Tomobiki-cho, The Urusei Yatsura Web Site

The Link Between
Ryuunosuke Fujinami & Ranma ½

It is probably apparent to many of you that Ryuunosuke was a major inspiration behind one of her most popular later works, Ranma ½. Even Takahashi herself has admitted this many times before. Most of the similarities seem to lie between Ryuu and the protagonist of Ranma ½, Ranma Saotome. Let's look at the similarities, shall we?

Ryuunosuke Fujinami	Ranma Saotome
The most skilled and adaptable martial artist in a show with a few trained fighters among the cast.	The most skilled and adaptable martial artist in a show where nearly everyone is a martial artist.
Huge gender identity crisis. Cursed with conditioned male pattern behaviour. More than anything wants to become feminine but her male tendencies are so much a part of her that it is impossible. Learns to accept who she's become after a while, but still would rather have the freedom to be girlish if she wanted to.	Huge gender identity crisis. Cursed with turning into a girl everytime he's doused with cold water. More than anything he wants to be a normal man again. But his every chance at lifting the curse is foiled so he's stuck as a boy/girl. Learns to accept his female side after a while, but still would rather be male.
All the girls who think she's a guy want to date Ryuunosuke. The guys who know she's female lust after her, but always end up getting clobbered. Either way, she's not interested in the guys or the girls. Even so she's constantly being mistaken for a pervert.	All of the girls want to date Ranma. While in his female form, guys strangely lust after him but are always end up getting clobbered. Either way, he's not interested in dating. Even so he's constantly being mistaken for a pervert.
Ryuu and her father are always fighting each other. Thier brawls usually surround the subject of Ryuu inheriting Hamachaya, her desceased mother or the issue of Ryuu's gender.	Ranma and his father Genma often fight each other. Their brawls usually surround the subject of Ranma inheriting the Tendo Dojo, his estranged mother or the issue of Ranma's gender.
Ryuunosuke's father... insensitive obnoxious overbearing male chauvanist a self-taught martial artist troublemaker ignorant has creepy stoic eyes that always bear a bored expression often overemotional raised his child on his own possibly the worst father of all time could be Mr. Saotome's long-lost brother	Ranma's father... insensitive obnoxious overbearing male chauvanist a trained martial artist troublemaker ignorant has creepy stoic eyes that always bear a bored expression often overemotional raised his child on his own not nearly as bad a father as Mr. Fujinami, but he does make a lot of stupid and selfish parental decisions. could be Mr. Fujinami's long-lost brother
Ryuu's father often forces Ryuunosuke to undergo stupid and unecessary training in martial-arts, among other things. All of which serve to make her more manly. But often there's an alterior motive rooted in his own greed or laziness.	Genma forces Ranma to undergo stupid and dangerous martial-arts training to make Ranma into a true martial artist. But often there's an alterior motive rooted in Genma's own laziness or gluttony.
Her father wants Ryuunosuke to become a real man's man, so that she can inherit the family tea shop. The fact that she's a girl kind of gets in the way of his plans. But he doesn't let that stop him.	Genma wants Ranma to become a real man's man so that he can inherit the Tendo Dojo, but mostly so that his wife doesn't make him commit seppuku. The fact that he transforms into a girl kind of reduces the likelyhood of that plan working out.
Mr. Fujinami has forced Ryuunosuke to get engaged to the son of his best friend Mr. Shiowatari. Now Ryuunosuke is engaged against her will to Nagisa, a guy who is completely girlish.	Mr. Saotome has forced Ranma to get engaged to the daughter of his best friend Soun Tendo. Now Ranma is engaged against his will to Akane, a sweet girl who happens to have a very tomboyish temper.
Ryuunosuke's mother died when she was only a baby so she had to grow up without a mother.	Ranma's father took him away for martial arts training when he was just a baby so Ranma had to grow up without a mother.

While most of the similarities lie with Ranma, there is also a lot of common threads between Ryuunosuke and another character in Ranma ½, the spatula weilding martial artist, Ukyo Kuonji.

Ryuunosuke Fujinami	Ukyo Kuonji
Ryuunosuke dresses like a man because her father interferes with her every attempt to wear or even buy feminine clothes.	Ukyo decides to dress as a man after she had seemingly been rejected by Ranma when they were kids. After they become friends again, she allows herself to wear women's clothes again, but still wears a male uniform to school.
Ryuunosuke is always being mistaken for a boy.	Ukyo is always being mistaken for a boy when she wears her male school uniform.
Ryuunosuke always wears a sarashi (chest wrap) because she can't get a bra. It also serves as a symbol of her punk-like personality.	Ukyo often wears a sarashi (chest wrap) when wearing guys clothing, but I'm not sure why she doesn't just wear a bra. Maybe she's just plain unconventional.
Ryuunosuke is definately a man's name	Ukyo is a somewhat mannish name.
Ryuunosuke is idolized by a love-struck male transvestite named Nagisa Shiowatari.	Ukyo is idolized by two love-struck male transvestites, Tsubasa Kurenai and Konatsu Kenzan.
Ryuunosuke helps run Hamachaya, a beachside tea shop.	Ukyo runs Ucchan's an okinomiaki shop.

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