Why do you dislike Akane?

[LadyRelena]

Going link to link? There were very few archive sites or forums back then; most people who had web sites just hosted their own stories and maybe a few of their friends'. Popular ways to find them were by means of "web rings" and links off the individual sites. Alternatively, there were link pages like the Anime Web Turnpike, but that was spottily updated and required user input to get a link listed. Going "link to link" would have lead to a relative handful of authors, and would not provide a very good sampling of the kinds of stories that were out there.

There were two main sources for getting new stories in the early days of anime fan fiction. The first was the RAAC (rec.arts.anime.creative) usenet group, and the second (which came a little later) was the anime/manga fan fiction mailing list. In its heyday before fanfiction.net kicked off, the FFML used to sometimes deliver dozens of stories in a day along with the attendant replies, and could be very hard to keep up with. It lead to some very strict rules about what could be sent to the list and how to reply to the posts.

Most of the fanfiction I found was just searching from fansites to fansite. I remember there were lots of groups like "Knights of the True Fiancées" and "Ranma and Akane; Ment for each other. It was mostly groups like them that made up the majority Ranma fanfiction back then. Also, like Terra already explained, I went to search engines like MSN Search, Altavista and Lycos.

I have no idea how many Ranma stories I read over the years, but there were distinct trends and anti-Akane was one of them. Anti-Amazon stories are another, but I think it's a fair assessment to say that fics that villainize Shampoo are not that much more common.

Back then I remember seeing lots of Anti-Amazon stories because Ranma and Akane authors liked to use "evil Shampoo" as a plot device. Remember, not too many people knew what the ending to Ranma 1/2 was yet, so they just went and picked on Akane's least favorite rival and made her the arch enemy.

[Crescent Pulsar]

Hrm. Since we're going back in time, here, and that's mostly where I come from... I'd like to add that there were a lot of fan-fiction writers that did what they thought they needed to in order to get Ranma out of his situation. How much of it came from authors who were against any number of fiancees and rivals is not something I'm willing to estimate (simply because I know only so many authors, which is only a fraction of a fraction of a fraction), but I'm willing to bet that many of them were written more for Ranma's sake since many people are of the mind that he's in the worst position and needs some kind of break or change in his life. There are many stories that are written for this reason.

And, of course, you have to remember that something usually has to be done about Akane (depending on an author's approach) before Ranma can (or will) match up with some other girl (existing fiancee or not) since, canonically, Akane is the girl that Ranma cares about the most. Sometimes vilifying Akane is just a means to an end, and not necessarily anti-Akane, if an author doesn't want to kill her off in some way or at some point.

Just saying. I've read my fair share of anti-Akane fics, and I'd probably only say that there were more of them than pro-Akane simply for the fact that anti-Akane fics tend to have a simpler premise, and thus easier to start (not necessarily to finish). A lot of the pro-Akane fics, or ones that simply followed along with canon and advanced Ranma's and Akane's relationship, tended to be better written and thought out. From my experience, anyway, since I can't claim to have read just any fic that was written for the series.

I just thought that I'd point out that fics can be more complicated than simply being anti-Akane and pro-Akane fics, just because one does or doesn't favor Akane. And because it's early in the morning and I needed an excuse to pass the time. <_<

[lwf58]

I'd say you have a very good point there, CP. A great deal of fanon use is indeed because it's easier to use than writing the real characters.

Then there's the "saint Ranma" meme, which is one of the enduring legacies of the early days of Ranma 1/2 fan fiction. That one is "poor, misunderstood Ranma, who would never deliberately hurt a fly and only wants the best for everyone, but no one (except maybe Kasumi) realizes that and the everyone else always abuses him for their own benefit or is secretly playing him for a sucker". That one is often accompanied by Psycho Akane, who always goes into blind rages if he so much as says "good morning" to her or one of her sisters, or more rarely by Bitch Akane, who knows all about his devotion but is deliberately toying with his emotions, sometimes while having a secret love affair with Ryouga.

The reason why I couldn't say how many Ranma stories I've read is because there have been far too many to estimate. You are very much right when you say that poorly written (and often short and incomplete) stories that use Psycho Akane are more common than well written stories that show her as her canon self: a good person with human flaws. When I talk about "anti-Akane" stories, I'm not just talking about ones where she's a clear villain. I mean any story in which she is shown as a cardboard cutout of a bad-tempered shrew with no self-control.

Just look at the theme this site was originally built around: R/SM crossovers. One of the more common ways for Ranma / Sailor Moon crossovers to begin is for Psycho Akane to pound Ranma with a mallet so far that he lands in Azabu-Juuban.

[Crescent Pulsar]

Just look at the theme this site was originally built around: R/SM crossovers. One of the more common ways for Ranma / Sailor Moon crossovers to begin is for Psycho Akane to pound Ranma with a mallet so far that he lands in Azabu-Juuban.

That's exactly the kind of thing that I was thinking about, when I was writing my post. It'd take a lot of effort on the author's part to integrate all of the characters from the series, but it's more easy to work with when it's just Ranma (for the most part, since Ryoga almost always inevitably shows up, lost as usual) and the author wants to get him away from the loathsome Ranma 1/2 characters without having to go through the effort to create original characters. While it's common enough for a number of things and characters to force/convince Ranma to take a hike, Akane is perhaps the biggest reason, in conjunction with other things or all by herself. Still, we'd be out of a lot of Ranma 1/2 crossovers if authors hadn't decided to take advantage of some of her character traits. ;p (I mean, despite whatever flimsy setup an author may use, sometimes the rest of the story is written decent enough, and worth reading.)

I just wonder, for those who dislike Akane, where it comes from: her actions in the manga/anime, liking another character/fiancee that is in conflict with her character, or what people read in fan-fiction.

[Drawde]

Another thing is that if you clicked on links in the author's websites, you're more likely to find fics like the ones they write. Especially in some of the webrings. So a pro-Akane site is more likely to link to other pro-Akane sites, and vice versa.

And as mentioned, there's three main fiancees. If the stories were evenly divided amongst them, there'd be twice as many stories that need to get rid of Akane to pair Ranma up with their favorite, as opposed to the pro-Akane ones. Not that they ARE evenly divided, and there's many other pairings, but the base theory is sound.

[toushin]

i dont hate akane but i dont exactly like her. to me she is nothing more then a spoiled brat and as someone who has had alot of experience with brats i know one when i see one. all the simptoms are there.

first
when she doesn't get her way the first thing she does is throw a tantrum as in react with violence.

second
when violence doesn't work thats when she cries. you see it in the hiryu shoten ha arc when hitting ranma isn't a possibility she runs away crying.

third
while there is someone she will listen to it is tempered with the fact that they know they can get away with alot.

saying that for any relationship to work between ranma or otherwise she is the one who has to grow up not the other way around. ranma at least learns from his mistakes, though when backed into a corner he'll revert back, but he at least tries. akane refuses to try though. the bitter end i think is the perfect example of my arguement. ranma amends his ways and starts to grow but akane doesn't this just starts to breed more untrust and anger finally she snaps.

in closing akane is not an easy charecter to like the other fiancess at least have an excuse for their behavior akane doesn't and thats why she is disliked

[AdmiralTigerclaw]

Hmm...

Akane is... interesting.

She has her own little worldview, but I can understand part of her personality.

If you look at her life. Before Ranma, she was more or less the center of attention and the 'Alpha male' of the females. I wouldn't go so far as to call it spoiled. She still had to work very hard for that position.

Then, in the course of one rainy afternoon, Ranma took her world and turned it on its head. It started with her sparing session with Ranma, Girl Form. If he had known Akane's personality before hand, Ranma would have known better. As it stood though, he essentially out-skilled her so bad it was mocking. Not that she reacted poorly to it then, but we know Akane doesn't like to lose.

So in a few deft Moves, Akane's position as the 'Alpha Female' crumbled. Nothing bad came of this until the screwed up reveal between her and Ranma's curse and his flagrant attitude towards her. (Now, he got walloped there, but it WAS his fault before not walking on eggshells.)
One thing I would expect fueled her early anger would be Ranma's "Chummy" personality. As I recall, you don't become chums in Japan in a few hours. It's considered downright rude.

So the first impressions Ranma left probably pinned him as a rude, dishonest boy at the end of that opening mess. First Impressions can last a lifetime. So Akane is 'on her guard' so to speak after this. (AKA: In incidents, Ranma is Guilty until Proven Innocent.) Not fair exactly, but understandable. Kids aren't fair to each other.

Then Akane's world continues to get upheaved. She starts out the Alpha Female of her little world, and in the first arc, she gets shuffled down to Damsel in Distress in short order. For Akane who, even if she won't admit it, is a proud tomboy of a girl... That's a slap in the face. Of course, she still wants to have her 'regular' life amidst all this, so she's not going to go all out to become better than Ranma. Then there's the fact that everything going on is centered on Ranma... which steals her 'thunder' (Not to be confused with Kuno's thunder.)... We've all seen how that turns out for those people.

She probably would have come to accept the restructuring... if it had stopped early on.
Enter other cast members... Include the issue that Ranma isn't exactly helping his own case early on by half instigating issues, half getting caught in bad circumstances OVER and OVER again... and Akane's suspecting attitude towards Ranma gets reinforced.
It is said it takes three weeks to form a habbit.
I would say that she formed a habbit of naturally distrusting Ranma... by the time things settled down a little, the routine was set. As anything going wrong up until now tended to involve Ranma (which of course, reminded her that she was no longer alpha female OR center of attention) or be Ranma's fault... 'Obviously' in her hormone driven mind, anything that occures is Ranma's fault.

Pile this into the fact that Ranma is socially unskilled and bad at handling awkward situations that don't involve fighting... His reactions only serve to reinforce Akane's position... even if she's a few miles off target.

Later on in the story, I think that while Akane doesn't grow out of this, part of her mind thinks of it as a ritual. Despite her strength and ability to pummel Ranma... he showed from Episode 1 that if he REALLY doesn't want to be hit, she'd never lay a finger on him. As such, every time she hits him, it's because he allowed that to happen (or was horrifyingly open). And as I said before, after this long, she knows he can handle what she dishes out.
As such, I think that so late in the series she still beats on him for a transgression (whether it's his fault or not) because it's conditioned reflex. Akane Gets Mad >> Ranma Near >> PUNCH RANMA >> Feel Better.

Aside from that twisted bizare...

Girl needs anger management class.

[Zwzn]

Then, in the course of one rainy afternoon, Ranma took her world and turned it on its head. It started with her sparing session with Ranma, Girl Form. If he had known Akane's personality before hand, Ranma would have known better. As it stood though, he essentially out-skilled her so bad it was mocking. Not that she reacted poorly to it then, but we know Akane doesn't like to lose.

Akane lost her temper and went all out, and not knowing what Ranma could do. For all Akane knew she had seen all of Ranma's martial arts skills.

So in a few deft Moves, Akane's position as the 'Alpha Female' crumbled. Nothing bad came of this until the screwed up reveal between her and Ranma's curse and his flagrant attitude towards her. (Now, he got walloped there, but it WAS his fault before not walking on eggshells.)

You mean being polite until Akane and her sisters insult him for no reason for a good 5 minates, and attack his honor? It was so horrible Ranma through one insult. Ranma, ho, so, deserved an attempt on his life for a single insult while giving Akane just what she wanted.

One thing I would expect fueled her early anger would be Ranma's "Chummy" personality. As I recall, you don't become chums in Japan in a few hours. It's considered downright rude.

Since when is polite chummy? You're mixing Ranma up with the Tendo sisters. I think you need to reread the manga.

So the first impressions Ranma left probably pinned him as a rude, dishonest boy at the end of that opening mess. First Impressions can last a lifetime. So Akane is 'on her guard' so to speak after this. (AKA: In incidents, Ranma is Guilty until Proven Innocent.) Not fair exactly, but understandable. Kids aren't fair to each other.

Akane has an irrational fear of being raped, and Ranma was the polite one.

Then Akane's world continues to get upheaved. She starts out the Alpha Female of her little world, and in the first arc, she gets shuffled down to Damsel in Distress in short order. For Akane who, even if she won't admit it, is a proud tomboy of a girl... That's a slap in the face. Of course, she still wants to have her 'regular' life amidst all this, so she's not going to go all out to become better than Ranma. Then there's the fact that everything going on is centered on Ranma... which steals her 'thunder' (Not to be confused with Kuno's thunder.)... We've all seen how that turns out for those people.

Pride is a big problem for Akane, and she can't stand not being the best.

She probably would have come to accept the restructuring... if it had stopped early on.
Enter other cast members... Include the issue that Ranma isn't exactly helping his own case early on by half instigating issues, half getting caught in bad circumstances OVER and OVER again... and Akane's suspecting attitude towards Ranma gets reinforced.
It is said it takes three weeks to form a habbit.
I would say that she formed a habbit of naturally distrusting Ranma... by the time things settled down a little, the routine was set. As anything going wrong up until now tended to involve Ranma (which of course, reminded her that she was no longer alpha female OR center of attention) or be Ranma's fault... 'Obviously' in her hormone driven mind, anything that occures is Ranma's fault.

She is paranoid and delusional.

Pile this into the fact that Ranma is socially unskilled and bad at handling awkward situations that don't involve fighting... His reactions only serve to reinforce Akane's position... even if she's a few miles off target.

Oddly enough his social skills are better then most of the characters including Akane.

Ranma has a reasonable excuse for making mistakes in social situations, but what is Akane's?

Later on in the story, I think that while Akane doesn't grow out of this, part of her mind thinks of it as a ritual. Despite her strength and ability to pummel Ranma... he showed from Episode 1 that if he REALLY doesn't want to be hit, she'd never lay a finger on him. As such, every time she hits him, it's because he allowed that to happen (or was horrifyingly open). And as I said before, after this long, she knows he can handle what she dishes out.
As such, I think that so late in the series she still beats on him for a transgression (whether it's his fault or not) because it's conditioned reflex. Akane Gets Mad >> Ranma Near >> PUNCH RANMA >> Feel Better.

Akane was smacking people with Tables before Ranma showed up. It's not a Ranma+Aklane thing.

Girl needs anger management class.

She needs more then that.

[AdmiralTigerclaw]

The rest I attribute to teenage hormones.




I also subscribe to the school of thought that Kasumi is actually a Gendo-like character.

Dark Kasumi: Everything is going according to the scenerio... *pleasant smile*

[Ariolander]

I also subscribe to the school of thought that Kasumi is actually a Gendo-like character.

Dark Kasumi: Everything is going according to the scenerio... *pleasant smile*

That put a huge grin on my face. I needed that.

All this talk of anti-Akane fics keeps bringing me back to Zen's "The Bitter End" which is by far the most depressing fic I ever read and really definately a gamechanger on my views of Akane. Took all of Akane's flaws magnified them x10 and then put the "psycho Akane" view to a new extreme all while being suprisingly well written.

Used to be one of the Akane famboys with his "Knight of the True Fiance" but then I read that fic and between that and the anime portrayal of Akane I moved entirely to the opposite end of the spectrum.

I just recently finished my thinpack collection of the anime (watching it at least I have had it for a year) and is it just me or is the anime portrayal of Akane seem a lot harsher than the manga? I found her a lot more likeable when I was only exposed to the manga seclusivly or maybe its because I only owned the first 8 volumes...

[SpaceKnight of Chaos]

I personally don't think there's any real difference between the two versions. At the very least, if the anime version of Akane is more extreme, it's more extreme in both directions - anime-Akane can be both nicer and more of an asshole then manga-Akane. In fact, the anime actually removes some of Akane's nastier early behavior - her vicious denouncement of Ranma after the first Nekoken story, for example, or her using Shampoo's curse to terrify Ranma into agreeing to throw his rematch with Mousse. Both of these are absent from the anime, but showed up in the original manga versions.

If anime-Akane comes off as more nasty (and keep in mind that Akane's relatively low-key at first in both versions; it's only after all of the other members of the love dodecahedron are in town that she starts really climbing to the heights of temper tantrum), keep in mind that the anime has several episodes where the dark side of Akane's behavior is story-pivotal (Ranma, You're Such a Jerk, and Am I... Pretty, for example)- it's not that it makes her more nasty, it's just that it focuses on her nastier side, rather then just having it pop out for a few panels and then moving on to something else.

On a side topic, Akane starts "hitting Ranma less in the manga" not because she starts acting nicer towards him, but because there's a slightly increased focus in stories where Ranma is often seperated from Akane. She can be nice to him from the very beginning, but she never does lose the habit of belting him when she feels slighted.

[Tinkerbell]

Well, personally speaking, I like the manga Akane and Ranma pairing.

And I don't like the 'Poor woobie abused saint Ranma'/'Abusive b***** Akane' type fanon-ish things, mostly because I think it doesn't make any sense at all, IMO.

Some people actually seem to think that manga Ranma is so much weaker then Akane (or at least close to her level) that she can actually seriously beat him up anytime she wants to, or something. This does not make sense to me at all.

There is also the matter of how Ranma tends to get characterized in those type of fics/fanworks - Ranma is not the type to get all depressed and emo about his life at all, IMO - Canon manga Ranma the anti-emo, if anything. (Now, I would have no problem with that kind of thing if they were clearly labeled AU, but many of them aren't)

IMO, most examples of manga Akane being able to land a punch or a kick on Ranma at all is clearly slapstick. Slapstick mode reality is not the same as normal reality, even in the Ranma-verse, in my opinion.

Or, of course, there is always the possibility that manga Ranma secretly enjoying being 'hit on' by pretty girls, but that is another matter entirely...