General Questions mk 2

[SpaceKnight of Chaos]

Now, don't get me wrong, I actually like the guy much more than I do Gosunkugi, but I was just wondering: why did the anime of Ranma 1/2 create Sasuke Sarugakure as a replacement for Gosunkugi anyway? They never used the Musk, 'senken or Jusendo stories because the anime was canned before Takahashi even thought them up, but Gosunkugi was one of the earliest introduced 'mooks', so why did they decide to dump him for the Kuno manservant and subverted Ninja?

Everyone here knows about Akari. However, in the anime's 3rd (or 4th, can't recall off the top of my head), Ryoga has an episode devoted to him where he meets and attracts the love of a simple, super-strong farmgirl named Anna Brown, whose closest confident (though he was more her dad's sidekick than hers) was a steer named Gertie, who even tended to walk around on his hindlegs. I was just wondering; could Anna Brown, whose episode aired long before the Akari Unryuu story, have influenced Takahashi to create Akari when she decided to give Ryoga his 'happy ending'?

Similarly, could the Chinese Amazon twins Ling-Ling & Lung-Lung have inspired, albeit in a more round-about fashion, the creation of the identical twin martial arts herbalists Pink & Link?

Speaking of which, which set of twins do you think is the more dangerous?

At various places across the web, I've seen a number of characters -namely Akane, Akari and Konatsu- derided as variants of the Mary Sue. Specifically, Akane is alternatively a plain Canon Sue, or a Canon Tsundere Sue, while Akari and Konatsu are Canon Relationship Sues. For those fortunate enough to be less than familiar with the Mary Sue and all its bloody horrid sub-breeds, a Canon Sue is a canonical character who is also the creator's Mary Sue, a Relationship Sue is a Mary Sue type introduced into the story solely for the sake of being another character's perfect match, and a Tsundere Sue is a character who is prone to acts of violence and/or savage temper towards someone, yet all others not only do not think less of her/him, they often tell her/his victim that the Tsue was completely justified in their behavior.

Now, I know that such claims are false. I mean, I don't like Akane myself, but I wouldn't call her a Sue of any format. However, I was wondering; just what claims and "evidence" would/could such people call up to justify their claims?\

[Southern Cross]

While I've only read the manga,I'd say that Pink & Link are the more dangerous.Not only because of their array of super-fast growing magic plants,but because they will attack people who have done them no harm.
(Which is how the whole feud with Shampoo started-one of the twins poisoned Shampoo as a young child & the other twin healed her-but Shampoo mistook the "good" twin from the 'BAD" one,and started beating them "hundreds of times").

[SpaceKnight of Chaos]

While my unanswered questions still stand, I have some new ones now.

I understand that Genma took Ranma on the training trip so that he would be 'worthy' to carry out Genma & Soun's plan for him to wed Akane... but why did he go to the extent that he did?

Also, doesn't the fact that Genma took the promise they made seriously enough to focus solely on training Ranma in martial arts, from the age of 2, kind of make Soun look bad by comparison?
Like I said, Genma spent 14 years away from his wife and the comforts of home, seeking to make Ranma a truly powerful martial artist, while Soun did... pretty much nothing, as far as I can tell. Akane is far behind Ranma's level of skill (and I admit her skills are actually quite good from the outsider's perspective; being in the bottom of the top ten is still to be above the norm), and even taking the slapstick and reasonable excuses of Ranma's own personality failings into account, she's not exactly emotionally prepared for the engagement.

Putting aside the fact it was neccessary for the comedy, and disregarding the (very likely, in my opinion) possibility that the average Joketsuzoku member doesn't know anything about Jusenkyo, why did none of the Amazons see the Guide (who wasn't exactly hiding while the Saotomes were in the village) and think; "hey, that's the guide from Jusenkyo- maybe these two aren't in their real forms"?

On a similar topic, why didn't the Guide speak up to reveal Ranma's true gender instead of grabbing his/her wrist and running? Surely he'd know about the "Kiss of Marriage" rule, and that's got to be safer than leaving Ranma on the run from a vengeance-seeking Shampoo, doesn't it?

In the anime, I don't know about the manga, Mousse makes Akane the stakes in their duel when he first fights with Ranma. In the anime, he specifically states (altered for 3rd person) that Ranma must give Akane to Mousse if Mousse wins their match. So just what does that mean anyway? What would have happened if Mousse really had won that fight?

Finally, why on earth would Mousse go to train at Jusenkyo after losing his first duel with Ranma anyway? Even if the "Amazons don't know the truth" theory was correct, what could he possibly expect to gain by training at a place quite evidently used as a punishment ground?

[Makoto]

They didn't exactly can Gosunkugi - he still shows up in the TV episodes, as I recall. (The paper doll episode, for example.) But it's been a while since I watched the episodes, so I don't remember which episode numbers (or movies/OAVs) in which he might have appeared.

I think I did hear their reason for introducing Sasuke at one point, but can't remember what it was.

As for Genma training Ranma, I'd say his primary goal was to have his son carry on the family art, plus be the best martial artist. Having Ranma be capable enough to carry on the schools would be a secondary goal, and if Ranma was the best, it wouldn't be a problem.

Note, though that Akane's a girl, so that by tradition, Soun and Genma probably didn't care as much about her being a capable martial artist, as she'd probably be expected to defer to Ranma, in their eyes, anyway.

As for the Guide taking Ranma and running: he didn't seem completely versed on Nichieju practices/rules, to me (while seemingly bad form for someone acting like a guide, the Nichieju ARE probably a rather secretive and closed-off society...) so, he was probably only just aware of the policy on outsider females (and how many skilled women had he seen show up at the village? )

Gah. Probably should go back and revisit the source material, now. Forget I said anything.

[SpaceKnight of Chaos]

Gosunkugi did get into the anime, but not until the 6th season, where he was literally introduced as a new transfer student. I was just wondering if anyone knew why they'd do that, when in the manga he was there all along and played all of the roles in early storylines that Sasuke ended up taking. Don't get me wrong, I feel Sasuke makes much better sense as Kuno's personal spy, snitch and lackey, I was just wondering why they created him.

While that's true, it doesn't exactly fit with their behavior in canon, where they actively encourage Akane when she does decide to try and do something martial arts related (for example, encourage her in her battle against Tamari Kaminarimon) and act as though Ranma should be deferring to her.

[Drawde]

Remember that Soun has two other daughters besides Akane, and they aren't interested in martial arts. Even when his wife was around, he still had to provide for two more people than Genma did (how Nodoka managed to survive the entire time Genma was away isn't even hinted at). Without his wife, Soun had to take care of his daughters on his own. That means that not only is his attention devided amongst them, but he can't leave to go on training trips as well.

Not to mention the possibility that Soun cares more about the rest of life besides martial arts than Genma might.

[SpaceKnight of Chaos]

Genma put Ranma through his extensive training at least partially due to his obsession with the Saotome/Tendo marriage pact though, which Soun is at least equally obsessed with.

But, anyway, what about my other questions? Just what was Mousse wagering in that first fight against Ranma? Why did he train at Jusenkyo? What did the Amazons fail to recognize the Jusenkyo guide? Why was Happosai in China when he midwived Taro? What would have happened if the Amazons had caught him then? Etctera, etcetera.

[Kilich]

Just what was Mousse wagering in that first fight against Ranma? Why did he train at Jusenkyo? What did the Amazons fail to recognize the Jusenkyo guide? Why was Happosai in China when he midwived Taro? What would have happened if the Amazons had caught him then?

I'll try to answer them.

Probably Mousse thought that Ranma treasures Akane as much as he loved Shampoo and if he could take Akane away, then Ranma will be more then willing to *stop following Shampoo* if that could give him Akane back.


I think he trained at Jusenkyo because it was the most dangerous place he knew about and thought that training in such unforgiving enviroment will improve his skills far more then training elsewhere.


Probably most of the Amazons never visited Jusenkyo and never saw the Guide who very rarely leaves his place.


I think he was checking on Cologne or\and gathering water from cursed springs for some scheme he was planning.


If they caught him there, probably they would've tried to give him a curse that would make him relatively harmless, maybe they could even borrow the Locking Ladle from Musk for this occasion.

[Drawde]

If they caught him there, probably they would've tried to give him a curse that would make him relatively harmless, maybe they could even borrow the Locking Ladle from Musk for this occasion.

Wrong. Cologne (and thus, probably the rest of the amazons that knew of the musk) thought they were extinct. You can't borrow anything from someone you don't think exists anymore. And, since the amazons had no current info on the musk, the musk most likely didn't live close to Jusenkyo.

[Makoto]

While that's true, it doesn't exactly fit with their behavior in canon, where they actively encourage Akane when she does decide to try and do something martial arts related (for example, encourage her in her battle against Tamari Kaminarimon) and act as though Ranma should be deferring to her.

I think they mainly encourage Akane:
A: to engineer situations so that Ranma and Akane spend as much time together as possible
B: to encourage Ranma's drive and jealousy

...at the very least. Of course, they might also think that having Ranma eventually have to save her from whatever problem she'll invariably wind up trapped within would help Ranma and Akane's relationship grow. It's not always easy to tell, with those two.

You'd think Soun would realize that Akane's performance might just reflect upon his school, though.

[SpaceKnight of Chaos]

A few people have actually suggested that Soun doesn't have a school, that the dojo in the backyard is merely a family heirloom and that he only expects Ranma to train his and Akane's children, not to use it to support them in any way.

If that's so, then that might explain why Akane's antics are tolerated- they don't have a scholastic reputation to uphold. But, then again, they have a sign which they are challenged for in dojo yaburi matches (Dojo Destroyer in the Instant Nanniichuan story, Tamari Kaminarimon in the Good Ol' Days Martial Arts episode, and that's off the top of my head), so I really don't know.

Hmm... is it possible that Soun tries to keep his school out of the "spotlight" in the series because he knows that its current 'setup' (himself, a long-unpractised overemotional character as the dojo master, Akane as the best student, the infamous Underwear Thief of Nerima as the grandmaster) would basically put folks off? He needs Ranma to take over because, without Ranma's skill to bolster their appearance, no one in their right mind would want to study there?

I've actually asked this before, but I thought I'd try it again: only the immediate members of the NWC actually know that Happosai lives at the dojo (that is, the Saotome males, the Tendos, Ukyo, the Amazon trio, and Ryoga). Not only that, they're the only ones who know who Happosai is as a person. Everyone else in Nerima knows of Happosai only as the Underwear Thief- they have photos of him, but because he's basically a legal non-entity and nobody knows him personally, they have no idea that he's a part of Soun's household (because he at least has the grace to -usually- be out of the house or in seclusion when the rare visitor drops by). So what would happen to the Tendos' reputation and/or social standing if Happosai's identity and dwelling place become known to the general populace of Nerima?

[Southern Cross]

Nothing good.At the very least they would be shunned-I think that Happosai can't exactly enjoy a good reputation,and both families would be tainted by their association with the little creep.

[Drawde]

But, then again, they have a sign which they are challenged for in dojo yaburi matches (Dojo Destroyer in the Instant Nanniichuan story, Tamari Kaminarimon in the Good Ol' Days Martial Arts episode, and that's off the top of my head), so I really don't know.

Just because it's a family school doesn't mean it's not a martial arts school. If the school itself has a reputation, good or bad (dojo destroyers give a reputation that the school's weak), then anyone practicing that school has that reputation as well.

I'm guessing that having the sign sort of makes the school more "official". Even the best no-name family school isn't really recognized over one that advertises its pressence. Of course that leads to people wanting to prove themselves better than the school, which seems like something Anything Goes likes. Or it might just be traditional to have a sign. Like a family sword seems to be a physical manifestation of the family's honor, so is the sign of the school's. There's also pride. Putting out a sign basically says you think your school is good enough to handle people trying to take it down.

It's probably a mixture of those though.

[SpaceKnight of Chaos]

Some new questiosn from me...
*While I know that Ryoga doesn't do anything perverted when cuddling up to Akane as P-chan, isn't his masquerading as Akane's pet and basically allowing her to tell him her innermost secrets, hopes and feelings, something of an abuse of the trust she feels for him as a human being?

*I was just reading through the "Calling the Old Man Out" section of the TV Tropes website, and in the Ranma 1/2 entry, it claims that Kasumi actually told Genma off -to the extent to yelling at him- whilst asking why he would be so stupid as to go to Jusenkyo in the first place. Does this happen in the manga or something? Because nothing like that happens in the anime, I can tell you that.

*On a similar note, in the anime version of Nodoka's introduction, there is a scene where "Ranko" and "Mr. Panda" are talking in the dojo. After Mr. Panda refuses to do... something, can't recall what off the top of my head (I think it was tied to either Nodoka or Jusenkyo), Ranko hands him a tanto and then pulls out a sword, which she begins to chase him with under the intention of cutting him into little pieces (not that I blame her/him). Does this scene occur in the manga version as well?

*By the way, what is the sword Ranko wields in the aforementioned scene? The Saotome Honor/Family Sword? Or just a daito?

*A few questions about Mousse's first appearance:
-What, precisely, is he meaning when he declares that Ranma "will give up his woman (points to Akane) if he (Mousse) wins"?
-Secondly, in the dubbed anime, Shampoo clarifies her 'dark magic' comment to mean "Mousse have many-many tricks", while in the subbed she says "he have hidden weapons"; which of these is the better translation of the Japanese?
-On that topic, is Shampoo serious about Mousse practicising Dark Magic, or was that comment basically a gag on how Mousse's fighting style resembles stage magic and relies on hiding stuff where it's dark and using it too quickly for his opponent to see, block or dodge?
-Is Mousse using the Japanese names for his techniques in the dub and the Chinese names for them in the subbing, or am I mistaken?

*In one episode of the anime, Mousse actually attacks a guy who flirts with Shampoo- does this seem like behavior he might have pulled offscreen in the manga, and/or in the past of both canons?

*How did Mousse hear about Shampoo's engagement to Ranma anyway?

*I've heard here and there that Azusa Shiratori is rich, or at least is well-off financially. Is this true?

*How was Azusa, who knows nothing about Jusenkyo curses, able to recognize that Ryoga was "Charlotte" after seeing he was wearing the same collar? Then again, she evidently believes in Tanukis (however it's spelt) -as is made evident in her second appearance in the anime- so maybe she does believe in magic in general.

*Now, I know that "reason" and "Ranma 1/2 character" are pretty much opposing forces, but what characters could be considered the most reasonable in Ranma 1/2? And does this change between the manga & anime canons?

*All of the Ranma 1/2 characters (but especially the fiancees) need a good dose of maturity. What kind of things might be able to penetrate their egos/delusions to give them their desperately needed "wake up calls"?

*I know that regardless of canon, all of Ranma's so-called fiancees treat him pretty shabbily. However, comparatively speaking, which version of a given fiancee treats Ranma better? For example, would you say the manga version of Ukyo treats Ranma better than the anime version of her, or the other way around?

*I'm positive I once read, in at least one fanfic, the speculation that Shampoo initially hoped to use her cat-form to get closer to Ranma by pretending to be his pet- only for this to be shattered by his ailurophobia. Could this be at all likely?

[antimatterenergy]

While I know that Ryoga doesn't do anything perverted when cuddling up to Akane as P-chan, isn't his masquerading as Akane's pet and basically allowing her to tell him her innermost secrets, hopes and feelings, something of an abuse of the trust she feels for him as a human being?

He does do perverted in the manga, I at least count rubbing his face into Akane's cleavage to anger Ranma as being perverted.

I was just reading through the "Calling the Old Man Out" section of the TV Tropes website, and in the Ranma 1/2 entry, it claims that Kasumi actually told Genma off -to the extent to yelling at him- whilst asking why he would be so stupid as to go to Jusenkyo in the first place. Does this happen in the manga or something? Because nothing like that happens in the anime, I can tell you that.

First volume second chapter. http://ranmahentai.ranma.ws/RanmaManga/ ... 01-045.jpg

On a similar note, in the anime version of Nodoka's introduction, there is a scene where "Ranko" and "Mr. Panda" are talking in the dojo. After Mr. Panda refuses to do... something, can't recall what off the top of my head (I think it was tied to either Nodoka or Jusenkyo), Ranko hands him a tanto and then pulls out a sword, which she begins to chase him with under the intention of cutting him into little pieces (not that I blame her/him). Does this scene occur in the manga version as well?

Yes it does happen in the manga, volume 22. http://ranmahentai.ranma.ws/RanmaManga/ ... 22-057.gif

*By the way, what is the sword Ranko wields in the aforementioned scene? The Saotome Honor/Family Sword? Or just a daito?

In the manga Ranma borrowed the sword from his mom.

All of the Ranma 1/2 characters (but especially the fiancees) need a good dose of maturity. What kind of things might be able to penetrate their egos/delusions to give them their desperately needed "wake up calls"?

Nothing just time for most of them. Ranma, Akane, Ukyo, Shampoo, etc... are just teenagers. Most are in some ways even less than teenagers because of their upbringing.

I don't feel like answering the other questions at the moment.