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rainsometimesHere we are with the final part of this repost-from-Tumblr series!
Spoilers galore for the final arc behind the cut.
Art reads from left to right.
I went with this page in the end, after plenty of pondering. Having defeated Saffron to save the dehydrated Akane, Ranma was overjoyed to see Akane rehydrated again - but her eyes closed, smiling as she'd managed to save him; and then wouldn't move, wouldn't respond. It seemed like all life had fled her.
Hours earlier, when Ranma incorrectly thought Akane had been killed (when she'd actually shrank down to a tiny non-responsive doll, the result of dehydration in the odd physics of Ranmaverse), he'd become pretty much catatonic, needing Ryoga to pull him out of mortal danger. He didn't respond to anyone or anything until the Jusenkyo Guide explained that Akane was still alive but must be rehydrated by the cold water of Jusendo, which meant taking down Saffron (the set-up is a bit complicated, but easy to follow in the actual story).
Now, though, that doesn't happen again. Ranma is in a more subtle shock now, and is aware enough that he can talk to Akane, can thank her, give her what he thinks are words of goodbye... sort of take responsibility in an utterly heartbreaking way.
She will, of course, turn out to be still alive after all - "too stupid to die", as Shampoo remarks in the Viz translation - and perhaps it's even her hearing Ranma's words and sensing the meaning behind them that revives her. Akane's a tough girl, and the story wouldn't have let her die here. But I'm still picking this one page. I just feel for Ranma so much here, including his moment of angry frustration with himself for always saying the wrong thing in the fourth panel.
The Ranma 1/2 manga has often been criticised for not moving much beyond status quo even in the finale. And sure, there is a good amount of backsliding so that the comedy can continue like usual in the remaining pages. (Personally I'm glad that I'd been spoiled ahead that there wouldn't be much obvious change before I got to the finale - my expectations might have been too high otherwise.) But it certainly feels to me that after this adventure, Ranma and Akane are very solidly certain of their own feelings and a lot more certain of the other one's feelings than they used to be. (Though even in many previous volumes it feels like they often quietly assume/understand their basic relationship.) They still need to work on their communication, on their respective jealousies, learn to respect one another better, learn to mature and all -- they might well both benefit from spending some time apart in fact. But there's no way you're splitting them up.
And Ranma's no longer desperate to get rid of the curse. Shortly after Akane revives, the gang goes to Jusenkyo and finds out the springs have been flooded so they can't get rid of their curses. Ranma's a little sad, but also composed and calm -- the curse is no longer such an important thing for him in his mind. His mother has accepted him in spite of it, after all. And it doesn't really make any difference in his relationship to Akane. They are who they are. ♥
Spoilers galore for the final arc behind the cut.
Art reads from left to right.
I went with this page in the end, after plenty of pondering. Having defeated Saffron to save the dehydrated Akane, Ranma was overjoyed to see Akane rehydrated again - but her eyes closed, smiling as she'd managed to save him; and then wouldn't move, wouldn't respond. It seemed like all life had fled her.
Hours earlier, when Ranma incorrectly thought Akane had been killed (when she'd actually shrank down to a tiny non-responsive doll, the result of dehydration in the odd physics of Ranmaverse), he'd become pretty much catatonic, needing Ryoga to pull him out of mortal danger. He didn't respond to anyone or anything until the Jusenkyo Guide explained that Akane was still alive but must be rehydrated by the cold water of Jusendo, which meant taking down Saffron (the set-up is a bit complicated, but easy to follow in the actual story).
Now, though, that doesn't happen again. Ranma is in a more subtle shock now, and is aware enough that he can talk to Akane, can thank her, give her what he thinks are words of goodbye... sort of take responsibility in an utterly heartbreaking way.
She will, of course, turn out to be still alive after all - "too stupid to die", as Shampoo remarks in the Viz translation - and perhaps it's even her hearing Ranma's words and sensing the meaning behind them that revives her. Akane's a tough girl, and the story wouldn't have let her die here. But I'm still picking this one page. I just feel for Ranma so much here, including his moment of angry frustration with himself for always saying the wrong thing in the fourth panel.
The Ranma 1/2 manga has often been criticised for not moving much beyond status quo even in the finale. And sure, there is a good amount of backsliding so that the comedy can continue like usual in the remaining pages. (Personally I'm glad that I'd been spoiled ahead that there wouldn't be much obvious change before I got to the finale - my expectations might have been too high otherwise.) But it certainly feels to me that after this adventure, Ranma and Akane are very solidly certain of their own feelings and a lot more certain of the other one's feelings than they used to be. (Though even in many previous volumes it feels like they often quietly assume/understand their basic relationship.) They still need to work on their communication, on their respective jealousies, learn to respect one another better, learn to mature and all -- they might well both benefit from spending some time apart in fact. But there's no way you're splitting them up.
And Ranma's no longer desperate to get rid of the curse. Shortly after Akane revives, the gang goes to Jusenkyo and finds out the springs have been flooded so they can't get rid of their curses. Ranma's a little sad, but also composed and calm -- the curse is no longer such an important thing for him in his mind. His mother has accepted him in spite of it, after all. And it doesn't really make any difference in his relationship to Akane. They are who they are. ♥