Subject: [FFML] [C&C][Ranma] The Final Straw
From: "Graham Kemp" <gj_kemp@hotmail.com>
Date: 9/7/2000, 4:01 AM
To: ajaff@poky.srv.net
CC: tor_onsen@my-deja.com

From: Jeff Smith <ajaff@poky.srv.net>
To: tor_onsen@my-deja.com, Fanfic Mailing List <ffml@fanfic.com>
Subject: [FFML] Re: [C&C] Re-[Ranma] The Final Straw
Date: Tue, 05 Sep 2000 23:54:16 -0600

"Passion spice, I think. Never heard of the
stuff myself, but considering how few pandas
there are in the world, and how they often seem
reluctant to breed, I'm willing to give it a
shot."

And the hoariest cliche in Ranma fanfiction rears it's head again!  As a punch line, though, it's not too bad at all. I come away from it, however, thinking much less of Soun as a human being


Yep, it's a fanfic cliche all right, but usually it's used in a plot again Ranma, not Genma. I was a little concerned about using it though. I guess I could say it was Mousse who gave them the spice, not Soun.

Personally I don't think using Ranma in a panda breeding
program is a plot that's been used very often.  Nope,
can't think of one time it's ever come up.  Amazon
breeding programs but not panda breeding.

It is used fairly often against Genma (or at least
mentioned) but there is a basic fallacy to this plan.
Because he is so fat and lazy, people tend to forget
that Genma is fairly strong and quite a capable martial
artist.  And as a giant panda he isn't a mere lumbering
beast, but quite capable of roof-hopping with the best
of them.

Even if that and the strength of his giant panda form
wasn't enough, he is also the inventor, and master, of the
Fist of a Thousand Mountains and the Fist of a Thousand
Oceans.  Under enough pressure he certainly would unseal
the forbidden techniques.

Frankly short of using the Ultimate Weakness Moxibustion
_and_ the Full Body Cat's Tongue Shiatsu, I doubt there is
a zoo cage that could hold him or a posse that could find
the 'beserker panda'.

Adding passion spice to the equation may delay things,
but provoke an even greater reaction afterwards.

The relationship between Genma and Soun is one of the elements of "Ranma 1/2" that seems to be under explored in fanfiction.  I like your central premise that there is a line that Genma could cross with Soun that could lead to Soun taking these rather extreme measures against his old friend.  I don't believe, however, that Ranma's overheard statements were provocative enough to elicit such extreme anger in the Genma that we are familiar with from either the manga or the anime, or that the Tendos couldn't resolve the situation by playing a quick round of "Pound the Panda."

This was one the things that got me to write this story. I've read quite a few stories where various characters (usually Ranma) talked about selling Genma to a zoo. I thought about a situation where it would come to pass. And of course, I asked myself who the last person (besides Kasumi, of course) would be to do so. Thinking of Soun that way made me look at the way Soun was written in most fanfics. Usually he is nothing more than a shadow of Genma, who cries a lot instead of eats a lot. Even though they were tied together in many ways, I've always seen them differently. I thought this story would be an interesting way of dealing with that.

I've always considered Soun and Genma to be very
similar with Soun merely lacking the motive and
opportunity to do as many stupid things as Genma.

They both have a similar background:  they both
trained under Happosai, neither is exactly a genius
nor particularly good at striking a bargain, and
both are determined to see the schools united despite
both having made other arrangements at one time or
another.

The main difference I see between Soun and Genma is
that Soun raised daughters while Genma raised a son
and that Soun lost his wife while Genma left his.

For Genma the marriage represents a retirement that
he's earned by spending ten years on the road training
Ranma.  For Soun its a way of preserving the Tendo
legacy and providing for at least one of his daughters.

Soun also has some idea of how a relationship should
work.  (Although from some comments he's made, I've got
to wonder about that.)

This comes across fairly well in 'Final Straw' but I
can't quite believe that either Soun or Genma would act
as extremely as you portrayed them.  Still it is an
interesting area to explore.

Strike that; I do believe that there might be a line
which Soun would draw and that it would involve
protecting his daughter's hapiness.  I just don't
see Genma's pride making him jepardise the marriage
given that so much of his pride is tied into Ranma
becoming the heir to the Dojo.  On the other hand,
Ranma did inherit his foot-in-mouth disease from
someone.

Perhaps under some circumstances it's not that
uncharacteristic after all?  Maybe if you gave Genma
something more to flare up about?

____
Graham
gj.kemp@bigfoot.com

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