occupies. This room has a
sliding paper 'window' panel which opens <east> directly across from the front
door <which is why it must be on that side>.
Going to the end of the <west> corridor is a sliding panel which opens
<west> in to the main room where the fathers play shogi, the family eats their
meals and watch TV <I assume this room runs east-west?>. Turing left <south>
and going down the short corridor which turns right. <huh?> This is the
corridor which faces the garden and pond. <Things are starting to get weird!>
In the family room directly opposite the garden side (the south side)
is a sliding panel which opens <north> into Soun's room.
In the <south> corridor facing the garden we turn right and go down
the the path which turns right. <Huh again? I can only assume there's one too
many rights somewhere here but I'm pretty confused by now.> At the end of hall
to the right is the bathroom <East entrance? Is this passed the family room
and if so what about the door leading from the family room out into the garden
- it would be impossible to have one.>. Entering the bathroom <west>,
immediately to the left by the door is the hamper where clothes are placed
prior to bathing.
On the <north> wall to the right (looking in from the door) is the
washing machine. Next to it is a closet for towels, bathing, toilet and
laundry supplies (I guess).
On the <south> wall to the left is a door to the toilet. Next to the
door is the sink, mirror and medicine cabinet.
Directly opposite the door is the sliding door which opens <west> in
to the furo and bathing area. Looking in the furo is to the right with a
window along the <north> wall to the right. The window by the furo opens to a
short space between it (the window) and the wall to Soun's room. <Now IMO
something's really gone wrong somewhere.>
This completes the ground floor. We return to the front door and
proceed <north> up the stairs. According to this floor plan the stairs go up
straight to the second floor without landings or taking any turns.
At the top of the stairs we immediately turn left <west>. There is a
short corridor which leads to closet to the left. <Huh?> Going down the hall
<What hall, the short one? I'll assume so, which means we're going west>, on
the right is a sliding door <which must lead north> to the room Ranma and
Genma share. At the end of the hall is another hall which are where the rooms
of the Tendo girls are located <This one must turn south?>. From the hall,
proceeding from the south end <now things are getting trans-jimensional again
- how can you proceed from the south end of a south-turning hall? Or does
this one turn north - God knows!> (to the left) <It *must* turn south then.>,
are Kasumi's, Nabiki's and Akane's rooms. <How are these set out? I'm
*really* bewildered by now.>
Also, at the beginning of the section of the book after the anime
comic is a line drawing of an aerial of the Tendo-ke. And by matching the
floor plan with this view one can see that the _only_ rooms which over look
the garden are those of Kasumi and the Saotomes. <Sorry, but I couldn't
follow that from the description.>
[...]
----------End Forwarded Message----------
If anyone could throw some light on this their help would be *very*
much appreciated both since much of the initial meeting/gathering of various
characters in DC is set in the Tendo home and because I'd really like to
salvage this into a flawless description for its own sake as I've nothing else
to go on and a clearly-defined version will probably help others as well.
Again, many thanks for any help,
Craig