Character Profile: Ryoga Hibiki

The pathalogically misdirected Ryoga has fists of steel and a heart of glass. Ryoga has been Ranma's rival since junior high, when he challenged Ranma to a fight in the vacant lot behind Ryoga's house. But by the time Ryoga found his way there after a four-day journey all over Japan, Ranma had gone off with his father on a training expedition.

To avenge the grudge, he followed Ranma to China, eventually blundering his way to a desolate mountain range. There a pigtailed girl chasing a panda knocked him off a cliff and into Heituenniichuan, where a black pig drowned 1200 years ago (very tragic story ^_^). A panda rescued the little black pig...only to deliver him to the Chinese guide for dinner. Fortunately, the guide dropped him into a wok of boiling water.

Ryoga blames Ranma for indirectly causing his condition, and his anger multiplies when he finds out that Ranma is actually directly responsible for it. When this comes out, Ranma remorsefully swears not to reveal Ryoga's secret.

Then Akane adopts Ryoga the pig as her pet "P-chan". Ryoga falls deeply in love with her. However, he feels certain that no one could love him as a human with his curse. Despite several close calls, Akane is unaware that the pet pig she sleeps with is Ryoga. She gets angry whenever Ranma abuses P-chan, and chides him for being jealous of a pig.

In addition to a complete inability to follow directions, Ryoga is fooled even by Ranma's most ridiculous disguises. He is also extremely strong, and often inadvertently shatters rocks and walls in his anxiety.

According to the website Ranma ½ Perfect Edition, the name Ryoga can be broken down to mean "good fang" which refers to the fact that Ryoga has fangs, and Hibiki is translated as "to echo or resound".

For an estimated height, please see Doug's Ranma 1/2 Resources for Fanfic Writers page.