I think that our opinions are less important than the question of 
writing Ranma in character.  And any fict depicting Ranma being in love with 
anyone but Akane is portraying him out of character.

Ranma is "in love with Akane" because events always conspire to make him
get involved in Akane's life a whole lot.  He always has to rescue her,
protect her, attack guys who are chasing her, etc., and they are in the same
household and they interact constantly.  It's like those stories where two
people get stranded on a desert island and end up falling in love because they
have to constantly help and protect each other.  Only, instead of the desert
island, there's only coincidence.