On Thu, 24 Apr 1997, Anthony Woo wrote:

Ok I've heard a _lot_ of reasons why this person or that person should or
ought to get Ranma.  I got tired of it.  This is a list of reasons of
reasons why Shampoo, Ukyo, Kodachi, etc _shouldn't_ get Ranma.

Who Should _Not_ Get Ranma (and why)


Ranma + Shampoo = a bad match

Why:  I can't see Shampoo being romanticly attracted to Ranma.  From what
I can tell, the only reason why she's chasing Ranma is the Amazon Law,
Cologne, and (according to Richard Lawson in "Thy Inward Love") her pride.
These do _not_ make for a good match.  

	I must ask a single question here.  If these were the _only_ three
reasons Shampoo's after Ranma, then why did she allow him to live after
her first visit to Japan?  She was convinced the outlander who shamed her
was female and had was inches from caving her skull in... then she just
turned and left to take whatever punishment awaiting her at home.
	I suspect that her feeling for Ranma are a lot stronger than many
say partially because of what she and Cologne are physically and morally
capable of if either of them saw Ranma as nothing more than a trophy
and/or breeding equipment (namely mind-wiping the stud, dragging him home,
and _killing_ anyone who protests). 
	ICYAW, no I don't think Cologne would force Shampoo to wed anyone
she does not think the girl would be happy with.

Yes, she seems affectionate, but to
me that seems more as a way of tempting Ranma with her body more than
anything else. 

	<shrug> I call it a terminal lack of subtlety.
	'Poo needs to seriously work on her tactics (although they are an
improvement over Fraulien Tendo's), but it is obvious to me at least
that she seeks a _willing_ mate and companion in Ranma

I also don't see Ranma romanticly attracted to Shampoo.
First, she turns into a cat.  A _definite_ minus in his book.  Second,
she's spent most of the time they've known each other trying to kill him.
She might find that easy to forget but he probably hasn't.  Her
association with getting killed is probably pretty strong with him.  

	... OK, you've got a point there, although he probably holds the
stunts she's pulled to snare him against her more than the *ahem*
'incidents' back in China.

Shampoo also comes from a village of Amazons, don't forget.  Amazon's
probably aren't too into male rights.  Ranma would have status as
Shampoo's husband, nothing more.  I really don't see him standing still
for that kind of treatment, he's just to arrogant to take second as the
house husband (though many people _say_ this wouldn't happen, I really
don't see how it could not, since the women are dominant in the Amazon
culture, Shampoo would dominate over Ranma by social convention.  I don't
think either of them are strong enough to defy the entire Amazon society,
do you?)  

	Good point (especially considering how patriachal Japanese
society is).  Although Shampoo would be fairly accepting of Ranma if they
get together, his attitude could cause him a bit of trouble among the
other Joketsuzoku if they lived in the village permenantly.

Mind you I'm not saying that it couldn't happen, just that it
would require some very definite changes in both of them for it to be
plausible.

	Yup.

Ranma and Kodachi....I don't really have to spell _this_ one out to you,
do I?

Why:  This one would take a major overhaul in _both_ of them. 

	Maybe....

She _hates_
his female form, and if she's anything like her brother she won't
understand when he explains it to her. 

	My main argument is that she _isn't_ like her brother.  Kodachi is
considerably more intellegent and (IMO) has a firmer grasp on reality that
Tatewaki.  If the curse is displayed/explained to her and she a) cared for
him in the first place (which has been disputed) and b) does not hold her
defeat against him, then the curse would be more of an amusement than a
problem.

Ranma's her first male contact,
besides her brother (see Manga volume 2) definite infatuation, not love.

	Good point, although the same could be said for Ukyo.

She's potion happy.  And she's insane (this is a lie, by gross
_understatement_)  

	The latter I must protest.  Kuno Kodachi is rather eccentric and
often utterly amoral, but she has never struck me to be noticably detached
from reality (unlike Tatewaki, Mousse, Ryoga....)

He has _no_ attraction to her, whatsoever.  He's very
much afraid of her.  You can try, but...

	To even _start_ a romance between these two, one would have to
alter their current relationship considerably (nothing implausable, they
just need to sit down and talk).  Once that's done, they may prove more
compatable than many think.

Ranma + Akane = maybe...

	<snip>

Could Shampoo, Ukyo, or Kodachi deal with Ranma
up close on a day to day basis with him running off at the mouth?  He
might be just as insulting with Shampoo or Ukyo if he feels that he's
being forced into a relationship with them (That's how the whole thing
with Akane got started remember?)

	Your logic is sound, but I doubt that any of the these three could
be as _irrationally_ violent as Akane is on a regular basis (her behavior
exacerbates the tension in thier relationship as much or more than
Ranma's).

As you can probably tell I'm a big fan fo the Akane/Ranma pair, but I'm
not so blind as to see that it probably wouldn't work as well as everyone
seems to think (See Zen's "The Bitter End" for more elaborate reasoning).

	Bravo.  There are too many who regard "happily ever after" as the
_only_ possible outcome of a Ranma/Akane marriage no matter what the
circumstances.

Personally I think it's going to be a _long_ time before Ranma choses any
one of them.  They all need to grow up emotionally before they can really
understand who they really love.  All this is really to say that fanfic
authors better have a damn good reason for having _anyone_ get paired off.

	I agree wholeheartedly.  I grow especially tired of those who
regard Movie #2 as an accurate vision of the future.

Thanx for listening to me rant and rave

	You are welcome.

HTG