I'll try to keep this relatively short, to avoid needlessly inflaming the
debate.

At 09:48 PM 8/31/99 -0700, Red Death <reddeath@lvdi.net> wrote:

didn't do in the 'canon' story by Takahashi: She threw exploding snacks at
the bride and/or groom.  You want to whine at someone, do it at Takahashi.

But in the "canon," you can be holding a bomb capable of levelling a small
hill in your hands, and when it goes off, your clothing will be reduced to
mere wisps, your face and body blackened, and your hair singed.  You won't
be scattered over a large area, or go up like a human incendiary device.

In the "canon," Mr. Tendo can chase after Ranma with a bow, and only lodge
arrows in Ranma's pigtail and tanktop.  A sword that can cut through wood
and concrete only leaves a bruise in Ranma's side.

As for aim, if the bandanas that cut Ranma's cheek had been a foot off,
Akane would probably have been killed rather than have received her
haircut.  I always figured that, in the Ranmaverse, martial artists
expected that people would always be trying to kill them, and wouldn't
become indignant about it.

Now as far as Cinders goes, there is the problem of bombs having only
cartoon consequences in the past.  On the other hand, Akane did seem to be
scared when her flaming sleeves started to burn out of control in the Hiryu
Shotenha story.  Perhaps the explosion of a bomb could knock her into an
open flame nearby?  This would still preserve the author's desired outcome
of Ranma blaming Ukyou and Shampoo for Akane's injury.

As to whether this was character bashing or not, I hope that everyone
involved will be sensible enough to drop that point, as it seems unlikely
either side will convince the other.  We should concentrate on improving
the story itself, which does seem promising.

Pau,
Ryan Chang