The recent debate on Jusenkyo Curses, how they work, possible cures and 
general rules applying to Jusenkyo has, in my opinion, missed one crucial 
point.

Everyone has been quoting various incidents in the manga and using them 
to back their particular vision of how Jusenkyo works, of how this 
supports a particular blanket assumption.  All this effort and debate 
rests on the unstated assumption that there are general rules that apply 
to Jusenkyo.

I would dispute this.  From the evidence in the manga I would say 
Jusenkyo is a "deux ex machina", a convienient plot device.  It has 
whatever effect Takahashi-san thought was good for her current story with 
little to no regard for how it all went together.

I have no doubts that Takahashi-san would have made the "spring of 
drowned man" turn Ranma into a hermaphrodite *IF* she thought she could 
make a good story out of it.  Just as she put other rather far-fetchedd 
effects into her stories, because she thought they worked.

I have no objections to a fanfic writer applying consistent (maybe even 
logical) rules to Jusenkyo.  I just think that each writer will need to 
decide what they are for themselves, because there isn't a coherent set 
of guidelines in the manga. 

In Ranma 1/2 the Jusenkyou Curses aren't rational, logical or 
consistent.  They're just plain weird. 

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"The Major"                     |  "Funny Games, Strange Cartoons, Confusing
David Bateson                   |     Computers and too many Books!  No 
                                |     wonder you're weird."
major@yoyo.cc.monash.edu.au     |       - My Sister.
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