Jack Staik <jstaik1043@earthlink.net> wrote:

Ranma 1/2: Who Will Crack First?

Sorry, but the characterizations in this one simply weren't believable
to me.

Specifically....

Kasumi: WHY is she doing this?? She stood by through thirty-eight
volumes of the original series without ever making a serious attempt to
interfere in Ranma's affairs. Why start now in such a huge way? And
since when is she "instantly obeyed?" I don't remember that happening in
the Ukyo intro story... or the "Nabiki is Ranma's fiancee" story... etc.

Ranma: The assumption here seems to be that he's a completely innocent
victim, and if only those darn fiancees would behave themselves,
everything would be fine. That's not quite how it was in the manga,
where Ranma seems (at least at times) to *like* the attention he gets
(from Akane and Shampoo, anyhow).

Nabiki: She's smart, and she knows as well as anyone how unlike Ranma
Kasumi's story is. Why is she so completely fooled? With a little
checking, she should be able to find out the truth, and then the entire
plan would be shot to pieces (as, for example, the fiancees discover a
hidden clause that lets the contract be negated for a two thousand yen
hourly fee).

Akane: Contrary to fanfic cliche, she doesn't get mad at Ranma for no
reason at all. If he isn't in bed with Shampoo or looking at her
undressed body due to some humorous misunderstanding, she has no reason
for calling him a pervert. Her 'flirting with Kuno' (which is a
ridiculously distorted description of what happened) didn't go past
volume one or two, and the idea that she could've put a stop to it just
by telling the boys to quit is laughable.

In summary, the characterizations here were just too far removed from
the original and into fanfic cliche for me to be able to suspend
disbelief. I suggest going back and re-reading the manga.

As for the story, the conflict is entirely too one-sided. Kasumi makes a
plan, and it works exactly the way it's intended to; no complications,
nothing goes the least bit wrong. That kind of story isn't as
interesting IMO as one in which the unexpected can happen and you never
know which way the story'll go.


Gary Kleppe
http://www.execpc.com/~kleppe/comics.html