Okay, first, there should be a distinction made between an insult and an observation, because there's a difference. An insult can be based on an observation, but it in no way is guaranteed to be indicative of a truth or what one's actual opinion is, and shouldn't automatically be accepted as such. To take it at face value would do no one any good other than those who already believe her to be a tomboy and wish to maintain that belief irrespective of the argument against it.
Two, what the person in question believes about themselves is just as important, if not more so, than how others see them. One can argue that it's wrong or backward, but it's true. What someone thinks is often seen in how they behave, and we are in a position to observe both that and the effect. That is not a position of choice, but one we start with by default, and to ignore it without the proper context being established would simply be an exercise in fantasy. As readers/watchers we can see the inner workings of characters that we normally wouldn't see of people in real life, and by the very nature of the medium that's the way it's supposed to be unless the author chooses to keep it under wraps, so it would be silly to disregard what we are shown out of hand because the medium is taken out of context.
Three, don't assume how a fictional character sees another based on your own assumptions, because the only perspective you can speak from is your own. If any of us are going to do that, we have a responsibility to research whether it's true or not, and to back up what we say. This applies especially to the more broad claim issued by Noy, where "practically everyone sees her as a tomboy" is simply irresponsible. Take Kuno, for instance. In the beginning of the series he calls Akane "pure and tidy," and alongside that is an illustration of Akane in a rather feminine pose. That's not something that would be said or envisioned by someone who thinks that the object of their desire is a tomboy.
If I'm not mistaken, PCH is referring to what Nabiki said when she sees Akane at the very beginning of the series, but she's not calling her a tomboy. Rather, she calls her behavior weird, or that boys don't like her in a normal way because of it. (The manga and the anime dub I saw used "weird," while the anime sub used the other.) You can probably argue that it's being inferred, but I think that's a stretch.
If anyone's going to argue from the point of view of the characters around Akane, who among them has outright called her a tomboy (and seems to believe it beyond using it as an insult), or inferred the notion strongly enough that it couldn't be argued as meaning anything else? (And, no, "violent maniac" does not mean "tomboy," though I could see it as such in a more humorous context.) Of course, it wouldn't be logical if only a few characters were enough to define how everyone around the person in question thinks of them, so...
Four, make sure your definition of what makes someone a tomboy isn't nonsensical. "Hitting things and being active" does not make someone a tomboy, simply because it's too vague, and would describe a lot of people and fictional characters that no one would consider to be a tomboy. Also, if anger isn't a part of the equation, don't turn around and use a (hair trigger) temper, which is an expression of anger. Besides which, last I checked, anger and tempers never, ever described a tomboy, not even in part. For that matter, neither does impatience. The only thing mentioned that could be associated with a tomboy is being energetic, but that's not a fundamental requirement, and certainly couldn't define someone as a tomboy by itself.
Okay, now on to more specific things.
Noy Telinú wrote:Her mannerisms are boyish. Her dress isn't. But that's because, as I said, she's trying to be feminine. Her terrible skills at femininity doesn't make her a tomboy, but it does reveal that her attitude is more masculine than she would admit.
What kind of logic is that? Her skills (or lack thereof) don't make her a tomboy, but it's somehow indicative of her attitude, which in turn reflects whether she's a tomboy or not? -_- No. Just, no. We've been over this, anyway: a tomboy is defined by what they do, not by what they fail to do. If she's trying to be feminine, how in the world can she be observed as being a tomboy? If she fails at sewing, how could it be seen as if she'd just finished playing football? How could you even begin to equate it like that?
It also sounds like the logic is: if she's not feminine (enough), then she must be a tomboy. Which is, sadly, a very black and white way of looking at it. If you can't prove you're feminine (enough), one must assume that you're a tomboy, rather than concluding that they're neither feminine (enough) or a tomboy.
That's so wrong, I don't even feel the need to get into it. ;/Whatever you want to call THAT, it's not a girly girl. Her only girly moments are when she's messing with p-chan and having an emotional time with Ranma.
As mentioned before, please present proof that they're all calling her a tomboy. Or treating her like one, for that matter.When everyone who knows you calls you a tomboy, it's most likely true. Doesn't Kasumi and Kuno use kun with her?
Also, about the honorific in question:
Wikipedia wrote:Kun (君【くん】?) is used by persons of senior status in addressing or referring to those of junior status, or by anyone when addressing or referring to male children or male teenagers, or among male friends. It can also be used by females when addressing a male that they are emotionally attached to or have known for a long period of time. Although kun is generally used for boys, that is not a hard rule. For example, kun can be used to name a close personal friend or family member of either gender. Also, in business settings, young female employees may also be addressed as kun by older males of senior status. It can also be used by male teachers addressing their female students.
In the Diet of Japan (Legislature), chairmen use kun when addressing diet members and ministers. An exception was when Takako Doi was the chairman of the lower house: she used the san title.
I couldn't tell you if they use -kun or not, and thus not exactly why it would be used, but the first underlined part could apply to Kuno, while the second could for Kasumi. It's not strictly used when referring to males, because Ranma would have likely used it when referring to Akane if that had been the case, and it's to my understanding that he tends to not use any honorifics with her at all.
And yes, Ukyo is the cute one because she's more relaxed and can play up the feminity if she wants too in a weird way. O_o
I don't know what that has to do with anything, you fanboy you. ;p
PCHeintz72 wrote:By definition 1 and 2, I think her one. By definition 3, Nabiki thinks her one.
By the first two definitions, I wouldn't think her one. She pursues and prefers too many things considered normal/typical for girls, way more than she does anything typical/normal for boys. In many of the latter instances, it's not because she likes or enjoys it (because she is often in some sort of foul mood during those times), but because it's a matter of circumstance rather than something she intended to do in the first place.
The thing is, she has a bit of a complex about not being seen as feminine, no doubt due to how strong she was before puberty truly distinguished her as a girl among her peers. Like I said before, that should say enough about her not being a tomboy. Just as Ranma tries to prove his masculinity, Akane doesn't take insults and challenges to her femininity lightly, and we see this in the things she does (or tries to do, as the case often is). When there was a chance to play the role of Juliet, for example, she jumped on it like there was no tomorrow, after adamantly showing her disinterest because she had assumed that she would get some kind of masculine role. And her friends had been encouraging her, rather than assuming that a tomboy wouldn't be interested. If that isn't the sort of behavior that can convince someone that she isn't a tomboy, then I don't know if any logical argument or amount of evidence ever could.
By the third definition, I would still doubt it even if it's from Nabiki's perspective. She knows better than many what kind of person her sister is, and even we can see that Akane's life doesn't revolve around pursuits and behaviors considered typical of boys. If she were to ever call Akane a tomboy, I highly doubt that it would be in a context that would show it as being an honest opinion or what she truly believed.
