I've actually met several people who make even the dimmest of the whole
fictional nerima population seem normal and well adjusted as well as
reasonably intelligent. Akane need not actually be stupid to do some of the
stupid things that she does, only incredibly stubborn.

Of course, she might just be stupid...

Any way, there are any number of reasons why a person has these kinds of
'blind spots'. Haynie-san's are no more (or less) valid than any others that
might be put forth, and are entertaining while providing satisfying
character growth at the same time.

Now, Nadesico, has it occured to you that Akane might actually be *afraid*
of trying to swim? Fear can make you do funny things, such as lose all
objective rationality when it comes to otherwise common sense actions (such
as trying to breathe water). Such a problem would only be made worse if she
was also a tad more dense than normal. Add the idiotic ways in which she has
been 'helped' with swimming in the past, and her refusal to learn from one
of the few people who could teach her properly without risking being drowned
by a paniking Akane (Ranma), and it's really a wonder she can get as close
to the edge of the pool as she does without cringing in terror...

Tangent.

P.S.: I've got too much on my plate at the moment to handle such a story,
but if anyone else would like a crack at Akane finally learning to conquer
her fear of swimming and ask Ranma to teach her, I'd like to read it!

^_^
----- Original Message -----
From: <nadesico@ix.netcom.com>
To: "ffml" <ffml@anifics.com>
Sent: Friday, October 05, 2001 2:33 AM
Subject: [FFML] Re: [Ranma] Girl Days Part 18, teaser

The following is of my opinions only.  If you don't like it, delete it.

I'm sorry to disapoint, but Akane is either a mentally or psychologically

impaired, has an

incredible mental block in her psyche, preventing her from using common

sense some of the

time, or she's been hypnotized to be stupid about swimming.  There is a

swimming contest

in the manga between Hinako and Akane, and from some casual remark, Akane

finally learns

that you can't breath underwater.   I'm serious.  All of her other

attempts has had her

taking a deep breath underwater to help her swim.  Afterwards, when she

realizes that you

can't breath underwater (unless you have gills, and if Akane does, then

she's more of an

idiot then I thought if she can't use them) she takes a huge gulp of air,

goes under the

water, and then blows all of it out like a balloon.  For the singular

purpose of pushing

her towards the surface of the water.  That's when she realizes how to

swim.  (like a

retard)  Of course, she starts sinking again, she merely repeats the

process for her style

of swimming.  (Tendo Akane School of Martial Arts Swimming Technique:

Porcupine Fish

Octopus Stroke!)

At any rate, no, Negative Buoyancy is not the reason at all, or not the

singular reason,

as to why she can't swim.  Of course, there was that one time in the

manga, where, trying

to save someone, she jumps into the ocean and sinks like a rock.  Don't

remember when

though, but I do remember that particalur scene.  However, since this

version of Akane is

actually learning to no longer be a Pavlovian 'Attack Ranma if your

incredibly embarrassed

or if placed into an uncomfortable situation,' and is actually learning,

albeit slowly and

stupidly (no 16 year old that I know is that psychologically disturbed, of

course Nabiki

and Kasumi are the only characters where I've met people like them in real

life) she might

actually be able to learn how to swim.

And no, I'm not trying to be insulting throughout this entire message, or

at least I hope

I'm not.  I personally, and my friends as well, use such comments quite

often, so I

sincerely apologize if I do offend anyone.

--CCMax

  "Hunger makes me irritable.  Where's the damn food!!"
            --Personal friend.


----- Original Message -----
From: "Robert Haynie Jr." <kenjiko2@knology.net>
To: "ffml" <ffml@anifics.com>
Sent: Thursday, October 04, 2001 6:45 PM
Subject: [FFML] [Ranma] Girl Days Part 18, teaser

 "No, Ranma.  Part of getting trained by you has... well, I
realise now that I just naturally sink.  Kasumi found out something
about it-- it's a medical condition called negative bouyancy.  I
really can't ever learn to swim.  But maybe lying in the shallow end
is ok for me."

     .---Anime/Manga Fanfiction Mailing List----.
             | Administrators - ffml-admins@anifics.com |
             | Unsubscribing - ffml-request@anifics.com |
             |     Put 'unsubscribe' in the subject     |
             `---- http://ffml.anifics.com/faq.txt -----'

	     .---Anime/Manga Fanfiction Mailing List----.
             | Administrators - ffml-admins@anifics.com |
             | Unsubscribing - ffml-request@anifics.com |
             |     Put 'unsubscribe' in the subject     |
             `---- http://ffml.anifics.com/faq.txt -----'