Manga Extras
Volume 12
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| The Making of Ranma 1/2, Part 12: Genma Saotome & Soun Tendo | |
| Translation provided by: Robby Stine of Kanabits |
This time, we confirm whether or not Ranma and Akane’s fathers are really the masters of Anything Goes Martial Arts they claim to be.
Q: How did you come up with Genma Saotome and Soun Tendo?
Takahashi: Well, they were in it from the first chapter, so more than coming from a place of inspiration, they just came about as I drew. In the manga’s opening scene, we are immediately introduced to Soun. Next, we are introduced to Genma, but in his panda form. Because it was just introduced he was coming back from China, it had to be the panda form.
Q: Genma’s glasses and the panda’s eyes form a nice connecting image.
Takahashi: Sure. And Soun’s design came about as a way to clearly distinguish himself from Genma. Lining these two up next to each other, I wanted people to be able to immediately tell them apart.
Q: One is bald, the other has long hair. An immediately recognizable distinction.
Takahashi: I wanted people to be able to tell them apart, even if seen only in silhouette.
Q: Are these two really that strong?
Takahashi: Well, one would ho…no, I’m sure they are. It’s just that all the other characters are so ridiculously strong that they don’t stand out much. As for Soun, he is obviously good enough to have his own dojo, so I didn’t think it would be necessary for him to justify his own strength beyond that. So yeah, I never really had him do anything that would make him appear powerful.
Q: On the subject of Soun, that story with Ms. Hinako was quite memorable.
Takahashi: Yeah, but that wasn’t really about strength, was it?
Q: No, it wasn’t, really.
Takahashi: It was about his feelings for his late wife.
Q: Genma and Ranma fight a number of times throughout the series.
Takahashi: Ah, yes. More than a measure of strength, those fights were meant to illustrate how Genma can outwit his son. Strength is, after all, a combination of things, and that includes strategy.
Q: Genma and Soun both stood up to Happosai.
Takahashi: There were pulverized immediately, though...
Q: But anyway, they are masters of Anything Goes Martial Arts, so they must be strong in their own ways.
Takahashi: After all, they are apprentices of the infamous Happosai. How could they not be?