That last (exhausting) post of mine brings me to a nice little metaphor I
was forming with some friends last night to describe manga plotlines. The
manga in question starts out at point A, and it's intended destination,
whether for a single chapter or for the entire story, is at point B.

"You're Under Arrest" never leaves point A, merely stays there (no, it's
YUA, it *bounces* up and down there, merrily) never even *intending* to
head towards point B.

"Ah! My Goddess" heads in a straight line from point A to point B, though
its passengers have no idea where point B is, or even what will happen
there.

"Ranma 1/2" sets out from point A determined to reach point B.
Unfortunately, it has the direction sense of Ryoga, and becomes hopelessly
lost, eventually finding point B purely by accident some years later, with
a bemused expression on its face.

Now I've made these openning examples, does anyone else want to have a go
at putting any other series in terms of this metaphor?

Sam