>From: Ranma8@aol.com
>Date: Mon, 1 Jul 1996 18:41:34 -0400
>I think Ranma's name will change to Ranma Saotome not Ranma Tendo.  It's that
>Akane's name will be Akane Saotome.  It's the female's last name that will
>change.
>

the thing is, since ranma's going to be taking over the tendo dojo, it's
generally preferable for him to take her last name. just a little weird if,
in thirty or forty years, somebody comes to the tendo dojo, asks for
tendo-sensei, and finds out that tendo dojo is in fact run by someone named
saotome, no?

which is why japanese men marrying to inherit their father-in-law's
business generally take their wife's last name, instead of vice versa. even
men who don't stand to inherit anything will take the name sometimes, just
to continue the family name.

used to be that childless or sonless couples would adopt a son especially
to carry on their name, title, business, whatever. or they'd get their
daughter to marry a guy who didn't mind changing his name. helped if he had
brothers to carry on his father's family name, too.