HSDK Ideas

[Slave to my muse]

Well.......my muse has decided that Negima and Code Geass are boring at the moment, so she has switched to something else.....and its History's Strongest Disciple Kenichi.

Wiki page for HSDK
OneManga link to HSDK manga

Personally, I find the manga an okay read that gets boring, and Kenichi bothers me as a character.....as do a few others for a variety of reasons (Mui and Shigure are good examples). As such, it seems I feel like writing a HSDK fic, or at least working on some ideas.....except I don't really have a ton right now. Its been a long time since I read it, and the only reason my muse seems focused on it right now is that OneManga released History's Strongest Diciple, the manga HSDK is based on. Supposedly this came first. Its a bit different, such as characters that appear in HSDK not existing, but it sparked an interest for a HSDK fic.

So.............Here's some ideas I came up with so far:




--- One idea I had is eliminating Kenichi's crush on Mui, or at least not making it a "love on first sight" kind of thing that pretty much happens in the manga. He already decided Mui was the girl for him in the first few chapters of the manga, which is WAY too quick. I hate mangas that do that.

So, what would eliminating this crush, or at least delaying it, change? Well, I'm not entirely sure. If nothing else, it would at least make the story a little more interesting when the other girls who have crushes or could have crushes on Kenichi start showing up. There are A LOT of interesting female characters in this manga, most far more interesting then Mui.

As it has been a while since I've actually read HSDK, I'm not sure what else this would change.....




--- Another idea is having Shigure a little more involved in Kenichi's training then she is. What bothers me about her is that while she is a pretty cool character, she doesn't do much. She on most of the chapter covers, but either then that, only has a panel or two per chapter, if even that, excluding the short little arcs where she and Kenichi actually do something together. She is one of his teachers, after all, but she hasn't taught him anything. The manga focuses on the other teachers MUCH more.

So what would this change? Kenichi being able to use weapons? A different training style? Probably wouldn't change all to much of the actual story though.......or would it?






--- A different attitude for Kenichi? He is pretty much the kid who gets bullied a lot (even gets insulted by teachers), but he has such a positive attitude in the manga, and only wants to help protect those who can't protect themselves. What if he had a different attitude? Being bullied for years like it seems to be implied can change a guy.......and his only "friend" at the beginning of the manga is a complete jerk or bullies him just as much as everyone else..........so what if he had a different outlook on life?






--- Kenichi gets trained by some either then the Ry?zanpaku? Like one of the bad guys? Would have to be explained how or why he ends up getting training from them.......Maybe be incorporated with the different attitude idea?





So, anyone else have any ideas, or feel like expanding on the ones I already posted? I just want to see an actual HSDK fic, so feel free to take any ideas posted if they interest you. :huh.:

 

[PCHeintz72]

Hmmm...

One idea I had is eliminating Kenichi's crush on Mui

I actually once thought this out a bit... Shigure might be more open to him than she is. After all, he has no attachments, and is not fixated on someone she has helped raise.

The other masters might be a bit less open with him... after all, they might not like that he is not so close to Miu, yet is staying there. I would not picture this as a big thing.

Kisara might in point of fact be one of the bigger changes... Except on the subject of cats, which came later, she *hated* Miu, not just for skill, but her body and breasts. The idea that Kenichi could live with such a girl, and still not be attached to her, might well impress her. Enough to find out why.

Another idea is having Shigure a little more involved in Kenichi's training then she is.

This could actually play into the above idea, if done right and wanted a match with her instead of Miu.

so what if he had a different outlook on life?

IMHO, this likely would not work as well... Miu would likely not take as much interest in him... He might well be resentful if she was constantly rescuing him. She might well not suggest going to the dojo at all. And even if he did, depending upon his attitude, they would likely turn him away... I doubt that they would train him were he to possibly become a bully, or not be morally sound.

--- Kenichi gets trained by some either then the Ry?zanpaku? Like one of the bad guys? Would have to be explained how or why he ends up getting training from them.......Maybe be incorporated with the different attitude idea?

If combined with the above idea... it might work. But who could trainhim... The 8 fists, unlikely, even if so, where would you take it. Then there is Yami/Yomi, again, where would you go with it, he would likely have to face them (Ryozanpaku) at some point.

 

[Slave to my muse]

One idea I had is eliminating Kenichi's crush on Mui

I actually once thought this out a bit... Shigure might be more open to him than she is. After all, he has no attachments, and is not fixated on someone she has helped raise.

The other masters might be a bit less open with him... after all, they might not like that he is not so close to Miu, yet is staying there. I would not picture this as a big thing.

Kisara might in point of fact be one of the bigger changes... Except on the subject of cats, which came later, she *hated* Miu, not just for skill, but her body and breasts. The idea that Kenichi could live with such a girl, and still not be attached to her, might well impress her. Enough to find out why.

Another idea is having Shigure a little more involved in Kenichi's training then she is.

This could actually play into the above idea, if done right and wanted a match with her instead of Miu.

Huh......While I thought about this idea, Kisara and Shigure were actually the two I had in my head as being affected by this the most, especially Shigure. I like Shigure as a character, but she is so insignificant in the manga, even though she is supposedly one of Kenichi's teachers. I would like to see a bigger role for her. And Kisara is probably one of my personal favorite characters in the entire manga.

Now, if Kenichi's personality is still the same, he would still be friendly with Mui (as he is friendly to pretty much everyone), so they could still be friends, but his slight obsession with her wouldn't exist. If I rememeber correctly, a lot of his motivation for some things was to impress Mui. He wouldn't be doing this anymore.

In truth, I don't think much would change with his interaction with Mui and the Male members of Ryozanpaku, but he wouldn't be the "love" struck idiot he sometimes is......and the masters wouldn't be able to bribe him using Mui. The main changes, at least in my mind, would be his interaction with people outside of the Dojo, and also with Shigure.

so what if he had a different outlook on life?

IMHO, this likely would not work as well... Miu would likely not take as much interest in him... He might well be resentful if she was constantly rescuing him. She might well not suggest going to the dojo at all. And even if he did, depending upon his attitude, they would likely turn him away... I doubt that they would train him were he to possibly become a bully, or not be morally sound.

--- Kenichi gets trained by some either then the Ry?zanpaku? Like one of the bad guys? Would have to be explained how or why he ends up getting training from them.......Maybe be incorporated with the different attitude idea?

If combined with the above idea... it might work. But who could trainhim... The 8 fists, unlikely, even if so, where would you take it. Then there is Yami/Yomi, again, where would you go with it, he would likely have to face them (Ryozanpaku) at some point.

These two were just there to pravoc thought, as I myself am also not sure how either of them would work. Maybe someone does have an idea though........

Just to mention for the Yami/Yomi thing......if they had any interest in him, it would be after Kenichi has already become a decent martial artist under Ryozanpaku....and if he has his normal personality, the only way they could possibly get them to their side is through some kind of threat or bribe......what it is, who knows?

And on a side note, for Kenichi facing Ryozanpaku, unless he is at master level (which isn't going to happen), he wouldn't actually fight them. He would most likely face Mui.

The main problem with any sort of "Kenichi is evil/on the 'bad guys' side", is that there aren't any good guys without him. He is the one who converted all the 'bad guys' to good guys, so unless he flips later on in the manga (which would be very hard to do, but is possible), there really wouldn't be anyone he would be against, except Mui. And as good as Mui is (the manga never shows just how good she really is, sometimes she seems almost master level when others she is close to Kenichi......one of the many things that bothers me about her) she can't beat ALL of the YAMI/YOMI students. Unless she fights them one at a time.......




Good, good............the ideas are starting to form.

 

[PCHeintz72]

I've stated it before. I am utterly convinced the manga nerfs Miu...

She went on training trips with grandfather as a kid, and lived at that very dojo with 5 other masters for unspecified time.

There is no way you can convince me she is not better than Kenichi even in 330.

Yet most of the time she takes a back seat compared to him, both as a threat assessment by the enemy, and as a front line fighter.

And yet it is Kenichi everyone is assuming is the primary threat.

 

[nuclear death frog]

I like Shigure and also wish she would be slightly more than an essentially fanservice character. Fanservice is all well and good but the level of it (to me at least) seems to be rising quite rapidly and I am not impressed by it. If I wanted to read a fanservice manga I have plenty of other choices.

Slave: you're misspelling her name. It's "Miu", not "Mui".

Anyway, I have tentative plans for one or maybe two possible crossovers between this and Ranma 1/2, but nothing pure. If an idea for a pure HSDK fic strikes me at some point, I'll remember this thread.

 

[Slave to my muse]

I've stated it before.? I am utterly convinced the manga nerfs Miu...

She went on training trips with grandfather as a kid, and lived at that very dojo with 5 other masters for unspecified time.

There is no way you can convince me she is not better than Kenichi even in 330.

Yet most of the time she takes a back seat compared to him, but as a threat assessment by the enemy, and as a front line fighter.

And yet it is Kenichi everyone is assuming is the primary threat.

Hmmm.....I'm not so sure she is nerfed, as I can't really think of a time she actuall lost a fight......its just that she doesn't get involved in the fights. I have no doubt in my mind she is MUCH stronger then Kenichi. He's at the level he is after maybe a years training (not sure if a time frame is ever given), but as you said, she has been training pretty much since she could walk.....and it was the elder training her as well......and I'm pretty sure at some point early in the manga, the masters are talking to Kenichi about the fact that Miu has been training for a loooong time, and they mentioned she had great talent.............so if someone with "no talent" like Kenichi (another thing I hate about the manga, everyone constantly saying he has no talent yet he is advancing at an amazing pace for someone who was extremly....pathetic at the start of the manga).

I wouldn't be suprised if she was almost on master level. Not the same level as the other masters in the manga, but defiantly way beyond any of the students.

Nuclear death frog: Oops. Teach me for thinking I could spell it right without looking it up

EDIT: And I am also not a big fan of the fanservice in the manga. It has gotten pretty out of hand. And Shigure is basically a fanservice character for the covers, something that I hate.

 

[nuclear death frog]

I'm also tired of Kenichi being called "no talent". He's been training for one year. One. He started at the beginning of his first year at Koryou and he recently started his second year. That's it.

Then I remembered that Rock Lee from Naruto, which I stopped reading two years ago but this was already established, was also called "no talent". The way I see it, there are two things you can be called: "no talent", and "genius".

And I had an epiphany the other day.

"No talent" means you have to bust your ass to improve; "genius" means you can improve with apparently much less effort, because you comprehend things naturally and with instinct.

Gai said to Lee once that Lee was a genius at putting his heart into whatever he did. I like to think the same compliment may be bestowed on Kenichi at the end of the series. It would be nice.

 

[Slave to my muse]

I'm also tired of Kenichi being called "no talent". He's been training for one year. One. He started at the beginning of his first year at Koryou and he recently started his second year. That's it.

Then I remembered that Rock Lee from Naruto, which I stopped reading two years ago but this was already established, was also called "no talent". The way I see it, there are two things you can be called: "no talent", and "genius".

And I had an epiphany the other day.

"No talent" means you have to bust your ass to improve; "genius" means you can improve with apparently much less effort, because you comprehend things naturally and with instinct.

Gai said to Lee once that Lee was a genius at putting his heart into whatever he did. I like to think the same compliment may be bestowed on Kenichi at the end of the series. It would be nice.

I actually think I remember the masters commenting on Kenichi's heart a couple times in the manga.............yes, I'm pretty positive they do that at least a few times.

 

[nuclear death frog]

Was it in his presence? I remember Akisame saying he did well for jumping off that platform to rescue the Russian politician (amazingly brazen, that, but it worked) but nothing mentioning his heart.

You may be right; I just can't remember an incident.

 

[Slave to my muse]

Was it in his presence? I remember Akisame saying he did well for jumping off that platform to rescue the Russian politician (amazingly brazen, that, but it worked) but nothing mentioning his heart.

You may be right; I just can't remember an incident.

The one I am thinking of occured around when Kenichi had to fight his child hood friend.......I think. I remember seeing it today, but I don't remember what page I was on as I had just randomly picked a chapter and read a bit. Maybe it was at a different point in the manga.

Almost positive Kenichi wasn't present when the comment was made though. Think Akisame was talking to Miu about Kenichi when it occured.

 

[Slave to my muse]

Double post because I got another quick idea:

- What if Kenichi didn't have a problem with hitting girls? That is, he just sees them as fellow martial artists. Maybe its because he hangs around with Shigure more.....or he simply just does. Would this change much?

He would fight with Kisara when she challanged him.......training with Miu would be a more serious.......

Anything else? Would this really change much? I could see it changing pretty much everything to do with Kisara, as Miu wouldn't be the one beating her........but not much else.

Or does it?

 

[PCHeintz72]

Double post because I got another quick idea:

- What if Kenichi didn't have a problem with hitting girls? That is, he just sees them as fellow martial artists. Maybe its because he hangs around with Shigure more.....or he simply just does. Would this change much?

He would fight with Kisara when she challanged him.......training with Miu would be a more serious.......

Anything else? Would this really change much? I could see it changing pretty much everything to do with Kisara, as Miu wouldn't be the one beating her........but not much else.

Or does it?

Hmmm... if he fought and beat her... they might well become rivals... perhaps even frienly rivals.

EDIT: The sailor Moon knockoffs during the cat incident might go down completely differently as well. And the leader might well have to take an earlier interest than in canon. After all, he corrupted her protege, and beat her underlings.

 

[Slave to my muse]

Double post because I got another quick idea:

- What if Kenichi didn't have a problem with hitting girls? That is, he just sees them as fellow martial artists. Maybe its because he hangs around with Shigure more.....or he simply just does. Would this change much?

He would fight with Kisara when she challanged him.......training with Miu would be a more serious.......

Anything else? Would this really change much? I could see it changing pretty much everything to do with Kisara, as Miu wouldn't be the one beating her........but not much else.

Or does it?

Hmmm... if he fought and beat her... they might well become rivals... perhaps even frienly rivals.

If I remember their 'fight' correctly from the manga, Kisara was angry at Kenichi for not fighting back, because she hated it when people took it easy on her because she was a girl. So she would at least respect him for actually fighting her. Wasn't her goal to prove that a woman could fight just as well as a man in hand-to-hand combat?

EDIT cause PC EDITED: Oh yah.......forgot about them That is an intersting point.........what was her name....Freya? Something like that.......she would probably seek out Kenichi to beat him, as she like Kisara wanted to be respected as a martial artist even if she was a woman...........Hmmmm.......I like this idea

 

[PCHeintz72]

Double post because I got another quick idea:

- What if Kenichi didn't have a problem with hitting girls? That is, he just sees them as fellow martial artists. Maybe its because he hangs around with Shigure more.....or he simply just does. Would this change much?

He would fight with Kisara when she challanged him.......training with Miu would be a more serious.......

Anything else? Would this really change much? I could see it changing pretty much everything to do with Kisara, as Miu wouldn't be the one beating her........but not much else.

Or does it?

Hmmm... if he fought and beat her... they might well become rivals... perhaps even frienly rivals.

If I remember their 'fight' correctly from the manga, Kisara was angry at Kenichi for not fighting back, because she hated it when people took it easy on her because she was a girl. So she would at least respect him for actually fighting her. Wasn't her goal to prove that a woman could fight just as well as a man in hand-to-hand combat?

Yes...

That was one of the reasons she left Freya... she kept insisting Kisara take up a weapon... All the Valkiyries did as well. She wanted to forge her own path, on her one skills, and prove to everyone, including Freya, it could be done.

But if Kenichi took not only that fight serious, but the ones at the play and with the cat as well... he could have proven himself to her as a person better than the others she has run into. Instead, in canon it made her closer to Miu.

EDIT: Heh... edited due to edit:

EDIT cause PC EDITED: Oh yah.......forgot about them? That is an intersting point.........what was her name....Freya? Something like that.......she would probably seek out Kenichi to beat him, as she like Kisara wanted to be respected as a martial artist even if she was a woman...........Hmmmm.......I like this idea

Yep... However, I doubt anything could really form between Freya and Kenichi, if that was your idea. It might be possible, but she was so set in her ways and stern, I dout it would be easy to build off it.

 

[Slave to my muse]

Yep... However, I doubt anything could really form between Freya and Kenichi, if that was your idea. It might be possible, but she was so set in her ways and stern, I dout it would be easy to build off it.

Oh, I just ment I found it interesting to have Freya show up earlier then she does in the manga, and the changes, if any, that would occur because of this. That, and if she chose to fight Kenichi, it would really be the first time he ever fought an actual martial artist that uses weapons.........so there is the idea that maybe he looses, simply because he didn't know how to adapt to Freya's staff (she uses a staff, right?) and then would have to seek out a weapon master to learn......which opens a route for Shigure to have a bigger role.

 

[PCHeintz72]

Yep...á However, I doubt anything could really form between Freya and Kenichi, if that was your idea.á It might be possible, but she was so set in her ways and stern, I dout it would be easy to build off it.

Oh, I just ment I found it interesting to have Freya show up earlier then she does in the manga, and the changes, if any, that would occur because of this. That, and if she chose to fight Kenichi, it would really be the first time he ever fought an actual martial artist that uses weapons.........so there is the idea that maybe he looses, simply because he didn't know how to adapt to Freya's staff (she uses a staff, right?) and then would have to seek out a weapon master to learn......which opens a route for Shigure to have a bigger role.

Hmmm... that could set an odd 4 way friendship/rivalry... depnding on how handled.

If Kenichi fought the Valkyries and won, in canon they were devistated by Shigure. Kenichi I believe could have fought them and won, were he actually fighting them. But I do not think he could have also fought Freya... Kenichi did recognize the weapons used, and commented on training from Shigure... He might well have had some off screen training already.

What if the girls, in an attempt to find someone to teach them more, went to Shigure... Not impossible, simple inquiries into best female weapons masters in the area would have yielded their own mistress Freya, and Shigure.

So... Finding her, and possibly Kenichi... they learn the very one who beat them, is getting training from the one they sought out.

Freya would of course as already stated likely appear earlier, if not that night, to fight Kenichi. If not that night, she would likely be even more intrigued that a male person who could hold off her own team and fight and beat Kisara is trained by a woman weapon user.

 

[nuclear death frog]

In 330, Li Raichi (skater girl) has expressed an interest. Could her and Kenichi be a decent match?

I have to admit being intrigued by the idea of Kenichi/Freya, with Kenichi getting more of his training from Shigure.

And I'm wondering who will be the next "defector"; five of the Eight Fists of Ragnarok switched sides to join the Shinpaku Alliance and Ryozanpaku, plus Takeda and Ukita. Pretty impressive record.

If/when it happens again I kind of want it to be Kushinada Chikage, the genius girl.

 

[sigfried27]

Kenichi did recognize the weapons used, and commented on training from Shigure... He might well have had some off screen training already.

Pretty sure that was mostly just a joke about Shigure using those weapons on him. Her only training role for Kenichi at that point was his fear training that pretty much consists of her attacking him.

What if the girls, in an attempt to find someone to teach them more, went to Shigure... Not impossible, simple inquiries into best female weapons masters in the area would have yielded their own mistress Freya, and Shigure.

You bastard! Stealing my idea that I've never posted on the forum and was too lazy to actually get around to ever writing. How could you!

So mean *sniffle*

Eh, anyways, it's only one aspect of what I wanted to do, since I wanted to write a Kenichi/random Valkyrie girl fic. Had decided on using bandana wearing, Sai wielding Valkyrie girl. The idea would be that while the others continue working under Freya, one can't get Shigure's words out of her mind. She would then proceed to hunt down Kenichi in an effort to ask him who that woman was. Of course, upon finding him, his first instinct would be to run away...

and stuff happens and eventually she ends up at Ryozanpaku, and since Shigure wants to train someone, and Kenichi doesn't want to use weapons anyways, she figures why not. I'd just have to fight the temptation to work Shigure into the pairing, because Shigure is the best. Have the Valkyrie girl go head to Kenichi's room one night to ask him about something, only to be stopped by Shigure.

"Kenichi...is my prey..."

 

[windstorm]

Toying with Kenichi fanfiction ideas? Interesting... there isn't that much fanfiction for Kenichi at the moment. I find it a bit surprising considering it is one of the more popular series (both anime and manga) on the net, though I suppose it might be due to the fact that there was no official english version until recently. Anyways I have had my share of ideas/imagined scenarios on this as well.

Here's some ideas:

- What if Kenichi meets Renka before Miu? That would be an interesting turnabout for the whole series. It would certainly change a lot of the character dynamics. It might also change Kenichi's affection for Miu if he found someone else to admire and that wanted to be his friend. I'd imagine it would be a fairly random meeting. Something fairly generic like Renka ends up finding Kenichi getting picked on by random bullies/thugs and she decides to beat them into the ground for picking on such a pathetic kid. She ends up taking pity taking pity on Kenichi somehow and decides to give the kid a few pointers in fighting or some technique to incapacitate most of the thugs he might encounter. They encounter each other a few more times and Renka gradually starts to like Kenichi for his kind yet naive personality.

Eventually something makes Renka decide to train Kenichi a bit because of pity or wanting to help he her new friend. The other reason might be if Kenichi winds up getting in way over his head like ticking off a mob group by accident or has to fight a fairly strong martial artist. It could also just be for safety reasons if Ranka and Kenichi keep meeting up, given the number of times Renka beats up mob people and the areas she is often in Kenichi would be a liability if he wasn't able to fight for himself. After a while Ranka might decide to get Kenichi training from some else besides just herself, like her Uncle Hakubi for example or con her Dad into it when she finds him. I could see Hakubi forcing Kenichi to help out in the restaurant if he did end up training the kid, which could lead to some chores that turn into humerous training methods. Cue Kenichi having to catch plates or something for speed training.

Meeting Renka first might change Kenichi's development in a few ways. Like already stated it might change Kenichi's feelings for her and possibly give her a better shot at winning his heart if she still falls for him. Renka is more aggressive and outspoken than Miu is and she might end up being more encouraging to Kenichi than Miu was in canon. Renka might also try to wear down Kenichi's hesitation about fighting girls. Kenichi might also be more responsive to this since she would be more direct about it and because her personality is more aggressive he might gradually be conditioned to respond to that aggression if a girl shows it during a fight. So he'd be handicapped that he won't make the first move against a girl and he'll hold back until he knows they are a threat, but now he'll at least be able to fight girls. The other things that could be changed is if Renka is enrolled at Kenichi's school earlier on or even from the beginning and when Kenichi meets Renka. He could potentially meet her well before he starts the semester at school. That would be an amusing surprise for Niijima assuming he doesn't keep an watch on Kenichi during school holidays.

- What if Kenichi employs some of the tricks he used to avoid bullies after beating the jerk in the Karate club and then the club captain like hiding and changing his location for eating lunch for a year or two before Miu shows up. He gradually gets used to hiding and avoiding trouble at all costs instead of being forced to confront it. Might change his personality development so that he is somewhat sneakier and used to tricking his enemies.

- What if Kenichi meets and tries to befriend Tanimoto before Miu shows up. He gets to know the surface personality of Tanimoto in public who seems like a nice person and becomes a good friend, but he gradually notices something odd about Tanimoto. He starts noticing a few of Tanimoto's slip ups and being empathetic starts to notice the sadness, anger, loneliness and other dark emotions Tanimoto hides. It could go a few ways from here. Kenichi could try probing Tanimoto for answers after failing to get anything from more direct questions. He could ask Niijima to do a check on his friends past if he got desperate. You can change around when Kenichi discovers Tanimoto is in Ragnarok. If he discovers it earlier on he could decide to keep quiet because he doesn't want to lose his friend. He could confront Tanimoto about it and it results in causing a rift in their friendship, leading to some personal angst a year or two later when Kenichi ends up being chased down by Ragnarok.

- Kisara and Kenichi as childhood friends who have drifted apart, but still stay in touch sometimes. Kenichi remains ignorant of her position in Ragnarok. Winds up with an incredibly shocked Kisara who finds out the person who beat up some of Ragnarok's potential recruits and has to be tested/chased/punished is her old friend. She also ends up being emotionally conflicted as to what to do. It would be pretty hard for her to not do something about the person that messed with Ragnarok and she can't outright abandon it at this point very easily either, but she also doesn't want to hurt her childhood friend. She might also want to avoid letting Kenichi know she's a member of Ragnarok if possible so she goes to slightly ridiculous lengths to remain unnamed and out of public eye whenever Kenichi has to be attacked, but also order her subordinates that he not be killed or permanently injured (her logic is since she can't abandon Ragnarok or stop the revenge order it is just best to let Kenichi get beat up once badly enough and leave it at that and say its good enough).

This could have a couple of interesting side affects for Kenichi. He could end up being used to a stronger than average girl at a young age. It might spark an interest in martial arts at a younger age, so he seeks instruction outside of school clubs. He could still end up at Ryouzanpaku if he already learned some martial arts after either invitation by Miu or a couple of fights with Ragnarok and realizing that his current level isn't good enough to defeat the higher than average martial artists or so many opponents at once.

- Crack idea, Kenichi takes a page from his dad's book and starts carrying around some form of weapon which he names and acts a bit affectionate towards. Could be a gun if you want strictly humorous antics, like the bullies wetting themselves and running away in fear, or if you opt for potentially non life threatening weapons an air gun, a gun with rubber bullets, a stun baton or a taser could fit the bill quite nicely.

- Kenichi trains in regular martial arts at an earlier age so he can avoid being bullied and fight back. Thus he manages to avoid the insane world of super powered martial artists until he has an unfortunate encounter with Ragnarok and/or some of its potential recruits.

As an afterthought, I doubt Kenichi would go for training from anyone in Yami/Yomi or join Ragnarok without some major personality shift. It really wouldn't suit him.

 

[Luthorne]

Hmm...my thoughts...

Eliminating Kenichi's crush on Miu would be tricky. A lot of the stuff he did, as I recall, was because of his crush on Miu, and as I recall, the masters used his crush on Miu to convince him to move in in the first place, as well as to keep him from simply leaving early on. What I would suggest instead is rather that Kenichi have a crush on Miu, but one that winds up fading over time, simply because it either wasn't quite as strong, initially, or because of some event that winds up diminishing his crush on Miu for some reason., forcing him to get over her. One thought might be creating an alternate universe where Miu has a long-distance boyfriend she met on her travels and has been keeping in mind since, or possibly even an arranged marriage. Alternatively, you could modify Kenichi's attitude beforehand, so that while he perhaps befriends Miu, he still has reasons other than Miu to put up with the insane training of the Ryozanpaku dojo.

I will admit, however, his apparently random obsession with Miu is one of the things I dislike about Kenichi's character...if you could realistically change that, it would be interesting to see.

Kenichi being trained by Shigure could be interesting, though how you would arrange it would be interesting to see. Akisame was chosen to be Kenichi's initial tutor because he does have a knack for designing tortuous regimes that Kenichi can nevertheless survive...however, if, perhaps, Akisame was out at the time...hmm. Appachai is far too dangerous at this point...Kenichi would die. Shio lacks interest. Kensei Ma, actually, would seem to be a good choice, but you could perhaps either have him accompanying Akisame for something or out on his own, or come up with a reason he doesn't want to do it, or Kenichi doesn't want to accept. Shigure is also very dangerous as a trainer, though, so it's a tad iffy, but you might be able to pull it off.

Another possibility would be incorporating some sort of plot element that causes Shigure to become more interested in training Kenichi, or have a Kenichi that has less of a gripe against weaponry as canon!Kenichi seems to have, due to some divergence in his past...indeed, he might well seek her out for additional training if he was interested in utilizing weapons for some reason or another.

Kenichi with a different attitude...certainly a possibility. Ryuuto thought that Kenichi would seek out martial arts training after their little spat so long ago...perhaps this time, he wound up doing so. Alternatively, there are many other events that could have done so...Kenichi is suggested to have transferred a lot to escape from incessant bullying, as I recall. He could easily be more bitter about it, or possibly have tried to last through more bullying, thus having transferred less often, but still winding up in his canonical school in the end, but with more resignation. Then again, you could always think of some other plot device...perhaps meeting someone, finding a training manual, being inspired by something...though, with Kenichi's wishy washy personality, it might have to be early on to have a significant effect.

Trained by someone else...could have some potential. Yami has issues, though...Kenichi has been stated to not be a genius type, or, in short, he has to work his ass off to progress, while characters who are natural geniuses can do so much more effectively, so it seems unlikely that he would be allowed to receive martial arts training from the rather selective members of Yami. However, there are other high level martial artists, though most of them seem to be from China thus far...though Kensei Ma has family in the general area, and even if they aren't up to his level, perhaps Kenichi could wind up learning from some of them...and possibly wind up involved when Yami starts assaulting dojos. There is also Takeda's current master, but it seems unlikely that Kenichi could convince him to teach him. Perhaps a divergence where Kenichi meets Hibiki (Siegfried) at a younger age, with the two becoming good friends...though whether that means that Kenichi would join Ragnarok eventually, Hibiki wouldn't because of Kencihi, or it would be an issue the two disagree on...I don't know.

Another possibility could be a crossover of some sort...having Kenichi meet some other martial arts instructor or arrive at some other martial arts dojo from another anime or manga series...Seta from Love Hina, perhaps, in his wanderings, or perhaps Takamichi from Mahou Sensei Negima, or the Tendo dojo from Ranma 1/2, or one of the many wandering martial artists in that series...Kenichi trying to get Ryouga to train him and winding up getting horribly lost and going through hell trying to get back home with Ryouga and learning some martial arts from him as they travel, for example, might be interesting, or at least amusing. I'm sure there's other series you could choose as well...

As for Kenichi not having something against hitting girls, I would fold that into another possible attitude change, and one for the better...perhaps simply have him have attended a school where females as well as males physically bullied him, eradicating the general nonsense notion that eventually evolved into his 'I will not hit girls' thing...

And I kind of like Li Rachi as a match for Kenichi...she's had a hard life, but she seems to have some common interests with Kenichi. Also somewhat like the idea of Kenichi winding up interested in Kisara (Valkyrie) or Kaname (Freya), preferably with them not initially being particularly interested, but with him eventually managing to win their interest. Of course, I also somewhat favor Renka... :mellow:

 

[PCHeintz72]

And I kind of like Li Rachi as a match for Kenichi...she's had a hard life, but she seems to have some common interests with Kenichi. Also somewhat like the idea of Kenichi winding up interested in Kisara (Valkyrie) or Kaname (Freya), preferably with them not initially being particularly interested, but with him eventually managing to win their interest. Of course, I also somewhat favor Renka...

I've of the opinion, that if Kenichi is in the market for girls, or the author makes it so, that this one simply comes too late in series. Not that it could not be done, as it is shown both her and the other Yami girl like him...



Another idea... a Kenichi crossover. Not with Ranma, though I would not mind another one, since of the 3 I know of, 2 are so so, and the other seems somewhat stalled. But instead with Ikkitousan.

Perhaps replace everything after the Ragnoroke thing with Kenichi being forced to transfer to a different school. One participating in the whole bit of Ikkitousan canon. That would give him more girls than could shake a bunch of sticks at to fight, and nearly all would be fighting near his level. He would be forced to fight, or die. Combine it with advice from his masters, and the girls from the first part of manga/or anime... it could actually be quite interesting.

 

[nuclear death frog]

Throwing him up against Ikkitousen people would definitely have him thinking about whether he wants a "no killing" policy or not. Increasing the level of violence he dishes out would become self-defense.

Although, manga against manga...even after the D of D arc, Kenichi could easily be killed by anyone in Ikki who's considered B-rank or better. Even D to B-rank people can easily smash concrete with generic hits. The Ikki anime turns up the frequency of ki powers but turns down the physical powers.

 

[PCHeintz72]

Throwing him up against Ikkitousen people would definitely have him thinking about whether he wants a "no killing" policy or not. Increasing the level of violence he dishes out would become self-defense.

Although, manga against manga...even after the D of D arc, Kenichi could easily be killed by anyone in Ikki who's considered B-rank or better. Even D to B-rank people can easily smash concrete with generic hits. The Ikki anime turns up the frequency of ki powers but turns down the physical powers.

Well... I bow to your superior knowledge, I still only have first season anime knowledge of Ikkitousan.

 

[the DragonBard]

Personally prefer that Kenichi still has the same level of feelings, but hasn't fixated on her to the same level. Though he still cares for her strongly.

Maybe turn it into a 'real' harem

 

[al103]

IIRC i posted this idea in Negima section, but anyway... Hayato Furinji gets a visit from his old friend... very old friend - one Evangeline A.K. McDowell. She IS prominent martial arts master after all - studying Aikido for 100 years and all that...