Too Much, Perhaps?

[Black Aeronaut]

I have a buddy over here who's been a sounding board for me with ideas concerning DSKS. The dude is awesome - he has lived in Japan for quite a while
prior to joining the Navy and he has substantial knowledge of how things work around here.

One topic that took me by surprise was Yakuza.

A fact that he was able to confirm for me was that it is not uncommon for mid-level Yakuza to have ties to politicians - even relatively powerful ones such as
party leaders. Therefore, my idea of Rei's father having such connections does not break any walls at all.

The only question was how Zeke was going to get out of the situation where Daddy-san arranges for Zeke to have an accident. Of course, he can fight his way
through a few thugs, but my friend told me that Yakuza thinking in these matters goes by orders of magnitude - if one or two guys doesn't do it, then ten
should. And if that don't work, then we'll use a hundred.

Fortunately, there is a caveat; Yakuza leaders set strict limits on how much of their resources are supposed to be used for a given sort of target, and anyone
that exceeds those limits face harsh punishment - and not just the removal of a finger. I'd hardly see Zeke being worth too much of the Yakuza's time
and effort.

Except that Yakuza are also opportunists. My friend told me that one way to secure an alliance among the Yakuza was to be promised the leader's
daughter's hand in marriage. He then proceeds to dump this idea on me.

Say that Principal Kuno wasn't just a Principal. Say it was all just a front to throw off suspicion. Say that the money to pay for that -castle- he lives
in was because he is a Yakuza boss. Say that the Yakuza gang that Rei's father has ties to is Kuno's. And say that as a means of not only securing
the alliance of such a powerful fighter -AND- fulfilling their politician's wishes of getting Zeke away from Rei, Kuno instructs Kodachi that she is to
marry Zeke. (Sure, there's Ranma, but Kuno thinks he's already got enough contenders already.)

Kodachi was sullen at first until she sees, 1) Hey, he's not half-bad looking, 2) Oh, he is some kind of technological mage, 3) COMPETITION! YES, I CAN
HAVE FUN WITH THIS!

Of course, Kodachi would be the worse for wear in any confrontation with any one of Zeke's paramours, let alone all of them. She gets in on a political
card, though - Zeke REALLY doesn't want to be on the bad side of the Yakuza, least of all Kuno's Yakuza.
Although I'm wondering if Usagi should 'accidentally' use her healing power on Kodachi. She'd be a lot less crazed - gentle, even - except
that I think she'd still be quite devious at times. Diabolical at the very least.

[Bob Schroeck]

Mmm. Interesting. And it sounds like you could possibly draw on Gokusen for some more ideas and inspiration.
-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.

[robkelk]

Seconded on drawing ideas from Gokusen... especially since the lead character, Yamaguchi Kumiko, is the daughter of the leader of a Yakuza family.
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."

- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012

[Valles]

Well, if you're bringing up Yakuza connections, keep in mind that one of the possible 'escalations' might be drawing soldiers from a group that Kaname and Sousuke have close ties to.

See, in Fumoffu, we find out that one of Kaname's classmates, the Mysterious Student Council President's assistant girl, I think her name's Ren, is in fact the daughter of a local yakuza Oyabun. Now, his gang's been having some problems - they're not particularly aggressive, and implied as the sort who take the yakuza's 'noble roots' seriously. 'Protection' means actual protection, and so on.

So Sousuke, whose boomsticks runneth over, hooks them up with an innovation he'd discovered earlier - the mini-armslave, the pint-sized fuzzy avatar of destruction, the deadliest bit of hardware ever to fit through a doorway - Bonta-kun!

The end of the episode shows dozens of Bontas taking down the interloper's headquarters with rubber bullets, SWAT-style.

So it occurs to me that a possible escalation that doesn't involve sending a hundred guys after one target, would be tapping the firepower key, instead. And might lead to the amusing mental image of a Bonta flailing as it gets hoisted several stories off the ground by Tessa's backup, or slinking away in shame after being chewed out by a visiting Kaname. (Sousuke did train them all, but he did it from the inside of his Bonta, with Kaname interpreting via radio-headset.)
===========

===============================================
"V, did you do something foolish?"
"Yes, and it was glorious."

[Necratoid]

Stupid question.... When did a Kuno care about settling for one person?

More importantly, you do realize that Principle Kuno spent literally years in Hawaii... which means he is probably a major player there and the Nerima head.
Considering his combat style involves theme grenades and hedge clippers he probablely is considered a super villian. One day his son, who has been known to
take down a military grade, mass production Russian Armslave with a wooden sword at range, starts ranting at him about *insert overly flower negative
discription of Ranma here* and how he disrupted his training of his love and claimed her under his own rules. This goes on for months and his daughter is
lusting after the guy... and both are giving bizarre descriptions of this Ranma as both sexes. 'Principle' Kuno shows up after a while to see what the
hell is going on over there. I mean this 'Ranma' and his band of merry idiots keeps running the death trap known as Kuno Manor, over and over again...
for mostly stupid reasons. As most underworld figures keep sending those who displease them as messangers to the Kunos, Mr. Green Turtle is well fed.

So he goes to meet this 'Ranma' character and after a while tried his skills against him himself... eventually he went all out. He kept losing... but
it was endless fun. That the random students kept surviving basically unharmed reaffirmed his desision to base his recruiting pool in this ward. Even the
infamous aura draining teacher Hinako was unable to do more than annoy the hell out of him, in the long run. If either of his kids could claim him it would
make him vastly more powerful. His son got into a bizarre relationship of frienimes with him. His daughter annoyed him. Entertaining really.

Then came that infamous video. Totally written off as a clear forgery, though they couldn't prove it... everyone wanted the techs that did the thing and
they just couldn't find them. Principle Kuno knew it was real. It showed Ranma, that full time girl his son also wanted, that incrediblely destructive
tank in a bandana, and an old man in a wedding dress fight the Yamato no Orochi and win. The inexplicable 60 foot long platapus was a given as realatively
normal after that. Its about time to give his daughter something to distract her from him.

Rei's dad is easy. Have him trying to prevent his daughter from dating a nonJapanese guy. Having him not actually know the details of the extended
relationships web they are involved in is a easy oversight. He is just thinking mixed breed grandkids are bad for his image. Popping up and telling her no
Zeke for you just started a screaming match so he decided to start deligating the issue to someone else. Enter Principle Kuno and his daughter issue. A
little survaliance and research and you have a daughter with someone far, far less dangerous to annoy... that his skills make his a good addition to the family
is icing. That 'Too many after Ranma thing' is a smokescreen.

If you really want to rub in the point have the Herb debacle occurr and have no one know what happened but that freelancer Nabiki. Freelance as an indendance
source that will explain what the hell is going on in Nerima and isn't bound to edit for personal gain, just charge more for details, is gold. That and
having this info available keeps others of note from trying to move in on his territory. Seriously, when even trying to collect 'protection' money can
result in a monkey literally beating you to death with tea....

Also, isn't Youko's dad a crime boss at this point? At the point that comes out would Ren jokingly debate dating him so she doesn't feel left out?

[Evil Midnight Lurker]

...I can't, offhand, recall anyone else ever suggesting that Kuno-kouchou might be covertly competent. o.O;

--Sam

"Well that guy's nekkid."

[Necratoid]

You have to realize that the one who defeats him is normally Ranma... and he is in the top 2% of the people in combat on the planet. Only Tatwaki or one of
the Wrecking Crew Proper can beat him. Its the Mr. Satan effect... no matter how compitent, being 50 levels lower than the easiest encounter available means
your basically screwed.

[Black Aeronaut]

Besides, as Kubiac has proven, feigning ignorance is an excellent smoke-screen. Good way to make your enemies underestimate you so you can make mince-meat out
of them.

[Bob Schroeck]

...I can't, offhand, recall anyone else ever suggesting that Kuno-kouchou might be covertly competent. o.O;

Actually, Chris Jones' newRanma has a Principal Kuno who is secretly competent, in a way.
-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.

[BLHarrison]

Evil Midnight Lurker wrote:

---

...I can't, offhand, recall anyone else ever suggesting that Kuno-kouchou might be covertly competent. o.O;




----------


There was a fic back in the late 90's called "Ranmapunk 2033" (it was a cross over with Bubblegum Crisis). One feature of it was that the Kuno
family was part of some secreat long term protective group. For the Principal and Kodochi it was all an act. For Tanawaki ... it wasn't

[classicdrogn]

Wow... Necratoid, you seldom seem to have the same view on things as me, but every now and then you come out with something like this that's still totally
out of left field to me yet packed with w00t and pwn, and I remember why I never just skip over them. 100% diecast.

eta- Er, how long has my avatar been missing? I turned images on for once and noticed it's just a broken link icon. Adelphia must have finally noticed that
account was closed back in 2006 and deleted it...
--
"Anko, what you do in your free time is your own choice. Use it wisely. And if you do not use it wisely, make sure you thoroughly enjoy whatever unwise thing you are doing." - HymnOfRagnorok as Orochimaru at SpaceBattles
woot Med. Eng., verb, 1st & 3rd pers. prsnt. sg. know, knows

[Norgarth]

Evil Midnight Lurker wrote:

---

...I can't, offhand, recall anyone else ever suggesting that Kuno-kouchou might be covertly competent. o.O;




--Sam


"Well that guy's nekkid."

I recall a spamfic that indicated that the three Kunos and Sasuke were actually 4 members of Team Gatchaman. The original team (except the leader) had been
killed/severly wounded in a battle. The Kunos used disguises to impersonate them. Trouble shows up, the Kunos' pagers vibrate, a quick 'rant',
and they are off to 'save their love'/ect with everyone just thinking 'good riddance'.
___________________________
"I've always wanted to be somebody, but I should have been more specific." - George Carlin

[Bob Schroeck]

I think that was one of Metroanime's little throwaway omakes, Timote.
-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.