Ranma 1/2: One Page Per Volume, Part Nine
Dec. 11th, 2018 06:50 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rainsometimesArt reads right to left in this non-flipped edition.
Volume 9 gives us Ukyo's introduction arc followed by the "Ryoga's Fiancée" story, the last page of which is shown here. Briefly, Ukyo helps Ryoga set up a date with Akane, which a jealous Ranma attempts to crash by putting on a wig and a dress and pretending to be Ryoga's hitherto unknown fiancée. Ryoga is upset to hear of this fiancée, but when Ranma whispers he knows about his curse but still wants him, he starts to wonder if this is his one and only chance to find a girl. After Ranma's disguise cracks (leading to Ukyo learning about his curse in passing), Ryoga then runs off in despair because his devotion to Akane had wavered and now he thinks he no longer has the right to love her. Ranma is genuinely worried, thinking "I didn't think it would hurt him this badly!" as he, Akane and Ukyo run after him, but Ryoga runs into a sprinkler and transforms while out of sight, leading to this last page.
So why this page? Well, when I read the sequence the first time I felt so bad for Ryoga as he ran off like that. Even though I never wanted him and Akane to get together, I was still concerned about his reaction, and found myself thinking, "But what else does Ryoga have going for him in his life? He needs to be in love with Akane for a little longer, even though I know he doesn't really stand a chance!" ...Now, this is not my usual reaction to one-sided romantic feelings in fiction. I guess Ryoga's angst, somewhat comical and overwrought though it tends to be, still swept me away and pinched my heart. Although it's undercut here by how easily P-chan agrees to be scooped up by Akane, as Ranma's thought sardonically points out.
Nevertheless, the final panel points to a certain kind of uneasy reconciliation and attempt to get along between the characters. Akane seems slightly more accepting of Ukyo now (maybe because Ukyo also showed some worry for Ryoga?) than she was at the start of the story. Ranma allows P-chan to chew on his finger as a kind of grudging penance, while not even remarking on Ukyo splashing him repeateldy with cold and hot water. Ryoga, of course, is no longer trying to Tragically Run Away Full Of Tragic Self-Loathing, but does his angry Ranma-chewing without any wilder gestures than that. Moreover, I find Ukyo's sheer delight here in activating Ranma's curse so refreshing and endearing! She doesn't react like anyone else does when they find out about him, and I adore it.♥
While giving full due to the rest of the regular cast, for me it's Ukyo and Ryoga who are the most well-rounded characters of the ensemble after Ranma and Akane themselves. Ryoga and Akane are my top personal favourites, but Ranma and Ukyo come right behind them: together they form a kind of "Big Four" for me. (Add Mousse and Shampoo to get a "Big Six".) And so I really wanted to showcase a page where those four are all represented, from the volume where the last of them finally shows up.
Volume 9 gives us Ukyo's introduction arc followed by the "Ryoga's Fiancée" story, the last page of which is shown here. Briefly, Ukyo helps Ryoga set up a date with Akane, which a jealous Ranma attempts to crash by putting on a wig and a dress and pretending to be Ryoga's hitherto unknown fiancée. Ryoga is upset to hear of this fiancée, but when Ranma whispers he knows about his curse but still wants him, he starts to wonder if this is his one and only chance to find a girl. After Ranma's disguise cracks (leading to Ukyo learning about his curse in passing), Ryoga then runs off in despair because his devotion to Akane had wavered and now he thinks he no longer has the right to love her. Ranma is genuinely worried, thinking "I didn't think it would hurt him this badly!" as he, Akane and Ukyo run after him, but Ryoga runs into a sprinkler and transforms while out of sight, leading to this last page.
So why this page? Well, when I read the sequence the first time I felt so bad for Ryoga as he ran off like that. Even though I never wanted him and Akane to get together, I was still concerned about his reaction, and found myself thinking, "But what else does Ryoga have going for him in his life? He needs to be in love with Akane for a little longer, even though I know he doesn't really stand a chance!" ...Now, this is not my usual reaction to one-sided romantic feelings in fiction. I guess Ryoga's angst, somewhat comical and overwrought though it tends to be, still swept me away and pinched my heart. Although it's undercut here by how easily P-chan agrees to be scooped up by Akane, as Ranma's thought sardonically points out.
Nevertheless, the final panel points to a certain kind of uneasy reconciliation and attempt to get along between the characters. Akane seems slightly more accepting of Ukyo now (maybe because Ukyo also showed some worry for Ryoga?) than she was at the start of the story. Ranma allows P-chan to chew on his finger as a kind of grudging penance, while not even remarking on Ukyo splashing him repeateldy with cold and hot water. Ryoga, of course, is no longer trying to Tragically Run Away Full Of Tragic Self-Loathing, but does his angry Ranma-chewing without any wilder gestures than that. Moreover, I find Ukyo's sheer delight here in activating Ranma's curse so refreshing and endearing! She doesn't react like anyone else does when they find out about him, and I adore it.♥
While giving full due to the rest of the regular cast, for me it's Ukyo and Ryoga who are the most well-rounded characters of the ensemble after Ranma and Akane themselves. Ryoga and Akane are my top personal favourites, but Ranma and Ukyo come right behind them: together they form a kind of "Big Four" for me. (Add Mousse and Shampoo to get a "Big Six".) And so I really wanted to showcase a page where those four are all represented, from the volume where the last of them finally shows up.