unryu akari

Akari Unryu comes from a family that raises sumo wrestling pigs. Her pig, Katsunishiki, is the 14th yokozuna (grand champion) and is rampaging through Nerima when he encounters Ryoga. Due to a promise made with her father, Akari can only marry someone who defeats Katsunishiki, and so she becomes instantly infatuated with Ryoga, who easily overpowers her pet pig. Initially, Ryoga has many reservations about Akari. At first, he thinks she's too good to be true, and then when her compliments towards him all seem to compare him to a pig, he mistakenly believes she is insulting him. Eventually, he sees her for the kind, genuine person she really is, and reciprocates her feelings while still being torn between Akari and his devotion to Akane. Akari is deeply in love with Ryoga. So much so that she even tries to learn to hate pigs for him. She is unsuccessful at breaking her joy of pigs and feels unworthy of Ryoga. However, once she discovers that he himself is actually a pig, she dances with joy, believing she has found the perfect man. Akari means "light" or "glimmer," perhaps symbolizing a glimmer of hope for Ryoga. Unryu means "cloud dragon" and, more specifically, is a sumo wrestling style involving both offense and defense. Featured in: Vol.#30, parts 1-3: The first appearance of Akari - a new love is born. Vol.#31, parts 4-5: Ryoga drives himself insane choosing between Akari and Akane, with no help at all from Ranma. Vol.#36, part 2: Akari waits patiently as Ryoga attempts to find his way to their date.