Jerome Fouletier wrote:

Keener wrote:

Actually, I found Katsumi's story very appropriate and indeed
agree that it would bring shame to her lover. However, as you
said, this does *restore* her honor. Indeed, in doing so, she
erased all stains from her own name and, as a result, to her
family. So why is her name only "spoken in whispers"?

My gripe was not about the appropriateness of what she did,
but about her family's reaction, still branding her a black
sheep even after restoring her honor in blood. OTOH, if the
death is recent (ie her parents were still alive when Ukyo
was told the story) then simple tact would justify keeping
the story a hush.

	It was the family who felt that they had failed. If only they had tried
harder, then their daughter would still be alive. They feel shame at
their failure to circumvent the situation before it happened. Being the
source of the regret, not to mention her theft of the blade which was
NOT intended to be used for such a purpose, is why she's a black sheep
(not so much an EVIL child but a troublesome one)
 

Point taken. So you get to keep your joke 8-). One could make a point
that being a female samurai looks a bit the same as cross-dressing,
but I'm really treading on thin ice there. I liked my idea, so I at
least have to make a cursory attempt to save it ne?

	I liked your idea myself ;)

Actually, from the way you presented the love triangle between Ukyo,
Ranma, and Akane, it hardly seems she lost any honor over it (though
I certainly am not too affirmative about this one) and there was no
reason to kill herself other than a broken heart.
Hence, your main point *does* have validity, indeed. Neither by Western
nor by Japanese standard did she have to kill herself.

*However* shinig this light does defeat your punch line. In the end,
Ukyo reconsiders Katsumi's standing in her personal pantheon, and it
is implied she *shouldn't* have committed suicide. Your ending supposes
the blemish on her honor did not justify that and that she had killed
herself over a broken heart, overreacting to the honor loss.

In this situation, then, you can save your story. If Katsumi did *not*
have to kill herself to atone the loss of honor, then, everything fits:
- her family's disapproval for making such a move
- Ukyo's abandoning her hero-figure upon realising her worship was
  misplaced

Then you only need a slight change to make the honor issue go away.

	I see what your saying though I'm not sure what my reaction to it is.
Hmmmmmmmmm, let me think on it.

	Anybody else got any ideas on the subject???

(Opinions are like Dimesional Mallets, everybodies got one, their just)
(rarely lethal until someone gets Glomped!!!)  
      /  
 Oo
(~, )
 V