I've set the reply-to on this to the SPAM list; if this discussion is
going to continue, let's take it over there, OK?

Sean Connor <sec@konatsu.ml.org> wrote:

On Sat, Feb 13, 1999 at 01:56:33PM +0000, Gary Kleppe wrote:

I disagree. He's never been shown thinknig anything like this in the
manga.

He's never been shown going to the potty, either.  I guess that means he's
been holding it for a year or more, right? :P

Nope. The fact that a character has normal bodily functions is not an
important part of his/her characterization. You can assume that a
character in a story has normal bodily functions unless there's
something that indicates otherwise -- because that's, well, normal.

Especially since it's one of 
the biggest paradoxes Ranma ever created-- he treats Ukyo like dirt more 
often than as a friend. 

It's mutual. She treats him like a prize to be won, while most of the
time he doesn't pay much attention to her at all.

And Akane's a hammer-wielding maniac that has no interest in Ranma aside

>from using him as a living, breathing punching bag.

You may say that I'm wrong about this, and that I've only considered
Akane's bad points, and ignored her good points.

And you know what?  You're absolutely right.  I'm being most unfair
to Akane here.

However, you have done exactly the same thing in your statement
about Ukyou above.

You can find times when Akane acts like you describe, yes. You can
*also* find times when she is nice to him, and shows genuine concern for
his welfare and feelings.

Now, I know plenty of instances where Ranma and Ukyo have exhibited the
relationship I described above. I don't know of any instances where
they've acted like "best friends" by any meaningful definition of the
phrase.

There is more than one reasonable interpretation of the canon.  I find
the biggest paradox of all is that someone as obviously intelligent
as you are can so utterly and completely fail to grasp this simple
truth.

Ukyo and Ranma as best friends is no more a "reasonable interpretation
of the canon" than Ukyo as Gosunkugi's secret lover.

Now, if you want to write a fic with Ukyo as Gosunkugi's secret lover,
it won't bother me a bit. But if it gets to the point where nearly
*everybody* is using Ukyo as Gosunkugi's secret lover in their fics,
thinking that this was actually shown in the series, then I'm gonna be
one of the first to tell them that it ain't so.


Gary Kleppe
http://www.execpc.com/~kleppe/comics