Steven Avery wrote:

"stand in" for the what would otherwise be occupied by Keitaro. Whether

this

role is handled how Keitaro would handle it or not is not really

relevant,

the fact that Kei is not there and Ranma is says that it's a 'Ranma is
taking Keitaro's place in the LH fic'. Now, as a LH fan I find this
tremendously disrespectful of the character and story  of Love Hina to
simply edit him out. His role in the manga or anime was key. He provided

the

element of growth and maturity that IMO Ranma simply cannot fill because
Ranma is not about growth, but about trying to remain childlike in

nature.

Well, Ranma can fill it by growing up himself of course.  After all, part

of

the point of fanfic is to do things that the author would never do with

the

character, like hooking up Ranma and Shampoo.  The author has laid the
foundation for a Ranma whose personality has become more mature by having
him spend time suddenly wondering about the unseen parts of his family,
something he never gave a thought to in the manga until suddenly
confronted with his mother.  Even then he never went so far as to
wonder whether there were any other family members out there
Of course it's quite a coincidence that just as he starts wondering
about his family and feeling bereft of them that he gets a letter
about them.

I felt the exact same thing when I read Chapter 1.  Why is Ranma so
introspective?  Ranma is lonely?!  Where is all this coming from?  His
dream?  We only see it once and are *told* it has been happening before.
What happened to "show don't tell?"  I didn't see enough setup for cannon
Ranma to have suddenly become so introspective.  It all seems like a suddent
change.

Oh... while I'm thinking of it...

With a yawn and a groan, he threw off the warmth of the blanket
and sat up on the beaten up old futon.

It might beat sleeping on the ground but not by much.

The Tendos didn't have the slightest clue of how good they had it here.
There had been times on the training trip when Ranma would have happily
kicked somebody else's ass to be able to sleep on a real mattress.

What the hell is this?  First why is Ranma's futon old and beaten up?  The
Saotome's were guests from the beginning of their stay at the Tendos and as
such would most definitely been given decent bedding.  Even a year or so
later, the Saotomes are still guests...even if they are close like
family...they aren't.  For the Japanese that is how it is... until it has
been formalized, ie Akane been added to the Saotome register they aren't
family.  Second... while *I* may feeling that sleeping on a futon ina tatami
room sucks and Shade may think so too if he has ever had that pleasure, but
Ranma would not.  Ranma would *not* lust after a mattress.  Sleeping on a
futon is *perfectly* acceptable in Japan today... it is very much common
still.  And everyone would sleep on one when they stay at a Ryokan (Japanese
Inn) when they go to the hot springs (as the springs are built into the inns
and the hot spring water is piped in).  So Ranma would not complain that the
futon is barely better than sleeping on the ground and he would not happily
kick somone's ass to be able to sleep on a real mattress.



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