Why do people prefer RyougaxUkyo insted of RyougaxAkari?

[Alathon]

I think in a lot of cases people are going for the "Everyone has someone" ending and need a main character to stick with Ukyo. Konatsu and Akari were late additions and don't really play a substantial role in the story beyond their introductory arcs, so there's no perceived obligation to hook them up with someone or otherwise involve them. The 'big six' that need to get hooked up are usually Ranma, Akane, Ukyo, Shampoo, Mousse, and Ryoga.. sometimes with Kasumi, Tofu, Nabiki, and Kuno thrown in for good measure.

Also, there's nothing immediately available to write about regarding Akari.. if Ryoga goes with her, there's no conflict to resolve unless the author creates it from whole cloth (i.e. wierd pig attitudes or other character flaws). Whereas to hook up Ryoga and Ukyo, a lot of legwork needs to be done -- there's a story there to write, even if it's been written forty times already.

[FriendlyEL]

Personally I myself never was all that much into the Ryoga/Ukyo relationship for reasons I'm not going to discuss right now, but I have to agree that the notion of a completely one dimensional insert simply . I like Ryoga, but if he's going to have his way I want it to be . I feel that if he was going to get to know anyone, it would be preferable that it is with an original cast member that he meets and gets to like more over the course of the manga, as opposed to a character that is there for the sole notion of making him happy, with no back story of their own. If I see a romance story, I want one that is two sided where there are two people I can relate to and am endured to.

To me, if there is any regular female cast in the Ranma verse that would probably be appropriate for the likes of Ryoga or Mousse (key word, does the girl deserve them) would probably be Kasumi. Still not perfect and with the fact that living with her would result in living with Ranma, hence absolute chaos, and whether she'd be interested in someone younger and not always the most rational or sunny is questionable at best, but she'd be the best for him.

[SpaceKnight of Chaos]

Uh, FriendlyEl, it looks like you've cut off the endings to your first and second sentences.

[SpaceKnight of Chaos]

Just to point out, like people have mentioned, Akari not only feels somewhat contrived, she also shows up in only a few stories:

Volume 30: introduced in a 3 chapter story
Volume 31: takes part in a two chapter story, doesn't really do anything
Volume 36: takes part in a 1 chapter story, again doesn't really do anything

Six chapters all told, and the only things she does of note are in the first three. Is it any wonder she's so unknown?

[Vilkath]

I can't say I can really get behind the Ryoga/Ukyo pairing for varoius reasons, one the biggest being Ukyo is supposed to be Ranma's best friend and care about him and having her settle down with some one like Ryoga who been causing Ranma greif for years and trying to kill him just irks me a little. Especialy since most fics barely go into why they might get together in the first place.

As for why it happens, I kind of feel she is about the only main girl around left for Ryoga if you go with the usual Mo/Sham, Ran/Akane, etc it leaves Ryoga pretty much with Kodachi or Ukyo.

It is also an important move if the author wants to keep Ryoga as a frontline warrior and a part of Ranma's daily life. Most stories where he ends up with Akari basicaly has Ryoga retire from the Nerima madness to go live on her farm, only showing up ocasionaly when he gets 'lost' and turns up at the dojo. I think this might be one the major reasons people avoid Akari. She is more of a 'happily ever after' girl and once Ryoga really does settle down with her his part in Nerima is almost done with.

If he is with her he is living farther away, if Ryoga lives with Akari he more then likely has come to better terms with his curse and thus has less of a reason to hate Ranma, he has given up on Akane and thus even less of a reason to pursue Ranma. All in all it's a write off of his character to be with Akari, while if he is with Ukyo he is tied to Ranma in the very least through her, who is supposed to be his friend and would help him automaticaly if some new problem came up for Ranma.

Ofcourse there are also those fics who use Akari rather badly, where Ryoga goes off to live with her but then every time he see's Akane forgets about Akari and chases her. Frankly Akari almost always gets the short end of the stick in fanfiction and lets be honest Ryoga doesn't deserve her most the time.

[Acey]

Akari was created for the sole purpose of being Ryoga`s love interest, thats just Rumkio being lazy.

The problem with Akari is that she's too convenient. Reading through her story arcs, one gets the feeling that Takahashi created her solely to be a consolation prize for Ryoga, to help him get over Akane... She's not quite perfect enough to be a Mary Sue, but she might as well be compared to all of the other deeply flawed characters in the manga

Exactly. While she isn't perfect in every way, she is perfect in every way that counts for Ryoga, hence regarding him, she is a Mary-Sue. It really is a case of RT being lax and simply deciding to reward Ryoga having being for so long the manga's punching bag, something which she actually admitted when asked. (And sorry, I don't have a link to that quote, but trust me, it's true.)

The 'big six' that need to get hooked up are usually Ranma, Akane, Ukyo, Shampoo, Mousse, and Ryoga.. sometimes with Kasumi, Tofu, Nabiki, and Kuno thrown in for good measure.

Truer words have never been written.

It always feels horribly contrived that upon Ranma and Akane hooking up, it turns out Shampoo secretly returned Mousse's affections all along and Ukyo and Ryoga just sort of trip into one another and find love as well. Or, those match-ups can happen first to pave the way for the destined Ranma x Akane pairing.

Why not leave Ryoga and Ukyo without partners? Maybe hint that Konatsu is finally ready to try to assert himself and attempt to woo her? Leave Ryoga wandering abd still secretly in love with Akane. A good fic conclusion isn't dependant on happy endings for all of the main characters. Unfortunately, this is lost on a sad majority of fic writers.

[antimatterenergy]

I like the Ryoga/Akari relationship a lot more than the Ryoga/Ukyo one. Ukyo seems to really dislike Ryoga particularly after the cave of lost love.

Ukyo is supposed to be Ranma's best friend and care about him

I never really saw that. Ukyo was Ranma's friend for some unknown amount of time around a decade in the past. Not really his best friend. He rarely even talks to her and doesn't tell her even important things like Shampoo existence or that he had a curse. The kids at school are closer to being his best friend than she is. He is at least shown to hang out with them/cut class with them.

once Ryoga really does settle down with her his part in Nerima is almost done with

I don't see that either. Ranma is too much a part of Ryoga's life if for no reason than some one to spar with. Ranma was the main focus of Ryoga's life for quite a while, I just don't see him not showing up sometimes. Be it to try to show up Ranma, defeat him, blow steam (i.e. someone he can attack without worry), ask for assistance (did so a few times like to take him to his house or for help removing mark of the gods), or defend Akane - may love Akari but still would care for Akane.