Rumiko Takahashi Comments on Ryoga's Anime Debut
Translation by: Harley Acres
The September 1989 issue of Animage magazine had a brief two page pictorial about Ranma 1/2 and the introduction of Ryoga to the anime with comments from Rumiko Takahashi. Elsewhere in the issue is a ranking of the top 10 animals in anime at the time.
Rumiko Takahashi
(Let's Hear from the Original Creator)
Just as Ranma transforms into a beautiful girl when he is spalshed with water, Ryoga tranforms into a black piglet. This is because when he went to China following after Ranma, he had an unfortunate accident.
Ryoga took revenge on Ranma and attacked him during the night, but due to unfortunate circumstances, Ryoga then transformed into a black piglet. At the time, since Akane is kind to him, I've been content with P-chan's role in the series.
This kindness from when he became a pig is the reason why Ryoga is fond of Akane. In the original manga I didn't really like how I explained that, but in the anime, they put in a good follow-up. It's like "Akane-san is kind to me."
I like Ryoga because he is a very straightforward sort of character. He hates Ranma and likes Akane. He has such a clear course of action. He is very easy to move about as needed in the story. I'm very happy that the tempo of the anime has improved since Ryoga arrived.
Takahashi-sensei said, "Ranma is a refracted character when compared to Ryoga. Because he (Ranma) can't accept the feelings he has for Akane. Ryoga's love is perhaps a strange love. For Ryoga Hibiki, the greatest misfortune in his life was probably that Ranma met Akane before he did." [1]
Special Section
(The Ten Best Animal Characters)
- Byakuen/White Blaze(鎧伝サムライトルーパー/Yoroiden Samurai Troopers/Ronin Warriors)
- Mii(天空戦記シュラト/Legend of the Heavenly Sphere Shurato)
- Konpoko(エスパー魔美/Esper Mami)
- Pepe(アニメ版三銃士/Anime Three Musketeers)
- P-Chan and Genma Saotome(らんま1/2/Ranma 1/2)
- Mya (未来警察ウラシマン/Mirai Keisatsu Urashiman)
- Sindbook, Mocha and Pipiru (魔法のプリンセス ミンキーモモ/Magical Princess Minky Momo)
- Saurus (わんぱく大昔クムクム/Wanpaku Omukashi Puku Puku)
- Friender (新造人間キャシャーン/Neo-Human Casshern)
- Imachu (ミスター味っ子/Mr. Akkijo)
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Footnotes
- [1] Takahashi details her thoughts on the creation of Ryoga in a few other places as well if one is interested in further reading on him. She commented on Twitter which can be read here and also in her comments on in the wideban release of Ranma 1/2 which can be read here.
アニメージュ 1989年 9号
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