In a message dated 1/1/99 12:54:54 PM, Bradster writes:

<<Shampoo just seems to
enjoy rubbing Akane's nose in her failings or shortcomings. But it's
possible that Ukyou treats Akane the way she does since her angle is the
'oldest friend/cute fiance' bit, and she feels that a poor treatment of
Akane isn't the correct way to go.  Then again, it could just be that she's
the most naturally cheerful and friendly of the three.>>

		Akane isn't the poor defenless fiancee just because she is the worst martial
artist or the one Ranma makes fun of the most (excluding Kodachi who I rarely
count as a real fiancee.) Akane makes deadpan comments about Shampoo just as
often as Shampoo makes fun of Akane. A story arc that comes to mind is the
Water proof soap arc when Akane says to Shampoo "unless he also has a problem
dating morons" when Shampoo losses the soap. I think that Ukyou and Shampoo
might be more resentful of Akane because of the way she met Ranma and the fact
that her life wasn't destroyed totally from her first meetinf with Ranma (i.e.
Akane didn't loose her dowry or become a shame of her village.)