<b>Ryoga Hibiki</b>'s first encounter with <b>Ranma</b> was what began their long-standing rivalry. When <b>Ranma</b> was able to constantly snatch the last piece of bread at their old junior high school, <b>Ryoga</b> would never forgive him for making him go hungry.

After <b>Ryoga</b> was late to his final showdown with <b>Ranma</b>, due to his horrible sense of direction, he followed <b>Ranma</b> to Jusenkyo, and was accidently knocked into the "Spring of Drowned Black Piglet" (by <b>Ranma</b> as <b>Ryoga</b> later discovered). Once <b>Akane</b> found him in this form, she adopted him and gave him the name <b>P-chan</b> (meaning Pig Cute). <b>Akane</b>'s affection for <b>P-chan</b> is what began <b>Ryoga</b>'s undying love for <b>Akane</b>. <b>Ryoga</b> tries many times to tell <b>Akane</b> of his feeligns for her, but he never seems to muster the courage. Ultimately he meets <b>Akari Unryu</b> who actually knows of his secret curse and loves him all the more for it. One of <b>Ryoga</b>'s most difficult decisions in life is who he loves more <b>Akane</b> or <b>Akari</b>.

<b>Ryoga</b> is <b>Ranma</b>'s biggest rival, and no matter how many times he has lost to <b>Ranma</b>, they have all been very close battles. <b>Ryoga</b> is almost <b>Ranma</b>'s equal and is constantly improving his abilities to stay at the same level as <b>Ranma</b> and hopefully gain enough courage to tell <b>Akane</b> how he really feels about her.

Even though they fight often, <b>Ryoga</b> and <b>Ranma</b> have a mutual respect for one another's abilities.