On Thu, 13 Feb 1997, Luigi Mattera wrote:

On Fri, 14 Feb 1997 radler@pw.net wrote:

  Hello, I've just joined the list, (A few days ago, following the 
recommended lurking procedure by the FAQ) and I have to toss my comments 
in here:

  RYU WILL WIN.  Period.  Yes, I like Ranma better. :-P  Ryu is by far 
the better fighter.  This is of course ignoring all the hatred most 
fighting game players like myself have for the shoto-clones.  I dislike 
them because all the "scrub" (AKA button pounders) play them.. ALL THE 
TIME.  Ryu is simply better.  Why?  Let us compare the "facts:"

Personalities:
1.  Ranma is hot headed, arrogant, impatient, and overestimates himself.
2.  Ryu has always been portrayed as the opposite of the above.

Personality? Ranma doesn't give up. Period. He'll lose the first fight,
maybe the second, by the third time Ranma will just wail all over Ryu.

Skills:
Ranma:
1.  Chestnut fist technique.  (I can't spell Japanese properly yet, no 
complaints. :-P)
  Ryu has assumingly faced off against Honda and Chun-Li in the past, so 
he's seen this before and would know how to deal with it.

Problem is he dosen't face it in the varity Ranma tosses. If your prepared
for high speed kicks you get punches. 

2.  Mouko Takabisha vs. Ha dou ken
  Ranma's attack is stronger but Ryu's will partially cancel it out.  
Ranma also telegraphs his attack, and Ryu is smart enough to notice.

Almost in this case counts. And Ranma only gets one shot with this.
Definatly not a first move. 

3.  Hiryuu Shoten Ha vs Sho ryu ken
  Ranma's is obviously more flashy, but Ryu's is defintely stronger.  In a
manga published in the U.S. (Tokyama Comics I think?  Yes, I own it.) Ryu
commented that the odds on someone getting up from a *single* sho ryu ken
are next to nil.  Getting grazed by one is bad enough.  All Ranma's Hiryuu
Shoten Ha does (that I've seen) is toss someone high into the air. 

And they fall down. Hard. And out of control. And another one shot.

  Ryu is also in his 20s, 5 to 10 years older than Ranma.  He is 
definitely more experienced.  Any comments to this?

Age?!?! Look at Genma or Soun.

In the end this is a style over technique fight, and Ranma's cursed form
can take Ryu. Speed against Strength. And Ryu moves like a lead wieght,
Ranma can dodge the 'fireball' and his other stuff. 

 Ekisya.