Shampoo vs Akane

[whatever]

Well I just want to ask ¿How much better is Shampoo in martial arts that Akane?.

I think it was stated a lot of times that Shampoo was better that her in the manga/anime but I have saw some arguments about the two girls and there have been people who say Akane could have beaten Shampoo in some later chapters.

My question is when exactly do you think Akane was enough powerful to beat her without the need of the super soba or the dougi.bye.

[TerraEpon]

Consider that Shampoo held her own against Akane when the later was on Super Soba.


-Joshua

[Necavit]

Never.

Its pretty commonly accepted that Akane is on the bottom of the totem pole

Which makes sense. Martial arts isnt her life. Shampoo was the best in her generation, in a warrior soceity.

As for Akane improving, I really cant think of any examples from the manga...

[SpaceKnight of Chaos]

I think the primary pointers towards her skill are the Orochi battle and her fight with Kiima in the manga. Myself, I'd say more towards these saying "she doesn't suck worse than Kuno" at martial arts rather than saying she's actively improving. Shampoo has routinely been depicted as a skilled martial artist (memory-altering shampoo; dodged around Akane like she was standing still, takeout race; deflected the daggers Cologne threw at her without looking and without spilling a drop of her orders, Pink & Link; deflected their poisons with the same ease and could have escaped at any time she desired), while Akane is depicted as a capable fighter who undergoes regular training on a fairly regular basis.

More to the point, Shampoo is known to know several special techniques, such as the Xi Fa Xiang Gao, while Akane has never demonstrated anything beyond flaring her aura (which is something of a genre gag, to be honest) and basic moves. As I commented before, the only people claiming to practise Tendo Anything-Goes we have ever seen use a real special move (and not Soun's stupid Demon Head, or those dumbass "basic moves with dramatic names" he and Genma were pulling out in the anime episode Genma Takes a Walk) are Natsume and Kurumi, who never learned anything from Soun in the first place.

[Necavit]

Personally I put Kuno above Akane,

Hundered strikes is somthing I dont think she can match. Err and the watermelon thing, but I dont think that counts.

Only time I remember them fighting later on, is the Mariko arc. I cant remember who was winning though...

[antimatterenergy]

Akane is very good - She is clearly super human. Can easily lift and throw more than her own weight (for instance she once grabbed the refrigerator lifted it over her head and ran up the stairs with it, broke the pheonix peoples prison door, she lifted a block of ice that was bigger than she was and threw it, and she has punched threw wood and brick walls). She is fast enough and skilled enough to block arrows shot at her back, has enough stamina to spend hours attacking Ranma in the dojo, has a danger sense(could detect Kodachi before Kodachi attacked), better than human perception (can count every punch Ranma throwing dozens of punches per second). Can jump multi-story (Orachi arc and jumping to the top of the dragon tap from the cave opening in Saffron arc as well as when wearing the super dogi). Good accuracy at throwing things. Has used and improvised weapons on a number of occasions like using broken bamboo poles against kima. Can take some real punishment as seen by kodachi electrocuting her with a trap and shakes off drugs fast (like when Gosunki used chloroform on her)

She is skilled enough to take on over a dozen people attacking her some armed with weapons such as hockey sticks and some were clearly martial artists since they were wearing gi's every day before school for a few weeks. She also took out several of the phoenix soldiers armed with spears while unarmed during the Saffron story arc.

She only has demonstrated two special technique and that was the demon head (used on Ranma during mushrooms of aging storyline) and strengthening objects with ki (but everyone has demonstrated this ability even kodachi who did so with her ribbon - it being the only way that her ribbon could lift the things it did without breaking).

Shampoo is clearly better than Akane though. She has demonstrated more special techniques such as remote control acupuncture, technique like kodachi's with her ribbon though she used noodles, etc.. Danger sense as well but better for instance she deflected multiple knives thrown at her back and in the same move pinned people to the wall with them. The strength noodle arc proved that she was stronger than Akane (at the beginning she beats Akane at arm wrestling), faster than Akane, and she often jumps multi-story jumps instead of only occasionally like Akane (to be fair Akane does jump across an entire room to hit Ranma or get to someone fairly often like Mariko).

Though Shampoo's feats are near the beginning of the manga and we really do not know to what extent either of them improved or to what degree. It stands to reason that they both train quite often (Akane is seen trying to hit Ranma, practicing alone in the dojo, running in the mornings, on a team at school (volleyball) and lifting weights in her room). The training with Ranma alone would logically be improving her ability even if he is only dodging since it would work on stamina (time spent trying to hit him), perception (tracking Ranma), clumsiness (her moving around trying to hit him would make her trip often or become less clumsy), among other benefits and depending on how Ranma is dodging her he could be teaching her techniques in the process. Shampoo likely trains with Cologne and likely in more than just martial arts since she has demonstrated knowledge on ki/pressure points and her people have a lot of magical items.

Since I'm on the subject of Akane's abilities an ability rarely seen in fanfiction that she (and Ranma) has in the manga is some type of limited and untrained telepathy. Both Ranma and Akane heard/felt Ryoga dying when Lime was killing him, Akane heard Ranma's thoughts in volume 38 when he thought I love you but yelled Akane -either he was projecting or she was receiving or both, Ranma occasionally comments on peoples daydreams/flashbacks (this is more of a gag than a power though) I think there are a few more examples in the manga but can't recall them off the top of my head..

Manga comparison not Anime.

[bneef]

I would argue that Akane can hold her own against Shampoo, if she is properly motivated and prepared. The Super Soba is as much a case of speed vs strength as it is skill.

In the Sister's story arc, Akane is able to keep Shampoo and Ukyou at bay, before those two begin to fight each other for "the right" to beat Akane.

Let's also remember Akane is skilled at fighting multiple opponents (20-30 at least.) That's nothing to sneeze at. Even Ranma has been overwhelmed (though not beaten, as with the Hawaiian Virus arc) by those odds. Shampoo would end up having a harem of her own, should she allow herself to get into such a situation.

With regards to Kunou, Akane is still, overall, better. He is, essentially, a one trick pony. And if I remember correctly, Akane was winning in the Cheerleading arc.

Overall, Akane is in the top tier. Not as skilled as Ranma or Ryoga, but above Ukyou and both Kunous. She is a peer to Shampoo and, possibly, Mousse. Her strengths are strength, stamina, and multiple opponents.

Shampoo's strengths are speed, weapons, and exotic forms.

Both have a primary weakness of arogance.

[Jupiah]

Shampoo is clearly better than Akane though. She has demonstrated more special techniques such as remote control acupuncture, technique like kodachi's with her ribbon though she used noodles, etc.. Danger sense as well but better for instance she deflected multiple knives thrown at her back and in the same move pinned people to the wall with them. The strength noodle arc proved that she was stronger than Akane (at the beginning she beats Akane at arm wrestling), faster than Akane, and she often jumps multi-story jumps instead of only occasionally like Akane (to be fair Akane does jump across an entire room to hit Ranma or get to someone fairly often like Mariko).

I agree that Shampoo is better than Akane, but it's not by an enormous margin. I think Shampoo's biggest advantage over Akane is mental. Akane doesn't really believe she can win and because of this lack of confidence Akane will hesitate and doubt herself in battle. This is why she only seems capable of roof-hopping when she is very focused (such as against the Orochi - she was completely focused on saving Shinnosuke's life). This is why she can't swim or cook either; her self-doubt is so powerful it's practically a mental block. If she could let go of this crippling lack of confidence, she would be a much better fighter.

I also think that while weaker than Shampoo currently, Akane has greater potential. Shampoo has been raised since birth in a warrior society, groomed to be the next martriarch and trained personally by the greatest warrior in the village. She SHOULD be at Ranma's level, or at least close, but instead she's just better than Akane, who practices martial arts as a hobby. Shampoo seems to have reached a plateau in her skill level, and can't improve much further. The battle dogi, however, hints that Akane's potential is higher than even Ranma's skill, even if currently she's nowhere near that max. If the two dueled again a few years later (assuming Ranma and Akane marry and Ranma helps train her) then I believe Akane would be the victor.

[antimatterenergy]

This is why she can't swim or cook either; her self-doubt is so powerful it's practically a mental block.

Nope that isn't the reasons for her not cooking and swimming. The reasons are explained in manga. She can't cook because she doesn't pay attention (such as putting in wrong type of oil), tries to improve the recipe, etc.. She did manage to cook fully edible curry when she took her time, followed the directions, and was careful with the ingredients. Imeadately before the Orachi arc.

The reason she can't swim is explained by her not understanding the basic mechanics of swimming, in the manga she states that she thought to swim you have to breathe in a lot of water (and she was serious). Considering the means Miss Hinako and Principal Kuno used when they attempted to teach her this is some what understandable.

She SHOULD be at Ranma's level, or at least close, but instead she's just better than Akane, who practices martial arts as a hobby.

First Akane practices a lot more than what I considered a hobby at least several hours every single day. Second there is no real reason that Shampoo should be as good as Ranma. Ranma learns at an incredible speed that is unnatural Cologne has been constantly surprised at the speed he learns (like speed he learned hiryu shoten ha and that he figured out the end of the technique when she hadn't told him it) and the speed that he learned the Umisenken surprised everyone he only needed to see it once. Also Genma may have been willing to go to further extremes that Cologne was willing to go to teach Shampoo (for instance wouldn't go to the level of the neko-ken). Also Shampoo was trained in other things than martial arts such as healing (she did work as an assistant to DR tofu), tracking, and magic.

The battle dogi, however, hints that Akane's potential is higher than even Ranma's skill, even if currently she's nowhere near that max.

I do not see that at all. Ranma was severly limited in that battle he did not try and hit her at all fighting a purely dodging battle, he did not use any ki techniques, and he did not use the full extant of his abilities (Ranma for instance when he wants to moves fast enough that people can't track him).

If the two dueled again a few years later (assuming Ranma and Akane marry and Ranma helps train her) then I believe Akane would be the victor.

This can not be determined. Shampoo's training and full extant of her abilities are unknown it is entirely possible that she knows the breaking point (her wall breaking could be a variant of it), she could know the Hiryu Shoten Ha (in the battles we saw her fight she never had an opportunity in which to use it -Ranma for instance took her out in seconds and after Ranma, Ryoga, and Akane saw it it would be much harder to use on them since they know enough about it to avoid running in a spiral), she knows hidden weapons as demonstrated by the amount of weapons she used on Ranma while chasing him and pulling out her sword and stick weapons from nowhere, etc... She also knows techniques like instant unconsciousness which she used on Akane and the remote control acupuncture which she used to control Akane like a puppet. Really I see no proof that Shampoo did plateau, her training is unseen, the full extant of her abilities is unknown (only that she doesn't have the same physical abilities and learning speed of Ranma), and we don't know Akane's full training regiment nor the speed in which she can pick up techniques (or how it compares to Shampoo's). Also Shampoo has taken out Akane in seconds every time she wanted to. She took her out in a few seconds when using the remote control acupuncture and when she used the shampoo to erase Ranma from her memory.

[Necavit]

We can all agree Shampoo > Akane.

As for Akane taking out 20-30 people, those were normal shmucks, theyre flys compared to the martial artists.

Your right, Akane's abilities are nothing to sneeze at, I would still call it a hobby (in comparison) because.

The other martial artist made it thier life. Ukyou to some extent (she probably only slightly better than Akane), Ranma and Ryoga its the center of their life. Shampoo and Mouse grew up in a warrior soceity.

As for the margin between em, Ive always kind of grouped the girls in the same level, I think when you run into those using Ki attacks that youve entered a whole new level.

[PCHeintz72]

Can jump multi-story (Orachi arc and jumping to the top of the dragon tap from the cave opening in Saffron arc as well as when wearing the super dogi).

This one comment I thought I wanted to expand on.

You are correct. However, it really does not fit with abilities shown elsewhere in series.

She is the only martial artist that grabs a ladder before going to the roof, even late in the series, unless she is climbing from the window onto it.

I think, while she is capable, something holds her back, fear maybe, or insecurity, as such, it is not normally shown.

What is shown though, is she can land from multiple story falls..

[antimatterenergy]

This one comment I thought I wanted to expand on.

You are correct. However, it really does not fit with abilities shown elsewhere in series.

She is the only martial artist that grabs a ladder before going to the roof, even late in the series, unless she is climbing from the window onto it.

I think, while she is capable, something holds her back, fear maybe, or insecurity, as such, it is not normally shown.

What is shown though, is she can land from multiple story falls..

Yeah it is kind of weird that she doesn't do them regularly like the other martial artists (while except Kuno I think he only did it once and I'm not 100% sure he even did it once). It could just be a matter of choice. Ranma for instance rarely uses his ki blasts even though it could have been beneficial (doesn't/didn't use them on Happosai, Pantyhose Taro, Ryu Kumen, Saffron, Kima, Herb, Kuno, etc...) We simply are not told the reasons why they don't do them often. Can speculate a lot of possible reasons though: does Ranma try and fight at his opponents level in hopes of picking up techniques, did the author just forget he does them, did Ranma think they were over kill or would be less useful than the techniques he did use (for instance wouldn't have been that useful against Saffron since Saffron was flying and could ride with the blast), does Ranma only want to use them on opponents who also can do ki blasts because he somehow sees it unfair to use them on those who can't (he did only use them on Ryoga and Miss Hinako), does Akane see roof jumping to be unlady like, since she often wears skirts does she just not do them because she thinks people will look up her skirt, does she not do them because she can't do them while thinking about it (all Akane's best fighting was done when she didn't have the time to think about her actions and was just reacting), etc... We really don't know the reasons for a lot of their actions.

[Jupiah]

Nope that isn't the reasons for her not cooking and swimming. The reasons are explained in manga. She can't cook because she doesn't pay attention (such as putting in wrong type of oil), tries to improve the recipe, etc.. She did manage to cook fully edible curry when she took her time, followed the directions, and was careful with the ingredients. Imeadately before the Orachi arc.

It seems I've been reading too many fanfictions lately. I've now reread most of the manga in response to your posts! You're right about her cooking at least. She has improved enough to be able to make normal curry. I still think that she has have some kind of psychological issue with cooking (perhaps trying to emulate her mother, or jealousy of Kasumi?) to have to spend so much time and effort to do such a simple dish though.

The reason she can't swim is explained by her not understanding the basic mechanics of swimming, in the manga she states that she thought to swim you have to breathe in a lot of water (and she was serious). Considering the means Miss Hinako and Principal Kuno used when they attempted to teach her this is some what understandable.

Thinking that you have to BREATHE water to swim when no one else does that, it's illogical and runs against common sense, and it hasn't been working for her for her entire life seems like good evidence for some kind of mental/psychological block. And in the 'Hinako teaches Akane to swim' arc, Ranma DID tell Akane not to breathe the water and how to kick and swing her arms properly and she still couldn't do it.

First Akane practices a lot more than what I considered a hobby at least several hours every single day.

Compared the martial artists that trained from a young age and for whom martial arts is the main focus of their life, it pretty much is a hobby.

Second there is no real reason that Shampoo should be as good as Ranma. Ranma learns at an incredible speed that is unnatural Cologne has been constantly surprised at the speed he learns (like speed he learned hiryu shoten ha and that he figured out the end of the technique when she hadn't told him it) and the speed that he learned the Umisenken surprised everyone he only needed to see it once.

Okay, maybe it is unfair to compare her (or anyone) to Ranma. Maybe I'm overestimating Amazon society, but I would expect the 'strongest warrior of her generation', someone so incredibly privileged (in regards to access to and motivation to learn martial arts) to put up at least a decent challenge to Ranma. Their first fight was over with one blow (it was a ringout, but thats still a very shoddy performance), and their second, he defeated her on accident. Their third and final matcha at Jusendo, she was only dangerous because she had those mind-controlling eggs, and she succeeded in using one on Genma. She also couldn't hurt him when chasing him around China with deadly weapons, and there is no evidence that we was holding back out of an unwillingness to kil like some fanfics like to claim. Even Mousse and Kuno give him better challenges on occasion. I expected more from Cologne's heir.

Also Genma may have been willing to go to further extremes that Cologne was willing to go to teach Shampoo (for instance wouldn't go to the level of the neko-ken).

Considering the Nekoken has hindered Ranma more than helping him, by giving him a crippling weakness, I wouldn't say that Genma is a better teacher than Cologne.

Also Shampoo was trained in other things than martial arts such as healing (she did work as an assistant to DR tofu), tracking, and magic.

This is true. She doesn't show these more than a tiny amount of her other skills (herbolagy, shiatsu, first-aid, magical knowledge, ect..) but she does have some training in them.

I do not see that at all. Ranma was severly limited in that battle he did not try and hit her at all fighting a purely dodging battle, he did not use any ki techniques, and he did not use the full extant of his abilities (Ranma for instance when he wants to moves fast enough that people can't track him).

He may not have used his ki attacks, but then he rarely ever does use those. Ranma doesn't like to depend on those kind of attacks, and I don't think he would ever use them against an opponent who couldn't use them. And he did try to hit Akane; their final fight, he was trying to hit her belt the whole time. He didn't hold back against the suit when she wasn't wearing it, and it still crushed him. Cosidering she dominated him so completely in their spars that he never got a chance to try and attack, I hardly think his willingness to do so matters. She was owning him until that final fight.

Now that I've reread that arc though, I have to admit I think you're right about it not showing her full potential. Ranma says that the suit brings out the wearer's hidden potential, and Soun says that it increases her strength tenfold, but the fact that the suit still beats Ranma when Akane's not wearing it and her admitting that it's not her own skill seem to counter those claims.

Other than the Umisenken arc (and he never used that technique again), when has Ranma ever "moved so fast that people can't track him"? Not counting the Kachuu Tenshin Amaguriken, since only his arm moves super fast.

This can not be determined. Shampoo's training and full extant of her abilities are unknown it is entirely possible that she knows the breaking point (her wall breaking could be a variant of it), she could know the Hiryu Shoten Ha (in the battles we saw her fight she never had an opportunity in which to use it -Ranma for instance took her out in seconds and after Ranma, Ryoga, and Akane saw it it would be much harder to use on them since they know enough about it to avoid running in a spiral), she knows hidden weapons as demonstrated by the amount of weapons she used on Ranma while chasing him and pulling out her sword and stick weapons from nowhere, etc... She also knows techniques like instant unconsciousness which she used on Akane and the remote control acupuncture which she used to control Akane like a puppet.

I'm pretty sure she does know the breaking point, as she uses what appears to be a variation of it to blow up fast food inside of delivery boxes during the 'Miss Martial Arts Takout' arc. She even destroys a water tower with her finger. She didn't learn it the same way Ryoga did though, as she has never displayed the insane endurance he gained from it. There is absolutely no evidence that she knows the Hiryuu Shoten Ha, so hypothesizing about it is kind of pointless. About the hidden weapons; sure she can pull out weapons from nowhere, but then SO CAN EVERYONE ELSE, including Akane. Ryoga is pretty much the only prominent martial artist who doesn't do that. Her only other real special techniques are the 'memory sealing shampoo' and the 'remote control acupunture', which are of limited usefullness in a serious fight.

Really I see no proof that Shampoo did plateau, her training is unseen, the full extant of her abilities is unknown (only that she doesn't have the same physical abilities and learning speed of Ranma), and we don't know Akane's full training regiment nor the speed in which she can pick up techniques (or how it compares to Shampoo's). Also Shampoo has taken out Akane in seconds every time she wanted to. She took her out in a few seconds when using the remote control acupuncture and when she used the shampoo to erase Ranma from her memory.

The fact that Shampoo is so much weaker than Ranma when she has such a similar background implies that either she has reached some kind of limit or she hasn't been taking her training very seriously. It's true that neither Akane or Shampoo's training regiments are ever explained, so I won't guess on that one. As for taking out Akane easily, I can think of a counter-example; Shampoo and Akane fought mostly equally when they were both "pumped up" on super soba in the martial arts badmitton match.

I do admit that Shampoo is a good deal better than Akane now, but I maintain that with a confidence-boost and a real trainer (both of which I think she would get in Ranma if he married her), Akane could reach her level fairly quickly. This would then probably set off a 'my kung fu is stronger than yours' rivalry between them similar to Ranma and Ryogas.

[antimatterenergy]

psychological issue with cooking (perhaps trying to emulate her mother, or jealousy of Kasumi?) to have to spend so much time and effort to do such a simple dish though.

My theory is she is impatient and believes herself to already be a good cook hence doesn't need to learn the basics.

Thinking that you have to BREATHE water to swim when no one else does that, it's illogical and runs against common sense, and it hasn't been working for her for her entire life seems like good evidence for some kind of mental/psychological block.

It doesn't run against common sense if you think that everyone is breathing water and it's just an ability you haven't acquired yet.

Considering the Nekoken has hindered Ranma more than helping him, by giving him a crippling weakness, I wouldn't say that Genma is a better teacher than Cologne.

Not a better teacher per se, just more willing to go through training that forces the person to improve damn fast or die, and a student who learns at a higher rate.

And he did try to hit Akane; their final fight, he was trying to hit her belt the whole time.

Nope he was trying to remove the belt without hitting Akane that is why he snuck his hand under the belt. Akane made mention that if he hits her their relationship is over (which is very hypocritical considering she hits him all the time).

Other than the Umisenken arc (and he never used that technique again), when has Ranma ever "moved so fast that people can't track him"? Not counting the Kachuu Tenshin Amaguriken, since only his arm moves super fast.

Volume one moved so fast Nabiki/Kuno couldn't track him. During battle with Herb moved so fast and did body switch with a log fast enough that Herb couldn't keep track with him, During koi rod arc while Ranma and Ryoga were fighting Ranma surprised Ryoga by moving several times faster and kicking Ryoga in the head, during the martial arts eating contest fed the crowd so fast no one could tell he even moved, etc... There are a lot of examples of him moving at incredible speeds I can go on for example during the watermelon race Ranma took out multiple peoples watermelons faster than they could react, Ukyo's first appearance he dodged and had a finger in Ukyo's face before she could even finish throwing her spatulas, Breaking point arc Ryouga attempts to punch Ranma and Ranma in mid-charge does a 180 and moves into the forest, before Ryouga can finish his one blow.

The fact that Shampoo is so much weaker than Ranma when she has such a similar background implies that either she has reached some kind of limit or she hasn't been taking her training very seriously.

Not true we do not know to what extant her training was unlike Ranma who started his training trip before he could even walk (in the manga at least in anime he started when he was 6) she may have started at a more reasonable age like 5 or her training could have been different enough from Ranma's where she spent more time learning about the nature of magic/healing, Her training regiment may have been less brutal, she may have spent more time doing other stuff instead of training than Ranma after all she does have friends in her village and was being trained in some other things other than martial arts, or she could just not learn at the speed Ranma does who is shown to learn at incredible speeds when motivated. There are a multitude of possible reasons for why she could be the best from her tribe but still be worse than Ranma without knowing her training, more about her culture, and how seriously she takes her training it is impossible to determine why she isn't better than she is.

As for taking out Akane easily, I can think of a counter-example; Shampoo and Akane fought mostly equally when they were both "pumped up" on super soba in the martial arts badmitton match.

One where she barely was able to keep up with Shampoo versus 2 times in which Shampoo took her out with hardly any effort.

I do admit that Shampoo is a good deal better than Akane now, but I maintain that with a confidence-boost and a real trainer (both of which I think she would get in Ranma if he married her), Akane could reach her level fairly quickly.

You are free to maintain your opinion but I see no real evidence in the manga to support your theory simply because we don't have a lot of knowledge on things like learning speed, training regiments and the tactics they would use in battle (depending on tactics used a vastly weaker opponent could win under certain circumstances -and for tactics I'd vote for Shampoo simply because she is more likely to use magic and tactics considered scummy than Akane is). There is evidence that Shampoo is much better than Akane and no evidence that Shampoo is not improving at the same or a greater rate than Akane or even a little slower but still at a rate where Akane would need many years to become equal to Shampoo's abilities.

[SpaceKnight of Chaos]

One theory I've always held about Shampoo and her apparent lack of skill stems from her going back to China in disgrace after her first story- during Cologne's first appearance, there is a flashback to her and Shampoo at Jusenkyo, where the elder tells Shampoo "we must retrain you from the beginning" (manga) or "we must start your training all over again" (anime- or was it the other way around?). In essence, Shampoo is still in disgrace and, until she gets Ranma to marry her, she will be treated as nothing more than a rookie warrior, receiving only the basic training.

This means she maintains her skill level, but any increases in fighting prowess are marginal at best. The manga and anime have proven that characters who stick to simply repeating and reusing training they've already mastered does little to improve a martial artist's skills. Kuno does nothing but formal, orthodox swordsmanship training- even the Watermelon Splitter was basically a lesson in upgrading his speed and reflexes, and as that technique seems to be a subconscious one like the Nekoken, it's useless to him. Kodachi is likely the same, receiving her training both in practising with the other members of the St. Bacchus Martial Arts Gymnastics team and on her own. Finally, Akane's training is formularic, though more balanced than the other two: wheneve we see her training, she's always either smashing bricks, going through basic katas, jogging & punching/kicking as she runs, or trying desperately to tag Ranma.

We don't see the Amazon kids (Shampoo & Mousse) train, but it fits into the above. As I said, Shampoo is likely only allowed to perform basic training, and Mousse... well, does anyone think it would be OOC for him to prefer to sit somewhere out of the way and make googly eyes at Shampoo instead of trying to come up with new moves? Ukyo's training and work are pretty much one and the same, and she likewise doesn't advance much if at all through the story.

The only two characters we see undergoing diverse training are the only ones of the main cast who reliably scale upwards in power. We don't see much of Ryoga, but we know he finds new teachers and the like on his wanderings and, given he spends most of his time in the wild, he literally can't use a formularic training regime, as there's no way to predict what will happen at any given moment out there. As for Ranma... well, we've seen any number of training methods from him. Walking on fences, slapping through a swarm of bees, catching piranha bare-handed, striking at a moving array of kettles and buckets with the aim of hitting the latter without upsetting the former...

I don't know if this applies to the manga, but in the anime one reason Akane sucks at cooking is because she gets too emotional. Cooking requires calmheadedness, patience and gentle precision. Akane simply bulls ahead at full strength, screaming in fury all the while. She also deliberately adds things that shouldn't be included and tends not to look at what she's adding, so she adds even more vile things- white wine in curry that turned out to be vinegar, followed by mayonaise, sugar, pineapple and horseradish when she tried to "fix" it.